Aloha 'oe

The last pennylane production posting for the year 2005. It's nearly midnight on December 22nd, seconds away from the very beginning of the 23rd--the day of our now 3rd take off to Hilo, Hawai'i.

i am overjoyed at the thought of Christmas morning with the two little ones filling the house with giggles and joy. That said, there is a bittersweet feeling that i no doubt will be trying to conceal.

Without going into too much explanation and detail, my grandparents house will be going up for sale in late 2006. This house where i spent every summer of my life from one years old until 22 years--will be soon reduced to a visceral memory. Goodbye to the creaky wooden floor, the tattered shoji doors, the ocean view, the intricate zodiac front door handle, the slippery orangey garage floor...

At the end of the day, or should i say, when we take our last breath of air on this planet, it matters very little what material objects we possess. Least of all what kind of house you occupied, invested, or grew up in. So it goes.

When you're a child, you feel the house you're most connected to will always be there. It never occurs to you that the wealth of your memories might not always have tangible footing in a particular room or hallway. As an adult, the memories seem to blend together powerfully into a quick film in my mind. It feels mildly devastating to think the house will soon reside solely in memory.

Here's a thought that soothes me: Perhaps one can feel OK to let go of a house when it is certain that its former inhabitants have taken flight. In that sense, i've recently seen my grandparents together laughing and happy in my dreams. I'm quite certain that they're continuing their world travels together. i think they're pretty much over the house. i hope to be as well...someday.

Positive bouyancy for this holiday season--that's my mantra.

A few songs that are tiptoeing quietly through the air here:

Misguided Angel---Cowboy Junkies
Love it when a song of theirs comes out of nowhere on the ipod shuffle. Comforting sadness.

Where's the Ocean---Toni Childs
First heard this song in 1993. It haunts me to this day. What do you see when you hear this song? i imagine a very foggy beach in the late morning or late afternoon. The time just before the sun comes up or goes down. And when i say it haunts me, it means i totally love it.

Perfect Skin---Lloyd Cole
"...she's inappropriate but she's much more fun..."

Pennylane Productions is signing off for the year but before i go:

Resolutions for 2006:

1. Eat more carbs
2. Italjet scooter (wait, that's not a resolution, but it is one less car...)
3. More acupuncture
4. More drums
5. Definitely more surfing
6. Less sneezing (see #3)

World 66

I've come across a great website allows you to create a map of all the countries you've been to in the world, in the U.S., and in Europe. This is a map that represents those countries i've visited. You can create a map of all the states you've visited, all the Canadian provinces you've visited, and all the countries in Europe you've been to. All of the countries i've been to in this image represents 14% of the world, according to World 66.

I have yet to travel to South America and Africa and would like to wholeheartedly. Top of my list: Salvador de Bahia, Brasil and Ghana, Africa. Also: Taiwan, New Zealand, Turkey, Finland, Shanghai, Ecuador, Cambodia, Belize, Honduras, the Truk Islands and the Seychelles (Anse Source d'Argent....)

To everyone i know living in different corners of the United States, Europe, and Asia --all the best for the holidays! Hope to see you in 2006 : )

Rotation

Go local:

1. Hunan Village, near the Grand Avenue Theater
Totally American Chinese--most die hard H. Villagers are non-Asians who order veggie noodles, sweet and sour chicken, and moo shu pork. What makes this one of my favorites is the fact that they make the absolute best hot and sour soup in the Bay Area. The level of spiciness tends to vary from really spicy to mild. The dishes other than the aforementioned soup are unremarkable, but you'll enjoy the ambiance here. My favorite part about Hunan Village is the owners. They've run the restaurant for 15+ years and know their regular customers by name. They've observed children grow from toddlers to high school students. Their hospitality, warmth, and friendliness is unmatched. An excellent choice for mid-week days when you're hungry but uninspired and too lazy to cook. They'll always greet you with a smile and you'll be glad you stopped in.

2. Jong Ga House, 372 Grand Avenue
The owners were part of the restaurant "Koryo Sushi" on Telegraph. Apparently once that restaurant got on its feet, the owners quietly slipped out the back door to open this one. It's located in a residential area, so you're not able to grill your kalbi. Excellent, efficient friendly service even when it gets really busy. In my past life at Mills College, i sometimes accompanied my Korean students here. They trekked here weekly and often brought their French, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Brasilian friends. My favorites: mandoo guk soup, chop chae, dolsot bi bim bap, dobu jigae, and barbeque chicken. Cappy loves the cold noodles they serve just after you order, the fried flatfish and the barbeque shrimp. Jong Ga staples: i happily use the basic Korean i know, i always think i'm seeing someone who looks just like me before i realise it's my own mirrored reflection (duh...it gets me every time), and i feel empty and lost if i don't eat here more than a few times a month.

3. Drunken Fish, 3314 Piedmont Avenue
Don't let all the bottles of sake fool you. This is a Korean joint. Those too tired to get back over the bridge on a Friday night can experience Korean freestyle sushi at it's best. Tantalizing? You have to see it to believe it: TNT roll, Shrek roll, Mexican Roll, Titanic roll. Avoid all the "Japanese" entrees, miso soup, and most appetizers. Go right for the obnoxious and inappropriate rolls that double as food art. I mean this endearingly. Where else can you check out the REI bridge and tunnel lesbian fashion (so sexy) as you ponder the architecture of the Titanic roll you just bravely ordered. Please say you hear the sarcasm and yes, i'm so going straight to hell. Forget about quick service--just don't order your mini-monstrosities all at once. Once you accept the uncommon mixtures...avocado with spicy tuna deep fried with salmon and teriyaki sauce--you can then really enjoy it. Just don't bring/go with your Japanese friends straight off the jet. Or do...you'll be amused with their subtle derisive glances at the Shrek roll dropped off at the table next to you. You can remind them that they do put CORN on pizza and stuff potato salad in sandwich buns.

4. Los Cantaros Taqueria, down the street from Jong Ga House on Grand Avenue
This is the new tacqueria that opened up just down the street from Jong Ga House. Apparently, this space has been about four or five restaurants in the last fifteen years. We think they've finally created a keeper. Not bad: Veracruz salad, chicken mole, chips/salsa, homemade tamale specials, enchiladas, and sopes. Take out is a good option on busy nights. It's not Pancho Villa in the Mission, or La Corneta in Glen Park, but the food is fresh and the people are friendly.

5. Full House Cafe, 3719 MacArthur Boulevard
In my humble opinion, Full House is the best breakfast cafe in Oakland. They do ordinary things really well. Best breakfast items: cornmeal pancakes, pecan waffles, huevos rancheros, chicken/beet scramble, and their above average diner coffee. Also, their fabulous grits is an alternative to house potatoes and fruit. And they make bacon extra crispy if you request it. The best part about Full House is the diverse group of people. Gay/straight families, young hipsters, chatty old school war vets, artists, hung over Mills students, etc. Note: hit up an ATM first. It's a cash only joint.

There are others i've probably forgotten. i'm only listing reasonable quick go to places when we're hungry but can't be asked to put something together at home. In a future blog, i'll list all of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond. Or maybe i'll list a few now:

1. Bouchon -Yountville
2. Chenery Park-Glen Park
3. B44- Belden Lane
4. Gombei- San Jose Japantown
5. Koryo Sushi-Berkeley
6. Saul's Deli -Berkeley
7. Pomelo -Snowy Valley The Cuban Fried Rice plate absolutely.
8. Jeanty at Jack's The "Soft Boiled Egg and Escarole Salad with a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette" is to DIE for. Again and again.

Zap

i'm waiting for cappy to finish something on her computer so we can get going here. The time thing still doesn't work on my blog but i can reveal that it's early Friday evening and we're off very soon. i will stop writing when it's time to go.

Totally self-indulgent quirky lazy jibberish:

-i like seeing Christmas movies when it's nowhere near Christmas, and not so much when we're in the midst of the holidays

-i love eating dried mango. The big bags from Cebu at Costco are my new favorite thing

-Arizmendi pizza with yams, purple onions, goat cheese, and pecans is divine. Unforgettable.

-i admit that i would like to see Coldplay in concert. i found out that Chris Martin and i share the same birthday. A singing Pisces elf. And i don't care if they're overproduced, overly serious, insufferable, annoying, and loved by kids in high school. Ugh. i love their music. Chris Martin has a slight lisp, have you noticed that?

-Great Christmas memory: Waking up when i was 7 or 8 and seeing a new Barbie Townhouse fully set up in my room. It would have been nice to unwrap it, but it was a spectacular thing to wake up to.

-If i could zap myself anywhere in the world today, i'd go here: Mukaitaki (minus the sakurasashi and koi...) Zap, zap, zap!! Not working.

P.S. Special shout out to my Kiwi friend Graham in Fukushima-shi. Stay warm and enjoy some Tohoku ramen for me!

Sounds

What is that sound? That similar guitar line, that new wave pop sound, it's so familiar. Who does it remind me of? A little research shows that everything comes back to the Beatles.

So let's start with my new favorite band, the Killers....

The Killers were influenced by Duran Duran, who were influenced by Blondie, who was influenced by David Bowie who was influenced by the Beatles...

Same as above for the below:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs---Blondie---David Bowie---the Beatles
Franz Ferdinand---Joy Division---David Bowie---the Beatles
Arcade Fire---David Bowie---the Beatles

If i were in a band today, i'd say my influences are:

Duran Duran, This Mortal Coil, The Beloved, Crowded House, and New Order. What kind of sound would that be? Moody dance music that is best enjoyed behind the wheel or while twirling at home with a glass of wine. Of course withe the glass of wine set down before pre-twirling... Like i'd be in a band again--but why not, life is too short to not do what you love. Right now i love the drums. Right now i love many things.

