Realizing that I have not written in such a long time has motivated me to make another blog entry. Hopefully I'm not blogging in a vacuum and someone out there is reading this!
Recently, I've been thinking about living overseas, and the kinds of crazy things that you tend to pay for just because you can't get them normally.
Living abroad for over two years, I've found that most of the things that I've wanted (maybe 90% of them) are available at some point, somewhere, either at a Brick and Mortar, or at an online seller.
The other 10%, I just bring with me when I go back home, and carry two suitcases. The funny thing is, many of the things that I purchase are made overseas where I live, just not available here.
Socks, Towels, Windshield Wipers for the car, Bed sheets, shower curtains, are some of the things that I bring back with me!
Living in a smaller city doesn't help, but figuring out how to use the online auction/buying sure as heck does.
So lets look at the things that I DON'T buy local brands for and pay a lot more for....
The things in italics are actually imported Everything else is available locally but is still considered a foreign brand.
Toilet Paper (Kleenex Brand) - Korea
Tide Detergent
Shaving Cream
Cereal - Korea
Dog Food - Korea
Kraft Mac and Cheese - USA
Juices - USA/etc
Peanut Butter - USA
You really don't realize how much you love and miss that comfort of that Kraft Dinner Mac and Cheese till you click "Buy it now" online and pay 7 dollars American for that box of pasta and powdered cheese product....
What are some of the things that you can't find where you live, and do you still have to go get them from 'back home'?
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Texas on my mind....
I've
been on quite a few adventures. For the National Holiday, XB, one
of my guys that works for me got married, and I was invited to his
wedding (also had to give a speech about his work ethic and what a great
job he does), my aunt came in from Taiwan, and we had a nice visit, I
took her to the grape festival, out to eat at a nice sushi place, and
met some friends that I made here. Overall a very nice time! She's my
first foreign visitor! She left on Saturday, and I had Sunday and Monday
to recover.
The first weekend in October, XB my right
hand guy, Took me to Huangdao, which is across the water from
Qingdao. We drove the longest bridge in the world to get there. In
fact, we had such a good time driving and talking that we ended up
overshooting the exit for huangdao, which was ok, because we ended up in
a very rural area of China, all farmland. It was beautiful, and I'm
bummed that I didn't get a chance to take pictures, but I was
driving. XB and his wife and I explored Huangdao in the
afternoon, and had a nice time. XBs wife teaches college english
there but since she lives on campus, has not had a chance to explore the
town, as her weekends are usually in qingdao with XB
.
.
The second weekend, I took it easy, saw friends, and
Sunday went to Church and ran errands. This past weekend, I was
recovering from a cold, which was no match for Nyquil and Dayquil and
Mucinex, so I got some CHinese medicine, which worked slow, but yielded
results!
This past weekend, another one of my guys got married, and again, I had to do the wedding speech as the boss and talk about work ethic and marriage. Its interesting how much weight they put on your job and how much of a part of your life it becomes, so much that the bosses have their own table at the wedding! Sunday, I met with my friends that are in China from Washington state. We went to Jimo Lu, which is the equivalent of silk street in Beijing (if you're from Houston, think of Harwin Shopping district). There, they had street vendors with food, produce, clothes etc, and that was just on the OUTSIDE of the shopping center. We enjoyed a giant Fritter (Yiu Tiao), as well as some Stinky Tofu (Will, the guy in the picture didn't like it, but his mother, who lived in Taiwan for a few years, enjoyed it). Bought some fresh fruits, and then ended the evening at Burger King at Marina City, along the water. Burger King was actually really terrible, as they just opened, and everyone and their dog was there, so instead of making your order when you pay for it, there's tons of Hamburgers premade. The result is a cold, nasty, soggy burger. I'll come back when they're not so busy and see if the food is better.
This past weekend, another one of my guys got married, and again, I had to do the wedding speech as the boss and talk about work ethic and marriage. Its interesting how much weight they put on your job and how much of a part of your life it becomes, so much that the bosses have their own table at the wedding! Sunday, I met with my friends that are in China from Washington state. We went to Jimo Lu, which is the equivalent of silk street in Beijing (if you're from Houston, think of Harwin Shopping district). There, they had street vendors with food, produce, clothes etc, and that was just on the OUTSIDE of the shopping center. We enjoyed a giant Fritter (Yiu Tiao), as well as some Stinky Tofu (Will, the guy in the picture didn't like it, but his mother, who lived in Taiwan for a few years, enjoyed it). Bought some fresh fruits, and then ended the evening at Burger King at Marina City, along the water. Burger King was actually really terrible, as they just opened, and everyone and their dog was there, so instead of making your order when you pay for it, there's tons of Hamburgers premade. The result is a cold, nasty, soggy burger. I'll come back when they're not so busy and see if the food is better.
Work is going good, if not just constantly frantic. I've
learned quite a bit since taking over the role as operations manager,
and one of the biggest things that I've discovered since becoming a
manager, is that your productivity level generally decreases, because
you're being pulled in 100 different directions in a day. Some of the
biggest headaches are HR issues. Employees that dont pull their weight,
employees that fight, slack off, etc. Now I really understand why its
hard to get a response from managers, because they're too busy putting
out little fires every day. On the good side, you do get to work with
people and the people that are on my team are all eager to learn. I
just need to find the fine line between being friendly while still
trying to be the boss.
The weather here has cooled signifcantly, and the days
are getting shorter. IT runs in the mid 50s at night and mid 70s in the
daytime. Kody is doing well, the cooler weather has him shedding his
summer coat and growing in the winter fur! Kody has also made a new
friend, Yiu Yiu is a Collie that lives in the first building in my strip
of apartment buildings. Shes a beautiful dog, and we run into her a
few times a week when we go out for walks. Her owners are nice people,
and we have a great visit every time we run into eachother.
