Another Week... Fly By Faster!! (SPOILERS!!)

I called it, didn't I?? Team Captain America I called it and... oooooooooh!! Even without watching it, I was right!! That's right, Chris Evans, I'm on your team! HAHAHA!!

Another episode of the CoTangent is up!! Please check it out if you have the time!!



So... I'm going to put something out there that you might not care much about and you might not want to read about, but I'm still going to put it out there! Ok... deep breath!!

I am a K-Pop fan and I've always been a fan of BigBang, 2PM, 2ne1, Girl's Day, BTS, BAP, and Block B and so on. Recently, of course, iKon! Yes!! But, as much as I like these bands... their fans are quite horrible. And for me, I think of fans to be a reflection of the bands... and yet, it's BigBang fans that are the meanest people out there. I'm not sure why.

So, to share my love of kPop, I gathered some of my non-kPop fan friends to do reaction videos with me. And the first few were alright, and they started to like them. But we started doing requests and since then, everything has changed. I can't control their reactions so, when they react naturally, the RainBridge Youtube channel got a HUGE backlash. And, well, it has just kept getting worse.

So, I've spoke with various people about how to get less of the negative responses, and maybe toning down some of our natural reactions, but no one is willing to tone their reactions down. I know that the RainBridge family is busy right now, so it's okay if we don't do Reaction vids, but I wanted to do them because I wanted to share something I loved with people I loved. ... In the end, my friends are just too ignorant of the Korean culture (... it's not like they have a chance to learn about it here, anyway) and the Korean people that give us negative comments are just too ignorant of the American culture (... not sure if they have a way of learning about it more over there...). So, in the end, it's a lose/lose situation for me.

I recently sat down to chat with the head producers of the channel and they said it was fine just letting go of the project altogether for a while. I mean, it never made money... it was just to gather up, eat together, and then shoot some videos together because we all had time.

Oh, and another thing, I got SERIOUS backlash because I commented about the "Loser" by BigBang video being too plain. ... I mean... COME ON... Given the high production value of their past videos, I felt this one fell short by a long shot of the extravagance and brilliance of BigBang music videos. Where was the symbolism?! Where was that in-depth meanings and metaphors?! Anyhoo, that's not where I take issue. I'm calling BigBang out for their portrayal of what makes a loser. Okay, shooting LA... I'll ignore that implication, but to shoot TaeYang in a RV... that's implying [FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND KOREAN] that anyone that lives in a RV is a loser... and I'm not down with that. Also, having "American kids" beat up Daesung in a parking lot... WTF? Shoot that crap in Korea, where your fans won't make the connection of LA being such a terrible place. Not to mention... what's with all the White girls breaking their hearts?! ... I feel like Korean boybands have a serious White Girl fantasy fetish that always ends in heartbreak. Snd since they project that, their fans take it in and are affected by it. BLEH!!

Also... When was the last time BigBang did charity work? ... Know what I mean by the cause and effect now?? For example... BEYONCE. Check out the stats on the Queen Bey HERE!! She's at the top of the world because she's an amazing performer and she does SO MUCH charity work!! And MOST of her fans are very nice people who don't bark worse than their bite. I mean, given what she promotes and how she is a good example to young people everywhere, through her music, actions, and decisions in life... SHE is a good example of a GOOD artist to be a fan of. ... Maybe it's a lack of communication or information available in English... but what good things has BigBang done??

So... I'm slowly becoming NOT a fan of BigBang... It's tough and painful because they were such a big part of my life growing up in kPop music... and I helped a friend write some parts of a fanfiction called "It Was All A Dream"... Even though I went to both their LA + OC concerts (Staples Center & Honda Center)... And I bought those little crown wands... I think... I want to be a fan of someone I can look up to and not feel ashamed of due to their discrepancies and the behavior of their fans...

Know what I mean?

***

Dear BigBang... 

Your fans are getting scarier... so are your misbehaviors and style... I hope you guys grow up soon. Until then... take care and I hope you guys learn to do something good for the world!! I've been a fan for over a decade and... I guess, I'm ready to move on. 

Sincerely ~ Tea Chai

Tokiya To Me (03.19.16)

I write to you from the future... No, not really. I'm in PingTung, Taiwan, so I'm 15 hours ahead of those of my friends in my life in Los Angeles. I've adjusted my jetlag over after the 14.5 hr flight from LAX to Taipei! I took two days in Taipei to chill and then took the high speed rail to KaoShiong, a 40 minute train ride later, I arrived in PingTung and made it to the home of my paternal grandparents. They were gracious, kind, and not really home, which made things easier but busied my schedule!

