Dumpling Making

November 11: Dumpling Making

Sam, the China-man of 321, taught us how to make dumplings, potstickers, gyoza, jiǎozi, momocha.  And then we ate them soon after.  Nom nom nom nom.

Yes, that's Robyn's Body Talk album playing in the background.  We're hipster gayasians.  There's about 10 of us in the world.  The door-table is in good use.

Most Expensive Purchase Ever

Probably would be more interesting if I posed like an import model

I survived 3 months in LA without a car, but I'm ready to reclaim my independence.

It's definitely possibly, but I was tired to depending on my friends.  I was done shivering waiting for a bus that would never come.  I was done being cheap and picky.  And I was done with slimy car dealers and shady private sellers.

I've been so frustrated with the situation that I just threw my cash at a whole seller and bought a sexy 2009 Toyota Corolla that was 2K above my budget.  It helped that the dude who sold it to me was really really cute.  He had a charming subtle Jerseyan accent and his smooth slick tongue sold me.   He sounded honest, but that's just a sign that he was a good car salesman.

He was smart, he knew I liked it,  played it cool.  Did NOT pressure me and left it as, "if you don't buy it someone else will."  And of course, I called back that fucker up after visiting one other dealership.

Wow,  a grown up car.  Not a toy jeep?  After realizing that I was basically risking my life if I purchased something for the mere image, I decided to be practical.  And I'm going to use this car to the ground.

Insurance upgrade: FULL COVERAGE

As I sit in my 321 home, I'm paranoid about the hoodlums that think it's hilarious to those bricks at shiny things. I WISH I HAD A GARAGE!  I'm terrified of scratches.  I'm dreading opening my door next to high curbs.  I'm putting post-its all over my dash board that read, "DRIVE SLOWER" and hanging my rosary on my review mirror.  The Catholic in me believes it was the reason I walked out of the accident only only an air bag burn and more swag in my walk.

Woo.  Now that I can check that off my list, I can concentrate on Christmas and planning a Ski trip.

I need to buy a Christmas tree for the house.  I want 321 to smell Christmas-y.  A truck would have been perfect to pick it up.... damn it.

Thanksgiving is Optional

Thanksgiving High

Annual All American Thanksgiving Feast at My Aunt's

"What did you do at Berkeley then!?"
"um... Culture?"
"this is culture."

I started to cough and hack and walked down the street away from my two cousins.

"could you guys be any more obvious?"
"want some?"
"no, I have a sore throat."

When I walked back inside I realized that this Thanksgiving is going to be the most delicious I've ever had.  My cousin pulled me aside, "you're good, but I have some Visine if you need it."  I think I had an obnoxious grin the whole evening.  And shit, everything was so funny.  I think I was the only one laughing at one point, rolling on my side on the couch.  My cousin thanked me, "I needed that, thanks for joining me... there's a lot of people here."  Things made sense... my cousin made more sense.

I felt bad for reprimanding my brother last year.  How is this different from the sangria vodka I just pour him?  Oh that's right.. the legality... wait my brother is 18... same thing!

Except what I ate was the equal to the amount I wanted to eat

I over ate.  My gut was extremely painful.  Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pasta, bread, soup, cake, cake, cake... I kept eating.

People stopped talking to me, they were distracted with newborns.  I realized what an attention whore I was at these things and when family stopped talking to me, I retreated to the couch.  I laid down in pain.  I felt good and bad at the same time and when my parents took me home I just slept into the night.

It was nice to see family, but I'm bummed that my high school potluck event is no more.  I'm concerned that our Christmas event will suffer the same fate.  It would be our 8th Annual this year!

=============================


 Thanksgiving is Optional

For folks who live far from home it's either Thanksgiving OR Christmas.  Since the latter includes gifts Thanksgiving becomes very optional.

This is a new idea for me as Thanksgiving has always been mandatory.

I'm realizing this now as a good chunk of my high school friends decided not to return home because moving away and escaping home was the whole point of leaving and visiting once (during gift exchange) is the only need.

I think as we get older and have more control on our whereabouts, these holidays have become an opportunity for us to recognize who we consider our other family- a separate family that deserves equal celebration.   For obligatory celebration with those of consanguinity, it seems that substances help relieve anxiety from expectation.  Anyway, I've found myself taking shots with my cousin of the same age and watch others down their wine; and now a new form of.... relaxant has been introduced to me as an option at these family functions.

