cw
theres really one question u need to ask yourself
will you regret it, if say, u didnt go, and you looked back at this opportunity 10 years from now when ur 35
if the answer is no
then dont go, stay with everything
if its yes
dont let yourself regret things that you have total control of
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Why I Get Palpitations When I Drive in the 626
Have you seen her?
Have you seen him?
If you have, chances are you have been in the 626--what some Angelenos would informally refer to as the Asian-populated bloc of cities east of Los Angeles proper. It's close to where I grew up. Well, hopefully you don't drive around that area often, because it's enough to turn even the most patient competent driver into a ball of rage. I don't consider myself overly angry on the road, but driving around this area just seems to bring out a completely different side of me. I understand where the stereotype about Asians being bad drivers comes from. And of course I know the fault with all stereotypes is that they do not apply to many of the people they target. Well, don't be all huffy about it until you've had a trial run down Valley Blvd. Then we can reevaluate. And I'm not saying ALL Asians are bad drivers. It's a pretty select demography within the general population--typically the middle-aged, Darth Vader-visor donning (if it's a lady), Toyota/Mercedes-touting Asian that could very well be your mom or my dad. (Actually both my parents probably fall into this group, God bless them). Because of this frustration, I have to succinctly delineate in a blog post why driving in the 626 drives me up the wall. And I am probably not alone.
1. Driving at speeds turtles can probably beat
I will be driving behind said Asian driver where the speed limit is 35, but the perpetrator is going at 20. When I become exasperated and change lanes, I pass them to see a 10-car wide space between them and the car in front. Why must you go so slow?? No wonder there are always traffic jams during the day on weekends and it takes 15 minutes when the real time to get from Point A to Point B is 5 minutes. And when it comes time to make a right turn, they have to start braking about 1000 feet in advance in order to make a turn that is painfully slow.
2. Excessive braking
I hate it when people brake for no apparent reason. I not only feel bad for myself and the cars behind me which now have gotten caught up in the chain effect of having to brake, but I feel bad for the perpetrator's car as well. All that braking must really wear down the pads. Asian drivers seem to do this quite well. Traffic is smooth, there's a green light, and then...BRAKE! Few minutes later...BRAKE! Again! Wtf man. You don't NEED to worry about hitting the car in front of you when they're like a block away and traffic is flowing.
3. Stopping in the middle of the road/lane/parking lot without probable cause
Err. This one really annoys me. Go right. Go left. Go straight. Do not, for goodness sake, STOP in the middle of the road and become confused. Pull over if you are lost. Do not risk a traffic accident by stopping without signal. Do not stop in the middle of the parking lot trying to decide where to go. When a lane is coned off for construction purposes, do not stop in the lane next to it trying to get in. It will not happen!
4. Inconsiderate parking
What is this? Why do I see it so much in parking lots driving in the 626? When did marked spaces not mean anything anymore? This especially makes me want to have an aneurysm when it is the only open space left in the entire parking lot. And I can't park in it. Because someone decided to invade the space next to them.
I rarely experience this anywhere else I drive in LA. Sure, there are traffic jams--LA is one of the top dogs when it comes to ugly traffic--but that's because it's a legitimate jam. Too many cars, too many drivers. The traffic jams in the 626 are a whole different monster. They're totally preventable! Sure, there is a lack of parking. But that's because there is just more demand than supply. Not the case here.
I feel a lot better venting. Driving in the 626 will probably shorten my life span in the long run, but at least the awesome food there is worth the sacrifice.
Have you seen him?
If you have, chances are you have been in the 626--what some Angelenos would informally refer to as the Asian-populated bloc of cities east of Los Angeles proper. It's close to where I grew up. Well, hopefully you don't drive around that area often, because it's enough to turn even the most patient competent driver into a ball of rage. I don't consider myself overly angry on the road, but driving around this area just seems to bring out a completely different side of me. I understand where the stereotype about Asians being bad drivers comes from. And of course I know the fault with all stereotypes is that they do not apply to many of the people they target. Well, don't be all huffy about it until you've had a trial run down Valley Blvd. Then we can reevaluate. And I'm not saying ALL Asians are bad drivers. It's a pretty select demography within the general population--typically the middle-aged, Darth Vader-visor donning (if it's a lady), Toyota/Mercedes-touting Asian that could very well be your mom or my dad. (Actually both my parents probably fall into this group, God bless them). Because of this frustration, I have to succinctly delineate in a blog post why driving in the 626 drives me up the wall. And I am probably not alone.
