Monthly Archive for May, 2005

My Bro and I spent most of Memorial Day with Shelli and the crew. We were treated to deep fried turkey legs, corn on the cob (done the way the Corn Man makes it), spinach salad (I got to try the wonderful balsamic vinegar Shelli wrote about a while back), chili, homemade tortilla chips, and cheesecake and a whole host of other yummy goodies.

My tummy is STILL full!

THANKS for a great day!

My Dad has gotten into the annoying habit of forwarding random jokes to me. Here’s one he sent on Feb 2, 2005.

An employee hints her boss for with this letter：

Dear Bo$$

In thi$ life, we all need $ome thing mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould be under$tanding of the need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and $ervice to your company.

I am $ure you will gue$$ what I mean and re$pond $oon.

Your$ $incerely,
Marian $hih

She received following reply next day：

Dear Marian:

I kNOw you have been working very hard. NOwadays, NOthing much has changed. You must have NOticed that our company is NOt doing NOticeably well as yet.

NOw the newspaper are saying the world`s leading ecoNOmists are NOt sure if the United States may go into aNOther recession. After the NOvember presidential elections things may turn bad.

I have NOthing more to add NOw. You kNOw what I mean.

Yours truly,

Manager

Doh.

I didn’t know Costco closed at 6pm on Saturdays. It’s 5:30; I’ll never make it. Oh well, that’s my bad.

Is it bad that I except to put a piece of mail out, I haven’t set foot outside at all today?

It’s just past midnight which means that the anti-social weekend has officially started.

I left work, went to drop a package off at the post office, went to Al Wazir Chicken to pick up food, and came home to an empty house. Yoshi is gone for the weekend so I’m home alone. I don’t like it when I’m apart for too long from Yoshi, but I knew this weekend was coming and it’s my own fault for not planning ahead and setting up time with friends this weekend.

I am planning to stop by and visit Shelli (she hosts the BEST grill-fests on holidays!) on Monday and possibly see another friend and her husband on Sunday night, but I haven’t decided yet. I had been looking forward to seeing my Bro tomorrow (he was going to come up to LA for a rare visit) but I think he’s going fishing instead.

This leaves me with “nothing” to “do” until Sunday (when I have to work for about half a day).

Normally, having a day off at home with no commitments would be a luxury… but to be quiet honest… it’s a little too quiet around here and I don’t think I like it. Some friends had invited me over for an open house on Saturday and I declined. Here I am, complaining that I’m lonely yet I’m pushing people away.

I haven’t wanted to write about this, but I’ve been realizing that I hadn’t really worked through the passing of my friend Teresita in January. Over the last several months, Dan (Teresita’s husband) has been good enough to stay in touch as he handled and settled things after her death. He even let me know that when and where he was going to spread her ashes and invited me along if I could go (I couldn’t; I had travel planned that I couldn’t change).

He also generously offered me “anything” of hers that I wanted to keep. I agonized for weeks over what to ask for… I had already been given the gift of her presence in my life… what more could I ask for? Nonetheless, I wanted a small something to keep close to me. Finally, I figured out what I wanted to ask for: a scarf (not the long wooly kind, but the sheer, silky kind). I remembered her wearing them and I also remembered that she often complimented me on the ones I wore at the time that we met (I don’t have much reason to wear scarves in L.A.). Aside from that, I just wanted a couple of photos of her and the dogs to look at from time to time.

Earlier this month, I picked up a package from Dan in the mail. It contained a couple of photos and a beautiful scarf of Teresita’s. It was exactly what I had hoped for and I even knew that Teresita had worn the scarf (there are a few small food stains on it!) before she went into the hospital. Obviously, I’ll treasure this small package forever and I am so grateful for Dan and his consideration of my feelings despite such a tough time for him. I can’t wait to see him when he gets out to L.A. again. I miss him, too.

I don’t know why I’m writing all this except that when I stopped all the “busy” for a few moments, I realized that I missed my friend a lot more than I thought.

I’m so grateful for all the people I’ve had the good fortune to know as well as the for all the great friends I’ve had throughout different points of my life.

So maybe it’s ok for me to be alone for a weekend.

I guess it’s not really being anti-social if I’m spending the time savoring memories of those who are no longer here. I guess I really *AM* observing Memorial Day in my own way, aren’t I?

