-noun
one without a car.
As I was walking to court yesterday and it was 90+ degrees outside, I thought how easy it would be if I had a car, to drive the 4-5 blocks to court, which is not unusual when it comes to my office.
But then I thought about how simple life is without a car. Sure, I have to depend on people for rides, but worse case scenario, I would walk the 4 miles home, but public transportation is very accessible as well. The bus stop is less than a block from work and it stops a block from my house. I haven't used it yet, since my boo always drops me off and picks me up from work. My office is conveniently located right off the freeway in Downtown Lincoln and he would have to drive right past it to get to his office anyway.
On Friday nights when Seth works at his other job, my future Mother-in-law would pick me up and we would go on a Friday night date off to the mall or other girl-friendly destination. Now we only live half a mile from each other, so it's super easy too.
Financially speaking, I'm sure Seth and I are saving at least $10K a year with one less car. No monthly car payments, maintenance, oil changes, gas, insurance, etc. I'm sure eventually I would get a car, but probably when it becomes a huge inconvenience or when we have kids. But now, it seems to me that driving is really not a necessity. There are tons of people in the world without cars. It's actually very nice not to drive.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
pi·quant
-adjective
1. agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor; pleasantly biting or tart
2. agreeably stimulating, interesting, or attractive
3. of an interestingly provocative or lively character
4. Archaic . sharp or stinging, esp. to the feelings
We are 95% done with our house. Seth has been doing yard work almost every night, while I sink myself into our couch and bask in my guilty pleasure of reality television.
Seth does the yardwork, the vacuuming, most of the organizing and the laundry.
I do the dusting, cooking and washing the dishes. Pretty even split in chores, I think. :D
The TV still has to be mounted into the wall above our fireplace. We got the mount this week, but it is heavy and shockingly expensive! Seth's dad will come over Sunday morning to help him put up the heavy tv onto the heavy mount. Let's hope they get it up there into the studs so we don't end up with more work to do.
Sunday afternoon, we have our monthly potluck with my two attorney friends and their significant others. Jon, Scott and I spent almost a week in Minnesota for a training back in March and we decided to try to get together once every month or so for a potluck. We are from the same organization, just different offices.
We have done an Italian theme dinner at our downtown apt. A Mexican theme dinner at Scott's apt and a Chinese themed dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's restaurant. This Sunday will be a all-American BBQ at Jon & Micki's apt.
I am bringing salads and dessert for Sunday and can't wait to try some new recipes. I'm planning to do a sweet broccoli salad (hopefully like the Souplantation's version which is super yummy!) a pasta salad, a cornbread salad (never heard of this before but we have a ton of cornbread mix in our pantry) and a potato salad.
For dessert, I'm just making Hong Kong style egg tarts. Micki (Jon's wife) loves Asian food and culture and egg tarts are a dim sum dessert staple. Hopefully she will like those as much as Seth likes them.
I made Seth tacos last night... and I'm super excited to make homemade pizza tonight. I will get started with my salads that I will be making tomorrow by making homemade mayonnaise today!
Can't wait to be in the kitchen, barefoot & cooking (not pregnant). Haha.
1. agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor; pleasantly biting or tart
2. agreeably stimulating, interesting, or attractive
3. of an interestingly provocative or lively character
4. Archaic . sharp or stinging, esp. to the feelings
We are 95% done with our house. Seth has been doing yard work almost every night, while I sink myself into our couch and bask in my guilty pleasure of reality television.
Seth does the yardwork, the vacuuming, most of the organizing and the laundry.
I do the dusting, cooking and washing the dishes. Pretty even split in chores, I think. :D
The TV still has to be mounted into the wall above our fireplace. We got the mount this week, but it is heavy and shockingly expensive! Seth's dad will come over Sunday morning to help him put up the heavy tv onto the heavy mount. Let's hope they get it up there into the studs so we don't end up with more work to do.
Sunday afternoon, we have our monthly potluck with my two attorney friends and their significant others. Jon, Scott and I spent almost a week in Minnesota for a training back in March and we decided to try to get together once every month or so for a potluck. We are from the same organization, just different offices.
We have done an Italian theme dinner at our downtown apt. A Mexican theme dinner at Scott's apt and a Chinese themed dinner at my Aunt and Uncle's restaurant. This Sunday will be a all-American BBQ at Jon & Micki's apt.
I am bringing salads and dessert for Sunday and can't wait to try some new recipes. I'm planning to do a sweet broccoli salad (hopefully like the Souplantation's version which is super yummy!) a pasta salad, a cornbread salad (never heard of this before but we have a ton of cornbread mix in our pantry) and a potato salad.
