Family Christmas 2012

Christmas has been celebrated at my house for the past couple of years.  We have the space and with all the decorations there's a wonderful warm vibe at my house even though the central heating sucks.  Here's my mom who did the dramatic Vietnamese thing to me the day of saying, "this is the last time I'm going to host.. I'm just so lonely."  She started tearing up.  What this means is, "please help me, I have no daughters."  THEN JUST SAY SO.  I read between the lines, cancelled my lunch plans and helped her chop potatoes.  She went 180, "this is what I mean about Christmas SPIRIT!!"  Mom, you're dramatic.

My dad got my mom this all American apron from Texas... so this is what she would look like as a Houston Viet Mom.  My grandpa needs help shaving so my dad brought out the razor.  Quick myspace pic with parents.

Some of the dishes we had.  My auntie makes homemade pate and my cousin brought this amazing puff pastry, gruyere and asparagus. MmMM

Cheers!  This is my family with my brother's girlfriend's family.  One day I will bring Jimmy's family. Though he responded that that's weird.  sad face.

My brother and last grandparent and my cousins channelling the mountain people of Sapa.

This year I finally bought my parents decent gifts.  My dad hinted that he wanted a tablet.  Thanks to my distant cousin, I was able to snatch one.  My distant cousin was in Kansas where electronics aren't that hot apparently and bought the last one.  Lucky day!

Every year I hope that we don't have to go to church because well.. it's the same sermon and everyone is only half listening.  But I go for my parents.  I think being a good person doesn't mean that I need to be a good Catholic.  And I think it's interesting that people depend on religion to guide them as if being good is something they need to be guided on.  I guess many of us lose our way through our own selfishness and distractions and religion is there to help us on our way.  Though I get tired when I hear people say, "i'm a Christian.. with Christian values!"  Well, I'm a human... with human values ... the sort of values that are so logical that I don't need to tell everyone that I have them.  Like respect, forgiveness, patience.. yeah, got that covered.  And to mention your values as "CHRISTIAN Values" makes me feel a sense of arrogance that I don't think is mentioned in the bible.  "Though shalt act like your religion is better."  Nope, don't think that's in there.

Anyway - religion doesn't sit right with me.  Or at least the practice.  Good in theory, like communism.  But I have faith.

Anyway, we ended the night with some reverse charades.  I highly recommend getting this app!  Instead of one person acts, and everyone guesses... everyone acts and one person guesses!  It's pure brilliance!

Merry Christmas!

Overweight

Dinner

I knew I was in trouble when it was uncomfortable to sit down.  There's always going to be a little pudge on your tummy because you're pushing down on it while sitting, but on top of the flat tire was ... an additional roll.

That's right, I hit the second roll mark and that's when I realized I needed an intervention.  Those of you who have not experienced aquiring a second roll do not understand - it feels like there is more weight under your arm with no where to go but to sit on top of your love handle.  It's like a HAT for your love handle and you can feel it.. the whole time.  By crossing your arms you can reach around and give it a hand shake.  Disgusting.

The day has come for this fatty to become the type of person that he always criticizes:  people with dietary handicaps.  There is nothing more embarrassing than becoming something you've always made fun of and this is what I have to say - IM ALWAYS HUNGRY!

But now I'm counting calories using the "lose it" app WHICH by the way, is not meant for Asians because I can't plug in dim sum or pho.  There needs to be a Lose It - Orient version.  Along this journey I've received some helpful tips: lunch meat - low cal and great protein.  Ok, so i grab my turkey and dip in hummus.. but I finish the container... both containers.  FUCK.

Oatmeal - keeps you full, start your day with oat meal.  Well  those fibers are making me gassy.

...And that's it.

The good thing is by not eating out I've force myself to eat the things that we have in our pantry resulting in a good clean out.

What else is a good motivator is this Cancun trip I'm taking in mid February for work.  The LA office is getting into shape and I'm feeling the pressures of being LA beautiful while standing adjacent to the flabby Chicago office in group pictures.  On the elliptical I chant "cancun cancun cancun" and I wonder if people can hear me.

