oh | lodi

how random my day was because of you!

me and maggie went to watch 'the reader' today and the only place showing it was lodi stadium 12.

today was my first time at this theater...and downtown lodi for that matter.

//it was a really good movie btw. no wonder she won best actress for it. now to read the book...

so after watching the movie we decided to wander around the downtown area because it was cute and we were curious and we're usually up for the random stroll.

lodi downtown is kind of like a mix between...westwood|3rd street santa monica|downtown la jolla in a sense were everything is boutique-ish...walkable...quasi expensive...white dominated (yah i said it)...interesting.
it also had a...somerset (small town from the movie 'the sweetest thing') and pleasantville vibe to it as well.

//randomest|most interesting part of my day
we walk into a sweet shoppe and want to grab some frozen yogurt. we were just talking about how we prefer pay by weight vs cup because i honestly thing you get a better deal with weight...cuz u get whatever you want and pay for it...and most people are shady with the toppings that cost more than they should.
ANWYHO.
so the frozen yogurt at the back of the store and the cups are nearby and the girl was not tending to us...so we assumed it was self serve. just as maggie pulled down the lever the girl quasi yells at us to say that she was supposed to do it. i don't think there are any words to describe those next few minutes of conversational exchange. my only conclusion was that the girl was STONED. it was hilarious. and im sad i can't describe it to you.
a few words of advice to the owners - if you don't want us to attempt to self-serve our fro-yo...put the cups BEHIND the counter so we won't touch. kapeesh?

we continue to walk around. after finishing the fro-yos we start walking into stores. let's just say whatever you think you're getting into when you see the store...is totally different by the time you get in.
1) "urban store" is really a children's store but had a few surfer|skateboard brands at the display.
2) book store was actually a CHRISTIAN book store...didn't realize it until we opened the doors. first time ive ever seen a christian book store that didn't have the word christian or family in the store name
3) shoe store whose window display included vans and other sk8r shoes was actually a shoe store whose demographics were much older (or younger...or...well for people old enough to have kids and their kids)

false advertising! haha. all good.

there were tons of bars|wine tasting places and a place where you can paint your own pottery.

i'll definitely be heading back.

---

//other thoughts of the day
- im EXCITED for the asparagus festival
- there are HELLA movies to watch. i love this season.
- i<3matt|anoop|adam|kris

the power of | awkward

i don't know if anyone has ever underestimated the feeling awkwardness...all i know is that i am a strong believer in its powerful effects on people.

awkwardness, for one, is one of the easiest things to emphasize with. we've all been there...in an awkward turtle type of moment. so when we see it happen, in person or on screen, we feel it...we know what they're going through. and all we can hope is for that moment to pass.

awkward moment #1.
singing at church. now i know i don't have an amazing voice or anything or think im better than people, but i know what "good" is supposed to sound like....blame it on piano, whatever. i shiver at a bad note.
and today, the harmonizing was baaaad =x sources tell me they're seasoned singers and for some reason could not pull it off today.
do i cringe? hide it and bear it? remind myself that God loves us anyways so long as we're singing for Him?

awkward moment #2.
on our way to dinner, my parents start talking about googling and facebook. they GOOGLED me and fishy. my DAD has a FACEBOOK. if that's not the definition of awkward i don't know what is. thank goodness not toooo much comes up when i'm googled...but facebook is a different story. thank goodness for privacy settings. i'll be changing those as soon as i can.

awkward moment #139440294853.
me and fishy watched "i love you, man" today. really FUNNY movie. please go watch it. its FULL of the awkward. but awkward moments only compel you to do something about it...to make it less awkward...save yourself from the awkward...or unfortunately fail at saving self from awkwardness and making it even MORE awkward.

i emphasize with awkward.
i am awkward.
this blog is awkward =x
oh well.

back|story

i went to get my haircut today at sir gauuans hair salon and since we left the house early, i had to wait for about 20 minutes (my appt was at 11a).

i'm a people watcher...so it's hard for me to mind by own business (especially when something really catches my attention).

