Low Culture Mooo

Three reality shows of late that I like to watch: Apprentice Martha, Apprentice Trump, America's Top Model. Digging OC & My Fair Brady. Prefer Martha to Trump since the players are more likeable. Favorite for Martha's show is Carrie.

Martha is quite intriguing. Below that calm, arts n'crafts veneer lies one resilient no-nonsense bitch. I wonder if she will snap, but devilish flickers revert back to the slow-burning fire. She has yet to implode.

I dig her workmanship attitude. Girls never cry. Never quit. Always make the best out of a bad situation. Adversity made her more ghetto fabulous. Gotta respect her because she faced hell and made a great comeback! She makes Trump look like a pansy.

Trump's show. Same old formula. How would I make it better? Perhaps instead of focusing what went wrong, maybe comment how the candidates can be better. Workshops with George and Carolyn. This "you suck, you're fired" is getting kind of old.
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Don't know who will win either of those. But for Top Model:

Favorite: Lisa
Winner: Nik
Runner-Up: Nicole

They will make it to the final three. As for Survivor: Guatamala not a fan but got it through the grapevine that Steph didn't win. Oh well. Another rep bites the dust.
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Aaron yaks musak. He sent me a song a while back. M.I.A's "Fire Fire" and it was on the OC tonight! OC's pics are not too shabby
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Two fat loads of laundry. Forecast: Rain. Crappola.
Crys & Yoga at 7:30 in the morning. Giant Squid!!
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Lots of movies I want to see. In Her Shoes. Two for the Money. Into the blue.
Should really go to the library. Erudition. Got two books.

As for magazines, Vogue is tardy again. Is not point of subscribing to be one of the first to attain issue? Newstands taunts me so.

Lindsay Lohan is in Chelsea filming a video. This hood rocks!

What happened to tea corner? Where have all the flowers gone?
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Trivia of the day: What luxury group does Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan belong to?
(Yesterday's answer: Sean Preston)

Aaron's Music Club

German music is pretty cool.  Though I’ve only been to Salzburg and the Munich airport, I’ve realized that lots of modern German music reminds me of the way the Munich airport made me feel in the same way that Mozart reminds me the way Salzburg made me feel.  If that makes any sense.  Anyway, today’s track is off the year 2000’s Rocket in the Pocket by Console, the side project of the keyboardist from Notwist.  It’s called “Gulls Galore”.  It’s that brand of electronic music that’s not really suitable for dancing, so the whole album feels like background music and, aside from one track, lacks vocals. It puts you in an interesting mood, though.  The track is here.

Character of the Day

Kǎo. I, like many people, especially men, like to roast things. It’s a great feeling to get back to cooking’s roots by roasting a dead animal over a fire and then eating it. I went to a nice (for Indianapolis) Korean restaurant this evening and did just that, and damn was it good. So, I present the COTD, which means to roast, toast, or bake. It’s a great character to know, especially if you find yourself in a carnivorous mood in a Chinese restaurant with no English on the menu. Just point to whatever contains this character, and you’ll be all good. The combos are as follows:

烤鸭 – kǎoyā means roast duck
北京烤鸭 – běijīngkǎoyā means Peking duck
烤肉 – kǎoròu means barbecue or to barbecue
烧烤 – shāokǎo also means barbecue or to barbecue

There you have it. I will probably present more cooking terms in the near future. That’s most of what I know, because I spent most of my time in China in restaurants. So, that’s it for today. Bye.

'Till Death Do Us Part

Marriages/Coupling:

1. Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher
2. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
3. Paris Hilton & Paris Latsis
4. Nicole Ritche & DJ AM
5. Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise
6. Jennifer Jason Leigh & her director fiance
7. Amanda Peet & her director fiance

Births/Expecting:

1. Denise Richards
2. Bo Bice
3. Britney Spears
4. Angie Harmon
5. Jennifer Garner
6. Melania Trump
7. Gwyneth Paltrow

Divorces/Break Ups:

1. Jennifer Aniston & Brad Pitt
2. Sophia Bush & Chad Michael Murray
3. Tori Spelling & her guy
4. Renee Zellweger & Ken Chesney

Cripes.
As Paris would say, "that's hot!"

Trivia of the day: What name does Britney Spears choose for her kid?
(Yesterday's answer: Vera Wang)

Style of the Fashion/Beauty Times

Lurrrve reading fashion designers bios. Alber Elbaz of Lanvin featured in past Sunday Times magazine. His clothes are a thing of beauty. Oh to live in Paris, do shows, travel around the world to seek inspiration! His 2006 spring line showcases the geisha's obi. Amazing life he leads but seems like he worked hard to get there. States that he does not create perfection but tries to attain it. The struggle is what it is all about. A more poetic designer for sure.

Lurrved how Valentino said that Lindsay made him "uncomfortable." He no likey the Paris. Only he can say such things! He loves perfection and gleans it. Opulence and extravagance.
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Borba. A nutraceutical drink to help age defy, clarify or replenish your skin. Tried it at Sephora. MAJOR grossy. Don't think I can drink 2 bottles/day and spring $100 for it. Gummies, cleansers and lotions also available. Vow to consistent;y take my flax oil & multivitamin instead. Sage alternative.



















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Patricia Wexler bonanza. Top dermatologist in NYC. Came out with a glycolic kit for Bath & Body Works. Beauty for the masses. Yippee!!
Except I called the Chelsea store. "No we don't have them yet. Go to a flagship store."
Oopsie.
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I think I met my soulmate on blog. Also a gym rat. Works at Whole Foods! A man after my own heart.
But he is in a relationship. He is also gay. Bugger the blogger!
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In an effort to resuscitate my back. No longer doing strenuous exercises. Major lows for a week due to lack of endorphins. Using caffeine as substitute. Now walking on treadmill and stairclimbing less maniacally. Feel the burn!! Plan to yoga/pilates more. Hope I like it!
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Bread anyone? I pretty much tried all the bread at Whole Foods.
What I think:

SEEDuction is the best.
Honey Boule is sweet but don't think it is as good for you as others.
Balthazar's Levain really crusty. Yum!
Sourdough is a tad too sour for me.
12 Grain is nice but kinda plain.
Ciabatta is flat, italian. Nothing special but the shape.
Rye, garlic stickbreads tend to be hard because they have been there for a while.

What is next up to try? Chocolate, cheese...chicken sausage. Stay tuned.
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Trivia of the day: In the NY Times article, what fellow designer bought some clothes at Lanvin?
(Yesterday's answer: Babbo, Bar Jamon to name a few)

Chicken Sausage & Beer

Goal to eat more protein. Went to supermarket to see what is out there.
To my bewilderment, Whole Foods provides a special selection of chicken sausages, organic or not. Mario Batali & Applefarms seem to dominate this category.
Very few apple-flavored chicken sausages were left. Grossie.

These hot dog like things were practically oozing out of plastic.
Mild, Medium or HOT?!
Mario Batali's smiles at me in his rotund-like glory with sausage links hanging around his neck.
For $5.99?
NO THANKS!












I bought some Smart Dogs instead. Eponymous.
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Another grossy. Melania having a Trump kid. Eww. Bad imagery. No old men for me.
But that Adrienne Brady guy is kinda cute. He is 47. Bruce Willis is not too shabby either.

Trivia of the day: What restaurant does Mario Batali own?
(Yesterday's answer: Rimmel).

The New Yorker

Never read the New Yorker.
Read tons of magazines, but never touched the New Yorker. Dunno why. I guess because I AM a New Yorker. Do I have to read who I already am? Pssh posh!
The New Yorker mag taunts me tho.
.
"I am too sassy, too chic to be your viewing pleasure. You probably won't get me anyway."

But I did the deed. And it is...

GRAND!

More in depth than most. Nittier and grittier. Love the Valentino and Haruki Murakami bits.
Coffee&cigarettes.

To lead the life of a fashion mogul...*SWOON*.

