I've dabbled in art, drawing, painting, floral arrangements, FILMING, writing, composing, and etc... this is where I hope to post some of my artistic splurges... for the world to see, if they want to.
Do you see this baby? Do you see how cute she is?! Do you see her cute little cheeks, her hose, her chin, her double chin, her tummy, her fingers, and her ever so slight frown? This is my baby niece!! Isn't she adorbs?! I mean, from the thin hair atop her head to her little fingers and toes, she just has so much personality!! She smiles when she sees you and then is near tears when you leave her alone! She is happy and then sad and then, in between!
If I had children one day, I'd want them to be as adorable as she was!! She was actually entered in a competition!! Here is the LINK to the competition!!! To vote for her, you have to email your top 5 picks to THIS email address!! You will also have to give your name, address, and phone number because that's how they make sure there are no duplicate voting, which means you can only vote once!! Just so you know, she is #21, #23, and #24!! I also really like the baby with glasses, despite the lack of expression on him... and #11, the yoga one!! So cute!!
Anyways, please have a great week and be happy! Don't forget to spread the joy and love to those around you!! BERNIE SANDERS ftw! :D
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?
Didn't get a chance to post this on 03.08.16 ~~ So here it is!! Yay!!
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!!! OMG!! Remember "Deadpool"?? What THEY did to celebrate? Hahaha, so funny!!
So, 'Umbrella Thoughts' wanted to do something a bit less conventional but also more traditional. Each series brought up contains SPOILERS and details that, if you want it to be a mystery, SKIP AHEAD!! But please enjoy and look forward to more on this!!
First discussed is "Xena: The Warrior Princess" (1995). Chris and I got into our pros and cons of this show, who and what we loved and how character development truly brought us up to be who we are. Everything about this show inspired Chris and myself into our current life roles, giving us strength and power. We LOVE Xena!!! We love Lucy Lawless!! And, okay, Renee O'Connor is okay, too.
Second discussed is "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997). I collected all the series and then sold it after watching it all. It was the college days that I did all this and loved it all. But, we talk about Buffy and Willow, the two powerhouse women who grow to become their most memorable personalities. Also there are story arcs discussed that highlight both women and their changes, which we LOVED!! And then, came Faith talk and some Kendra, but the story is set and the family is real. We love them!
There is a slight comparison between Xena and Buffy that Chris and I went into. Things happened and well, we moved on, slowly, but we couldn't help geeking out! Forgive us, we are merely fans!!
I managed to move things along into sit-com television's "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (1996) series. The balance, the relatability, and the lessons learned that really get to us all. And then Chris brought his up, "That's So Raven" (2003). Chris REALLY loved the show and I liked the show a lot, but didn't keep up with it so much. From Raven's history on "The Cosby Show" (1984) to where she is now, on "The View" but, her show on Disney really grew her up and changed her into the womanist she is today.
And this conversation, inevitably, led Chris and myself into the lack of diversity in Hollywood. Oh, yes, we got started and things got good. "Family Matters" (1989) was brought up... Be sure to listen to it all and the takeaway is that INCREASING DIVERSITY IS NOT REVERSE RACISM and FILMS SHOULD REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.
So, take a listen and @rainbridgeS for your thoughts!! Or @tiffrz me on Twitter!
Well, Ben Higgins from 'The Bachelor' said 'I love you' to two of the three women he led into the fantasy suite. And then, social media and all the writers of multiple outlets that get hundreds of eyes exploded with commentary, hate, love, and imbalanced admiration towards him. Some of the past Bachelors are even writing that they would advise Higgins the other way, but, hey, maybe the ought to give the advice before he goes through his episode, right?
So, I wanted to list some people I feel 'love' for. It varies, and I'm not defending Higgins, I'm just saying that there are different types of love and maybe he's just... mistaking one of them?
RainBridge Family, I love you. As a team, we are strong, fun, and life is exciting! Sure, we don't always flow the same way, but some of us grab boats to stay afloat and follow along in the way the world works. One love, one family, one similar goal. They keep me at the top of my game and I LOVE THEM!!
Friends, I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Everyone needs friends! The more the merrier makes sense despite Sheldon's persistent refusals! I love each brain breaking, heart aching, soul searching moment we are together!! You guys are what keeps me alive and happy, away from depression and very much alive and growing up!!
