styles of the times

What is it about 1Ders and their solo projects?  I have never bought any 1D albums, but I really like every solo song that's come out, starting with Zayn's Pillowtalk and It's You, and then Niall Horan's This Town, and now Harry Styles' Sign Of The Times, which is seriously nostalgic and majestic.  These guys have won me over:



On other music fronts, I am also loving John Mayer's just-released thoughtful and introspective The Search For Everything.



And then there's Father John Misty's epic Pure Comedy.

the woman behind the cat

"How could you?  I'm a woman!"

This is my latest toy - a Batman Returns Catwoman action figure.  I had pre-ordered this way back in October last year, and it finally arrived this week.  The good:  Holy crap - it really looks like Michelle Pfeiffer.  The bad:  It doesn't really stand properly, and the legs don't articulate smoothly.  And one of the claws already broke off, and I had to superglue it back.  But man, look at that face!

By the way, speaking of Oscars and Michelle Pfeiffer - this performance is one for the ages and should have won Best Actress that year.  Sometimes Oscars don't know crap.

another day in the sun

The Oscars are this weekend.  This year I actually have deep rooting interest so here are my picks:

Best Film:
La La Land (my choice, and will win)
La La Land is a love letter to Los Angeles and dreams and musicals.  It is my definitive choice for movie of the year because it gives me infinite joy (the freeway opening, the Lovely Night number, the planetarium scene, the Gosling whistling and singing and dancing with elderly lady at the pier, the Mia audition song about her aunt in Paris) and also makes me feel infinite sadness (the ending montage - that montage...). 

Best Director:
Damien Chazelle (my choice, and will win)

Best Actress:
Emma Stone (my choice, and will win)

Best Actor:
Ryan Gosling for La La Land (my choice)
Denzel Washington for Fences (will win)

Best Supporting Actor:
Lucas Hedges for Manchester By The Sea (my choice - haven't watched but I just have gut instinct this is a performance I would like)
Mahersala Ali for Moonlight (will win)

Best Supporting Actress:
Octavia Spencer for Hidden Figures (my choice - haven't watched but she's just so likable)
Viola Davis for Fences (will win)

Go, La La Land!!!!!

rate anything

Daredevil - Season one was awesome.  Season two was not as, mainly because I don't like how Murdock was behaving with Foggy and Karen.  In season one I was really enamored with Murdock and Daredevil.  In season two I actually thought he was kinda jerky, as a friend and as a superhero.  A- for season one; B for season two.

Gourmet Noodle House on Geary - Went there this afternoon and had beef tendon noodle soup.  Beef tendon was tender and delicious.  Broth was ok.  Wish there was more noodle.  The deep fried chicken wing appetizer was crispy and tender.  The bean curd ma lan vegetable dish was bland.  B-

The Handmaiden - Park Chan Wook's latest is intriguing and surprising.  I didn't see the plot twists coming at all.  And the storytelling and production design are masterful.  The only reason for the middling grade is that this is really not my type of movie.  B-

Taqueria Guadalajara - I ordered a carne asada plate, and the steak was completely tasteless.  At least the melon fresca was good.  D

BB Tea on Noriega - Mango snow ice with boba was just a mango slush.  D

Singing In The Rain - I finally saw this after all these years.  There were some musical numbers that totally killed (Donald O'Connor is the man!), but as a whole movie, it was kinda weak.  That whole Gotta Dance sequence with Gene Kelly was so out-of-place and unnecessary. It felt as if it were filmed for another movie and then just thrown in here to make this movie longer.  C+

Endeavour Series 3 - The show that out-Sherlocks Sherlock.  I like the poetic richness and depth of this show.  And its quintessential British-ness. But I have to admit, I am lost for 75% of each episode.  The reveal though is almost always worth the confusion.  B+

Prima Taste Instant Laksa Noodle - It's about $3 a pack - crazy expensive for instant noodles.  But you put in some fishballs and tofu puffs, and you have an authentic tasting laksa right there at home.  A

Super Bowl LI - First 2-3/4 quarters - F.  Last 1-1/4 quarters plus OT - A+.  This is what a miracle looks like, at least for a Pats fan.

