Month: January 2005

  • Learn Something New

    Ok I’m addicted….and for once I’m not talking about xanga.  I’m talking about Texas Hold Em’ Poker.  I’ve been playing for several years ever since I saw the Matt Damon movie Rounders.  Over the past several years w/ shows like “World Series of Poker” on ESPN poker has exploded into the mainstream.

    In honor of one of my favorite past times I’ve decided to write a tutorial on one of my favorite poker chip tricks.  I hope you enjoy

    To do this trick all you need is some patience, practice and 3 poker chips.  You can use normal bicycle chips but the grooves in the chips will make this harder.  I recommend using clay chips if you can get your hands on them

    The trick I will be teaching you guys is called….. 

    “The Twirl”



    Step One:

    Hold the 3 poker chips between your index and ring fingers [at a right angle] and lay the chips on your middle finger.  [Chips shouldn't be more than a 1/2 inch from your finger tip]







    Step Two:

    Using your thumb, loosen the two outter chips.  At the same time the middle chip is held firmly with the index and ring fingers.  Once the two outer chips are lose pull them up with your thumb so that they are held by your thumb & index finger.





    Step Three:

    As the ring finger pulls away and the chips roll along the index finger, bring up the pinky to grab the bottom of the chip.  Once you have a firm hold, remove the ring finger from the chip.





    Step Four:

    Place your middle and ring fingers on the edge of the chip held by the index finger and pinky.  Bend these two fingers in towards the palm, spinning the chip 180 degrees in the process by using the index finger and pinky as turning points.





    Step Five:

    Once the chip is perpendicular to the fingers, carefully pull the middle & ring fingers out.  With your pinky roll the chip along the index finger and back up.  At the same time, the thumb helps to bring the outer chips down so that the single chip gets inserted back in between the two.





    Step Six:

    Just push the chip all the way in between back where you got it from and there you have it you know your very first Poker Chip Trick.  Now, give yourself a hand.






    Right click and “Save Target As…” this link to see a video of the trick.  The video is 1.39 megs so just be patient. 

  • Question of the Day





    We’ve all been in this situation: sitting in your car with your friends and then *bam* your  favorite song comes on.  What do you normally do?  Do you sing along or turn up that dial and start singing along (horribly I might add)?  Sometimes, while I’m singing I’ll notice my friend keeps looking at me funny.  Why is that?  Because I don’t really know the words to the song.  For the past 3 minutes I’ve been mumbling through the whole song and just singing the chorus. 

    Does anyone really know any of the words to any of Missy Elliot’s songs?  You can do one of two things in this situation….either replace the words of the songs with your own “special words,” or do what I do and just sing incoherently to the tune of the song.

    My friend, who will stay anonymous (psst….Fuyumi) for weeks thought the lyrics “come on get it girl” was “come here kitty, kitty.”  I thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world and I didn’t have the heart to tell her. 

    So the next time you are in the car with your friend and you realize they aren’t singing the correct words to the song playing on the radio, just sit and chuckle and realize you’ve probably done it yourself.

    So tell me do you pretend to know all the words to your favorite songs?


    (next weeks episode, Wouldn’t it be weird if you shit out of your mouth and talked out of your ass?)

  • Event Recap:

    Friday, January 14th
    Staples Center, Los Angeles


    Earlier this week the owner of the company I work at let everyone know that he had some tickets to the Clippers vs Heat game.  To say the least since Shaq no longer is in LA and plays for the Heat everyone wanted to go.  When the owner of the company let me know that I won the tickets I was speechless.  I couldn’t believe it.

     

    Last night I went to pick up Jennifer, Phuong, & Ana and we battled horrendous Southern Californian traffic to get to the game in Los Angeles.  We barely got there by half-time.



    We met up my coworkers Danny, Matt, Patrick, & Sikmon who made it there about 30 minutes before us.



    The great thing about the sky box was that we got our own bartender and catering.  It was such an amazing experience and I have to say I felt a little bit like a celebrity.  Maybe a has been celebrity but still a celebrity.



    Besides having all the great food & alcohol in the sky box there was desert cart going around from room to room and Ana made sure not to miss out on all the delectable food they had to offer.




