Hibernate

It's been cold this week. Cold to me, at least.

I wake up in the morning and unconvinced it's really time to get up, press snooze and snuggle under the blankets for a few more moments. It really is more pleasant to close my eyes and stay under down alternative than it is to brave the cold bathroom, put on cold clothes, and go out in the chilly weather.

I stocked up on winter clothes at REI this week. Why I never had winter clothes (outside of a big warm jacket) when I was in college, I'll never know. Maybe I was dumb then, and am smart now.

The winter clothes are for my Christmas trip to my parents', as I know my adapted-to-California self can't hack the Great White North.

Can I go home and sleep now?

Oktapodi

My sweetheart forwarded me the link to this film. It's super cute.

Restaurant Review - Din Tai Fung Dumpling House

There is nothing quite so satisfying as a soup dumpling, garnished with soy sauce, black vinegar, and ginger.

My sweetheart surprised me with a trip to Din Tai Fung, which is a Taiwan-based, international chain of dumpling restaurants. The menu, which you order from before you are seated, is bilingual, and the hostesses are very nice.

The soup dumplings are their specialty, but they have a variety of other dumplings and buns you can order. Their soup is very authentic, and for dessert they have a just-right size of 8 treasure rice pudding for two!

The prices are fairly reasonable, although they do get quite busy and sometimes you have to wait a bit for a table.

Din Tai Fung Dumpling House
1108 South Baldwin Avenue
Arcadia, California 91007
(626)574-7068

Twilight and Why I Will Not See It

If 'Twilight' was 10 Times Shorter and 100 Times More Honest

Really? There are plenty of really great movies to see this Fall. I know I haven't been keeping up on my movie reviews, but I've seen several great films.

Quantum of Solace
Changeling
Burn After Reading
Tropic Thunder

A Mediocre One:
Appaloosa

Ones I Haven't Seen But Want To:
Duchess
Frost/Nixon
Milk

One I Haven't Seen But Heard Some Good Things About:
Australia

Upcoming I Want To See:
Spirit - The next Frank Miller adaptation happens to be a noir. Oh yeah.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Brad Pitt growing younger?
The Reader - Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes struggle with illiteracy and Nazism all in the same film!
Shanghai - I know nothing about this except John Cusack, Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat are in it. And that's enough. :)

Hell, if you want something light and fluffy, I wouldn't even mind seeing Marley & Me! There are so many better films out there to watch!

This quote from the article sums up exactly why Twilight disgusts me so much:

"So, the next generation of young women are currently flocking to see a female lead starring in a movie by a female director based on a bestselling book by a female author, and in this movie the main character wants to become completely submissive and self-sacrificing for a male."

Yuck! I do enough self-sacrificing in my relationships that I don't need it to be glorified for me on the silver screen.

Car = Sentient Entity?

I'm sure I'm not the first person who has a love affair with their car. A symbiotic relationship between driver and machine. The strange imprinting one makes on steel and fiberglass that transforms an inanimate object into an entity.

I'd like to think I take good care of my car. I never let it run out of gas, I wash it occasionally and dry it with microfiber cloths, and I make sure maintenance is performed on it when it's due. In turn, my car takes me to work, takes me on the road, takes me wherever I ask it to go. The sound system feeds me music and the environmental controls keep me comfortable. In every aspect of this machine, it performs exactly as I expect it to. I know this car.

Last Tuesday when I was driving home from work a guy rear-ended me. It was a craptastic finish to a long and stressful day. I just got it back today. They had to replace the bumper and fix the rear body panel. Even though my car is a late model 2007, apparently it has the body of a 2008 and it took a couple extra days to order the new bumper from the manufacturer. I have the "sport" edition so the bumper has an extra "spoiler" or lip at the bottom of the bumper.

When I picked my car up today, it was my car, and yet it was not my car. There was a rock chip on the bumper that was not there anymore. I felt like I was picking up a stranger. It most definitely was my car, because the scrape on the front bumper was still there, the scuffs in the interior were still there, and the red luck charm that dangles from the rear view mirror still hung where I left it.

After driving around a PT Cruiser (by the way, I know now why so many grannies love that car) for a week, I was so happy to climb into my newly fixed car and drive off. Except it didn't feel right to me. What is going on here? The brakes feel a bit squishier than when I dropped the car off. I guess I'll check the brake fluid level and if it's low I'll add some brake fluid.

I'm sure in a few days I will become reacquainted with my car, and everything will be fine.

Yoga For Runners

I went to a workshop today, at YAS.

YAS stands for Yoga and Spinning, and is the yoga studio that I go to occasionally. It's a bit out of the way for me, in Venice, but I like the atmosphere and the workout is a good one.

The workshop was about Yoga for Runners, and things that runners can do to improve their training techniques. There was a physical therapist who spoke about stretches that are good for common running injuries and a physical therapist from Phase IV, where you can get VO2 tests and running gait tests done. So that was interesting. If I had the money I guess I'd have a couple of those tests done to see where I'm at.

Katherine Jenkins Honeyed Voice

I haven't posted in a while. Life has kept me away.

Somehow the month of November escaped me, and we're now solidly in December. What happened?

I had a lot of projects due in my online class; I spent a lot of my hours in a lab at school. Thanksgiving was fun; it's been a while that I've had the big family get-together and really felt included. That was a good experience for me.

This week I was rear-ended on my way home from work, so now I'm puttering around in a PT Cruiser. Let me tell you, I now know why little old grannies love that car! (At least I think I know)

The few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas really makes me want to listen to grand pieces of music. I just discovered Katherine Jenkins; her voice is richer than Charlotte Church's, and I would dare say, much prettier. Apparently she's a hit classical crossover artist. Why I've never heard of her before, I don't know. And for the guys, she's mega eye-candy. ;)

Women In Computer Science

What Has Driven Women Out Of Computer Science

(I found this article on Slashdot today)

I think these researchers have it wrong. It's not games.

When I was in high school, they made us take all these aptitude tests to find out what kind of job we would be suited for. I thought it was kind of fascinating and probably sparked my interest in personality tests.

Anyway, the test came back and said I was well-suited to be an engineer. My dad really wanted me to go to Tech, and it was the most-viable out-of-state solution I could have gone with (since Dad said even if I was accepted to MIT I couldn't go because we couldn't afford it). He wanted me to go into environmental engineering, which I just wasn't into. But they had software engineering as a major and I thought, "Hey, I took a programming class in high school and that was fun, let's do that."

I was bored in that programming class in high school because I could get a week-long assignment done in an hour. But it was something that I was good at and it was fun to see immediately if your idea worked or not.

I never said to myself, "Gee, I played with Barbie dolls as a child, I shouldn't go into a math or science field."

If you want to know why women get scared out of computer science, just read the comments in the Slashdot article. I don't think it's as simple as socially-undeveloped men scaring women, because engineers and scientists are just as socially-undeveloped. Plus, the women I saw majoring in engineering and science tend to not be like the women who majored in, say, nursing.

You want to know what really intimidated me in college re: my major? I had a bad professor who made everyone feel like an idiot. I know a lot of people in my class dropped out or transferred after his Discrete Structures class. Granted, a lot of people probably would have dropped out after Discrete Structures anyway (it's hard and brain-hurting at times), but there was a girl who was doing the best out of the entire class who transferred to Bozeman to study something else. Going through a couple of classes with that guy wasn't really conducive to learning.

Obviously this was just a case of one, but I would bet there are assholes everywhere.

Computer science is a hard enough field to study, the people teaching it (and sometimes the people learning it) don't need to make it harder.

I Love Colbert

Aha!

A couple years ago, when I was lonelier than I am now, I went to a website. . . .

I found the URL on a yard sign in the median of a city street. I went to the website, filled out the form, and a couple days later got a phone call. A woman asked me some questions and set up an appointment to meet with them (and get videotaped? WTF?) in Westwood.

I flaked on the interview.

Today, on Slashdot, someone has figured out who runs that operation.

I thought it was fascinating.

While We Breathe, We Hope

I did not vote for Barack Obama. I penciled-in Ron Paul's name, knowing that no matter how I voted, Obama would win California's electoral votes. There were other things vastly more important to me that I was voting on last night.

I just finished watching his speech, which was well-written and well-delivered. I am confidant that he will bring people together, and not force them further apart. In that, I am very excited.

He used to teach Constitutional Law. I hope he uses that experience to bring our government more in alignment with that.

Someday, there will be a bullet train between Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Someday, there will be a better Metro system in Los Angeles County. Someday, I hope that marriage will not be something that government or religion feels free to decide on; that people will feel it's not OK to tell someone else how to define their committed relationships.

Obama said last night, "While we breathe, we hope." And that is a beautiful concept.

Michael Crichton Dies

Michael Crichton, million-selling science fiction writer, dies at 66

I remember a time in high school, when I was inconsolably lonely, where I tried to read every single novel Crichton wrote. Some I cared more for than others (Sphere and Terminal Man stick out, don't read anything after Airframe), but I enjoyed them all for the most part.

