Thursday, April 27, 2006

Surfing the Radio

I never thought that this would happen, but on my car radio I'm staying on my FMII stations. Housed there are KISS 98.1, KBLX 102.9, and KFRC 99.7. Old people stations. I haven't changed the presets on my FMI stations but time and again, I skip over to FMII and listen to the music geared toward the more mature crowd.

Of course, I'd stay with 106.1 and 94.9 if they played something other than garbage. But again, old people used to say the same thing when I would listen to KMEL or KYLD back in the day. And now, I've become that old person... at least in music.

This week in fantasy baseball: Tied with Dong 4-4

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Serving Table $50 (Los Gatos)
2. Dining Table, 4 Chairs, Coffee Table $50 (Palo Alto)
3. Black Steamer Trunk $15 (Palo Alto)
4. Kenmore 18 Cu Ft Off-White Refrigerator $75 (Sunnyvale)
5. Le Creuset Black 3.5 qt Casserole Dish $69 (San Jose)

Adventures on 101

So, I drove on 101 today. Alinna tells me never to drive on 101. It doesn't matter if it's 5PM or 5AM. Her motto is "Just say no to 101." Why? Because inevitably there will be traffic. But well, I drive on 101 to get to San Mateo today.

I must admit, it was an infuriating experience. If there's just traffic I don't mind all that much. Well, at least I don't think I do. Anyway, the fact that it got slow in some parts didn't bother me all that much today. What bothered me today were all the stupid drivers on 101 today. I've heard it said that SoCal drivers are jerks, but NorCal drivers are just stupid.

What constitutes stupidity in my mind? Everybody driving at the same speed regardless of what lane it is that they're driving in. It doesn't matter if they're in the exit lane or the fast lane (it was 9:05 when I hit 101 so the carpool lane was available too), they're driving at 55. It's even more infuriating when you look past that initial car in front of you and see not another car for tens of yards.

Classic scenario: I'm driving in the number 3 lane. There's a car in front of me driving at 55. In the number 2 and the carpool lane, there are cars driving at 55 as well. It looks like they're the cleaning bar on an etch-e-sketch. All at the same speed, all approximately in the same positions. If you're moving at the same speed as the car beside you in a slower lane, move to the slower lane. Expanding 101, Caltrans work crews, blah blah blah. Just observe the rules of the road and 101 should run smoother.

Speaking of driving at the same speed... Asian moms are notorious for being bad drivers. Aside from not being able to see over the steering wheel, one of the most common complaints is that they drive too fast in parking lots. But au contrare. If you closely observe the driving skills of the typical Asian mom, you will find that it's not so much that they drive fast in the parking lot as much as it is that they're driving at the same speed in the parking lot. It doesn't matter if they're driving on San Pablo Ave, Lawrence Expressway, or the Ranch 99 parking lot. You'll see the Asian mom clocking in at 25 miles per hour.

This week in fantasy baseball: Tied with Dong 4-4

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Tan Dresser $25 (Mountain View)
2. Off-white Chair and a Half $50 (San Jose)
3. End table $35 (Palo Alto)
4. Barbeque Grill $30 (Sunnyvale)
5. Room heater $30 (Milpitas)

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Mad Hot Ballroom

Many thanks to Julio for recommending this movie and Meghan for letting us borrow it. Mad Hot Ballroom. Great movie. And things the kids are saying, there's no way you could ever even try to script that stuff.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Dong 3-6

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Wooden Kitchen Cart $25 (San Jose)
2. Dark Oak Bookshelves $20 (Campbell)
3. Antique Swingarm Lamp w/Shade $22 (Palo Alto)
4. 3 Tier Dessert Server $30 (Sunnyvale)
5. 4 White Kitchen Canisters $15 (San Jose)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Sore

Alinna keeps saying that I think I'm 19. This Sunday, I played basketball at Terman Park and when I came back home, I bloody blisters on my feet, had a hard time walking straight, and was sore all over. Alinna's also been noticing that I "sleep in the morning like dead things." What I can't seem to understand is how my left shoulder is more sore than anything in my body. Maybe it was all the long passes. It was ridiculous. Our team was like the Run TMC Warriors team. Not a whole lot of defense but a whole lotta cherry picking.