Edge of Seventeen - I am a sucker for teenage angst movies, and this is a good one.  Bonus points giving Hailee Steinfeld an Asian love interest.  A

Nongshim Shin Black Premium Noodle Soup - I was wondering what the big deal is with the Black noodle soups.  And it turns out, Black doesn't live up to the hype.  B-

where i come from

It's two months into the new year.  It's been raining a crap-load, both literally and figuratively.  My mom has been feeling a crippling pain on her upper left arm.  To make matters worse, I gave her a heating gel pad that I apparently microwaved longer than I should have, and she ended up burning her arm.  The spots then didn't heal properly, and I ended up taking her to urgent care because I was worried about infection. Fortunately, the nurse practitioner said they only look slightly infected locally, and she recommended just applying ointment topically.  Then of course, the rain has been relentless.  We've had pretty much continuous rain every week for the last three-plus months, with a day or two of break here and there.  With the rain, the leaks just kept coming.  At work, I've been bombarded with work related to this lawsuit.  The attorneys keep hitting me with questions and requests to review the case materials.  Then the other night, some big black guy rang my bell.  I answered and he started talking about saving youths from gangs.  I knew where that was going, and I said I wasn't interested.  He then got really rude and said, "Not interested in what?  Not interested in saving lives?"  I said, "No, I am not interested in someone just coming to my door.  I don't know you."  He went on about how where you come from, you may not be interested in saving lives and helping.  I was like, WTF. Where I come from???  Not that again.  I mean, I was just minding my own business in my own home, watching Season 3 of Endeavour (and getting all confused as I tend to be by that show, which I actually really like).  Then out of the blue, I get insulted by some random guy spewing stuff I've heard all my life being an immigrant here.  Where I come from???

Fortunately, in life, there is always hope.  You can count on life to suck and constantly throw you into shit storms,  But then you can always count on moments where the clouds part and the sun peeks out to show you glimmers of brightness.

This week, a contractor finally came to help look at my house and said he will get back to me in two weeks to give me some options to try.  Ok sure, I've heard that before, only to have the guy disappear forever into the ether.  But like I said, hope.  I will be optimistic and patient.  I feel like as long as I try, I will be rewarded in the end for my efforts.

And then Chi Young actually had a phone interview with a firm.  I believe they are going to follow up with an in-person meeting.  Unfortunately the job is in San Diego.  But I think it is a good opportunity for him, and he can use it to gain experience.  The first job is the hardest.  And at least it's still in California.  It's the first real sign of a good job potential since he graduated, so I am happy for him.

Do all these movements forward mean that the Chinese Gods were listening and are answering back?  I mean, I don't want to be racist or anything, but dang, I should have been praying to them instead of those gwai lo Gods all this time.  Imagine if I did this when I was all young and full of potential with all my life ahead of me, and the Chinese Gods had guided me all along.  If I had stayed in my homeland, and stuck with my homey Gods with their slanty eyes, I could have been a contender!  I could be married to a nice Chinese girl with nice Chinese kids, and we would all bai san as a family. Together we would make glutinous rice balls and daikon cake, and everybody will be so damn happy.  Instead, I made the mistake and became Americanized and tried to be some American dreamer, only to then be constantly reminded I am not an American.

Yeah, I am an immigrant.  I came from Macau.  That's where I come from, you ass!