The summer before I moved to LA I read Crichton's Travels. It was his account of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro that inspires me to go there someday myself.

While I did not always get on board with his writing, I can say that he wrote well and that he possessed a great imagination.

The world has lost a star. I hope his writing has inspired at least a few to write, to direct, to act, and to imagine.

I'm Heartbroken

It appears 52% or so of Californians are homophobic bigots. Boo on that! Shame on each and every one of them!

If you voted for Proposition 8 and are reading this now, ask yourself this: Would you be satisfied being in a "domestic partnership" with your spouse? Would it be OK for you to not be able to be at his or her bedside when he or she is at the hospital? Would it be OK for you to not receive tax benefits from being in a committed relationship? (Maybe we should change the tax code?) Would it be OK for you to not have automatic parental rights?

If you are concerned about your children, they will not be children forever. Homosexual marriage would not have been formally taught in schools had Proposition 8 failed. Your children aren't stupid. They know more about sex, drugs, homosexuality, and general trouble-making than they let on. You cannot control when your kids learn anything, unless you keep them in a hole somewhere. And that is considered abuse.

To those who had a personal stake in how this all turned out, I'm deeply sorry. This is not at all fair to you, and I hope the fight in court goes our way.

Fortune

I ate at a Chinese fast-food place for lunch a few days ago.

My fortune said, "You will make a name for yourself."

I sure hope so.

"Independent" Voting

Apparently, as an "Independent", I don't know who to vote for. Or something.

Today I found in my mailbox a card that said it was the "Voter Information Guide for Independent Voters". What the hell? I can't make up my mind on my own? I can't read the real Voter Information Guide booklet that was sent to me from the State of California and vote for myself what I think is best for me, the State of California, and the United States of America?

Someone Please Explain To Me

What right Utah voters have to interfere with California politics?

At least they called the whole idea off.

I got a phone call from an old dude a couple weeks ago. He asked me if I had made up my mind about Proposition 8. I said yes, I had, and he asked me what way I was going to vote. I said I was going to vote no (I should have told him it was none of his business!!!) and he asked me if I was 100% certain.

Why? If I wasn't would he have tried to convince me otherwise? I should have asked him questions that would really show his prejudices.

I have no idea if the old dude was calling me from Utah or not, but it sure was annoying.

I was originally not going to blog about this, but I'm starting to get sick of reading about this issue and dealing with it everywhere I go.

Mission To Mars

Buzz Aldrin thinks Mars pioneers should just stay there permanently.

I have to admit I like his idea. The effort and resources that would be expended figuring out how to get people off of the planet and back home could be better spent on ensuring colonists' survival.

However, I think we're a long ways from sending off colonists to the great wild unknown. At least 50 years. Unless someone discovered a way to commercialize space, and there was a resource on Mars that we absolutely needed to have.

If the political climate here gets bad enough, I think a lot of people would want to move to Mars and start their own Martian colony, complete with their own laws and way of life.

Hellman Article on Nuclear Weapons

Hellman is one of the inventors of the Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol, used in public-key cryptography. He wrote an down-to-earth article about nuclear warfare that's straight-forward and easy to read. Then posted it on Slashdot.

I have to admit I skimmed the article.

Krista Tagged Me!

1. Where is your cell phone? In my purse? No! On the kitchen table. . .

2. Where is your significant other? At home? In his office? One of the two places. . .

3. Your hair color? Brown

4. Your mother? At home

5. Your father? At home

6. Your favorite thing? Sleeping. . .spending time with my sweetheart

7. Your dream last night? I don't remember my dreams from last night.

8. Your dream/goal? Find a way to work part-time and have enough money to buy a nice house in a good neighborhood, travel two months out of the year, and have enough left over to put away for my future family.

9. The room your in? The living room

10. Your hobby? Running, reading, watching movies

11. Your fear? Of being a complete failure

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? I want to have my master's done, and have enough saved for a downpayment on a house.

13. Where were you last night? At home

14. What you're not? Superwoman. I have to keep reminding myself of that.

15. One of your wish-list items? Peace of mind.

16. Where you grew up? Ontario, CA or Cedar City, UT, depending on how you look at it.

17. The last thing you ate? I'm eating green bean casserole right now.

18. What are you wearing? pink velour thermal pjs. . . .

19. Your tv? A consolation prize from when my last boyfriend dumped me. I'm fixing to throw it out the window when I move.

20. Your pet? Does a lucky bamboo plant count?

21. Your computer? Asus lappy

22. Your mood? Moody and cranky

23. Missing someone? My sweetheart.

24. Your car? Toyota Yaris. One of these days I'll blog an ode to the Yaris. :)

25. Something your not wearing? Shoes

26. Favorite store? Barnes & Noble. Or Victoria's Secret. Take your pick. I haven't really frequented either one in months.

27. Your summer? Summer's over? Aw. :(

28. Love someone? Yes.

29. Your favorite color? Dark green.

30. When is the last time you laughed? Possibly today at something I read online.

31. Last time you cried? Tonight after I got out of the shower.

I'm supposed to tag someone, huh? I suppose if you read this, have a blog, and want to fill this out, I tag you. :)

Lying to Little Kids

Time Traveller wrote about deception and it reminded me of something that happened over the weekend.

My sweetheart and I were at the Huntington, and after wandering around the Art Gallery (formerly the residence of the Huntingtons) we took a walk by the Library. There's a lawn with Romanesque statues and a fountain at the end. There isn't water running through the fountain, but in the pond there were koi fish and gold fish swimming around.

We watched the fish for a bit, and then before we left a man and his two young sons came up. The boys were saying, "Look! Look! There's a fish in there!"

The man said, "No, I don't think there's any fish in there." By then he had noticed us and I said, "Oh, but there is!"

He seemed a little disgusted, then mouthed, "I know" before saying "Thanks." As in, "Thanks, but no thanks."

I don't know what the point of lying to little kids would be.

Long Beach Half Marathon Race Report

I ran in the Long Beach Half Marathon yesterday. It was my first half-marathon. I hurt my leg training and decided to walk it, finishing in 3:03:31 (chip time, my gun time was 3:06:15). Now I have a time to beat!

I read about the problems with traffic at this event before (it's a bike tour, plus a marathon, half-marathon, a 5K, and a kids' 1K all rolled into one) and decided that I would avoid the traffic problems (as well as the $10 parking fee) by parking at a Metro line park-and-ride station (Wardlow Station on the Blue Line) and ride down to 1st Street, which was only a few blocks from the starting line.

My sweetheart was able to make it out that day to cheerlead for me and I texted him my splits when I passed each mile marker:

Mile 1 - 7:51 AM
Mile 2 - 8:07 AM (16 minutes)
Mile 3 - 8:21 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 4 - 8:36 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 5 - 8:51 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 6 - 9:06 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 7 - 9:19 AM (13 minutes)
Mile 8 - 9:33 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 9 - 9:47 AM (14 minutes)
Mile 10 - 10:02 AM (15 minutes)
Mile 11 - 10:16 AM (13 minutes)
Mile 12 - 10:29 AM (13 minutes)

My shins were bugging me from the start until about mile 5. I thought for sure I wasn't going to be able to have a good time then. Around mile 10 I was feeling great and felt that I could run the last mile. I did run part of the last mile, but by then my legs were so tired I couldn't run the whole thing. Or maybe I was running too fast. My sweetheart said I did the last part (from Mile 12 to the finish) in around 9 minutes. If that's the case I must have been running really fast, because even when I train I run around 12-minute miles. I know I really pushed it after we turned off of Ocean Ave. at the end. The finish was downhill and pretty easy. :)

I saw some characters on the way. There was one guy around mile 2 or 3 who was running the half marathon barefoot. There was an old man who was running way faster than me around mile 3, but I passed him at mile 12. There was another guy, a Filipino who was on one of the organized teams, who I met around mile 2. I passed him around mile 11 or mile 12 as well. There was one guy at mile 11 who was running slower than I was walking. He told me, "oh, you're doing really good!" I told him back, "No, *you're* doing really good!"

There was a guy (I'm not sure if he was a volunteer or a spectator) at Mile 11 who said that it was all downhill here from here, and that it wasn't the first time a guy lied to you (Mile 11 was the last or second-to-last minor incline). I told him that it wouldn't be the last, and he got a real kick out of that.

The course took us near the starting line just after Mile 6 and my sweetheart was there to cheer me on. He asked me if I was having fun and at that point, I really was! I definitely think his presence at the race helped me out a lot. I knew they had music and "stuff" going on at the finish line but I didn't want him to get bored waiting around for me.

They put our names (or a 'nickname') on our bibs, so people could cheer you on by name. At the water/powerade station at Mile 12 the volunteers saw me texting and shouted out to me. Hey, we live in a modern world. :)

It was a beautiful day too. During the middle miles along the beach it was dead quiet. All you could hear were the waves and the breeze. People were listening to their iPods and not talking. That was kind of weird, to see so many people in a group moving along and not talking.

