Without a Car

Feet picture.  That's my headphone cord

Ever since the year started, I haven't found my groove.  I haven't found a routine that I'm comfortable with and I think I can blame the asshole who side swiped my parked car during the early morning hours.  Thank goodness I have insurance.  By paying exorbitant amounts of money every 6 months I was able to hand off the hit and run case to my insurance so that they can do NOTHING.

The car has been in the shop for almost a week waiting for an appraisal, waiting for an estimate, waiting for parts... all of which take 24 hours each.  In the meantime I've gotten a little intimate with the LA Metro to get to and from work.

View from the metro station

It's possible - it just takes a city bus, express bus and metro lightrail.  One hour in the morning and 1.5 hours at night because the bus gets stuck in bumper to bumper traffic in downtown. I'm starting to prefer it over being stuck in traffic while driving.  I was especially happy when I figured out the fare system and the best method.  It's ridiculously confusing and for that, LA Metro offers a help line. $5 day pass is the best way to go for me.

Silver Line Harbor Freeway Stop

Instead of having a lightrail that goes along the 110, there is the Silver Line that uses the carpool lane.  The stop to transfer to the Green Line is under a major highway interchange.  I'm just waiting for one of the cars going 80 MPH to run into us.

18 Miles

I love telling people I take the metro at work and seeing their reaction.  I also feel like a city boy walking to stations at a brisk pace, checking work email on the bus and tapping my day pass to activate the turnstile.  Eat your heart out New York, Tokyo, London...  the patrons are work commuters many with eReaders and laptop bags.  Many MANY people use the Metro in LA to my pleasant surprise.

On public transit I day dream about digging a tunnel diagonally through the city so that I would only need to take ONE lightrail getting me there in 20 minutes.  My pandora is on The XX station to relax my mind.  The Green Line is elevated - there is a part where the rail curves and everyone is slanted against gravity... like a Disneyland ride.  Sort of.  The line goes alone the 105; I chuckle as we pass people stopped in traffic along the highway.  Then I curse people comfortably sitting in their cars in the evening when I'm shoulder to shoulder with strangers trying to keep balance on my third bus, frequently tapping my pockets to make sure nothing was taken.

Butterfly in the sky

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I've upgrade to the iPhone 4S.  A fabulous gay boy at the AT&T store recommended buying it at BestBuy for $50!  Thanks for looking out for family!  Though tax was based on retail price (500) so it ended up being $100 anyway.  Do I love it?  Meh.  The camera was the main thing.  The battery life is terrible, the new maps of course is shit, and it's so fragile.  I bought a case immediately at Daiso for $1.50.  It's like carrying glass in your pocket.

Lots of face

Had an interesting conversation with the cashier at BestBuy about a protection plan for the phone.  "Are you sure do you don't want protection?"
"I'm okay without protection."
"Living on the edge, I like that."

I'm proud of myself for having the iPhone 3GS for 3 years!  Really took care of that phone to the very end, but now the vibrate sounds like farts, the volume button is gone and sometimes it shuts off.  Yeah - time for that upgrade.  Plus Alysia explained that I should always upgrade because that 2 year contract is so overpriced that I might as well get the subsidized phone to get my money's worth.  Interesting.  All this time, I thought was being smart by holding on to old technology.

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2012 was the year of change for me - at least for my career.  My goal for 2012 was to get a better job and I accomplished that in August. 2012 is also the year that my body fell a part with painful heartburn and excruciating bowel movements.  Sadly I need to be more mindful of what I consume. UGH UGH UGH.

2013?  I don't know.  I have a laundry list of events I've missed last year that I must participate in.  I'm looking forward to an Indonesia trip with Jimmy in August.

2013 is Jimmy's year I predict.  He's inspired to workout and has developed a passion for finding awesome clothes at thrift stores and fixing them up.  For our anniversary I bought him a sewing kit and various buttons and thread.

$5 Jacket - What a find!

MM he looks so good.  Sometimes when I dress myself in the morning I talk to myself and say, "god, why can't you dress yourself?!"  I've text Mony some pictures of myself in a dressing room, "Yes or No."  Mony responds, "No, that looks like a woman's shirt."  I... don't know what's wrong with me.

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I haven't normalized.  I don't really know what's going on in my mind.  A lot has confused me - old friends, parties, funerals, car problems, digestive problems.  I feel robotic.  I feel like though I have a lot to say, I'm not really saying anything.  I feel as though I'm just going through the motions, but my mind is somewhere else.

