Star Wars and Podcast #43 (No Spoilers)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

As a fan and audience member who watched for story the first time through, I rather ENJOYED that film. I mean, sure, it was a somewhat repeat of ALL the stories before it, held no real great CG work that hadn't been done by its prequels, and left a lot to be desired, but if I knew nothing of film and what goes into a film, how things are done, and how it could have been better, then I really wouldn't have anything to say except that I enjoyed it and it felt well-placed. A good sequel indeed.

Here is the CoTangent Podcast Episode #43! Enjoy this before you go on... It should perk you up some!



As a writer and director, I am so DISAPPOINTED in this film. I will NOT write about it here and now. Mainly because I want to better formulate this part. But please check out our podcast and Youtube videos. Don't get sick! Take care! And do look forward to my review. I will hold nothing back... because how else will they get better, right? But I did see it twice so far... Maybe one more time...

Umbrellas + CoTangents = Podcasts Galore (12.22.15)

I HAVE STARTED A NEW PODCAST CALLED "UMBRELLA THOUGHTS"!! And, as predicted, we talk about EVERYTHING that is MOSTLY entertainment! This is different from the CoTangent because CoTangent has sports and some movie and box office talk. A way to sum up a week of nothings to make something.


EPISODE 42 for COTANGENT is up!! Check it out down here!! This is Ed + Me podcasting together!!


After listening to them, you get what I mean by they're different, right?? Well, here's to bringing some holiday cheer as the Christmas Merry gets ever near!!

God Bless you all and BE HAPPY!!!

The Good Dino Vs. The Good Human (12.21.15) [SPOILERS!!]

What an interesting story. Of all the movies about dinosaurs and humans... Ok, to be honest, I've wanted to write earlier, I did. I tried and I sat down, brewed my tea and warmed my feet in cute fuzzy socks, and yet, the words never came to me. So I put something up first and waited for my words to return. A week passed and still, my comments about the 'Good Dino' seemed... very dry.

Obviously, it's a film truly about human nature and mother nature, but what else was there? And then I watched 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' and now, I feel a renewed desire to write. This... yes, THIS was my element... More so than the dinosaurs, but it will all wrap together, I promise you!

First of all, Google gives you the choice of the Light side or the Dark side. And because of who I am and what I do... Nope, I chose the dark side because the character development on that side was just so much better. Hahaha! Anyhoo, so I'm on that side now... And though I didn't much like Kylo Ren's weakness nor the lack of action from Captain Phasma, I still remain on the dark side because I feel I can improve them. :D

Heh, well, the 'Good Dinosaur' was just that to me. A good dinosaur doing good and dinosaur-ing in the world. It was cute, classy, and a bit on the boring side for a Pixar film. The short just before it held more action and content, but was very well done and I was sad it was over when it was. The story is centered around Arlo and his family before he gets lost and goes on an adventure getting home. I've heard it compared to 'The Lion King' and 'Wicked', but I think it's just a big mixture of Pixar's uncreativeness and it shows that the company is a bit more lost than we had originally though they were. Especially after reading about the history, about how they held it back from the original release date so that they could go over it again... COME ONNNNN!!! You can do better than that, Pixar!! Where is the amazing creativity that goes into bringing to life countless stories the way you did before?! What happened to making us dream and soar within the confines of walls, and cry within the confines of minutes?! ... You could do better than this half-assed piece of a film. I don't like cussing, but this time, it was necessary. Please pardon my language. I had to rate it a C. That's how sad it makes me. 

And now, as for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' ... how could they?!?!?! Oh, well, first, as a fan, I enjoyed it immensely. To be brought back into the world of the warring stars and the light and dark force, it was a CG feast for my eyes, ears, and heart. The aching was real, there were no tears nor were there surprises. And in the end, I couldn't wait to see the next one! Yay!

Now... onto the review the filmmaker side of me had. OOOOOOOOH MAAAAAAAAN!!! JJ Abrams was supposed to unleash his awesomeness on the franchise to open the world back up to the wonders of what 'Star Wars' was, originally, meant to be. And somehow... the film had so many holes, the characters were so under-developed, the CG was a bit over the top, and the dialogue and cheesiness oozed from every minute that passed!! WHAT HAPPENED?!?! I get that bringing back the old characters helps anchor emotional value and connections to the new characters, but that is NOT the best way to go about doing so!! Why would you waste Han Solo and let him die so weakly and predictably?! Leia is stronger but also does nothing, AGAIN. And finding Luke at the end, well, as great as that is, he's in no state to train anyone! 

My favorite character was BB-8. I mean, the little guy can travel anywhere, suspend itself in mid-air, and had an attitude like a puppy or a Black-person, as @moonlitewolf and my friend Chris, also Black, pointed out. Hahaha. Well, I see it, too, but I liked him a lot and I wish I had a friend like him to travel everywhere I went with! I rate the whole thing an overall B for solid effort and creative concept. I have SO MUCH MORE to say about this but will refrain!! 

As for those who have yet to see the film... (why are you reading this?!) here is my recommendation. For watching Star Wars, if you want to appreciate the film aesthetics and see how filmmakers have ruined it throughout time by being too liberal with the applying of CG and the over use of green screens, you would have to watch numbers four through six and then one through three before watching seven. However, if you just want to appreciate the story of the entire series then go ahead and watch one through six and then watch seven.

And first, as Tea, I'm a bit surprised by the sudden outburst of hate Rain Bridge received due to our reaction video to 'Daddy' by PSY. RIGHT?! According to Moon, RB had to stop defending us because there was too much to respond to, so I jumped in and then had to stop, too!! What a crazy world we live in!! Geez, opinions and reactions are simply just that... OPINIONS. 

And as for a recap on the rest of the world... 'Quantico' whaaaaaat?! 'Once Upon A Time' is where?!?! And... SHELDON AND AMY HAD SEX?!?! But, oh, wait, there is a new trailer out for 'Star Trek'!! If only Chris Pine could navigate his ship to me! I'd hop aboard quite happily!!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Eat a lot and get ready for the consequences!!

Want to meet new people online from around the world and maybe in your city or area? Check out the WireClub! I did and I've made new friends already! Stay away from the creepers, be nice, and always kind! It's up to you how it goes, so I hope it goes well. 

Tuesday Two's-Day! (12.15.15)

Notice the two "15" in the date today? Yeeah, you feel it too, right?

Okay, maybe not! Haha!! Well, here's episode #40 of the CoTangent! We talk weller together!

And the last video reaction we put up! Yay!!