Stressed

I've been really stressed lately. I wish I had the opportunity to go to yoga or run every day. . .

OK, maybe not running just yet. I need to start training again. Big half marathon that I'm going to end up walking on Sunday.

Sometimes I'll meet a friend at YAS and do yoga for an hour. It's really an amazing experience. They're starting to open up more studios, one of which is on the way home for me. That would be nice. Not sure when that franchise is opening.

In the meantime I guess I'll have to buy the DVD and be satisfied with that. The studio in video clip is their actual studio in Venice. I go in the evening so it's not flooded with light except from the streetlamps. It's kept fairly warm and feels good to be in.

Hey, Dude On The Blue Line!

I took the Metro from Pasadena to work this morning as an experiment to see how viable it actually is.

It's really not bad. I was able to transfer to each of my trains without missing one or much confusion. Timewise it's maybe 15 or 20 minutes longer than driving, and I'm definitely not missing sitting in traffic. Maybe once the novelty wears off I'll want to reclaim my time.

When I got on the Blue Line today there was a fellow who gave up an extra seat he was occupying so that I could sit down. I did thank him, but forgot to tell him to have a nice day when I got off the train for my next connection.

So if you're the fellow who was getting off at Pacific Coast Hwy and let me sit down next to you on the train, thanks again! I hope you had a nice day.

Public Transportation Fascination

I think I've developed an unhealthy fascination with the Metro Rail in Los Angeles.

It all started with an afternoon jaunt from Pasadena to Hollywood, and now I'm constantly trying to incorporate the Metro in my daily life. Unfortunately, the only public transportation available to me currently is the bus system, as the light-rail hasn't been extended very far into South Bay yet.

I'll have to take photos and share, but the Metro is much cleaner than I thought it would be, not to mention quiet and cheaper. A day pass runs $5.00. I'll spend at least that much in gas trying to drive from South Bay to Pasadena.

I've been considering moving to downtown in the next year or so. If I do, I could buy a TAP card, recharge it every month, and take the Metro to work, saving even more money. That would be cool. Timewise it would probably be a little longer than driving, but I would be able to incorporate around two miles of walking a day that I don't currently get, plus not have to deal with the stress of traffic. If USC accepts my graduate application, I would be able to take the subway to school too. (My plan B was to go to Loyola Marymount, which would require driving.)

Los Angeles is the first city I've lived in with a light-rail/subway transit system. I remember going on holiday to Europe or the Washington D.C. area and being in awe with the whole process of procuring a ticket, waiting for the train, and getting on it. The idea of being able to orchestrate a situation where the novel becomes the ordinary takes my breath away.

Nick Reynolds Dies

Kingston Trio's Nick Reynolds Dies At 75

The Kingston Trio is one of my dad's favorite bands. When I was growing up I listened to a lot of their music.

A Situation So Sad I Have To Laugh

I get a bit annoyed when I have to fly now. Not that I've had to in a long while, but still. The idea of spending an extra half hour at the airport to hang out in a line while my stuff gets checked out does not make my "fun" list of things-to-do.

Schneier on Security has a good post on this for something "funny" to do. Not that I would actually do this in fear of wasting a day in bureaucratic hell, but still.

A popular phrase on the comments seems to be "These are not the droids you are looking for".

Forcing me to throw out my toothpaste, or bottle of water, or eyeball solution, does not make me safer. If it did, I could do that at home on my own.

This Film Would Be So Awesome If Only . . . .

WWII conspiracy film? Way too exciting for words. . . .

Except . . .it's a Tom Cruise film. Eeeew.

Something To Think About

Money As Debt Video

I don't know what to think about this. It'd be better to have a simpler currency system. But how to get from what we currently have to something better? I don't know how to go about doing that.

This Is Really Beautiful

The last days of David Foster Wallace

I have a lot of sympathy for those who choose suicide. There is no tougher decision to make than that final one.

People who are not sympathetic, who think it's a selfish act, just don't "get it".

This tribute article is poignant. Read it.

Pain in the Butt

My leg started bothering me a couple weeks ago so I took a week off from running. Now I'm seriously behind in my training regimen and I think I'm going to have to walk the Long Beach Half Marathon.

I was putting some serious thought into it this morning and after some googling online I think I found what ails me: Piriformis Syndrome. The back of my leg doesn't bother me, it's the outside of the lower leg where the calf muscle "ends". Basically, it feels tight and when I start to run it starts to feel really tight and stiff. I get foot drop and then have to walk.

But last night I noticed that there's a spot on my butt on that side that's sore. Hopefully if I do a lot of stretching and sitting on a tennis ball I'll be able to run at least part of the Half Marathon.

I've decided to forget about trying to fight traffic to park for the event, and will be taking the Metro. I'll save money, hassle, and probably time as well.

Remember Pop-Tarts?

It Was So Damned Good It Was Scary

I remember having Pop-Tarts as a kid. The strawberry kind without icing. I remember them being really delicious.

It's rare that I buy any overly processed food anymore. But I found a home version of Pop-Tarts I think I'm going to try.

I'm Very Happy About This

More FLDS Members Indicted On Sexual Assault Charges

Eastwood/Jolie Period Piece Coming Soon

I think I'm going to see this when it releases. I love films with strong female characters, and films with noir aspects to them.

I'm also discovering that I really like films set in L.A., especially period pieces like this one.

The Boy Who Vanished - and His Impostor

I've tried googling "Christine Collins" to find out more about what happened to her after the events in the movie. Unfortunately, all I've really been able to glean is that she was able to sue one of the public officials (I think the police chief) for money that she never received. I learned from this LA Times article that she lived on 217 N Avenue 23 in Los Angeles.

You can access the LA Public Library for photos. Go to "Photo Collection", then search for "Christine Collins" or "Northcott".

I Saw Anonymous

This weekend when my sweetheart and I were on our way to dinner we saw some members of Anonymous protesting Scientology, wearing Guy Fawkes masks and carrying posters. Some of them broke off their main "group" and followed Scientologists down the sidewalk.

Cool.

Go Learn Something!

Stanford Engineering Everywhere
DeviceGuru - Stanford offers free CS, Robotics courses

Cool! Wanna see what Computer Science is all about? Take a free course from Stanford! It would be nearly identical to the course that's offered in-the-flesh on campus, plus you'll get to see if Computer Science is something you want to delve into further.

In the perfect world I envision in my head, learning would be free. This is a step towards that.

Movie Review - Burn After Reading

Let's talk about a wickedly funny film. No spoilers below, the plot summary can be gleaned mostly from the trailer or other plot summaries or film reviews online. An insightful to-the-point spoiler of the film can be found here. I was giggling all the way to the Metro from the Arclight after viewing this one.

"And what did we learn here? I guess we learned not to do it again," the CIA director (J.K. Simmons) says at the end of the film. Ironically, the CIA is minimally involved in the film, serving only as the catalyst for Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) to sit in his Georgetown townhome, drink, and dictate his memoirs (pronounced in the French style). His coldly British pediatrician wife (Tilda Swinton) is shacking up with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), who let's say is married with a roving eye. Pfarrer ends up meeting Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) through an internet dating site, who is motivated to find a large pile of cash to surgically remodel her body, and has employed her coworker Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt) to help her score her windfall.

Got all that? Enter Mrs. Cox's divorce lawyer's assistant who misplaces a CD copy of Mr. Cox's memoirs and financial data at the gym where Litzke and Feldheimer work.

The plot thickens, and morbid silliness ensues. The movie strolls along until it gets very dark very fast, and then the CIA tidily takes care of all the messy loose ends.

Visually, Brad Pitt is the funniest on camera. If he wasn't such a huge name and/or image, he would melt into his role. His meeting with Osborne Cox is one of the funniest scenes in the film, solely because of the way he plays his lines. Brilliant acting.

Coming in at number 2 is a three-way tie between Malkovich, Clooney, and McDormand, although I would have to say Clooney's character is the best developed. His character's actions bring paranoia-in-action to a whole new level. I could probably discuss for hours bits of that character and his actions, not to mention his all-too-human quirks (penchant for running, interest in wood flooring, lying about food allergies).

There are no true heroes or villains in Life, just a bunch of people in a mess. For everyone uninvolved, that mess can be really, really funny. Sometimes we get what we want, but most of the time we don't. Sometimes we're in the wrong place at the wrong time. Most of the time, we blow a situation completely out of proportion by overestimating our own importance to the rest of the world.

The Movie To See This Weekend

I've been looking forward to this film for a few weeks now. Judging from the trailer alone, it looks like it's going to be a hilarious satire.

I enjoy black comedy, probably for the fact it lies just outside polite society norms. The Coen brothers have served up fantastic examples in the past (Fargo, The Big Lebowski). I suspect Burn After Reading is going to be wickedly funny to those who have some personal knowledge of Washington D.C. much like The Big Lebowski is relevant to the L.A. experience.