Dining has been an adventure, as I've been eating local fare, and I've attached some pictures of the goodness for your drooling pleasure.
Dining has been an adventure, as I've been eating local fare, and I've attached some pictures of the goodness for your drooling pleasure.
The House in Katy is
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and I'm excited that Jennifer and John and the girls are coming. Then after that, I'll be home on the 17th for about 3 weeks! Looking forward to catching up with everyone if our schedules allow for it.
Miss you all and would love to hear from you!
Peace and love,
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and I'm excited that Jennifer and John and the girls are coming. Then after that, I'll be home on the 17th for about 3 weeks! Looking forward to catching up with everyone if our schedules allow for it.
Miss you all and would love to hear from you!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Checking in...
Well it's been a while hasn't it? I guess I'll dust the cobwebs off the old blog and say something.
The first day of summer is here and is in full effect. And boy is it hot outside.
Well, whats been going on since I last posted?
Hmm, well, lots of stuff really.
I have had some major changes and events occur.
My grandfather passed away.
I thought about moving closer into town next to some friends from church but ended up staying.
My new Taurus SHO came in.
I installed slate tile into my bathroom myself.
I had a "God in my face" moment.
Most of my friends know that I'm still pretty 'young' in my spiritual journey. I'm not a perfect Christian, nor do I have all the answers.
A few months back I had a "God in my face" experience. Too many times, little things happen, and we attribute them to coincidences or something unremarkable enough to not even give a second thought to why they happen. This event was one that I would have never imagined would happen in a million years. And it was really an experience to show me that God is in my life. He is around, and he does things on his timetable. Not anyone else's.
My good friend Gary, once said to me, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans for the day." This has rang true many times in my life.
So now, where do I go from here? I don't really know.
Life in the past three months has been a series of events of ups and downs. And all of this, is part of Gods plan for me. Sometimes I wish I could see the schedule, or have a peek at the plans, but I know, or at least hope, that in due time, it will be revealed to me.
The end result will be an awesome thing, so I just need to have faith that God will show me when he's ready to.
Journaling has been helpful, but I know in the end I need to spend more time praying and asking God to show me his will.
Adios amigos!
The first day of summer is here and is in full effect. And boy is it hot outside.
Well, whats been going on since I last posted?
Hmm, well, lots of stuff really.
I have had some major changes and events occur.
My grandfather passed away.
I thought about moving closer into town next to some friends from church but ended up staying.
My new Taurus SHO came in.
I installed slate tile into my bathroom myself.
I had a "God in my face" moment.
Most of my friends know that I'm still pretty 'young' in my spiritual journey. I'm not a perfect Christian, nor do I have all the answers.
A few months back I had a "God in my face" experience. Too many times, little things happen, and we attribute them to coincidences or something unremarkable enough to not even give a second thought to why they happen. This event was one that I would have never imagined would happen in a million years. And it was really an experience to show me that God is in my life. He is around, and he does things on his timetable. Not anyone else's.
My good friend Gary, once said to me, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans for the day." This has rang true many times in my life.
So now, where do I go from here? I don't really know.
Life in the past three months has been a series of events of ups and downs. And all of this, is part of Gods plan for me. Sometimes I wish I could see the schedule, or have a peek at the plans, but I know, or at least hope, that in due time, it will be revealed to me.
The end result will be an awesome thing, so I just need to have faith that God will show me when he's ready to.
Journaling has been helpful, but I know in the end I need to spend more time praying and asking God to show me his will.
Adios amigos!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
New Years resolutions
Okay so its been a while since I updated my blog and I have been meaning to but really have had nothing to blog about.
Well, for those of you who keep up with me, many know that I had a buddy move in earlier this year, he rented a room in the house and kept his dog in the back yard. Well, I got along with "Tom" just fine, but his dog, who is a 1 year old 100 lb bloodhound, was a different story. Totally unsocialized and crazy. I didn't want that dog coming inside, so a pen was built in the back yard, which the dog promptly dug up and destroyed the grass. I turned the other cheek, since Tom was indeed paying rent. I told Tom that the dog could come in during inclement weather (really cold, rainstorm etc) as long as he was given a bath first. Tom has quite a social schedule and was never really home in the evenings. So the dog stayed in his pen for probably 23 hours a day. On the nights Tom came home late, he would toss dog food out the back door and go to bed.
Now, where am I going with this? Well, last weekend, Tom moved out on Sunday, mysteriously. No Goodbye, no GFY, no see you later. Just gone. I got home and went and looked out the back porch, and the 'dog pen'/mud hole was missing all the cattle panel fencing. The T-Posts were still there (thanks Jackass), and the wood was still there. Missing was the dog house, and rubber mat and his BBQ Pit. This is strange, I went to his bedroom. Everything that was his was missing. Then into the bathroom. Totally cleaned out. I called three times, no answer from him.
Immediately, I started thinking "What did I do?" but I caught myself. I made phone calls to friends from church, and in my support network. They all had the same answer. "Its not you. Its about Tom. You did nothing, This is all about him." So after calming down about the situation, I went to bed, and the next day, arrived at the office to find a "Dear John" letter in my email. Basically stating that he wanted to move out because It wasnt fair to me because I didnt want the dog inside, and wasnt fair to the dog because he was in the mud. Well, Good luck with that buddy. So I know, this was Toms way of avoiding any kind of confrontation or situation that would have arisen. Personally I couldn't see the situation getting out of control, but who knows.
So, I talked to a good friend that night, who usually calls me out on my thinking patterns/errors. I was really upset and agitated at him because I told him that I planned on "letting go" of the situation. He pointed out to me (much to my chagrin), that I way too often let people take advantage of me. And I was thinking to myself, "What the hell is this guy talking about? I dont let people take advantage of me!" Well, less than 24 hours later, this statement would fufill itself.