Recent favorite songs:

All These Things That I've Done--The Killers
Maps --Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Reptilia --The Strokes

i absolutely love The Killers these days. i've not liked a new group this much since i discovered the Postal Service. And i've not liked a singer like the groovy Korean girl Karen O. (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) since i first heard Hope Sandoval a long while ago.

Note:
Somehow the time function is not/hasn't been working properly on my blog. i have no idea what time will appear below...

Recently

It's all about the little things:

-Visiting with Cappy's Mom and my parents this month. Good times.

-A week long break from Boot Camp.

-Re-connecting with my long lost friend Michael via Hipster. i first met him at a JET conference at the Portopia hotel Kobe in 1994. We lounged about for 2-3 days in various seminars, enjoying the time away from our small towns. We were on the lookout for other LGBT life forms, laughing at/with quirky Canadians, and chatting up Ingrid from London.

-A new Cafe Del Mar CD

-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Repeat viewing needed, especially for the first 15 minutes. Though, i missed the house elf situation with Hermione and a lot else that wasn't included in the film.

-A bit of Christmas shopping done early.

-A very odd dream where i was salsa rollerblading in my elementary school gym. i was totally smoove and wearing all brown.

-Pistachio gelato from Ciao Bella at the Ferry Building.

-The Tubular One's red rain jacket and the happy way she flaunts it.

-Consuming Gia's biography like potato chips. Perfect bart reading. Now i've got to see the movie which i've totally not seen yet.

-My new happy boots.

And another Tuesday gone...

Pidgin

pidgin n. (pjn) A simplified form of speech that is usually a mixture of two or more languages, has a rudimentary grammar and vocabulary, is used for communication between groups speaking different languages, and is not spoken as a first or native language.

My friends have always told me, "Your parents have an accent." Unless they were from Hawaii, they may have assumed my parents weren't native English speakers. My parents speak pidgin English but they switch to standard English when not around others from Hawaii. After studying linguistics in grad school, i was finally able to tell my dad that he was not just a Kona boy who never lost his accent, but one who is bidialectal and therefore linguistically complex. Ha! That's exactly what he said.

My favorite comedian: Rap Replinger "Poi Dog"
I listen to bit of Poi Dog at work sometimes when i need a good laugh...

Match the numbers and letters:

1. Who wen cockaroach da cookies?
2. Geev um!
3. Try wait!
4. No talk li'dat!
5. I go talk to you bumbye.
6. Shoots!
7. No make A, eh?

A. Hold on!
B. Try not to make a right fool of yourself!
C. Who ate/stole all the cookies?
D. Talk to you later.
E. Don't speak in that manner, it's unbecoming!
F. Bring it! (Give it your all)
G. Sure, I'm game!

Check your answers here! (Thanks Tara!)

i speak pidgin:

-with my parents and extended ohana
-with certain friends from Hawaii
-with Desiree but not Trinity
-when i'm tired and can't be asked to speak properly
-at times with Cappy (who is picking up pidgin slowly but surely)

Aloha and Happy Thanksgiving!

Seattle

Top 10 things i love about Seattle:

1. The crisp chill

2. Ivar's Fish and Chips especially that chowder...

3. Friendly drivers. Though, sometimes friendly to a fault.

4. The Cascade Mountain backdrop behind the city

5. Thai Ginger. The best Thai food outside of Bangkok

6. The energy, the laid back friendliness, diversity, quirkiness--think back of pre-dot.com San Francisco...

7. The Harvard Exit Theater

8. Linda's Tavern

9. Capitol Hill

10. Pike Place Market


Today:

Dim Sum for Dad's birthday and then Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...individual popcorn bags for me, my mom, and Cappy. Just say no to extra salt and butter i say. Maybe no popcorn. After dim sum at Sea Garden, there's usually no need to eat for 3-5 days.

Boom Boom Chak

Think for a second. Can you name one thing you really love to do and could happily do it everyday--but have not really done much of it in your life? It has to be something exciting yet meditative, challenging, yet easy to learn and totally fulfilling on a psycho-emotional level? It's also something that has ruined lives as well as created them. Now, do you have that thing in mind? Or, possibly more than one thing?

For me, this describes the way i feel about the drums. Those who know me understand my drum thing. When i see a drum set, am near a drum set, or am playing around with my electronic drum set--it's always an exciting thing. Perhaps i was born with the excitement of drums in my blood. Maybe my birth peeps were rhythmically inclined. Or maybe i was a drummer in a past life. Whatever the drum thing is, i have it. It's an extremely meditative and wonderful thing.

My first drum "lesson" was in Nishi-Aizu, Japan. My teacher was the drummer of the town band, "Paradox." By day Sato-san delivered chocolate milk and peach juice to places like the town offices and the board of education. I went to his studio a few times a week. i learned a basic beat and played that to his keyboard rendition of every Beatles song you can think of.

i had my first proper drum lesson last night. i could go on and on about it. One hour felt like about ten minutes. My teacher has a studio in the building that houses Moulton Studios and Club Seen magazine at Polk and Sutter. This drum lesson was like visiting a remote tropical island. Absolutely heavenly, but impossible to live there. Ahmed convinced me that i could fly into the island pretty regularly and that it didn't have to be a once a year fantasy vacation hour. So now, with regular lessons i might be able to add a few more new beats to my "boom boom chak tiss boom boom chak..."

Pennylane Productions is bracing for some Jupiter in Scorpio action. Apparently, i have from now until November 2006 to be consumed with inspiration.

My Favorite Piscean

Last night as i left work there was a breeze that passed over the parking lot that felt atypically tropical. i heard the nearby seagulls at the shore and felt a wave of nostalgia. Not sure for what precisely. My thoughts wandered to the days i spent in rural Japan. I was in the midst of my 20's and had a lot of time to read, think, and smoke. A lot of smoking, unfortunately. One writer that kept me positively buoyant was my favorite Pisces gal, Anais Nin (1903-1977). This woman really knew how to use a diary.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes of hers. Each of these have been profound at different times in my life--especially the Japan/Korea years and thereafter:

"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country."

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

"If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it."

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."

"Living never wore one out so much as the effort not to live."

"People living deeply have no fear of death."

"There are many ways to be free. One of them is to transcend reality by imagination, as I try to do."


Are there any other Nin fans out there? Reply silently, telepathically, or anonymously. i'll take calls off air.

Lucky Penny

i am superstitious and overly conscientious of things like:

-Voices that ring out from nowhere in native american museums
-Attending to salt that falls out of a dispenser
-Black moths that appear on door screens
-Prescient dreams
-Black cats
-Deja vu
-Lucky PENNIES!

Recent Lucky Penny Story:

While walking along the shore of Lake Tahoe this past weekend, i saw a bright shiny penny in the middle of the turtle grass a.k.a. Thalassia testudinum--the blades are large and flat, kind of like golf grass. Knowing that we were heading to Reno later in the evening, i happily picked it up.

Hours later the pennylane crew arrived in the heart of Reno. We walked through the Silver Legacy to the casino of Circus Circus. Agreeing to meet in an hour near the escalators close to the slot machines, i set out on my way to fortune and glory. My first stop was a roulette table. i bet on the day of my birthday, and won. Beginners luck. Cappy cheered me on, "It's the lucky penny!" After the thrill of winning $5, i needed a slight break from gambling. i then watched Cappy slay everyone at the blackjack table. OK, she won a few hands. Well, she won occasionally. Well, let's just say the dealer Arlene from New Jersey had a good night.

i wondered how Sandra and Leti were doing. i stopped by the roulette table where they had parked themselves. They seemed excited with some wins here and there. i took a seat at their table and thought about placing a bet on the two green numbers. With my lucky penny firmly in my grip, i quietly pushed my chips up to the line that straddles green 0 and 00, and took a deep breath...

People all around were putting chips down all over the number grid. The roulette dealer then waved her hand over all the chips on the table, "No more bets please!" She then tossed the little white ball on its way around the roulette wheel. i looked away from the wheel and after a while it started to slow down. i was chanting "green, green, green!" in my head. The little white ball bobbed around from number to number like a freaked out popcorn kernel. It finally slowed down and settled on the green 0!!! Completely stunned, i asked the dealer to cash me out.

i did not think it could happen again, but decided to try again. i was caught in the temporary addictive thrill of winning. i wandered over to a completely empty roulette table, and plunked down chips--again for either the green 0 or 00. Yes, i hit it again. This time, the little white ball landed on the green 00. Again, i cashed out immediately.

So i won twice. Unbelievable. How much did i win? All total about $300, but considering i only spent about $50, i was very happy.

It was steak and lobster for all of us, courtesy of me, and my lucky penny. i'm going to write something cheesier than Fondue and French brie here, but i don't care....

Mid-sized rental car for the weekend: $95
Travel size shampoo/conditioner: $6.50
Roadtrip dinner at In and Out Burger: $12
4 Mexican hot chocolates by the lake: $9

Being able to treat my friends with unexpected winnings: Priceless

A Night with the Larry Mullen Band

Yeah, i wish i took this photo... i was lucky to have worshipped in the church of Bono for a few hours on Tuesday night. It was a true rock and roll show with amazing pixel light curtains, and a wonderful playlist. Bono and Edge were en fuego. And, there was an amazing stroke of luck that i'll get to in a minute...

Firstly, i have to say that neither MLK, Bad, nor The Unforgettable Fire was played. All was forgiven (by me) when i heard the first few chords of a song i adore. It was way underplayed in its day: One Tree Hill. Although Bono seemed to have forgotten the words to most of it, it was a brilliant three minutes.

Back to our gorgeous stroke of luck....