the two ladies sitting next to me were signing.
i love sign language. i think it's cool...but i try not to watch (aka stare) for too long cuz its equivalent to attentively listening in on their conversation...but it's not like they were whispering (the smaller and closer to the chest the hands are...the more "quiet" their conversation is)

anyway, the lady closest to me was bilingual and was speaking and signing at the same time to the hairdresser.
basically katie (the deaf woman) hasn't had a haircut in nearly a year and freaks out when she chops off more than six inches...she doesn't like layers...and hates getting her hair curled because it "takes forever to wash out". so kathleen (bilingual woman sitting closest to me) just said to "make her look pretty" because she was getting married. katie again contested against the curls...but kathleen reminded katie that her father was getting married so she should just do it for once in her life.

that said...i think katie gave in.

i obviously couldn't help to overhear so i ended up speaking with the bride and hence how i got more details than what i picked up from listening.

//assumptions
katie must be kathleen's future step-daughter (since kathleen is the bride and katie's father is getting married)

i started to create a backstory to this set of people i met at the salon.
i wondered if kathleen katie and her father met because of sign language...and if not...how they met...this quasi-cute romance began to bubble in my brain.

then my brain decided to segue and remind itself of a book i read recently called sundays at tiffany's by james patterson. the two main characters basically used to spend sunday's at this restaurant for lunch (but ate dessert) and watched people (couples, mostly) and made up stories about these people.

so that's what i did today.

and it got me thinking about the backstories of a lot of people that i ran into today...maybe not full life stories...but at least what they were thinking right at that moment...and such.

for example...
- the two ladies that were in front of me while waiting in line for the dressing rooms at ny&co. one room opened and another one soon after but one of the ladies didn't take the second room...i tried to offer it to her but she said they would just share.
really close friends? or more than that?
- my mom and i (me and my mom? rawr.) were walking through the mall and there was this obviously european woman kind of in front of us...she looked like she was going to approach but didn't at first (i kind of glanced over her)...and then i looked at her and smiled...and then she made a second attempt at approaching us...and then just as i was about to pass her by she finally spoke up and said "miss...can i stop you for a second and ask you a question?" i said sorry and kept walking.
what was she trying to sell? the "seacret" lotion and spa hand kit? a hair iron? was her solo dance of confusion and circles due to an insecurity to approach probable customers? was it her first time?

and so it goes.
i don't plan on stopping my people-watching habit anytime soon...and now i'll be adding the fun of creating backstories...every once in awhile at least...and it has me wondering...

if other people do this too...i wonder what they think of me? what they create as my backstory?

these are a few of my | favorite things

//031309-031509 version.

- dposs argonauts
- broadway
- in n out
- limo riding
- puppies and their interactions
- watching my friends while they're drunk
- discovering new breakfast places
- bunag|aaron|brent and their best man competition
- facebook wars
- shores
- spontaneity
- s'mores and sugar cookies
- catching up with friends
- coffee jelly
- adding moments to my happy box

'rent' | review

i LOVED it.
better than the movie.
better than the recorded live broadway that i saw at the movie theatres.

HELLA funny.
if you could take shots of comedy and a hangover meant puking out ridiculous improv...that's what happened.
they were feeding off of the audience energy and off each other.

it almost made me CRY.
twice. atleast.
two words. angel. mimi.

AMAZING voices.
i love the original cast (hmm...i love the cast from the movie...which was all original except for joanne and mimi)...but i loved the cast i saw.
the one who played maureen did idina proud. her riffs were wow.
and hearing adam and anthony live was unbelievable.

i'm glad i was able to experience this with company i enjoy being with :D

i miss my | sd loves

kp|kaba loves and shores, how I've missed you.

I've known about this trip to sd for awhile now..decided to come down to watch 'RENT' but the excitement really didn't hit me until the Thursday night when I was talking to michael fernandez.

It's been almost 3 months since my last appearance. And hanging out with everyone (opc and new loves) made me realize just how much I miss my life here.

Thank you for all the new memories and the reminiscing of old ones. I always look forward to next time.

I am currently blogging at shores. It's fucking cold, but I had to come visit. I didn't come in december so my self-deprivation of the peace I get from spendng time here needed some treatment.

I wish I made it for sunset.
Next time, promise.