To be continued.....
Well, for those of you who keep up with me, many know that I had a buddy move in earlier this year, he rented a room in the house and kept his dog in the back yard. Well, I got along with "Tom" just fine, but his dog, who is a 1 year old 100 lb bloodhound, was a different story. Totally unsocialized and crazy. I didn't want that dog coming inside, so a pen was built in the back yard, which the dog promptly dug up and destroyed the grass. I turned the other cheek, since Tom was indeed paying rent. I told Tom that the dog could come in during inclement weather (really cold, rainstorm etc) as long as he was given a bath first. Tom has quite a social schedule and was never really home in the evenings. So the dog stayed in his pen for probably 23 hours a day. On the nights Tom came home late, he would toss dog food out the back door and go to bed.
Now, where am I going with this? Well, last weekend, Tom moved out on Sunday, mysteriously. No Goodbye, no GFY, no see you later. Just gone. I got home and went and looked out the back porch, and the 'dog pen'/mud hole was missing all the cattle panel fencing. The T-Posts were still there (thanks Jackass), and the wood was still there. Missing was the dog house, and rubber mat and his BBQ Pit. This is strange, I went to his bedroom. Everything that was his was missing. Then into the bathroom. Totally cleaned out. I called three times, no answer from him.
Immediately, I started thinking "What did I do?" but I caught myself. I made phone calls to friends from church, and in my support network. They all had the same answer. "Its not you. Its about Tom. You did nothing, This is all about him." So after calming down about the situation, I went to bed, and the next day, arrived at the office to find a "Dear John" letter in my email. Basically stating that he wanted to move out because It wasnt fair to me because I didnt want the dog inside, and wasnt fair to the dog because he was in the mud. Well, Good luck with that buddy. So I know, this was Toms way of avoiding any kind of confrontation or situation that would have arisen. Personally I couldn't see the situation getting out of control, but who knows.
So, I talked to a good friend that night, who usually calls me out on my thinking patterns/errors. I was really upset and agitated at him because I told him that I planned on "letting go" of the situation. He pointed out to me (much to my chagrin), that I way too often let people take advantage of me. And I was thinking to myself, "What the hell is this guy talking about? I dont let people take advantage of me!" Well, less than 24 hours later, this statement would fufill itself.
To be continued.....
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
So its time for another call center post.
So one of my vehicles is financed with GMAC. The company that thwarted bankruptcy through the 2009 year of the GM and Chrysler massive fails.
I have planned on replacing this car, so I called to try to get some info on how long it takes to get the title after I paid the note off. Well, I hear a series of clicks, and immediately know, I'm getting routed to an overseas call center. Great.....
Hilarity ensues, and in the end, I write this letter to GMAC. Not that anyone there will ever read it.....
GMAC Automotive Financing
P. O. Box 380901
Bloomington, MN 55438
ATTN: Michael A. Carpenter
RE: Your overseas Call center
Dear Mr. Carpenter,
I seriously doubt you actually read this letter, probably a ‘problem solver’ will contact me on your behalf. However, I want to express to you the displeasure I have with dealing with your foreign call center. I have twice contacted GMACFS to get payoff and title information for the vehicle that I have financed with GMACFS. Both times, I have been transferred to the India call center. And both times, I was unable to understand the employee who was assisting me on the phone. The first man on the phone did not understand at all what I was trying to accomplish, and kept trying to talk over me. The second person put me on eternal hold and I got tired of waiting and just hung up.
Does GMAC have any US call centers that can help? I am selling my car and buying a new one. I will not seek GMAC for credit if the proceeds of my loan are used to fund an overseas call center. How does GMAC expect to serve their clients if the people that they hire cannot understand the customers needs and if the customers cannot understand the people on the other end of the line?
All I want to know is, how quickly, after paying my vehicle off, can I receive the title from GMACFS? I have a person who is interested in purchasing my vehicle. They are buying the car for more than payoff, so they are issuing me a major bank check. I plan on depositing the check, then once it clears, paying GMACFS the payoff amount. I would like to know the fastest way to make this happen so that the buyer can get the title in hand and register it in their name.
Every answer from the call center was to go to the DMV and transfer the title. How do I do that if GMACFS still has the title? Do you guys offer an expedited payoff/title option?
I sincerely hope that my words reach someone other than beancounters that would rather anger customers by sending them to a phone bank on the other side of the world, nobody on either end of the phone can understand what is happening.
Would GMAC consider serving their US customers with US employees, who can effectively communicate with, and understand our needs without frustrating everyone to no end?
I am sorry to say, that this is my first and last loan experience with GMACFS.
Sincerely,
redassaggie00
I have planned on replacing this car, so I called to try to get some info on how long it takes to get the title after I paid the note off. Well, I hear a series of clicks, and immediately know, I'm getting routed to an overseas call center. Great.....
Hilarity ensues, and in the end, I write this letter to GMAC. Not that anyone there will ever read it.....
GMAC Automotive Financing
P. O. Box 380901
Bloomington, MN 55438
ATTN: Michael A. Carpenter
RE: Your overseas Call center
Dear Mr. Carpenter,
I seriously doubt you actually read this letter, probably a ‘problem solver’ will contact me on your behalf. However, I want to express to you the displeasure I have with dealing with your foreign call center. I have twice contacted GMACFS to get payoff and title information for the vehicle that I have financed with GMACFS. Both times, I have been transferred to the India call center. And both times, I was unable to understand the employee who was assisting me on the phone. The first man on the phone did not understand at all what I was trying to accomplish, and kept trying to talk over me. The second person put me on eternal hold and I got tired of waiting and just hung up.
