One of my White Lotus Kung Fu classmates went back to college a few weeks ago and requested a photo before he left. Of course, he requested it after class, when we were all disgusting. Still, we were more than happy to oblige. Here, then, is a rare shot of some of my kung fu family. (I’m the one who looks as if she might die from exhaustion.) My instructors are Grandmaster Carrie Ogawa-Wong...
What’s better than a local curling clinic? A local curling clinic that takes place at ICE STATION VALENCIA! (Having recently watched Ice Station Zebra, the jokes never stopped coming.) I’ve been fascinated by curling since the Olympics four years ago, and this year I got to watch almost every televised match. But my friend Erik and I were not the only people to catch curling fever. We...
I was four months overdue for a haircut, so with a little advice from my Twitter buds, I found myself at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop today. I asked Bethany to cut it short, and she did. Although perhaps I should go shorter on the sides? You tell me! (And also tell me how to take self-portraits somewhere besides the unforgiving yellow walls and fluorescent lighting of my bathroom.) I am saving you...
So many things to blog about! Like how I was doing lunges across the courtyard carrying 25-pound boxes of cat litter in each hand for five minutes before I realized the neighbors were watching. Or all my latest culinary experiments, such as Eggs a la Everything and Garlicky-Good Home Fries. Or the gash in my kung fu pants that perfectly matches the gash I put in my thigh with a poorly timed...
Every Lunar New Year, I head to LA’s Chinatown to enjoy the Golden Dragon Parade. The red lanterns, the music, the people crammed in every store and eatery — it’s a wonderful expression of LA’s energy and multiculturism.
From 2010 Photobook
Finally, I got to see my mother and exchange Christmas presents. We met in Anaheim (doesn’t everyone?) at a PF Chang’s for food, prezzies, and a whole lot of leftover holiday spirit. Mom and John, looking cute: From 2010 Photobook Me and Chris, trying to follow their lead: From 2010 Photobook (Apparently the Get Well Soup did its job, as Chris was feeling much better today.) And with...
Faced with hiatus (more time, but no money), I thought, “Hey! Cooking! I should, like, try some of that!” Of course, when actually faced with the prospect of cooking, all of the recipes I’ve been drooling over for months (on tv, in friends’ blogs, in books) suddenly vanish from my brain, and I’m left staring around the kitchen dumbfounded, trying to make a shopping...
I thought I understood small towns. I went to college in Ithaca — a town listed as “rural” in my college guidebook. But the tiny college town of Fredonia makes Ithaca look like a bustling metropolis. At first I was shocked by the general lack of necessities. (By “necessities” I mean: book stores, coffee shops, and movie theaters. There was one of each, although for a...
I made chocolate chip cookies. Plain ol’ chocolate chippers. And I made them FROM SCRATCH. Now, to understand how amazing this is, please understand that I had to go out and buy flour, eggs, and chocolate chips to make this happen. I already had sugar (Hello, coffee!) and baking soda (Hello, drain unclogger!). But did you catch that? I didn’t already have flour, because I never use it...
Considering his name, you’d think Oslo would be good at building cheap IKEA bookshelves.* But you would be wrong:
From 2009 Photobook
* (I know, I know — Sweden and Norway aren’t actually the same country. Just go with it.)
We’re traveling for the holidays this year, but I couldn’t resist getting a tree anyway. We skipped it last year (unless you count the one I printed out poster-sized and taped to the wall), but this is Oslo’s first Christmas! The kitten must must must be able to knock ornaments off his first tree — it’s a right of passage in every cat’s life. Behold, the tree:...
Okay, someone asked for cats, and there’s just no way I can pass up an excuse to post more pictures of my boys. Cairo and Oslo have been keeping me company during my post-WFC cold, and, as always, are a constant source of joy.
First up, one of Oslo’s most interesting sleep positions. Yes, he was actually asleep like this:
From Oslo
Disneyland is supposed to be the happiest place on Earth, but I think the back seat of my Civic Hybrid deserves the honor more. Behold this photo, taken mere moments ago: From 2009 Photobook The weapons are: Whisper (the staff) Mr. Pointy (the spear) Autumn (the Tai Chi straight sword) Blueberry (the Chinese Broadsword) And yes, that’s a glorious stack of D&D rulebooks in the back, a...
Saturday afternoon, Chris and I headed down to Staples Center to watch the Kings play in their home opener. Witness our smiling faces as we sit outside the stadium listening to a cover band called “Which One’s Pink?” At this point, the Kings could still be good. We’re in a Schrodinger’s hockey moment. From 2009 Photobook (Chris is making a funny face because he...
This is what the first night back at kung fu after four months away looks like. (My face was rose-red in the first five minutes. It’s actually better here.) For the record, my plantar fasciitis isn’t any better. I just decided to stop listening to my doctor and go back to kung fu anyway. I’m hoping the regular extensive stretching will compensate for the damage I’m doing...
I’ve never seen the allure of NERF guns. I despise guns in general. When other folks at the studio started buying NERF weaponry and holding huge battles, I mostly just sat at my desk and tried not to get hit in the crossfire. Then the producers bought everyone a NERF gun, and like it or not, I was part of the war. I think it took about 10 minutes for me to see the light. Now, I keep a small...
It’s only taken me 8 months, but I finally got a haircut. And can I just say one thing? Burke is the best stylist in the whole world! Not only is he one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, we had a lovely time gabbing about tv shows, books, movies, and everything else under the sun while David and I got our hair cut, colored, and styled. David kept saying, “You’re going...
Cairo and Oslo have become best buds. They cuddle, they clean each other, they play… everything we’d hoped for and more. Oslo has quickly purred and played his way into our hearts. I will spare you the hundreds of photos and videos I’ve taken, and just give you a few.
Rest assured, you can see the entire Oslo Album if you want.
Here is my happy place:
Some exciting news on the feline front!
First, the kitten has a name, and that name is “Oslo.” We like the city motif (see “Cairo”), and he’s all grey and white indicating someplace cold and snowy. (What, you were hoping for Stuttgart?)
From Oslo
After speaking to several people via email, we decided to visit the Kitten Rescue adoption event in Canoga Park today. Okay, I’d decided that several days ago and had been sleepless and counting the seconds until today’s event. I finally understand “baby fever,” as I have had a terrible case of “new kitty fever” all week — buying new toys, litter boxes...
Tomorrow, July 7th, will be three years since my amazing cat Balthazar (“Zar”) died. Here’s something I wrote in my journal a few days before I lost him: So, I’m crying, and talking to Zar about how much he’s meant to me and how much I love him, and I’m petting him and kissing his soft grey head, and then I’m sobbing some more and giving him treats and...
As some of you know, I have recently landed a voice acting part on one of my studio’s animated shows. I’m proud of myself for trying out in the first place, and frankly astonished that I got the part. (And even more astonished that they seem to be serious about me keeping it.) Today was my first official recording session. Up until now, I’d never done any acting (unless you...
A few weeks ago, Chris and I met Sam and Chris in Long Beach at the aquarium for a day of sea-creature viewing. (Here’s Sam’s account of our trip, and here’s Chris’.) What a fantastic day! The Aquarium of the Pacific looked small, but was surprisingly nice. The tanks were clean, the glass clear. Lots of great photography options, even with my crappy point-and-shoot camera...
I got my very own spear tonight! Here it is, newly dubbed “Mr. Pointy” (it’s a Buffy reference, for the non-Whedonites out there). From 2009 Photobook The spear is much heavier than my staff, and much longer. If you stand and raise your right hand straight up, the staff should be as high as the base of your palm. The spear, however, goes all the way to the tips of your fingers...