    Event though I’d prefer to be down closer to the court and entrenched in the crowd the sky box does have a great birds eye view of the Staples Center and it allowed me to get some great shots in.







    Now for the game.  Ever since I was about 10 or 11 I’ve been watching basketball and since I grew up in Southern California that meant I was a Laker fan.  Many people forget that Los Angeles has two teams though.  The Clippers for years have been the LA afterthought, always flowing with young talent but with no idea how to use it.

    The last several years I’ve come to appreciate LA’s losing team and learned to cheer for the underdog.  It was a great experience to make it out to a Clippers game and actually watch some great players such as Elton Brand begin to make their mark on the NBA.


    The lead changed numerous times during the game but it seemed that the Clippers did have the upper hand at times.  However, the Miami Heat had Shaq and he was pounding the boards all night and ended up scoring an astonishing 39 points.



    After 48 minutes though both teams were evenly matched and the score was tied 96-96 which lead to an overtime period.  But the game just wouldn’t end.  Both teams wanted to the win as badly as the other and the 1st time ended in another tie of 106-106.  With less than a minute to go Shaq picks up an errant shot and gets a lay up to tie the game at 110-110 w/ just 2.3 seconds to go.  It looked like there would be a third overtime.

    Corey Maggette of the Clippers however had a different idea and when the ball came into his hands he just turned and shot…….



    …the ball sinks in!!!!!!!!!!!!  The Clippers WIN!!!! The Clipper Win!!!!  I couldn’t believe it after two overtimes The Clippers come out on top w/ a shot in the final seconds of the game.  This is the top of finish you dream about and is one of the most exciting things about basketball.





    After the game the girls & I left a little both tired and excited.  The game was one for the ages and to be there to watch it in person was something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.



    Going to a high school that really had no school spirit when it came to sports…..I always get pulled emotionally into games I am able to go to now.  If you have a chance get tickets to a baseball/basketball/football game.  If you have an open mind (and as long as the team you are rooting for wins) I promise you’ll have an experience you’ll always remember.


    Sometimes it’s fun to just be a part of something bigger than you are.

  • Writings on the Wall:

    Just in case you are having that feeling of deja vu…….I originally posted this blog on July 21st, 2003. A lot of the things I wrote back then still apply to this date so I thought I’d repost it for my newer readers.  I hope you all enjoy this blog as much as I do.




    About a month ago I found myself at 5am after a long night of partying calling my friend Alex asking for a place to crash for a few hours.  (Side note: Alex is one the most kind & talented people I’ve ever come into contact with and I’m thankful to have him as a friend).  The thing is there is no parking at his complex and he gives me his Razor scooter to park a couple of blocks away and Razor my ass back to his apartment.

    I park, break out the scooter and get going.  On the way back to Alex’s apartment I find I can’t help but have a smile on my face stretched wide from cheek to cheek.  I felt like a little kid again, utterly carefree and truly happy.


    These past few months have been crazy with all the drinking, clubbing, parties, dating, etc…etc…


    But I have to say some of the most joyous moments of this year so far have been those most simple.  Sitting shotgun while a friend is driving and noticing how green the trees are, or noticing that you can see the mountains from where I live and they look beautiful.



    Since my day with the razor at Alex’s apartment I’ve had a chance to cater to my “inner-child” with various activities such as hula-hooping, rolling down on the grass of a steep hill, blowing bubbles, and recently cloud watching & flying a kite.

    I guess I’m saying it’s ok to be a kid again.  Find something that brought you joy as a child and just let go.  To my friends that watch “Friends”, sometimes you just got to run like Phoebe.

  • Event Recap:

    San Francisco, CA

    Ok over the years I’ve learned that sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to and plans change, people flake…etc…etc…..  Well my friend and I had been planning a trip to San Francisco and at the 11th hour my friend decides to cancel out on me and there I was on a Thursday night thinking about how shitty it was that I wouldn’t be going to San Francisco.


    The next morning I went to work and went through my daily routine then I headed home and just watched tv.  But wait, what the hell was I doing just sitting at home in Sourthern California.