Does GMAC have any US call centers that can help? I am selling my car and buying a new one. I will not seek GMAC for credit if the proceeds of my loan are used to fund an overseas call center. How does GMAC expect to serve their clients if the people that they hire cannot understand the customers needs and if the customers cannot understand the people on the other end of the line?
All I want to know is, how quickly, after paying my vehicle off, can I receive the title from GMACFS? I have a person who is interested in purchasing my vehicle. They are buying the car for more than payoff, so they are issuing me a major bank check. I plan on depositing the check, then once it clears, paying GMACFS the payoff amount. I would like to know the fastest way to make this happen so that the buyer can get the title in hand and register it in their name.
Every answer from the call center was to go to the DMV and transfer the title. How do I do that if GMACFS still has the title? Do you guys offer an expedited payoff/title option?
I sincerely hope that my words reach someone other than beancounters that would rather anger customers by sending them to a phone bank on the other side of the world, nobody on either end of the phone can understand what is happening.
Would GMAC consider serving their US customers with US employees, who can effectively communicate with, and understand our needs without frustrating everyone to no end?
I am sorry to say, that this is my first and last loan experience with GMACFS.
Sincerely,
redassaggie00
Monday, October 19, 2009
Fall is in the air
Well Fall is starting to peek its way in. For the first time in many years, I feel like I haven't 'dipped' into my annual funk that I usually get into when we get the first cold snap.
This time of year marks an odd point in my life, once a year. The same time that I was laid off from the first job out of school, and my spiritual journey and finding out who I really was. Don't get me wrong, we never went to church as kids, not because we didn't believe in God, my parents just never went. When I got to A&M, I started attending church with friends, and I felt so much more complete, a good 'balance' if you will.
It wasn't until late 2001 when I really started feeling something else, something that I hadn't experienced, maybe ever. And in the most turbulent chapters of my life, serenity.
Last week, our pastor had an excellent talk about 'waking up' and God being there, finding him there with arms wide open, and for me, it was a very moving talk.
You can listen to it here.... Check out the 10/10/2009 talk.
So today, as I write this post, I look back at my life today, all my friends, all my family, my church family, and life in general, I have to smile. Sometimes its so easily to be discouraged. In my 30s, thirty lbs overweight, single, working a job that tests me every day, and walking this journey, but I'm not alone. He is there. Thats one thing I know I don't do enough, I don't trust in God, and know that he has great plans for me. I perpetually try to drive the bus, and I know I just need to sit back and let God drive.
Sorry for the 'heavy' post, just had to get that out there. To end in the words of singer Gary Allan, "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride."
This time of year marks an odd point in my life, once a year. The same time that I was laid off from the first job out of school, and my spiritual journey and finding out who I really was. Don't get me wrong, we never went to church as kids, not because we didn't believe in God, my parents just never went. When I got to A&M, I started attending church with friends, and I felt so much more complete, a good 'balance' if you will.
It wasn't until late 2001 when I really started feeling something else, something that I hadn't experienced, maybe ever. And in the most turbulent chapters of my life, serenity.
Last week, our pastor had an excellent talk about 'waking up' and God being there, finding him there with arms wide open, and for me, it was a very moving talk.
You can listen to it here.... Check out the 10/10/2009 talk.
So today, as I write this post, I look back at my life today, all my friends, all my family, my church family, and life in general, I have to smile. Sometimes its so easily to be discouraged. In my 30s, thirty lbs overweight, single, working a job that tests me every day, and walking this journey, but I'm not alone. He is there. Thats one thing I know I don't do enough, I don't trust in God, and know that he has great plans for me. I perpetually try to drive the bus, and I know I just need to sit back and let God drive.
Sorry for the 'heavy' post, just had to get that out there. To end in the words of singer Gary Allan, "Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride."
Friday, September 11, 2009
Life on Autopilot
Ever feel like you're on autopilot? I realized for the past few weeks, that everything has been really going well.
I'm trying to maintain a "conscious contact" with God throughout the day, giving stuff to him that I can't handle. Its working well for me. I'm much happier at work (even happier when I leave), and everything is copasetic. This week, I just feel like everything is the same over and over. Go to work, go home, go to mens group, go to church, work on cars, etc. I look back at this month, and I've done LOTS of stuff. Had Dim Sum with friends, worked in the yard, harvested watermelons from my garden, went and visited friends I haven't seen in forever, helped at church, saw my grandpa. The list goes on. Maybe next week will be better eh?
I have lots of friends that I talk to now and then, but a lot of them are married and have families now, and can't hang out anymore. I do have a few handful of married friends who are allowed to get away for a while and go hang out and do stuff with, but its sad to see the loss of those friends that are under obligations of a family now. Maybe I'll understand one day.
On the romantic side of things, theres not much to report. I had a few dates with a girl my friends set me up with, but she's got a LOT of baggage, more than I care to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I've had my share in the past, and I have had LOTS of grace extended to me, but I had to realize that it was her, not me, that had issues. So, I moved on, once again. I can remember last year at this time, was Hurricane Ike. I was in a relationship that my friends warned me was not a good idea, yet I pursued it anyway. 3 days with the same person and no power can really show ones true colors.
Anyway, I have made amends, licked my wounds, seen my therapist, and I feel like I'm ready....but for what? Ready for another relationship? Ready for life?
Maybe the right answer is, whatever God has in store for me.
I'm trying to maintain a "conscious contact" with God throughout the day, giving stuff to him that I can't handle. Its working well for me. I'm much happier at work (even happier when I leave), and everything is copasetic. This week, I just feel like everything is the same over and over. Go to work, go home, go to mens group, go to church, work on cars, etc. I look back at this month, and I've done LOTS of stuff. Had Dim Sum with friends, worked in the yard, harvested watermelons from my garden, went and visited friends I haven't seen in forever, helped at church, saw my grandpa. The list goes on. Maybe next week will be better eh?