I'm missing a potluck at 321. In this passed year, they have become my family.  Ern said he will send me pictures, but we all know... I'm the only one that takes pictures.  I wish I could be two places at once... maybe I should call up my cousin and we can make that happen.

It's cold.

Nonsense November

Been busy.

American Music Awards

Work got me tickets to the American Music Awards in downtown LA. Woo Hoo.

I'm not really into concerts, but this was cool because I got to see a bunch of artist perform like Usher, NKOTBSB and Black Eyed Peas and famous people read terrible jokes off the teleprompter.

It was cool to see an awards show live, but I was pretty far from seeing any celebs that I might as well have watched it on TV in the background while I did the dishes.

My coworker was shouting "BOO" at Justin Bieber all night. LOL. But I like that Constant Craving song... hmm wait, wrong lesbian.

View from my seat. Is that Taylor? Beyonceeee what up girl!? Usher, can I borrow your shades?

Rihanna in a Tree

Blurry group photo because I was still in night mode.

Just Jared has some pretty good pictures/videos of the night.

It is interesting to see how singers perform live. Oh poor Katy Perry that was heinous:


You should have just shot fireworks from your boobs, that's all we want really.

If you haven't seen her Fireworks music video, it's pretty epic. Love fireworks coming out of the fat chick from the pool and the lady giving birth like her baby was on fire. The gay kiss was pretty hot... too hot for Britain apparently.

I think fireworks appear when I kiss at clubs. Except when I kiss in clubs like this, I get a dirty look or a cold sore.


Speaking of gay, I never liked Teenage Dream until I heard the glee version

WHOA there Asian Guy. That's like 4 packets of uncooked ramen I could shove in there.

And more speaking of gay I fell to the floor laughing at this scene of the Substitute episode of GLEE:

"Gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay"

"I open my mouth and a little purse falls out!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAH!! Amazing. I've decided that all the writers of Glee are gay.

Checking In

photo c/o Jimmy

Have I grown up yet?

Nope.

Start Your Evening with Four Loko in a Coconut

November 13

MoAny and AnHimals rented out Xinh Bistro in Soma for their birthday in San Francisco.  It was a simple birthday - everyone put in 30 and it was all you can eat Asian fusion.  Skewers, noodles, spring rolls, wings... very fusion.  The place was very elegant with chandlers and a staff that MoAny seemed to know personally.

photos c/o Anhimals

I decided I needed a drink.  I left the party and took an empty coconut (MoAny and his bf Joey have a coconut fetish and provide one for each guest) back to the car and filled it with a controversial Mango Four Loko  that I bought earlier from 711.  I walked back to the party, sat back down and grinned as if I just bought the winning lottery ticket.  I was happy to be there.  I was happy to find a ride to San Francisco because I just needed to leave LA for a quick minute.  Though I was sad that I was missing out on another friend's birthday in LA.

Oh You Fancy, Huh?

I figured that since both MoAny and AnHimals actively reached out for my attendance to their shindig, I should take the ride that had fallen into my lap.  I decided to also actually spend time with my mom and dad (at Walmart and for Viet food) and crashed in San Jose instead of SF.

I added more social lubricant grease with house Lychee martini.  I was bouncing off the walls.  I put tables together, made random conversation.  My high school friend Aaron was stressing about things I've already experienced so I bought him a drink to calm his nerves and told him to be optimistic.  I really wasn't sympathetic... or rather, I didn't care because what he was stressing about was just reality to me.

Anyway.

That Four Loko did me good and I pounded another third can with Aaron before stepping into Blackbird in the Castro.   I will give Blackbird credit for only one thing- a drink that tasted exactly like watermelon juice.  Otherwise, this place is very LA - trendy, crowded, a lot of nothing.  And MoAny is sneaky - when he offers folks to try his drink- he squeezes the straw so they don't take too much.  RIIIIIDICULOUS.  And brilliant, 'I must say.'

JV came by to say hello.  I broke his Castro cherry by telling him to swing by.  It was lovely to play with him.  It was also nice to see Aram who coaches a gay swim team.  NICE.

Hugs kisses Hugs kisses

"We're gonna go ghetto tonight and do BOC," proclaimed MoAny.  I LOVE GHETTO.  But I couldn't find rhythm that night.  I also didn't swing on the ropes this time; I found myself preoccupied with other things.

"Hi!"
"Hello!"

This guy came up to me and told me that we've met before, I pretended to know what he was talking about.  He was cute.  We danced a little, he said he was going to the bathroom so I instinctively went in for a peck on the cheek.  He looked at me funny with some sort of half smile and went away.