    So I packed up my shit and headed out of Orange County at around Midnight…..and that is how one of the best and most enlightening weekends of my life enfolded……



    The Drive:

    After I got on the road I realized….Fuck….i’m driving by myself tired and at night.  So I pulled off the next exit and picked up some of the bare essentials…..but they didn’t work to well

    Red Bull…hahah gods gift to late nighters…damn that steering wheel was comfortable


    Arrival:

    After 6.5 hours of driving I finally arrived at my friends place in San Francisco at around 7am.

    Her place so much nicer than I had imagined.  It was in downtown San Francisco and about 5 minutes from her school the San Francisco Art Institute.


    After I got there I woke my friend up and told her I drove 6.5 hours to see her and I wanted to make the most of my San Francisco Trip.  I wanted to see as much as I could in as little time possible.  She was tired and though I was crazy but I eventually convinced her to get her ass out of her apartment.

    My friend Thida…she was resting comfortably before I got there….muahahah


    Breakfast:


    My first priority was Breakfast at this great place called “The Crepe House”, this great place right around the corner from my friends apartment.

    I don’t remember what kind of Crepe I had but it was delicous.



    Vintage Shopping:

    Next stop was one of the most famous corners in San Francisco…..the corner of Haight & Ashbury where numerous social protests and hippies converged in the 60′s now I.  Today it’s mostly vintage shops.

    All types of weird art shops and clothing shops were there for us to see.


    A Little Bit of Nature:

    Next stop on the list was Golden Gate Park.  I wasn’t sure what to expect and neither was my friend Thida but after we got there we realized how beautiful a city San Francisco is.

    With us moving so quickly through everything I thought I’d take a moment to just enjoy my surroundings.


    Here was a picture of a rock party I threw


    A Good Cause:

    We were just randomly walking through the park when we heard some music down toward the center of the park.

    Apparently there was a big AID’s fundraiser going on open to the public.




    Glass House:

    Next stop on the list and my favorite part of the trip was right down the road……

    The San Francisco “Conservatory of Flowers”

    Inside were some of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life.



    Random pictures taken throughout the Conservatory.  The center one is my favorite out of this set.

    While walking around there was one flower that stood out from the rest.  And I have to say the picture turned out to be favorite of all time favorite shot:

    I’m not sure but I think it’s a water lily

    This picture was a close 2nd for my favorite picture:

    Nature’s Window

    Here is my 3rd favorite of the day:

    One of the many backrooms to the conservatory




    Orient Express:

    Next stop on the list was the Japanese Tea Garden

    There is something I’ll always love about girls in Kimono’s


    The Japanese architecture and art was amazing.


    Hahahah this was my favorite personal pose of the weekend =P


    Lunch:

    Next stop was Lunch at one of the greatest restaruants in America…..

    Hooters!!!!


    The Night Life:

    With enough sight seeing under my belt it was time to have fun.  The great thing about San Francisco is everything is w/in a $5-$10 taxi cab ride.  We ended up going to 3 bars and 2 clubs.

    Here was the first bar we went to that had a hair salon theme…kinda trippy

    The cool thing about clubs in San Francisco are that they don’t close down until 4am.  My friends began to get tired at 1am and I did one of the craziest things ever.  I told them to just go home and that I wanted to keep dancing w/ this one girl at the club and I would catch a cab home on my own later.  Ended up getting back to my friends apartment at 5am!

    I made lots of great friends that night and even managed to get a #


    Graduation:
    With one day left on my trip I decided to wake up after 3 hours sleep drive an extra hour to Berkeley and go to my friends Graduation.  I was happy I was able to be there for her.

    She’s the fourth one from the right.


    Aftermath….:


    This weekend trip was just 3 days but it was one of the most random and amazing trips of my life.  When I left my place on Friday night I had no idea what I was going to do.  To find so many things to do on just impluse and spur of the moment feelings was utterly refreshing.

    That Sunday driving home by myself with just 4 hours of sleep……. maybe I just went crazy because I felt like I had just had the best weekend of my life.  I think the single best thing I took away from the trip was that I knew I was able to push myself to go on my own and take a chance.  I felt so independent & alive…..