I have lots of friends that I talk to now and then, but a lot of them are married and have families now, and can't hang out anymore. I do have a few handful of married friends who are allowed to get away for a while and go hang out and do stuff with, but its sad to see the loss of those friends that are under obligations of a family now. Maybe I'll understand one day.
On the romantic side of things, theres not much to report. I had a few dates with a girl my friends set me up with, but she's got a LOT of baggage, more than I care to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I've had my share in the past, and I have had LOTS of grace extended to me, but I had to realize that it was her, not me, that had issues. So, I moved on, once again. I can remember last year at this time, was Hurricane Ike. I was in a relationship that my friends warned me was not a good idea, yet I pursued it anyway. 3 days with the same person and no power can really show ones true colors.
Anyway, I have made amends, licked my wounds, seen my therapist, and I feel like I'm ready....but for what? Ready for another relationship? Ready for life?
Maybe the right answer is, whatever God has in store for me.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
GM, out of bankruptcy and smelling like....a Cadillac?
So GM has pulled itself out of Bankruptcy.
Whoopdeedoo. You guys know I tend to like American brand cars. Fords mostly. The stuff that GM has put out has been lackluster at best. I was in a rental Impala for ten days while my car was in the shop and it was the worst car evar.
Now GM has decided that its going to come out with some fragrances....
The star reports that GM is coming out with a line of smell good stuff.
I don't know about you, but usually the smell of a Cadillac conjures up the smell of old people, moth balls, stewed prunes, and the like. Apparently GM thinks they can do better than that. Now if they had a fragrance like "CTS-V" that would be better, but Cadillac brings to mind grandpas 93 Fleetwood.
I guess I can't fault them, I mean, the Mustang has its own line of fragrances.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Movie Review: Knowing, and random mumblings..
Just FYI, if you're going to see the movie, there are spoilers in this post, so you may not want to read.
So I usually dont like the "End of the world" type doomsday movies, but my friend and his wife were visiting from out of town, and she had rented "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage. I had seen the previews, and decided that I wasn't going to watch it, in the theater or when it came out on DVD.
Well, we watched it Saturday night, and it really left me feeling discombobulated and out of sorts when it was over. Basically in the movie, a girl in 1950 is summoned by voices to write down a bunch of numbers, instead of drawing a picture to put in the time capsule, she has page of numbers written all over it. Later she disappears from the dedication of the time capsule, and they find her in the basement of the school in a closet scratching numbers into the door, continuing from what she drew on the paper earlier.
Fast forward to present day, Nicholas Cage's son attends the same school, where the anniversary of the time capsule is due, and they open it, giving all the kids pictures of the drawings that were drawn in 1950. Cage's son gets the girls drawing with the random numbers on it, then he starts to hear all these whispering voices, and sees a man in the shadows. The movie goes on and Cage finds the drawing, and starts looking at it while drinking, and discovers the numbers are dates of major catastrophes, and also show the number of people that die. Cage is drinking, mourning the loss of his wife, who died in one of the tragedies of the paper. Theres also another set of numbers that they can't figure out what they're for, Cages colleagues at MIT scoff at his theory. Later they discover that the other numbers are Latitude and Longitude (he refers to them as GPS coordinates) of where the next death occurs.
I'm skipping a bit, but later, Cage discovers the last tragedy shows a date and "EE" which later means "Everyone else" or the world. Cage finds out that the Sun is going to Flare and scorch the Earth, and everyone dies. Cage and the Girls daughter try to escape to caves, but Cage later discovers the Coordinates of where they need to go are etched to the door of the closet of the school. While all this is happening, Cage's kid and the granddaughter of the girl from the time capsule get kidnapped by the man from the shadows, and Cage finds them, the men turn out to be aliens, who are "taking only the ones who are called" away from earth, to save them and let them start again new. Cage and his son walk towards the UFO, and the alien tells the boy that only he can go, not Dad. The next scene is Cage saying goodbye to his son and boarding theUFO, with hundreds of others of UFOs leaving earth, Cage falls to the floor in grief, and wakes up later, then Cage goes to his parents house, which he is estranged from, and it shows him hugging his family as the world is hit with a huge flare from the sun and the earth burns down. Later it shows Cage's son and the granddaughter of the girl that wrote the numbers in an Adam and Eve type setting, fields of grain and an Apple tree, and the world is pure again.
So anyway, there are several annoyances I have with this film. One, I can't see why any parent, in their right mind would give their kid to an alien who is promising some kind of safe place to be, because the world is ending, its just inplausible to me. I guess the main thing is the movie had a larger impact on me than I realized, leaving me feeling like everything that we do here while we're on earth is futile, and that the world will end etc. I've fought battles in my life, long and short, and I guess I let the movie get the better of my emotions.
I checked in with a few people today, and one of them, a close friend left me with this gem:
"God is in control. He's got your back, he loves you, and wants the best for you. He walks with you every minute. Dump the fear and embrace faith."
This left me feeling a lot better, because more often than not, I feel like I let fear control me, and as far as I feel that I have come in my spiritual journey, sometimes I get frustrated that I still can get into those 'pockets' of fear.
Another good friend reminded me "Its just a movie". Which is true. I guess I need to be more cognizant and draw the line there a little better.
At the end of the day, this movie did have one thing for me, and that's to be appreciative of my support network of friends and the ability to let go of the fear sometimes and let someone else upstairs drive the bus now and then.
So I usually dont like the "End of the world" type doomsday movies, but my friend and his wife were visiting from out of town, and she had rented "Knowing" with Nicholas Cage. I had seen the previews, and decided that I wasn't going to watch it, in the theater or when it came out on DVD.