And here's our CoTangent Episode #41! We made it!! Look for a new original video soon! I think that's the plan, right? Or was that #50?! Big decisions for the group coming ahead. But please show us lots of love as we figure things out, cut our losses, and move on with our lives as we should!!



P.S. HERE'S THE NEW INFORMATION AND TRAILER FOR STAR TREK BEYOND!!!

PSY-kadelic MONDAY to you ALL!!

Here is the newest Reaction Video from Rain Bridge...


Ed still has nightmares, JJ doesn't seem too disturbed, Sarah is laughing and I'm quite weirded out!!

Only PSY. ... Only PSY.

CHRISTMAS LIST and Life! (12.04.15)

I KNOW WHAT I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS!!

What do you think? As for me, I LOVE the writing in here! Aaron Sorkin is amazing and I wish I could buy it, but what's the point when the shipping costs almost as much as the actual item itself, right?

Here's a video of Ed + Sarah with me, watching videos and reacting. More to come, which is exciting and, as always, and Moon and I will be fulfilling some reactions to a parody, which will be pretty entertaining, so check back with us!!

This is just lazy blogging! I will make it up to you!! I'll leave this loving PODCAST in the hopes that you come back later for more!!

My Niece (11/2015)

This is my niece! ISN'T SHE CUUUUUTE?!?! Well. I shall post soon!

Honesty Sunday

To be perfectly honest, I watched 'Quantico' and 'Once Upon a Time' last week but I didn't find much point in writing a long post about it until I knew more about what was coming up. And though I could give you ENDLESS spoilers, I've decided to simply bore you with my weekend and then my predictions, coupled with my opinions about the futures for these men and women of valor and evil.

Many of the buddies were busy this week so Ed and Sarah met with Tea for some music video reactions on a lovely Saturday afternoon. The lighting was nice, the seating was comfortable, and the music was puzzling. I think the team did a couple that day and discussed the re-workings of the CoTangent podcast! Wanna take a listen? Check Ed and me out here!

As of this week, the switch to SoundCloud is real and happening! Tonight is QUANTICO and ONCE!! I can't wait!! On the watch out now!!

A Week-Full of Fun

I SAT IN DURING A LIVE PODCAST RECORDING FOR CRACKED.COM at the UCB Theater off Sunset!! It was fun, exciting, and lots of people!! It featured Jack O'Brien, Daniel O'Brien, Liana Maeby, and Alex Schmidt. I can't be sure as to whether or not Tom Reimann was there because the guy might have said a different name, but I wasn't too sure. It was a small crowd but the talkers were talky and I'm planning to go again! Yay!

On Monday I started the move for CoTangent from Libsyn.com to SoundCloud!! It was fun and entertaining. Haha! Tuesday brought me to to writing-ville and I binge watched 'The Blacklist' thanks to Netflix! Wednesday had me looking forward to the live broadcast show for Cracked.com before Thursday, a chill day and Friday let me with JJ, chatting and writing, prepping and eating at Du-Par's!

I hope this weekend becomes more!!

Here is our most recent Video for "Good Boy" for GD x TY!! Look forward to more!!

BAM! Happy Thursday!!

I think... blogging without a purpose is pointless blogging. As it so happens, I wanted to talk with someone today but I was alone, so I couldn't... So, here is me talking to someone... YOU!! Hii!!!

We put up another episode for CoTangent but all I could think about was Oliver from "How to Get Away With Murder"!! I mean, he only wanted to help Colin and he didn't know the guy could see them. How as he to know that the serial killer would follow and kidnap him, right? Poor Oliver!! He's been through so much and yet, he's suffering even more. All for the sake of love and not being alone.

So, I've found that I'm COMPLETELY incapable of handling online dating. But I still make a mean alcoholic layered gelatin!! I've come to accept that I'm SUPER ambitious and not just ambitious, like how it says on my profile. But I chose not to emphasize on it because I didn't want to scare anyone away. I'm not physically happy with myself just yet, so I guess I have to wait for me to get to where me likes, so me can get a date and, maybe even get married and the whole nine yards. But our reaction videos are awesome, CoTangent is doing fine, and we are moving soon to another platform that many more can access us from!! And since I've already paid for the services for this online degradation, I figured I'd keep checking and being rejected until my time ran out. I won't renew. I won't continue. I'll just dive into my work and be lonely... HAHA!!

Here is CoTangent Episode 36 ~ And we're moving... I think... to Soundcloud?!

Until next time!!

Another Weekend, Another Catfish, Another Reaction (11.08,15)

First, let's start things off friendly with a reaction video from my lovely friends that Rain Bridge Studios gathered to entertain us with... LOL. Some of their reactions... or lack there of, really crack me up!! These are home-grown, fully-fresh, Americans and they are reacting to K-Pop music videos. ... Can anything be more odd?

Alright, so onto sadder and weirder news, along with good food, friends, and the like! 

Friday set me in a writer's meeting with JJ, who I'm writing something for. As usual, we got off topic and started chatting about our normal lives. I mean, we're two girls with the gift for gab, we can't help it. Anyhoo, as usual, she was concerned about my dating life... or the lack of existence of one... and was extremely suspicious when I told her about M-Guy. (Protecting the name for privacy reasons.) I mean, I've tried Tinder, OkCupid, Coffee Meets Bagel, Match, Chemisty, Christian Mingle, eHarmony, Thirty Flirty, and... I think Plenty Of Fish will be my last one. I'm tired of trusting and being lied to, catfished, and judged. It's painful for me, someone who is a clean slate, and I'm so annoyed with all this stuff. Anyhoo, she looked over his profile, all of our conversations, and concluded that the guy wasn't to be trusted. 

And then I told her that I had agreed to a date with the guy on Saturday, the next day, in the evening. She was livid and demanded that I not go, or go with back up. We talked back and forth, she commented on my improvement as a female flirty texter... I was HORRIBLE before... and she complimented me here and there. But, in the end, we decided it may be a good idea to share such knowledge with girls and guys out there that need it. And so, look forward to a video about that. Better made, of course, better quality of picture and sound, both shot on Canon 7Ds and sound recorded on a boom mic into an H4N Zoom recorder. Hey, hey, hey! And then, at midnight, she wanted to go shoe shopping and the Ross next to The Grove is open until 1 am, so we went. And as she shopped for shoes, I couldn't help but feel worse and worse about the supposed date. And it came to the point, I realized it wasn't going to happen. And... I WAS CRUSHED. (Oh... so innocent am I, right?)

