4.30.2004

I discovered a Superstar tonight. Sometimes, people who you never expected to surprise you, just turn out to be simply the finest and most impressive individuals the world has to offer. I'm not naming names, but you know who you are.

I took Ivy and Kari out to dinner at a super nice restaurant in Rockridge to celebrate their birthdays. Those girls know how to eat. My wallet is a little lighter now, but their company is worth it.

4.29.2004

We've missed Diep so much. It's hard to believe how time flies, how a full year has almost passed since she moved to the East Coast.

Beautiful smiles.

Ho Chie, Diep, Cherie, Justin, Reena, Priya.

4.28.2004

Received a nice present from my wonderful team members. Left work early. Had lunch with Cat. Watched a movie. Snuck into another. Chatting with some excellent people.

Not bad for a post-call day.

4.27.2004

Pooped.

4.26.2004

Lester and Young are a dangerous mix. When in close proximity to each other, FOB-ish tendencies start to emerge. How funny it was to listen to them do the FOB speak. At least for the first 2 hours. After that... I dunno. Well, Linda and I remained quite entertained to the end. Anyways, she's on her way back to KC now, but I'm looking forward to having another TAF buddy here in the near future.

4.25.2004

Another TAFer is in town. Linda will be coming to school here next year! How exciting!

4.24.2004

I spent most of the day goofing around with Photoshop. I'm working on a surprise gift for my Purple team interns. It has definitely been a fun time with them, with lots of inside jokes. None of these photos is the least bit real, not even the color of their clothing, and most of their photographs were scrapped together from fun pictures... I'm even impressed with myself... The reasons for some of these photos? Well...

Because I'm seriously a foot shorter than everyone else.

Because the team is a fairly stylish and diverse group.

Because we wish we could be elsewhere on some days.

Because Simon had the funkiest hair in high school.

Because they all have the "model" look. And we are the Purple Team.

4.23.2004

Spring Fever has set in. I have wandering eyes and a gazillion crushes - some I barely know, some are not even in the area, some are too young, some are too old, some would be surprised to know they're on the short list. Attractive women everywhere.

I am man. And it's killing me.

4.22.2004

Sofia's cousin Amy came to visit my hospital today, and afterwards, we joined the rest of her cousins for dinner. Sofia's sister Ann is pretty cool. She seems like the world traveler type, very driven to pursue a career in the bio-eco field, whether it takes her to Yosemite or Kenya. I'm drawn to those kind of people. Plus she knows how to handle boa constrictors. I'm fairly amused.

4.21.2004

My friend Cindy knows how to make me smile. I swear she can read my mind. I don't know why I was so lucky to have met her that fine August day in 1991. I love her!

4.20.2004

4.18.2004

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: It's such a small world.

Example 1: Today, I took Harmony to Santa Clara University. We stopped by a booth for Ethnic Studies, and I started chatting with Jeff, a professor in that department. The more we talked, the more we discovered our connections. I mentioned I had been active on the Asian American front at U of I back in the early 90's, and he mentioned Gene's name. Of course, I know Gene well since we were both active in Chicago. Then I mentioned that my cousin is also a professor at Santa Clara, and it turns out that they play basketball together. Finally, I also mentioned that I took Asian American Studies courses at UCLA over a decade ago, and of course it turns out that he graduated from there and is friends with the individuals who taught my classes. Arguably, these would be the same people who shaped my proactiveness in the Asian American and Taiwanese American communities, initiated my leadership paths in several arenas, influenced my career choices leading to this point in my life here in California. Now, we come full circle with Harmony, one of my "kids," soon to be a student at this very university...

Example 2: My friend Cindy has been dating Chris for years. Chris is also in that circle of talented Asian American independent film makers, and they both know Robot Stories director, Greg, well. I was very honored to meet Greg two weekends in a row here in Berkeley, and I was even slightly flattered that he actually recognized me this second time around.

Example 3: Our TAYL group went out for dinner at Taiwan Restaurant after the afternoon planning meeting. Irene mentioned she was originally from St. Louis, but I had never known that fact. I started mentioning names of the current STL TAF crew there. She remembers most of them... when they were young kids. How funny.

Example 4: Embarassing as it may sound, sooner or later, as a Berkeley resident, one is bound to bump into Will Hung of American Idol "she bangs" fame. Today was our day. I debated whether I should post that or not...

4.17.2004

Fun day! We hung around Berkeley with Young, and met up with Ivy and Lester later on. But the best part was watching Robot Stories and meeting Greg Pak (again) and Tamlyn Tomita! Most of my peers would remember her as the love interest in Karate Kid 2 or her role as Waverly in The Joy Luck Club. Anyways, Robot Stories was an excellent film! Very thoughtful and touching. I hope it continues to do well. One day, if I'm ever making some decent money, I plan to help finance Asian American independent film or art projects. When I see talent like this, it only reinforces why we need to work harder as a community to push our best to the top.

Another shameless photo-op with Tamlyn Tomita and Greg Pak (center)
at the Berkeley showing of Robot Stories.


Joy Luck Club. Karate Kid 2.

4.16.2004


Harmony craves Vietnamese spring rolls. Studying at Cafe Milano.

Young during one of his dance performances. A little too sexy. Dang.

Servin' it up: Charlie in the black shirt/hat. Young in the red/white jacket.

Chillin' at the Old Teahouse.

4.15.2004

Harmony visits tomorrow...

4.14.2004

Happy belated birthday to Kari. Happy upcoming birthday to Ivy. I'm taking you guys out to some fancy place for dinner soon.