I love New Yorker.
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Trivia of the day: What contract does Kate Moss still have?
(Yesterday's answer: Austin Powers)

Character of the Day

Yǐ. This is a character that means chair. It’s a combination of 木 on the left meaning wood and 奇 on the right meaning strange. So a chair is a strange piece of wood. I’m sure any tree would agree with that. Anyway, there’s only one combination that I know of that involves this character. Here it is:

椅子 – yǐzi means chair

So, there you go. A quick and easy one for today. Take it easy.

Let's Have a Ball!!

Check it!
Hentaro the Hamster in a bento. What will they think of next?
Ray made my day with this:

R: they should make these in restaurants
A: yeah like, hey can i get a hamster please?
R: or order of the keroppi...hey you know what? That hamster has balls! or a ball sack!
A: stop checking it out!
R: did you notice?
A: that is not his ball. that is an acorn that he is holding.
R: with how kinky the Japanese are? I doubt it. Maybe it's like his folder for young adolescent boys. ;)
A: do you want to know something really funny?
R: what's that?
A: you know that they labelled everything, like it is like in katakana. So for ham, it is ha-mu. And the sausages, say weina...
A: Weiner!!!
R: HAHAHAHAHA. I love it!!!!!
A: The friggin hamster is made out of weiners!
R: Kinky! Wait...is his ball sack made out of weiners?
A: Amaguri. A sweet chestnut. Hah!
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Speaking of nuts, Demi & Ashton got married this weekend! After "Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle," I have a newfound respect for her. I really like strong women. Not a fan of weak girly girls. So kudos to her for taking some time off, looking better than ever and snagging a hottie like Ashton. I really hope it lasts because they actually seem to be in love.
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Trivia of the Day: What blockbuster movies did Demi Moore produce?
(Yesterday's answer: Sweet Charity.)

So...what's your schtick?

Personal branding. The key to success. Even happens on blogs.
Voyeuristically reading what other people's are like. Some travel, cook, eat, exercise, politicize, gossip monger electronically. Aaron learns Chinese characters, dreams, teas, and musakally yaks. Me? I just plainly observe.

A few blogs that I love:
1) Scent of green bananas (http://scentofgreenbananas.blogspot.com/)
2) Perez Hilton (http://www.perezhilton.com)
3) Candy (http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/)

Focused passion=fun reads.
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Van Gogh and Clouet to Seurat soon to have exhibits at the Met. Quite exciting.
Natalie Portman is filming in a movie about Francisco Goya.
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Trivia of the day: What broadway show is Christina Applegate headlining in?
(Yesterday's Answer: Casper van Friedrich).

Character of the Day

Mèng. Who doesn’t like to sleep? I know I do. One of the coolest things about sleeping is dreaming. I know I’ve shared some of my more interesting ones with all of you, but I haven’t shared how to express the concept in Chinese. This character can be translated as dream. It’s pretty useful and combines with some other characters to make some different words, so let’s take a look at them.

梦话 – mènghuà means words spoken in one’s sleep or raving nonsense
梦幻 – mènghuàn means dream or illusion
梦见 – mèngjiàn means to dream about or to see in a dream
梦境 – mèngjìng means dreamland or a dreamlike world
梦寐 – mèngmèi means to dream or to sleep
梦乡 – mèngxiāng means dreamland
梦想 – mèngxiǎng means to hope in vain or to dream of
梦呓 – mèngyì means talking in one’s sleep
梦游症 – mèngyóuzhèng means sleepwalking
梦魇 – mèngyǎn means nightmare
做梦 – zuòmèng means to dream
噩梦 – èmèng means nightmare
恶梦 – èmèng also means nightmare

So, now you can talk about your dreams, both figurative and literal. So, that’s it for today. Take it easy.

Death...its so Passe

Back to school. Fall Season. Heave ho.
Alas! Busy work. Everything seems so NOT illuminated...the city is so empty.
Even the Empire State Building, usually a resplendent red, white, and blue is now a easy forgettable champagne color of a sedan that is out of style.
Revelers of the summer still away in hopes to prolong warm spells. Autumn embracers are like disciplined ants, gleaning towards the winter's repast.

Where does that leave me? Neither here nor there.

A big question mark.

Typified not by a season but rather, by a grammatical demarcation.

What lies around us is hoopla of all sorts. I complain about it. But when it is not around, I rather miss it.

Nostalgic for things past. Hope for the future. Cherish the present. Always and forever.

Like the painting below, our surroundings seem to overwhelm, dominate and even take a life of its own. What a sublime life!
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Trivia of the Day: Who is this painting "Monk by the Sea" by?
(Yesterday' answer: Lacrosse)

Aaron's Music Club

One of the many unavoidable aspects of urban Chinese life is the constant presence of music.  From the store to the park to the restaurant and everywhere in between, there lie speakers and, more rarely, musicians, playing at varying levels of quality and volume. In the case of recorded music, this is typically low and high, respectfully.  While in this environment, I kept an open ear to this deluge of sound in order to distinguish something I liked and could pursue further, but for the longest time, I couldn’t find anything that really piqued my interest.  Then, one day, I walked into the office where I worked, and one of my co-workers was playing an album by 许巍 (Xu Wei) called 时光漫步 (Through the Time).  It really struck me as a different, both musically and lyrically, from the music I’d become accustomed to as the soundtrack to my public Chinese life.  I asked my co-worker about him, and she responded that he was a great singer and songwriter but was far too short and ugly to be a pop sensation.  I guess he’s pretty popular in Kunming, though.  Anyway, here’s one of the tracks off that album called 一天 (One Day).  I hope you like it.

Can't B Flat when you are A Sharp!

Mayhem in Times Square. Tried to go to an advance screening of "A History of Violence." DENIED. Right across the street was an advance screening of "FlightPlan."
Note to self: If time equals money, then these things aren't really free. SCAM!
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Trailors galore on 34th Street. VH1 Hip Hop Awards. Madness ushering people in.
Note to self: Next time, if someone asks if you are part of the hip hop segment. Say YES!
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Finally, a reality rep I can watch. Stephanie of Survivor:Guatemala clearly rules the island. Someone strong. No fuss. Unlike the frilliness over the Firestone bachelor nor the bitchiness of BB6. Oh gag me with a spoon!
The Apprentice rocks too. Season two/three were bit of a bore but this season seems promising. Fingers crossed. No rep for Trump hire to my dismay. Tsk Tsk.
Note to self: Stop watching so much goddamn telly.
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Tivia of the week: What sport did Stephanie play throughout college?
(Yesterday's answer: Todd James)

Character of the Day

Zhao3. Today’s COTD translates as to look for. We’re all looking for something, or we’ve found it. So, either way it’s useful to know. Here are some combos.

找出 – zhao3chu1 means to find out
找到 – zhao3dao4 means to find
找钱 – zhao3qian2 means to return change
找寻 – zhao3xun2 means to search
找事 – zhao3shi4 means to hunt for a job or look for trouble

So, there we go. It’s useful for looking or finding. That’s all for tonight. See you next time.

Let's Fly the Friendly Skies

Sheraton Newark International Airport. Not to be mistaken by the Four Seasons Sheraton also in Newark. How does one get there? NJ Transit. Monorail. Shuttle bus. In that order.
Tip for you guys: When getting on a hotel shuttle, please make sure you are on the right one. Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Ramada, Holiday Inn...they all want your biznaz.
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Four other shuttlemates. Two couples. Old codgers. One's from England, other Ft. Lauderdale. About to embark on cruise.

"Remember," bespoke one woman to another. "Even though it is not on the menu, you can ALWAYS order the shrimp cocktail."

Oh Behave, you sassy lass.
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Back to the city thinking rush hour has waned but realized it was not the case. Pack of Acela, NJ Transit, Newark Airport brats that not only commuted from another state, but perhaps another country. Once met a woman sitting in first class. She lived in Newfoundland, near Wales but worked in Princeton, NJ.

How do you do it?