1. Driving at speeds turtles can probably beat
I will be driving behind said Asian driver where the speed limit is 35, but the perpetrator is going at 20. When I become exasperated and change lanes, I pass them to see a 10-car wide space between them and the car in front. Why must you go so slow?? No wonder there are always traffic jams during the day on weekends and it takes 15 minutes when the real time to get from Point A to Point B is 5 minutes. And when it comes time to make a right turn, they have to start braking about 1000 feet in advance in order to make a turn that is painfully slow.
2. Excessive braking
I hate it when people brake for no apparent reason. I not only feel bad for myself and the cars behind me which now have gotten caught up in the chain effect of having to brake, but I feel bad for the perpetrator's car as well. All that braking must really wear down the pads. Asian drivers seem to do this quite well. Traffic is smooth, there's a green light, and then...BRAKE! Few minutes later...BRAKE! Again! Wtf man. You don't NEED to worry about hitting the car in front of you when they're like a block away and traffic is flowing.
3. Stopping in the middle of the road/lane/parking lot without probable cause
Err. This one really annoys me. Go right. Go left. Go straight. Do not, for goodness sake, STOP in the middle of the road and become confused. Pull over if you are lost. Do not risk a traffic accident by stopping without signal. Do not stop in the middle of the parking lot trying to decide where to go. When a lane is coned off for construction purposes, do not stop in the lane next to it trying to get in. It will not happen!
4. Inconsiderate parking
What is this? Why do I see it so much in parking lots driving in the 626? When did marked spaces not mean anything anymore? This especially makes me want to have an aneurysm when it is the only open space left in the entire parking lot. And I can't park in it. Because someone decided to invade the space next to them.
I rarely experience this anywhere else I drive in LA. Sure, there are traffic jams--LA is one of the top dogs when it comes to ugly traffic--but that's because it's a legitimate jam. Too many cars, too many drivers. The traffic jams in the 626 are a whole different monster. They're totally preventable! Sure, there is a lack of parking. But that's because there is just more demand than supply. Not the case here.
I feel a lot better venting. Driving in the 626 will probably shorten my life span in the long run, but at least the awesome food there is worth the sacrifice.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Who Knew?
he11o g00dbye14
did you know snookie is ethnically chilean?
and that she's adopted?
11:24
henrywang228
shut the hell up
did you know snookie is ethnically chilean?
and that she's adopted?
11:24
henrywang228
shut the hell up
Some Things I Found
Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment. Girls, you know those split ends that are just horribly ugly and make the tips of your hair feel and look like straw? This product doesn't undo split ends (I don't think there is legitimately an existing product that does that) but it does moisturize your hair to the degree that it might be illegal. In other words, the formula is awesome. It is so thick in consistency. When you slather it on, it literally feels like your hair is being coated in paste; you can feel it weighing down on your head. Afterward my hair felt like all the stiffness had been taken out of it. Incredibly soft. It's supposed to be made with an all-natural oil ingredient found in the nuts of trees in South American rainforests. I think it's pretty awesome, and if it can save my hair then everyone has hope!
Another thing I have to comment on is the smell. It might smell gross to some people (understandably), but I love it. I can't really describe it. Sugary, with a smoky effect. When I inhale it the first thing I think is, organic. Earthy.
Patron Coffee Liqueur Tequila. Leafing through a magazine today and discovered this. How long has it been on the market? Coffee? I like. Tequila? My hard liquor of choice. I wonder what happens when the two are mixed. The high I get from caffeine and boldness I get from alcohol might be a deadly combination.
I've been realizing that my life hasn't ended without Facebook. Maybe it wasn't as integral a part of my life as I thought? I wonder if it would be a drastic move to stay permanently away from the social network...
Thursday, April 7, 2011
New York Times Lens Project: Carolyn Drake and Xinjiang
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/in-xinjiang-exploring-a-changing-story/
Another amazing photographic project. Carolyn Drake traveled through Central Asia and Xinjiang and documented part of her latter trip here. The photos that struck me the most were the ones showing demolitions of Kashgar. Literally, an entire culture is being wiped out within China's borders. When I was in Shanghai, there were a chain of Lanzhou restaurants run by ethnic Uyghurs who had traveled to the city from their hometowns. It's indicative of a broader trend that's happening in Xinjiang--human migration out of the area to more sustainable economic opportunities in China's booming regions. They're leaving behind their homes, their way of life, their cultural roots, because life in Shanghai and the urban centers are much different. By the time I am able to travel to West China (if I can get past all the government-imposed travel restrictions), there will be no Xinjiang as we currently know it.