For dessert, I'm just making Hong Kong style egg tarts. Micki (Jon's wife) loves Asian food and culture and egg tarts are a dim sum dessert staple. Hopefully she will like those as much as Seth likes them.
I made Seth tacos last night... and I'm super excited to make homemade pizza tonight. I will get started with my salads that I will be making tomorrow by making homemade mayonnaise today!
Can't wait to be in the kitchen, barefoot & cooking (not pregnant). Haha.
Friday, August 20, 2010
mile·stone
–noun
1. a stone functioning as a milepost.
2. a significant event or stage in the life, progress, development, or the like of a person, nation, etc
The following is in the most emailed NY Times article today:
"Sociologists traditionally define the “transition to adulthood” as marked by five milestones: completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child.
In 1960, 77 percent of women and 65 percent of men had, by the time they reached 30, passed all five milestones. Among 30-year-olds in 2000, according to data from the United States Census Bureau, fewer than half of the women and one-third of the men had done so."
***
Interesting huh? and it's certainly true. I'm 26, 27 in January and I have completed three of the five milestones. In the next year, I would complete the fourth - marriage - but having a child? That's for sure after I'm 30. Despite what my paralegal Heather says. Haha.
But, I know plenty of people who are not even close to reaching the five milestones and there's nothing wrong with that either.
1. a stone functioning as a milepost.
2. a significant event or stage in the life, progress, development, or the like of a person, nation, etc
The following is in the most emailed NY Times article today:
"Sociologists traditionally define the “transition to adulthood” as marked by five milestones: completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child.
In 1960, 77 percent of women and 65 percent of men had, by the time they reached 30, passed all five milestones. Among 30-year-olds in 2000, according to data from the United States Census Bureau, fewer than half of the women and one-third of the men had done so."
***
Interesting huh? and it's certainly true. I'm 26, 27 in January and I have completed three of the five milestones. In the next year, I would complete the fourth - marriage - but having a child? That's for sure after I'm 30. Despite what my paralegal Heather says. Haha.
But, I know plenty of people who are not even close to reaching the five milestones and there's nothing wrong with that either.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
rush hour
–noun
a time of day in which large numbers of people are in transit, as going to or returning from work, and that is characterized by particularly heavy traffic.
The #1 thing I do not miss from CA is traffic. I absolutely hate traffic. It really puts me in a bad mood and I can say it's one of my top 5 hated things.
According to my facebook news feed from last night and this morning, President Obama is in LA and the traffic there is 10x more horrible than usual. And usually, it's just plain horrible. So imagine that.
I am glad I am in Lincoln, NE where traffic is non-existent.
a time of day in which large numbers of people are in transit, as going to or returning from work, and that is characterized by particularly heavy traffic.
The #1 thing I do not miss from CA is traffic. I absolutely hate traffic. It really puts me in a bad mood and I can say it's one of my top 5 hated things.
According to my facebook news feed from last night and this morning, President Obama is in LA and the traffic there is 10x more horrible than usual. And usually, it's just plain horrible. So imagine that.
I am glad I am in Lincoln, NE where traffic is non-existent.
cou·pon
–noun
1. a portion of a certificate, ticket, label, advertisement, or the like, set off from the main body by dotted lines or the like to emphasize its separability, entitling the holder to something, as a gift or discount, or for use as an order blank, a contest entry form, etc.
2. a separate certificate, ticket, etc., for the same purpose.
I love coupons! I have saved probably thousands of dollars off of them. I highly recommend restaurant.com and groupon.com. If you sign up for groupon, sign up with me by clicking here.
When my boo and I went to Baltimore, we saved $75 at restaurants. You just buy a $25 or $50 gift certificate for a deeply discounted price. Sometimes 70-80% off from the typical price and as long as you follow the fine print, like spend over $35, excluding alcohol, at least 2 entrees...blah blah blah, then you get that much off! Sometimes they add the 18% tip before they give you the check and sometimes they don't add the tip and then I usually tip them 20% off the original bill anyway.
In Baltimore, we went to LP Steamers and had a dozen crabs and some crab dip. The bill was about $50, but we walked out of there only charging $25 on my card.
Another night we splurged and spent $100 not including taxes or tip on raw clams and oysters, Maine lobster, king crab legs, cocktail shrimp, crabcakes and bread pudding, but walked out of there just under $75 including a 20% tip and taxes.