I've been reading some reviews, and it seems a big complaint is that the characters are all caricatures. Well, yeah. I think that's the point. Satire is supposed to be a reflection of society taken to the extreme, poking fun at the realities that hurt most. "Real" people don't fit in a world viewed through the warped lens of irony, wit, and satire. I don't think they're supposed to.

I'll report back after I've seen the film and, uh, when things make sense. ;)

Two Year Anniversary

Two years ago today I drove into LA to start my career. Wow.

This Made My Jaw Drop

Sarah Palin and the victims-pay-for-rape-kits story

What?! I'm shocked and angered by this. If a rape victim has insurance that will cover the cost of a rape kit, then OK. If she has the financial means to pay for the kit herself, that's OK too. But if a women has no way to pay for the kit, that's just too bad? Wow. That really just blows my mind.

If a woman can't pay for a rape kit, having the community foot the bill for her just seems like the right thing to do in terms of justice and being a "good community".

According to the Salon article, Wasilla police chief Charlie Fannon said the rape kits would cost the city's police department between $5,000 and $14,000 a year. For a city the size of Wasilla (7,000? 10,000?), and depending on the cost of the kit and forensic medical exam (between $300 and $1,200, according to Salon, and $800 according to this Officer.com article), it sounds like Wasilla has bigger problems than funding a hockey rink and its legal woes.

Even more interesting, the Violence Against Women Act was pushed through by none other than Joe Biden.

The Strange Slience on Biden's Signature Accomplishment

While I personally like Obama more than McCain, I was willing to set that aside and consider McCain for president. I've definitely been on the fence when the vice presidential candidates were announced. But this really pushes me into Obama's camp.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia!

I saw this film a few weeks ago but I feel I should review it anyway.

While I'm not surprised at the staying power of this film in theaters, I also felt it relies heavily on star power and the nostalgia of the musical, with very little merit on its own. There were several scenes that were very painful to watch.

Meryl Streep steals every single scene she's in, and it's obvious she had a blast making the film. On the other hand, Pierce Brosnan looks uncomfortable in every scene he's in, and I feel he was most certainly miscast.

Visually, filming in Greece was a fantastic idea. There is something about films set in the Mediterranean that requires them to be filmed on-location. There's no other way to replicate the sun, sand and water.

The big dance numbers are great. The cast dressing up in full 70's disco attire is not.

Movie Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The more I see Guillermo del Toro's work, the more I really, really, like it. He has a very distinctive visual style that makes him reminiscent to Tim Burton, whose work I also admire. The film is steeped in pseudo-mythology as only Guillermo del Toro can inspire. I'm very excited to see how the Hobbit films turn out, and I believe del Toro can envision an even more incredible Middle Earth than Peter Jackson.

As in the first, my favorite character on the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense team is Abe Sapien, the cerebral merman. There's a very tender, beautiful romance between him and the elven princess in the film.

One of the things I love about del Toro's recent work is that he understands character archetypes very well and he doesn't fiddle with them to make them "more realistic", yet the stories he tells with these character archetypes are never boring. There's a princess character who is the epitome of what a princess is supposed to be whose destiny is tied to her brother who is the epitome of the brash, ambitious prince. Really rich, great stuff for a comic book film.

I also really like the steampunk elements in Hellboy II. Visually, the film is just spectacular.

I have to admit that I was a bit bored with the first film, but that the second film is definitely worth seeing.

New Blog!

My friend Theresa from college just started up blogging at This crazy life.

Go check it out.

Torrance Memorial ER Rocks!

I woke up early this morning in a lot of pain, and debated whether or not I should just go to the ER or wait for when the urgent care centers started to open.

I opted for the ER so that I could get treated and get to work on time, even though I didn't have a life-threatening emergency.

Let me tell you, those guys at Torrance Memorial are *awesome*. I was in-and-out in less than an hour, and all of the staff were not only polite (and some of them were even funny!), but also referred to me by name. The doctor I saw was nice with great bedside manner. Wow. Most definitely the shortest ER visit I've ever had. Maybe they weren't that busy, or maybe they're just that efficient.

I'm fine, by the way. :)

Movie Review: Hamlet 2

This was an interesting film. Not sure if I would recommend it, but I definitely enjoyed it. It's not a film for everyone.

People who have been involved with school theater would probably appreciate this comedy, and definitely anyone who can sympathize with high school teachers (and art teachers in particular) would appreciate the challenges faced by Dana Marschz (portrayed by Steve Coogan).

The main side plot involving Marschz's personal life is fairly predictable and doesn't add much to the film.

One of the best sight gags was when Marschz and his wife go to the "Prickly Pear Fertility Clinic". No foreshadowing whatsoever going on there.

I saw this at the Arclight in Hollywood. Really cool theater, with reserved stadium seating for all their screens and excellent picture quality. They have props and costumes from current films on display in the lobby. I definitely will be coming back here to see movies.

Movie Review: Tropic Thunder

I saw the trailer for this and thought it would be kind of funny, although I'm not surprised at the controversy that surrounds this film and the issues of Vietnam veterans, the mentally disabled, and race. However, I thought this was a great comedy. Or maybe I just don't get offended as easily.

The movie's fake trailers set the tone and introduce the characters in a clever way. My favorite is the trailer for "Satan's Alley", which introduces the method actor Kirk Lazarus (played by Robert Downey Jr.). Robert Downey Jr.'s character is definitely the most complex of the four leads and his little character study on racial anxiety in the United States is by itself worth seeing the film.

I know very, very little about how Hollywood "works", but I would venture to guess this is a fairly accurate satire on many aspects of the movie industry. Tom Cruise is hilarious as the profane movie producer Les Grossman (who, as the Slate review remarks, is both a literal and figurative dick). He pulls off triumphant victory dances to hip-hop music. Jerks just don't get this funnier.

My favorite side performance was that of Matthew McConaughey's agent for Ben Stiller's character. The running gag involving a TiVo set culminates in his character trekking through the Vietnamese jungle alone, while giving the audience hope for the human condition. Maybe Hollywood isn't full of self-absorbed, egotist freaks like Cruise's Les Grossman.

Secure Your Gmail

Gmail Account Hacking Tool
Official Gmail Blog: Making Security Easier

Securing your gmail account is easy. Just do it.

Log in -> Settings -> Browser Connection (at the bottom) -> Always Use https

Phelps Wins 8!

OK, I've been out of the loop a little bit this weekend.

But it shocked me that Phelps record winning 8 gold medals wasn't on the front page of Google News today.

I'm really excited and happy for him. I used to swim in middle school and even though I haven't been following the Olympics, reading about his events and remembering what swim meets were like for me were very nostalgic and exciting. So I have him to thank for bringing back those good memories.

Here's an article.

While We're On The Security Issue . . .

Don't talk to the cops either.

Growing up we get this really nice picture of how police officers protect the public and generally do good things.

The reality is you never get treated that way by cops in general. Don't get me wrong, I'm pro-good, and while I feel my personal experiences with cops have been fair, I've yet to meet one that made me feel safe.

Shooting The Messenger

I've been keeping quiet about this for a while, but now I feel I should mention it.

Judge orders halt to Defcon speech on subway card hacking
Vulnerability Assessment Report

This whole business of corporations suing people who discover their security problems is retarded. That's right, I used the 'r' word. People who discover security problems and share it with "the good guys" should be rewarded for their ingenuity and hard work. Because if they've discovered security vulnerabilities, you can bet "the bad guys" have too.

The bad guys aren't going to be nice and let the good guys in on their secrets.

Edited to add:
Even more important than a way to ride the metro for free, here is the case of shooting the messenger involving the DNS vulnerability. And this guy even tried to do the right thing about it.

Top Ten Ways To Please Your Man

I've been making random jokes about Cosmo's "top ten ways to please your man" thing for years.

And now I've found the Onion is doing it too:


'Cosmopolitan' Institute Completes Decades-Long Study On How To Please Your Man

Fencing Is A Sexy Skill To Have

Super Sweep: US Is Now a Fencing Power

I've always wanted to learn fencing. I even bought and read a book on the subject. But I never had the opportunity to take classes, which I think is essential for a martial art.

I think it's great that we're starting the Olympics off with some good medal wins. I've never been wild about the summer Olympics, and I'm definitely not paying a lot of attention to the Beijing Olympics, but I think it's good that we can get together with our fellow nations and have some friendly athletic competition.

I should define what I think a "sexy skill" is. A sexy skill is a skill that might come in handy if you were a super-spy, with a sufficiently low probability that an average citizen would have that same skill. Like piloting a helicopter (fixed wing aircraft is kind of sexy, helicopters are much more complex to control and, therefore, much more sexy). Fencing made my list of sexy skills.

