Tuesday, July 26, 2005
My heart belongs to Daddy
I just updated my photo section on my website. Do check it out!
My friend Michele's Mom suffered from a stroke in her brain stem on Sunday afternoon and is now in a coma. She's in the hospital and the doctors say she's in a critical condition. Please keep Michele and her family in your prayers. She's a strong person and I know she'll pull through, but any degree of moral support is meaningful.
I'm going to NYC this weekend, though it's not necessarily a vacation. I'll try to do something vacation-like in midst of my mysterious trip. Maybe hit Blue Note for a show or whatnot.
Not much going on in DC this summer. It's hot, hot, hot! I do have a funny story to share: I played at Toulouse last Saturday. There were these people who praised me for my playing. I told them to check out my website for my live schedule. One of the girls thought I said my "life's schedule." I said I used to have my life's schedule when I first started my website, but then I got too many stalkers.
Then she screamed, "Who the hell would stalk YOU?"
That's all folks.
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My friend Michele's Mom suffered from a stroke in her brain stem on Sunday afternoon and is now in a coma. She's in the hospital and the doctors say she's in a critical condition. Please keep Michele and her family in your prayers. She's a strong person and I know she'll pull through, but any degree of moral support is meaningful.
I'm going to NYC this weekend, though it's not necessarily a vacation. I'll try to do something vacation-like in midst of my mysterious trip. Maybe hit Blue Note for a show or whatnot.
Not much going on in DC this summer. It's hot, hot, hot! I do have a funny story to share: I played at Toulouse last Saturday. There were these people who praised me for my playing. I told them to check out my website for my live schedule. One of the girls thought I said my "life's schedule." I said I used to have my life's schedule when I first started my website, but then I got too many stalkers.
Then she screamed, "Who the hell would stalk YOU?"
That's all folks.
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Thursday, July 21, 2005
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Random things
John G. Roberts is a bad choice for Supreme Court Justice because of his hardcore conservative views. We already have Scalia and Thomas who will vote partyline in a black-and-white issue. Why need another guy who has publicly written an opinion in 1991 seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade? Will he be the next Robert Bork? I think George Bush should appoint himself to the Supreme Court if he wants to implement conservative judicial decisions.
"The Wedding Crashers" is nothing short of a masterpiece. Folks, dark comedies are kinda out of style these days; we need more "bright" comedies like that. Rachel McAdams is just adorable.
Mary J. Blige has soul up her ankles.
Girls often claim that they can tell whether guys are interested in them. Guys, on the other hand, have weaker radors than that. And girls often claim that they want a nice guy, someone who cares about them. There's an easy way to solve all these problems and achieve that goal. Check his out: since a guy has a hard time telling whether girls are interested in them, if they approach a girl randomly, there is a 75% chance that he will get rejected. But girls are more perceptive, and guys are less likely to turn down girls when girls actively approach them. Therefore, if a girl approaches a guy randomly, there's only a 25% chance that she'll get rejected. Therefore, I propose that girls should be the ones who ask guys out. That way, less feelings are hurt and it will likely help girls find the nice and caring guy of their dreams since they have the rador. It's a win-win situation.
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"The Wedding Crashers" is nothing short of a masterpiece. Folks, dark comedies are kinda out of style these days; we need more "bright" comedies like that. Rachel McAdams is just adorable.
Mary J. Blige has soul up her ankles.
Girls often claim that they can tell whether guys are interested in them. Guys, on the other hand, have weaker radors than that. And girls often claim that they want a nice guy, someone who cares about them. There's an easy way to solve all these problems and achieve that goal. Check his out: since a guy has a hard time telling whether girls are interested in them, if they approach a girl randomly, there is a 75% chance that he will get rejected. But girls are more perceptive, and guys are less likely to turn down girls when girls actively approach them. Therefore, if a girl approaches a guy randomly, there's only a 25% chance that she'll get rejected. Therefore, I propose that girls should be the ones who ask guys out. That way, less feelings are hurt and it will likely help girls find the nice and caring guy of their dreams since they have the rador. It's a win-win situation.
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Friday, July 15, 2005
Does life imitate art or does art imitate life?
I would call this the most anticipated movie for me this year. Cameron Crowe has become one of my favorite directors because he writes real dialogue and his characters are like people we know. They are like us. Movies like "Almost Famous" and "Say Anything" restore faith in the human race and remind you and me that we're indeed cool people, despite what everyone may say. Every time I watch a Cameron Crowe film (except "Vanilla Sky," which I haven't seen), it has a deep impact within me. Somehow my personal experience resonates with the characters', and it feels like home. So I look forward to Elizabethtown, though the premise sounds similar to that of "Garden State." I remain hopeful.
I also found this cool website about "The Office." It has a lot of minor details and trivia stuff. A must see for "The Office" fans.
I was listening to a Hank Mobley song entitled "This I dig of you." In addition to the melodic tune, the title kicks major league booty. The next time I see a cool gal or guy I'm gonna say, "This I dig of you." See what their reaction will be. I may not be a Dead Head or a loyal Dylan fan, but I'm an avid Hank Mobley fan. You dig!
