life knocks, life's knocks

so, my little amelie, you don't have bones of glass.
you can take life's knocks.
if you let this chance pass,
eventually, your heart will become as dry and brittle as my skeleton.
so, go get him, for pete's sake!

full of life and love from an evening of amelie and a homemade meal of kimchee fried rice and sapporo with two dear friends, i felt compelled to e-mail a kindred soul and advise her to take a risk of the heart since i had not been able to in a similar situation in the past.

of course i could not guarantee how things would turn out. though the assumption was that the best that could happen would be worth the chance.

and she was bold. bolder than i could ever be.

but still she came the tumbling down. i felt horrible. was i wrong in my vicarious recommendation?

after a flurry of consolation e-mails and chats back and forth, i was comforted with the fact that indeed she really was better off. not for having achieved the outcome she wanted, but for not letting the opportunity pass and expressing how she felt at that moment.

simple lesson, long time coming: say what you feel when you feel it.

on a related note: i have been slacking on my blog game. let's fix that.

good night, travel well

1. just caught a free advanced screening of "up in the air." i would probably have not made an effort to go to see it, but it turned out to be enjoyable, albeit bittersweet. in this world of constant exchange and excess, motion and movement...it definitely makes you think about who you value and how others may or may not value you.



i'm no 10 million-mile frequent flyer, but i've been on enough flights to have my own system of flying and getting through security as clooney's character does:

- nothing in pockets except i.d. & boarding pass
- eyeglasses over contacts since eyes dry out easily with the recycled airplane ventilation
- slip-on shoes & clear toiletry bag in first bin (jacket too if i'm wearing one)
- laptop in next one
- then personal item (usually backpack)
- and finally my carry-on

the logic: the x-ray technician typically takes a couple extra seconds looking at the silhouettes of my laptop and the mess of cameras and cords in my backpack. this buys me time to put on my shoes and keep tabs on my laptop. and now i've given away my tricks. =X

2. poem quoted from a book i was reading on the bart ride home from the movie

"always keep ithaca in your mind.
to arrive there is your ultimate goal.
but do not hurry the voyage at all.
it is better to let it last for many years,
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that ithaca will offer you riches.

ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage
without her you would have never set out on the road."

- "ithaca" by constantine cavafy (1911)

3. ohhhhh...the e-mails and planning have begun in anticipation of the homecoming of california's prodigal sons and daughters. just a few more weeks until you all are home for the holidays and we are reunited. i wish you all safe travels on your return to ithaca!

double feature saturday

in one day i saw one of the best movies i've seen in a while and one of the worst.

"milk"
won me over with: social justice issues, sf setting, romance, james franco

how could you go wrong with all of that? a truly inspired and inspiring film.

"unborn"
dealbreakers: typical scary movie shortcomings (hot girl whose acting is ehh..., death of the few characters of color) and stringer bell as a priest? what the h?

glad none of my money went to that.

damn good satire

if you're tired of the kind of "satire" that was coming out of colorado recently, let me direct you to some well done satire to be excited about.


due to the great connections of the fabulous frances, i luckily scored a spot at the presentation of "harold & kumar: escape from guantanamo bay" at this year's sf int'l asian am film fest.

yes, you loved the first one, and trust me the second one does not disappoint. even before anyone shows up on screen, you will be cracking up as the opening credits and music begin to roll. during the q&a after the movie, john cho explained that the writers consciously wrote in more of the political and racial jokes for this film when they got feedback from audiences after the dvd release of "white castle." and while the movie is simply sharper and smarter than the first, it still has a lot of the lewdness and ridiculousness you enjoyed from the original.

when watching the film, take note of the excellent details like the song selection for scenes, a flashback to h&k college years, and probably my favorite part: the reference to ! a must see movie in april!

that kid from colorado could take a lesson in satire from this movie and not to mention another damn good satire: the musical "ave q."

my absence...

is a front to the current realities that have altered what i had expected to be a return to the quiet home life

and i'm not good at sharing openly or i'd rather postpone explaining for the nth time

but know that all is on the ups, and in my family we meet any ailment with lots of love and good humor =)

------

like so...


who doesn't want to see this movie?...lol