Cappy and i were happily settled in our unreasonably pricey nosebleed seats in section 202. The unforgiving roof even curled over our heads, blocking our view to those directly across from us. In order to see the stage, try doing this: look down and to the right on the floor three feet away from you. Let's just say i could "crush" the whole stage with my thumb and forefinger. All that notwithstanding, we were giddy and loved the set by Damian Marley.

So it was about 15 minutes until U2 was to come on. The buzz and excitement in the arena was palpable. Suddenly some guy runs up the stairs and shouts out to the section to the right of us. Immediately, people jumped out of their seats, grabbed a ticket from this man, and tore down the stairs. Worried that they might be tickets to the floor (not inside the now full ellipsis) i didn't really worry about it. After a few minutes of watching people in the right section flying down the stairs, my fabulous Cappy stood up and hiked up a few stairs to see what was going on...

The next thing i know, she's shouting, "give me your ticket, give me your ticket..." i hand her my ticket and in exchange we were given two seats to section 107. For a clear idea of where we were and where we ended up, look here. Look where it says section 202. Now find section 107. We were about 4 rows up from the floor. Perfect. Front and center. An already amazing night became magical. Two minutes later, the lights dimmed. And Bono appeared about 100 feet in front of us.

i've said before that i admire my girl's intuition and quick action...well, tonight i became an even bigger fan of U2, and Cappy too!

Note: We found out later that U2 generally buys out many tickets in the best sections, and then releases those seats shortly before the show--to obviously prevent severe scalping and ticket profiteering. Then, the venue staff picks a severe nosebleed section, and lets those folks exchange their tickets for the best seats in the house.

So thank you Larry Mullen and your bandmates, for the amazing seats and thrilling show.

Dig Dug and Turkey

Does anyone else but me enjoy playing Dig Dug on a Game Boy? i'm totally addicted. It's a great game to play on the bart. It wakes me up better than coffee and i see tunnel patterns during the day whenever i look up from my cpu screen. Another favorite game: Galaga. Totally reminds me of Waikakea Plaza's Fun Factory (Hilo, Hawai'i) circa 1982. Other than Tetris, i can't be asked to play any other video games that are out now. They confuse me and bring out a side of me that is distinctly Korean in nature.

A friend just got back from a month long trip all over Turkey. Over the years, i've been lucky to meet many Turkish students who have been the warmest and most generous people i have met. i've not yet been to Turkey but i'd like to. Did you know that a typical Turkish breakfast is fresh tomatoes, white cheese, black olives, bread with honey and preserves, and sometimes an egg omelettes? This sounds wonderful to me.

97% of Turkey lies in Asia, but it is grouped as a European country for the World Cup...and for their bid to join the EU. Many Turkish people tell me that they see Turkey as a Middle Eastern country. i had my Turkish coffee grounds read in Paris a few days before 9/11. Thankfully, it was a nice reading that has since proved to be unbelievably accurate. Also, in Turkish, "C" is pronounced like a "J."

My friend Ozlem in Istanbul says:

-Girls like to play basketball in Turkey, but not soccer
-All kids in Turkey love hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries.
-Hockey is not a popular sport in Turkey
-People do not eat turkey sandwiches in Turkey
-You pronounce the city "Izmir" like this: Iz-Meersh
-The hero of Turkey is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. He established the Republic of Turkey and saved the country from attacks by other countries.

All of this information is related to a work project i'm currently involved with.

Speaking of work:

It's recording time again. I'm looking to cast voice talent (read: my friends and acquaintances) for interesting bit characters. Specifically, i need people who have accented English, or not. i'm currently seeking: Thai speakers of English, a man and woman w/a British accent and/or a Scottish accent, and/or an Irish accent...and anyone else with a velvety smooth kid friendly voice. If you've ever wanted to do some fun voice over work, or have in the past--talk to me.

MLK

A funny and true story:

My co-worker Peter was attending a service at Glide Memorial Methodist in San Francisco earlier this year. He brought his parents, who were visiting from New York. In the middle of the sermon, a woman came to the front to pass a note to the Reverand Cecil Williams who muttered, "Yeah, OK, at the end..." When he was done, he called out to the crowd, "OK you can let that young man step forward now..." A short man wearing all black and dark glasses made his way to the front of the church. Realising it was Bono, a small wave of cheer and gleeful shouts also made its way to the front of the room. He stood at the front and declared Reverand Williams "The Pope of San Francisco." Bono then proceeded to sing "It's a Wonderful World" acapella.

By this time people were on their feet, cheering and singing along in wide-eyed amazement. Peter's parents were totally caught up in the excitement too. Imagine an older Jewish couple bobbing up and down, singing along "....I see skies of blue..." clapping and cheering. It wasn't until the end that Peter asked his mom and dad, "Wasn't it amazing to see Bono here?" "Who's Bono?" asked his mother and father in unison. Cute.

The crew at pennylane productions have finally put away the codeine and tylenol. i've finally stepped out of my flu fog. For the past 8 days, my life has been all about: cough syrup, soup, tons of water and juice, no patience for reading, a few mind-numbing and awful MTV shows (Real World, TRL, Laguna Beach...i know, pretty disgusting indeed) and little or no appetite whatsoever.

It's odd how your body weakens. You nearly forget what it's like to be healthy and going about your daily routines. i was dying going up and down the stairs--hello, there are like 5 of them. i was a bit over zealous this morning by attending Boot Camp. It was windy and arctic, but i'm feeling more amongst the living more now than i have in a while.

And i'm happy to say i'll be seeing U2 tonight for the third time since the early 90's. This will be Cappy's first time, and i know she'll love it. If you've seen them in concert, you know firsthand how they can make an arena feel like a small venue. You experience that "band + audience = one" feeling. Cheesy, i know, but i really don't care....

Possible playlist tonight:

Main Set: City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, Elevation, The Electric Co., The Ocean, I Still Haven't Found, Beautiful Day - Many Rivers to Cross, Miracle Drug, Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own, Love and Peace or Else, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky, Miss Sarajevo, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One - MLK

Encore(s): The First Time, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, With or Without You, All Because of You, Yahweh, 40

If they play "MLK" tonight, it will be worth the whole arena experience and the fact that i don't know much of their stuff since the Joshua Tree. Hearing "Bad" will be unbelievable and very much appreciated. But hearing "The Unforgettable Fire" will certainly be a religious experience for sure.

Damian Marley, son of Bob, is the opening act. In this tour, loads of musical guests have been known to appear. In Las Vegas, Mary J. Blige and Brandon Flowers from the Killers shared the stage.

i wonder who will appear tonight...

At Home

New site discovered: Generation Kikaida

New favorite song: "The only one" Readymade FC

New movies out that i want to see: None

New cereal at home: Maple Brown Sugar Mini Wheats

Newly added Friendster friend: Kochun

Exciting new Trader Joe's discovery: French Truffles (thanks Lorrie!)

Recent itunes puchase: 4 Strings

Days taking spoonfuls of Codeine cough syrup: 3

Number of extremely odd dreams since the above: 4

Number of days until i return to work: 1 or 2

Days until Hawai'i holiday: 54

New Calling

This year i morphed into a smarmy Goth Captain Manson. Cappy became "Elvira the Mortal Immortal." A swashbuckling goth pirate and a vampire seductress. We took our alter egos on the road for a night of debauchery and public acts of wackiness. i pillaged for drinks and yummy appetizers. Cappy distracted people with her deathlike pallor, and brought a 17-month old bumblebee to tears on two occasions. Good times. Not good however, for a budding flu bug that's kicking me down as i type this.

Back in the day, pre-play dates, gps, ebay, and kid leashes, my brother and our friends would set out for hours into the neighborhood on Halloween. After a few hours, we'd return home with our large plastic pumpkin buckets filled to the brim. We'd turn over the pumpkins in the living room and meticulously divide up the candies. All candies sour, apple, cinnamon, and those nasty Necco wafers to him, and all chocolates, lollies, and chewy things for me.

Costumes of yesteryear:

-Jaws 4th grade
I was very sick a week before Halloween, but felt better the day of. By the time my mom and i got to the local drug store, the only costume left was Jaws. Great. The entire costume was packed into plastic bag which consisted of: a plastic shark mask, and a plastic frontal cape with "JAWS" written across the chest and a peaceful beach scene. i was a walking billboard for the movie. People didn't know if i was a girl or boy. My dad walked me around to a few houses on our block. We went to Universal Studios that year. i somehow ended up with a Jaws beach towel. It was a Jaws year and i hated Jaws, actually. Can i type that one more time in this paragraph? Jaws. Jesus.

-Cowgirl: 5th grade
All was fun and games until a neighbor hooligan sprayed shaving cream all over my new sheepskin leather vest that my grandparents sent over from New Zealand. i had a real holster and a cool hat. It was the early 70's--clearly, i had no role models.

I've forgotten most other costumes after that--fast forward to the 21st century--

-Crystalline Daniels, last year
Crystalline was my assigned character at our friends' Honky Tonk Homicide Murder Mystery dinner party. She was the town hussy. i had a faux leather/cheetah mini skirt, cowboy boots, and a pink webbed shirt. i poured whiskey shots for people all night. Cappy was Twyla Fleetwood, Bingo pro and trailer park owner. Sexy.

I'm feeling it's time for a wardrobe overhaul. Would love to rip all the Banana Republic out of my closet and be a goth pirate year round.

That's it, i'll create a new line, what do you think of:

Corporate Goth
Business Pirate Casual
Executive Goth
Smart Pirate Goth

Guidelines for my new line in the workplace:

Goth Pirate Casual is crisp, dapper, and should look appropriate even for a chance meeting with a CEO. It should not look like cocktail or party or picnic attire. Avoid pastel or khaki; Goth Pirate is classic rather than preppy.