This week in fantasy baseball: Beating Dong 4-3

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Folding bookcase $25 (San Jose)
2. TV Stand $70 (Mountain View)
3. Large Mirror $5 (Santa Clara)
4. Portable Jump Starter $40 (San Jose)
5. Bathroom Shelving $15 (Los Gatos)

Monday, April 24, 2006

In a Cave

Lately, I've been feeling like I live in a cave. I had no idea what was going on in the world. Just yesterday, I was looking through CNN's website and I found out about the stuff going down in Nepal and the student arrests in Kansas and Alaska. It's so crazy. It felt crazy, like there's no order in the world anymore. I just had no idea.

This week in fantasy baseball: Lost to Jonathan 2-7 (pretty demoralizing when you lose to a dead team)

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Oversized chair $40 (San Jose)
2. Wood coffee table $35 (Santa Clara)
3. Barbeque tool set in case $25 (San Jose)
4. 27 Mason jars $20 (San Jose)
5. Crate & Barrel 52 piece dining set $60 (Cupertino)
6. 6 Glass cups $5 (Sunnyvale)
7. Roomba Vacuum $35 (Menlo Park)

Friday, April 21, 2006

No Time

No time to post right now just a quick update...

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Jonathan 3-7

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Day
1. Coffee Table $45 (San Jose)
2. Folding Oak Bookshelf $10 (Palo Alto)
3. Kenwood Room Heater $25 (Sunnyvale)
4. Emile Henry 3.5qt Casserole Dish $30 (San Jose)
5. Marble Rolling Pin $10 (Santa Clara)

Thursday, April 20, 2006

The Wonderlic

Step aside Vince Young. In an interview yesterday for a bartending job, I had to take the Wonderlic test. I had heard about it and how it brought Vince Young's stock down for the NFL draft (because he's as dumb as box of rocks), but this was the first time I had actually seen and taken the exam.

Interesting little thing. 50 questions to be answered in 12 minutes. In the introduction to the test, it says that it doesn't expect you to finish the entire exam in the time allotted. Instead, I was expected to skip around and finish all the problems that I could. A lot like an IQ test, it asked questions like which of these shapes are not like the others or which of these words doesn't fit or continuing the number pattern, what's the next number?

I take the test, finished probably 2/3 of it, skipped around a bit. The test wasn't hard but it wasn't easy either. So side by side comparison of Vince Young and me.

Vince Young Hideyo Satake
Wonderlic Poor Freaking awesome
Height 6'5" 5'8"
Weight 233lbs. 160lbs.
Arm Strength Good 20 yards max
40 time 4.58 Slow as molasses
College championships 1 Last place finish in IM Softball

I don't know. It looks like a toss up. Maybe I should enter the draft.

In related news, has anybody seen this Travis Ishikawa guy on the Giants? Could he be the first Japanese-American in the majors? He's only got one at bat on his record and yesterday he was on the on-deck circle when the game ended.

The week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Jonathan 3-7

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. 3 Panel Shoji Screen $40 (San Jose)
2. Large steamer trunk $40 (Mountain View)
3. Toastmaster 4 toast toaster $6 (San Jose)
4. Chicago Cutlery Kitchen Knives and Block $20 (Menlo Park)
5. Water dispenser and water $10 (Menlo Park)

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Googling

Many thanks to Dean and Julia for bringing Alinna and I into the land flowing with milk and honey (or ice cream and gummies) known as Google headquarters. Yes, we went googling. That place is like food Disneyland. A full cafeteria with tasty food and hidden snack station/drawers everywhere. I made off with a very full stomach, a Naked OJ, a cup full of cherry gummies, and a lime. Alinna left with an equally full stomach and handfuls of potato chip bags. Oh, and we had google do our laundry while we were eating. Pretty sweet deal. I felt like a kid visiting the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory.