JJ told me not to worry but I did. She told me not to over-think, and I did. And the next morning, I woke to a text message asking to reschedule the date. And... I was so sad. And yet, I still hadn't picked up on the clues that I was (possibly) being catfished! 

I know you'd probably kick me when you met me, but I was just so hopeful about it!! And I wanted that first date... You might wonder if I'm really this gullible and trusting and the truth is, YES, I AM. And I spent the day doing nothing, having cancelled my plans so that I could get ready to meet this guy, and ended up having a girl's night out with JJ, Sno, and Moon at the YellowHouse Cafe, in K-Town. It was fun, sweet, and comforting to have my girls around me... until the other two were briefed on my cancelled date that night and... they were NOT happy. Well, they were happy at first that I managed to get a date (I'm a REALLY busy bee!) but when JJ exposed everything in our conversation, passing my phone around to compare profile pictures and conversation texts, both disapproved immediately. ... For shame, Tea, for shame...

But I got home and went to sleep well. Moon said being Catfished is very widely popular and that, since I excelled at meeting people in person, I should go with that and find someone special. Sno had mentioned her deep concerns in my trustingness and said that going to a bar, with the girls, on a girl's night, to hunt for me was a better option. (She didn't use "hunt", I did.) And JJ just wanted me to find someone real... which is, surprisingly enough, the tagline for my POF profile. "Looking for someone real." Seriously... And that morning, I had spent the morning looking through male profiles, suggesting things that can get them more noticed by women, and the like, and even helping a man who had friend-zoned me improve his profile. So, I basically was stabbed near my heart and then I helped the person twist the knife and break the hilt, so that I couldn't get that damned blade out. 

Oh, woe is me. ... But I'm getting over it.

Sunday morning brought me to upload the video above and then the early afternoon led me to DimSum with JJ, Sno, and Tall-V (I know too many females with such a name and she's the tallest of them all) in Temple City, where my family loves it and, well, I've come to enjoy it, too! JJ and Tall-V both know good DimSum when they eat it. And they've had terrible ones out here. Along with Sno, who had horrible stuff in Chinatown... so I've decided to take them out of the fakeness and into the real good stuff, the yumminess of the yummiest!! We went to the Full House Seafood Restaurant in TC/Arcadia. That's right, peoples, we had food and it was good, authentic, Chinese food! 

Unfortunately, most of the Dim Sum was gone by the time we got there and we ate as much as we could, got drinks, and then we headed home. The good part was, I had enough time to finish and upload another video shot on Halloween! Enjoy!!



And here was episode 25, for those of you who missed CoTangent!!

An Emo Weekend ... of sorts!

For CoTangent's 35th Episode, Ed and I thought of doing something a bit more fun, so I think?

This weekend, on SATURDAY was Halloween, so Ed, Moon, Sarah, J.J., and I met up for some good old-fashioned Music Video reacting, a great meal, and then two parties and then chatting at home with the friends! It was awesome, fun, and lots of good times with friends! And got a BEAUTIFUL sight of LA from a new friend's rooftop!

After that, on SUNDAY, Sarah, a friend, and I went to Comikaze! There were so many great costumes, people, passionate enthusiasts, and... I am all set for some Christmas presents this year!! WOOHOO!!

And now, I'm back to Monday. Oh, and I quit OkCupid (not booty-call material) and joined Plenty-Of-Fish!! Here's hoping for the best, eh? Since Coffee Meets Bagel, Happn, eHarmony, ChristianMingle, and Match.com failed for me... this is my last shot at online dating! ... Will I nab the one?!

Here is the most recent recording!! Enjoy and COMMENT!!! Thanks!!

A Female Reminder... And Some.

I've learned so much about my cervix without knowing anything about my cervix! This girl, wow, brilliant and smart and, SO INFORMATIVE!! She's so young and yet... I've been schooled on my own body!!

I have to admit to not watching this episode of "Quantico" only because it has become too predictable! I guess I'm more willing to catch up next week, or once the season is over. A lot of the momentum has been lost in the "wait, what?!" and "OMG! Really?" of the show. So I'm skipping this week's and going to wait to see if next week's will bring me back in!

And then there was "Once Upon A Time"!! I mean, why is Emma doing what she's doing, and ALL THOSE DREAMCATCHERS!! So beautiful. Makes me want to shift my Bicycle card collection into dream catcher collections. With this strange twist with Arthur and Merlin, I'm still hooked and I want to know what brought them back, where is Merlin, and what's going on in StoryBrook! How exciting, what an interesting story twist that Emma is actually taking on the role of the Dark One... And I wonder how Hook fill find his way back to her.

For hurting Henry and some added heartache, I give it (8 of 10 Stars) for this week's episode!!

Okay! On to some more personal stuff, I guess. I'm paying for eHarmo which has gotten me nowhere. I'm on OkC and have turned 3 strangers into 3 friends, although I think the last one is about to bail because I won't give him more than friendship. I've just started paying for Match.com for 3 months but nothing is happening yet. Sigh. And it's the time of the year when people catch colds and I've caught a massive one!!

However, this hasn't kept me from organizing another Kpop music video reaction video shooting for this weekend! That's right, on Halloween, Ed, Sno, Moon, and I will gather in my living room and we will watch and react to some requested music videos, if not all! It's been quite fun lately, and I really feel like we're getting more comfortable being on camera... which is building us up for other stuff!

And here is CoTangent Episode #34!! Yay!!

TV and Dating and Love and Advice and... Reactions!

Sorry for not pressing "Publish" on this last post until today! What's wrong with me?! Haha, well, please enjoy!! 

“Quantico” was painful this week. Have they hit their peak already and are declining in story, power, and drama? I wanted to think of something better to write about but, alas, I am at a loss for words. Alex is… getting predictable, Booth and Natalie in a relationship?! Asher and Booth’s loyalties are questionable, and are we going to slowly figure out who before seeing how they were eliminated? If so, this is a TERRIBLE way to go about it!! I thought it was just a coincidence, and maybe they would change it up and keep us on our toes… and yet… I’m getting bored and I don’t want to get bored!!

S01 E03 scored a low (3 of 10 Stars) with me. Come on… bring it back up!!

“Once Upon A Time” was also somewhat of a drag. Sure, Snow and David are at it again, putting Emma first, while Henry has a date?! Whaaat?! Regina and Robin hang for most of the episode and while Hook and Emma are supposed to be all romantic, there were so many holes in the usual nice way life is wrapped up for everyone!! I feel like the answer is SO OBVIOUS and yet, life is made difficult by oblivious people. Where are the clever twists and turns that UOAT was known for?! Mr. Gold alive and awake, woohoo, but his conversations with Emma are just so awkward! I wondered how he would be and, this weird version of him is a bit unsettling. Also… boring.