Basics: Leather pants tucked into laced up boots, , and a non-pressed long-sleeved, buttoned solid shirt are safe for both men and women. Bauhaus t-shirts, unwrinkled, are an appropriate choice if you know the environment will be quite casual, outdoors, or in a very hot location.

Shoes /belt: Wear a leather belt and leather shoes. Athletic shoes are inappropriate in most occasions except for athletics.

Details: Everything should be clean, well pressed, and dark black. Any black after a few washings may not be your best choice. Note: velvets and shimmery fabrics suitable for parties are totally appropriate for long days at the computer.

Jewelry: If you choose to wear other jewelry, do not be conservative. Removing earrings and piercings are not acceptable. For conservative industries, wear more black than usual. Observe others in your industry to see what is acceptable, then go for the opposite.

Accessories: Keep your choices savage and leaning toward the questionable. Gravitate towards extremes of style and color.

Cosmetics: Keep makeup heavy and dark. A bit more is usually better than none for a polished business goth look. Maintain extremes of nail length and polish especially in conservative industries.

I might have to put off my Foley Artist/Zamboni Driver dreams here. i think i've discovered my new calling...

Jupiter in Scorpio

According to Penny's preferred astrologer Jonathan Cainer, Jupiter enters Scorpio this week and will remain there until November 2006.

Generally, this Jupiter in Scorpio thing most strongly affects these three signs: Scorpio, Pisces, and Sagittarius. i'm a Sun and Venus Pisces, and have my rising in Scorpio for my sins. Flooded with water. Too much water. I'm in for a ride, a waterslide, slip and slide, riptide, maybe totally mollified?

Prepare for a phase of growth and inspiration, says Mr. Cainer. The last time Jupiter entered Scorpio was November '93-December '94. At this time in history, Penny trekked through Thailand, met a girl in Paris, and visited Seoul for the first time. And in between that, she smoked a lot of cigarettes, became telepathic, and had recurring dreams of North Carolina.

Penny says, "What's in store for me this time around, Jupiter?"

1. The re-kindling of my drum dreams, and subsequent re-start up of my band, "d.v.l.?"

2. A dream drive around the rink in my own pink pennylane zamboni?

3. I'll quit my job and totally get into foley artistry?

4. Completing a half marathon by my birthday?

5. Witnessing Cappy make her professional dreams come true, and being inspired to do the same?

6. i'll join the San Francisco Commonwealth Club so i can tour San Quentin. A co-worker did this. i'm fascinated--with San Quentin, not the Club.

7. Seriously, a half marathon. A mini triathlon?

Hey folks, Wednesday, 3 a.m. GMT. Jupiter in Scorpio. The madness begins....

Radio Show

Listened to a great show on NPR this morning on our way back from San Jose. It was called "Finding Home: 50 Years of International Adoption." The stories were from Korea, Guatemala, and China. The photo above shows Korean babies on their way to the States, courtesy of Holt, an evangelical Christian adoption organisation.

Earlier this morning, we shuttled Cappy's mom to the San Jose airport. She's off for a week long boat cruise aboard the "Spirit of Discovery" on the Columbia river. We then stopped for lunch at my favorite Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area, Gombei. Gombei is the real deal. No funky cream cheese and salmon 49er rolls here. It's the best Japanese food in the Bay Area.

So we're heading up on 880 from San Jose and this radio program starts playing on NPR. It was heartwarming, truthful, and at times very sad.

Many adoptees agonize over their lost identities, search for their birth families, and loss of cultural identity. Although these are not light issues, it is also never true that life with blood relatives is perfectly happy and trauma free.

Listening to some of the adoptee stories reminded me of the most wonderful thing about adoption--gaining a family and an opportunity for a better life.

If you get a chance, have a listen.

Nitrous

Dreaded message that swept into my voicemail yesterday:

"Hi, this is Carol from Dr. Vicki's office. This is just a reminder of your 8.30 dental appointment tomorrow morning. See you then, bye!"

Lovely. i totally did not see that one coming. i hadn't written it down in my calendar for obvious reasons. i went back to work. My happy mood left quietly out the back door. Later in the day, i received another voicemail. Carol, again:

"Hi again, this is Carol from Dr. Vicki's office. Just want to let you know that our nitrous machine is not working properly, so it will not be available for your appointment tomorrow. Hope that's OK!"

OK? What is the world coming to? The nitrous machine is not working properly?? What will they offer instead? A shot of whiskey? Some rope to tie around my arm for distraction? Nitrous, along with Vicodin, are what i call consolation prizes for an hour's worth of torment. Take those away, or the prospect of either, and you've got Penny with a 1978 kind of attitude..."i don't want to go! You can't make me!"

What happened to the nitrous machine?? i started to visualise the possibilities. Maybe someone forgot to turn it off before leaving the office, leaving a slithering hissss to flood the office overnight. Maybe the next morning Carol was leaving messages to patients like "Heeeeeeyyy, it's Carol! You gonna come in for your filling tomorrow? You know you love it! Wheeeeeee! That's what i'm talking about!" Frightening--on many levels.

So anyway, it turned out this morning that there wasn't enough time for the procedure that needed a shot (hence the nitrous...) This is both a blessing and a curse. i am spared today, but i have to make yet another appointment.

In a few weeks it will be another round of "Hey it's Carol from Dr. Vicki..." another pre-procedure night of anxiety, perhaps another whiny blog entry, another reluctant trip up Park Boulevard...

Let's hope that the nitrous machine gets "fixed" by then!

Baby Like Heroin

The title of this blog is not to imply that babies enjoy narcotics, but rather how many women in my age range seem to need a baby like heroin. Insane. Crazed. Desperate? Obligatory? Fulfilling? Life changing?

My good friend Kelly's baby is now able to sleep in her crib which opens up a new life dimension for her--hopefully one where creative work and/or reading can have a chance to resurface. Kelly can finally have a bit more down time, time to watch movies, catch up on correspondance, etc. And selfish me--here i am writing in a blog about all the glorious foods i've indulged in this past weekend, thinking about my upcoming drum lessons (!) and whether or not i should put our wetsuits away...

Many women i know in my age range have either just given birth or have serious plans to make this happen in the near planned future. Why has the baby bug not bitten me? Has it? Am i really smart or excessively selfish?

Our friends recently got an English Bulldog puppy called Winston. i've never met such a cuddly, warm, and loveable dog in my life. His two daddies were fussing over him this past Sunday like a mother with a newborn baby. Perhaps i could go that road. Raise a puppy. Less psychological damage, no diaper changes, simple needs. Then i realised that some dog breeds live for only seven years. So when i'd finally get the hang of being a dog mom, its lifespan would swiftly come to a close?!

So what kind of mother would i be?

There's a Happy Mom at my work who gives out unsolicited progress reports (or UPR's) of her baby. Typical scenario: You wander into the kitchen, wanting to just grab a coffee and get back to your desk. Happy Mom is in there, lurking about for an audience. If you make eye contact, you can't help uttering those magic words, "So how's the baby doing?" Let's face it, saying this is just asking for it. After the basic UPR rundown, she'll then turn to anecdotes. Here's where it gets really tricky to get away--it's probably now going on 15 minutes and all you wanted was a cup of coffee. Happy Mom winds you up with the promise of the funniest story in the world. Usually it turns out to be something about the kid putting a magnet on the refrigerator. Now i wonder, if/when i become a mother, will everything my child does be the funniest and most amazing thing?

So what about being a mom?

i was on my way back from Beijing, standing in the extremely confusing and crowded airport. Apparently there was an Air France flight headed back to Paris. As i looked around, there were many happy French couples holding beautiful baby girls in their arms. It suddenly hit me, how amazing it must be, to travel across the world, and return home with a new family member. It's what my parents did, back in 1970. i thought of how excited they must have been--driving down to Eugene, Oregon to pick me up on a plane that took off in Korea.

Fast forward through the customs line, the waiting area, and two hours into the flight back to San Francisco. i got up from my seat to walk around a bit. As i was stretching, i saw a little baby, standing on her father's lap, facing backwards, in my direction. This baby looked so excited, as if she knew where she was headed, and what lay ahead of her. She suddenly looked up at me with her cheery eyes, and noticed i was looking at her too. She bobbled up and down, and continued to look at me. Her eyes were consoling, reassuring, definitely communicative--then she broke out into a huge smile that was just for me. It was as if her look conveyed a simple message, "it's OK, i'm not that bad, i won't drive you crazy, look how much fun a baby could be...!"

OK so then it was cynical penny, 40,000 feet up in the air somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, no longer cynical but cheery, teary, and weary. Mostly teary!

Perhaps what scares me is that maybe i'll be the Happy Mom in the kitchen cornering co-workers with my lengthy UPR's, maybe it will be me blogging about my kid's first words, feats, and first steps?

i guess maybe growth in life is measured by the different reactions and sensations we feel to things we've considered over and over again in the past?

Malasadas and Ice Cream

Do you ever have days where you feel like eating everything including the tablecloth? This past sunny Saturday was one of extreme hedonistic indulgence with the Sharlita, the Cappy, and the newly de-furred Tubular One --i'll defer this explanation for now...

Our adventure started out Saturday morning with a hearty breakfast at Chloe's in Noe Valley. We had amazing egg scrambles with jarlsburg cheese, avocadoes, tomato, salmon, bacon (not all together), razor thin extra crispy bacon, walnut wheat toast, and orange juice. The coffee was just right, and the wait for a table not long at all.