"Oh, you know. You get your flights protected beforehand. You have the towncar waiting outside. It is not best way to live but you have to take care of the kids."

Yeah, woman. I feel your pain.
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Trivia of the day: What is LL Cool J's real name?
(Yesterday's answer: $24,000)

Aaron's Music Club

This morning’s track is ‘Uh Huh (Onakabazien Remix)’ by Method Man off of The Onakabazien Treatment Sampler.  I’m not really quite sure who this Onakabazien cat is.  I found the album while I was browsing his files on Soulseek.  I decided to download it and check it out, as you can never have too many obscure remixes.  Most of them are just ok, but this one really stood out as a grimy, low-fi, shuffling beat that goes really well with Meth’s flow.  So, give it a listen, and let me know what you think.  

Hi-C on Life!!

Orange you glad blogger is working again? Glow with glee! Diet Sunkist obsession hits max. Supply is not meeting demand.
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Tonight is the mother of all reality nights. Why? O'let me count the ways...

1) Kelly Monaco& Elaine's Boss in "Seinfeld" battle it out in "Dancing with the Stars" (Take 2) final. Ho hum. YAWN!!

2) O'so Krispie wins "R U the Girl?" TLC will now be...TCO'so Krispie. Her mom looks like Aunt Jemima. Breakfast. Yum. TOAST!!

3) Maggie wins BB6. Don't even know who the hell she is and all of a sudden she pops up in the finals and takes home all the moolah. Stealthy rich. Filthy witch. She was more of a default. Lesser of the two evils. CACKLE!!

4) JD wins!! Did I predict it or what? J'adore Martin but I think I now love me some Lovehammers. JD fits with the band more. But alas, INXS is old farty. PooPOOooo!!
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Whew! Oh what a night!

Trivia of the day: According to NYMETRO, how much does a panhandler in NYC make a year?
(Yesterday's answer: Jennifer Aniston)

Beer Tasting

I am drinking a delicious beer at the moment.  It’s Northwoods Brewing Corporation’s Red Cedar Ale.  I’m finding it to be quite tasty: hoppy with a smoky, slightly sweet maltiness.  It’s also quite light while still maintaining a distinct flavor.  In general, I am not a huge fan of red ales, but I feel like I could drink this all night.  Too bad I only have one.  If you are ever in the fine town of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, stop by, have a pint, and pick me up a sixer.  Thanks

Character of the Day

Guang3. Here is a useful character. It can be translated as wide, broad, extensive, or to spread. Here at bubuxinxin, we do things big. Real big. So, it’s quite an appropriate character, if I do say so myself. Lets look at this character in its natural habitat, paired up with some if its friends.

广播 – guang3bo1 means to broadcast.
广博 – guang3bo2 means extensive (referring to someone’s knowledge)
广场 – guang3chang3 means public square
广大 – guang3da4 means vast, wide, or numerous
广度 – guang3du4 means scope or range
广泛 – guang3fan4 means extensive, wide-ranging, or widespread
广告 – guang3gao4 means advertisement
广阔 – guang3kuo4 means vast, wide, or broad
广义 – guang3yi4 means in a broad sense
广东话 – guang3dong1hua4 means Cantonese
宽广 – kuan1guang3 means vast or extensive
推广 – tui1guang3 means to popularize, to propagate, or to promote

So, that’s it. This character has plenty of different uses, so I’m sure you’ll find it useful in one way or another. This was one of the first characters I learned after I first arrived in China, as there are 广场 everywhere, so it’s useful for navigation purposes. So, that’s it for today. Take it easy everyone.

Aaron's Music Club

Today on Aaron's Music Club, we will take a trip far across the Pacific Ocean to the fine country of Japan. Once arriving, we will listen to the track "The Birdman" off of defunct garage rock phenomenon Thee Michelle Gun Elephant's 1997 album Chicken Zombies. Great rhythm section, great guitar licks, great gravelly, warbling lyrics that I can't understand: all of these conspire to create an excellent bluesy tune that will cast doubts upon the existence of your soul if you do not make an attempt to sing along or, at the very least, play air drums. The mp3 is here.

Snap! Crackle! POP!!

Oprah Fall's Season kicks off with Jennifer Aniston. Life moves on.
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Lance will be on tomorrow. I am now a big Oprah fan. Sheryl Crow will also appear... Hot DAMN!! *fist shakes in the air*
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Whew! Aaron of many hats now has: cotd, house of tea corner, and yakkity yak musak.
Wonderful implementation of color changes. Solid gold!
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Look at Jules (scroll down). She now looks like my tongue when I drink too much sunkist soda. Oh, Jules!!
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Freyman/Elferrs rock the big rockers!!














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Back to school means: FIT students. Two Lindsey Lohan looking girls wear ID badges around neck. Obvious freshmen. Line at Whole Foods now longer. Went to Gristedes instead. No more of my Restaurant Style Nachos!! Invasion complete. Go home to be greeted by brooding boy with ciggie in hand.

"Hey!"

"Yes?"

"Do you have internet cable? What do you use?"

"Time Warner. Roadrunner."

"I live in 3B. You?

"5C."

"Cool."

Not just cool. You're HOT!!, o' twin of Ryan Gosling. ;)














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Trivia of the day: Who will produce Martin Scorcese's "Departed?"
(Yesterday's answer: Marlene Dietrich)

Character of the Day

Yè. Fall a.k.a. autumn approaches. We recognize this here. So we present this character, translated as leaf, leaf-like object, page, or part of a historical period. The leaves will soon be changing color. You want to be able to express that in Chinese, don’t you? Combinations involving this character are few. Check them out.

茶叶 – cháyè means tea leaf
落叶 – luòyè means to shed leaves
叶子 – yèzi means leaf

There you go. I have to change the colors on the page now. Wish me luck.

Tea Corner

Hi. Welcome to the Tea Corner. We will discuss tea and tea-related issues and topics here. Feel free to contribute as you see fit.

Tea is a great beverage. I like it more than coffee, because the caffeine in tea enters and leaves your body more slowly and stays there for a longer amount of time. It's also easier to make, because all you need is hot water and a cup. Here are some tea-related tips:

1. Don't buy tea bags. Tea from bags almost always sucks. This isn't surprising, because they are comprised of the scraps, leftovers, and floor sweepings from the real tea. Loose tea is cheaper, if you buy it in bulk, and tastes much better.

2. Don't use one of those horrible tea ball things. Those things are dumb. Tea needs to expand in the water and be free, not be locked up and confined in a silly mesh ball. Just toss it in your cup and add your water. It's how Chinese people drink it, and if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you. Just blow lightly on them to get them out of the way. If you really really can't handle having leaves floating freely in your beverage, brew it in a pot first or get a tea cup that has a mesh screen that fits over the top.

3. Don't boil your water if you are making anything but black tea. The whistle thing on your tea kettle is pretty useless for making green tea, because by the time you hear it whistling, it's too late. The proper temperature is going to depend on the tea you're brewing. The way I tell when my water is done is by listening closely to the kettle. When it starts making a noise that sounds like rain falling on a metal roof, I know it is ready. A guy once told me that you should look for bubbles that resemble crab eyes as opposed to fish eyes. Seems like good advice to me.

4. Don't let your tea steep too long. If you steep your tea too long, it will release tannins that make it taste bitter and may upset your stomach. Ideal steeping is quite short. No more than three minutes, I think.

That's it for now. Sorry the advice is so negative. Tea is really about taking the time and energy to find out how it can be best enjoyed, so as far as water temperature, steeping times, and other things go, just experiment. Don't be lazy, though. Tea is not for the lazy.

Aaron's Music Club

Today's selection for Aaron's Music Club is "Risks" off of Malachi Constant's second full length album Zenith. Malachi Constant is an awesome band that rocks really hard. They put on a great show that will get you pumped up for a night of whatever you have planned after the show. If you are ever in the Twin Cities, you should check them out. It should probably be noted that Carl and Alex both went to my alma mater Macalester College, so I am slightly biased. Don't take my word for anything, though. Check it out.