Ok, so I’m a wannabe public television nerd. I say “wannabe” because I really don’t watch enough tv to truly attain the status of “tv nerd,” but whatever. The point is, I love PBS… I just never have time to watch it. (Try to figure that one out!)

So yesterday, I caught a review (ok, I caught the headline and picture) in the Hollywood Reporter of American Masters: Cary Grant – A Class Apart and I made Yoshi stop the Dodgers/Giants game to add that program into the TiVo list.

Tonight, I only had time to watch about 54 minutes of this excellently produced biography of Cary Grant (one of my favorite movie stars of all time… I love using Cary Grant postage stamps!), but I had to share my favorite line in the program… perhaps the best line I’ve ever heard on PBS.

The program was describing the infamous relationship between Cary Grant and Randolph Scott and the never-ending rumors of their homosexuality.

To that, Betsy Drake, Cary’s wife from 1949-1962 responded with:

Seriously. It was the best line *I’ve* heard on PBS, anyway.

On a random side note, did you know you could get Cary Grant’s Social Security Number (563-16-3098. Issued in California.) off of CaryGrant.org?

Other awesome Cary Grant sites:
::archieleach.com:: ::carygrant.net:: ::The Cary Grant Lecture (formerly the Cary Grant Statue Campaign, which now exists)::

Just popping in to say that I’m fine.

Evidently the fixing of the A/C for the remainder of the day created more burning smells. No one got hurt. All is good.

Hopefully tomorrow we will get A/C again (that doesn’t smell like burning anything, that is).

Everyone is coming out of their offices to ask what is on fire.

I hope it’s not the building. Eeek.

UPDATE: False alarm. Someone supposedly burned bacon. (What kind of bacon smells like burned plastic? And who makes bacon at work? We don’t even have a real kitchen!)

UPDATE AGAIN: It is NOT burning bacon. People 6 floors below us can smell it. And people are going down the stairs (fire escape). Hmmm. Perhaps I should leave now.

UPDATE @ 11:30 am: So it was NOT burning bacon. Minutes after my last update, there was an announcement on the loud speakers for everyone to leave their desks and to go to the nearest stairwell and proceed to the 1st floor. They evacuated the top floors of the building to investigate the situation.

We walked down 20 flights of stairs to the street level. About 20 minutes later, as we were all standing on the street, the announcement was made that we had the all clear to go back to upstairs (via the elevators) and that it turned out that they had installed a new compressor for the air conditioning on the roof and there was a fan belt that was burning and making the smell. It turned out that everyone from the 14th floor and up had smelled it.

Anyway, all is good. No one died. And no bacon was burned in the writing of this post.

P.S. – A special thanks to J-X who came upstairs to check on us when I IMed him to say that I smelled something burning.

P.P.S – Thanks also to J-X for not spreading misinformation (like the “bacon burning” theory) and only telling me the REAL DEAL as soon as he knew it.

Time Compiles List of 100 Greatest Films

I copied the list and am going to asterisk all the films I’ve seen as of today. Why don’t you do the same and ping me with your list?

[The complete list.]

Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972)
The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959)
The Awful Truth (1937)
Baby Face (1933)
Bande à part (1964)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
Blade Runner (1982)
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
*Brazil (1985)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Camille (1936)
Casablanca (1942)
Charade (1963)
Children of Paradise (1945)
Chinatown (1974)
Chungking Express (1994)
*Citizen Kane (1941)
*City Lights (1931)
City of God (2002)
Closely Watched Trains (1966)
The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
The Crowd (1928)
Day for Night (1973)
The Decalogue (1989)
Detour (1945)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
Dodsworth (1936)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
*Drunken Master II (1994)
*E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
*8 1/2 (1963)
The 400 Blows (1959)
*Farewell My Concubine (1993)
*Finding Nemo (2003)
The Fly (1986)
The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974)
*The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
Goodfellas (1990)
*A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Ikiru (1952)
In A Lonely Place (1950)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It’s A Gift (1934)
*It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Kandahar (2001)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
*King Kong (1933)
The Lady Eve (1941)
The Last Command (1928)
*Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Léolo (1992)
*The Lord of the Rings (2001-03)
The Man With a Camera (1929)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
*Metropolis (1927)
Miller’s Crossing (1990)
Mon oncle d’Amérique (1980)
Mouchette (1967)
Nayakan (1987)
Ninotchka (1939)
Notorious (1946)
Olympia, Parts 1 and 2 (1938)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Out of the Past (1947)
Persona (1966)
*Pinocchio (1940)
Psycho (1960)
*Pulp Fiction (1994)
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
Pyaasa (1957)
Raging Bull (1980)
*Schindler’s List (1993)
The Searchers (1956)
*Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
*Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
The Singing Detective (1986)
Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Star Wars (1977)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Sunrise (1927)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Swing Time (1936)
Talk to Her (2002)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Tokyo Story (1953)
A Touch of Zen (1971)
Ugetsu (1953)
Ulysses’ Gaze (1995)
Umberto D (1952)
Unforgiven (1992)
White Heat (1949)
Wings of Desire (1987)
Yojimbo (1961)