Another amazing photographic project. Carolyn Drake traveled through Central Asia and Xinjiang and documented part of her latter trip here. The photos that struck me the most were the ones showing demolitions of Kashgar. Literally, an entire culture is being wiped out within China's borders. When I was in Shanghai, there were a chain of Lanzhou restaurants run by ethnic Uyghurs who had traveled to the city from their hometowns. It's indicative of a broader trend that's happening in Xinjiang--human migration out of the area to more sustainable economic opportunities in China's booming regions. They're leaving behind their homes, their way of life, their cultural roots, because life in Shanghai and the urban centers are much different. By the time I am able to travel to West China (if I can get past all the government-imposed travel restrictions), there will be no Xinjiang as we currently know it.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Me and the Kitchen
Err...I have a little embarrassing confession to make about myself, so quick post before I begin my night reading. I had a great, great meal with friends tonight. The company was awesome, but the part that really amazed me was how yummy the meal was. We had Thai green curry with chicken, eggplant, and bamboo shoots, a Chinese broccoli and mushroom dish, and ground pork sauteed with chili peppers. Everything was perfectly flavored. In my mind, I couldn't get over how tender the chicken was. And it was home cooked.
By a guy.
In my life, I think I am incredibly blessed with males who can cook really well. There's my dad, who used to be a professional chef. My ex-boyfriends were culinary talents. A good number of my guy friends range from being decent to amazing cooks. So I'm really lucky because sometimes I'll reap the benefits of being able to eat whatever they make. And then, it makes me realize how incompetent I am. Out of a combination of not living on my own enough and having enough time to improve my cooking skills, plus I guess just being impressively horrible naturally, I can't cook to save my life. [Refer to my cooking fiasco in a previous post.] And being surrounded by guys who are such good cooks highlight my sense of inferiority. In no way do I think that because I am female that I should be a good cook, but it's a skill I feel is necessary to have for many reasons.
The problem is, I don't know if there's hope for me. Based on past experience, it's going to take a lot of learning and patience...-_____-
By a guy.
In my life, I think I am incredibly blessed with males who can cook really well. There's my dad, who used to be a professional chef. My ex-boyfriends were culinary talents. A good number of my guy friends range from being decent to amazing cooks. So I'm really lucky because sometimes I'll reap the benefits of being able to eat whatever they make. And then, it makes me realize how incompetent I am. Out of a combination of not living on my own enough and having enough time to improve my cooking skills, plus I guess just being impressively horrible naturally, I can't cook to save my life. [Refer to my cooking fiasco in a previous post.] And being surrounded by guys who are such good cooks highlight my sense of inferiority. In no way do I think that because I am female that I should be a good cook, but it's a skill I feel is necessary to have for many reasons.
The problem is, I don't know if there's hope for me. Based on past experience, it's going to take a lot of learning and patience...-_____-
Monday, April 4, 2011
She Said What?
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/the-funny-thing-about-the-slutwalk-feminism/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThoughtCatalog+%28Thought+Catalog%29
This makes me really mad. Mad as in I am about to go Incredible Hulk. What disappoints me even more is that the piece was written by a woman. If women cannot even stand as one to fight for their entitlements, then what hope do we have? That's the inherent problem with women--it's so much easier to turn against one another than to find ways to relate to each other. I still can't decide if it's structural or innate. Ok, but that's for another post.
The mentality exemplified in this piece is exactly what is wrong with our society, our patriarchal, misogynistic, un-progressive, imbalanced society. It makes me so mad whenever people say that women are to blame for the way they dress. That they were asking for uninvited behavior when they decided to wear revealing clothing. Are they idiots? It completely displaces the blame onto the victims and affirms the admissibility of disgusting, slimy behavior--from cat-calling to rape. You cannot characterize a rapist as someone who was compelled to act due to external circumstances. Even the lowest life form knows it is morally reprehensible to cause harm to someone else. Perpetrators are completely guilty for what they have done. Do not try to tell me the woman deserved to be assaulted because of the way she dressed. Well, continue this line of argument and why don't we just completely absolve the perpetrators of all wrongdoing? Women certainly do not think, oh, I wonder if wearing this will get me attacked, when they are looking through their wardrobe and trying to decide what to wear. Women dress the way they do for a number of reasons, and none of them entail inviting harm to themselves. I can't list all of the reasons because every woman is different, but I can say that I absolutely always dress the way I do because it brings me confidence, it fits the social setting, and because sometimes I just want to look damn hot. None of those reasons remotely ask for a male to hit on me.
In a way I am continuing the fallacies of the argument in the piece above, because most slutty dressing does not lead to outcomes as severe as rape. I don't have the exact figures but I'm pretty sure most rape crimes are caused by someone a woman already knows and less so by complete strangers. Women may get a cat call and a creepy look. And I am not saying that women should not expect that when they dress revealingly. It will happen. But there are those minor annoyances that can be dealt with, and the more serious behavior; for example, groping or inappropriate touching. And really, what I take issue with is people saying, well if you do not want that attention you should not dress that way. Well, fuck you. I should be able to dress the way I want and not out of consideration of how people will respond. Men don't have to, why should I? I shouldn't have to, and saying I have to ignores where the change in attitude should really take place.
