ho chie's blog: 09.2004

I just can't get into these daily afternoon til midnight shifts. The next two weeks will suck. On a brighter note, one of my ex-college roommates, Andelle, heads into town today.

We hung out with Donald, yet another TAF visitor to the Bay area... And later in the evening, we watched Young's band, My Two Friends, rock the house at a local bar. Yes, I do believe he proudly sported this year's TAF Staff shirt during the performance.

Hanging with Donald. A "Best of Berkeley" band.

A souvenir wristband.
The UMich TAFbrats may have more members, and U of I's TAFcrush may have the coolest t-shirts... but the Bay area TAFlove crew has Young on the brink of superstardom! (Don't forget us little people, dude!)

This weekend, I gave Eleanor a slightly damaged but very cool-looking see-through globe to share in her 3rd grade classroom. The burn marks near the South Pole could easily pass for tidal waves, I thought. This was her response a couple days later:

"The kids loved the globe. I told them the whole story of how you had put it in the dishwasher. They thought it was weird and funny that you would do that."

Weird? I think not. Listen up, kids. There is a lesson in everything we do. Now we have scientifically proven: (1) that a globe can fit into the dishwasher even though it is a different shape. (2) that the cable at the bottom of the dishwater gets dangerously hot. (3) that plastic can burn and produce horrendous toxic fumes. And (4) that dishwashers were probably meant for only washing dishes.

Appreciate the education. Cherish the globe.

I love Photoshop. With a little experimentation, I have now mastered the art of creating "glamour shots." I could make a living off skills like this...
Here are some recent photos revisited:

Heather & Nancy - Before & After "glamourization."

Carol & Tiff. So soft and gentle we appear... like angels on fluffy clouds...

Intimidatingly beautiful,
All throughout.
Inside. Out.
And,
Quite the treasure.
Simple as that.
Yet,
Her humility,
Makes her worth
More than these words.

"Working hard for the money... so hard for it, honey..."

I've been on "call," yet have been hoping not to be called to work. No motivation. So, I planned to use this day to clean up around the house and to take care of some unfinished chores. I intended to share a quiet day with my new iron and all my wrinkly clothes because they have been calling out for attention over the past month. However, it turned out that Jesse and Rochelle were passing through, so we met up for some coffee instead. Now Andy is heading to Berkeley for dinner, and I am off to pick up Linda so that we may be a party of three. Maybe I'll also stop by to see Kari at the new boba tea shop, too. So much for my quiet day... But you know I love the company.

Wow. I didn't work that hard today. Or this past week. But I shouldn't admit these things...

With Venny & Kristin at Washington Square. With Anna getting shaved iced.

Today was more about the impressions that I was left with rather than the events that comprised my day.

From the lunch conversations with Kristin and Venny, to my observations of the daily grind in Chinatown... From the negotiation meeting with hospital administration, to dinner discussion with old med school friend Justin... From reviewing the content of email messages, to having random conversations in passing... I'm left with the reminder that I value people and organizations that not only desire to make a contribution, a difference in the world, but truly know how to go about it in a caring and compassionate way.

Logically, the converse is also true.

I went to listen to a panel discussion hosted by the East Asian Studies Department on the issue of Taiwanese national identity. It was refreshing to listen to a rational, well-balanced, argument-suppported discussion on a typically irrational and emotionally-charged topic. I'll admit I'm generally biased towards the Taiwanese independence side, but I definitely appreciated the facts and statistics that were presented minus the political spin. Plus, the audience was well-behaved, too.

Oh, and bonus... saw TACL's Anna and TASA's Jeff there too. It's nice to know people who care about the issues.

I slept like a baby last night. After four months of visitors, travelling, and odd work hours, I really needed that.

YanffitEel: i found my ring that i thought i lost
HoChie71: i didn't even know you lost a ring...
HoChie71: haha
...
HoChie71: and, i'm glad you found your ring.
HoChie71: which one is this?
YanffitEel: the swervy one
YanffitEel: that you gave me
HoChie71: well, then, that one was important!
HoChie71: more valuable than a very very small diamond with flaws.
YanffitEel: haha
YanffitEel: i will treasure it forever
HoChie71: awww *blush*
HoChie71: i'm happy to have you in my life. even if it is on the other coast...

Mmmm... a little bit of dim sum with the TAF Brats to close out the weekend. What a lovely one it has been.

At Great Lakes for dim sum!

Before heading back to campus.

Amy plays the Bell Tower chimes! Would you believe I do too?

A coffee break before heading home...

Thanks to Nance for graciously hosting me, Brendan, and Kevin! (She gave up her bed for me! Too sweet!) Thanks to Andy & Patsy for hosting a super duper TAF party! (a whole house, 4 video game systems, large screen TV, projection TV, food, food food!) Thanks to Nick, Albert, Ted, Ian, & Heather for trekking out this weekend to UMich, too! And of course, all the TAF Brats and alumni who set aside work and studies to come out and play!

It has been a marathon day of TAF gatherings. I feel like I have hung out with every Taiwanese American in all of Michigan since I arrived. So much fun! So much TAF love...

12:00 pm

Lunch at Charley's.

Amy is still so cute!

Nick, Jessica, Albert, Bryan, Debra, & Amy!

3:00 pm

Bubble Tea Break #1 at Bubble Island.

Heather & Nance. Go Yellow & Blue!

Bubbly fun.

5:00 pm

Pitstop at Kelly's.

6:00 pm

"Junior Reunion" at Andy's.

Silly people!

Colleena! And the Junior girls!

Old people chillin' in the kitchen.

While Kevin is kickin' some Junior butt!

Who made these TAF cupcakes??

With Nicole and Jessica!

The babes: Lils, Tiff, & Tinya.

The mandatory group picture.

Michigan Taiwanese! At least some of us...

11:30 pm

Bubble Tea break #2. Because one time is just not enough.

Juline & Kayleen!

With Amy, Nancy, Ted. And some Jenga action.

The "TAF Brats"

As planned, we had a late night gathering with some of the TAF Brats at Pizza House. This is only a warm-up for tomorrow... or today. Depends how you look at it.