The ultimate sexy skill is the skill of observation. All the "spy stuff" I read point to this. A good spy is supposed to see/notice something and remember it to the greatest detail. What a target was wearing on a particular meeting. What people's voices sound like. Phone numbers, addresses, important dates. You can't write it down, because that leaves a paper trail.

So now you know.

Tag Tagged

Wow. I've survived until now I suppose.

4 Places I Visit Over and Over:
24 Hour Fitness on Century, my Chiropractor's office, Sprouts, the Chinese herbal store in Gardena

People who call/text/e-mail me regularly:
Don, Armen, Tom, and Sean (wow, all guys! You'd think my love life would reflect this! ;) )

Favorite Foods:
Strawberries, dark chocolate, ginger milk tea, tuna sashimi

Places I'd Rather Be:
Home (in bed, asleep), a museum (art or natural history), a rose garden (with roses that smell), a study filled with old books and leather couches

Movies I'd Watch Over and Over:
The English Patient, Under the Tuscan Sun, Batman Begins (until The Dark Knight releases on DVD), Hot Fuzz

Bands/Groups I Love To Listen To (I cheated and incorporated any musically talented person):
Michael Buble, Bobby Darin, Christina Aguilera, Jerry Goldsmith

I tag: Don, Dan, Time Traveller

There Is Still Sanity In Utah

Utah Millionare Donates Money To Fight California's Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

Cool.

Chow Mei Fun

One of the things I picked out of my food when I was growing up (besides onions) was the black mushrooms in one of my favorite dishes, chow mei fun (fried rice noodles). This would frustrate my mother, who would berate me, telling me how good the mushrooms were for me. I must have not believed her, because I still wouldn't eat them.

In college, one of the first things I figured out how to make for myself was chow mei fun. My boyfriend at the time and I had a little "cooking cart" stuffed with cooking equipment, which we would truck down to the first floor of our dormitory and create delicious meals. He was a very helpful soux chef, although we disagreed over the best way to brown meat (he always insisted on adding water and covering the pan, where I felt it was best to omit those steps. The relationship was never meant to last.).

I remember calling my mom and asking her if I absolutely had to put the dreaded black mushrooms in the dish. Her reluctant response was, "well, you don't have to put them in, but you'll lose the flavor." So I reluctantly added black mushrooms.

And then liked them. Now I add more than the recipe calls for (as well as the little shrimp). You can add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt to the water or stock, but depending on the soy sauce you use it may or may not be necessary. I've also heard you can substitute the meat and the veggies (cabbage and carrot) for other veggies, but I have yet to try it that way.

Fried Rice Noodles (adapted from the recipe in Chinese One Dish Meals)
150 gm dry rice noodles (also called rice sticks, in the Asian section)
1/2 lb. pork, shredded (I'm lazy and get the thin-cut pork chops)
1/3 c. small dried shrimp, soaked in hot water (get these at an Asian grocery)
6 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked in water and then juilienned
1/3 - 1/2 onion, sliced in half circles and the rings separated
2 TB soy sauce
1 c. water or stock (can use the liquid from soaking the shrimp and mushrooms)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. cabbage, shredded
1 c. carrot, shredded (you can actually buy shredded carrot, saves lots of time!)

Either soak the noodles in cold water for 20-30 minutes, or immerse them in boiling water for 10 seconds and set aside.
Heat 4 TB oil (don't use olive oil as it can't take the heat) in a preheated wok. Stir fry the meat shreds, then add the shrimp, black mushrooms, and onion. Add the soy sauce and stir fry briefly.
Add the water or stock and black pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles, cabbage, and carrot.
Stir fry until the liquid has been absorbed.
Eat. :)

California Bans Trans Fats

California Bars Restaurant Use of Trans Fats

I think this is overall a good idea. However, I think the article paints an overly-rosy picture of the state of California's restaurant system and citizens.

A lot of California is not the stereotypical, stick-thin, beach blonde, health-conscious waif nor the buff, tanned, egg-white-eating stud. Sure, you can find plenty of those here, but if you look around, you see a lot of overweight people. A lot of people who *don't* drive new Lexuses or BMWs or Mercedes. A lot of people who are happy to eat McDonald's every day.

Maybe it's just me, but I see a lot of obese and overweight children at the stores. Until these children learn to eat better and exercise more, their health is going to be at stake.

I think the new law is a step in the right direction, but I don't think it's going to be a substitute for self (and parental) responsibility.

Where The Hell Are We?

Where The Hell Is Matt? (2008)

I recently found this video. . . not quite sure how. I think I was browsing YouTube or something and stumbled across it.

Anyway, I watched it, and went to the guy's website. He seems like a good sort.

In his FAQ he mentioned how he's just dancing in his video, he's not pushing any agenda or "message".

I remember hearing or learning somewhere that art is something where we take what we want from art, we insert our beliefs and our motivations into a piece of art and extract something we want to see. Maybe (if we're lucky), we can learn something about ourselves and about humanity by viewing art.

I definitely love the piece of music they use as the soundtrack for this video.

So what does this video mean to me? I think it means that people are more alike than unalike, and that things like love and generosity is what is going to bring the world together in harmony and peace. It's about how extraordinary our world is and how beautiful it is.

It's about how Americans need to get off our lazy butts and go see the world before we blow it up (literally or figuratively).

I must be ready for my next vacation.

Movie Review - The Dark Knight

I just got back from the theater.

Wow.

I'm not quite sure where to begin. There is so much to discuss in this 2 1/2 hour film, even without spoilers.

The only thing I really didn't like about this film was that you never got a chance to process what just happened before the next climax/conflict. So by the time you leave the theater you're left wondering exactly what *did* happen (I definitely sense plot holes). I'm not sure if this is necessarily a bad thing though, since one of the themes is supposed to be about anarchy vs. control and there are times when there is definitely controlled anarchy happening on screen.

On the other hand, one feels if there was just a little more time to catch your breath the film might be improved on. However, I can just see them try to pitch that to Warner Brothers. "We want to make a 3 hour Batman film" is not something that is going to happen. Yet. Maybe in the next film. Because if you haven't figured it out, there will be a next film, but unless they (Bale, Nolan, etc) have another ace up their collective sleeve, it's going to be hard to top this one. This film is definitely the best film I've seen all year. (No, I haven't seen Iron Man yet. I'm waiting for that to come out on DVD)

I really love the exploration into the gritty themes of the Batman universe, and by extension, all superhero stories. Good vs. Evil. Public image vs. Private reality. Sacrifice of self for the greater good. Personal Fantasy vs. Cold Reality. If you want to get political, there's even some stuff on torture and warrantless wiretapping. It's incredibly good stuff to discover in a summer blockbuster.

I recently rewatched Batman Begins to "prep" for this film, and while they have backed the camera out from the fight scenes, it's still hard to see what's going on. Or maybe the IMAX screen was just that big. Also, Bale has improved his "Batman" voice, even though my friend Dan has commented that it sounds "constipated". At least you can definitely tell there is a "Batman" voice rather than a "Bale trying to be Batman" voice.

If you get the opportunity to see this film on IMAX, I definitely recommend it. There are some scenes that really just take your breath away. Some viewing experiences you just can't duplicate without a screen that big.

Bale gets some much-needed screen time as Bruce Wayne in public, and he plays it to great effect. His voice and presence as Batman has improved considerably.

Maggie Gyllenhaal has taken the place of Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, and it's obvious who is the more capable actress, even though I was never really impressed with the role to begin with.

As for Aaron Eckhart, I believe in Harvey Dent. There isn't much CGI that I can tell in the film, but what CGI there is, is used to great effect.

None of the actors seem to completely embody their character as much as the late Heath Ledger. His performance is mesmerizing. I held my breath every moment he was on screen, waiting to see what he would do next. And I found myself laughing more often than not, in spite of myself. It's obvious Ledger made everyone else in the film bring their 'A' game. Hollywood has lost a great performer, long before his time.

I was somewhat disappointed with the score, as it seems like action cues have won out over dramatic, character-themed cues.

I highly recommend seeing this film in the theaters, in IMAX if possible. The great cinematography alone is worth admission.

Everybody's Business

Lessons in Love, by way of Economics

What a great article. Still no how-to on how to find a winner, however.

The Perfect Run

I had a perfect run today.

Nothing hurt or bothered me. I didn't have any moments I had to mentally struggle past. I felt comfortable the entire run . . . . plus I ran for five extra minutes than my normal workout. I should have run for five minutes more.

It was a perfect run.

I stretched afterward, and nothing was especially sore or tender. I could stretch and feel like it was a good stretch. I didn't feel tired afterward or that I shouldn't have gone to the gym.

I had a perfect run today.

He's Onto Us

The Joker's Onto Us

I have a ticket to see "The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience" the Monday after the film releases.

I've been eagerly awaiting this film since before seeing the special 6 minute trailer in IMAX for "I Am Legend".