For non-food coupons, Groupon has daily deals from haircuts to pedicures to exercise and cooking classes. The only catch is there has to be a minimum amount of people who sign up before the coupon is activated. Say the coupon for today requires 50 people to sign up. If by the end of the day, only 40 people sign up, then their credit card is not charged and they don't get the deal. But most groupons have hundreds if not over a thousand people signing up. It's crazy!
I also clip coupons from the Sunday paper and use it at grocery stores.
You would be surprise how much you save by just planning ahead and resisting the urge to impulse buy!
1. a portion of a certificate, ticket, label, advertisement, or the like, set off from the main body by dotted lines or the like to emphasize its separability, entitling the holder to something, as a gift or discount, or for use as an order blank, a contest entry form, etc.
2. a separate certificate, ticket, etc., for the same purpose.
I love coupons! I have saved probably thousands of dollars off of them. I highly recommend restaurant.com and groupon.com. If you sign up for groupon, sign up with me by clicking here.
When my boo and I went to Baltimore, we saved $75 at restaurants. You just buy a $25 or $50 gift certificate for a deeply discounted price. Sometimes 70-80% off from the typical price and as long as you follow the fine print, like spend over $35, excluding alcohol, at least 2 entrees...blah blah blah, then you get that much off! Sometimes they add the 18% tip before they give you the check and sometimes they don't add the tip and then I usually tip them 20% off the original bill anyway.
In Baltimore, we went to LP Steamers and had a dozen crabs and some crab dip. The bill was about $50, but we walked out of there only charging $25 on my card.
Another night we splurged and spent $100 not including taxes or tip on raw clams and oysters, Maine lobster, king crab legs, cocktail shrimp, crabcakes and bread pudding, but walked out of there just under $75 including a 20% tip and taxes.
For non-food coupons, Groupon has daily deals from haircuts to pedicures to exercise and cooking classes. The only catch is there has to be a minimum amount of people who sign up before the coupon is activated. Say the coupon for today requires 50 people to sign up. If by the end of the day, only 40 people sign up, then their credit card is not charged and they don't get the deal. But most groupons have hundreds if not over a thousand people signing up. It's crazy!
I also clip coupons from the Sunday paper and use it at grocery stores.
You would be surprise how much you save by just planning ahead and resisting the urge to impulse buy!
Monday, August 16, 2010
tip·ple
–verb (used without object)
1. to drink intoxicating liquor, esp. habitually or to some excess.
–verb (used with object)
2. to drink (intoxicating liquor), esp. repeatedly, in small quantities.
–noun
3. intoxicating liquor.
One of my favorite places in my new home is my bar. I bought my boo a kegerator for his birthday last month and I just bought a popcorn machine earlier today. We stocked up the bar and it's great my boo is a bartender (Friday nights only @ Harry's Wonder Bar, but 24/7 at 1608 Meadow Lark Road) haha.
He's been making amaretto sours for me... but tonight I had a root beer (schnapps) float. My future mother-in-law made the root beer schnapps by herself and gave us a bottle. and it tastes delicious!
I can't wait for my popcorn machine to come... then I'll start posting some pics.
But now, gotta go pop in a workout DVD and work this booze off.
1. to drink intoxicating liquor, esp. habitually or to some excess.
–verb (used with object)
2. to drink (intoxicating liquor), esp. repeatedly, in small quantities.
–noun
3. intoxicating liquor.
One of my favorite places in my new home is my bar. I bought my boo a kegerator for his birthday last month and I just bought a popcorn machine earlier today. We stocked up the bar and it's great my boo is a bartender (Friday nights only @ Harry's Wonder Bar, but 24/7 at 1608 Meadow Lark Road) haha.
He's been making amaretto sours for me... but tonight I had a root beer (schnapps) float. My future mother-in-law made the root beer schnapps by herself and gave us a bottle. and it tastes delicious!
I can't wait for my popcorn machine to come... then I'll start posting some pics.
But now, gotta go pop in a workout DVD and work this booze off.
whirl·wind
–verb (used without object)
1. to move or travel quickly.
I took last week off from work.
Saturday, I went to the Czech Festival in Wilbur, NE, the Czech capitol of the US with Margaret and Ben. Lot of accordions, people dressed up in old fashioned clothing, Czech beauty queens, dances and even a parade.
On our way to the festival, Margaret stopped by this old man's yard sale and I ended up getting $25 really nice cowboy boots. Cowboy and Indian House party at my house soon!
Then Sunday, Seth and I flew to Baltimore at 5 in the morning, checked into our very nice hotel and then went out and ate a dozen steamed crabs and explored Inner Harbor.