//'RENT' review when I get back home. And maybe more details of trip. But as of now the fingers freeze over...

boycrazy | distractions

yup. there's no denying it.
especially during abcd|ai|stycyd season. that's when its the worst. LOL.

but i figure they're a good distraction. and at least they're not real crushes (so my heart never really breaks because of them).

because me and real crushes...well that relationship...haha.

yah. i prefer unrealistic distractions for now.
that's all :D

---

speaking of unrealistic distractions...i'm in need of another book to read. well not in need. because i have plenty to choose from...but that is where the problem lies...which to read...

do i go for harry potter to prepare myself for the movie this summer...or is it too early?
what about angels & demons? can it wait?
do i want to read another book about love ("p.s. i love you")?
or do i go out and buy another book (that will likely collect dust in my bookcase for a few months...)?

i just finished reading the fire (sequel to the eight) and i enjoyed it...but as it is with most 2 part (or more) sagas...my love tends to be with the first book (except for hp...my faves were...i just really hated that sirius died in 5 and dumbledore in 6...but i hated sirius' death more). anywho...thank you ms. lyons...wherever you are...for making us read the eight junior year.

---

and another sidenote...
i FINALLY watched the 'sex and the city' movie.
loved it! cliche-ish sometimes...but i really enjoyed it and can't wait for the sequel...no idea what to expect...and until then...i guess i can start watching the series (*gasp* yes...i wasn't a true fan...but i couldnt help not having HBO for awhile...and six seasons is alot to catch up on...i think)...thanks kat for starting my collection!

---
"ever thine, ever mine, ever ours"

ain't so bad at this | cooking bizz

i've been back at home for about 5 months now.
last month i finally decided to contribute to our home cooked meals. at least once a week. it's not much but it's definitely a start.

so far i've been taking recipes from this weight watchers recipe book that i have (because i want to be quasi healthy)...and so far so good!

we do a little improvisation here and there...due to insufficient grocery stores or forgetfulness of certain produce purchases or attempting to save a little money by using what we may already have at home.

it's actually quite exciting :D
and it makes me happy that they turn out decently well. i have yet to take pictures of the concoctions...maybe next time.

//sidenote
i love being over 21 with the parentals because its (finally) okay to drink with them. our recipe today called for brandy so while at bevmo my mom also bought a bottle of muscato to go with our dinner..."just because," hehe.

//futuregoal(s)
continue to refine creme puff recipe
try NEW dessert recipes

"hi my name is frank, and i collect secrets"

i love postsecret.

today i attended my 2nd postsecret event, this time in walnut creek at the lesher center for the arts (my first event was at usc last september).
this time around there was a gallery in addition to the talk by frank (the only stop on the west coast!!! so go check it out...it will be there until april 15).

even though the things frank spoke about were pretty much the same thing at both talks, the experiences were quite different.
the reactions to the "secret secrets"...questions asked...secrets revealed by audience members.

i dont remember all the secrets from usc...and not that i should be comparing secrets (how fucked up is that?)...so maybe the better phrase would be...i felt more connected|emphathetic towards the people who spoke in walnut creek. there was just something...different.

it was really nice to check out the gallery; but since there were SO MANY PEOPLE there after the talk, i'll definitely be returning to walnut creek to check it out again before it leaves the west coast.

i've revealed one secret at usc.
i think i know what i'll be sending in this time around.

quatre vingt dix

ninety.

that's how old my apong baket turned on friday.
that's what we celebrated with a massive party today (saturday).

it was a surprise. like, seriously. she had NO idea.
we've been planning this fete for a month...sometimes right in front of her (it helps that she doesn't really understand english, heh).
we felt bad because by thursday she was wondering why no one was planning something to celebrate 90 because hey, 90 is quite a big deal.
she wanted a big gathering on friday/saturday...but no...we were all "busy"...with work...practicing dances for a "party in sacramento"

our guess at her reaction: surprise...get mad...playfully hit someone for lying to her (because she was calling EVERYONE to come hang out for her birthday)...CRY.
actual reaction: surprise...get mad...playfully hit someone for lying to her...no crying. oh well, hehe.

turned out pretty well. 189 guests...140something RSVP'd...expected about 150. PACKED.

and although it didn't run as smoothly as we wanted (when does it ever?)...i think it went well.
lots of dancing...yummy food...family/"family" reunion (cuz when you're filipino...everyone is family...pretty much)

happy birthday apong, may you live many more years to come <3