A few notes from the visit to Googleland. They only Japanese toilets. Move aside American Standard. Google has Toto toilets. And yes, some of them have bidets. I really wanted to ride one of the motorized scooters, but out of fear of bringing undue attention to my "Visitor" badge and Alinna being afraid for my life, I kept quiet about my desires. And the Googleplex is an interesting building full of really cool-looking people and really nerdy-looking people. There are average looking people too. It's just that I've never seen a place where cool and nerdy hung out or worked together. Bizaare.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Jonathan 3-7

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Closet $30 (San Jose)
2. Coffee Table/Hope Chest $75 (Palo Alto)
3. Coffee Table $50 (Palo Alto)
4. Dining Table and 4 Chairs $70 (Mountain View)
5. Airguide Ships Clock with Barometer and Thermometer $25 (San Jose)
Bonus:
6. Used Professional Kitchenaid Stand Mixer $100 (San Jose)
7. New In-Box Classic Kitchenaid Stand Mixer $100 (Mountain View)

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Job Searching

So an Asian guy walks into a bar...

...and turns right back around and out the door. Why? Because he saw nothing but really big, burly white men sitting on the bar stools with either an equally big, burly white guy serving them drinks, or a big breasted white woman doing the same.

That's me today. I was looking around for work as a bartender here in the South Bay so I did what any nerdy Asian guy looking for a bartending job would do. I searched for local bars on the internet, looked up the directions to the places on google maps, and hopped in my Integra in search for jobs.

There are a good number of white dive bars out here in Silicon Valley. I was pretty surprised. Here in the land of Chinese and Indians, I've finally found where the white people are hiding out (note: they're also hiding out in the city of Los Gatos).

So anyway, I don't think I'll be working at one of those bars. It's not that I'm afraid of white people. I'm afraid of big, burly white people, especially if there are a good number of them concentrated in one place without a minority in sight. I especially get the heebies if they're all wearing leather or denim vests exposing their tats. Yikes.

Still looking.

Bad Bedmate

Alinna says I'm a bad bedmate. Apparently, I toss and turn in such a way that I end up swaddling myself in the sheets and comforter when I'm sleeping. Of course, this means that at around 3AM, Alinna finds herself shivering with nothing keeping her warm except for her pajamas. Not cool.

It's at 3AM then that she wakes up and tries to pull some of the blankets out her way. Unfortunately for her, I have a 50 lbs. advantage... and for those of you who know me fairly well, you know that I won't wake up even if Alinna's pulling real hard on the blankets that are wrapped around me. I just don't feel it.

Any suggestions?

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Jonathan 0-7

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Coffee Table $30 (San Jose)
2. Nightstand $5 (Palo Alto)
3. Wine barrel tables (2) for $50 (Palo Alto)
4. Dresser and nightstand $30 (Palo Alto)
5. Table and 2 Chairs $25 (San Jose)

Monday, April 17, 2006

Opposable Thumbs

Opposable thumbs are important. On Friday, I accidentally cut my left thumb with a kitchen knife. After freaking out, twisting to my left and right thereby leaving a CSI-like crime scene of blood in the kitchen, Alinna calmly told me to raise my thumb over my head to slow down the bleeding.

For the next hour or so, I had my left thumb raised over my head like Hacksaw Jim Duggan. In honor of the great wrestler, I let out a few deep gutteral "Hooo-oooo"'s. I don't think Alinna got the reference.

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So anyway, for the last few days, I've had to go about without using my left thumb. I don't know how monkies do it. Truly amazing creatures.

This week in fantasy baseball: Beat Joonho 7-2 (currently in 6th place). I won, I won! My pitching super-sucks but Chris Shelton is leading the way.