So it was my birthday yesterday. It was as laid-back as I'd like it too, and it made me feel good. I hope every one of my birthdays will be as laid-back as this one.
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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
A whole "l" of difference
The difference between "public" and "pubic" is the lack of the letter "l" in the latter.
Sometimes it just feels good to delete someone's number from your cell phone.
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Sometimes it just feels good to delete someone's number from your cell phone.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2005
BMF Wallet
Monday, July 11, 2005
The pursuit of happiness
"Me and You and Everybody We Know" makes me think. This is what I'm thinking about.
The Declaration of Independence mentions three things: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On the surface, we want to pursue happiness. No one wants to pursue sadness unless she's a depressive. But is it really happiness than we're seeking?
There are three kinds of happiness: superficial, simplistic, and eternal. The first two are short-term ones, and the last is by definition long-term.
First, one can only achieve simplistic happiness by superficial happiness. Superficially, the following items make me happy: money, (lots of) women, a nice car, a nice house. On an even more simplistic level, going to Six Flags and riding on its roller coasters make me very happy. However, in order to achieve the "simplistic" happiness, you first need "superficial" happiness, i.e. money. You need to buy tickets to go into Six Flags unless you sneak in for free (One of my friends [I won't name any names] does achieve simplistic happiness, i.e. going to see Orioles games, without having to first achieve superficial happiness first). But that's a rare exception.
I believe most people are seeking simplistic happiness by way of superficial happiness. Some people I know are purely seeking superficial happiness. They just want a nice house, a nice car, and lots of women.
The eternal happiness is the kind of happiness that is not shallow in nature. I'm not sure if that's the same brand of happiness that Thomas Jefferson was thinking when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. I hope that's what he had in mind. The following items make me eternally happy: Making someone I care have a heartfelt smile on her face, seeing a satisfactory look on his face after helping a blind person cross the road, people tapping on your shoulder and say you read well as a liturgist at church, receiving surprise presents (that you want) during non-festive events, etc. In short, the eternal happiness is really the feeling that people genuinely care about you and appreciate you for who you are because you're a special person.
Unfortunately, the world is too competitive for people to show each other the eternal happiness. You don't need the prerequisites of simplistic and/or superficial happiness to attain eternal happiness. Eternal happiness comes from yourself, your heart, and how faithfully you follow your heart. To me, the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of what your heart desires. But since 80% of the population chooses not to pursue that, maybe "happiness" is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Maybe people really don't want happiness at all. Perhaps "happiness" as a concept is overrated.
There are many ways to make a difference in this world, but most people choose to step on each other to gain "superficial happiness," be it advancement in their social ladder, or a temporary good laugh. Worse yet, some people choose not to follow their heart and do things that they dislike. That's why they're not happy. That's why they step on each other to make themselves "happier." But this air is different than that air.
I don't think "happiness" is overrated. I still love going to Six Flags and ride its roller coasters. I still love giggling like a kid when someone ask me a stupid IQ questions. We're all children at heart. As Richard Curtis aptly illustrates in his movie "Love Actually," you can still find love everywhere especially when you go to airports.
So do me a favor people. Treat everywhere you go as if you're in the airport. Even at the McDonald's that provides you with the worst service ever. Because if you make someone feel special, you've become their angel. I need to learn that too; that's why I wrote this piece.
Quote of the day: It's OK to be an asshole; you'd better apologize for being one.
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The Declaration of Independence mentions three things: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On the surface, we want to pursue happiness. No one wants to pursue sadness unless she's a depressive. But is it really happiness than we're seeking?
There are three kinds of happiness: superficial, simplistic, and eternal. The first two are short-term ones, and the last is by definition long-term.
First, one can only achieve simplistic happiness by superficial happiness. Superficially, the following items make me happy: money, (lots of) women, a nice car, a nice house. On an even more simplistic level, going to Six Flags and riding on its roller coasters make me very happy. However, in order to achieve the "simplistic" happiness, you first need "superficial" happiness, i.e. money. You need to buy tickets to go into Six Flags unless you sneak in for free (One of my friends [I won't name any names] does achieve simplistic happiness, i.e. going to see Orioles games, without having to first achieve superficial happiness first). But that's a rare exception.
I believe most people are seeking simplistic happiness by way of superficial happiness. Some people I know are purely seeking superficial happiness. They just want a nice house, a nice car, and lots of women.
The eternal happiness is the kind of happiness that is not shallow in nature. I'm not sure if that's the same brand of happiness that Thomas Jefferson was thinking when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. I hope that's what he had in mind. The following items make me eternally happy: Making someone I care have a heartfelt smile on her face, seeing a satisfactory look on his face after helping a blind person cross the road, people tapping on your shoulder and say you read well as a liturgist at church, receiving surprise presents (that you want) during non-festive events, etc. In short, the eternal happiness is really the feeling that people genuinely care about you and appreciate you for who you are because you're a special person.
Unfortunately, the world is too competitive for people to show each other the eternal happiness. You don't need the prerequisites of simplistic and/or superficial happiness to attain eternal happiness. Eternal happiness comes from yourself, your heart, and how faithfully you follow your heart. To me, the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of what your heart desires. But since 80% of the population chooses not to pursue that, maybe "happiness" is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Maybe people really don't want happiness at all. Perhaps "happiness" as a concept is overrated.