My paternal grandfather recently had surgery on his left knee. As he stays in the hospital, my paternal grandmother, who suffers from dementia, is at home all day long with a live-in caretaker. All morning and afternoon long, between meals, she does the same puzzles over and over again, reads the same newspaper over and over again, but after about 5-10 minutes, she has no recollection of doing it, so when she does it over again, she says, "It'll take me a while because I've never done this before." And even as I type this, all I hear her say is, "Does this fit? It doesn't fit. Does this fit? It doesn't fit? Can this fit? This part fits but not this part. How about this piece? Nope, it doesn't work. Does this fit? No matter how I push, it won't fit. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. Does this fit? It doesn't fit." Over and over again, with each and every puzzle she does, she repeats these lines over and over again. So, I'm taking this time to blog about a GRAND meal I just had!!

In a building close to the mall, on the 4th floor, there is a lovely Taiwanese steak house to be experienced by the meat lovers of this world!! (HERE is a slideshow of the photos I took!) From the floor to the ceiling, there are careful decorations that put into the more modern scope of what we can expect from this location's meal.

First comes the salad, garden or fruit, and then comes the beverages of your choice. No free refills, but that's why they also have barley tea that is quite endless. Then comes the snack, I recommend the mushrooms, then the soups, all of which are delicious, and last the appetizer. I got the chicken skewer, but there are other options that truly whet the appetite for the main course. What would a steakhouse be without steak, right? Cooked to a good medium well done, a gentle blush deep in the center, and crisp garlic chips to go with it. There are sauces you can try, one more with tomato taste, the other a black peppered saltiness Americans like. I also got to see a barbecue chicken option that was quite pleasing to the eye and taste, tender and a sweet saltiness that comes from well cued chicken and veggies.

Last came the dessert, four options we all got, check it out in the slideshow above. Mine was the chocolate cake around the mint cream and it was delightful to the max. Nothing beats a heavy meat lunch than the minty goodness of cake and cream. Along with my caramel latte, it was delightful and wonderfully light. I heard the others were sweet as well, but as for me, what caught my attention the most wasn't the food, as delightful as it was, but the service. #OMG

From the moment I entered, with my limited Chinese and troublesome dining party, to the moment we left, we were fully satisfied and cared for the entire time. The server not only waited, but recommended accordingly. Someone brought me a basket to place my belongings in, because I had a bag and a camera. My teacup never ran dry, my empty plates never lingered long, and most of all, because my grandmother couldn't eat and kept spitting things out, they cleaned it away with a smile and quickly. Instead of being disgusted and letting it linger there until the end of the meal, they worked quickly, quietly, and all with a smile. We had four full six-course meals and everyone was kind to us.

It's rare for me to find Chinese people hospitable because of their rough and pressed nature of doing things, but Tokiya is somewhere I would want to take my American friends who don't have much understanding of the Taiwanese culture. From ordering to navigating the restroom, there were more than enough helpful people and clearly marked signs. I liked the cleanliness of the restroom and the squattie and toilet option for the Eastern and Western cultured patrons. They had toilet paper in the stalls (yes, it's noteworthy), and soap at the motion-sensored sinks! The meal is reasonably priced and the menus are easy to understand. The photos of the food in the menu were quite clear and precise, to my great thanks.

If you have a chance to stop by PingTung in Taiwan, I highly recommend stopping by Tokiya!! I don't know if the other restaurants in this chain are as gracious and kind, but I know that if I have a chance to come back and eat at this specific restaurant, I would bring my posse in a heartbeat! Of all the places I've dined, I truly rate this place 5 of 5 Stars!! YES -- IT IS THAT MEMORABLY GOOD!! I would expect to find it in LA... I have to write more reviews of places I eat! Because go place to eat a lot, I do!!

So Not Ready (03.16.16)

Not ready to be parent, this much I know. And I was reassured of this when I returned to PingTung, Taiwan to visit my paternal grandparents. How this could connect, well, let me just put it easier for you to understand without a tumultuous amount of storytelling...