We then trekked over to la casa de Sharlita. The Tubular One explored every square inch of the apartment punctuating each room with the "tik tik tik tik tik" sound of her little paws. Seemingly satisfied with the space, she settled down on the black and white checkered kitchen floor.

A little later in the day, it was off to Linda Mar beach in Pacifica, this time without our surfboards and wetsuits. Unfortunately so...there were no crowds, great waves, and spaces abound in the parking lot. Above the cove, a small circle of sun beat down on the surf, as a ring of surrounding grey clouds looked on. After unsuccessfully scaling the wall to the beach, the Tubular One raced out to dig to her heart's delight. She showed off her tennis ball retrieving skills, and rushed out to the shore's edge only to turn back at the very last minute.

On our way out to visit our foster pony, P-Middy, we stopped at the Linda Mar shopping complex. As i was turning the car into the intersection, i suddenly and joyously remembered that we were very close to L & L Drive Inn. i shouted out "Fruit Punch!" while maneuvering the car into the turning lane. We indulged ourselves with portuguese sausage and barbeque chicken musubi, fresh malasadas (nothing like the malasadas at Tex's Drive Inn in Honoka'a of course, but very good) and chicken katsu saimin. Hello, are we 16 year old teenagers?

Later that afternoon, after feeding a bag of carrots to our equine friends (carrots were the only thing we didn't inhale today), we found ourselves standing in line at Mitchell's...cherry vanilla, red raspberry, and white pistachio ice cream were the flavors, each dipped in chocolate in a small waffle cone. Very exciting.

And if all that wasn't enough, later that night for dinner....just kidding. After the ice cream late that afternoon, i didn't eat again until noon on Sunday.

Sometimes it's the sun and happy company that makes everything taste so wonderful. The only one who missed out on all the treats was the Tubular One. Speaking of her, i will get back to the previously deferred de-fur situation--

Our vet friend Sandy turned us on to a "Shedding Blade," something i've renamed as a "Fur Saw." It's a rounded metal contraption that actually slinks off clumps of loose fur. The Tubular One went from tubular to skeletal in less than three minutes. Her mommies will be sneeze free, until the next de-furring session (probably tomorrow) Fur will no longer reside in our space as a condiment.

Good times.

Fall

Fall is finally here, at least it feels that way today!

Last night was round two with the pod of Poppers. We clustered like bumblebees and stripped the ball from each other at times. From the sidelines, Cappy noted that it was a “kick and run” kind of game. You can generally see “kick and run” soccer games on Saturday mornings in the suburbs—you’ll see 4’ players in pink jerseys running between hockey sized goal posts. When I think of it, what were they thinking in the early 70’s? I recall playing soccer in 2nd and 3rd grade using regular sized fields and goal posts. No wonder we clustered and never scored any goals, the field was way too big!

So anyway, though I actually managed to stay on the field for most of the game, it’s never fun to lose to a crap team. I noticed that many women on my team, as well as the opposing team, are soccer moms—not in the sense that they support their soccer playing kids, but they’re actually moms gone wild on the field. This amazes me. i know i mentioned the soccer moms before. For some reason I have this weird idea in my head that once you’ve given birth, things like soccer are out of the question. Clearly, I’ve got to sort my life out.

Tonight I’m hanging out with my friend Bob. I first met Bob in Seoul, in an internet café near the Kyobo bookstore. I was grounding out cigarettes in the coffee ground-wet napkin ashtray, and Bob was busy working on the legal aspects of our friend Sang-Woon’s new nightclub idea. Months later, Bob and I took the overnight ferry from Pusan to Shimonoseki, Japan to renew our Korean visas. On the ferry, I remember staying up all night playing hwatu (go stop card game) with all the chain-smoking harmonis. In Seoul, we hung out on the roof of our yeogwan eating melon popsicles, and talking about travels in S.E. Asia. I had to keep reminding him that the Canadian woman down the hall was called “Bardee” and not “Barney.” It’s funny, the little details you remember about people.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to Christmas and New Years in Kona and Hilo this year. We’re looking forward to plate lunch picnics at Lilioulakalani park, snorkeling, running around with the niece and nephew, Hapuna beach, a flume ride, and Itsu’s ice shave.

Is it December yet?

Don't Repeat After Me v2

Eeeewww...

-Let's DO this!
Predominantly a dude phrase, it needs to be extinguished.

-Low-hanging fruit
A corporate idiom that sounds vulgar and makes me cringe whenever i hear it. For example, "Let's go for the low-hanging fruit first and revisit the other issues later." That just kills me.

-Perch, Dwell, Cohabitate, Stumble, Frolic, Summer, Nest, Gravitate, Canoodle, Percolate
All of these verbs, when referring to humans in action. It's nails on the chalkboard to me and i'm really not sure why?

-Omelette Station
Seen in buffet restaurants, usually written in neon lights. Not sure what is worse, seeing/hearing these words together or the aforementioned lights.

-Good luck with that!
Usually in response to impossible situations. It's so dismissive, though it cracks me up to hear it.

-Up the Ante
Also sounds vulgar.

-Want to grab some lunch? OR Want to grab a bite to eat?
As annoying and in the same category as: "That's what I'm talking about" and "Good to go."

OK, there, now i feel better.

Heavy Rotation

Headphones today:

Precious- Depeche Mode
i play this one constantly, hopefully i won't get too sick of it

Nothing Stays the Same- Elastica
justine frischmann...those dark eyes...

Transatlanticism- Death Cab for Cutie
If i could draw my favorite type of music i would sketch this song

New Forms-Roni Size/Reprazent
Best played as loud as possible

Sea of Sin (Sensoria Mix)- Depeche Mode
Aquatic, dark, and lovely

Simarik-Tarkan
Turkish Pop...pretty flirty tune

Ducks

Here's a picture of the Oregon Ducks walking all over the Stanford Cardinals. We're sitting 30 rows up from the 50 yard line surrounded by Stanford alumni. Our friends Christy and Sarah were nibbling on chicken sandwiches and nursing endless lemonades while Cappy and i dealt with overflowing mustard and relish from our colossal hot dogs. We enjoyed the first half, but after half time, it was like watching a junior varsity high school team (Stanford) scrimmaging against the varsity (Ducks) team.

It was summer hot with barely a breeze. We cheered on the Ducks and thankfully didn't make any enemies in the process. That said, many of the Stanford alums sitting behind us quietly exited in the middle of the 3rd quarter. As we were walking out of the stadium we overheard a sad Cardinal fan exclaiming into her cell phone, "it was misery...misery, just misery!"

Final score: Ducks 44 - Cardinals 20

Kathleen would kill me, but i didn't wear any green and yellow...Luckily, Christy represented for me with her green sleeved shirt.

Until yesterday, i had only been to a couple of college football games in the fall of 1989. I remember enjoying the whole autumn feel of it. The light grey clouds, leaves, smell of burning leaves, and the happy energy of the crowds. I remember sipping coffee and Bailey's with a heavy wool blanket draped over my lap. i never paid attention to the game though, and usually left at halftime.

Yesterday however, it was a bit odd melting in the sun while eating frozen lemonade. My yearly football fix is done. We loved the game and the concessions. Good times.

Poppers

Sandra recruited me to play on her soccer team, the "Poppers." Poppers? i think of hyper shirtless boys at the Endup at 3 a.m., or deep fried jalapeno pepper appetizers.

i've not played soccer in a long while, but Sandra insisted that her team needed subs. i figured the eight weeks of boot camp has prepared me for situations like this--the strength training and conditioning for weekend or midweek athletes. Yeah, right.

It was near 8:15, Tuesday night. Cappy and i left the Tubular One resting on the backseat of the car, finishing up her 22 hours of rest for the day. We stumbled to the well lit fields. "What's that over there? Oh snackbar!" So now it's just me standing on the field, looking left and right for my unknown teammates.

A woman came hobbling down the way. Well, not really hobbling, but that's how i remembered it. "What team are you playing for?" "Poppers!" she cheered. Within seconds, i was handed a green and white striped adidas jersey. Seconds later, more Poppers arrived on the scene. A sideline pod of poppers. Suddenly a whistle blew from nowhere and i was tossed out onto the plush cushioned astroturf.

i've played soccer since i was in the 2nd grade. i continued with the sport competitively through high school. In college, i played indoor for fun. In '99 i played indoor once more with the Diablitas. Me and DJ Black were the only non-latinas on the team. We practiced on Sundays at Dolores Park. In one game, i scored 5 goals as the center forward. It was my first goal scoring experience at age 30. The last time i came close was in 4th grade when i was involved in a goal. But not for my team, against my own team.

Back in the day, i was always one of the better players on the team. Not the star, but i always started and usually played for the entire two halves. i've always played in the stopper position, in a 4-4-2 lineup. The stopper is the lucky one in front of the fullbacks and behind the halfbacks. i say lucky because this position is rarely responsible for anything. Leave the playmaking to the center half, and the sprints to stop the opposing team striker for the sweeper. Playing stopper is like having a 2nd center fielder in baseball. Great to have, though not key--someone who can make a good play once in a while.

So there i am in the stopper position-- jogging in circles around my teammates looking for the ball, getting in the way, etc. Into minute 25:00 i'm desperately sending telepathic messages to the sidelines. "Take me out coach!!" Cappy and Leti were cheering from the sidelines. Incredibly, they were able to generate loads of enthusiasm. "Did you hear me cheering for you?" "Uh, oh yeah, thanks sweetie!" If i'm being honest, mostly all i could hear was myself gasping for air and occasional shout outs from the goalie.