A little about our hotel - super nice people, free hot breakfast and hot dinner?! I have stayed at many hotels, and first hotel I have ever been to with free hot dinner and it was so good. Free shuttle within 5 miles (perfect for the airport, light rail stop and Amtrak)
Monday night, we went to the Oriels v. White Sox baseball game at Camden Yards and went to the pub nearby and grabbed a couple of beers. Dinner at the hotel was pulled pork sandwiches, corn, green beans, salad.
Tuesday night, we went and ate a feast at Phillips Seafood Harborhouse after we went out on the paddleboats (just like in 10 things I hate about you). We also had ricotta stuffed shells, mushrooms, salad at the hotel.
Wednesday Night we went to DC in the evening and walked around all night. We ate mexican at the hotel, chicken, steak, tortillas and tortilla chips, salad, etc.
Thursday night we flew back. McD's at the airport. Hollar.
Friday we closed on our house and we moved all the boxes out of our apt to the house. Some homecooking from the mother-in-law.
Saturday, Rouse came over and helped Seth move the furniture. We then went to Mongolian Grill, it's a buffet, only $11 a person and so good!
Sunday, we cleaned our apt and went to Ribfest. More yum yum in my tum tum.
and today, I'm back at work.
1. to move or travel quickly.
I took last week off from work.
Saturday, I went to the Czech Festival in Wilbur, NE, the Czech capitol of the US with Margaret and Ben. Lot of accordions, people dressed up in old fashioned clothing, Czech beauty queens, dances and even a parade.
On our way to the festival, Margaret stopped by this old man's yard sale and I ended up getting $25 really nice cowboy boots. Cowboy and Indian House party at my house soon!
Then Sunday, Seth and I flew to Baltimore at 5 in the morning, checked into our very nice hotel and then went out and ate a dozen steamed crabs and explored Inner Harbor.
A little about our hotel - super nice people, free hot breakfast and hot dinner?! I have stayed at many hotels, and first hotel I have ever been to with free hot dinner and it was so good. Free shuttle within 5 miles (perfect for the airport, light rail stop and Amtrak)
Monday night, we went to the Oriels v. White Sox baseball game at Camden Yards and went to the pub nearby and grabbed a couple of beers. Dinner at the hotel was pulled pork sandwiches, corn, green beans, salad.
Tuesday night, we went and ate a feast at Phillips Seafood Harborhouse after we went out on the paddleboats (just like in 10 things I hate about you). We also had ricotta stuffed shells, mushrooms, salad at the hotel.
Wednesday Night we went to DC in the evening and walked around all night. We ate mexican at the hotel, chicken, steak, tortillas and tortilla chips, salad, etc.
Thursday night we flew back. McD's at the airport. Hollar.
Friday we closed on our house and we moved all the boxes out of our apt to the house. Some homecooking from the mother-in-law.
Saturday, Rouse came over and helped Seth move the furniture. We then went to Mongolian Grill, it's a buffet, only $11 a person and so good!
Sunday, we cleaned our apt and went to Ribfest. More yum yum in my tum tum.
and today, I'm back at work.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
aus·pi·cious
–adjective
1. promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable: an auspicious occasion.
2. favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.
My mom always says I was born lucky. When I was born, she was supposed to go to a janky hospital room, but she ended up in the brand new wing in her own room after having me.
When it was time to go to the elementary school down the street, they just finished the landscaping and remodeling.
Then I grew up, went to UCLA, went to law school, found a job... it all kinda just fell into my lap.
Everything has been easy for me, but a part of me thinks it's also my optimistic outlook on life.
Being lucky and thinking you are lucky are slightly different.
I'm 26 now and I'm on vacay on the east coast. I always wanted to be one of those women who got to tag along on their hubby's business trips and I can't believe I'm finally one of them. It's pretty cool.
1. promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable: an auspicious occasion.
2. favored by fortune; prosperous; fortunate.
My mom always says I was born lucky. When I was born, she was supposed to go to a janky hospital room, but she ended up in the brand new wing in her own room after having me.
When it was time to go to the elementary school down the street, they just finished the landscaping and remodeling.
Then I grew up, went to UCLA, went to law school, found a job... it all kinda just fell into my lap.
Everything has been easy for me, but a part of me thinks it's also my optimistic outlook on life.
Being lucky and thinking you are lucky are slightly different.
I'm 26 now and I'm on vacay on the east coast. I always wanted to be one of those women who got to tag along on their hubby's business trips and I can't believe I'm finally one of them. It's pretty cool.