S05 E04 scored just (5 of 10 Stars) with me. So sad… but still quite addicting…

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was AWESOME!! Peralta brings back Holt, Amy and Diaz are an awesome team. The Vulture is OUT!! And Boyle is adorable, as usual. Gina is funny... Terry is hilarious, and the other two are... somewhere there. OMG! After a boring week of TV, I LOVED this episode quite a lot! I just wish there was more story with Amy and Jake!

S03 E04 scored a whomping (8 of 10 Stars) with me! Keep going!!

***

Well, with all the deals and fun times of the Summer leaving us, the holidays and American activities are coming up. October rings in Comikaze at the Staple Center in LA. November hollers a Design event in Pasadena, not to mention the grandest slaughter of Turkeys! A time of thanks, indeed. And December hails the most traveling, where many cities in SoCal are emptied out as people travel home or to meet with other loved ones. Truly, a time to love and gather. January seeds the New Year events, along with the Lunar New Year! Lots to eat and many old faces will, surely grace your lives… Good luck with that!

I’ve always encountered a question as to whether or not one should move on with a new love or return to an old love that… wasn’t so good to them. This video says it all for me, I think.

Personally, I believe moving on helps you move on with life, grows your experience, and matures your perspectives as a person. But so many of my female friends return to their ex-boyfriends, swearing things will be different this time around. Somehow, that their ex changed so it’s fine, now. And I just wonder if these women realize that they are being manipulated? Can I say something about it or just stay silent? What is  the “good friend” thing to do?

Oh... and I'm trying this whole online dating thing and it's POOPING frustrating!! I'm currently on eHarmony, Match.com, OkCupid, and Christian Mingle. I got rid of Coffee Meets Bagel, How About We, and Chemistry.com because they were... not getting me anywhere. However, these sites are also not getting me anywhere. I wonder if I'm destined to being a spinster? ... Chris Pine!! Come save me!! (~.O)

And as a reward, Ed, Me, and Moon did another reaction video for fun... Comment please!! Thank you and much love!! Until next time!!

My Appetite and First Reaction Video

I went to China. It was lovely. I saw many things, ate lots of food, and clashed a lot with the culture. Enjoy my video!

And then I rallied Ed, Moon, and Chris to do a series of reaction videos to Korean music videos. Tell me what you think and what music videos you recommend!!

I wonder what weird thing I'll venture forth and do next... Got any suggestions?? By the way, a little backstory, Ed is a journalist, Moon is a sound mixer, Chris is an animator, and I'm a filmmaker. So... lots of opinions flying around. We drank some Samuel Adams beers, pumpkin flavored Shock Tops and had some Blue Moon... All rather light and fluffy for this fun friends time!!

New episode of CoTangent coming soon! Yay!

Eating And Talking All Weekend Long

I like to talk to strangers, observe and people watch wherever I go, and sometimes... JUST SOMETIMES... I explode with excitement and can really scare people. It's those times I have to step back and regroup before I lose any friends and such. HAHA!

Fruit Waffle
@Iota Brew Cafe (LA)

Friday night found me at Iota Brew Cafe and... the servers were nice but the service wasn't so great. When we asked for the bill, they only billed us for our dessert. I know you're wondering why we didn't just pay and dash... but I have a conscience, people!! So, we recounted our order and were billed accordingly. When we left, it was a bit disappointing, but they seemed to be training all new people, so I guess we have to wait to see how they do when they have more experience under their belts! This trip, however, was disappointing and... only 2 of 5 Stars if I really had to rate it!

Ice Cream Brownie
@AKA Bistro (Pasadena)

Strawberry Shortcake
@AKA Bistro (Pasadena)

Hanger Steak
@AKA Bistro (Pasadena)

Saturday had me at A.K.A. Bistro in Pasadena. As usual, the ambience was sweet and intimate. Not sure if it was simply because we sat in the back or not, but there was a strange smell... almost sewer-like. At the risk of not sounding rude and assuming it was the people I saw with, I guess someone might have spilled something and no one really mopped it up? The food was only so-so... I much preferred the Cheesecake Factory!! But, alas, my dining party had decided beforehand, so we ate and left after sharing two only mediocre desserts. This time, strange as it was, only scored 2 of 5 Stars with me. 

Steamed A-Veggies
@BDK (Temple City)

Mixed Veggies
@BDK (Temple City)

You'd think I'd give up and crawl into my blankets to hide and wait for Sunday to be over, but NOPE!! Sunday found me, once again, in Pasadena, picking up my wayward wandering bird. He insisted on Bull Demon King in Temple City and... THERE IS NO GREATER PLEASURE than eating there. So, after waiting for them to open at 5 pm and then picking up more cash because they only took cash, we headed over and were seated instantly. We ordered our own bowls of medicinal beef noodle soup with thick noodles and I quickly transferred the beef to his bowl because he likes them. And then, we ordered the usual Taiwanese sausages with sliced garlic that we did not finish, along with A-veggies and the mixed veggies platter. This man KNOWS how to eat!! The food was delicious, the sides were wonderful, and I enjoyed this meal so much, I felt as if I were experiencing it again for the first time. It had only been a few months since I last had it, but I still felt it in my soul. What a wonderful way to end the horrible strike I'd been having while dining out. Easily, 5 of 5 Stars, hands down, no competition.

Afterwards, because we had time to burn before I needed to drop him off to be loaded onto the great metal bird that would return him to the other coastline, I brought him to my guilty pleasure spot, The Yellow House Cafe. -- The boy didn't even know what hit him or how great an honor it was for me to bring him there. But, he soon found out as soon as we were seated and he looked at the menu. Oh, how his eyes widened with pure delight and glee. We ordered drinks first, him a rose tea and myself a Moroccan mint tea. Neither were excessively strong, but their light flavor helped our stomaches digest and then we ordered a slice of Tiramisu with three scoops of ice cream; chocolate, vanilla, and green tea. Oh, the splendors and with the ambience, it felt good to be there. There were no awkward servers, but quiet ones who hurried to help when they heard the bell. All in all, as usual, this experience was easily 5 of 5 Stars for me. Oh yes!!