We played the "Herricanes." Cute. Fortunately, we didn't get swept away. Now that's cute. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. i thought of a million reasons why i might not continue for the rest of the season. Partly because my mind plays the game much faster than my legs can carry me, and also because i am so intimidated by the tough jockettes on the opposing teams. They've got serious thunder thighs and gritty game face smiles. One woman, their number one forward, apparently just had a baby a few months ago. And she's out there juggling, dribbling, and running like a child gone wild. i have no excuse.

i've somehow signed up for the rest of the short season. The pod of Poppers are incredibly sweet. At the end of the game, they patted me on the back and said over and over, "Good game!" which really means, "Please come back next week, we need more subs!"

Carnet de Voyage

I lived with a woman called Marie-Noelle in Paris years ago. When we were together, she used to show me this wonderful book of illustrations from places she had visited: Iran, Africa, Tunisia, New Zealand, Beijing... i often encouraged her to publish these illustrations either as a children's book or as an illustrated travel diary.

Finally, she published a book of her watercolor paintings and illustrations from Iran. Check out more illustrations from her book here.


I was thinking the other day of a story that she told me of her experience in Chad. Marie-Noelle was there for months working on a project that brought electricity and plumming to small villages. Aside from work, she would often wander off with her sketchbook and camera. One day, as she was walking through a grassy plain, some children ran up to her with an urgency and excitement that seemed a bit scary. Has someone been hurt? Are people in trouble? These questions flashed in her mind as she allowed the kids to tug at her sleeves and lead her back to their village. Apparently they had been following her for about thirty minutes. When they reached her, the kids held her hand, running and pulling her in one direction. All the while, they were talking to each other with a lot of excitement. "What is going on here, maybe they need a doctor?" Marie-Noelle thought to herself. Coming closer to the village however, she heard music. Approaching the village, she saw people feasting on pineapple and dancing as if their lives depended on it. It was then that she found out what the kids wanted--they just wanted to dance with her.

It is easy to forget the simple things in life. It is my wish this week to remember.

Me and U2

I've surprised Cappy with tickets to see U2 in November. This will be the first time for her, and the third time for me. i wasn't initially into getting tickets for this concert since i've barely heard anything since the Joshua Tree. Arena concert? No way. Large crowds? No, thanks. But then on my way home, "Where the Streets Have No Name" played on the radio, and i thought about the amazing associations i have with U2....

U2 memories:

-My black and white Anton Corbijn poster of the band under a castle under electric grey skies. It was similar to the one shown above. It was framed perfectly and i regret letting it go. It saw me through the ups, downs, and sideways curves of university life.

-When i was 14, i was caught up in "new wave." i fell in love with Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, New Order, and U2. I must have played and re-played the Band Aid special "Do They Know it's Christmas" about 50 times on VHS tape. i remember a very shy Bono speaking about music and politics wearing that black Amish hat.

-I first went to Japan in 1985 with my family. My grandfather had just bought me a pink (yes, pink) Sony Walkman in Asakusa, Tokyo. i quickly found "The Unforgettable Fire" cassette in a nearby music shop. For the rest of the trip and in nearly every photo, i'm wearing the pink walkman with a faraway look on my face.

-The 1993 Zooropa tour concert at the Big Egg dome in Tokyo. i swear i had eye contact with Bono as he jogged around the space between the first and second level. It was a night in early December and a few days before a three week holiday in Thailand. It was one of those "i'm gonna live forever" moments.

-August, 1995. Driving to the train station with Ben on my way to Narita airport--and back to the States. He said "i've got a surprise for you..." and popped in a CD and turned the dial...out came "The Unforgettable Fire." If i asked him about this day, i'm sure he would remember.

Favorite U2 songs:

The Unforgettable Fire
New Years Day
A Sort of Homecoming
Elvis Presley and America
Two Hearts Beat as One
A Day Without Me
One Tree Hill


Enough of memory lane...

New York Yoga

Summer is over.

Some co-workers set out for a stroll in the sun near our park-like setting business park, and returned drenched by a sudden downpour. The evening news featured a woman whose house was struck by lightning. Here at pennylane productions, we've finally admitted that summer is indeed over and are contemplating putting our surfboard and wetsuits away until the spring...

i love fall, i really miss it. It has taken nearly five years for me to get used to the fact that fall doesn't happen in the Bay Area until at least late November. So, for a proper autumn experience, Cappy and i will be headed to New York and New Jersey very soon. Hopefully we'll meet up with Erika and her "friend," and Kamomi in Brooklyn. i'm looking forward to a real deli experience, Chinatown, and asking people simple questions like, "Excuse me, do you have the time or should i just go $@$% myself?" (OK, i did weave that joke into my paragraph, but it's a good one, no?)

The last time i was in NY was in the mid-late 90's. i spent a few weeks there--i had just returned from a long year in Paris, and was about to move to Seoul. When i finally stepped out in Manhattan, i remember thinking that it was lit and loud like Tokyo, edgy like Seoul, and grimy and wonderfully diverse like Paris. It was exciting because at that point, i hadn't traveled much in the States at all.

This is hilarious--apparently, my friend Jen (an ex-New Yorker) has created a new style of yoga. She wrote me today: "My friend and I have designed "New York yoga,"which involves slow and conscious offensive body gestures." Brilliant.

i'm visualising regional yoga styles, and an international yoga convention featuring:

Seattle Yoga...involving earthy yet upbeat movements peppered with sporadic caffeine induced lunges.

Hilo Yoga...involving sitting on lava rock slowly moving your arm back and forth as if casting out to sea, then reaching back as if for a beer in the nearby cooler.

Paris Yoga...involving symbiotic erotic entanglements with your partner's best friend and anyone else in the room.

Lastly:

What did the snail on the back of the turtle say?

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Full Moon

Today:
Vivid dreams until 10 a.m.
Talking story with Sharlita (work/life and the blurry boundless world of pisceans)
Happy jog with the Tubular One
More vivid dreams in the late afternoon (so very feline of me)
Romantic dinner in Sicily with the One with the Pretty Hair
Reviving a beat passion long dormant (i.e. Penny in the studio next week!!!)

Questions:
Who became Beijing's Super Voice Girl?
Is knitting really all that fun?
What is that rattling noise in the dryer?
Why can't we have a proper Fall here?
Why have i lost the left side of two different shoes?
How was Erika's dinner at Dolce?

On some days i can clearly feel the passing of time...
Today i glimpsed the flashing of years bustling through my hands,
and felt the weight of a gigantic page turning in the universe.

Homeland

I've recently re-realised that i am entitled to an F-4 visa from South Korea. I say re-realised because of a great article Mijoung forwarded to me from Sunday's Chronicle. Two things stood out in my mind, that i've been thinking about a lot lately.

1) The adoptee F-4 visa

i remember a fellow adoptee friend lobbying for this in Seoul years ago. She was working on it when I was there in '96--it came to be in 1999. Apparently this special visa affords me the rights of a native Korean. I can live there indefinitely, buy land, start a business, and get a scholarship to study Korean. Props from the homeland! Though, will i ever feel that Korea is my homeland? What does that even mean, i ask myself.

It's always funny when Korean adoptees long for the "homeland." When i finally got to Seoul (the second time, with luggage for a year...) all i longed for was peanut butter, fresh air, and my grandma's miso soup and oyako donburi. Yet, when i finally settled into my life in Seoul, i experienced times when i felt more at home there than anywhere else i've been in the world.

2) A new art installation, which will appear in the subways of three big cities--the "Awareness Wall" featuring photos of 3000 Korean adoptees who've left Korea.

The article goes on to say..."A small, passionate contingent is challenging international adoption,which they say strips South Korean adoptees of their cultural identity. They compare it to cultural genocide, akin to taking American Indian or aboriginal children from their communities and placing them with white families to "civilize" them."

In my mind, the overseas adoption experience cannot be compared with either the American Indian, nor the aboriginal experience. But that said, i was lucky to have been placed with an Asian family. i embraced the culture of my adopted Hawai'i Japanese-American parents.

Identity, lost identity, multiple identities. It's time i put this all to film. Ever since i was a lowly PA a few years ago in a film by Joyce Lee, i've had this screenplay being written in my head...

Possible titles:

Homeland Bound
Yo Homeland Rocks!
Finding Homeland
Homeland: A True Underdog Story
Bowling for Homeland
The H Word
The Sound of Homeland

i joke, but about the film, i'm not.

Sounds

The Amtrak station is about two blocks away from our building. Just like people who live near airports, we don't really hear the trains anymore. In fact, when it's too quiet, i tend to miss the sounds of the passing trains. The silence makes me think of my favorite sounds...

-a spoon hitting the bottom of a wooden ice cream bowl

-the Tubular One getting up, fumbling down the stairs to get a drink of water late at night

-the soft keyboard of my old Dell laptop--when in a writing fury, it was like a light tropical
downpour

-inside rickety squeaky taxis

-the first exhalation of a badly needed cigarette (not me though, i've quit...)

-the old ice shave machine at Itsu's in Hawai'i

-playing Galaga on my gameboy...especially the bonus round ditty

-walking on gravel

-someone chewing on crushed ice

-my nephew Ryan's crazy laugh, so hearty and pure. he's four. i hope he always laughs like
that

-the sound of NGN (Nippon Golden Network) TV in the background

-Cappy singing in the shower, making each song her own

-the Paris metro--cellists, rappers, arguments, high heels on concrete, laughter, singing...

-the middle of Lotte World in Seoul, near the ice skating rink

-kids at Onekahakaha beach in Hilo, Hawai'i, where i learned to swim

-Temptation by New Order (re-played a few times on my ipod today...)


That's all for now

Stolen Treasures

To the right is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a.k.a, the Panchen Lama. He was abducted by the Chinese in 1995. At that time, was said to be the world's youngest political prisoner. Hopefully, people can learn as much as they can about the Panchen Lama, and speak out about the injustices to our Senators and public representatives. Find out more about Gedhun and support the appeal for his release here.

