The World of Hong and Nancy

New Blog

2005-05-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, so after trying out this blog vs. Friendster's blog, I have decided to stick with friendster. The link is: http://poofy97.blogs.friendster.com/watch_on_a_chain/

Or just sign into friendster.com and invite me to be your friend and then you can access my friendster blog.

I decided to stick with friendster cause I can do more stuff with it like check messages and post bulletins, etc.

Well- bye bye- Nancy

Rainy Days

2005-05-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was so rainy- the rain was going sideways cause it was so windy.

Hong and I are planning our first international vacation- we're thinking of going to either Thailand or France- maybe 7-12 days.

If you've gone to either of those places- do e-mail or call me with suggestions/advice.

So- we went hiking at Point Reyes this past weekend. It's an 8 mile hike/run with wildflowers, tropical forests, open meadows and ocean-views. We even hiked down to the coast and looked at tide pools- really beautiful. It's our third time there but I see something new each time.

This weather makes me tired- bye!

Winding Down

2005-05-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

Wow- this week sure went by fast.

The next few weeks are gonna be fun- on May 21st- I have a Shea Butter Party to attend, a Gourmet Grub and then we go camping for Memorial Weekend. I want to do a waterfalls roadtrip- drive up northern coast to see waterfalls and camp. It should be fun. My goal is to finally finish reading "Invisible Man."

So far- work has been quite busy. It's the end of the fiscal year so I've been doing budgets and more budgets. I am so sick and tired of looking at excel worksheets!

Anyways- I'm not much of an Amazing Race fan but I saw the last race this week and was so inspired by the married, black couple (who won)! They were so amazing- defeating and winning against all odds. Wow- it makes me want to be a better travel partner- for Hong's sake. Not many people have tolerated me on roadtrips- I can be pretty annoying- well annoying like I like to put my feet on the dashboard and take "fake" sleeping pictures of myself. But- I DON'T fart in the car- which Hong does shamelessly.

I am thinking about last weekend- we went to Josie's (Jasmine's boyfriend Grant's sister) after-weding party at Zebra Lounge. Zebra Lounge took forever to let us in (like they were all that or something)! But when we got in, it was so empty. It's a beautiful space though- too bad the bouncer's are so uptight. Well- after a little too many drinks and much grinding and dancing, we left.....of course, Hong had to get his "Cambodian" donuts which is really just donuts sold at donut shops owned by Cambodian people. Hong swears they make the best donuts- which they do since they pretty much dominate the donut business. There's a donut place opened 24 hours in North Beach! Very yummy!

Anyways- this day has been busy, busy- I've heard much good news these past few weeks from family and friends- like new pregnancies, new jobs, and goals accomplished.

American Idol

2005-05-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

Okay- so I am leaning towards Carrie- the white country girl- she has an awesome voice but I have a feeling Bo is gonna win. Anthony needs to go home! Hmm...Vonzell is really good too! Gosh- it's actually getting pretty exciting now.

Today I ran all the way around Lake Merrit. No stopping. That's like three miles straight. I am really proud of myself. The whole time I kept thinking about my clogged arteries. I have high cholesterol so I need to stop eating meat products and eggs. Hong and I went to Berkeley Bowl- still the best produce selection anywhere- and got some veggies and legumes. I am gonna have salad with tuna and chick peas topped with a lime dressing for lunch tomorrow. We got some mini carrot sticks and strawberries too for snacking. Dinner is gonna be tofu stir friend with veggies with a side of curry lentils. I am so serious about eating healthy and exercising. I am really terrified of getting diabetes or something because my dad, my uncle and my grandmother has diabetes. It is just a horrible thing to deal with.

We have this airport thing for our Mac laptop and we finally now have connection from someone else in our complex. It allows us to access the internet without having our own internet service. It's pretty cool and so convenient. I can access the internet from the bathroom or bedroom without having to plug into our modem.

I have to buy a laptop for law school. I'll buy it when I'm in Madison but we'll probably get a PC. I've started doing my research and the Sony VAIOs seem pretty cool. All I know is I want a very light, small, and fast laptop.

