Glad to be a Jazz fan

Living here in Sacramento, I only get the chance to see the Jazz play once or twice a year. On top of that, I have to deal with Kings fans all the time. Some friends of mine are even known to dress their toddlers and infants up in the purple poop known as Kings gear. Then there is Ellen, who is kind of a "cooler" of sorts. If she watches a game live with me, whoever we root for inevitably loses. I'm wondering if I need to make her a fan of the opposing teams, and see if that somehow helps mine. Anyway, today I saw something that makes me glad to be a Jazz fan. I'll try to convince Ellen now that attending at least "one or two" games a month is perfectly fine.

Political Differences

I am finally getting around to posting some pics from travels we have made to Japan and Taiwan. These pics here are from what was formerly called the "Chang Kai Shek Memorial Hall." I say formerly because as these pics show, not everyone respects the memory of Chang Kai-Shek. Ellen had not been to the hall since her teenage years, and said she was somewhat shocked to see it now. Under the KMT or Koumingtan political party, Taiwan maintained close ties to China and avoided strong movement towards independence. In 2000, a more pro-independence party, the Green Party, won the general presidential election, and won again in 2004. With the public becoming more and more dissatisfied with the Green Party, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the KMT will once again gain executive power in Taiwan. Thus, the Green party is trying to do whatever it can to destroy KMT's most famous leader Chang Kai Shek's legacy, before the KMT is back in power. Ellen can tell you the history better than I ever could. Anyway, now the statue has some interesting mediocre artwork sharing space with it.

More tag stuff

1. What were you doing 10 years ago??

I was 22, just off the mission, living in Hope Mills North Carolina, and working at a brand new Japanese restaurant called "Kyoto Express." I seriously got the job because I was such a Japan-freak at that time and was willing to do anything to speak Japanese.

2. 5 things on my to-do list today

Um, I have one thing...try to start using "to-do" lists.

3. 5 snacks I enjoy

The 90-100 calorie Quaker granola bars from Costco. Key Lime Pie Yoplait. Spitz sunflower seeds, dill pickle or spicy. Almonds or Cashews. Is a quarter pounder with cheese a snack??

4. 3 Bad habits

1. Not keeping the office clean

2. Not knowing when or where to draw the line when I'm telling a joke.

3. Procrastinating everything

4. Eating "just for the taste of it" instead of because I'm actually hungry

5. Not posting on this blog enough


5. What would you do if you were instantly a billionare??

Buy a ton of homes/apartments, renovate them, then offer them to low income families and make the state guarantee rental payments to me. Lease cars to people who cannot afford to buy one for around $150.00-200.00/month. Learn to play golf. Buy a Gulfstream V corporate Jet, and travel with the Hunts to various world destinations!

6. 5 places I have lived

1. Tri-Cities, Washington; Nakano, Tokyo, Japan; Afton, Wyoming; Dearborn, Michigan; Port Imperial, West New York, New Jersey.

The San Francisco We Didn't Want to See

So, last weekend, Ellen and I went to see this big Chinese New Year parade, touted as the largest one outside of China or Taiwan. Ellen was excited to help celebrate the Lunar New Year, as it is the biggest holiday in her culture. I purchased special bleacher seats, just to make sure we had a view....well, what we got to see was much different than I had planned. This float on the right was for the "Gay Asian Pacific Alliance." Ellen and I felt strange being the only ones not cheering wildly for this float. I thought "maybe the Provo Freedom Festival Parade would have been a better one to take Ellen to for her first American parade experience." The other float that was interesting to see was for San Francisco's "official" band, the "Rainbow Band of Unity" or something like that. I wish I had a pic of the leader, some dude with a happy er..gay smile twirling a baton and looking like he wished he was tinkerbell. We've got to find a battery charger for our camera so we can get better pics! Anyway, Ellen asked a lot of questions about various groups in the parade that I wasn't prepared to really answer that night. I think the next time we celebrate Chinese New Year, we will do it in Taiwan.

The embarrassing proof

I don't have much time to write at this moment, but I discovered through an old buddy of mine, Kyle D in Utah, that there is an old recording of me and some wannabe rapper freestylin. MY younger brother Ryan (Ryno to those in the know) provided the beats to my madness when I was creating lyrical masterpieces in real time, no rehearsin, no cursin. I tried to beatbox, but I can't hold a candle to Ryno. Anyway, you can see it here. I'm the big guy spitting in the microphone and bustin out with the freestyle rhymin. For all you haters that don't believe the hype, this homey really rocked the mike back in the day! PEACE OUT!
Ryno, you got any vids of you beatboxing for F-line party's or anything? I'll never forget the "Intergalactic Planetary" you pulled off at BYU that one time...

Iroiro (means "various" in Japanese)

1) MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT:
Currently: anytime I try to sit down in Economy Class on an Asian airline.
Previously: There are so many, that I can't think of just one that stands out. Here are some memorable ones...
Darth Vader-when I was around 4 or 5, my Dad picked up this cheapy Darth Vader Halloween costume at a garage sale sometime in the Spring. I decided to try it on, black cape and all, but without my underpants. I decided to show the junior high girls softball team next door my awesome costume, and unfortunately, showed them my little lightsaber too.

Baptisms-I had a good number of stuffed animals, and after learning about Baptism in Sunday School, decided they needed to take that first step towards exaltation. Our bathtub became the font, and I proceeded to immerse all of them!



2) FAVORITE FOODS
Pizza, especially NY style; Katsudon; fresh sushi from the Tokyo Tsukiji Market; Ellen's potstickers; Gyros; Aunt Cheryl's Popovers; real kuromiso (red miso) ramen; Sendai Japan Beef Tongue!


3) FAVORITE VACATIONS:

Visiting the mountains (especially Jackson Hole/Yellowstone); Kyoto, Japan; Meinong, Taiwan; NYC (but I haven't been in awhile); Seattle (love Pike's and the aquarium district); Anywhere BYU is playing (except Laramie or Ft. Collins);

4) FAVORITE TV SHOWS:
American Idol; Friday Night Lights (the best acted show on T.V.); Ninja Warrior; Survivorman; Paula Deen on Food Network;

5)THREE THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:
I am a freestyle rapper; I don't drink white milk, EVER, but I love chocolate milk; I have participated in a midnight drug raid; I have wandered along 8-mile road in Detroit, rapping, and I am not Eminem; I once hosted a sports show on a little known A.M. radio station in Provo.


ANYONE READING THIS WHO HAS NOT ANSWERED THESE QUESTIONS IS NOW TAGGED!

The Valentine's Day Dialogue

One of the joys of being married to a non-native English speaker is the various unique turns of phrase that emanate from my sweetheart's mouth. For Valentines day, I had flowers delivered to the house. Ellen had been asking for weeks if I was going to get her anything, and of course I told her "I am definitely not getting flowers, that is so overrated and overdone. I'll make sure you get something different and unique." Upon hearing that, Ellen became more and more worried that my creative mind would get her something completely awful, a direct-to-D.I. kind of present or something. So, when Valentine's day came, she pretty much assumed she was getting nothing. When the flowers came, she was caught off guard, and didn't know what to do for me. She thought for a minute, then rushed together my gift. When I got home, she had just finished it: freshly baked banana muffins. That was great in and of itself, but the cute part was the note written on the fridge: "Happy Valentine's Day. Please pretent the mufens are heart shape." My heart melted when I read that.