My Dream Last Night

Last night I had a dream that the beautiful Indiana University, Bloomington campus had been overtaken by zombies. I ended up killing tons of them, though I guess you can't call it killing since, as zombies, they are already dead. At one point, I was at the top of a hill and rolled a huge rock down at the approaching zombies, killing (destroying, whatever) about 20 at once. It felt great. Over the course of the dream, I also got very drunk taking shots of tequila and broke into a nuclear power plant. It was an awesome dream. I think it was a result of me having played this game quite a bit lately. I am a level 2 scientist named Milton Johnson. I am near St. Aidan's Hospital in Gibsonton if you play and want to say hi or revive some zombies together. Later.

Character of the Day

Téng. This COTD goes out to Jacksonville quarterback Brian Leftwich. It can be translated as either to ache, to be sore, painful, or to love dearly. Leftwich is feeling the first three for sure after today. Combos are as follows:

心疼 – xīnténg means to love dearly
疼痛 – téngtòng means ache or to ache

So, that’s it for me. Get better soon, Brian.

In a Chelsea state of mind...

Went to see Proof. Used to be a Broadway show. Not much of a Gwyneth fan but surprisingly enraptured by the movie. Her character development was par but all other elements were just okey dokey. A role with meaty substance.









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Even before the movie, completely enamored by the movies come winter time. Can't wait for Casanova, Derailed, Rent and Memoirs of a Geisha!

















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Went to a beauty store, Fresh. Everything was so neatly wrapped with beautiful origami paper. To my surprise, found myself loving this perfume inspired by Memoirs of a Geisha. I love me some skanky toilet water. Scandalous!
























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Walking around the East Village, I reminisce about my old 'hood but definitely realize that I am more lower west side. EV seems more collegey/populous to me. Chelsea is a tad more laid back. EV...too many people everywhere. Bed bugs, dirty rats, NYU kids... creatures of the night.
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As a lover of art and wishing to be more of a Chelsea advocate, I will run with Aaron's idea of promulgation and start frequenting the galleries scattered around here. I always mean to go but so west!! But when the mood strikes, I will attend. Love Robert Smithson so will start with his Floating World this week. Piece of land on a tug boat so it would be nice to catch a glimpse of it. What is this idea of the natural habitat? Growing up the city, always thought that Central Park was nature. Nature to me is quite manmade. Interesting concept.
http://www.minettabrook.org/home.html
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Just Like Heaven topped the box office this weekend. It was rather heartfeltly good. I am 99.9 % parched. Can I get a Diet Coke or something?
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Trivia of the day: What soon to be movie will Gwyneth Paltrow star and produce in?
(Yesterday answer: 60)

Aaron's Music Club

So, I feel kind of guilty for slacking off on the COTD lately. I'm going to start another daily thing that I can slack off on, so COTD doesn't feel left out. It will be called Aaron's Music Club. Its purpose will be to introduce the fine readers of this page to some new music that will make them cooler than they already are. I know that most of the readers of this page are spam robots and that there's really no way to become any cooler if you're already a robot, but this is for the rest of you.

My first selection is going to be "Gira Gira" by Afro-Cuban jazz supergroup Irakere off their The Best of Irakere album. This album was recorded back when Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D'Rivera were still part of the group, and their horn work throughout the album is impressive. This track's polyrhythmic percussion and unison horn work, along with some smooth keyboard solos courtesy of Chucho Valdes, make this a great track to listen to on a Sunday morning while you wait for the football game to start. So, that's what I'm going to do. Here's a link to the file. Enjoy.

Character of the Day

Chàng. Sorry for the lack of COTDs lately. I’ve been falling asleep before I end up getting it done the past couple days. Anyway, our character today can be translated as to sing or to call (by birds). Here are some combinations that involve it.

唱段 – chàngduàn means aria
唱机 – chàngjī means gramophone or record player
唱片 – chàngpiàn means record or disc (musical)
唱戏 – chàngxì means to act in an opera
歌唱 – gēchàng means to sing
合唱 – héchàng means to sing in chorus
唱歌 – chànggē means to sing

Well, that’s about it for me tonight. I went to a very interesting art opening tonight that had very little to do with singing. Let’s all hope the Colts win tomorrow. Bye.

Mind Meanders

_To Have To Hold_ (Jane Green) lovely book. Ok ok...no more chick lit.
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Rather in a pensive mood. Probably because I am feeling quite under the weather today. I vow to treat myself better. I will start with a cold glass of diet sunkist!!
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Nothing like reading about fashion and gossip to spice things up:

1) Renee & Kenny Chesney get marriage annulled due to "fraud." What are the grounds of "fraud?" Perhaps she married him, wanting kids and maybe he can't have any? That sounds fraudulent enough to me.
2) Kate Moss is a crack whore. There are pictures to prove it. Grow up!!
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Britney Spears on the cover of Oct Elle made me smile. Not because of her. Because they made her look so stunning!! Elle is clearly a top notch magazine of beauty. Will read it more often.
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Polo's logo on shirt is HUGE! I prefer lacoste.
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Product Note: I switched to Arm & Hammer's Baking Soda toothpaste and it is like ultra nasty taste-wise but it really whitens and brightens. Bleh to taste! Yay to Zing!!
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Sometimes I feel like there are so many thoughts to put down but when I face the screen, not much of it comes out. I guess because thoughts go by once, so fleeting that the chance to capture it is lost. Or because the mind's memory is amazingly fragile. Or maybe because I am a lazy dumb ass. Yeah, that could be it. ;)
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Trivia of the day: How many shapes of pasta are there?
(Yesterday's answer: Chocolate)

So Silli Fusilli

WWIII in my studio. Clothes everywhere. Clothes I once wore. Clothes I never wear.
Summer has come and gone. Will I remember them next year?
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Hydrate.
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http://www.opus22nyc.com
Go and have fun!
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Ice cream, choco diet. Can life be any sweeter than this?


Cool.

Tail in NYC

Ambling in Chelsea.
Hear a shriek.

"AAH!!!!"

Turns out, girl was crossing the street and the a rat decides to rummage in the garbage can.

Rat was size of a toy dog.

Everyone else goes about his merry way.

That's New York for you.

Forgeddabout it!!! ;)

Chocolate, Bread, Wine & Cheese

Rieslings, Pumpkin/Key Lime Pie.
John Currin, Renoir, Van Gogh.
Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Narciso Rodriguez, del La Renta.
Chicago, Avenue Q, Mamma Mia.
White Orchids.
New York.

Favorites.

In God We Crust

I only devour the crust of things. Inside is too soft, too mushy. Fodder for the pidgeons. Currently into Whole Foods SEEDuction bread. Quite seedy. ;)
Drink of Choice: Metromint Water.
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As for chocolate, the innerds maketh all the difference. Love dark chocolate truffles with nuts.
Which Chocolate Are You? I got Jennifer. Jennifer is waaay sweet. I want to try Jeanett and Elizabeth (not pictured). Oh Fritz!



















http://www.knipschildt.com/flash.html
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Mini Signature Chocolates (1.9oz) Case Pack
Helena – coconut truffle (white chocolate)
Kelly – strawberry/ lemon-thyme (dark chocolate)
Madeleine – classic truffle (dark chocolate)
Carrie – mocha nougatine truffle (milk chocolate)
Jennifer – marzipan/pistachio truffle (dark chocolate)
Shuk – dark rum/honey and orange (milk chocolate)
Donna – blackcurrant (dark chocolate)
Jeanett – mint (white chocolate)
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No mo' tennis. Almost no mo' INXS. What to watch? Apprentice of course!! This time around, the women seem to outshine the men.
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Marty was the top dog!! Poor Susie Gone. Bye bye!! Methinks JD is going to win. Marty is my favorite but I really think that JD fits the band more. More moldable. Let's see if I am right.
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Watched a tad bit of "The Biggest Loser" yesterday. Heartwrenching to say the least. NBC was in poor form to let them go for 30 minutes in a room full of junk food. Not nice!!
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Reason for obesity in America? Lack of portion control. Whenever I travel, I am always struck by the petite size of things. Bigger doesn't always equal better.
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Finished _A Secret Word_ (Jennifer Paddock). Rather liked it. Holden Caulfiedish mood in a rather contemporary setting. Quick read.
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Going to read Frommer's London Travel Guide next. I think learning more about the country will make the experience richer. See, I am growing up. Travel is not just about eating & shopping!
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Trivia of the Day: What did Alfred Hitchcock use as substitute for blood in the movie "Psycho?"
(Yesterday's Answer: 100 Years of Solitude)