Ice Cream & Tiramisu Cake
@YellowHouse Cafe (LA)  

After which, we left for LAX, but not before we stopped by In-N-Out and sat through the drive-thru massively long line for 2 protein styled double-doubles! He took them on the plane, and we he left, he was thoroughly happy with the day, despite being flown for six hours back to Maryland for the presentation that awaited him on Monday and the final test that leered at him on Tuesday. I was thankful for his company, for he pulled me from a rather event-less weekend, and his excitement at my favored places only showed me that I am a darn good hostess and a true American, at that! Hah!

Please check out my most recent CoTangent podcast with Ed!!

The Art Of Impatience

When I was younger, when I started dancing and choreographing, I adopted the name “Step Master” or “Beat Master” because, well, I used to teach people who couldn’t dance TO dance. And people thought it was because I had patience, but in reality, I think it was due to impatience. To get everyone on the same page at the same time, I would watch how people moved naturally and then teach them, based on how their own body moved, how  to dance my choreography. It sounds strange, but that’s how I got even the most two-left-footed person to dance well. Hehe. And I took pride in that. My other friend dubbed me the “Beat Master” because he used to choreograph to his own counts and I would lock them down into the music, figuring out the pacing, and then we would teach it. It was fun… Watch the video of the last project I worked on. Yeeea… I’m the one in green.

And then, when I turned 21, I lost the ability to do several things. And, somehow, I stopped dancing. Since then, I haven’t really helped anyone. When people ask me FOR help, I send them off to other dancers I know who can somewhat do what I have spent much of my life doing. But… I watched a few people and I realized that my way of teaching is quite a specific brand of dancing. My sisters thought it was a gift, that it meant I had a lot of patience… when in reality, I think it simply meant I was impatient and a control freak. So much so that I would learn how others moved to teach them how to move like me.

As crazy as it may sound, I want to get back into it. But I don’t do those weird dances people do today. I enjoy the old fashioned hip-hop choreography, when it was about movement and not sex appeal. Know what I mean?

Now… I just need to find some who can’t dance but want to learn how. … Any takers reading this post? I’m in Burbank! Contact me!! I want to see if I still, really, have my gift!

To hear me talk, check out the COTANGENT Podcast!

Once Upon A Time... Quantico met Brooklyn... Not Really!

I think I shouldn't try to figure out any clever titles anymore... It's not like anyone appreciates them... and I can't really think of much. LOL. -- As promised!! Here are my TV reviews for the most recent episodes! Enjoy the read and leave me a comment!!

"Once Upon A Time" Season 05 :: Episode 02

I’m relieved to see Hook very set on saving Emma and continuing his love for her. In the past and in the present, the two’s love story will torment viewers this season because of the inner darkness that threatens their lives in different ways. Somehow, though he was always the one to save her and help her, I feel this season’s turn of events will really test their relationship, and either make or break them. Oh, the great twists and turns of the Storybrook heroes!!

Getting on with it, I liked how Regina was knocked off her high horse when she realized she was a long way from redemption, even having claimed herself as the Savior. Snow and Charming’s protectiveness over Emma is sweet and, somehow, their parenting of Regina is also very well thought out of the creators. Henry is growing up, which makes me happy, and the dwarves and their usefulness returns in these episodes, I believe it!

This season opened with the signature memory wipe and as bits and pieces return to us, I want things to move faster, but the carefully wrought details in each and every scene of the show is captivating and very inspiring. From the form of the tree that Merlin is stuck in all the way to the rock and sword that Excalibur is stuck in, in the basement of Emma’s Storybrook house. I’m glad Hook noticed the door and lock, I wished he could have stayed with her a while longer so that I could decipher what their relationship was, but the creators have kept the mystery alive for so long and I do appreciate it.

I look forward to seeing how Rumplestiltskin or Mr. Gold will react when he wakes and meets Emma as the Dark One. Will he have any powers? How will the story progress? What an interesting thing to ponder on until he wakes, right?

My overall score for the show, given I felt it a bit slow, is 7 of 10 Stars. Slow and steady may win the race, but some races are won with speed without regard to beauty. So… here’s hoping… 

"Quantico" Season 01 :: Episode 02

I… expected more. There is a sappiness to the story that came out in this past episode and… I’m not liking it. Miranda’s revelation of Liam’s feelings towards Alex was a bit too much too soon. I did NOT appreciate it, especially since I’ve not seen anything at that point to corroborate that story. I’m enjoying the Natalie and Alex rivalry, also Ryan Booth’s struggle as to which one to focus on. Simon’s friendliness with Nimah is interesting, especially when he is being hit on by a cutie. Something about Shelby and Caleb really offset me and annoyed me. THEIR relationship is SUPER “high school” to me.

The editing style is a bit jarring. I understand the fast pace being important, but there needs to be more of a focus on what Alex sees and how it’s relevant for me to follow. Past shows like “Burn Notice” and “Leverage” did things very well, despite being in a cornier way, and the one that takes the cake on diligence to the art of film would be “Sherlock Homes” Guy Ritchie can do no wrong by me. SIGH! But if this show manages to harness this artful way of editing and super-stylized method of storytelling, then “Quantico” should be able to last at least a few more seasons.

My most favorite part of the entire episode is the ending, when Booth wakes and takes a call from Alex. There seems to be something still between them, perhaps cohorts, or did he already jump over to her side and Liam was the one who shot Booth? Who knows, but I want to see the next episode so I can figure out just WHO is pulling the strings and WHO is being puppeteered in the strings… and WHO is trapped in the strings. As of now, the show has it set up that Liam is the one pulling the strings, Booth is the puppet, and Alex is caught in the strings. For all intents and purposes, I believe that Alex will end up as the string puller, Booth remains in the middle, and Liam will fall into the entrapment of the strings.

I rate Season 01 Episode 02: 7 of 10 Stars. Here’s hoping the show gets better and not worse from this point on!

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Season 3 :: Episode 02

I LOVE the whole Jake and Amy relationship. Super down-played felt weird but now seems perfect for the type of show it is. There is such a sweetness between Terry and Captain Ray Holt, both of whom are wonderfully written characters. The Linetti-Diaz-Boyle triangle continues to make the episodes funnier and funnier, along with Hitchcock and Scully who are rather absent in this last episode. And, golly, I don’t like the Vulture! OMG! But I do hope Captain Holt will return to the Nine-Nine, Jake and Amy will keep on going strong, and someone for Boyle to love. It would also be nice for Terry’s issues to pan out and his mango yogurt be restored to the shelves, Linetti needs a steady lover as weird as she is, and progress between Diaz and Holt’s nephew would be a good touch of well-rounded family-feeling fun! As always, it’s nice to see everyone doing quite well, despite being at a funeral.