Well, we watched it Saturday night, and it really left me feeling discombobulated and out of sorts when it was over. Basically in the movie, a girl in 1950 is summoned by voices to write down a bunch of numbers, instead of drawing a picture to put in the time capsule, she has page of numbers written all over it. Later she disappears from the dedication of the time capsule, and they find her in the basement of the school in a closet scratching numbers into the door, continuing from what she drew on the paper earlier.
Fast forward to present day, Nicholas Cage's son attends the same school, where the anniversary of the time capsule is due, and they open it, giving all the kids pictures of the drawings that were drawn in 1950. Cage's son gets the girls drawing with the random numbers on it, then he starts to hear all these whispering voices, and sees a man in the shadows. The movie goes on and Cage finds the drawing, and starts looking at it while drinking, and discovers the numbers are dates of major catastrophes, and also show the number of people that die. Cage is drinking, mourning the loss of his wife, who died in one of the tragedies of the paper. Theres also another set of numbers that they can't figure out what they're for, Cages colleagues at MIT scoff at his theory. Later they discover that the other numbers are Latitude and Longitude (he refers to them as GPS coordinates) of where the next death occurs.
I'm skipping a bit, but later, Cage discovers the last tragedy shows a date and "EE" which later means "Everyone else" or the world. Cage finds out that the Sun is going to Flare and scorch the Earth, and everyone dies. Cage and the Girls daughter try to escape to caves, but Cage later discovers the Coordinates of where they need to go are etched to the door of the closet of the school. While all this is happening, Cage's kid and the granddaughter of the girl from the time capsule get kidnapped by the man from the shadows, and Cage finds them, the men turn out to be aliens, who are "taking only the ones who are called" away from earth, to save them and let them start again new. Cage and his son walk towards the UFO, and the alien tells the boy that only he can go, not Dad. The next scene is Cage saying goodbye to his son and boarding theUFO, with hundreds of others of UFOs leaving earth, Cage falls to the floor in grief, and wakes up later, then Cage goes to his parents house, which he is estranged from, and it shows him hugging his family as the world is hit with a huge flare from the sun and the earth burns down. Later it shows Cage's son and the granddaughter of the girl that wrote the numbers in an Adam and Eve type setting, fields of grain and an Apple tree, and the world is pure again.
So anyway, there are several annoyances I have with this film. One, I can't see why any parent, in their right mind would give their kid to an alien who is promising some kind of safe place to be, because the world is ending, its just inplausible to me. I guess the main thing is the movie had a larger impact on me than I realized, leaving me feeling like everything that we do here while we're on earth is futile, and that the world will end etc. I've fought battles in my life, long and short, and I guess I let the movie get the better of my emotions.
I checked in with a few people today, and one of them, a close friend left me with this gem:
"God is in control. He's got your back, he loves you, and wants the best for you. He walks with you every minute. Dump the fear and embrace faith."
This left me feeling a lot better, because more often than not, I feel like I let fear control me, and as far as I feel that I have come in my spiritual journey, sometimes I get frustrated that I still can get into those 'pockets' of fear.
Another good friend reminded me "Its just a movie". Which is true. I guess I need to be more cognizant and draw the line there a little better.
At the end of the day, this movie did have one thing for me, and that's to be appreciative of my support network of friends and the ability to let go of the fear sometimes and let someone else upstairs drive the bus now and then.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
NW Houston Engrish
So I met my good friend C for lunch today. We used to work together and enjoy the same type of food, particularly Asian stuff.
So I called her today and she wanted to go to this new Vietnamese place. "All they serve is noodles" she tells me.
Boy she wasnt kidding. Nothing but soup and noodles. No rice, no egg rolls. Soup. Thats all.
I had to laugh when we got there. More Engrish.
Not "Noodles", just one. "Pho Danh, house of noodle"
The soup was indeed good. Place was nice and clean inside. Lets hope they make enough money to be able to afford that "S".
So I called her today and she wanted to go to this new Vietnamese place. "All they serve is noodles" she tells me.
Boy she wasnt kidding. Nothing but soup and noodles. No rice, no egg rolls. Soup. Thats all.
I had to laugh when we got there. More Engrish.
Not "Noodles", just one. "Pho Danh, house of noodle"
The soup was indeed good. Place was nice and clean inside. Lets hope they make enough money to be able to afford that "S".
Monday, May 11, 2009
I made it to Failblog!
A lot of you guys know I follow Failblog.
I caught one the other day when I was getting some books for my niece, and its on the voting page now!!
I'm on the voting page! Please vote for me!
more fail, owned and pwned pics and videos
I caught one the other day when I was getting some books for my niece, and its on the voting page now!!
I'm on the voting page! Please vote for me!
more fail, owned and pwned pics and videos
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Chevrolet kills the Impala SS...Again
To me, its been dead since the last V8 Rear wheel drive B Body rolled off the line in 1996, with GM scrambling and putting the Grand Prix GTP Drivetrain inside the W Body FWD Impala. The 3.8L V6 with a blower on it put out 240 hp stock. We all know that the LT1 that was in the B Body Impala was underrated at 260.
Later, with the last iteration of the Impala, we got the 5.3L V8, again, turned the wrong way. And now, nothing. Just an Impala LS for the rental fleet, LT and LTZ for the rest of us.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f39/impala-ss-gone-2010-a-78975/
General Motors has killed off the Impala SS, again. For the 2010 model year, the Impala line will be available in base LS, mid-range LT and range-topping LTZ trim. The loss of the SS edition will also mark the end of the end of the line for GM's 5.3L V8 engine in the midsize front-wheel drive Chevy sedan. That means the biggest available engine will be the 3.9L LGD pushrod 60-degree V6.