Batman has always been an interesting character for me to watch and study. I really enjoyed the animated series from the early 90's, which was one of the last hand-drawn cartoon series and implemented a "dark deco" art style and color scheme. It was both nostalgic and modern, the characters psychologically real yet larger-than-life.

I loved the idea of this tragically dark character, who through sheer force of will took all his resources to produce something good in life. What an ultimate sacrifice.

I've been impressed with Nolan's interpretation of the character and his world on the silver screen, and eagerly wait the next installment.

Seal Beach 5K Update

Well, now I'm kind of sad. My official chip time was 35:33. So I was better than March of last year but now I'm worse than a few months ago.

I guess I haven't lost all that much though. I could probably gain it back pretty easily.

Fourth of July 5K

My official time was 37:25. That's really good for me.

I ran with a friend from work and his daughter. If I didn't run with them I think my time would have been a lot slower.

They were handing out bananas and bagels and plums after the race. At the bagel station was a jar of peanut butter and Nutella. I'd never had Nutella before so I tried it on the banana. Wow was that good. Now I'm going to have to track down a jar of Nutella for myself!

I'm really sore today. I wanted to go up and do yoga with my yoga buddy but he's going to a bbq tonight. So we're going to go tomorrow.

Unix Socket Programming Woes

I just spent a day and a half trying to figure something out.

I think I'm going to buy the late Richard Steven's book, Unix Network Programming: Sockets API because of this. I think if I had that book I could have saved myself some time.

Point is, my problem is that I was trying to set up a dynamically created TCP port, using getsockname() to figure out what that port number was. The trouble was that I kept getting 0 back as the port number, even though I was still able to connect to the host. Any port lower than 1024 (I think it's 1024) is reserved for the Operating System, so I was baffled why it was still working when it shouldn't have.

Solution: call getsockname() AFTER you connect to the host. Then you get the right port #.

I feel like such an idiot. I wish the man pages could give some clue about the right order to call this stuff in. (My fork() calls were so much easier to figure out!)

Powerbar For Dinner

It's not really a powerbar. It's a Kashi GoLean! Protein and Fiber bar.

I went hiking in Tustin this morning. I saw the derelict hangers where my dad used to maintain helicopters (2nd link). They really should renovate those structures and turn them into an Air and Space museum or something. It was way too hot to be out hiking and myself and my two companions complained a lot.

Afterwards we went to Denny's and had breakfast. Then I went home and showered, slept for 7 hours.

I was hungry when I woke up and after I put my laundry in the washer I had my protein bar for dinner. I really wanted to make pasta or something but it's way too hot to touch the stove.

Home Alone

I feel like such a loser.

Here I am on a Friday night, and what am I doing?

Watching class, doing homework, and otherwise not spending time with people or doing anything really relaxing or fun. Absolutely no one on either of my contact lists is online.

What's wrong with me?

Change of Course

I'm continually impressed with the bits of Life Wisdom I find in "The Penguin" articles. I don't subscribe to Runner's World anymore, but I visit the site every once in a while to see if there's anything new that I feel compelled to read.

Change of Course

From the article:
"When that day doesn't turn out as we expected, we often allow ourselves to be devastated. I've seen runners on the brink of a breakdown because they missed their self-imposed standard of performance. But a day is just a day. A race is just a race. It is our selfishness, our self-centeredness that creates the disappointments that we too often let define us."

I know of a couple things I could apply this to. My love life, my social life, my general life aspirations.

Now, the how of applying this is what I need to learn.

What Am I Doing?

I'm awake, way too late on a week night, wondering what I'm doing with my life in general.

I'm not a computer science whiz kid, never have been. I like the concepts, and I like execution of concepts and coding in general, but not necessarily at the speed required by professors. Computer security fascinates me in general and cryptanalysis specifically.

I'm taking a class that would put me on track to start on a Master's of Science. Why? I don't really know anymore. It seems like the right thing to do. If I do this I'll be giving up most of my free time for the next four years.

That is, if I still have my job for the next four years. With this economy who knows what will happen?

By the way, the reason why I'm up so late is because I took a nap earlier today so I could do the homework that's due on Wednesday (really tomorrow) for class. I already feel like a hermit with no friends and no life. Am I going to wake up in 4 years, just a few months shy of 30, and feel the same way? I've always felt somewhat of an outcast, but this isn't really where I saw myself.

I want a great love, and I want a career where I feel I'm not prostituting myself for the cash or the benefits. To love the work for the sake of it. I want the time and energy to put into the hobbies I enjoy. Somewhere along the line I feel like I must have wandered someplace extremely wrong, because I have none of those things. And sadder still, I have no idea how I'm going to get those things.

I'm in dire fear of becoming just ordinary.

Isn't This The Truth?

I saw this in the breakroom at work today.

"Life's Journey is Long. Better Bring Snacks."

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

One never quite faces mortality quite like when someone one knows passes away.

I went to high school with this kid and his twin brother. I think the Spectrum link will expire in a couple weeks, so here's another link. He wasn't even 25.

I didn't know him or his brother very well, but we rode the same bus and probably had a class or two together.

I found out when I was snooping on another high school alum's blog. I've been reading a lot of blogs by people who I went to high school with lately. You find one blog from one person and that blog has links to ten other blogs of other people I barely know. They all share fairly public information and you can find out the names of their kids (with pictures) and some of the things they are up to these days. I don't know if I would feel comfortable putting that much information about myself in a public place like that. Maybe it doesn't really matter since anyone could find anything about you they wanted or needed on the internet, with a little ingenuity.

I wonder what would have happened to me if I took a different path in life. There were a couple people I could have gotten married to and maybe I'd be married with kids by now. What an odd thought! The idea that I could have kids at 25. That just seems so young to me.

Why Abortion Needs To Stay Legal

New York Times Essay

Some of the stuff you read is just appalling. No matter how dark and twisted fiction is, reality is always stranger, and infinitely sadder.

Slow Brain-To-Mouth Time

I received my GRE scores the other day. I scored a 5.0 on the analytical writing part, which is to say, pretty good. I'm only in the 73rd percentile, but since the other two scores are 5.5 and 6.0, I don't mind being a "slightly above average among grad school hopefuls" analytical writer.

My favorite C.S. professor once lamented to me that C.S. students "just can't write". I have to admit I bailed out on a paper or two in my computer science classes. That was when I just didn't care anymore and had enough drive to do "just enough" to get through.

---Side Musing---
I'm not sure what did it. It's a trend I've noticed in my life - I get highly devoted to a cause, a purpose, until the veneer wears off and I realize that it wasn't worth my devotion to. And it's just a slippery slope from there. Or maybe I never discover what the purpose was to begin with and I'm just not motivated to put forth the effort for something if I don't know what it leads to. I don't like to be led around blind. If you can reason to me that something is important, and why it is important, then I can be easily led into the depths of despair and back without a complaint.
---End Side Musing---

As well as I can claim my writing skills are, I'm terrible at vocally expressing my thoughts on-the-fly. You might as well throw my vocabulary and reasoning skills out when emotion is involved, especially anger.

I'd really like to learn how to debate my points as clearly and concisely vocally as I do on paper. Even though paper (or word document) is so much easier. I can easily outline my argument, write some points, fill those points in with supporting arguments or examples, add an introduction and a conclusion, and Bam! Instant good paper.

Vocally, I'm a bit of a mess. My thoughts are far from organized and I jump from argument to argument with zero cohesiveness. I was definitely not called to lead a life in politics.

I'd like to become better at expressing myself vocally, but I'm not sure how to go about doing that. It becomes a serious problem (like, say, in the heat of an argument in a relationship) and I don't know how to defend my position in a way that other people can understand.

I could wax poetic on my theories of how arguments in relationships are supposed to work, but I'll save that for another time. Meanwhile, if you have any tips on "taking a stand" vocally or thought organization *before* it hits the airwaves, please share them with me!

I Guess You'll Do

I recently had a conversation with my mom over the phone regarding the college class I'm taking online. . . .

Mom: "Oh, that's great! School will be such a great place for you to meet new people!"
Me: "Well, I don't think I'm going to be meeting many people. The class is online. I watch the professor give the lecture in a classroom and I'm at home."
Mom: "Oh. But you still have to go to campus, don't you?"
Me: "Yeah, but only for the midterm and finals."
Mom: "Well, maybe you'll meet someone on campus then."
Me: "Well, maybe, but everyone is going to be focused on taking their tests and they won't be trying to meet someone new."
Mom: "Oh well that's no good. You should take class on campus."

I Guess You'll Do

A while ago I had another phone conversation with my mom. It started with her saying something about how she was getting older and she still wanted to be around and spry enough to enjoy having grandchildren.

Me: "Well Mom, I guess I can just find any guy to get married and have kids with. Who cares if he's a drug dealer and beats me!"
Mom: "Oh no, you have to find a good one!"

I think I would find all of this really funny if it wasn't so sad.