What do women get from "protecting" themselves by changing the way they dress? A society that will never see the unforgivability of discriminatory treatment of men and women. A society that condones assaults on women and questions the reasons for such behavior when it should be crystal clear. This post reminded me of a radio piece I heard recently where a New York Times reporter got into some hot water because readers thought he had portrayed the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Texas, quite unsympathetically, even laying partial blame on the way she dressed and implying that the victim had caused the crime unto herself. Besides the fact that she is 11 and does not have an inkling of thought as to how vulnerable she was, the other thing with bringing the way she dressed into the equation is that it demonstrates how we as a society assume that if only women changed one little physical thing about themselves, that things would be ok. The problem is definitely structural and a lot more embedded than we would like to think. It's going to take a lot more change than trading in a short skirt for pants to change the way people think about gender relations.
Women should not have to live in fear for their safety and make unnecessary choices based on that. Men don't have to worry about whether their appearance will elicit unwanted behavior, why should women? The hope for a progressive society is to move in a direction that allows both sexes to become increasingly liberated, to live the lives they so freely choose as long as it doesn't harm others.
This Thought Catalog post? Opposite direction.
This makes me really mad. Mad as in I am about to go Incredible Hulk. What disappoints me even more is that the piece was written by a woman. If women cannot even stand as one to fight for their entitlements, then what hope do we have? That's the inherent problem with women--it's so much easier to turn against one another than to find ways to relate to each other. I still can't decide if it's structural or innate. Ok, but that's for another post.
The mentality exemplified in this piece is exactly what is wrong with our society, our patriarchal, misogynistic, un-progressive, imbalanced society. It makes me so mad whenever people say that women are to blame for the way they dress. That they were asking for uninvited behavior when they decided to wear revealing clothing. Are they idiots? It completely displaces the blame onto the victims and affirms the admissibility of disgusting, slimy behavior--from cat-calling to rape. You cannot characterize a rapist as someone who was compelled to act due to external circumstances. Even the lowest life form knows it is morally reprehensible to cause harm to someone else. Perpetrators are completely guilty for what they have done. Do not try to tell me the woman deserved to be assaulted because of the way she dressed. Well, continue this line of argument and why don't we just completely absolve the perpetrators of all wrongdoing? Women certainly do not think, oh, I wonder if wearing this will get me attacked, when they are looking through their wardrobe and trying to decide what to wear. Women dress the way they do for a number of reasons, and none of them entail inviting harm to themselves. I can't list all of the reasons because every woman is different, but I can say that I absolutely always dress the way I do because it brings me confidence, it fits the social setting, and because sometimes I just want to look damn hot. None of those reasons remotely ask for a male to hit on me.
In a way I am continuing the fallacies of the argument in the piece above, because most slutty dressing does not lead to outcomes as severe as rape. I don't have the exact figures but I'm pretty sure most rape crimes are caused by someone a woman already knows and less so by complete strangers. Women may get a cat call and a creepy look. And I am not saying that women should not expect that when they dress revealingly. It will happen. But there are those minor annoyances that can be dealt with, and the more serious behavior; for example, groping or inappropriate touching. And really, what I take issue with is people saying, well if you do not want that attention you should not dress that way. Well, fuck you. I should be able to dress the way I want and not out of consideration of how people will respond. Men don't have to, why should I? I shouldn't have to, and saying I have to ignores where the change in attitude should really take place.
What do women get from "protecting" themselves by changing the way they dress? A society that will never see the unforgivability of discriminatory treatment of men and women. A society that condones assaults on women and questions the reasons for such behavior when it should be crystal clear. This post reminded me of a radio piece I heard recently where a New York Times reporter got into some hot water because readers thought he had portrayed the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Texas, quite unsympathetically, even laying partial blame on the way she dressed and implying that the victim had caused the crime unto herself. Besides the fact that she is 11 and does not have an inkling of thought as to how vulnerable she was, the other thing with bringing the way she dressed into the equation is that it demonstrates how we as a society assume that if only women changed one little physical thing about themselves, that things would be ok. The problem is definitely structural and a lot more embedded than we would like to think. It's going to take a lot more change than trading in a short skirt for pants to change the way people think about gender relations.
Women should not have to live in fear for their safety and make unnecessary choices based on that. Men don't have to worry about whether their appearance will elicit unwanted behavior, why should women? The hope for a progressive society is to move in a direction that allows both sexes to become increasingly liberated, to live the lives they so freely choose as long as it doesn't harm others.
This Thought Catalog post? Opposite direction.
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