« October 2004 | Main | December 2004 »

November 24, 2004

Thanks

Years ago, I started a list of things I am thankful for as a novelty exercise right around the holidays. It was generally buried in the personal section and unless you knew to look for it, you wouldn't find it. At least once, I backfilled it after the fact.

I feel that I've gained new insight in gratitude and acknowledgement this year and, quite frankly, I didn't feel like the list was getting its due. I really went at it this year. I didn't put everything down, as I was digging in my memory for it, but I went back to last Thanksgiving and carried it through to this Thanksgiving.

Here's my list. This year, I am thankful for...

Posted by KinCross at 05:21 PM | Comments (0)

November 23, 2004

Plush Things

Just in time for Christmas, I know all you new parents out there are looking for some adorable stuffed animals to give as presents, but have you considered giving the flu?

Courtesy of Sis.

Posted by KinCross at 10:54 PM | Comments (1)

I don't know art...

... but I know what I like.

Courtesy of Lisa.

Posted by KinCross at 12:03 AM | Comments (0)

November 19, 2004

Pardoning Turkeys

As part of Presidential tradition, regardless of party affiliation, George Bush has pardoned some turkeys. It's a photo op and a cute little PR ploy but...

It assumes that all turkeys are born slated for execution, unless I missed a mass sentencing somewhere, and that seems kind of mean, even if we are higher up on the food chain.

The ceremony around pardoning a turkey just rubs me the wrong way.

Posted by KinCross at 08:29 AM | Comments (1)

November 18, 2004

Dueling Apologists

Almost immediately after the election, some bright kid in the US decided to make a site, somewhat humourous, apologising to the world for the results that led Bush to another term. Someone objected to that and made an anti-apology site (which appears to be down or otherwise incapacitated). Someone else made a site accepting the apologies. And thus, the Election Apology Internet Feud began...

My favourite so far is the fifth picture down on the third page of the Sorry Everybody gallery.

Courtesy of Rob.

Posted by KinCross at 11:53 AM | Comments (0)

November 16, 2004

The weather outside is frightful

There's a time and a place for everything (maybe), but there is no place for Christmas before Thanksgiving.

That sounds like an odd thing to say, but Starbucks has already launched into their Christmas blitz. Anecdotally in the office, Walmart has also started theirs, even before Hallowe'en. That just strikes me as wrong.

Is this what Christmas has come to? Marketing foreplay that lasts two months? What the hell is Christmas promotion doing before Black Friday? Did Thanksgiving finally get the shaft? Instead of turkeys and cornucopias and Pilgrims, are we doomed to get another month of Santa and snowmen and nightmare decorations for the red/green colour blind instead?

Over the last several years, I think I've been developing a greater ire about the whole industry of Christmas, which seems to spoil the entire spirit of Christmas with its gross displays of commercialism and materialism.

It's sad. It's disappointing.

Am I'm lost. I don't know what to do about it. I want to be happy during this time of year--hell, any time of year--but having materialism crammed down my throat lilke a Holmsian dickjob makes me gag.

What would Brian Boitano do?

Posted by KinCross at 09:29 AM | Comments (0)

November 14, 2004

The Group 51 Barbeque

Upon the conclusion of the Excellence Seminar that I was taking of the span of three months (August through early November) a week and a half ago, my small group decided to do a party.

Had that party today and it was a blast. The final incarnation wasn't anything like we thought it would look like, but it was still a lot of good food and a lot of fun.

Next time we'll get the pork tenderloin, or the "amazing things done to chicken".

Or I'll throw a dumpling party. I loved the old dumpling parties from the Knoll and it's time to bring them back.

So about 10-12 of us got together and hung out in the yard, which is great for this sort of thing. Maybe a little more light, some more chairs, and another fire pit and it would have been perfect. I think I'm going to make sure I always have the necessary things to make smores for the "winter" season. (Can you call it winter when your highs are still in the 60's?)

Altogether, the thing was a success, despite my morning panic of not knowing what the hell was going on and whether it would be pulled off. Hooray!

Tell you what, this whets my appetite for other things... maybe smaller dinners or what have you. I'd like to do a steamed fish for folks and introduce them to that. It's very simple, very clean, and very tasty. I'd also like to try some experimental braises that have been kicking around in my head.

And I'm still looking for someone to teach me Chinese noodle making.

Posted by KinCross at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

November 13, 2004

Circuitous Routes

Today, I drove the car for real for the first time since I got it. Still trying to take care of bits and pieces about it to get it completely up to spec, so to speak. I called in to Acura and verified that all the recall work had been done it it and got the unlock code for the radio, which was almost as simple as the combination on my luggage.

Then, it was all about accessories and additional maintenance work.

Drove down the 110 all the way to Long Beach to check in on John's Big O Tires store, but he wasn't there. It was late in the afternoon and there was work ahead of me, so I decided to come back tomorrow morning.

Drove up the 405 to Carson, where I stopped at a Pep Boys to pick up new wiper blades (yeah, the best wiper blades I could find, cuz I'm a nut like that) and some floor mats. I was really getting tired of the paper the dealership had laid down and I really had no desire to leave bare carpeting there for people to mess up with whatever their shoes had been in.

Continued up the 405 to Manhattan Beach to hit the Fry's for a DVD burner and *cough* a few other things. While I was in Manhattan Beach, I went strip mall hopping to see what was there and ended up hitting a Trader Joe's for groceries.

Drove up the 405 for two exits and the skittered east on the 105, then north on the 710, and east again into Alhambra for dinner. There's a great little place at the corner of Valley and Prospect called Pho Nguyen Hoang. Check it out!

Hit the Hawaii Supermarket to buy fixings for dumplings in case they're needed for tomorrow's barbeque, then headed back on the 10, then 5, to get home.