Hmmm… 20 out of 100. How’d you fare?

See scores for ::meeta:: ::musikchyck:: ::michael(yog)::

Dear Sharky,

I got off work early so I came right over to see Biloux.

She was very excited when I got here and got done with her business outside very quickly. That meant we could get to snuggles and pats on the head sooner. We were playing in the living room when we both heard some rustling the backyard. We had to go check it out. It turned out to be your neighbor/landlord who was doing some work in the backyard. (When I got here, he was on the roof.)

Biloux went to get some attention from him and now we’ve returned back inside for some treats and some more hugs.

Unfortunately, I forgot my allergy meds today and I’m starting to sneeze up a storm. But I know you and Doetzie will be home soon, so I’m going to play a little more with Biloux and leave before I start wheezing.

Talk to you soon!

Signing off for the weekend,
Joz, the Biloux Reporter

Dear Sharky,

Biloux, the spotted-nosed dog, seems to be doing well! As expected, she was very excited when I showed up tonight around 10pm. Aside from general doggie glee, she greeted me with a few kisses on my arms and on my toes (I was wearing flip flops). I am now sitting at your desk, covered in Biloux hair, but it’s ok. I just took my allergy meds, Yoshi is waiting for me to get home to start the darks (I’m wearing all black… yes, you can see Biloux’s fur all over me!), and besides, you’ll get yours cuz I’m leaving a bunch of hair on your chair/desk!

Biloux was a very good girl and did her business outside (both #1 and #2), came back inside and ate a bunch of her regular dog food. Then I gave her a few doggie treats and then she drank a whole bunch of water (I’ll be sure to get here early tomorrow to let her out!). Right now she’s sitting in the middle of the room, staring at me because I’m not paying attention to her.

Anyway, since I have to work tomorrow, I won’t be able to spend quite as much time with Biloux as I can tonight. So I’m going to give her bum a few extra scratches and then some kisses before bedtime tonight.

Hope you and Doetzie are having a great weekend!

Signing off for tonight,
Joz, the Biloux Reporter

UPDATE @ 10:50pm: We just got a surprise visit from the other Biloux-watcher and her friend! It’s a Biloux party! They just stopped by and left (she thought that she had Biloux tonight, but it’s all good). I’m going to head home now because I have been out all day (well since 3am actually) and have to see Yoshi before bedtime. Oh, and I have to de-fur my clothes, too. Night!

It’s 3:22am and I’m on my way out for SHOES!

Can’t write any more… gotta go get in line!

Merv Griffin received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) at today’s Daytime Emmy Awards.

Yesterday, there was a slew of congratulatory ads for Merv in the trades. Here is my favorite:

A True HOLLYWOOD Story

By

Pat Sajak

Many years ago (24 to be exact) I was working in local TV in Los Angeles.
Every night I would report the weather. It was an easy job, since there was
Rarely any weather to report. One day I received a call from Merv who said I was
Very good. He asked whether I would be interested in taking over as host of a

Game show his company was producing. Imagine, Merv Griffin calling me! And it
Really WAS him because he said “Ooooo” and everything!
I told him I would be happy to do it. (Or something like that. I
Forgot exactly what I said.) Frankly, I wasn’t sure it was a wise move, since I
Feared I wouldn’t be very good at hosting a game show. Well, it turned out
I made the right decision, because here I am still doing it
Nearly a quarter of a century later. Hey! Wait! I think I’ve invented a new game!

Thank you, Merv.

Your lifetime of achievement has touched so many other lives,

but very few of them as profoundly as mine.

I was very lucky to have had such an enthusiastic and supportive boss.

I’m even luckier he has become a dear friend.

Congratulations on receiving this honor. No one deserves it more.

Lesly and I send our love and appreciation.