Maybe too many warranty claims on that 4T65E Transmission with the V8.
Here's to the only Chevrolet product I really ever liked.
Later, with the last iteration of the Impala, we got the 5.3L V8, again, turned the wrong way. And now, nothing. Just an Impala LS for the rental fleet, LT and LTZ for the rest of us.
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f39/impala-ss-gone-2010-a-78975/
General Motors has killed off the Impala SS, again. For the 2010 model year, the Impala line will be available in base LS, mid-range LT and range-topping LTZ trim. The loss of the SS edition will also mark the end of the end of the line for GM's 5.3L V8 engine in the midsize front-wheel drive Chevy sedan. That means the biggest available engine will be the 3.9L LGD pushrod 60-degree V6.
Maybe too many warranty claims on that 4T65E Transmission with the V8.
Here's to the only Chevrolet product I really ever liked.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
GM and Ford Jump on the Payment Bandwagon
Most of you probably saw the Hyundai Commitment commercials around Superbowl time, lose your job, Hyundai makes your payment for a few months while you look for a job, and if you can't? you can return your car* (minus depreciation etc.).
Well, Ford and GM have now jumped on the bandwagon.
I have mixed feelings about this.
Ford and GM have both jumped on the Hyundai coat tails.
"Lose your job? We'll make your note for you!"
Ford said Tuesday it will cover payments of up to $700 each month for up to a year on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if consumers lose their jobs. The program runs until June 1.
GM's payment protection program is much like Hyundai's Assurance Program in that the automaker will cover your payments in the event that you lose your job. GM's program covers you for 24 months and will make up to nine payments valued at up to $500/month. According to GM, if you qualify for state unemployment benefits, you'll qualify for the payment protection to kick in.
Part of me thinks this is great and will help out lots of people, but the other part of me feels that those people that were that financially irresponsible to buy a car they couldn't afford, or didn't have a emergency fund to cover 6 or 8 months of living expenses (which includes your car note and mortgage) should let this be a good reminder of living beyond one's means.
Sure, when I replaced my 290,000 mile car 2 weeks ago, I really wanted something nice, a pre-owned Infiniti M, A V8 Genesis, Town Car, etc.
What did I settle on? A Good deal on a used reliable 4 door sedan. A Ford Five Hundred (which has been renamed Taurus in 2008). Why? The uncertain economy, I didn't want to drop 35 Grand (or even 20 grand these days) on a NEW car, and really folks, what do you need a car for? Basic transportation. In this case, to and from work. I got it with around 50,000 miles, and paid less than 1/3 of the sticker new. I'm familiar with the powertrain, familiar with the chassis, and it has good reliability ratings according to Consumer Reports, and Excellent Crash test ratings. Leather, Sunroof, 6 CD Changer, power everything and all wheel drive to boot. Has new tires and new pads and rotors all the way around. Maybe when things improve, I'll get something 'nicer', but for now, this is a pretty darn nice daily driver.
Well, Ford and GM have now jumped on the bandwagon.
I have mixed feelings about this.
Ford and GM have both jumped on the Hyundai coat tails.
"Lose your job? We'll make your note for you!"
Ford said Tuesday it will cover payments of up to $700 each month for up to a year on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if consumers lose their jobs. The program runs until June 1.
GM's payment protection program is much like Hyundai's Assurance Program in that the automaker will cover your payments in the event that you lose your job. GM's program covers you for 24 months and will make up to nine payments valued at up to $500/month. According to GM, if you qualify for state unemployment benefits, you'll qualify for the payment protection to kick in.
Part of me thinks this is great and will help out lots of people, but the other part of me feels that those people that were that financially irresponsible to buy a car they couldn't afford, or didn't have a emergency fund to cover 6 or 8 months of living expenses (which includes your car note and mortgage) should let this be a good reminder of living beyond one's means.
Sure, when I replaced my 290,000 mile car 2 weeks ago, I really wanted something nice, a pre-owned Infiniti M, A V8 Genesis, Town Car, etc.
What did I settle on? A Good deal on a used reliable 4 door sedan. A Ford Five Hundred (which has been renamed Taurus in 2008). Why? The uncertain economy, I didn't want to drop 35 Grand (or even 20 grand these days) on a NEW car, and really folks, what do you need a car for? Basic transportation. In this case, to and from work. I got it with around 50,000 miles, and paid less than 1/3 of the sticker new. I'm familiar with the powertrain, familiar with the chassis, and it has good reliability ratings according to Consumer Reports, and Excellent Crash test ratings. Leather, Sunroof, 6 CD Changer, power everything and all wheel drive to boot. Has new tires and new pads and rotors all the way around. Maybe when things improve, I'll get something 'nicer', but for now, this is a pretty darn nice daily driver.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Forgot to Remind all you readers! (DST Time again!)
Once again, we have DST!
This is a good time to remember other things that need to be taken care of, specifically on your car, and at your home!
I like to remind folks that really aren't into car care, that at least twice a year, (a good reminder is around the time change) you should:
House:
This is a good time to remember other things that need to be taken care of, specifically on your car, and at your home!
I like to remind folks that really aren't into car care, that at least twice a year, (a good reminder is around the time change) you should:
- Change the oil (more than 2x per year but if you can't remember do it now)
- Rotate your tires, correct air pressure
- Inspect/Replace your air filter
- Wash the car really well (including the wheel wells and rails/drains).
- Remove the garbage inside the car
- Inspect all your exterior lights
House:
- Fertilize the lawn (Fall Fertilizer, and Spring Time too)
- Change the Ice maker Filter
- Change the A/C Furnace Filter
- Open the windows and let some fresh air in!
- Drain that hot water heater
- Check/Replace any light bulbs that burned out
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Irony....