We went to the Asian Art Museum today in its new permanent place near City Hall. We saw an exhibit that ends tomorrow called "Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World" a.k.a. The Art That China Stole. The show ends tomorrow, September 11th. If you go, stop to chat with the Tibetans protesting in front of the museum. Some hold signs that read, "China Stole My Culture."

We stopped to chat with a young man for nearly a half an hour. He was ethnically Chinese, yet impassioned about speaking out against the human rights violations of Tibetans. He encouraged us to see the show, but asked us to note how the descriptions for each artifact leave out the fact that these treasures are ALL the stolen property of the Dalai Lama. Yet, and no suprise--there was not any mention of this fact throughout the exhibit. I thought one of the purposes of museums was to show unbiased history in the form of art?? Then I saw that among the numerous fiscal sponsors, two were Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Go figure.

We learned later that the Asian Art Museum, in response to the Tibetan protests agreed to have a small Tibetan film festival. It would include (or has included) uncensored films that show the Tibetan side of the story.

We walked through the show with fascination and sadness. It made me think of the flippancy expressed by some of my Chinese friends in Beijing when i questioned them about their neighbors. On Korea-- after i expressed a love for Korean style chajang myun--"Oh you know that's OUR original dish...but we like their air conditioners, you know, they are not our enemies--we invaded them..." On Taiwan--"Yeah, they seem to be doing OK on their own."

With the upcoming Olympics in 2008, let's hope that the issues of human rights violations will not be swept away with the fast disappearing hutongs.

Shiokara

In my family, the enjoyment of food is paramount to clever conversation. People are often judged not by their capacity for witty banter, but their ability to enjoy and appreciate really great food. And i'm not talking fine foods, like truffles or foie gras. i'm talking about soul food, my comfort food--Japanese food (not sushi and tempura) but rather Hawaiian Japanese Chinese Korean Filipino Portuguese cuisine a.k.a. "local grinds."

Food is everything in my family. At times, it was a source of pain and embarrassment when i was young. Growing up, i had many non-Asian friends. Having them over for dinner was as at times as stressful as the day of school pictures. i wished i could die and melt under the table when my dad would bust out the shiokara (a fermented fish product made from squid or fish guts) at the near end of the meal. He'd scoop up a bit of the salty dark viscous paste and dab a bit of it on his rice--to the absolute horror of my young Caucasian friends. "What's THAT? OOOH yuck, disgusting!!" they'd shriek in horror. At other times, we were the shocked ones. My brother's non-Asian friend Tim asked for butter and cinammon for his freshly steamed bowl of Japanese rice. A silent red light flashed above his seat at the dinner table. i can still remember the look on my mom's face--one of shock and slight amusement.

School lunch brings back a bad memory. One day, my mom packed me leftover Japanese okazu, tsukemono and wooden chopsticks. While other kids were unwrapping their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, i was cracking open my squeaky metal Holly Hobby lunchbox. Not knowing any better, kids teased me saying "She's eating Chinese food!" or "What's that smell?" "Eeew, what's that? Gross!" Not knowing any better, i was completely ashamed and vowed to only bring sandwiches from then on. And i did. i should note here that i'm referring to the early 70's --before sushi was trendy and commonplace and before the whole multicultural boom.

Back to the "not always about the food" bit.... We had dinner tonight with an eclectic group of friends (non-Asian) at a Mediterranean restaurant. Some dishes were laughable, and completely wrong, but it didn't matter. The company was warm, friendly, and at times hilarious and heartwarming. On this occasion and many others, i reminded myself that sometimes, food is not everything.

Taste of Sole

Unfortunately, this is not surprising....

White House: Mrs. Bush Comment 'Personal'
The Associated PressWednesday, September 7, 2005; 4:07 PM

WASHINGTON -- Barbara Bush was making "a personal observation" when she said poor people at a relocation center in Houston were faring better than before Hurricane Katrina struck, President Bush's spokesman said Wednesday.

Mrs. Bush, after touring the Astrodome complex in Houston on Monday, said: "What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

My first thought was that her mic was accidently on and that she'd quickly apologise with shame and embarrassment. Not that it would have made the comment less horrific.

Not a chance.

"McClellan, at the White House briefing, said: "I think she was making a personal observation on some of the comments that people were making that she was running into. ... But what we're focused on is helping these people who are in need."

Not sure what is worse. Her comment or Scott McClellan's attempt to back pedal here.

Two places we're donating:

Southern Relief Fund
c/o Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights
PO Box 1223
Greenville, MS 38702-1223

Animal Welfare Disaster

Hip Hou Hai

Hou Hai lake is the hippest bar/restaurant area of Beijing. This ultra modern area is north of Tiananmen Square and features an amazing blend of old and new. Above is a photo from a bar around Hou Hai lake. If this were a better picture you'd be able to see more of the elaborate decor which seems to be a mix between an Alice in Wonderland fantasy world and Yuan dynasty furnishings.

There's a policy in Beijing where motorists must pay for the medical bills of any pedestrian they hit, regardless if it was their fault or not. In fact, if you hit someone and they are unable to work, you must pay their work salary for the rest of their lives. i wondered what would happen if a motorist hit someone who was in between jobs, or just retired...

On our way back from the Great Wall at Simatai, we followed a truck that had tons of bees buzzing around either side of it. My first thought was that it was a flower truck, and the bees were along for the ride. Our tour guide let us know that it was a bee transport truck. An hour later we stopped at a highway toll plaza. The aforementioned bee truck was nowhere to be seen. i noticed there was a tiny swarm of bees buzzing around the toll booth. We laughed at the thought of these little creatures upset at being abandoned, the need for instituting a "no bees left behind" rule, and the prospects of bee activism. OK, i guess you had to be there.

This concludes the Beijing portion of my blog. i could write 20 more entries about this fascinating city and the things i've observed. My new and clearer understanding of the vast differences between the cultures of China, Japan, and Korea. More food photos. More observations of all things small and seemingly insignificant.

So anyway, pennylane productions has resumed production stateside. The "No Jet Lag" pills worked wonders on the trip over, but i might as well have been taking sugar pills on the way back. It's 6.30 or so p.m. here but i'm feeling like it's brunch time as it's around 10 a.m. in Beijing. The Tubular One is whining and giving me her best "i've got cabin fever look" with the accompanying guilt vibes.

But seriously, you'll hear a lot more about the Hou Hai Lake district, if you've not already. Experience it soon before it becomes way overrun with tons of drunk expats and more American chains other than Starbucks.

Simatai

We scaled the section of the Great Wall at Simatai a few days ago. This part of the wall is mostly undeveloped, in stark contrast to the overly touristy Badaling Great Wall.

Not sure if you can see it, but there's a brick at the left side of this picture with an engraving. It reflects the time period, emperor, and the brick making company for quality control purposes. The brick in this picture is engraved with a date that falls a bit before the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912)

There is a story of a woman who lost her husband who died while working on the wall. She returned to the wall to find him, and could not locate him. She was told he might have been buried within the wall. She spent the next few years pulling apart bricks from the wall with her bare hands. Perhaps i've got the story wrong in a few places. In any case, Simatai is located about 2 hours south of Mongolia. As i write this, construction workers are hard at work building a tourist shopping arcade (certainly with a KFC and Starbucks) at the base of this wall entry point. Mark my words, in less than 2 years, Simatai will be as touristy as Badaling.

It was the first day since the beginning of the trip that we could see blue skies. The air felt breezy and tropical. i had a hard time looking down, my knees were in a constant state of jello shakiness. The views were spectacular, just as it said in Lonely Planet's Beijing. Standing at the top tower, i thought of humanity's capacity to accomplish immense tasks. My thoughts turned to the devastation in New Orleans and the immense task of restoration and repair.

So I've left Beijing, the city of giddiness and hope. We descended into dark clouds at SFO yesterday morning. First thing out of the airport an onto North 101, we saw a man driving a convertible black Ford in the shape of a Corvette, license plate "AKA VENM," mullet streaming behind, cutting us off and slamming on his accelerator. Eeeewwwww. Welcome back to the United States.

While I was gone Katrina slammed New Orleans. The last time I left the states to go to Paris--the tsunami hit Thailand. After our days of touring the city, we would spend a few hours resting in our hotel room watching the tsunami coverage on the local news. We would then step out onto the streets of Montmartre every night around 9 p.m. (setting out on our daily dinner adventures....) wiping tears away from seeing the devastation and hearing testimony from people who were seeking their friends and relatives.

This time, when Katrina hit, I was sitting alone in my hotel room in horror and fear at the news of the impending storm and the potential damage it would cause. i woke up to heartbreaking photos on the front page of the China Daily each morning. i have not seen much media coverage on this just yet. i was able to catch only one English speaking news station.

Reading about the U.S. government's slow reaction and ten people dying a day (or more) from lack of basic nourishment and care is beyond appalling. i would like to read more about this situation. Here's an account from the Astrodome thanks to escapevelocity, via lunamania.

http://www.escapevelocity.org/

It's always odd to hear news when you're out of the country. I remember being in Japan when I heard about the death of Kurt Cobain and River Phoenix. It seemed unreal. There's a buffer of being faraway. Everything seems like a dream, including my own reality.

Super Girls

There is a craze going on now here in Beijing over the "Super Girls." They are the Chinese version of "American Idol." There were approximately 150,00 women all over China are vying to become the next "Super Voice Girl" and now they are down to three. The show has apparently broken records with immense numbers of viewers and text message voting. The final chance to vote for the Super Girl comes this Friday. The photo to the left shows the final three contestants and the host. I'm not sure who is who.

