i don't really care, do u?

Hello friend(s) - I cannot believe it's been over a year since we last corresponded.  Nothing much going on other than our country's quick and certain descent into hell in a handbasket.  (By the way, I have no idea what that phrase means - I mean, why a handbasket?)  Somebody should tell N. Korea to not waste their time and money on long ranch missiles, cuz we can destroy ourselves on our own fine, thank you. I really just want to crawl into a hole most of the times to escape all the noise and tweets and Russian drama.  But maybe we deserve the leader we got, because our culture is so vapid and devoid of anything resembling real humanity.  Sure, there are exceptions - Jimmy Carter has cancer and is in his nineties, and last year was hospitalized from dehydration while working on a Habitat for Humanity worksite and went right back to it the very next day.  But folk heroes are not what we as a nation value anymore.  All we care about is our superficial, curated, hashtagged lives on Instagram.  We are obsessed with ourselves.  Everything we do is driven by our ego.  And ego is what will drive us straight to that aforementioned hell...So with that out of the way, let me get back to what has been occupying me in the last year:

-  Master Of None - Two seasons of pure art.  Initially I was just happy to see intelligent and funny Asian representation on tv.  But then as the series progressed, I realized I was in the hands of two masterful artists - Aziz Ansari and Alan Young.  What I had thought was just a smarty-pants, hipster comedy turned into one of the best surprises of recent memory.  It had shades of the Before trilogy, and that Thanksgiving episode is amongst the best episode of television I have ever watched.

-  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - The third coming of Gilmore Girls (the second being Bunheads) is set in the 1950's and stars the truly marvelous Rachel Brosnahan as a housewife whose huband leaves her.  Her life falls into disarray and she ends up pursuing a career of stand-up comedy.  The setting, the costumes, the supporting cast, the dialogue are all dreamy perfection.  Not sure when I will get to revisit the Gilmores and Stars Hollow again, but for now, Midge Maisel in 1958 New York is a more than satisfying substitute.

-  Spider-Man Homecoming, Black Panther, and Infinity War - Homecoming was the most enjoyable superhero movie I had watched in a long, long time, probably because it's the most grounded and it's just about a teenage boy trying to find his place rather than about some mystical super-villain trying to destroy the entire universe. Tom Holland is joyous perfection.  And Marisa Tomei is way under-used.  But then Black Panther came along and blew the world up with its cultural significance and positive message about one's place and responsibility in the world (not to mention it showed off African heritage and pride in such a shiny new way).  Black Panther is the movie and superhero this divided country sorely needed.  Wakanda Forever indeed.  And finally Infinity War is an epic, exciting culmination of the MCU first phase. It's impressive how they managed to juggle so many characters in a single movie and not have one of them get lost in the shuffle.  It goes to show how wonderful a job MCU has done over the years to establish their superhero characters.  By the way, my favorite has always been Chris Evans' Captain America.  I get somewhat verklempt knowing that the next movie will be his last. 

-  Sufjan Stevens - He is ubiquitous on my playlists - from his contribution to the soundtrack of Call Me By Your Name, to the outtake and remix compilation The Greatest Gift, to the solar system-themed Planetarium, to the live recording of his Carrie & Lowell tour, to his last single Tonya Harding (a rejected track for the movie I Tonya).  The masses can have their Taylor Swifts and Beyonces; I've got my Sufjan, and it's all good.

-  John Mayer - Chi Young's favorite.  I agree that The Search For Everything is my favorite album from the last year.  The guy knows his way around a melody, and the lyrics to In The Blood crush me everytime.

-  Defenders and The Punisher - With the exception of Iron Fist (ugh), the Marvel superhero shows on Netflix are extremely binge-worthy.  Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and the Punisher are all compelling characters.  The problem with all these streaming shows though are, you wait for damn long for them to come back, and then you finish them in a week or less.  And I am talking to you, Kimmy Schmidt!

-  Timeless - One of the last of the major three Network shows that I watch, and they went and canceled it after a most enjoyable season two.  #NBCsucks

-  New Tax Bill - Have a nice life and get richer, rich people!  Screw you and your health care and your future and your environment, anybody-who-is-not-rich people!

-  The Me Too Movement - First Harvey Weinstein, and then pretty much every man in Hollywood, politics, tv, news, sports, etc.  Yup, shocking that men of power engaged in sexual misconduct.

-  Hurricanes and wildfires and volcanoes - We are mere mortals living on borrowed land and borrowed times.  It is clearly Mother Nature's call.

-  New Madonna and Vampire Weekend and Robyn - My three favorites (aside from Sufjan and James Blake) are all supposed to be coming back with new albums in the second half of 2018!!!  I am particularly nervous for Madonna, since I will root for her forever, and not that she has anything more to prove, but I want her to really put out another masterpiece to just shut people up about how old and past her prime she is.  When you listen to her playlist, from Everybody to Hung Up, it's amazing how many brilliant hit songs she's produced.  Most artist will be revered for life and can live off of even a tiny fraction of Madonna's hits.  It's just a mind-boggling run that will forever be unparalleled.  Yes, her last three albums have not been able to hit those heights - either commercially or artistically, but I remain hopeful because she is Madonna and you don't count her out, ever.

-  Anthony Bourdain's recent suicide - Rest in peace.  Thank you for showing me world destinations and parts unknown and telling me their stories. 

-  Immigration - I am an immigrant.  I will always be an immigrant.  I remember as a little kid what an immigrant's life is like.  I remember how my mother was berated by not only the social workers at the government welfare offices but also by her own sister who sponsored us here.  I know in my blood why people sacrifice everything to move their families to another country, legally or illegally.  The border wall, separating children from their parents and housing them in cages, parading around families whose relatives were killed by undocumented aliens to justify this country's inhumane anti-immigration policies, the campaign manager going "wah wah" when questioned about a child with down syndrome, the first lady wearing a jacket that says "I really don't care, do you?" when visiting border facilities, the director of Homeland Security going to a Mexican restaurant the day after she held a press conference touting zero tolerance - this is not the American that my mother, as a single parent with two small children, had dreamed of many years ago.  Maybe the America that my mother dreamed of never quite existed, but the America at this very present time, under this current administration, would never even inspire such dreams and hopes. Not that we care - we are not about dreams and hopes anymore.  Wah wah.

Sincerely,
Your Absent Friend

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...