My Dawg

This is a tribute to my dog, Sophie. She's an eleven-year-old Golden Retriever. Her hobbies include sleeping, stealing my socks and tearing them to bits, eating, barking, and chasing stuff. She especially loves doing these things while I'm trying to watch football. She had a liver problem when she was a puppy that required surgery, so she is completely vegan. (She can't digest animal protein) She's been keeping me company here on the Lundberg Estate while the senior Lundbergs are up paddling around in canoes. Thanks Sophie.

My Trip to the Philippine Store

I went to the Philippine store today. It's one of those pan-Asian grocery stores that are so unfortunately rare here in Indy. It's called Mekhong, but a couple from the Philippines bought it sometime late last year, so I call it the Philippine store, even though they focus mostly on south-east Asian ingredients. This is to distinguish it from the other pan-Asian store near my house that's focused mostly on Japanese stuff but is run by a black guy. I call that one "the Asian grocery store on Shadeland Ave."

Anyway, I went there to get some rice and some scallions. I got the last bag of jasmine rice in the place and brought it and the scallions up to the counter where the two Philippine ladies working there were chatting. They asked me what I was going to make with the rice, and I answered that I was going to be making coke chicken and was out of rice to eat with it. This didn't seem to register, as one of them asked me if I was planning on making adobo. I said no, though I'd like to try adobo sometime and was going to give it a shot with the other half of the chicken that I was using for my coke chicken. She looked really surpised and said "what's that??" I said it was a dish that I'd eaten in China a couple times that was chicken cooked in coke with ginger, star anise, and some other stuff. They asked me what I had done in China, and I answered that I had been and English teacher there. One of them told me that I should get a job in the Philippines teaching English to nursing students, since they are planning to export a bunch of RNs over here due to the lack of domestic ones. I said that I hadn't thought of that, but that I really wanted to visit the Philippines. They replied that I shouldn't visit the Philippines, because it wasn't as beautiful as Japan and I should go there to visit instead. On vacation from my job teaching nurses, I guess. Anyway, we talked for a while about flights to Hong Kong from the Philippines and how to cook adobo chicken for a while and then I left.

I guess the moral of this story is that the Philipines isn't a great place to visit, but a good place to teach English to aspiring nurses. The funny thing is, every person I've met from the Philippines has had impeccable English. I guess they'd need to learn medical terminology and stuff like that, but I'm not exactly qualified in that area. Anyway, that's my story. Alice thought I should let y'all hear about it. You can find out how my coke chicken turned out here. Have a nice day!

Character Of The Day

Bīng. Alice and I trade off choosing the COTD, and she apparently has ice on her mind. I guess the atmosphere in her apartment closely resembles a furnace. Regardless, I think this is a character we can all find useful at some point, as it’s one of those wonderful things that many of us take for granted in this era of refrigeration. Anyway, as mentioned, this character can be directly translated as ice. It combines bīng (which my computer won’t let me type), the liǎngdiǎnshuǐ (两点水) radical meaning frozen, on the left and shuǐ (水) on the right, which means water. Makes sense to me. Let’s look at some chilly combos.

溜冰 – liūbīng means to ice-skate
滑冰 – huábīng means to ice-skate as well
冰雹 – bīngbáo means hail
冰茶 – bīngchá means iced tea
冰冻 – bīngdòng means to freeze
冰棍 – bīnggùn means Popsicle
冰河 – bīnghé means glacier
冰块 – bīngkuái means ice cube
冰淇淋 – bīngqílín means ice cream
冰山 – bīngshān means iceberg
冰箱 – bīngxiāng means refrigerator
冰鞋 – bīngxié means ice skates
冰柱 – bīngzhù means icicle

So, there you have it. Quick! Go get Alice a 冰红茶, a 冰棍, or some 冰淇淋!!! Take her to a 冰河!!! Throw her in the 冰箱!!! I would just make her some 火上冰山 (“Fire on the Iceberg”: sliced tomatoes covered in sugar), and hope that it would be refreshing enough. So, that’s it for me for today. Cool off if you need to and don’t worry, 滑冰 season will be here before you know it. Later.

Staccato Rhythmns Become Ho-hum

Hotness. Heat. Scorcher of a day slows the body down. Mind once boggled by thoughts now stuck in the wave of high temperature.
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Books books books. Travel Literature. Fodors to a place far, far away.
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Carbs only of late. Bread, soba, crackers, cereal. Anti-Atkins. Sunkist soda to wash it all down. I turn orange by the mere sight of it.
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Tomorrow?
Bike.
Bikram.
Badescu.
Brewery.
Busy.
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Tonight?
Rock star:INXS. MiG was surprisingly good. Hats off to him. I will still vote Marty!!
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Trivia of the day: What is Bill Clinton's favorite book?
(Yesterday's answer: Proof).

Audi

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Damn, Aaron. That's a nice paint job on that Audi." That's no paint job, my friend. The car's actually made of silver. I guess it's owned by a sheik of Dubai. (Click to make it bigger.)

Deep Deep Hole

If you were to dig a hole in your backyard and keep digging and digging and digging until you reached the other side of the earth, where would you end up? I'd end up about a thousand miles west of Perth, Australia in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Find out for yourself here, but be warned: if you live in the continental U.S., you're most likely going to end up in the Indian Ocean too. How boring.

Character Of The Day

Hào. This is an interesting character. It can be translated either as a noun meaning bad news or a verb meaning to consume, to cost, to waste, or to dawdle. It combines with a couple of other characters to make words. Let’s take a look at some of them

耗费 – hàofèi means to consume, to expend, or to waste
耗竭 – hàojié means to use up or to exhaust
耗子 – hàozi means rat
消耗 – xiāohào means consumption or to consume

So, there you go. That’s it for today. Remember, if you have any questions, comments, or corrections, let me know. Later.

Soymilk Cookies Diet

Got a package today from host mom. Sent it to me in a weird cookie box. Supposedly, eating those cookies will help you lose weight. How paradoxical.






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Plan to finish 100 years of Solitude. Bane of my existence. Read me!
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Nap upon nap upon nap. Let the cycle be unbroken.
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No more Subway. I quit.
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Found out April from BB6 and I used to work in the same company! One of the girls from Survivor: Guatamala is also a rep. For N though. Does it mean I will one day be a reality whore? I don't mind as along as I win. :)
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Trivia question of the day: What is the name of the new movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jake Gyllenhall?
(Yesterday's answer: Jake and Maggie Gyllenhall)

Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens

This was a great game. It was that perfect combination of emotion: a tense first half where you know your team could be playing a lot better, but they keep it together enough to gain and hold the lead, and the release of a well played second half where everything comes together and you are smothered with a warm blanket of relief.

I don’t think I could be any happier with how this game turned out. The defense played strongly the whole game, forcing turnovers, coming through with a strong pass rush, and limiting big plays. The offence was a bit shaky in the first half, but the Ravens’ defense was also playing very well, so being up 3-0 at the half wasn’t as much of a disappointment as it was a relief.