cox and rooster

It's Super Bowl Sunday.  Go Pats!!!!!  Ok, maybe I need to take off one or two exclamations given Robert Kraft, Belichick, and Brady's connections to Voldemort.  I mean Spygate, Deflatgate was a whole bunch of smoke, but this Voldemort thing is kinda unforgivable. Still, I am a Pats fan through and through, and I am sure there are a lot of other players on the team who are not elitists/racists/fascists, so go, Pats!!!...My mom's health continues to get worse.  The past couple of weeks she developed an arm pain that is so crippling she can barely lift the arm.  To make matters worse, I gave her a heating gel that was too hot, and it ended up burning her arm.  This led to some wounds that didn't heal properly - so we had to go to urgent care to make sure there is no infection.  Argh...My newest tv show binge is Daredevil.  It's awesome and the best of the three Marvel superhero shows on Netflix.  I mean, all three are great, but Daredevil is my favorite after watching one season of each.  I love Charlie Cox as Murdoch.  I wonder when Elektra will pop up...I bought from eBay a La La Land IMAX poster last week.  Today I got a custom frame online.  I cannot wait to put it up and cheer La La Land on for the Oscars.  I hope the backlash won't take on too much momentum.  La La Land is the movie we need right now.  Actually it's the movie we need always.  The world is always better with a bittersweet romance with song and dance and magic and Gosling/Stone?...I actually am worried about my job security these days.  Things are getting scary with Voldemort in power.  Come on - I don't want to have to go pound the pavement and doing interviews and stuff like that.  I seriously don't have confidence I can find another job, cuz I suck at selling myself.  And as much as I don't like my job, I really don't want to start over.  Oy vey...Oh it's Chinese New Years!  Year of the Rooster.  I've been helping my mom with burning incense and all that.  I pray that my mom's health improves, that Chi Young finds a good job, and that my house leaks are fixed soon.  Will the Chinese Gods listen to me (the other Gods have been unresponsive thus far)?  I even said the prayers in Chinese.  Granted, it's Cantonese.  I hope the Chinese Gods don't only do Mandarin or whatever it is that they speak in the mainland...

backup rugs and meatballs

Random thoughts I had today:  Meatloaf with mashed potato sandwich for breakfast...Man, how long will it take to grow out of this bad hair cut?...I wonder whether my car is feeling kinda funny these days, or is it my paranoia since the service I had done in late Nov?...Why are there so many people at Costco on a Thursday morning?...Should I buy more kitchen runner rugs for backup or not?...Should I buy them in lighter or darker color?  Dark will hide dirt more, but light will lighten up the kitchen...Screw it - I don't need backup rugs...Canned chicken would make good emergency food...Is it awkward when you keep running into the same shoppers in the Costco aisles?...I am putting back this chicken meatball cuz I still have an unopened pack at home.  I also don't need backup meatballs...I do need a backup house though...Damn you Mother Nature - why the heavy rain this whole coming weekend and next week???  Do you not know about my leaks?....Why are there so many cars at Ranch 99 on a weekday?  Why are there so many people everywhere?  I thought everybody went back to work and school this week...That's a beautiful ocean there.  For all the reasons that it kinda sucks living in SF, this is one of the reasons this city is an amazing place...Claypot rice is perfect for a wintery night...I should think about investing in property outside of the Bay Area, like in Denver where the market has been heating up...Too bad I don't have CMT - Nashville is premiering there tonight...I really don't get the appeal of Big Bang Theory...Why doesn't EW do a cover for Debbie Reynolds too?...These rug anti-slip underlays are really not working...I need to think about purging two items every week...Wow, tomorrow is my real last day of leave.  Monday will be the start of another year of work. Oy vey...Dang, this avocado coffee drink is yummy...like, really really yummy...Ok time to exercise the knee...Alexa please set timer for fifty minutes...Those kids on Project Runway Junior are really good at this avant-garde challenge...Fencing is a cool sport...Reg is such a great friend and a solid human being...I wonder whether I should try to add more caulking tomorrow before the rain comes?...I don't watch Stephen Colbert, but I like him...That Andy Cohen show and Bravo in general is everything I don't like about pop culture these days.

2016 in the rear view mirror: music

My 2016 playlist (reds are particular favorites):