Maybe i might run into one of them this week....

As we were walking out of the hotel lobby this morning, we noticed a huge crowd of groupies armed with cameras, posters, autograph books, and flowers. They were lined up just outside the front entrance. The concierge lined up with other staff members to form a human wall, in case the groupies decided to storm the lobby. At first i thought it might be some American celebrity here filming a shampoo commercial or something, or a local fim star. Someone told us that the Super Girls are actually staying at our hotel until the final show Friday. Let's just say it is causing a slight stir around here...

So anyway, rather than walking out, we stood near the front entrance and watched all the hoopla. For a split second i imagined what it would be like if i were famous and how weird it would be to be greeted by massive crowds everywhere i went.

And you wouldn't be a real fan if you didn't hang about all day long. Pulling up to the hotel tonight around 10pm, we noticed a few die hard fans, still hanging out in the lobby hoping for a glimpse of of their favorite contestant. The Super Girl groupies are entirely made up of young women ages 15-21. i did not see a single boy/young man fan amongst the crowd of girl fans. Pretty super...

Reminds me of a film i saw years ago at the Seattle International Film Festival called Hu Du Men.
It's about a Cantonese opera singer who plays a man on stage. Every where she goes, middle aged women chase after her like little schoolgirls. If you can find this film, you should see it. It's really a wonderful film.

Although... the groupies downstairs are not chasing after a woman who plays a man onstage. They're certainly super crazy over the Super Girls! Wish me luck getting out of the hotel lobby this week. i should ask if there are alternate exits in the building...

Nothing but Blue Skies

My first glimpse of blue skies here in Beijing. Unfortunately, i had to descend to the B2 level to catch it. It's a bit like discovering Diagon Alley, a whole underground world markedly different from the regular world where people are fashionable and giddy--as opposed to the purposeful and determined pedestrians at ground level.

i got lost in faux daytime subterranean strip last night, as shown above. This underworld sits below my hotel. It's a maze of shops, restaurants, singing clubs, a small cinema, backdoor clubs, and an athletic club/swimming pool complex. Supposedly there is mini golf somewhere too, but i've not found it. There are no clocks, and no windows, unless you count the painted facades that scale the walls. It's kind of a mix between Universal Studio's City Walk, the Venetian Las Vegas, Lotte World in Seoul sans the rides, and any American suburban mall.

Women in dark pink prom dresses line the entrances of singing clubs, looking statuesque and bored. i passed by a small cosmetic shop, and the ultra hip woman inside sat on a chair near the counter, having a very pleasant nap. She was probably "resting her eyes," as my grandmother used to say. Men deep in thought pace back and forth in their golf attire shops. Couples walk hand-in-hand, girls huddle around tables hitting buttons on their cell phones, and old men sit on benches and smile out at nothing in particular.

i keep waiting to hear the ding-ding-ding-ding of slot machines. Rather than the wafting smells of deep fried onion rings, fries, and cheese steak sandwiches, you can smell ginger, garlic, cigarette smoke, steaming hot pot dishes, steamy ramen, and chlorine from the sculptured waterfalls. In the very faint background above the buzz of conversation and clanging of dinnerware, i could distinctly hear Air Supply's "Lost in Love."

People are refreshingly pleasant and warm. A shocking difference to the downcast looks and dismissive feel from 10 years ago. i ventured to the supermarket complex, "Wonderful." There was one whole aisle dedicated to various forms of Colgate toothpaste. And another full of international beers.

And lastly--i'm a total sucker for samples, not tasting them, but actually buying them. i feel guilty for the little "dine and dash" aspect of it, so i often end up purchasing whatever i've tried. As i left the check out counter, a pleasant young woman offered a taste of tea in little dixie cups. It was perfect timing, my throat was a little gravelly from the air in sunny city. The tea was warm and fragrant. The woman realised that i don't speak Chinese, and became giddy at the prospect of practicing her English. We laughed as i tried to figure out the bills of varying sizes in my wallet. After very little persuasion, i bought a tin of the tea, and also walked away, catching and carrying some of that giddy Beijing vibe with me.

Teenagers in Love

This is not the same city i visited in 1995. 85% of the world's largest cranes reside in Beijing right now--situated around the 2000+ buildings that are coming up as i type this. i'm in Haidian, the 4th outer ring of the city--close to Beijing zoo and the University of Beijing. All around there's a sense of purpose, a giddiness, a warmth, resolve, and wistfulness. i walk around, blending in with the masses.

Things:

-The perpetual grey skies prevent sunsets from blanketing the city. It's like living under a perpetual gigantic exhalation of cigarette smoke. Cloudy, not transparent, thick and heavy.

-I jumped out of my seat tonight at dinner. The culprit: a strange sea mollusk hidden in noodles--mistaken for a frog carcass. i worried it might have been leftover bits from the frog congee at this morning's breakfast buffet.

-Handsome men with stylish haircuts a la Shinjuku 3-chome, Tokyo.

-"Boiled Dork and Beans" a hot entree at the breakfast buffet at my hotel.

-Black sedans galore. Audi, BMW, Buick, Lexus, Acura, Volkswagon, Mercedes...

-Smiles and laughter all around. This energy in this city is like a teenager in love. Giddy, wide-eyed, hopeful. Also, this city feels wistful. A feeling of intensely missing someone you never liked all that much.

-Restaurants that descend into futuristic subterranean caverns. Icy blue transparent glass floors, concrete beams, black marble, plasma TVs on the walls of private dining rooms.

-Chubby pre-teen boys chugging coke, wearing Simpson's t-shirts and baggy skater jeans.

-An indifferent young woman standing outside a cracked sidewalk restaurant. She wears a long red dress, greeting people on the sidewalk, pointing to the menu board. Her hand lightly grips a fly swatter, waving it around like it was a long stemmed rose, pointing occasionally at the menu...Phad Thai, pineapple fried rice, fried bananas.

Beijing is vibrant and alive today. i am completely exhausted. i hope i'll get more than last night's four hours of sleep...

Tiny Frogs and Tequila

Kato san was kind to lend me this riverside camping photo. You can't see it here, but her caption reads, "Can you find the frog?" Cappy and I were doubled over in giggles with her hilarious photo captions. But seriously, can you see the tiny frog?

A few weekend observations:

-The further out you get from the city, you start seeing obnoxious business names. Case in point: "Krazy Kreations." It is some kind of print and pixel shop off North 101. Anytime the letter C is replaced with a K, i get this weird feeling. It's just sick and wrong.

-Kato san, Trish, Cappy and i drove by a horrendous car wreck on Saturday afternoon. We were heading to the local Philo market for our French toast breakfast Sunday. Suddenly the traffic slowed to a dead stop. I could tell by the horrified faces of those in oncoming cars that an awful accident took place. As we got closer, we saw a man being carried to a waiting life flight helicopter. Nearby, his overturned truck lay disfigured. Another equally mangled car hunched over sadly on the opposite side of the road. For some it was a wonderful day hiking and lounging by a river. And for others it was a day of unforeseen tragedy.

-A Two Fingers Tequila party in 1991 put me me off tequila for good. Until this past weekend. Tara shared some amazingly smoove tequila that did not make me sick nor queasy. Instead, i felt herbal without the herbs, chatty, yet very spacy. Lovely.....

-We stood at the bottom of a humongous redwood tree. I had a senior pictures moment, one hand caressing the tree bark, the other hand thoughtfully under my chin in a "what does the future behold?" pose. It made me wonder why senior pictures were always so cheesy. And why those outdoor senior picture poses never made those pill poppin' pot smoking kids look innocent.

-The o-musubi campers were wonderfully pan-Asian. Quite nice--i am quite the cultural misfit. i'm never quite sure where i fit in, culturally speaking. Though i must say, given my chop suey ethnicity, i'm feeling more and more Korean as the years go by. i'm starting to feel insecure if i don't enjoy good kimchee on a semi-regular basis. i recently attended a KYCC benefit dinner and it brought me to tears. It was a combination of the to-die-for L.A. kalbi and that Korean energy that is both intriguing and strangely familiar. ...Oh, back to the list...

-Camping was wonderful. Needed the huge fix of fresh air before i land in grey Beijing in about 22 hours. Why have i not camped more in my life?

Beijing

Strange to think I'll be in the middle of Beijing in five days. It has been exactly 10 years since I've been there. In 1995, I flew to Beijing from Japan to meet up with my parents and grandparents at the Swissotel. After a few days of touring with them, I rented a bike and set off on my own through the mazes of the hutongs (alleyways) without a map nor an idea of where I was going or what I was doing.

From what my colleagues in Beijing say, the city has become unrecognizable even to them. The largest McDonalds in the world has been demolished to make way for more development--modern housing, and more Starbucks, Outback Steakhouses, and Baskin and Robbins I'm sure.

The pennylane productions production crew is readying digital equipment, acquiring the necessary power plugs, travel guidebooks (Lonely Planet, as always) phrase books, and powering up the Gameboy. I look forward to breakfasts of youtiao and douzhi, and revisiting Wangfujing Dajie, but not jet lag.

I bought the homeopathic remedy "No Jet Lag," www.nojetlag.com which requires I take a tab before the flight, every two hours during the flight, and one more upon arrival. Hopefully it will help me crossing over all the time zones, but there's no mention of any help with cramped limbs, irritability, and general disorientation.

For now, Cappy and I are looking forward to a few nights under the stars, Sunday French toast and instant coffee with Luna, Joannie, Jack, and Erika, campfire stories, s'mores, sunflower seeds, hikes, and reconnecting with the o-musubi folks. Though at this point, it's less of an o-musubi group as it is an o-platelunch bunch : )