Jimmy on the other hand has been working on his weight since October and he is looking fione.  I call him slim jim.  He's on a daytime vegetarian and a eat out once a week plan. There goes my dream of being called the Chub Couple.

Faith in Other Humans

Jimmy posed a question, "if I felt physically threatened by someone what would I do?"  In this scenario, the police are unable to do anything and I have a sense that someone is out to harm me.

In this (extreme) situation would I get a gun as a form of protection? I responded, "no... I would NOT feel safer having a gun in the house." But I was unable to offer any other alternative solution.  The fact is, I have never felt this way so I really don't know how to respond.  Jimmy on the other hand had three black guys (of course they were black.. of course that's relevant) invade his house while he hid in the bathroom back in college.

Is it naive of me to believe that NO one is out to hurt me?  Is it silly to feel that the violence on the news is so far from me that I never feel unsafe?  Is it bad to have the, "it'll never happen to me" mentality?  I guess this ignorance keeps me feeling happy, but maybe one day I will realize that there are people out there who have nothing to lose by hurting me to get what they want... like the keys to my dented Toyota Corolla.

I've held a gun before and played at a shooting range, but even then I having extreme physical anxiety before I could get myself to go to bat. And it was still a game.  I've watched someone from the navy pull out his tool and whirl it around while being buzzed and feeling very uncomfortable. The phrase, "guns don't kill people, people kill people" is utter bull shit.  No one ever said that their 15 year old son found a taser in their nightstand and accidentally killed someone.

Back to the question above, in this extreme scenario I would get a weapon... a bat, a taser... but I will never resort to having in my hands something that can kill.  And I feel like buying a gun for "protection" is like replying ALL to an email chain saying, "please stop replying all."  Does more harm than good.  People are idiots.

I feel people are too eager to "protect themselves" from people that they feel are "dangerous."  Is this me being naive again?  I guess even a kindergartener can be a terrorist!

Pennsylvania kindergartener uses Hello Kitty bubble-gun at school, suspended for "terrorist threat"

Slutty Christmas

We were a bit modest this year.  Our SGV chinese food, echo park taco, little tokyo ramen bodies did not compare to the west siders' salad and gym on every corner bodies.  But we compromised to match the theme of our friend's Christmas party.

Though it was a cold night, the virtual fire on the big screen warmed me some how.  Yeah - we're wearing those American Apparel booty shorts again.  Made good use of those things.

Duck face... i believe thats Jack Frost and a Fawn?    Slut + Theme is actually hard to do... wait, no I take that back, mouse ears and underwear is not hard, but the creativity above is noteworthy!

Sometimes I wonder why the gay community loves to slut it up so much...

Oh yeah, that's why. That reminds me, I need to do my laundry... against your washboard abs.

You mean I have to diet AND exercise?!? Can't I just do one or the other?

Family Dinner with Sandy

Every time Sandy visits LA she offers to cook us a family meal!  To her surprise, some of the ingredients that she had left in our house in 2009 were still there... oops.  Well an expiration date is just a suggestion.  What's on the menu?  Her very own Kung Pao Chicken / Shrimp with some sautéed asparagus.  Tommy made some oden to compliment.  MMM!

Don't mind the guest mattress.

Cards Against Humanity instructed us to create a haiku.  Which one would select as the winner?

A snapping turtle bitting the tip of your Penis.
Poor life choices.
Amputees.

Yellow Playground

Pershing Square in DTLA

Date Night at Bashan

For those who just like looking at food.

Jimmy took me out to Bashan - French American in Glendale.  4 1/2 stars on Yelp! !
Thanks Groupon for the discovery!

Pork Belly 14

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup $12 

Prime Flat Iron Steak 27

Buttermilk Panna Cotta 8

Olive oil Poached King Salmon 27

Chocolate Bread Pudding 8