There are many ways to make a difference in this world, but most people choose to step on each other to gain "superficial happiness," be it advancement in their social ladder, or a temporary good laugh. Worse yet, some people choose not to follow their heart and do things that they dislike. That's why they're not happy. That's why they step on each other to make themselves "happier." But this air is different than that air.
I don't think "happiness" is overrated. I still love going to Six Flags and ride its roller coasters. I still love giggling like a kid when someone ask me a stupid IQ questions. We're all children at heart. As Richard Curtis aptly illustrates in his movie "Love Actually," you can still find love everywhere especially when you go to airports.
So do me a favor people. Treat everywhere you go as if you're in the airport. Even at the McDonald's that provides you with the worst service ever. Because if you make someone feel special, you've become their angel. I need to learn that too; that's why I wrote this piece.
Quote of the day: It's OK to be an asshole; you'd better apologize for being one.
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X3O
My friend Mike Feldman just opened up a swanky gaming store on 11640 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD. Just want all of you to know that. The store's name is X3O. It's got games, training, technical support services, drinks, and very comfortable cushions. It's opened until 2 a.m. on weekends. If you live in the suburban Maryland area, be sure to check it out.
On another positive note, I saw "Me and You and Everyone We Know" this weekend. It's the first noteworthy movie this year. Steven Spielberg, you should be ashamed of making "War of the Worlds." It's a very artistic, meticulously calculated film with lots of unforgettable moments. Compared to another film involving children, Todd Solondz's "Palindromes," this film surpasses it because it focuses more on the innocence of children rather than their precociousness. One cool scene goes like this: The father tells the kids to "be like kids and do what kids do." And that's only one cool scene. There are many more...
Ms. Miranda July, the film's writer and director, is a joy to watch. This is a refreshing movie because it midst of Hollywood's cliches and silliness, at last there's something that courageously tackles real issues instead of focusing on aliens who are doomed to fail invading the earth because of our air. This air is different than that air.
Check out Ms. July's blog. It's not much different from mine, except it has more photos.
If you were to watch two movies this year, wtach "Me and You" and "Batman Begins."
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On another positive note, I saw "Me and You and Everyone We Know" this weekend. It's the first noteworthy movie this year. Steven Spielberg, you should be ashamed of making "War of the Worlds." It's a very artistic, meticulously calculated film with lots of unforgettable moments. Compared to another film involving children, Todd Solondz's "Palindromes," this film surpasses it because it focuses more on the innocence of children rather than their precociousness. One cool scene goes like this: The father tells the kids to "be like kids and do what kids do." And that's only one cool scene. There are many more...
Ms. Miranda July, the film's writer and director, is a joy to watch. This is a refreshing movie because it midst of Hollywood's cliches and silliness, at last there's something that courageously tackles real issues instead of focusing on aliens who are doomed to fail invading the earth because of our air. This air is different than that air.
Check out Ms. July's blog. It's not much different from mine, except it has more photos.
If you were to watch two movies this year, wtach "Me and You" and "Batman Begins."
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Thursday, July 07, 2005
My London friends
Please report that you're safe! Tony Blair's right, this was a "barbaric attack." I wish I had the words, but this is just utterly unacceptable.
We're indeed living dangerously.
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We're indeed living dangerously.
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Wiggers united!
Ladybug, Butterfly, and Dooglebug's back!
They still got it, yo! They're one of the reasons I don't totally despise Hip-Hop music. They define the word "cool" in the midst of loudness and obnoxiousness. Beats Def Metal.
I was 15, and I realized, "Wow! Rap music can be like that."
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Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Cool like dat!
Fans,
Sorry for the MIA. Just a quick update. I had a very good 4th of July weekend. A lot of pool time. 3 gigs in 4 days. Played our asses off. We even played at an anti-war rally, which fulfilled our duties as Bush unsupporters. Went to Meredith's and Chan's house Saturday afternoon. Lots of dogs and children running around. The burgers were good. Then went to Baskin-Robbins for ice-cream. Monday was chill! Went to Kimberly's party on Capitol Hill in the afternoon and then walked to the Mall to see the fireworks. I wasn't crazy about the fireworks and surprisingly it wasn't super crowded.
Not bad for a July 4th weekend.
Can't really complain about life right now. Catch up with me at Digable Planets tonight.
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Sorry for the MIA. Just a quick update. I had a very good 4th of July weekend. A lot of pool time. 3 gigs in 4 days. Played our asses off. We even played at an anti-war rally, which fulfilled our duties as Bush unsupporters. Went to Meredith's and Chan's house Saturday afternoon. Lots of dogs and children running around. The burgers were good. Then went to Baskin-Robbins for ice-cream. Monday was chill! Went to Kimberly's party on Capitol Hill in the afternoon and then walked to the Mall to see the fireworks. I wasn't crazy about the fireworks and surprisingly it wasn't super crowded.
Not bad for a July 4th weekend.
Can't really complain about life right now. Catch up with me at Digable Planets tonight.
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