Altogether, the entire day, the only routes that I duplicated or doubled back on was a one-exit section of the 405 between the Rosecrans and El Segundo exits, the 10 between the 710 and New Ave exits, and the city streets from my home to the 110 and 5 freeways.

I also found that I enjoyed driving the car so much that I was habitually missing my exits or turns. Pretty comical and, in other contexts, possibly annoying, but I was enjoying myself too much to really care.

Who wants to go on a road trip?

Posted by KinCross at 09:18 PM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2004

Traditional Amber Game

Me: Still going to try to run La Vie en Rose or are you going to try a do-over with a smaller group?

Him: not sure on the game. definitely an altered group-may try the Corwin thing may do something else. any thoughts?

Me: Well, I'm all for the "traditional" Amber game, if only because I don't think I've ever played in one. Certainly not as a campaign.

Him: By traditional, what do you mean? games where people play kids of the zelazny characters in a post-Patternfall setting?

Me: I was thinking of bending over an ottoman and taking it from behind from Erick, but I like your idea better.

Him: do not make me spit on my computer

Posted by KinCross at 07:15 AM | Comments (2)

November 10, 2004

iPod Socks

I have been officially stunned into submission.

Apple is now selling something that you can lose in your laundry.

Courtesy of Scott, not Xkot.

Posted by KinCross at 03:57 PM | Comments (1)

November 07, 2004

All I wanna do is zoom a zoom zoom zoom and a boom boom

I am now the proud owner of a 1998 Acura 3.5 RL. Bitchin'. Where are my new wheels?

Now that I have a car, the next thing I'm looking for in my LA resident porfolio is an ex-wife. I would like one that is gorgeous, blonde, and plastic. Someone who is spiteful and a little psychotic, who will make me embittered and homicidal. To others, she will appear to be the sweetest person in the world.

When I'm done with that, I'll work on the plastic surgery or the overly extravagant mansion that I can't afford. I haven't decided which, yet.

Posted by KinCross at 04:36 PM | Comments (0)

November 05, 2004

New attacks on the US

The US has once again been attacked. This time, the target was an intermediate school in New Jersey, which was wantonly attacked by the dastardly and nefarious... US National Guard.

No longer satisfied with terrorizing the rest of the world, the US has begun to terrorize itself.

Please excuse me while I remove my tongue from my cheek.

Posted by KinCross at 02:54 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2004

2004 Ballots

Hi. I can't vote. I want to vote, but I can't because, in the 11 years I've lived in this country, I still don't have a Green Card, let alone the Citizenship required for voting.

Yet, I care. I want to do something. I want a voice in what happens in this country, my new home.

So, for those of you privileged to have been born here by chance or design and who don't plan to vote, shame on you. You should vote. If you do nothing else to better your environment, at least put in your voice for your elected officials.

Even those of you who aren't in swing states should put in your voice. Why? Sure, whatever party has a lock on your state may already have it in the bag, but the more overwhelming the victory, the more of a statement it makes to people in other states, whether you vote for the Other Party or one of the alternate parties.

If you weren't going to vote and you're at all interested in helping out someone who wants to vote, but can't, please vote for me.

Update: Choices clipped.

Posted by KinCross at 10:48 AM | Comments (2)

Best Halloween Costume of 2004

The daschund, not the girl:

Courtesy of Jenny, for the photo.

Posted by KinCross at 12:52 AM | Comments (0)

November 01, 2004

Weekend Recap

Friday night, I ran some errands that Henry has left me shortly before he left for Hawaii. The killer errand was returning a couple of things to Fry's. Returning the stuff wasn't such a big deal... it was the loitering around the store afterwards that did me in. At least the DVD's were each under $10.

The only other thing I did Friday night was drive around a couple of car dealerships to see what was on their lots. I wasn't terribly impressed by the "superstore" dealership. The smaller one that Karl (a colleague) had bought his cars from was nicer, but the cars that I had seen on the website were no longer there. I'll have to try again and maybe talk to that broker I spoke with a few months back.

Saturday all day was pretty much the opening work day for the Self Expression and Leadership Program. For the most part, it was basic opening logisitical stuff, but the energy of the room really began to build up toward the end. It sounds like a fun gig and I'm looking forward to taking on the project that's part of the course.

Afterwards, despite the 12-hour day, Michelle and I tried to meet up with another friend, Ally, who was headed to Santa Monica for a Halloween party. While waiting for Ally to call, Michelle and I crashed another party downtown, which was more of a rave than anything else. Pretty cool, but it was the sort of party that you could tell wasn't going to pick up until after the other nightclubs had closed.

We left before that time came, though, because we were going to try to find Michelle a costume so that she could go to the party that Ally was at. Didn't quite make it out there, though, as the party was close to wrapping by the time we were able to get Michelle ready to go. Instead, she and I had a quick dinner (midnight snack?) in Chinatown with some good conversation.

Then I slept and took full advantage of the time change.

Sunday afternoon, I went to brunch with a bunch of folks in Santa Monica and stayed there for about three hours, which was the amount of time that I had pumped into the meter when I got there.

Took a break afterwards and hit home for a little bit of reading, then headed right back to Santa Monica to crash the West Hollywood Carnaval with Van and his friends Sabrina and Jenny. I kinda regret not having a costume, but having worn my Pepe le Pew in a tux thing for two days straight, I really couldn't be arsed to do it again. So I went as Indifference.

Ended up staying out way too late, though I enjoyed every minute of it, right up to the trip to Benito's Taco Shop at 1 a.m. Working on four hours of sleep at work, now, it's going to be interesting. It'll probably be even more challenging when my face reading class rolls around tonight.

So how was your weekend?

Posted by KinCross at 08:47 AM | Comments (0)