The Ravens played pretty well, aside from a whole slew of ill advised penalties and the fact that Ravens’ kicker Matt Stover couldn’t keep his foot off his member long enough to make a field goal. Boller, who was playing pretty well, went out with one of the least gruesome sounding injuries imaginable (hyperextended right toe). His replacement, Anthony Wright, looked quite promising until he threw an interception towards the end of Baltimore’s first decent drive. He definitely seemed to find receivers better than Boller. There might be some debating going on once Boller’s toe recovers if Wright keeps it up.

All in all, great game. This could be the year. A championship for the good sports fans of Indianapolis is not too much to ask, and I think we deserve it. Look out, New England.

Character Of The Day

Yíng. In honor of the Indianapolis Colts’ convincing victory over Baltimore this evening, today’s character means to win, to beat (in a sport), or to profit. It doesn’t form too many combinations, but let’s check them out anyway.

赢得 – yíngdé means to win or to gain
赢利 – yínglì means profit or gain
赢余 – yíngyú means profit or surplus

Those are all the ones I know of. Good to know if you’re a sports fan or if you have a business that’s doing well. Well that’s it for today. Later.

Paint It, Black

Federer won. Agassi ain't going to quit playing just yet. I have a newfound respect for that man.
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Gonna be busy week. Must Psych up.
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Trivia of the day: Which pair of siblings attended Columbia?
(Yesterday's answer: Ashley Judd)

Ohio State vs. Texas

Since we're trying to become a bit more male-oriented around here, I figure I'd let everyone know that Ohio State lost to Texas tonight, and if you didn't watch it, you missed a great game. There were a lot of great plays on both offense and defense, which always makes for an interesting football game.

Vince Young is really nasty and proved himself to be more than just a running back masquerading as a quarterback with a killer 24 yard touchdown pass to Limas Sweed. Still, he made a couple of really stupid decisions protecting the ball while he was getting sacked or trying to toss it away, resulting in a couple of turnovers.

I don't think there should be any more quarterback controversy at Ohio State after this game. From what I saw, Troy Smith played a great game (similar to Vince Young's in many ways), and Justin Zwick was essentially useless, except for leading a drive to set up one of five field goals made by Ohio State, and managed to get the ball stripped on their last drive of the game.

So, it was an enjoyable evening of football for me. I'm looking forward to the first Sunday of the NFL season tomorrow. My tv sucks, though, so I'm going to have to go somewhere to watch the Colts game. Later.

Character Of The Day

Jù. This is one of my favorite characters. Originally, it represented a carpenter’s square, but now it means huge, tremendous, or enormous. It looks pretty imposing, in my opinion, so it’s a good fit. Let’s look at some combos that involve this massive character.

巨大 – jùdà means huge or enormous
巨额 – jù’é means a huge sum
巨人 – jùrén means giant or colossus
巨擘 – jùbò means an authority in a field
巨头 – jùtóu means magnate or tycoon
巨无霸 – júwùbá means Big Mac
巨著 – jùzhù means monumental work

Wow. Try saying that last one five times fast. I suppose this means I shouldn’t create a monumental work of literature or something. If someone wanted me to talk about it in Chinese, I’d make an ass out of myself. So, if you’re going to China to become a tycoon, best-selling author, or just to go to McDonald’s, this is a character you need to know. Well, that’s all for today. Take it easy

All that Jazz!

Hail Agassi! Hail Federer! Holy Mother of Mary...Pierce that sucked. Stinky cheese. I am completely torn as to who to root for tomorrow. I would bet my $$ on Federer but my heart wants Agassi to win. Long live Agassi!!










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Fashion Week at Bryant Park. The exciting hustle and bustle reminds me why nyc is indeed the best place to be living in. Thought about what I really wanted for myself (dig deep!) and the game plan is to stay in nyc for three more years before I move. Giving a timeline for myself really makes the goals that I have more concrete. Less abstract. No longer as indefinite. Sign of old age. I grow old, I grow old, I shall wear my trousers rolled.
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Beauty week for me. Haircut. Facial. Manicure. Spa. I need a massage before my back gives out!
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I give up on the online Self Challenge. I accidentally put down I was 11 lbs thereby messing up the whole calorie calculator system. No wonder 60 min of running exerted 28 calories. Nutritional calories: 300 a day. Underestimate much?
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Summer can't be ending!! So much I still want to do. Learn French. Knit. Learn how to swim. GMATs. Yoga. Finish 100 Years of Solitude. :<( *POUT*
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Trivia of the day: Who will be the new spokesperson for Estee Lauder's American Beauty Line?
(Yesterday's answer: Michael Jackson).

And Nevermore...

Literati. See also: Summer of '05. Timed or Untimed? What room? Invite me! Firewall! Only the chosen ones know...ZEN does not exist in our vocabulary.
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As an aspiring marketing guru, I am looking for ways to increase the guy viewership for this blog. (Sorry Aaron, you don't quite count). After speaking with L at length, I came up with some solid ideas to behoove the male species. With my sample set of one, there shall be no standard deviation as I am 100% confident in my results. Dammmmnn... I make one helluva statistician. From now on, I will refrain from all written word. To commence this new and improved blog, I bring you the 3 S's: steak, sports scores and Sherapova. You all are welcome :)
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7

Andre Agassi Robby Ginepri

6 4

5 7

6 3

4 6

6 3

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Character Of The Day

Qiú. In honor of the beginning of the NFL season, along with the U.S. Open (tennis), today’s character means ball, sphere, or globe. Since many things in this world of ours and beyond are round, it’s a popular character. Let’s take a look at it in action.

球迷 – qiúmí means sports fan
球门 – qiúmén means goal (the object itself)
球网 – qiúwǎng means net (like in tennis or badminton)
网球 – wǎngqiú means tennis
打球 – dǎqiú means to play (a sport involving a ball)
台球 – táiqiú means pool or billiards
球鞋 – qiúxié means tennis shoes or sneakers
罚球 – fáqiú means penalty shot or free throw
棒球 – bàngqiú means baseball
桌球 – zhuōqiú means table tennis or ping pong
乒乓球 – pīngpāngqiú also means table tennis or ping pong
保龄球 – bǎolíngqiú means bowling
足球 – zúqiu means soccer
垒球 – lěiqiú means softball
篮球 – lánqiú means basketball
排球 – páiqiú means volleyball
冰球 – bīngqiú means hockey or puck
伽篮球 – gālánqiu means football or rugby. It’s not in either of the dictionaries I use, but Microsoft Pinyin 3.0 IME recognizes it as these characters, and I’m sure it’s pronounced this way.
球赛 – qiúsài means ballgame or match

Ok. So these are uses of 球(qiú) only pertaining to sports. It’s also used for terms related to biology (like blood cells) and astronomy (planets, moons, etc.). So, I hope you enjoyed this sporting edition of COTD, and I hope you are enjoying the sports, unless you are a New England fan, of course. Take it easy.