So, because this show is much lighter than the other two, I gladly rate this episode 8 of 10 Stars!

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Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments below!! I love a good discussion!! Otherwise, look forward to more and enjoy this episode of CoTangent podcast!!

BigBang: Made World Tour (2015) LA & Anaheim (FAN) Review

*Disclaimer:  I AM A FAN OF BIG BANG!! I’ve been following the success that is Big Bang and all of their members since their debut in 2005, when news of K-Pop groups were even HARDER to find in America. But, having been into H.O.T. waaaaay back in the day, the moment I heard Big Bang’s sound, I knew I’d love their stuff, and I have, for the past decade! So, seeing them in concert for the first time EVER was simply amazing!! And then, seeing them BOTH NIGHTS, in LA (10.03.15 -- Staples Center: #BigBangMadeInLA) and Anaheim (10.04.15 -- Honda Center: #BigBangMadeInAnaheim), was even MORESO MINDBLOWING!!! But, as most older fans are, I was turned off by their exteme style after their ‘Alive’ album. ‘Made’ was just strange.

My Seat @ Staples Center

My Seat @ Honda Center

Although the Anaheim concert started later due to ‘traffic’ and had more encores, the boys of Big Bang had more energy for the larger audience at the LA concert. It’s tough to judge on which concert was better, but if I had to really pull in all the factors, I’d say that the Anaheim concert was just a bit better because they performed “Lies” as an encore song, which brought me back to my collegiate days… which also brought tears to my eyes. Proving once again, the power of music.

To make this as painless as possible, I wanted to do reviews on each member instead of on a song-to-song basis. Mainly because their music set for each night was different. So bear with me and I’ll do my best to bare my thoughts about them in an equally unbiased tone… if possible.

The leader of the pack, G-Dragon looked tired. From the beginning of the LA concert, he seemed quieter than the rest and that was a bit disappointing. But understandable because he did his best not to out-shine the other members of the band. And it did help give DaeSung and SeungRi more of a voice, but I’ll get to them later. And, unfortunately, the superstar looked even more under the weather during the Anaheim concert. And though the others seemed to try to pick up the slack, I guess it takes one to know one… Howeover, rumor has it, his father was in the audience? Not the only parent to be there, might I add. Still, a great performance, as usual, from G-Dragon; the ultimate love-sick boybander ever.

The 2^nd most screamed for of the night, T.O.P. set a different precident for me. Having always viewed him as the cold, quiet, and mysterious character of the bunch, he was open, visibly happy, and quite enjoyable to watch. Although it was obvious he was uncomfortable dancing with the other guys, being so much stiffer and still, his solo performance with his singing and rapping blew me away. The man doesn’t need to dance. His rap-ability is that which is coveted by most of the new boybanders today. The king of Rap and bad-buttedness, for shizzle.

The English connoisseur of them all, TaeYang was brilliant with his fluid dance moves and English speak-ability. I didn’t agree with his choice of solo performance song, having so many great hits in his pocket, he chose the one that has been overplayed on countless occasions. I guess it’s easier for them to perform their biggest hits, but… that’s not always the one the audience wants to hear. I feel he could have performed something more ‘Usher’-like and the response could have been phenomenal, as opposed to the “WOW” it was. Still, that’s his decision and I guess, that’s just his love song to the fans who love him! He’s, for rillz, the smoothest of them all… and the sweatiest I think…

NOTHING beats the cuteness and fun-lovingness of DaeSung bringing and pointing out his mother at the Anaheim concert! NOT ONLY THAT!! While I stood in with with some others, someone who looked a lot like DaeSung ran from the Honda Center and hurried into the parking lot. The kids behind me screamed after he passed and it wasn’t until later that I realized that the familiar face beloned to DaeSung!! How wonderful it was to see him in person and not recognize him until hours later!! I wish I did notice the moment he appeared, but he was in such a rush, he was gone in seconds! But his performance was sweetened all the more knowing that his Mom was there in the crowds, cheering him on. He’s, defintely, the most loveable of all the members!!

And then, there’s SeungRi, the youngest and the one with the WEIRDEST English of them all. I tried to be supportive and tolerant but when someone works so hard to butcher your mother language, you can only take so much before you stop thinking it’s by accident. And what made me hack him in last in my review was the fact that at the LA show, either his mic went out or he didn’t sing mostof his ‘Storng Baby’ song, which I found to be just poor performance ettiquette. I’m sorry if it’s his mic that went out, but it was fine during the parts when he actually did sing. But since he, also, looked tired, I guess I shouldn’t blame him for their tour not scheduling in time to help them handle the time difference. (mild sarcasm) Just gotta take it as it comes, eh? But, here’s hoping he improves his English so he doesn’t sound like he’s mocking the lingo. He’s, in my opinion, the most awkward of the guys. Haha!

It's their Official Sign!!

Overall, the most emotional song I heard on the night of the LA concert for the first time was “If You”. It brought tears to my eyes, and not because of the lighting, but the raw emotion on the stage moved me without understanding the words. The feelings and connection that suddenly hit me was enough to render me speechless. The most touching moment came from

The MVP of the night, hands down, based on how out-shined he is in music videos, variety shows, and etc., is T.O.P. He came out of his shell the most, showed his showmanship and impressed the poop out of me. I’ve seen several performers, concerts, bands, groups, and so on… but believe me when I say it… T.O.P. really stole the show.

Personally, I didn’t enjoy the videos shown, meant as ‘creative’ storytelling and buffering for the next acts. But, if it’s for the purpose of ‘humanizing’ the members of the boyband, then they went off the mark by quite a bit. I wondered why they couldn’t go with something a bit more normal instead of everything leading to some way/shape/form or suicide. There’s nothing more disturbing than having a group of handsome and talented, well-liked and well-rounded young men share their darkest parts of themsleves with an audience that comes hoping to see them in hopes of brightening their own lives. But I get where they’re coming from, which made me also look within myself because of such videos.

Also, unfortunately, I like reading subtexts and taking a deeper look into things, overthinking is the term most often used, and the way I see it, I don’t think Big Bang really put in much thought about the overseas fans. Let me explain. Anyone can go on Youtube and search for their performances in the Asian countries like South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan, and immediately, these boys are infinitely more spirited. And then you can search for videos in the states and they look tired, sad, and pooped out. They fly over and perform right away, disregarding the jetlag and forget that they are also hacking away at the quality of their performance. But maybe it’ll get better in three years, when they have another concert here? After some of the guys have gone to the army and come back with a new sense of reality and humanity.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to what they’re doing today. Whether it be Disneyland or Universal Studios, Six Flags or Knott’s… I hope they have fun with their dancers and band! OMG!! It’s not my first time seeing their band, but seeing their band live was truly amazing. Every great artist can only go as far as their band can take them and, it’s NO WONDER Big Bang has made it so far!! Madd PROPS to their band, for REALZ.