My paternal grandparents live in PingTung, Taiwan. My grandfather has been in the hospital for two weeks and getting better as time goes by. My grandmother, however, has been at home with a live-in caretaker. Due to her dementia, she only remembers things five minutes at a time, and then repeats it. It first started happening when she lived with my family in Los Angeles, California, and then got worse. And as things took that turn, my grandfather made the decision that it would be better for them to return to their home, here, because if she were to get lost, she could speak to everyone and they would understand her. Whereas, if she got lost in America, not as many people would be able to help her. The idea of having a round-the-clock caretaker was offensive to my grandfather, but he gave in after he found himself too tired from doing everything she used to do for him.

My paternal grandma fled China in the old days and made it to Taiwan. She had a daughter, 5-6 abortions, and then a son, my father. She dedicated her life to Church and her job as a librarian. She raised my sisters and myself and worked hard to make ends meet for her family. A master chef in the kitchen, a loving housewife to her husband, and a creative genius otherwise, none could compare to her diligence and humbleness. And yet... now... To hear her speak incomplete stories, I feel a sadness in my heart. None of them make sense, none of them are complete, and some of them may have happened, but none of them happened that day. Many of the stories she says aloud happened very long ago, but because it’s in her mind, she happened to say it out loud. Whether or not there are names or just memories muddled together or not, then she goes on, making things up, and then repeating it. A bit like Dory, if you really think about it.

And when I thought the ice cream truck was coming by, boy was I surprised to see that it was the trash collection truck! My hopes and dreams of something yummy turned into something yucky! What a horrendous discovery that was, indeed!

So, when her reading is done, from the newspaper to pre-made pamphlets of Bible passages and stories, she also pulled out a huge bible with large words, all in Chinese. So, not only does my grandma's literacy rate go up, time passes rather quickly and she wastes away the day reading instead of doing anything. And the most interesting part is that, she has no recollection of ever reading the material. Instead, she thinks she is reading it for the first time, learning and discovering as she goes.

This is strange to me because my maternal grandparents are both quite sharp as whips, but my maternal grandfather just is a bit hard of hearing. They never leave their apartment but have enough family around them to send people out to bring things back for them. They're never lacking anything and very independently surviving. They live quietly, together, and are quite cute, funny, and wrinkly. My maternal grandmother is a bit like Master Oogway from "Kung-Fu Panda" physically and personality-wise. And my maternal grandpa is something different altogether for me. To put it so that you can understand just how much this man means to me... my very first memory, when I was 3, was with him. I thought it was just a dream, but, I REMEMBERED more than they told me and shocked them all! Yes, for the man who I first remembered holding the hand of and walking over green grass by a pond, all my love and hope for approval goes to him.

WELL... I'm not completely out of touch with my life in LA, though!! Here's a trailer to a film I want to see, for sure!!

As for the CoTangent, well check out Ed on his own in LA, recording!!

Enjoy and watching my paternal grandma fit shapes into a puzzle for kids... Once the greatest mind... Am I to face a similar fate?

My Emotional Monday... and More!!

I've been slacking on my blogging for the main reason, I've simply been terribly distracted! But, I must share about what I'm excited about!!

I SAW CHRIS PINE AT JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE ON MONDAY AFTERNOON... (All thanks to 1iota.com) Which was why CoTangent did not record on Monday but on Tuesday! And then, because I was still in a tizzy, editing on Tuesday was impossible, especially since I dragged Ed to Tacos Delta for tacos before we recorded the episode! Anyways, we're coming up to our 1 year anniversary!! If you want more information on Chris Pine, here it is!! And now, the 47th episode of CoTangent!!



Also, here is Umbrella Thoughts Episode 2!! This podcast is different from the one above because it features different conversations, topics, and ideas. It's more free and opinionated, along the lines of what The View and The Talk should be talking about if they didn't discuss entertainment all the time. The newest episode is hosted/moderated by Tea and features Chris and Michelle, Celso special guesting!!



Onto the world of topics we should cover!! KUNG-FU PANDA 3 and The Finest Hours is out this Friday! One features the lovingly cute panda named Po, the dragon warrior, and the other features Chris Pine. Not sure which one I will watch first, but I guess we'll see... hehehe!! Deadpool is coming up to be out soon and we're always prepping for big projects coming up in our future! Yay!

Well, the Rain Bridge Studios Youtube page is more for pop culture stuff. The Rain Bridge Studios Original Content has a different page and is coming soon!! Looking forward to and hoping for some comments!!

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.

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!!