All I Wanna Do...is go to Sheryl Crow's Concert

Uh-oh. I am drinking too much soda again. I feel caffeine withdrawal pangs. I have always been a loyal Diet Cokaholic but I made the switch to Diet Pepsi. Make that Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. Diet Coke's marketing messages are too confusing. Geezus stick to one diet soda!! Diet Vanilla, Lime, Lemon, One, Regular...holy cow there are too many choices!! I can't choose. I choo choo choose...Diet Pepsi. Whew...no brainer. :)
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I don't like to admit this but I like Ashlee Simpson's music. Her new song, "Boyfriend," is kinda catchy. I think "My Hump" from the Black Eyed Peas is funny. I even like the new Backstreet Boys song. Wanna get Sheryl Crow's new album. Green Day rocks too. Weirdly, I am also getting into the Rolling Stones. But the hottest guys in rock/pop are: Brandon Boyd, Justin Timberlake and Jack Johnson. Hands down.
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Yay! My host mom sent me a care package! She came to visit me last Christmas and back then I was in my salsa&chips/Wheat Thins craze and she caught the bug too. She is more obsessed with Wheat Thins than I am. Her son really loves Sponge Bob. They don't have either of those things in Japan so we barter. I send her Wheat Thins/Sponge Bob stuff. And she sends me white chocolate Kit Kats. So good! Can't wait!!
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Travel-wise, my goal is to go to:

1) Guam (to eat)
2) Boulder (to ski)
3) Miami (to dance/club)

Because I never been! I also want to go to DC & Boston to visit my friends I haven't seen in a while. Where has the time gone?
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My ex supervisor, L, is going to watch Agassi tomorrow at the Open. Lucky Duck. She always takes this week off for the Open. She is a bigger tennis fan than me!! D is also coming back to NYC so she can get together this shindig for Katrina. I always find other people's accomplishments so staggering. I am honored to even know them!!
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TLC Update. Down to the wire. Oh so Krispie, Meeah and Mirrah are still in the running. Who will win? Eek...so exciting!
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I feel SPECTACULAR! I had a really good workout. I even did the stair climber. I hate that effin' thing. It is like the red-headed stepchild. Even when the gym is at its busiest, no one uses them. I also am not a big fan of the treadmill but for a different reason. After I go on it for a while, it looks like someone kicked me in the shins. Big Bully!!
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Maybe instead of getting a car from the company, I should just get a bicycle. God knows, that will save me from the egregious ticketing and the random acts of towing. Picture me at work on this. So awesome. :)

















So many Sanrio characters nowadays! Can't keep up! Look at this po' guy. I need to rescue this buster.

















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Trivia of the day: Who did Sheryl Crow use to back-up sing for?
(Yesterday's answer: Dear Daniel)

That's My Name, Don't Wear it Out...

Jordis out. Agassi in. Am I good at predicting or what?! Misstep on the Coria though but it will just be an easier path for Agassi. I really want to see Agassi and Federer in the finals. But by then, Agassi's ass is going to be so tired that it shall be an utter rout. Poor Agassi. Hope Steffi will make it all better. :)
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I am hankering for some Cookies n' Cream ice cream. I have two dollars in my wallet. Pathetic.
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Aaron yaks. Aaron Plow Cow. Haha, I crack myself up...
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Speaking of names, back in the day when I was a young chickadee, a boy once rapped to me using my name. Oh, let me count the things that rhyme with "Alice:"

1) Palace
2) Malice
2) Chalice
3) Phallus

Needless to say, he did not win my heart. I appreciate the effort, got my attention but not my affection. Rhyme on!
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Dippin' Dots. I want a Dippin' Dot confetti cake for my next birthday. And I want to go to Great Adventure and ride that new Kingla roller coaster. I want the Ipod new Nano!!
I want I want!! Such a freakin' brat. Bugger.










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Finished "It's Not About The Bike" (Lance Armstrong). Three adjectives to describe his character from what I gather in the book: Determined, Strong, Inspiring. An immense read.
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New health products have a tendency to dupe. Like Whole Foods was giving out samples of this new coconut water that is suppose to help your digestion. Coconut water by nature is suppose to aid your digestion. So you ain't me telling me something new. You didn't invent rocket science. Don't mess.
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But then, I am currently hyped up caffeine, corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soybean oil. I rule the yuletide. Yakkity yak. Don't talk back.
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Trivia of the day: Who is Sanrio character Hello Kitty married to?
(Yesterday's answer: Tom Colicchio)

Character Of The Day

Máo. I've decided that I should wander more into the realm of the obscure when presenting these characters, so here it goes. This character, translated by itself, means yak. It’s part of one combination that I know of:

牦牛 – máoniú means yak

Last time I was in the beautiful city of 丽江 (LìJiāng), I bought a big bag of spicy dried yak. Unfortunately, I ate all of it. If anyone wants to send me some more, that would be awesome. Interestingly enough, www.zhongwen.com gives the definition of yak as 犁牛 (líniú), which doesn’t make much sense to me, as yaks don’t plow anything that I know of. Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 also recognizes 犁牛. So, who knows? All I know is that I bought 牦牛 and it’s damn tasty. Let me know what you think about this controversy. I’m out.

Love Me Some Hammer!

Listening to Marty Casey's "Trees." On constant repeat since last night. I only voted for him this time! I really hope that he wins! I will make it a point to download some Lovehammers.
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Lance used to be my fave but he is now engaged to Sheryl Crow. Lucky gal. Halfway done with the "It's Not About The Bike" book. He was such an angry kid. Glad he was able to channel his anger to win the Tour De France many times!
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Roger Federer is up there too. He is just so damn cool when he plays. Completely breezy. He is modest and always talks up his opponents. And such a player!! So opposite of Agassi, who will be going against Blake tonight. Exciting game for sure!
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Yay, K will be back on Saturday! There is always a lapse in correspondence and then I get a random email like "Hi, I am in Greece right now. I will be in London on Friday. Was just in Turkey last week." So I am really fascinated to hear about her vacation. And see the renovation to her place!
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I have been fervently searching for pistachio macaroons. So far, Balthazar has coconut ones that don't make the cut. Fauchon in midtown has AMAZING eclairs but don't remember them having macaroons (probably in a state of daze because those damn eclairs were so heavenly). And methinks there is a French bakery, Musette, in the East Village but they only have chocolate macaroons. I always go to the Le Pain Quotidian when in that area because I LOVE their Grain Bread, Hazelnut Breadsticks, and their Pistachio Marzipan tart. So Yum!!
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The only restaurant that caught my eye of late is BLT Fish. Always booked to the max but I heard is amazing and I love seafood so I am sure it will be great. I want to try that tiered thingamigjig. I prefer lesser known restaurants such as this one because when things are hyped up, they usually end up underwhelming. But Gramercy Tavern and Craft are definitely worth it. It was really cool that Craft only uses Riedel glasses. I broke mine. And they were a gift!
*SNIFFLE*






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I am mentally psyching myself to get a haircut. My hair is so long that I know I will be very sad to part with it. To combat the downtroddenness of it all, I will listen to TOK's "When You Cry." Appt this weekend. Boohoo.

But I am sure tonight's Rockstar:INXS will make everything better. Prolly Jordis out.
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Trivia of the day: Who is the owner of Gramercy Tavern?
(Yesterday's answer: Plano, Texas)

Character Of The Day

Kāng. Here’s a quick one for today. It means healthy. It’s also a Chinese surname. Here are some combos that use it.

健康 – jiànkāng means health
小康 – xiǎokāng means middle class
康复 – kāngfù means to recover from illness
康乐 – kānglè means peace and happiness

So, there you go. I haven’t been that healthy lately, so I’m just going to leave it at that. Take it easy.

Root for the Home Team!!

Baseball themed day today. Woke up to iron my suit before I headed to Bridgewater. Feelin' good since the city is my playfield. All ready to hit the day while it is hot. But in this game, three strikes and yo' ass is OUT!
Oh, let me count the ways:















1) Band-aid. My blister finally popped by itself and it is healing but the dead skin is all gray and the new skin is like bright pink. I ran out of the standard Band-Aids. So I look around and the only ones I find have Sanrio characters on them. So I will meet the regional director with a cartoon character wrapped around my finger. No biggie. I am so sure he will take me seriously because I look like I'm all business. Strike one.
2) No cash. Went inside Penn Station. No Banks of America. Ok so I see one like every two minutes when I am roaming around in the city, but when I actually need one, there are none. Bite me!! So with no time to waste, I had to suck it up and go to an ATM that charged me a pretty penny to get some cash. Strike two.
3) Bathroom. Went to the hotel and had to go to the bathroom. Came out and washed my hands thinking, "hey, why are there urinals in here? so strange." Umm, cuz it is the men's bathroom!! Some guy comes in and I shrugged it off and walked out. Strike three.