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning (Extended edition)
1. Bathroom Floor Cabinet $20 (Sunnyvale)
2. Vellux Queen Blanket in Green Mist $15 (Mountain View)
3. Dining table and chairs $90 (Santa Clara)
4. Alabaster Glass Bathroom Light Fixture $50 (San Jose)
5. Sofa $99 (Menlo Park)
6. Igloo Cooler and Jug $15 (San Jose)
7. Iron Magazine Rack $10 (Sunnyvale)

Friday, April 14, 2006

Groundhog's Day

This week has been Alinna's spring break, hence why I haven't posted the last two days with Craigslist finds. I know I've already posted that, but I can't say it enough. It's been great having her home almost all day.

You can find out about our day yesterday on her blog. In short, we went to the Giants game and sat at Club Level seating with Ryan and Karen. Great thanks to Jeff for hooking us up with the tickets. One thing, Alinna forgot to mention, sitting at Club Level means that you sit with the bosses of companies of the Bay Area. Sitting right in front of us was this guy named Jeff who went by the name of "El Jefe." That's right, the boss. You could tell that he was very boss-like... authoritative, takes command kind of guy, at least I'm sure he's like that at work. But on a sunny Thursday afternoon, he was just Jeff, a guy watching the Giants game in casual clothes, having the time of his life. Ryan noted that next time we get these tickets we should bring our resumes. Ya think anybody's looking for a personal assistant with bartending skills?

This week in fantasy baseball: Tied with Joonho 4-4 (thank you Matt Morris for bringing my whip down.

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Light Brown Recliner $39 (Milpitas)
2. Williams-Sonoma Mixing Bowls and Spatulas $30 (Sunnyvale)
3. Bakers Rack $30 (Los Gatos)
4. Pottery Barn Cafe Style Dishes 31 pieces $40 (San Jose)
5. Kitchen Cart $20 (San Jose)

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Day O' Fun

Everyday this week is a Saturday. At least it feels that way. Alinna's off on Spring Break. Me? Well, I have classes on Wednesday nights and Saturday from 8-3, so I guess technically, Saturdays don't feel like Saturdays. But you get the point. Monday, Tuesday, most of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are Saturday in our minds! (sorry to all those who are reading this while working)

On this not so fine, rainy, and windy Tuesday we went on an excusion to Berkeley. At the end of the day we tallied up the fine eating establishments we graced: Cafe Strada + Top Dog + La Burrita + Fat Slice + Love at First Bite Cupcakery = A whole lotta fat and oil. On the car ride back home, my stomach was on a spin cycle. While Alinna was peacefully taking a nap, I was frantically squirming around, trying to keep from having to go to the bathroom.

We also went wine tasting in Alameda. Yes, that's right, Alameda. Rosenblum Cellars. Not exactly a picturesque setting for a winery, but they do make wines there and a mighty tasty Zinfandel at that. At least I think so. I don't think Alinna digs it nearly as much as I do. The 2004 Paso Robles Zin was a bold wine with flavors of raisin and plum and hints of pepper. Ok, now I just sound like a wine snob. For anybody who wants to try out some wines, I think it's a good place to go. Complementary (read: free) tastings and the wines aren't bad. Pleasantly surprised.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Joonho 0-8 (my pitching's getting rocked again... I knew it was bad when Alinna looked at my team ERA and said, "Honey, I don't know much about baseball but I know that that's a bad ERA)

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the... Day
1. Entertainment Center $25 (Santa Clara)
2. Wood file cabinet with two drawers $25 (San Jose)
3. Dark walnut desk $10 (Mountain View)
4. Bagel Toaster $10 (Sunnyvale)
5. 8" Tortilla Maker $10 (Mountain View)

Monday, April 10, 2006

Day of Shopping

Yesterday Alinna and I went out shopping to Valley Fair and Santana Row. Armed with our arsenal of gift cards, we went around looking for good deals. Yes, we are still living off the fat of the land known as our wedding.

We discovered a while ago that while the Macy's registry is limited to housewares, luggage, and bedroom, if you decide to return something you'll get a Macy's gift card that can be used anywhere in the store. In other words, we can get clothes! And anybody who's known me for a good amount of time knows that me wardrobe hasn't changed a whole lot over the last 6-7 years. I still wear that blue hawaiian shirt that I donned for my missions card. Watch out world! I may venture beyond the world of free t-shirts!