The price for attending 2 concerts consecutively is that, your ears will be ringing a bit more than usual… You lose a lot of sleep and the hours spent getting to the event and returning home add up to stolen time you’ll never get back for other things in your life, so be prepared to sacrifice! Oh, and if you’re older than 25, you will FEEL your age by the end of the night because you won’t be screaming your head off, dancing like a weirdo, and won’t be so star stuck, you can barely walk straight without dissolving into a gigling mass. I did enjoy the parking, though. For sure, because their fans are quite young, many can’t drive and are dropped off by their parents. Score one for the oldies!

Anyhoo, OVERALL, combining the score of their concerts [LA= 8 :: Ana=8.5] divided by 2 and you get my total score of 8.25 out of a total possible 10. So generous… [I’ve never rated so generously to a group I didn’t completely enjoy before. Haha. And, for those of you who need refereneces, I’ve scored a 10 for Deliriou5, and a 9 for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Alicia Keys. That’s my scale. So… my score is darn GENEROUS!!]

Mooooooving on… Check back with me for my response to Season 5 Episode 2 of Once Upon A Time and Season 1 Episode 2 of Quantico! And I’ll post our next podcast for CoTangent by Thursday, I think?

SOOOOOOOOO THE DRAMAS!! (SPOILERS!!!)

*Out of respect for audiences of all ages and professions, I must warn you that there are SPOILERS in this post!!!*

I don’t watch TV.

Let me rephrase that. 

I don’t own a television, nor have I cable and such. So, I don’t watch TV. Any show I watch, I watch through online streaming sites. I’m not proud of this, but the fact that most shows can be found online, I really don’t NEED a television, know what I mean? By the way... For television standard purposes, I rate on a 1-10 star scale. So… here we go!

'THE BIG BANG THEORY' Season 09 Episode 01-02 Review (8 of 10 Stars)

I love this show. I’ve watched the first until the last episode recently aired and I still love this show. It’s not an on-and-off again thing for me, but a watch over-and-over again show. Whenever a new episode is up, I hunt for it online and watch it. Otherwise, I cycle through the entire series until I need something else to drone in my ears as I type and write and work on other projects.

First of all, Amy Farrah Fowler is awesome for breaking up with Sheldon Cooper! OMG! I want him to feel the need and realize the love he has for her and a break up might just do the trick! I do wonder how their relationship will change when they get back together but I guess we'll have to wait and see about that, eh?

Secondly, I wanted Leonard Hofstadter and Penny to be married in a chapel of sorts... I wanted their family to be there and hoped to see the rest of his amazing siblings and who they would cast for them!! Also, maybe bring their group of friends to Nebraska for the wedding!! That sounds like fun and I think Sheldon could just about piss EVERYONE off, or be quite at home seeing the parallel it is with East Texas... LOL!! We all know how caffeine and alcohol affects him... that could be quite fun!

Third, I wonder when Emily Sweeney and Rajesh Koothrappali will jump onto the more officially together band wagon or will Raj drift away because Emily and Penny don't like each other? Maybe instead of this, the writers will make Bernadette pregnant?! Holy COW, that would be something, eh??

Lastly, I wonder what will happen to Stuart Bloom?? Will he finally find someone to connect with? Will he marry and open a cafe in his comic book store? Maybe have an open mic area for interviews with Will Wheaton and, maybe even, Stan Lee?? I think that would be a cool idea, and I think Stuart deserves love. HAHAHAH!! I once wrote a spec script with such a storyline, I guess it never reached them. LOL. It's okay, if they accept me, they'll have to start accepting other Asians into the mix and... we all know TV doesn't feel like changing all that much.

I'm a bit annoyed because the Asian population keeps growing and yet... no worthwhile representation on television. All we have are random techie and nerdie roles on sci-fi shows, or "Fresh Off the Boat", which is neither complimenting nor encouragement. *sigh* Wish I could break that glass ceiling... I wish... wish... 

'QUANTICO' Season 01 Episode 01 Review (7 of 10 Stars)

It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Very much with the feel of “Burn Notice” mixed with “How to Get Away With Murder”, this show is quite heavily influenced by “Alias” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” without the supernatural element. I was interested because of the trailer and because I was such an on-and-off again fan of “Alias”, but I found Alex Parrish so much more likeable and real than most of the doe-eyed strong young women in the shows up until now. Piyanka Chopra is strong, independent, honest, and quite a model citizen, just like Jennifer Garner in “Alias”. These two shows are quite similar, but the non-verbal “burn Notice” feel is also present.

Because this is a review, there will be SPOILERS!!! So, stop reading if you don’t want to hear about the spoilers.

The moment we “met” Alex, I liked her. She seemed so much a bad-butted female who took what she wanted and did as she pleased, all the while trying to do and say the right things. From lying to her mother about where she was going to the sexy encounter in the car with undercover Agent Ryan Booth,  to befriending Shelby Wyatt and comforting Eric Packer, the kid who shoots himself due to the instability of his own mind. (I TOLD YOU THERE WERE SPOILERS!!)

The scene I liked best was the interrogation/interview scene, when Nimah/Raina Amin questioned Simon Asher. The way she delivered it was so wonderful, the acting and blocking of the scenes was quite intense altogether. I enjoyed it and was pulled into the world much faster than I had thought I would be. The cutting, lighting, and overall tone of the episode was so attractive and well done from where I sat staring at the screen.

What I hated most from this first episode was when it was revealed that Agent Booth is on the other side that is framing Alex!! OMG!! NOO!!! I wish they held that information back a bit so that I would keep guessing about him. Somehow, from the trailer, I predicted that he would start on the odd end of things and then be turned onto her side. But to have it seem to be most likely to happen, I hated that it was revealed so soon. Why can’t they keep us guessing more? Oh, the sadness. And, thought I appreciate the jumping around of the editing because it keeps me on my toes, I DIDN’T like it too much because it made me dizzy to some degree.

Overall, I look forward to finding out about the nine months before the major explosion and about those who were involved in it. I have a sneaking suspicion that it might by Wyatt or the Amin sisters being blackmailed into such an act, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see about how Joshua Safran writes and Marc Munden directs it.

It can only go up from here!!