Hong and I are finally going to go home (Sacramento) this weekend to celebrate Mother's Day. It's been a month. I miss Kalysta and Russel so much. As soon as I figure out how to post photos, I'll post their photos.

Alrighty- It's time to go watch some more TV. Bye!

Yoga

2005-05-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I am trying the yoga class at Ballys. Hong and I took yoga at Laney community college a year ago and it was really cool. Hopefully I don't break anything tonight.

It's been a tiring day. I am just so ready to start something new. I'm still trying to figure out if I can make it working with the court until July or if I should quit in June. I thought maybe I could work through July but with a shortended schedule. That definitely makes it more bearable.

Well- my priorities right now are 1) budgeting; 2) staying healthy; 3) maintaining relationships with friends; and 4) cleaning out my apartment junk and begin packing.

I've been working on #1 for a couple of weeks now. I plan to open an IRA this week, distribute my funds from the UC retirement account and from the CSU retirement account. My checkbook is balanced AND positive! I've also been working on priority #2 for a while. Hong and I try to cook in at least 5 nights a week. So far we've done pretty good. I think #3 and #4 are coming along.

Gosh- those yellow manilla mangos are so yummy. They are smaller than the green mangos and they are softer/sweeter too. I've been eating about four a day. Yep, they are that good. Got to have my five fruits a day. The fifth fruit is usually tamarind:)

I've been teaching myself about different savings options and stuff so e-mail/call me if you want some advice or have advice to share. With the way social security is going, we all have to start saving when we're young! One of the best savings tool right now is opening an account with ING. I'm going to e-mail some of you and if you open an account under my referral, you get $25 automatically, no strings attached. Then, you can start depositing money into your ING account- no fee, no minimim AND you get a higher interest than if you were saving through your bank account. Trust me- it is very reliable. Hong already "made" a couple hundred dollars with his money just sitting there.

Anyways- do you have any good ideas for a road trip for 3-4 days? I am thinking whale watching in Mendocino County but we did that 3 years ago. Maybe the desert? Well, we need ideas because we plan to do something Memorial Weekend.

Bye.

Oatmeal Cookies and Adult Diapers

2005-04-30T00:54:00.001-07:00

The best cookies are sold at the Downtown Oakland farmer's market on Friday afternoons. Of course, I bought some this week. They are oatmeal.

When I got home from work today, we made dinner and basically watched TV all night. On Friday and Saturday nights, Hong and I sleep on our futon in the living room. We pretend we are on vacation- a mini weekend get-away.

Today, I went and got some lab tests done- like blood and urine and then saw my gyno. Just a check-in. I had some questions. I feel like I am starting to get old and that my health is deteriorating. I know, I know- I am so dramatic right? But I just want to make sure I start being more healthy before it's too late. I do my kegels everyday. Of all things, I want to be able to control my urination when I get older. My physician said old people sometimes will pee in their pants because they lose muscle to contract "down there" and any disruption to the bladder will make them pee. I hope I won't have to wear Depends. But actually, if you think about it, adult diapers is THE solution if you plan to party and drink all night. With adult diapers, you won't have to go to the bathrrom when you are drunk and lazy.

They need to come out with adult diapers that look like sexy, lacy underwear and are thin. That would be cool. Hmmm....maybe I'll come up with a design. I KNOW you better not try to take my idea now!

Well- thank goodness it's the weekend.

Out of the office

2005-04-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

Why do I keep jeans from high school? I swear I'm going to fit into them again. It's been like 9 years. It would be abnormal if I did fit into them again.

Anyways, I am a little sick today so I decided to stay home. I'm watching Oprah right now. I love staying home. The best part is wearing your pajamas all day. Whoo-hoo.

Sushi

2005-04-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

This blog has nothing to do with sushi. I just wanted to say "sushi." What a funny word.

Yesterday's hip hop jazz dance class was fun- a LOT sweaty but fun. Now, I have a move to bust out the next time I go to 815 L or Dragon Bar. Of course, I gotta dance with Hong and Vicky...Hong was practicing last night. He looks so serious too:)

24 is getting really good. That blond computer chick was beginning to get on my nerves but after last night, I think I could start to like her. Man- she totally shot down the bad guy.