Monday, August 9, 2010
lla·ma
–noun
1. a woolly-haired South American ruminant of the genus Lama, believed to be a domesticated variety of the guanaco: often used as a beast of burden.
2. the fine, soft fleece of the llama, combined with the wool for coating.
"Tina, you fat lard, come get some DINNER!... Tina, eat. Food. Eat the FOOD! Tina, come get some ham."
One of my favorite quotes in one of my favorite movies - Napoleon Dynamite. The movie came out in the middle of my college years and it was the best thing ever.
Fast forward 6 years and I got to hang with a real life llama at the Lancaster County Fair with my boo. I can see us owning an acreage in the future, my boo can have his chickens (because that's his favorite animal... yes really, and he can eat chicken all day every day)... and I can have my pigs (because pigs are my favorite...and being Chinese, I love my pork)... and we can share a llama like this one.
Even though I would LOVE to have a liger, I'm pretty sure I'm deathly allergic. I am really allergic to cats and because ligers are way bigger, I would think my allergies would be way worse.
And for your information, the liger is a real animal, created when a male lion mates with a female tiger. It does not, however, have "skills in magic", as Napoleon claims.
Friday, August 6, 2010
ser·en·dip·i·ty
–noun
1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. good fortune; luck
I like happy endings. Especially when it comes to movies. My favorite genre of movies are the ones that are so predictable: Girl meets boy. Love. Conflict. Resolution. Happily Ever After.
When it comes to movies like Momento, Shutter Island, Inception, etc. I don't really care to watch them. Maybe once if at all, but I treat it like a book. Just there for me to google search, read up on all the theories and dissect until the last possible layer is peeled off.
Romantic comedies are just movies that are there purely for entertainment. No need to research and dissect because you know what you're getting into before the first shot is shown.
Maybe because I'm a girl and it's just part of the being a girl. The fantasy that love will fall into place when you least expect it. And that's what happened to me two years ago. Out of the blue and fast forward, I'm in corn country.
In a classic John Cusack chick flick:
Sara: You don't have to understand. You just have to have faith.
Jonathan: Faith in what?
Sara: Destiny
Sums up this post doesn't it?
1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2. good fortune; luck
I like happy endings. Especially when it comes to movies. My favorite genre of movies are the ones that are so predictable: Girl meets boy. Love. Conflict. Resolution. Happily Ever After.
When it comes to movies like Momento, Shutter Island, Inception, etc. I don't really care to watch them. Maybe once if at all, but I treat it like a book. Just there for me to google search, read up on all the theories and dissect until the last possible layer is peeled off.
Romantic comedies are just movies that are there purely for entertainment. No need to research and dissect because you know what you're getting into before the first shot is shown.
Maybe because I'm a girl and it's just part of the being a girl. The fantasy that love will fall into place when you least expect it. And that's what happened to me two years ago. Out of the blue and fast forward, I'm in corn country.
In a classic John Cusack chick flick:
Sara: You don't have to understand. You just have to have faith.
Jonathan: Faith in what?
Sara: Destiny
Sums up this post doesn't it?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
soap op·er·a
–noun
a radio or television series depicting the interconnected lives of many characters often in a sentimental, melodramatic way.
I love "Days of our lives." Just absolutely love it. I think I was maybe 10 when I started watching. I remember Marlena would be in Stephano's cage and the tag line was always, "Lady in a cage."
Now that I have a regular job, I usually take my lunch hour at noon, walk a block to my lovely downtown apt and watch my show everyday. A few weeks ago, I ran into the Executive Director of this non-profit that I used to work for in the elevator and told her I was going home to see my show. Apparently, it's her favorite soap opera too!
I also added in that convo that Former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall would take recess every afternoon to watch it too. Real fact, I got it off wikipedia.
But I'm moving to a house next week and I won't be going home everyday at lunch. I went into the lunch room a few days ago to see if the TV works, since I've never seen it on, and to my disappointment, it doesn't.
I mentioned this problem to my bosses, John and Pat, over lunch today. (Thursdays are 25 cent taco days at Knickerbockers.) But John says it does! So after we got tacos and a stop at the cookie shop, John showed me how to work the TV in our lunch room. So after next week when I'm all moved into our new house, I can just stay in the office and watch Days of Our Lives on my lunch break!
I told Pat the good news and even mentioned I would never have to leave the office at lunch for the next 10 years. He laughed and said "if that's all that it takes, we'll get you a bigger TV."