***

Jumping back to my “The Intern” love, I actually really connected with Becky (Christina Scherer) because I’ve been there and done that. So, I tweeted her a question and she actually answered it! I was floored and so, I wanted to share it with all of you!!

I can't wait to see what movie she's in next!! She's so cute of an actor!!

HERE IS COTANGENT EPISODE 31 

"The Intern" @ "Hotel Transylvania 2" ??

I SAW TWO AWESOME MOVIES!!! I saw two awesome movies!!

The first movie I saw with my buddy MoonLiteWolf!! We watched "Hotel Transylvania 2" at the Burbank AMC together! It was funny and more adult than I had expected it to be. She enjoyed it and I liked it a lot! We had fun watching it and then we STREAMED on Twitch.tv for the first time ever! It was fun, it was cool, I was excited, and Moon played very well!! Check it out!!

The second movie I saw with my other buddies (who don't float around on Social Media as much) was "The Intern", which I absolutely adored because of Robert DeNiro, Nancy Meyers, and Christina Scherer! OMG!! I LOVED THIS MOVIE!! I enjoyed the beginning, middle, and though I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending, I still liked it!!

As it turns out, HERE IS #30 of the CoTangent Podcast!!



Give it a listen and I'll catch up to #31 soon!!

According to Ed...

According to my CoTangent Podcasting Cohost Ed (@edMgonzalez), Mondays and Thursdays are the best times to blog because that's when people read it the most. Is that true? Then, am I just off the time schedule by that much? I like blogging on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Haha.

So, what to write about? Well, I have always been a bit obsessed with the Phoenix and Dragon stories, especially in Chinese mythology, and I have found a GREAT project to put together. I can't really make it into a feature because I don't have the support or the man-power to full that successfully off, but I am capable of doing a small sort of series on my own.

Luckily, a dear old friend of mine has agreed to be featured in my action-packed story!! I actually "googled" her and found this shot of her. She's a looker but she's VERY INTELLIGENT and BRILLIANT when it comes to working. I have no idea why she hasn't gone for modeling or the like, but she has an AMAZING personality and lots of stamina. In short; she's incredible.

My number 2 in command who will be the neurologist and I've casted another good friend for that role... a nutty professor/doctor type person who I've yet to cast, and I need a brilliant and great fighter who doesn't LOOK like he can fight for the last part. Anyone know anyone looking for footage for their reel or... anyone want to try the part?

All of it is set in Los Angeles, maybe we'll shoot in San Francisco later on and, most likely, China, too!! Anyways, the podcast should be up soon!! For now, here's Episode #29 from last week!!



GOOD NIGHT ALL!!

A Walk Of Mind ... Time Out In The Woods... ?!

I am an animated and enthusiastic person and I pride myself in that ability. I can talk to ANY stranger and make friends easily, even if we don't speak the same language, which would be rare because I am fluent in English and Mandarin, and quite competent in Spanish, ASL, Japanese and Korean. I just don't admit to it because I like to eavesdrop and observe as I see fit. ... You know how it is...

So, a friend of mine asked why I don't go for advertising and acting and stuff... Why I stay behind the camera is because I like it there, but here's another reason why I am NOT in front of the camera!

Haha! So, yes... I'm trying to overcome it but... Baby steps, eh? Also, I'm conscious about my left eye being bigger than my right eye. It's uncomfortable knowing one of my greatest flaws is on my face... Ya know?

Anyways, I managed to watch 2 movies today! At the DGA, not to mention!! What a wonderful easy-going day it was!! First, to brunch over a bowl of Jja Jjiang Myun at the Pho Shop in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, but I have to wait for my palette to return to normal before I could fully enjoy and appreciate it.

First on my docket, "A Walk In The Woods" (2015) featuring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. I LIKED THIS MOVIE. It's a cross between "Into The Wild" (2007) meets every buddy film ever made featuring old friend who lose touch and come back together for a great adventure. I recommend watching it with people who enjoy nature films and curious minds. There is a lot to be learned about rocks and trees and the nature of humans. I hope I've not given away too many spoilers, only what can be seen from the trailers! I rate it a satisfying 2 of 4 stars!!

Secondly, I must apologize to Richard Gere, but I did NOT enjoy "Time Out Of Mind" (2015). Save your money, save your time, and save your respect for the Gere-maestro himself because, after watching this film, one must wonder 'what in the world was he thinking', taking part in such a poorly developed, written, and shot film?! I heard someone say it was in an effort to relaunch his career but the dude took a wrong turn when he agreed to this dull and noisy film. I actually admitted to feeling bad for disliking it and those around me agreed that they did NOT like it as well, and these are seasoned members of the DGA! So, my rating would be 1 of 4 stars ~ mainly because I didn't HATE it enough to rob it of stars completely.

I am STOKED about the upcoming BIGBANG concert!!! The first one is Oct. 2nd and the second one is Oct. 3rd!! I'm attending the one in LA with a dear friend and also BigBang lover!! The one in the O.C. is with my older sister, who is lovely and awesome, and also loves BigBang!! If only it were iKon on the second night or something!! Waaaah!!

Oh, and here it is! The other contestants and me in JiNan, ShanDong, China!!

(L->R) Ethan, Sean, Me, Mr. Jin

My China-Vid editing is coming along. It's hard because... I'm not an editor. It's scary, trying to edit something into something EVERYONE or SOMEONE would like to watch or me inspired/motivated by. I do wonder if I can do it, but I also wonder how others would react to the finished product.

Personally, this trip was very revealing to me. It showed me that I could NOT be a permanent residence of China, regardless of where I would occupy. It's not only a physical difference but also an emotional and cultural difference that would destroy who I am. Culturally, I'm an American born Chinese, but I was raised in America, thus the American-ness of me. Emotionally, I'm strong-willed, ambitious, and very NOT docile, despite my facade. I like the weaker and gentler side of me that others feel like they can overpower, but that's just one side of me, eh?

Although the heat and humidity would manage to help me shed my extra weight, I would be estranged and treated differently the moment I opened my mouth. I learned that, not only do I have an American accent to my Mandarin, but also a Taiwan accent. I'm quite tall in China, and therefore stick out, but I like my height and wouldn't regret it. My main concern was my diet. OMG!! Being allergic to shellfish complicated my mission, but fearing the water and odors of the squatties kept me in check. Also, walking EVERYWHERE was a definite experience. It made my appreciate Toby (my car) all the more! Not to mention, I would miss my friends and family in LA.

So, I guess I'm staying over here, but... China remains ever the temptress... whispering and calling out to me... When will my next adventure be?