Beer-To-Beer Networking

I'm taking a Computer Networking class online. It's one of the pre-reqs I have to take if I want to go to grad school for computer science.

I tried taking this course when I was earning my undergrad but I got intimidated easily and withdrew from the class. I didn't understand the book at all, and even though I respected and like the professor immensely I knew the class would be hard and I didn't know if I had the intellectual 'manna' to make it through the class with sanity intact.

I was really intimidated about taking this course, even though the concepts covered would be really useful at work.

But it turns out that I'm understanding what's going on in class and the professor doesn't seem to be an evil demon. He's actually pretty funny. He speaks with an accent and makes a lot of little jokes based on wordplay and how he knows his voice comes across to an audience.

"There is no 'sweet' in this class. Only 'suite'."

"I said 'peer-to-peer'. There is no 'beer-to-beer' networking in this class."

Not that I was ever good at beer-to-beer networking, but I know several people who could get an 'A' in a course focused on that!

Crazy

I made the receptionist at my chiropractor's office laugh today when I said that if I didn't get enough exercise I "go a little crazy."

Maybe he wasn't used to women admitting that they're a little nutty.

At any rate, I highly believe that people without healthy coping mechanisms for stress go a little batty.

Price of Gas

Yesterday when I was driving to work I noticed the Chevron station near my apartment bumped the price of gas up to $4.05.

Booooo.

I guess if I don't wait until my gas tank is bone dry I can avoid paying $40.00 for a tank. Maybe I'm complaining too much, but when I bought the car I was so stoked that it was only around $30.00 for a tank.

I remember when I started driving 9 years ago I could fill up my Jeep for less than $20.00.

Sadly, a lot of economists have predicted that the best way to improve and develop new energy sources is for the price of gas to go way up.

Maybe the price of insurance will go down to compensate. . . .

Check Out This Idiot

Teen Alex Phillips puts girlfriend's nude shots on MySpace: Child Porn?

I definitely believe the charges on the guy should stand. Hopefully he spends his sixteen years productively doing something positive to turn his life around. We know his English skills need improvement.

The article questions if the girl should also be charged as well. I don't know. If you take a nude photo of yourself, and you're under 18, then distribute it to someone who is also under 18, should you be charged with child pornography? Even if that person would be considered your legal lover?

I'm wondering if the courts should consider a new branch of law to cover adolescents, since what they consider a "child" and what they consider an "adult" seem to be a grey area depending on the crime.

Relieving Rejection

I was supposed to go on a date last night, but a couple hours before we were supposed to go out he called me and canceled. A couple years ago something similar happened.

Last night, he said something that I guess some would call a reasonable excuse. He rescheduled for Wednesday. He even called it a date, which he's never admitted to me before.

This wasn't even a date that I begged for, he's been bugging me for over six weeks that he wanted to take me out and we finally scheduled it "tentatively". He even bugged me about it that day over IM and wanted to know if we were still on.

Whatever. If it was just this alone I don't think I'd be so bothered. But it sits on top of all the other feelings of rejection and loneliness. Not only am I not cool enough to take out on a Friday night, but I'm also not cool enough to actually go out with on a Monday night.

My ex who dumped me left pasta dishes and plastic wine goblets at my place because he thought it would be a sign of him being "a nice guy" after he dumped me over the phone and couldn't tell me why. The real reason being he's a giant coward and couldn't tell me that the whole relationship was a lie.

I came home from work tonight, put the dishes in a plastic bag and smashed them with a hammer.

I don't feel better, but I feel relieved.

Movie Review - The Good German

This is my 500th post.

I rented The Good German this weekend. I was expecting it to be kind of a letdown, because I read the book when the film was in theaters and the film is nothing like the book. You can just look at the trailer and tell a lot of the story is altered. Some of the same themes are there but the title character is different and the plot is all jumbled up.

Even if you haven't read the book the plot is still somewhat muddied, and you feel like the pacing is a bit too fast for the film. I suspect key scenes have ended up on the cutting room floor, because by the time everything unravels at the end you kind of wonder what just happened and why. Maybe I need to watch the film again.

I was really disappointed with Tobey Maguire's acting in this. It really seemed to me he was playing a version of Peter Parker in some black & white version of Spiderman 3. The character isn't the same, but the acting is. It's just such a blot on this noir homage.

I really loved Cate Blanchett's character in this film. She just plays the sort of tough, sensitive survivor that I think all women can really identify with. She steals every scene she's in.

I was somewhat unhappy with the ending because I felt George Clooney's character should have done something else. He doesn't because it conflicts with his moral compass, but you really have to question that.

In the sort of extreme situation that was Germany in WWII, anything you did that was not in line with the 3rd Reich would have you shot. So I think people chose to survive. When you choose between survival and getting shot or worse, sent to a concentration camp, what would you choose? Seriously?

Call me a bad person, but I think I would choose to survive. Not that I would be the first to jump on the "let's do evil" bandwagon, and not that I wouldn't have my ghosts that haunt me (because I would), but that I value life.

Or maybe I'm just not a person of integrity.

They Need To Do This In Every State

Missouri Lawmakers Pass Bill Against Cyberharrassment

As someone who has been a target of cyber stalking and cyber harrassment, I think this is fantastic news.

It's so stupid that our legal system hasn't caught up with technology yet. At this point, the law won't do anything for people until they're physically being stalked, or dealing with a physical threat. I think that's wrong.

People have a right to privacy, and a right to feeling safe in their own homes. For people who have been harrassed, stalked, and bullied over the internet, this law is a great first step.

The Getty

I went up to the Getty today.

It was absolutely gorgeous today and I could see from downtown to the ocean, and all the way to Palos Verdes!

There is a good California video exhibit going on. . . .there's some interesting stuff but the best is by William Wegman. Stuff so odd you just have to laugh. One of my favorite clips is when he does the coin flip. I don't want to give it away. You'll just have to look for it and see.

I also went to the photography exhibit. I didn't see a "normal" photography gallery so I just wandered around the special exhibition. There was one room with some random stuff in it - the "Ten Years In Focus" exhibit. I saw a couple landscape tin types by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. I thought that was really cool, because I thought people only made portrait tin types. I really liked The Probatic Pool in Jerusalem, the Temple of Vesta in Rome and the Lotus Columns at Gournah. The old guy who was watching over this exhibit asked me to smile. He apparently was watching me, because he said I hadn't smiled the entire time I was in that gallery.

I wandered around the gardens, which are lovely. They have a lot of exotic succulents and several different roses. I saw a couple who were having a picnic on the grass and I was jealous. Not of them per say but of the idea to have someone to go to a nice lawn and share some bread, cheese and wine with. I didn't see any other lone wolves there.

I didn't want to push myself so I stopped after the photography, although I did find a small exhibit on Italian home furnishings that was very interesting to view. I saw a fantastic set of sculptures, called Three Goddesses. The idea is that each of these three goddesses (Minerva/Athena, Juno/Hera, and Venus/Aphrodite) is in a state of removing an article of clothing. Athena pulls off her helmet, Hera is unwinding her robes, and Aphrodite is removing her sandal. The three sculptures accompanied a sculpture of Paris, who judged which goddess was most beautiful.

I'll probably go back to the Getty a few more times - it's impossible to see the entire thing in a day. It makes for a great day trip!

Friday Night

I feel like such a loser because every Friday night, not only do I not have any plans whatsoever to do anything with anyone. . . .

the only thing I want to do is go home and sleep.

Taste the Smug

I saw a Lexus SUV on the road today on my commute to work. Not just any Lexus SUV, this was a hybrid. And the owner wasn't subtle about it. There were two tacky bumper stickers on the cargo door: "Yes, it's a hybrid!" and something similar on the other bumper sticker. Something along the lines of being better than everyone because their car was a hybrid.

You could taste the smug. Seriously. (Full episode here) (By the way, if you're not familiar with South Park, you should be warned these links could be quite offensive)

I'm generally in favor of hybrid cars and alternative fuel technology, but I really have several problems with this.

Firstly, just because I don't drive a hybrid doesn't mean I don't care about the environment or about what my mpg is. I bought the most fuel economic car in my budget, even though it runs completely on gas. There was no way I could afford a hybrid.

Secondly, driving a luxury hybrid with those particular bumper stickers sends the message that, because the driver can afford (or pretend to afford) a car *that* expensive makes them better than everyone who cannot afford such an extravagance.

Thirdly, the above is just rude. It just sends the wrong message, one the driver probably did not intend. Instead of saying, "I drive a hybrid and I think the rest of the world should jump on the bandwagon", it says, "I'm so conceited and insecure that, not only do I have to drive a luxury vehicle to feel better than everyone else, I have to rub it in everyone's face by defacing my new hybrid's styling by putting up these tacky bumper stickers."

Movie Review - The Namesake

I have to admit, this film is fantastic.