By the way, at the end of the day I got a new pair of shoes, a couple of books (including Game of Shadows), Alinna got a new shirt, and we got a table lamp. Total cost: $50 (because gift card money doesn't really count).

This week in fantasy baseball: Lost to Minho 1-8 (Currently in 11th place)

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Oak Entertainment Center $35 (San Jose)
2. Bathroom Space Saver $40 (Santa Clara)
3. Iron Magazine Rack Stand $60 (Palo Alto)
4. Vintage Magazine Rack $65 (Palo Alto)
5. Dryer $70 (Sunnyvale)
6. Steel trash can $15 (Santa Clara)

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Taxes

Forgot to post this picture when we took it.  This is us a few weeks ago right after finishing our taxes donning our tax clothes.  You can only see our hats but we were looking pretty smokin' wearing as many colors as there are Lucky Charms marshmellows. 

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And now I'm really gonna watch Elf.

I Can See Clearly Now...

The rain has lifted! What a beautiful day it's been today. And what am I doing? Posting on my blog indoors. Walking to my car from class today, I was tempted to wash my car. It just looks dirty... yes, despite the showers. But then, what if it starts raining again? My labor would be for naught. And I'm frustrated enough as it is especially after class today. It was just one of those class periods where I walked away looking down shaking my head wondering if it was worth $200 (every class costs roughly $1000, and this particular class meets only 5 times over the course of the quarter on every other Saturday). No need to pour fuel to the fire.

I think I'll retreat away and watch Elf. Thanks Dong and Janice for the solace I'll find in the movie.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Minho 1-8

The South Bay Craigslist Finds...
1. 3 Teak Barstools $75 (San Jose)
2. Wood Kitchen Cart $40 (Cupertino)
3. Nightstand $35 (Cupertino)
4. Cuisinart 4 Slice Toaster $35 (Santa Clara)
5. Krups Espresso Maker $50 (Palo Alto)

Friday, April 07, 2006

Will the Rain Ever Stop?

It's crazy out there. It feels like it's been raining nonstop for the last month. Then again, it's been a great excuse over the last month so that I won't have to run and stay in shape... and it's starting to show. Last weekend, Kei commented saying, "Hey, have you been gaining weight?" Kei! Mr. "I just gained 15 pounds in one week in North Carolina."

In related news, I'm still looking for work as a bartender. I never realized how hard it is to get your start as a bartender. Yesterday, I started as I was looking for work, applying to a bunch of different places in Sunnyvale I was given some advice on how to get my start in the field.

"Maybe if you catch the eye of a hiring manager and she thinks you're cute, you'll get a hire."
"Dude, it's hard to get your start unless you're a good looking woman with big boobs."
"Just lie on your application and say that you have experience bartending... that's what I did."

Well... I'm not cute, I'm definitely not a woman with big boobs, and I have a hard time lying... and I'm a terrible liar. Hmm... keep applying and hope somebody takes a chance on me!

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Minho 2-8

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning... well not anymore
1. Nightstand $15 (Sunnyvale)
2. Rolling Luggage $25 (Los Gatos)
3. Garment Bag $25 (Sunnyvale)
4. Kitchenaid Mixer $95 (Palo Alto)
5. Whirlpool Dishwasher $50 (San Jose)

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Theological Snobbery

It's really a terrible thing when you read Christian articles in magazines or on websites and the first thing that pops up in your mind isn't "Oh, that was so refreshing," or "How insightful" but rather "That is so theologically incorrect."

Since getting internet hooked up into the iMac, I've been trying to recreate my old bookmarks list from the computer that died a few quarters ago. In the process, I've stopped at some of the websites (your blogs are among them). I thought I'd take a bit of respite by just reading up on some of the webzines put on by Christian organizations. And it made me cringe. It really made me cringe. As a byproduct of my seminary education, I've become a theological snob.