I found the boys and took a picture.

XCIX back again

Joe threw up somewhere and came back for a smile.  I started dancing with the birthday folks and everyone was making fun of the way i was dancing with my head down and my hand on their shoulder.  I was grooving... sort of.  Just drunk.  I told Anhimals that we are going have very Vietnamese babies.

I went to the bartender to grab a drink.  He smiled at me.  I was convinced he remembered me. I love him.  Maybe he read my eyes.. .my glossed over eyes.  His strong drink confirmed it.  When I asked for tap water, he put it in a giant container. 

...blurry blurry...  the guy I gave the peck to came back and came close to my face.  I greeted him hello with a peck on the right cheek... again on the left... and then all of a sudden we were making out.

I always ask my friends how they initiate kissing at clubs.  This is how.  Four Loko, Lychee martini, Watermelon flavored something and a strong ass drink to top it off from my favorite bartender. Got it.  This is the second time I've made out with someone in front of all of my friends.  The first time was back in May.

He was a biter.  His kisses were aggressive with teeth, but it didn't hurt.  I've never been kissed like that before.  Aggressive, but painless.  Sharp and rhythmic... I get it..  this is what it's like to kiss a bay area Filipino. I looked over.  My eX was giggling with MoAny.  FUCK... "let's go outside."

The boy dragged me into alleys.  *Face consumption*  People walked by.  We ran down the street some more. He shoved me into the shadows.  Kissed me the same way.  "You're so cute," he told me.

"What's that?" I pointed to the tattoo on his arm.  He ignored me and cleaned the condensation building on his glasses.  Probably some Filipino sun located in a unique place like the elbow.

"It hurts," he says... "I'm getting blue balls."

I wasn't as excited, just amused at how messy I was getting- how carefree and relaxed I was.  I don't give a fuck.   "That's what you get for wearing skinny jeans.... oh there's my car!"  He got excited and asked if I had keys.  OH HELL NO.  And it was actually Aaron's car.

He dragged me down the street.  I asked him where he was going.  He hushed me and said, "my friends' place... but we have to be quiet, I don't live there."  We got to the steps.  "FUCK it's locked, they are still at BOC."  We make out some more on the steps.  I stopped because I noticed blood on his nose and realized it was from me.

My nose started to bleed.
This is how long it's been since I've let loose.

Somehow I had tissue and used my lifeguard skills to stop the madness.  I haven't had a bloody nose in months, he was unfazed. His friends arrived right when I stopped bleeding.

I knew them.

I said hi and they opened the front door.  Before closing their bed room door I went up to the girl and told her she was beautiful.  She smiled and turned to her bed to meet her boyfriend.  She was gonna get FUCKED tonight.

I entered the long skinny SF hallway, the lights were on. We passed each doorway.  I saw another one of my friends on the bed knocked out, I poked him.  At the end was a doorless "living room" that had a small tv and couch.   He told me to keep my shirt on in case someone came in and turned off the lights.  We made out... touched... dirty talked.  I'm still not as excited as him, but I'm having fun.  Lights turned on.

"ooooo what's this...."  his other friends who looked like they just came back from BOC rolled in.  I picked up the laptop that was sitting on the floor and made some retarded remarks about looking something up on youtube.  "oh oh, let me close this imaginary curtain."  Everyone laughed and they turned the lights back off.

I got up.  Fixed the buttons on my shirt in front of the mirror in the hallway and headed out of the house.  His friends were chilling on the stairway.  I told him I had to head to back to the club.  "Uh... do I get your phone number Christopher L..." He said my full name.

"Sure... EEeeeee um...."
"You don't remember my name, do you?"
"Yes i do!  It's EEEEEEEE"
"It's okay.  It's Ian."  He smiles and kisses me good bye.

I skipped back to club to find that most people had already left.  I texted Ian:

 I found MoAny and his crew eating pizza a block away.  Aaron was crying and being lectured or something.  I shrugged it off and bought some slices.

Aaron drove me home while I dirty texted Ian.  Aaron started to scream "FUCK YOU" by CEE-LO playing from his iPhone.  "Stop stressing about it Aaron."  I started scream singing with him until we got back to San Jose in 45 minutes while helping him watch the road. "YOU. MAKE. ME. feel like I'm living A... watch your Speed... dream."

photo c/o Eric Yum yum

mmm.  I'm going to start all my evenings with Four Loko in a coconut.