I felt a little misguided by the trailer, because it leads the viewer to believe the protagonist, Gogol Ganguli, takes a conscious, physical journey to realize his roots and where he fits in the world. The film is subtler than that.

The Namesake is a coming-of-age story, as well as a bridging cultural divides story. There is also some reference to class divisions as well. The allusions to Nikolai Gogol's "The Overcoat" are quite subtle, and I had to read a synopsis as well as think about it for a while.

The music in the film is great and well-integrated. My favorite piece is "The Same Song", by Susheela Raman, played during the credits.

I think this film is a chameleon, with each viewing being slightly different than the viewing before it. Its timeless story is definitely worth watching.

Movie Review - 27 Dresses

I think I expect way too much from my romantic comedies.

27 Dresses is very formulaic, and despite witty one-liners and a gorgeous leading couple, left me with an unsatisfying ending.

The plot of the film follows Jane Nichols, who is a pretty, caring, warm woman. She remarks that her life's calling is to help women have a perfect "best day of her life". With the help of a newspaper journalist played by James Marsden, she overcomes her character flaw, realizes the guy she's pining after isn't for her, and then ends up with the newspaper journalist.

The film was interesting and believable until the 3rd act, where all the loose ends were tidied up a little too nicely for my taste. I think I would have preferred something closer to how "Under the Tuscan Sun" ended, with the protagonist happy but without her life being exactly the way she wanted.

While my favorite line in the trailer is Katherine Heigl's "hot hate sex" quip, it's out of character. My favorite line in the film is Malin Akerman's "Bridezilla" soliloquy, which I'm sure will be copied (in some form or another) by brides everywhere.

Ladies should rent this for "Girl's Night In", guys will probably not enjoy this film (or not admit it if they do). The love interest plays a helpless romantic in jaded form, and I don't think that would resonate well with most men. Jaded guys just don't send gigantic bouquets of flowers to girls they just met, sorry.

Movie Review - Eastern Promises

This Viggo Mortensen Russian mafia film is fantastic. There are scenes not quite for the faint-of-heart (it's rated R for a reason!) but as a whole it's deliciously complex and satisfying.

The plot twist is predictable (or maybe I read one-too-many film reviews), but knowing beforehand doesn't take away from the film. This one is definitely re-watchable.

The violent scene where Viggo fights bad guys in the nude was harder to watch because of the brute violence, not for the nudity as I expected. But then again, I'm not a guy so there's no way I could have that perspective. I could probably go into the psychology of that scene (the idea of fighting naked as opposed to fighting clothed, who we are when we're clothed as opposed to exposed, etc.), but I'll pass.

Viggo's Russian accent is sexy, and he uses his charisma to fantastic effect in the film (and on the audience). His character's soft spot for women is especially touching.

Movie Review - Atonement

I've read reviews of Atonement (both the film and the book), and did a lot of other research before sitting down to watch the film.

When this was in theaters I was so excited to go see it, since it was touted "the best love story since The English Patient". After I read reviews and realized that no, this really isn't about a love story, I was disappointed and didn't go to the theater to watch the film, even though I love beautifully shot films (which this is definitely an example of).

What finally encouraged me to rent the movie was when a friend watched it and said that it was good enough to have a discussion about. So I did that.

Hmm. Atonement is two stories intertwined into one, and while the "main story" deals with possible redemption and atonement through writing, the protagonist is unlikeable and flawed. It's difficult to sympathize with her and in the end you really just don't care. The "side story" is the love story, and while both characters aren't perfect, they are more likable and it's very easy to relate to the lovers torn apart.

What is somewhat troubling is that, through the protagonist's actions, the real "villain" gets away with his actions and the film (I suspect the book as well) doesn't handle that very well. What are the consequences of just allowing someone guilty of truly evil deeds to go about their merry way?

The first act of the film is worth watching most, and most of the memorable shots are in the first act. Everyone talks about Keira Knightley's green dress, but I was much more impressed with the pretty halter-style sundress she wears when she greets her brother for the first time.

The long, almost 5 minute shot in Dunkirk is fantastic, and illustrates Joe Wright's use of long takes splendidly.

I would say this is worth renting, but don't expect to walk away feeling like you've learned something.

Body Worlds 3

I went to the California Science Center this weekend to see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit there. There's an IMAX film about the Human Body that goes along with the exhibit, but I wasn't entirely impressed with the film (I think it was something from the Learning Channel) and it's not essential to watch if you're going to the exhibit.

The exhibit was very interesting, and I enjoyed viewing many of the plastinates on display. Among my favorites to view were the couples - there was a figure skating couple where the male skater was holding the female skater above his head in a lift, as well as a male gymnast who was holding his internal organs above his head with one hand while doing the splits and balancing on a wooden ball with his other hand. There was a pair of lovers (not having sex! Geez!) and a female cyclist who was "sliced" into three parts so you could see how her internal organs fit together. If you go, note the pair of flamenco dancers at the exit of the exhibit - they're brand new. The note on their display says "2008".

More famous pieces that I remember seeing include:
The Archer (who is also one of the pieces you can see in Casino Royale)
The Skin Man
The Kneeling Lady

Also on display were "body slices" and assorted body parts for viewing. There were healthy body parts next to diseased body parts (mostly cancers, but there was also a smoker's lungs there and an enlarged heart), and cross-sections of fat people and normal people. One person's cross-section was of a someone who had a heart attack so severe it ruptured his/her pericardium and the cross-section showed where the blood pooled in the body cavity. Obviously, they didn't survive. It was really very fascinating.

When I left the exhibit there was a short video on the plastination, as well as guestbooks where you could leave a note. I didn't sign anything, but I noticed a lot of notes were similar to: "This is soooo gross!"

Glad to know the unenlightened masses were getting exposed to this. Hopefully they learned something.

The Body Worlds exhibit is themed "The Story of the Heart", but I didn't really feel there was a lot of "heart stuff" going on. There was a small mini-exhibit on blood, and many displays of just blood vessels, as well as some hearts and diseased hearts, but most of the "theme" was conveyed using giant posters with famous quotes regarding hearts, love, the soul, etc. on them.

If you have the opportunity to go to the exhibit, I would highly recommend it. I think Body Worlds is going to be at the California Science Center until September. There are also several other museums in Exposition Park if you don't care to see dead people.

Guillermo Del Toro to Direct 'The Hobbit'

I was really impressed with Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. It will be interesting to see what he will do with 'The Hobbit'.

I still complain about Peter Jackson's handling of LOTR. I won't reiterate all the problems I saw with the trilogy, but I did feel that he effectively erased what deep character development existed in the books in lieu of overly-long action scenes. I remember seeing bits of "King Kong" in Taiwan and being really, really bored. Almost like he overshot the target.

I really enjoyed watching "The Adventures of Tintin" and I hope Jackson doesn't screw up the movie adaptation.

LA Times News Article

Aioli

I was reminded of my own mother's homemade mayonnaise by Molly Wizenberg's article, Mayo Clinic last month. I vaguely remember my mom making mayonnaise during my childhood for things like potato salad and sandwiches.

While I can't remember her recipe, I do remember she insisted on using olive oil and dry mustard. (My memory is flaky on the olive oil part, but very solid on the dry mustard part) The bright, lemony top-note mellows quickly into the taste of raw oil on the bottom-note (to use perfumer's terms) and is definitely not like anything that comes in a blue-capped plastic container.

So here it is. Add a crushed garlic clove for extra zing.

1 large or extra large egg yolk
2 1/2 tsp - 1 TB lemon juice
1/4-1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard and salt in a mini food processor. Blend until bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Add the oil slowly, a spoonful at a time to begin with, until the oil is incorporated and the mayonnaise is thick.

I've made this for potato and chicken salads. . . I can only imagine what it would do for tuna salad or a regular sandwich. Including a garlic clove and pepper, served next to a steamed artichoke, would be close to divine.

Restaurant Review - El Toro Cantina

I almost forgot that I promised to write about my experience here.

El Toro Cantina was definitely a happenin' spot the Friday night I was there, and we had a big group (something like 21, 22 people). They make their own tortillas for their gourmet tacos (I had the duck confit and coconut crispy shrimp). The guest of honor teased me about my selections and asked if I was writing a review for a magazine! Not quite. . . . .

This is the 2nd place I've found that will make a "from scratch" mojito. Let me tell you, there's nothing quite so delicious on this earth as a refreshing, sparkly, slightly sweet drink as a well-made mojito.

They passed around "kamikaze" shots at the end of dinner for us to toast the birthday fellow. I rarely (if ever) do shots and this was my first kamikaze. I'd like to say that it was probably well-made, lemony and sweet. Probably not good for an after-dinner aperitif, but for a 20s-something crowd it was great.

After dinner we went next door/upstairs to Busby's, which, among other things like pool tables and dart boards, has a pretty awesome separate dance floor and dj. Although the music was probably on the loud side (I couldn't hear my car stereo when I drove home that night), it was great to go out dancing - something I haven't done in over a year.