This place is great.
a radio or television series depicting the interconnected lives of many characters often in a sentimental, melodramatic way.
I love "Days of our lives." Just absolutely love it. I think I was maybe 10 when I started watching. I remember Marlena would be in Stephano's cage and the tag line was always, "Lady in a cage."
Now that I have a regular job, I usually take my lunch hour at noon, walk a block to my lovely downtown apt and watch my show everyday. A few weeks ago, I ran into the Executive Director of this non-profit that I used to work for in the elevator and told her I was going home to see my show. Apparently, it's her favorite soap opera too!
I also added in that convo that Former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall would take recess every afternoon to watch it too. Real fact, I got it off wikipedia.
But I'm moving to a house next week and I won't be going home everyday at lunch. I went into the lunch room a few days ago to see if the TV works, since I've never seen it on, and to my disappointment, it doesn't.
I mentioned this problem to my bosses, John and Pat, over lunch today. (Thursdays are 25 cent taco days at Knickerbockers.) But John says it does! So after we got tacos and a stop at the cookie shop, John showed me how to work the TV in our lunch room. So after next week when I'm all moved into our new house, I can just stay in the office and watch Days of Our Lives on my lunch break!
I told Pat the good news and even mentioned I would never have to leave the office at lunch for the next 10 years. He laughed and said "if that's all that it takes, we'll get you a bigger TV."
This place is great.
mar·riage
–noun
1. a. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.
b. a similar institution involving partners of the same gender.
2. the state, condition, or relationship of being married; wedlock: a happy marriage.
3. the legal or religious ceremony that formalizes the decision of two people to live as a married couple, including the accompanying social festivities.
In the next 6-8 months, give or take, I will be married. No date set, it will just be spontaneous. But I have said in the past, I do not want to be married until everyone, everywhere has the same rights as I do to enter this right of marriage.
It's crazy to think one group of people are treated as 2nd rate citizens just because they want to spend the rest of their life with the same gender as they are.
Protecting the institution of marriage? What is the divorce rate in this country? How many people do you know who are divorced?
Gay couples don't make good parents? And straight parents do? Really? I handle a handful of juvenile cases and tons and tons of heterosexual parents make horrible parents.
Gay marriage is an abomination in the Bible? What about all the other references in the Bible that are out of date? Isn't it an abomination to eat shellfish? So Bubba Gump is going to hell?
”Moral disapproval is no basis to ban gay marriage.” – Judge Vaughn Walker
It shouldn't matter who you are, or who you love as long as you love.
1. a. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.
b. a similar institution involving partners of the same gender.
2. the state, condition, or relationship of being married; wedlock: a happy marriage.
3. the legal or religious ceremony that formalizes the decision of two people to live as a married couple, including the accompanying social festivities.
In the next 6-8 months, give or take, I will be married. No date set, it will just be spontaneous. But I have said in the past, I do not want to be married until everyone, everywhere has the same rights as I do to enter this right of marriage.
It's crazy to think one group of people are treated as 2nd rate citizens just because they want to spend the rest of their life with the same gender as they are.
Protecting the institution of marriage? What is the divorce rate in this country? How many people do you know who are divorced?
Gay couples don't make good parents? And straight parents do? Really? I handle a handful of juvenile cases and tons and tons of heterosexual parents make horrible parents.
Gay marriage is an abomination in the Bible? What about all the other references in the Bible that are out of date? Isn't it an abomination to eat shellfish? So Bubba Gump is going to hell?
”Moral disapproval is no basis to ban gay marriage.” – Judge Vaughn Walker
It shouldn't matter who you are, or who you love as long as you love.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
mon·ey·head
–noun
1. a person who makes money a top priority.
2. my mother.
3. my fiance.
I live a very comfortable life, I always have, I have never been rich, but I would never consider myself poor. This is mainly due to my frugal Chinese mother and her cut-throat bargaining skills when it comes to negotiating cars and odds and ends in Chinatown.
My parents never lived on credit. They do have a Costco American Express card they use frequently and a few other credit cards, but always paid in full by the time the due date rolls around. They never leased cars, only paid in cash. They never had a car payment, they paid off their mortgage in less than 20 years, and yes, we live 5 miles away from the ocean in Orange County and that is impressive.
But, it is rather embarrassing when my mom is in full-bargaining mode.
My sister and I would call her a moneyhead because it feels like money is always on the mind.
I have learned a lot from my mother and that is why my credit score is so high. I guess that's why my fiance takes like my mother too. He always has an idea to make more money. Money, money, money.