I think it's because I'm not thinking about the future - I'm just checking things off on my to do list and dealing with each issue that hits me at this very moment.  I'm complacent and I don't know what's next because what's now is really good.

I think I need to create a list of what's NOT good and work to improve on a long term scale... and shape my 2013 that way. Okay, here it goes.

- My body that feels heavy and tired
- My skin that scars
- My illiteracy
- My lack of relationship with my brother who just moved to SoCal and turned 21
- My poor financial investments - I don't have a 401K setup!

Okay, that's a great start.

People of December

December is a busy time.  With the house party planning, guests crashing on the couch and another trip to the bay I felt like it was go go go go.  Though there was a lot of down time, there was so much going on in my mind logistically to make sure everything went as planned.

This is my new cousin Tim.  I call him new because I didn't know he existed or that he was family (in both senses).  He's actually my dad's cousin's sister's nephew?  He tried to draw me a chart, but I gave up trying to understand.  I was worried I wasn't going to be able to take him around since he was visited on the busiest weekend, but we made it work and his OCD on cleanliness really helped as he vacuumed the floors and scrubbed the sinks.  I tried to stop him, sort of, but I let his inner nurse come out and spruce up the frat house.  Im a terrible person.  He spent an hour on our bathroom sink.  I was in awe.

 This is Mony, he's ridiculous.  That's all.

 I've known Madeline since middle school and we reconnected during the holiday.  We got really intimate about relationships and she gave me a lot of really good perspective.  She's such a cutie.  And I felt like really really really connected again talking about deep dark secrets.  We were each other's diary - listening and commenting.  Though I only got one hour, it was worthwhile.  I'm thankful to be part of her life.

 Diana comes from Portland.  Together we explored downtown with Alysia.  I was her secret santa for my high school group and thankfully she had a very descriptive wishlist:

all things preferably used! rain pants that velcro/zip at the feet. small ramekins that I can broil individual portions of french onion soup in. bread loaf pan. measuring cups/spoons with tall sides. nesting mixing bowls with tall sides.

I was able to find most things except for the rain pants and the measuring cups were actually new from a high end kitchen store... shhhhh.

These are old friends from VSA.  I felt like I was back in college hanging out in someone's apartment.  We were brought together to celebrate the life of Christine.  There was a lot of pressure to write a good eulogy.  I was essentially representing her college life... I'll save that experience for another entry.

Sandy's boyfriend Johnny stayed a few extra days.  He's a great guy and very easy going.  I had a good time giving food recommendations, but it was a bit of a challenge since he was a.... pescetarian!  Mmm Zankou Chicken!

Mmm Seafood bibimbap!

I'm really happy that I kept in touch with Maya and Sunny.  We started working at the same time when I first moved to LA, we were a part of the same "class" as we'd like to say.  We have all moved on, but kept in touch since we got really close working together 3 years ago.  We spent an evening in DTLA eating at Parish and checking out the view at Perch.  Sunny owned downtown LA making friends at bars and introducing herself to owners of restaurants - a socialite in the most metropolitan area of LA.  He face is well known as she frequents the same spots in her neighborhood.  It was amazing watching this city girl in action.

Huan's family lives down the street from my family. I got a call from him, "Chris, come over, my mom loves you."  I stopped by to eat his mom's amazing Viet food at 11PM on Christmas day.  We drank Hennessy and played Dance Central.

Aw yeah, come on RUDE BOY!  I love this game.  Broke a sweat.  Real choreo with good music.  I'm IN LOVE.  Considering buying an xbox, connect, flat screen and game just to play it.

November Recap

My goal is to finish blogging about 2012 this weekend.  Jimmy is with his family and I have no car.  I just downloaded Flare a photo editing app to replace LightRoom.  I find Adobe products to be too advanced - because of all the features, it's slow to load and has a zillion buttons and options I won't use.  I'm not a professional.  So I found a simple photo filter application.

I need to start creating more - I don't have hobbies besides buying tacky decorations for absurd house parties, but I do blog.  So let's keep this up.

Boys in the Bay

This baked sushi tasted like gasoline

 I'm really grateful for these guys.  They all drove at least one hour to see me in San Jose because I didn't have a car to do the most mundane things such as eat terrible sushi, watch Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Slayer, and feed me homemade Macarons.

Joe was trying to get all of us to tell our deepest darkest secrets, but some stories are just too embarrassing to tell your gay family.  Though I think, like Sex in the City there are things you tell the whole group and things you tell to each other one on one.