I LOVE THE COLOR GREEN!!
Chris Pine, I love you. As a celebrity crush, you are amazing! You're tall, handsome, and my friends can't find any dirty or leaked photos of you online. Your team protects you well and you are just so wonderfully upstanding.
K-Pop, you are wonderful. Oh, I guess I don't love it. HAHA. Well, that is just me. Okay, I got to find more things and people and topics to love.
Here is the most recent Podcast Episode from CoTangent!! #cot_agents
And here is the *SPECIAL* Podcast featuring 2 guest for Umbrella Thoughts!!
Do check out The Network Studios!! They are amazing, the owners are awesome, the facility is wonderful, I highly recommend them for podcasting, vodcasting, and everything, even if just bouncing ideas around!
This weekend
was simply TOO FATTY for me!! Oh my gosh, all those years of dieting and
exercising and I find myself staring at a number I thought was long past behind
me, in my rearview mirror and out of sight! Holy cow, I had the weekend of all
weekends!!
This Saturday
was my niece’s first birthday, so, of course, she got the celebration no one in
my family had gotten for at least two decades already! My family decked out the
house, there was candy and cakes everywhere, lemonade and sprite as beverages.
As for the cakes, MAN!!, my young sister’s maid of honor studied pastry making
in Paris, where she met her baker husband. He, now, makes cakes professionally
and she raises their baby and bakes cakes. She baked 5 layered cake for the
adults of the party and then an organic carrot cake that the kids could eat!
This thing was B-E-A-U-tiful and bountiful!! After that, came another birthday
ice-cream cake for another member of the family, just after beef noodle stew at
Bull Demon King in Diamond Bar. I’m telling you, feast of feasts!!
Sunday found us
at two very heavy eating and emotional events! I had lunch at Hot Spot for our
special little family gathering for the Lunar New Year! We had soup, meat,
vegetables, and more! It was wonderful, hot, and soothing for our soul. There
were red envelopes, red meat, and happy red cheeks of full stomachs! And then,
it was SUPER BOWL SUNDAY time!! As I rooted for my Panthers and witnessed
fumbles and brilliant high-jumping plays, it was only natural to snack all the
while, right? Oh my gosh, the first party I went to had meatballs, meat, guac
and chips, salsa, other dips, other foods, burgers and hot dogs, and beverages
galore!! The second had less, but we got there late, so most of it was already
eaten, thankfully! I had a Coke Zero and went home for hot tea to cleanse my
system! As for what I thought about the halftime show… Well, Coldplay was okay,
Bruno Mars should have performed something newer, and Beyonce was, as usual,
the Queen, despite her slight misbalance that she recovered beautifully from.
No one does it like her. No one.
And in two
days, I woke up this morning 5 lbs heavier than usual. That’s BAD!! Luckily, I
think today I’ll be able to detox and fast enough to get my weight back down.
Well, that’s what I thought, until the Girl Scout Cookies I’d ordered last week
came in today! They sit on my desk, two boxes of samoas and 2 boxes of thin
mints! MY GOODNESS, my sugar levels must be soaring as of now!! I just need to
stop eating them, close the boxes, put them out of sight, and I’ll be fine. …
Right?
For the rest of
today, it’s all about tea and water for me. Nothing but light foods that are
high in fiber and low in carbs. Yes, that’s what I’m up to. How was your
weekend and did your team win?
*Note to
Panthers and Broncos out there: I don’t
do sports anymore. I can and I understand the game, the problem is that I get
aggressive and emotional when I watch the game. I tend to lash out, shout
things, or feel some sort of unhealthy attachment that can get me in trouble
during the game, which is why I don’t follow it anymore. But on big game days,
like the Super Bowl, as long as it’s once a year, I will watch it and be a part
of this American cultural event!
Now, ahead
comes the Single Awareness Day… yup… Valentine’s Day (Check out EventBrite’s
listings!!). I think I’ll grab a single friend and head to the Aquarium of the
Pacific… or maybe somewhere else to have dinner. Who knows? I just know I don’t
want to feel it. *Sigh… Chris Pine, come and find me!! Save me from this lonely
day!!
NEW PODCAST
COMING SOON!! LOOK FORWARD TO ME TALKING SPORTS WITH ED ON COTANGENT!!!
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?