Last winter, in the middle of the a blizzard, he was on the computer making fliers. These fliers were for his own lawn-mowing business. He said, it's never too early to get started. Really?! In the dead of winter? All the grass is dead!
Apparently he had this kind of business in high school, which made enough to buy his own car cash down. Impressive. But kind of annoying at the same time.
We are definitely in a good position for being 26... but having a moneyhead around is a bit frustrating when all I want to do is go out and spend some money!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
jam
–verb (used with object)
1. to play (a piece) in a freely improvised, swinging way; jazz up.
–verb (used without object)
2. Jazz . to participate in a jam session.
–noun
3. the act of jamming or the state of being jammed.
4. jam session.
So I love my job. I can picture myself working here forever. That's how much I love my job. I get my own office with a big window. Everyone likes each other. I help people and learn so much everyday. I have tons of mentors to show me the ropes. Free coffee. Occasionally office potlucks, or like yesterday, the ED came down from Omaha and took everyone to lunch. People would bring in cookies or donuts or random treats. There is always lots of chocolate in my paralegal's office. 3 weeks of paid vacation. 2 1/2 weeks of paid sick leave. Paid Holidays and snow days.
But the best part is the random times when my boss (who is right next door to me) starts jamming with one of the other attorneys in the office. This happens maybe once a month for anywhere between 5-20 minutes. One would bring in a banjo, or a guitar or a mandolin. They would either play it the way it is or plug it into the amp that is always in the corner of my boss' office. Then they would just have a jam session.
It's great. It is the cherry on top of why I love my job.
1. to play (a piece) in a freely improvised, swinging way; jazz up.
–verb (used without object)
2. Jazz . to participate in a jam session.
–noun
3. the act of jamming or the state of being jammed.
4. jam session.
So I love my job. I can picture myself working here forever. That's how much I love my job. I get my own office with a big window. Everyone likes each other. I help people and learn so much everyday. I have tons of mentors to show me the ropes. Free coffee. Occasionally office potlucks, or like yesterday, the ED came down from Omaha and took everyone to lunch. People would bring in cookies or donuts or random treats. There is always lots of chocolate in my paralegal's office. 3 weeks of paid vacation. 2 1/2 weeks of paid sick leave. Paid Holidays and snow days.
But the best part is the random times when my boss (who is right next door to me) starts jamming with one of the other attorneys in the office. This happens maybe once a month for anywhere between 5-20 minutes. One would bring in a banjo, or a guitar or a mandolin. They would either play it the way it is or plug it into the amp that is always in the corner of my boss' office. Then they would just have a jam session.
It's great. It is the cherry on top of why I love my job.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
con·tent·ment
–noun
1. the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.
2. the act of making contentedly satisfied.
Last night Seth and I went out. And by went out, I mean we went downstairs to the bar right below us. It's called Zen. A very bougie (derived from bourgeois) place where my Mojito cost $6.50 - an exorbitant amount for Nebraska. We wandered to a few more bars down O street. I have never seen so many bars on one street until I moved here.
We met up with a few of Seth's friends and by the time 12:30am rolled around, we were ready to hit the sack. Since the bars close here at 1am, we knew we weren't missing out on anything.
Anyway, I can never sleep in after drinking. Woke up really early and had an urge to make a cherry cobbler. As I'm blogging, my cobbler is baking. I will post the recipe on my other blog, but in the meantime, I just want to say I am in a complete state of contentment when I bake. I was pitting cherries and it just felt so right, so tranquil, so zen.
I can't wait for my hectic life to die down in the next few weeks, move into our new house and start baking again.
1. the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.
2. the act of making contentedly satisfied.
Last night Seth and I went out. And by went out, I mean we went downstairs to the bar right below us. It's called Zen. A very bougie (derived from bourgeois) place where my Mojito cost $6.50 - an exorbitant amount for Nebraska. We wandered to a few more bars down O street. I have never seen so many bars on one street until I moved here.
We met up with a few of Seth's friends and by the time 12:30am rolled around, we were ready to hit the sack. Since the bars close here at 1am, we knew we weren't missing out on anything.
Anyway, I can never sleep in after drinking. Woke up really early and had an urge to make a cherry cobbler. As I'm blogging, my cobbler is baking. I will post the recipe on my other blog, but in the meantime, I just want to say I am in a complete state of contentment when I bake. I was pitting cherries and it just felt so right, so tranquil, so zen.
I can't wait for my hectic life to die down in the next few weeks, move into our new house and start baking again.