song	artist	album
Memory Of... (US) (Ft. Estelle & Pete Rock)	De La Soul	And The Anonymous Nobody...
I Can't Give Everything Away	David Bowie	Blackstar
Ivy	Frank Ocean	Blonde
Solo	Frank Ocean	Blonde
Self Control	Frank Ocean	Blonde
White Ferrari	Frank Ocean	Blonde
Wild	Troye Sivan	Blue Neighbourhood [Explicit]
Youth	Troye Sivan	Blue Neighbourhood [Explicit]
Blessings	Chance The Rapper	Coloring Book
Radio Silence	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
Love Me In Whatever Way	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
I Need A Forest Fire [feat. Bon Iver]	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
The Colour In Anything	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
Two Men Down	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
Modern Soul	James Blake	The Colour In Anything
The Noisy Days Are Over	Field Music	Commontime
Moonlight	Ariana Grande	Dangerous Woman (Deluxe)
Day Breaks	Norah Jones	Day Breaks
Empty	Kevin Abstract	Empty - Single
Alexander Hamilton	Broadway Cast of Hamilton	Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
A 1000 Times	Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam	I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
In a Black Out	Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam	I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
Rough Going (I Won't Let Up)	Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam	I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
Just Let It	Body Language	Just Let It
Another Day Of Sun	La La Land Cast	La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Mia & Sebastian’s Theme	Justin Hurwitz	La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
City Of Stars	Ryan Gosling	La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Audition (The Fools Who Dream)	Emma Stone	La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Champagne Problems	Nick Jonas	Last Year Was Complicated
Close	Nick Jonas Feat. Tove Lo	Last Year Was Complicated
Reichpop	Wild Nothing	Life of Pause
Never Is The Change	Bullion	Loop the Loop
The Final Frame	Michael Kiwanuka	Love & Hate
All About Us	TEEN	Love Yes
7 Years	Lukas Graham	Lukas Graham
Mama Said	Lukas Graham	Lukas Graham
The Bird	Anderson .Paak	Malibu
Truth	ZAYN	Mind Of Mine
Pillowtalk	ZAYN	Mind Of Mine
iT's YoU	ZAYN	Mind Of Mine
Daydreaming	Radiohead	A Moon Shaped Pool
True Love Waits	Radiohead	A Moon Shaped Pool
Because I Asked You	Eleanor Friedberger	New View
Nobody But Me	Michael Bublé	Nobody But Me
Let's Hurt Tonight	OneRepublic	Oh My My
Kids	OneRepublic	Oh My My
Wherever I Go	OneRepublic	Oh My My
ooo	79.5	ooo
Over And Over Again	Nathan Sykes	Over And Over Again
Piece By Piece (Idol Version)	Kelly Clarkson	Piece By Piece (Idol Version)
Really Doe	Danny Brown	Really Doe
Bang Bang	Green Day	Revolution Radio
Revolution Radio	Green Day	Revolution Radio
Outlaws	Green Day	Revolution Radio
Still Breathing	Green Day	Revolution Radio
Ordinary World	Green Day	Revolution Radio
Normal American Kids	Wilco	Schmilco
Cranes in the Sky	Solange	A Seat at the Table
The Riddle of the Model	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Up	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
To Find You	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
A Beautiful Sea	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Drive It Like You Stole It	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Girls	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Brown Shoes	Sing Street	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Go Now	Adam Levine	Sing Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Stand In The Light	Jordan Smith	Something Beautiful
Clock Hands	Kip McGrath	Sour Grapes
Alabaster Snow	Leapling	Suspended Animation
Cake By The Ocean	DNCE	Swaay
This Town	Niall Horan	This Town
Never Never Let Me Down	Formulars Dance Band	Wake Up You Vol. 1
What Do You Do It For?	Lou E	What Do You Do It For? / Next Time Single
Good Grief	Bastille	Wild World
A Beautiful Exit	Miguel	Wildheart
Face The Sun	Miguel Feat. Lenny Kravitz	Wildheart
What More Can I Say	NxWorries	Yes Lawd!
22 (OVER S∞∞N)	Bon Iver	22, A Million
10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄	Bon Iver	22, A Million
00000 Million	Bon Iver	22, A Million
24K Magic	Bruno Mars	24K Magic
Warning Call	CHVRCHES

2016 in the rear view mirror: movies

My top five movies of 2016:

5.  Captain America Civil War (I am Team Captain America all the way.  And Spidey and Black Panther were great new standouts.)


4.  Zootopia (I did not expect to like this as much as I did.)


3.  Sing Street (Damn you, John Carney.  I wanted to dislike this after your comments on Keira Knightley, but I actually like all your movies.  Let me say one negative thing though - the ending...)


2.  The Nice Guys (This is the best comedy of the year.  Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe and that little girl make a great team.  I want more from The Nice Guys detective agency.)


1.  La La Land (Pure magic!)