So, as some of you know- Hong and I are moving to Madison in mid-August so I can start law school. The rent in Madison is so affordable- 1 bedroom rent from $300-$600 month. So- since Hong may not work as much next year and I will be in school full time, we have decided to purchase our home this year instead of rent. This way, we can use our income and credit from our working years. We can get a home in Madison for about $150,000. That is the total price- not a down payment! Crazy cheap huh??? I told you it was affordable. Anyways- we'll probably move there first and spend the first month or two visiting homes, etc. We've begun working with a broker so we have seen homes online and stuff but we want to see it in person before making an offer. If you have recenty bought a home or are looking at buying one and have advice- do e-mail me.

Anyways- it will be nice once we are settled again. I actually love our Oakland apt. It is so convenient to our workplaces, shopping, and BART. Our rent has gone down in the past three years which makes the apt even more convenient. I'll miss it.

Well- I have been craving asparagus lately so today, I'm gonna eat asparagus for lunch AND dinner! YEAH! So yummy and very healthy.

Talking about healthy- Veronica Toledo's mom makes this great, organic soap and lotion from shea butter. I am using a lavendar soap I got for my b-day and it has lasted me three months. It smells so good and helps me fall asleep at night. If you want nice, non-abrasive soap- you should e-mail me so I can give the order info to you. It is definitely a nice treat, especially for mother's day (hint, hint).

Oh, also- I have about 100 handcrafted cards I need to get rid of before I move. If you need cards- e-mail me so I can mail you some. I have all kinds- all blank inide.

Alright- have a great day!

National Dance Week

2005-04-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Happy "National Dance Week!"

Seriously- there is such a thing as dance week. There are dance studios in the bay area offering free dance lessons this whole week so Hong and I will join Vicky at a "hip hop" class tonight.

This weekend was pretty cool- saw the most amazing poetry slam performances at the Youth Speak's International Poetry Slam Competition. These youth are age 13-19 and they are amazing- utterly brutal, honest, innocent, and passionate. I forget sometimes how the young wear their hearts on their sleeve...these kids are just amazing.

Finally had a chance to go to the Thai Buddhist Temple for their outside lunch. It's this pretty cool outdoors restaurant that the temple hosts every Sunday. Great food- the best sweet mango with sticky rice.

I have been feeling pretty anxious lately- I think I'm just bored with work and overwhelmed with the future. Sometimes I'm satisfied with life and sometimes- I feel like there's so much more I could've done. Of course, this has nothing to do with anyone but me- my own sense of losses and gains. I mean, don't get me wrong- I love my life....BUT- I do think I don't make use of all I have to offer the world. But that's probably the problem- I keep giving to all around me and forget about myself. Well- I'm gonna stop that. For now- it's going to be all about me. Yeah! I'm just gonna be selfish and do everything for myself. Gosh- that sounds so mean huh? Oh well!

3500 calories equal one pound.....it'll take 52,500 calories to lose 15 pounds. At 500 calories a day, that's 105 days or 3.5 months to lose 15 pounds. hmmm......i wonder how many calories you lose per one session of sex. If you know- e-mail me:)

Re-uniting

2005-04-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been re-connecting with friends from high school and college. Below are some updates on big events in people's lives:

Amber (UCD): married
Tam (UCD): engaged
Minna (family): has a son
Cy (family): married
Jasmine (H.S.): has a dog
Cindy (family): dog ran away
Lea (friend): has a daughter
Liz (H.S.): has two daughters
Diana (UCD): has a son and a daughter
Jagjeet (H.S.): moving to Oxnard and ENGAGED!!!!!
Shedrick (H.S.): married
Janet (H.S.): married
Joanne (H.S.): has a son
Michelle (H.S.): engaged
Amber (UCD): married
John (UCD): lives in Taiwan
Niti (H.S.): graduating from grad school
Douglas (family): married
Virginia (family): engaged
Kao (UCD): married and in law school in Arkansas
Sara (H.S.): in law school (Texas), boyfriend- Jason
Fong (H.S.): married, has a daughter

If you're reading this post and something big has happened or is about to happen in your life, let me know- especially if you're married or something so I won't try to hook people up with you.