Friday, July 30, 2010
cha·grin
–noun
1. a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.
–verb (used with object)
2. to vex by disappointment or humiliation.
3. Obsolete
I remember a time when I would watch SportsCenter every night... feeling relieved when the TV room in the sorority house was unoccupied. I was always on top of my sports news, but in the past few years... with law school and everything, just really stopped following, not to mention the lack of cable.
My favorite sports journalists are still Bill Plaschke and Rick Reilly. I got to meet Bill Plaschke in high school at a journalism conference at USC (BOO!). He writes for the LA times and always has interesting articles about my Lakers and Bruins.
Rick Reilly, on the other hand, I never had the pleasure of meeting. But I felt like I knew him. Every week for years, I would get my Sports Illustrated in the mail and I would immediately turn to the last page and read that week's commentary. I loved it. Then when he stopped writing for SI, I stopped getting SI in the mail.
Maybe I should have stuck it out for Joe, but now we can just find anything online... thanks to Naheedy... one of the best articles I have read in a long time...
http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/29/a-boulevard-called-chagrin/?eref=sihp
1. a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.
–verb (used with object)
2. to vex by disappointment or humiliation.
3. Obsolete
I remember a time when I would watch SportsCenter every night... feeling relieved when the TV room in the sorority house was unoccupied. I was always on top of my sports news, but in the past few years... with law school and everything, just really stopped following, not to mention the lack of cable.
My favorite sports journalists are still Bill Plaschke and Rick Reilly. I got to meet Bill Plaschke in high school at a journalism conference at USC (BOO!). He writes for the LA times and always has interesting articles about my Lakers and Bruins.
Rick Reilly, on the other hand, I never had the pleasure of meeting. But I felt like I knew him. Every week for years, I would get my Sports Illustrated in the mail and I would immediately turn to the last page and read that week's commentary. I loved it. Then when he stopped writing for SI, I stopped getting SI in the mail.
Maybe I should have stuck it out for Joe, but now we can just find anything online... thanks to Naheedy... one of the best articles I have read in a long time...
http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/07/29/a-boulevard-called-chagrin/?eref=sihp
sim·i·le
–noun
1. a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared.
2. an instance of such a figure of speech or a use of words exemplifying it.
I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska from Orange County, California last December. I moved for two reasons: 1) the love of my life and 2) an amazing job.
But, I do get homesick, for my mom and for my girlfriends. But thank goodness for Gchat and Skype, I'm doing just fine.
Messages like these that pop out of nowhere reminds me how lucky I am for the people in my life:
Jen: i love you Shirley Peng!!!!
how are you woman????????????
i love you like a fat kid loves cake
Jen's simile is my favorite simile of all time... and it's true, I do love cake.
A LOT.
bal·let·o·mane
–noun
a ballet enthusiast.
When I was younger, like almost all girls, I dreamed of ballet shoes and pink tutus. You would think my mother, who is all about self-improvement, would let me go to ballet classes.
But, I was too chubby, not graceful enough, and my skinny sister got to go instead. I remember sitting out in the car with my mom and watching her finish up her lessons with a group of skinny girls in their cute tutus.
Maybe that's why I always wanted to be skinny. Maybe this year...
Thursday, July 29, 2010
fick·le
–adjective
1. likely to change, esp. due to caprice, irresolution, or instability; casually changeable: fickle weather.
2. not constant or loyal in affections: a fickle lover.
I'm just really into crossword puzzles right now. I have been doing the LA Times crosswords everyday for the last 2 weeks. I just love it. I'm learning all sorts of random trivia, random words and abbreviations.
But I do feel like I'm the type that gets really into one thing for a month or two and then i find something else. Which is why I have rock climbing shoes, soccer cleats, a surfboard, volleyball knee pads, a gel seatpad for those spinning classes, spandax shorts for Bikram Yoga, etc.
And right now I'm in the middle of my crosswords obsession...
1. likely to change, esp. due to caprice, irresolution, or instability; casually changeable: fickle weather.
2. not constant or loyal in affections: a fickle lover.
I'm just really into crossword puzzles right now. I have been doing the LA Times crosswords everyday for the last 2 weeks. I just love it. I'm learning all sorts of random trivia, random words and abbreviations.
But I do feel like I'm the type that gets really into one thing for a month or two and then i find something else. Which is why I have rock climbing shoes, soccer cleats, a surfboard, volleyball knee pads, a gel seatpad for those spinning classes, spandax shorts for Bikram Yoga, etc.
And right now I'm in the middle of my crosswords obsession...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)