I'm reminded of the beginning of 1 Corinthians 8 where it says that "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up." I'm afraid I'm puffing up rather than building up. Lord help me.
Sweater Anybody?

This Gap sweater has been lying around in our place for a little while now and nobody has claimed it.  Is it yours?
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In related news,  I was going to post a picture of me smiling with a glass of sex on the beach because I had just recently tried to make it using homemade mango flavored vodka.  I had Alinna do a blind taste test with two identical glasses of sex on the beach only one used mango flavored vodka and the other regular vodka.  In the two person test panel, it was a unanimous vote.  Mango flavored vodka wins.  How is this related?  I was going to post the picture of me with the winning drink.  Unfortunately, I'm still trying to figure out how to use this Mac and in the process accidentally deleted the picture.  Luckily the picture of the sweater was spared.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Minho 1-8

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Wood Desk $50 (Palo Alto)
2. Wood Cupboard $10 (Mountain View)
3. Fireplace Tools $20 (Cupertino)
4. Iron Book Display Rack $5 (Menlo Park)
5. Kenmore Refridgerators $100 & $75 (Palo Alto)

And for kicks... wouldn't this be cool in your place?  Your very own diner booth.  Only $60 at Sunnyvale.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Housewarming

Much love to the ChangLis. You guys have a nice house and I hope Alinna and I helped warm it up a bit into a home. Crazy to think that our friends are starting buy property.

This week in fantasy baseball: Losing to Minho 0-10
In a Hurry

Don't have time right now to make a real post... but...

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Desk with Drop Down Table $25 (San Jose)
2. Dresser $50 (San Jose)
3. Ethan Allen Square Cherry Coffee Table $45 (San Jose)
4. Iron Firewood Holder $20 (San Jose)
5. Paper Towel Holder and Napkin Holder $8 (San Jose)

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Opening Day

Giants lose and Carlos Zambrano (my fantasy ace) gets tagged for 5 runs in 4 2/3 innings. They say that opening day is a great day because it's so full of hope. Oh dear, this opening day was not so good to me. It's a good thing that it's a 162 game season. On a related note, the Baylight fantasy league has been seeing much waiver wire movement in the last two days. Going through free agents like I go through toilet paper.

This week: Losing to Minho 2-8

The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning
1. Cherry Entertainment Center $70 (Cupertino)
2. White Couch $30 (San Jose)
3. Poang Armchair and Ottoman $60 (San Jose)
4. Cherry Desk $99 (Los Altos)
5. Bamboo Stools $15 (Los Altos)

Monday, April 03, 2006

The Great Exchange

We celebrated my mom's birthday on Saturday. When we called her asking what she might want/if she wanted us to pick up a cake, she said that all she wanted was us to come over and celebrate with the family... well, that and five bottles of the red wine we served at the wedding.

We show up with the five bottles, my brother takes them, puts them into my parents' liquor cabinet, and then I remember that there's liquor in that liquor cabinet. My parents don't drink heavy liquor, or at least I can't recall them ever tipping back on martinis, manhattans, and old fashioneds, but for some reason there are bottles of gin, bourbon, and whiskey among other things. Maybe I should clarify. It is likely that the Tanqueray Gin is over 20 years old. The same can be said of the Seagrams Whiskey and DiSarono Amaretto.

My eyes get big, my dad tells me to take them, but not to get pulled over by a CHP officer on the way home because some of the bottles are already opened. We give them five bottles of wine, we get upwards of 10 bottles of liquor. It's a very good deal.

Speaking of deals...
The South Bay Craigslist Finds of the Morning (Weekend edition)
1. Oak Colored Buffet $50 (San Jose)
2. Dresser $50 (Campbell)
3. Crate and Barrel Wine Bar $50 (Cupertino)
4. Rotating CD Storage Racks $20 (Sunnyvale)
5. Wood End Table $15 (Santa Clara)
6. French Iron Magazine Rack $60 (Palo Alto)
7. Coat Rack $35 (Palo Alto)

And for your viewing pleasure...
A Stone Buddha on sale at Craigslist only $50