Anyways, all this reminds me that I'm halfway to age 50. That means I'm a quarter over with my life...that is- if I live to be 100. I do plan on being self-sufficient when I'm 40- that means self-employed and just traveling. I've decided I'm not going to have kids- I might adopt. Who knows- I don't have issues with the whole children of my "blood" and adopted children difference. Actually, I have plenty of neices and nephews who need my love.

But, I'm flexible- my plans may change. I do think about having kids cause I know Hong would make a great daddy. He could be the homemaker (which is what he wants to do- he told me) and I could be the breadwinner. Not that I subscribe to all that socially-constructed stuff. My point is that Hong would be a great daddy. He would take our kid(s) to science musuems and car shows.

Hey- so what is the nutritional value of that tamarind fruit?? I buy like three pounds from Berkeley Bowl and eat the whole bag in a week. It is so yummy- very tangy. It looks like brown poop. If you know it's nutritional value, please e-mail me. Oh- if you also know the nutritional value of kiwi and quail eggs- e-mail me also.

Well, I just have to say that this season's Top Model sucks! Most of the girls are annoying and none are THAT outstanding looking. If I HAD to choose- I would pick that Naimi girl. She's cool.

Again- K.I.T. BFFE LOL

Wee-Hour Work Out

2005-04-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

So- Vicky and I have been waking up at 4:30 a.m. to work out before we have work. I know, I know- that is crazy right? I mean, sometimes- I'm on that elliptical machine and I start nodding off- such a safety hazard! I could fall and cut open my skull. Well- I'll risk it.

Anyways- I have sort of stopped making my cards because I am too busy working and exercising- and eating and watching 24, Top Model, and Grey's Anatomy. Grey's Anatomy- by the way- is a great TV show. Really witty script.

I have badminton tonight- yep two hours every week at Laney Community College- basically, I am dodging birdies from Hong and Vicky for the whole two hours.

Vitamin Water just came out with a new flavor- Green Tea! It's delicious-mundo. Maybe it's not so new but new to me. It looks weird at first- sort of pukey green but it tastes really fresh.

I'm trying to figure out how to add photos to my blog. It'll probably take me another few months. LOL But Minna's helping me out so it will be cool.

Mid-West Vacation

2005-04-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is the start of our move to the Mid-West.

We decided to visit the University of Wisconsin- Madison on April 8th.

One the 7th, we flew from Oakland to Chicago midway. We were gonna rent a car and visit Niti but then the cost of renting a car in Chicago and dropping off the car in Madison was way expensive so we decided to see Niti next time and just take a bus from Midway to Madison. Since we already bought our plane tickets, we continued to arrive in Chicago at 1:25 a.m. on Fri. Our bus to Madison did not leave until 6:30 a.m. so Hong and I took turns sleeping on the benches in the airport terminal.

Fri, 6:25 a.m.- Left Midway to Madison

Sat to Mon- Visited UW- Madison

Mon- Left Madison to visit my brother Geur in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
*We had to take a five-hour Greyhound bus-ride from Madison to Minnesota. The bus was so packed Hong and I had to sit a part from each other. But we made it. That is something we hope to never do again!

Mon to Wed- Hung out in Brooklyn Park, visited Mall of America, St. Paul, Minneapolis, etc.

Wed, 9:35 p.m.- Depart Minneapolis for Oakland, Arrived in Oakland at 1:30 a.m.

We were so happy to be home. Since it was Hong's spring break, we still had a few more days to chill. I took the rest of that week off too so we could recuperate from our Mid-West adventure.

Anyways, I think I will like Madison- it's sort of between a Davis and a Berkeley- quiet and rural but still hip. It's a small town with not many pho restaurants (ugh!). That is what I will miss the most- pho and fresh fruit from the Central Valley. Wisconsin's all about cheese- and I have high cholesterol so cheese is not cool.

Well....we took no photos so you'll have to imagine us on that crowded greyhound bus.