So, my friend, we'll call him "Dieter" called me on Saturday, and was pretty excited about something, and he had to tell someone. So as he was rattling on while I was laughing my arse off about what he was telling me.
Lets back up a little bit....
Without going into too much detail, Dieters wife left him suddenly with no explanation. Later it was discovered Dieters wife ran off with a guy she met online. Funny huh? Anyway, Dieter was out of work for a while, because the Sprocket industry was in low demand, and things were tough. But he found a job at a Sprocket place and was getting it back together. I must add, that the whole time Dieter was out of work, the wife never did anything to help, (i.e. get a job, temp work, Prostitute herself etc) thereby forcing Dieter to support his family on Credit cards and drive his finances into the ground. Well apparently, the whole time this was happening, Dieter's ex was talking to a guy in gondwanaland, lets call him Joe the tool, who is also in the Sprocket business, and was a good looking fella, relatively fit, and financially sound.
So Dieter found himself on his own, working to put his life back together, to which he has been pretty successful doing so, I must add.
So now you know the background there, Dieters call Saturday was to tell me, that he got a call the other day from a friend, who told him that not only has Joe been out of work since late summer last year, Joe has also gained all the weight back that he lost in order to woo Dieter's ex away and off to gondwandaland. So now she has a fat loser with no job.
This is ownage at its finest folks.
Lets back up a little bit....
Without going into too much detail, Dieters wife left him suddenly with no explanation. Later it was discovered Dieters wife ran off with a guy she met online. Funny huh? Anyway, Dieter was out of work for a while, because the Sprocket industry was in low demand, and things were tough. But he found a job at a Sprocket place and was getting it back together. I must add, that the whole time Dieter was out of work, the wife never did anything to help, (i.e. get a job, temp work, Prostitute herself etc) thereby forcing Dieter to support his family on Credit cards and drive his finances into the ground. Well apparently, the whole time this was happening, Dieter's ex was talking to a guy in gondwanaland, lets call him Joe the tool, who is also in the Sprocket business, and was a good looking fella, relatively fit, and financially sound.
So Dieter found himself on his own, working to put his life back together, to which he has been pretty successful doing so, I must add.
So now you know the background there, Dieters call Saturday was to tell me, that he got a call the other day from a friend, who told him that not only has Joe been out of work since late summer last year, Joe has also gained all the weight back that he lost in order to woo Dieter's ex away and off to gondwandaland. So now she has a fat loser with no job.
This is ownage at its finest folks.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Citrus Marinated Grilled Shrimp and Spicy Rice
My mom, the Gardening Queen, has given me a few lemons, and with some of the Oranges on my tree, I made a marinade tonight and grilled some shrimp, and made some spicy taco meat rice.
I just took the shrimp, de-vined and marinated in lemon juice, orange juice, and fajita seasoning, covered with saran wrap and refrigerated for about an hour. Afterwards, I skewered the shrimp and grilled them, using a brush and some olive oil to keep the shrimp nice and oiled.
Next, I just took a pound of ground turkey, and taco seasoning, browned it and seasoned per instructions, and I made spanish rice (using the chinese rice cooker) with Tomato Sauce, Cumin, a can of Rotel Stewed Tomatoes, and chicken stock, then I mixed it all together.
The end result?
I just took the shrimp, de-vined and marinated in lemon juice, orange juice, and fajita seasoning, covered with saran wrap and refrigerated for about an hour. Afterwards, I skewered the shrimp and grilled them, using a brush and some olive oil to keep the shrimp nice and oiled.
Next, I just took a pound of ground turkey, and taco seasoning, browned it and seasoned per instructions, and I made spanish rice (using the chinese rice cooker) with Tomato Sauce, Cumin, a can of Rotel Stewed Tomatoes, and chicken stock, then I mixed it all together.
The end result?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Engrish, Live from Chinatown Houston
I took my mom and stepdad out for a Chinese Sunday brunch. I had to go buy some Ramen (the REAL stuff) from Chinatown. We went to Classic Kitchen, which is a restaurant that serves Taiwanese Comfort Food. This place is run by the Soup Nazis Asian relatives. Cash only, and the waitstaff is rude, but what Chinese restaurant is known for good customer Service?
We ate and left, and when I was walking out, I had to snap a pic, Engrish is abundant here guys!
Happy New Year, Friends! Hope you have a great and very prosperous 2009!
We ate and left, and when I was walking out, I had to snap a pic, Engrish is abundant here guys!
Happy New Year, Friends! Hope you have a great and very prosperous 2009!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Is that Really your name?
So I was cashing out at the grocery store the other day and this Girls name caught my eye.
I snickered and texted my friend, "Dude, this girls name is Diselina!" (pronounced, "Diesel-ina").
Of course, K texts back, "Pics or it didn't happen" of course this was as I was loading the groceries in the car.
So of course I went back and took a picture. She didn't want me to snap her face, so I just got her name tag.....
Yup. I have too much time on my hands....
I snickered and texted my friend, "Dude, this girls name is Diselina!" (pronounced, "Diesel-ina").
Of course, K texts back, "Pics or it didn't happen" of course this was as I was loading the groceries in the car.
So of course I went back and took a picture. She didn't want me to snap her face, so I just got her name tag.....
Yup. I have too much time on my hands....
Monday, December 1, 2008
Engrish....part II
So I against my promise of not going out of the house on black Friday, one of my friends asked me to meet him for lunch. I had to go to Costco anyway, so I decided to meet him at a Chinese buffet off I-10.
We had a good time and then the fortune cookies came out. We BOTH got the same fortune....his first comment was "They could have used correct grammar."
Engrish is all around us now....
We had a good time and then the fortune cookies came out. We BOTH got the same fortune....his first comment was "They could have used correct grammar."
Engrish is all around us now....
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