In 2013 - I will plan an XCIX exclusive trip.  Need to show them how much I love them.  Almost makes me want to move back... almost.


Coupons

I was walking in a parking lot and I see this guy wave frantically at me.  It was Danster.  Stopped in the middle, he offers me golfland coupons.  He whips out kitchen scissors, "It's a really great deal Chris."  His friend in the passenger seat laughs uncontrollably.  I love making fun of Dan and his coupons, but what's not to love about 2 for 1 mini golf?  We joined him and had a pretty good time.  He won, of course, but he may have used a coupon to get his score better.

Anhimals

It's easy to meet up with people out of convenience when you visit your hometown.  Just put up a facebook status update and meet up with the people that "make the effort" to respond.  It really should be the reverse, you should reach out to the people you want to see when you come home.

Anh always puts herself out there - "Chris! I want to see you!"  And I am guilty in not putting out as much effort.  I love seeing her and I'm thankful that she makes that effort.  She's one of my favorite people!

Mustard Murder

I was really amused when we found a tub of mustard splashed all over Charles' car and next to it was an empty box of condoms.


Fancy Date

I mentioned to Jimmy that I wanted to eat fancy one day and almost immediately, he bought a groupon for a French restaurant.  It was so expensive and fancy.  When I saw that the only clientele was white, I knew we were at the right place!  He's so sweet! And the meal was delicious!  The food pictures are on his camera - I'll update this entry later with what we ordered, but the most delicious part of the meal was facing this handsome person all night.

Creative

Photo by: http://kriziaphoto.tumblr.com/

We attended Unique LA where Jimmy was inspired to sew by creative blogger Marisa Lynch.  Free wine and beer as well.  We were also inspired by founder of one of the clothing booths.  We did about 10 loops around it... we wanted to purchase something from his personal etsy store.. mmhmm... Local Organic Homemade Asian Man Hunk.

We also found ourselves at Snowpocalypse at Echoes Under Sunset.  This was a metal work artshow in a community space.  Free cupcakes and wine and appreciation of course.  We could not afford any of those pieces.

JujuBee

Saw Jujubee perform at San Jose's gay club splash.  Werq werq werq!

A Speakeasy Christmas

 I attended a speakeasy party for Christmas.  The outfits were amazing.  Above are the ones entered for the contest.  Even Albert Eistein attended.  These flapper girls look amazing.  And check ou the detail on the newsboy - down to his socks.

 I wore just my dress shirt, suspenders and pinstripe pants.  Not the best, but it's easy for guys.  Same dealio at the 1920's ERA Party.  I should really try harder, after all, I love dressing up.  I just need to figure WHERE to get the goods!

 The event was held at the Ebell which hosts "musical performances and lectures by world leaders and top artists."  It was built in 1927 and was the perfect venue for the event.  Large backyard patio, multiple grand rooms for dancing, eating and of course... photobooth.

The gang.

Chilly Day Hot Pot

We learned from our past hotpot events to use two different outlet sources to avoid blowing the circuit  We were professional and duct tapped the extension cables to avoid an asian Final Destination fiasco.

My favorite part about the hot pot was that the vegetarians brought there own pot!  Everything was already chopped and ready to go!  My favorite type of vegetarian: prepared!  No wait, my real favorite vegetarian is the non-existant.  But this will suffice.

We had a bomb-ass sause station set up.  Everything from eggs, chinese bbq sauce, peanut sauce, ponzu, sesame oil - you name it.  And barley tea!

Every time it's someone's birthday I find something in the house, stick a candle in it and make everyone sing.  I found mochi ice cream!  Happy birthday Ben!

New faces!  Alysia has a man now who was totally digging the gay scene.  He described it as strange to be in a room full of dudes without any sort of alpha male energy.  No worries there!  Though watch out for the girls fighting for the crown for miss sass of 2012.

And Jimmy from Houston - texas gaysians.  That's another pocket.  Jimmy had a little culture shock being in a room full of diverse asians, he admited to usually seeing one ethnic group at a time. The fact that there were indonesians to koreans all there was alien.

Guest book signing

And Sam's room is the usual after food game room.

All of my face recognition programs are confused by these two:

 No deaths, everyone full and no longer shivering from cold LA nights!  Dude, it almost hit 60 degrees at night!  ;)  Nothing like dipping your raw meat into a communal pot of boiling seasonings.