Dude, my ass is so struck out even though I didn't even make it to the meeting. Or am I? The meeting went surprisingly well. The regional director even seemed pleased as he shook my hand (the one with the Pochacco Band-Aid on it). Relief!
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Just got "It's Not About the Bike" (Lance Armstrong). As I read it on the train, I saw a whole bunch of people that wore the "Livestrong" bands. In the book, he talks about how he didn't get along with his adopted father, Terry Armstrong, and didn't consider himself an Armstrong. So why we all be wearing them? I guess it has to do with mantra.
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I have grown a lot this summer. I used this hiatus to get back on track to figure out what kind of person I want to be and what is it that I truly want to do. NYC is such swill sometimes. And I say it in the most endearing way possible. It is a place where more begets more and sucks you up to want everything faster, better more. But I learned something this summer. I do things because I will to do them. I am not defined by things nor even what I do. I am defined by who I am and the value exists just because I am me. So all the bs melts away and I can enjoy the city once again. I do what I want to do. I hang out who I want to hang out with. I am going to do my best in everything I do because that is the person I want to be. I am at this deeper place in my life now. And I am better for it.
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So enough of this spiel. I bumped into Robert so we will hang on thurs. Whoopee!! And I definitely am in the mood for some fro-yo. That, and of course, some cracker jacks :)
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Trivia of the Day: What city is Lance Armstrong originally from?
(Yesterday's Answer: Jaden Gil Agassi).

Hot Tamales!!

At a fiesta, having grand ol' time when I check voicemail. Manager calls to tell me that "yes, we are on target with the regional director at Bridgewater tomorrow." Did I miss something here?! Aye, Dios Mio!! But inured to the corporate world, I voicemailed his asswipe back to tell him "I got the message and I look forward to meeting with you." So here I am, trying to google where the hell Bridgewater is.
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Agassi won!!! I am so happy for him. If he beats Coria, he has a good chance of being in the finals. I am not much of a Sherapova fan. I much rather Venus or Davenport win.
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Need new sneakers. Being such a gym rat, I can tell what kind of athlete you are by the soles of your shoes:

1) Neophytes: Average, middle-aged, distended guy or gal that either is finally starting that new year's resolution or decided to finally get with Oprah's program. Sometimes has a fitness instructor to help motivate them, meaning that they spend the hour just chatting so the aforementioned guy or gal can justify that carton of ice cream. (Shoes of choice: Anything found in the closet be it ten year old Keds or LA Gear).
2) Pretties: Hey, I live in Chelsea where the boys are pretty. They go to the gym to see and be seen. Some might even be donning on the Alvin Ailey unitard. Others wear Paul Frank and cargoes. Wherever they go, they must be high in style. (Shoes of choice: Nike Shox).
3) Beefcakes: Tougher than Hulk, these peeps amp up the weights and drink creatine between reps. They grunt like they meant it! ARRRRGH!! Cardio? Who has time for cardio when there are fifty nautilus machines to attack. Rage on, brother. (Shoes of choice: Sandals)
4) Marathoners: Cardio only. With Ipod taped to the side of the arm, these people wear tees that betell what marathons they ran or what sports they did in college. Run Forest! (Shoes of choice: Saucony).

So what shoes do I wear? Asics.
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Trivia of the day: What is Agassi and Graf's son's name?
(Yesterday's Answer: Idina Mendel and Taye Diggs).

A Deadly Sin

Dinner for two deal at Subway. Two 6 inch subs for 7.99. I downed both of them! I just realized I just at dinner for TWO!! I am such a glutton.
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Went to Chikalicious and everything is just so quaint. Cute but pricey.
My favorite dessert of all time is Key Lime Pie. Pumpkin pie is a close second.














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People demonstrating at Union square. Anti-Bush.
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Whoa...I am so terse today because I did shit!! I logged in a good two hours at the gym. Venus beat Serena. Though I am the youngest, I am partial to Venus. I think she is more constant than Serena who seems to be more of a dilettante.
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There is literally NO food in my apartment. NONE!! Like if I was locked in here, I would have to subsist on ice, coffee beans and Coors Light.
So tomorrow I will go get some groceries and clean up my apartment. How did it get so crazy messy already? Well, I might also meet up with Crystal whom I haven't seen in a year.
The two songs that I have been listening to nonstop, "Never Tear Us Apart" (INXS) "Wish You Were Here" (Pink Floyd).
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Trivia of the day: Which real life couple is starring in "Rent?"
(Yesterday's answer: "Take My Breath Away," "Every Breath You Take," and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch))

Character Of The Day

Chǎn. This character can act as a verb meaning to give birth to or to produce. It can also act as a noun meaning product, asset, or property. Here are some words involving this character.

产地 – chǎndì means place of production
产出 – chǎnchū means output or production
产能 – chǎnnéng means production capacity
产品 – chǎnliàng means product or produce
破产 – pòchǎn means to go bankrupt
共产 – gòngchǎn means Communist
私产 – sīchǎn means private property
特产 – tèchǎn means local specialty
流产 – liúchǎn means miscarriage (noun and verb)
遗产 – yíchǎn means inheritance
产科 – chǎnkē means obstetrical department or obstetrics
产卵 – chǎnluǎn means to lay eggs (birds) or to spawn (fish)

So, as we can see, this character has many uses, relating both to birth and to production. That’s it for today. Let me know if anything’s out of order or if there are any questions. Take care.

Livin' on a Prayer

It is official. I am going to London! My sister booked the tickets and we are planning on stuff to do already. My goal is to ride the London Eye at night which I think would just be so amazing!! She really wants to go to Madame Taussauds and Harrod's (where they have Diana and Dodi's picture) and the House of Parliament as well as the standards like Kensington, Buckingham and Big Ben. I am really really excited about the trip because I think it will be fantastic! Because in the past I have always been like "ok wouldn't it be fun if we did this or if we had the time/money we can do that and go there?" This is it!! I am just gonna have a good time. I say this because when I look back at Paris, I didn't prepare for it. I had a great time anyway but because E planned the iternerary for me in advance. I think the best part of the trip was when we ate at the top of the Centre de Pompidou and had the whole view of Paris. I loved going to the top of the Saint-Chappelle where all the sides were made of stained windows of the stories in the Bible. The details were immense! I was floored and just inspired by everything around me and I thought to myself "this is what life is all about, experiencing great things and just doing my thing in the best way everyday." Come to think of it, the Louvre was great, the Eiffel Tower at night was fantabulous, the pistachio macaroons were so yummy and getting to go to Giverny where Monet painted those lily pads were awesome, I am so honored that E asked me to accompany her again!! Carpe Diem! London here I come!











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Today was such a fun day. I woke up early to go to the gym. Agassi inspired me because he is 35 and still playing at the US Open (he made it to the next round.. Yay!). He is just so passionate about life and doing great things (he has a center for underprivileged kids in his hometown Las Vegas) how can I not but go to the gym and work my ass off? I dug how they asked him about what his plans are and he just shrugged it off and said that he spends all his time and focus in the present that he doesn't know what will happen tomorrow. I really love his passion and the heart he brings to the sport. Go Agassi!
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Went to meet G to see 40 yr old Virgin which is like the cutest movie ever! I love Steve Carrell. We snuck into March of the Penguins and it was very sad but at the same time so adorable! Mother Nature is rather interesting. Wedding Crashers still be my number 1 movie this summer!
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Met Toni at Sing Sing on Avenue A and belted out "Losing My Religion" and "To Be With You." Had a great time! I think I am getting old now that I am no longer insecure about myself and go there and not sing. But the bad news is I am going to be very hoarse tomorrow. Hopefully going to Chikalicious and getting some dessert will soothe my vocal chords.
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I read the second part of 100 yrs. It reminded me of "Unbearable Lightness of Being" (Milan Kundera). Love and war. The pervasive theme of generational sin (how the good/bad you do passes onto the next generation) is present in this story. Good karma from now on!! I don't want my kids to be messed up!!
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Trivia of the Day: What three songs do Aaron sing during karaoke?
(Yesterday's answer: 6" Turkey sub for lunch, Footlong Veggie Delite for dinner)