  • Try This:

    Write fifteen statements intended towards fifteen different people, but never tell them it was about them, or would never say it to their face, or something you wish you would have said, but didn’t.  (These are in no particular order)




    1.  There was a time in my life where I felt that you were the only one in it.  You gave me my first kiss (on the cheek) and since then we’ve been friends with always this hint of romance underneath.  When we finally kissed last year….I mean really kissed…..it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders……I’m glad we’re still friends even though we don’t see each other often and I will always get a smile when I think about the day we met.


    2.  You are one of the most amazing, funny, caring, & honest people I’ve ever met.  This past year being away from my parents was tough but being around you made things easier.  I feel like I’ve been able to introduce you to so many new things but on that same note you’ve taught me so much.  I hope we stay friends until we’re old and grey.


    3.  I’m sad I never got a chance to say “I Love You,” before you were taken away from me.


    4.  You were my first in so many different ways.  The time we had together I will remember for the rest of my life.  There will always be a place in my heart for you in some way or form.  I hope you realize that.  Also, I’m sorry that I broke it off so abruptly in the end and that I hurt you.


    5.  I’m getting to know you better every day.  What I’m learning is both amazing and scary at the same time.  I see myself falling for you but I want to be careful because of your past.  I’ve been hurt to many times to rush into things and I’m happy with the way things are.  You should know I love spending time with you and that I care about you dearly.


    6.  You called yourself my friend but you constantly fucked me over.  I remember when you used to make fun of me and I think it was because to make yourself feel better.  I just wanted to say thank you for being an ass and making me a stronger person.


    7.  There was a time I called you my Best Friend.  We both made some serious fuck ups when it came to our friendship (me more than you probably) and I fear we won’t be able to ever go back to the way things were.


    8.  You have nice legs and you’re a great kisser.  Hahahh hope we can do it again some day.


    9.  I can’t believe you are such a coward!!!  That day we spent on the rock pier out on the beach was the most amazing days of my life. [period]  To throw it all away because your parents didn’t want you dating is such a cop out.  You should’ve stood up for what you cared about…..I’m beginning to think that you never cared at all though.


    10.  There was a time in my life where I thought we would get married someday.  There is a small part of me that still does think that.  I felt like you were my equal in every way.  We were attached at the knee but we never had a chance to explore our feelings at risk of losing our friendship.  Sometimes I wish I would’ve acted sooner or that we liked each other at the same time….


    11.  Its funny you are at the same time one of my fondest memories and most hated memories.  Our first time meeting and first “date” were amazing and one of the most enjoyable nights of my life.  Fast forward a couple of months after that first night and then I found out you had a boyfriend.  I felt so cheated, fuck you.


    12.  You’ve gone through so much the past couple of years yet you seem to have come out ok.  I hope you learn to truly enjoy your life again and that you realize it’s ok to live your own life.  I wish we had more chances to hang out and I hope you realize that I consider you one of my greatest friends right now.


    13.  People ask me why we ever dated but there is always a part of me that remembers how we started.  Those feelings that were so strong when we first met were amazing…..I’m guessing some things are meant to fade with time though.


    14.  I have a small crush on you.  People call you a bitch but I haven’t seen that side of you and I like to make my opinion.  Hopefully we’ll get to know each other better in the future. 


    15.  I remember lying in my bed crying from the pain.  I remember those long green reeds you used to leave scars on my small back.  I realize now that it was the way things were always done in our culture….but I know I’ll be different.  Now that I’m older I realize you did it partly out of frustration.  You haven’t hit me in over 10 years and I know for you it had to be done.  It’s because I’ve finally realized that you really do care about me greatly.  Your hits have turned into hugs and your screams into I love you’s…….thank you for being my greatest role model.

  • Picture of the Day:




    I was feeling kinda down on the weather earlier so I dipped into my old files and found this picture.  Never ever fails to bring a smile to my face. 

  • Movie Review:






    Summary
    American Chai is a funny, heartfelt, coming-of-age story about SUREEL, a first generation Indian-American college boy who can’t tell his parents he wants to be a musician, not a doctor.


    Growing up, Sureel just wanted to be like his American friends, but his strict, immigrant parents kept a tight rein on his life.  No dating, no staying out late, no music, no R rate moves, no prime time TV, etc.  The traditional Indian upbringing at home, coupled with the progressive American world around him, made for a life of duality and deception.


    Now, in his senior year at college, Sureel’s deceptive ways have reached an all-time low.  His parents think he’s graduating pre-med, but in reality he’s a music major, following his rock and roll dreams.

    As the story unfolds, Sureel must discover who he really is and what he really wants.  Does he pay the price for following his dreams?  Does he reveal his scret life to his parents and risk their rejection?  In AMERICAN CHAI, Sureel falls in love, faces the music, and discover his destiny.




    My Opinion
    Growing up in a very traditional family myself, I found so many aspects of the movie I could relate to.  I’ve seen many of the people of my generation and culture become fine doctors & lawyers…..but is that all there is to life?  Too many times we’ve let our parents dictate how our futures will turn out, what careers we end up choosing, and what kind of lives we live.

    Are your parents trying to control you too?

    Being happy doesn’t necessarilly mean driving that Mercedes, having that big office, or the title on that little piece of metal on your desk.  Some of the happiest people I’ve met in my life are those who get to fully explore their talents.  I have a friend who gets paid very little teaching html & piano to kids as a side jobs, yet he’s utterly content with his life.

    Each of us is Vietnamese, Chinese, Hispanic, Black, White not because of where we were born but because the culture that arose around us & made us who we are today.  We as a community need more scholars, musicians, & artists.  The need to reconnect to our roots and at the same time integrate into our new rolls as Americans, is strong. 


    As long as we realize that there are other futures for us besides being another pharamcist I think we’lll do ok.

    Watch the Trailer —-> Click Me



    My Grade for the Movie - A



  • Writings on the Wall:


    Tongue Piercing Haiku
    written by     Lan Nguyen



    silver on my tongue
    sticking out of my small mouth
    oh how i love you.



    Submitted to me by one of my readers:
    (Can you come up w/ better?)

    i love my piercing
    it helps me eat vagina
    i like to go down







    Submitted to me by another one of my readers:


    Your mouth is not small.
    Your tongue ring is what’s little.
    Why they call bars rings?

  • June 10, 2000


    Dear friend,
         Do you know what “kissing” is?  I think you probably do because you are older than me.  But just in case, I will tell you.  Kissing is when you touch your lips against another girl’s lips.  Wow!
         I thought that in those movies and television shows when they talk about having a cigarette break that they should have a kissing break.  But then again, I think this would decrease productivity.
         I’m only being cute here.  I don’t really mean it.  I just wanted to make you smile.  I meant the “wow” though.
         Earlier this week my friend Karla asked me to go with her to Universal Studios.  I had such a good time!  My favorite ride was Back to the Future.  Feeling the heat on my face was such a great feeling.  All the other rides were OK but I think I like Magic Mountain more.
         Well after we left we decided to go watch a movie.  We both sat down in the movie theater and then Karla leans over and looks at me.
         “So do you want me to kiss you now or kiss you later?”
         I was so shocked.  I couldn’t tell if she was joking or actually meant it.
         “Surprise me,” I said.
         ”OK”
         “I’m sorry I need to go to the bathroom.”
         I wasn’t sure what to do I never kissed a girl before.  I always had this image of me kissing a girl on her front porch after our third date.  Me slowly going in and kissing her on the lips while holding her neck.  But here I was at the movies with a girl on our first date and SHE asked me for a kiss.  What a dilemma.  Well I mustered up the courage to head back to the movie and sat down.
        Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye I see her head coming at me.  Ahhhhh!!!!  I brace myself for the worst and she goes in for the kill.  I remember thinking to myself Oh my god she’s kissing me…….wait this feels good…..wait this feels wet…..wait that’s her tongue.
            I don’t remember much of the movie but this has to be one of the best times I’ve ever had at a theater.
       Afterwards, on the way back to her house we talked about the kisses and I let her know that it was my first time.  She was surprised at first and told me she thought I was good.  That made me happy.
       During the ride home I called all my friends to tell them what happened and how come they didn’t tell me kissing was so cool.  One friend even brought a bigger smile to my face.  “Lan, if you like kissing this much, imagine what sex is like.”






      Love always,
    Lan

Sup007

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