And a huge Congrats to JenChen and Ryan on their engagement!

4.13.2004

I like short people. My neck hurts less when the day ends.

4.12.2004


Happy belated birthday Tiff! My Michigan girls are growing up!
Cute photos courtesy of Tiff.

Our Attending physician treated our ward team to sushi lunch today. I sure enjoy the opportunity to splurge on sushi. Mmmm...

Later, I met up with Frank, Angela, and Jean at a hot pot / grill restaurant, who (again) treated me to dinner. So kind. I have good friends.

4.11.2004

Previews of things to come:

1) Frank & Angela are still visiting Jean. I'm expecting to meet with them again.
2) Harmony is visiting me next weekend.
3) Tiffany is also visiting Berkeley that weekend too.
4) My dad is passing through town again next month.
5) Cindy is now done with business school at Columbia and soon moving back to Cali.
6) Mengting is moving into town soon.

The sum of all this equals a big Yay!

Apparently, I was visible in a TV news clip yesterday evening. Cherie and I were standing behind Marlene as she spoke on behalf of our Resident Union at a press conference.

4.10.2004

Theme of the Day: (Almost) Famous People.

I had the day off, so I decided to check out the Asian American Issues Conference on the Berkeley campus today. I'm so glad I did because I had the opportunity to meet both Helie Lee and Greg Pak.

Helie wrote a national best-seller book called Still Life With Rice back in 1996, a memoir of her grandmother's life in Korea. I actually never read the book, but I after I saw her picture, I developed a huge crush on her. Eight years later, I finally have the opportunity to meet her and listen to her speak. I was impressed with the passion she speaks with regarding the North Korean refugee crisis. And she's still quite a hottie!

Greg Pak also showed up to the conference. I recognized him and stopped him to ask about Robot Stories, his independent film which has received great reviews in the various film festival circuits. I'm looking forward to its arrival in Berkeley next weekend. Maybe I can meet Tamlyn Tomita in person too...

I also went to Loni Ding's workshop. She's a well-recognized Asian American film maker, activist, and UC Berkeley professor in the Ethnic Studies department. I've seen her works over the years since my college days, so it was definitely a privilege listening to her share some comments about her productions.

Shameless photo-op with Helie Lee and Greg Pak.

After the conference, I headed over to the Oakland Hills for Laura's birthday BBQ. Never mind that I got lost for like half an hour in the woods, since it gave me the opportunity to explore a little bit. I wandered through some parts of the park with nice views of the Bay near the park's amphitheatre. Needless to say, I eventually found the group, but was somewhat too tired to play. After that party, I headed over to Celeste's dinner potluck to finish up the evening. Her dad has won at least seven Emmy Awards for his work, but that's a story for another day.

I found a great statue and waterfall in the park.

Reflecting pond. With Seble.

Sarah, Sylvia, Reena. Laura, the birthday girl.

4.09.2004


My ward team! Kyra, Ho Chie, Celeste, Venny, Cherie, Simon.

4.08.2004

It has been a day of treats. Angela and Frank treated me to my first bubble tea of the day. Then we met up with Jean who treated us to a fine dinner in Chinatown. Before I left this evening, she gave me a gift "just because." On my way home, I stopped at my bubble tea cafe, where Jane and her boss said my bubble tea this evening was "on the house." How kind of them.

Everyone has been so nice to me today. It has been a good day. Even with my post-call fatigue.

With Frank, Angela, and Jean.

Jean and an excellent choice of wine.

4.07.2004

Frank and Angela are visiting town tomorrow from Chicago. Excellent.

4.06.2004

One of the first gifts I really appreciated receiving was a world globe, just like the ones found in most schools. I was a grade schooler when my dad and I went to K-mart, and he bought me a brand new blue ocean globe as a reward for something. I can't remember what I did to deserve it, but I vividly remember standing in the aisle and reaching up for that shiny globe packed nicely in its open box. The palpable contours of land masses were as reavealing and exciting as braille to a blind person.

When the world sat on my desk, my imagination held me captive. With each revolution, my eyes would capture a new land, a new body of water. My eyes became the beam of light bringing sunrise around each horizon. Through that globe, I discovered my place in this world - between my birthplace of Taiwan to my home then near Chicago to the ends of the Earth.

It was probably the first time that I realized the interconnectivity of the human race, and I was but just one little person... barely a speck on the globe. Very humbling. Yet, at the same time, I could grasp that globe in my hands and feel a certain grandiosity and control over my destiny.

I adored that globe for all that it represented: my achievements at that early point in my life, my father's approval, my humility and place in this grand world, and my faith in the future.

I estimate that the real Earth we live on has revolved over 8000 times since that time in my childhood. I've experienced so much in life, but I know there is so much more to come. I can only continue to imagine and dream and hope. Maybe even find that endless childhood spirit I once possessed.

I don't know why I started thinking about this globe, which today is gathering dust in the basement of my home in Chicago. But I sure do miss it.

So today, I bought myself a new fancier globe - a crystal clear one, so that I can see with more depth than ever before. I'm anticipating its arrival soon.

4.05.2004

I love when memories just flash back from out of the blue, when little hopes and dreams are remembered, when inspiration re-emerges, when the uniqueness of people are highlighted... Life just seems that much more special then.

Why so contemplative? It must be the extra hour of sunshine and the time to reflect upon where this path has taken me so far.

Or maybe today's taro bubble tea tasted better than usual.

Or it could be the wine.

4.04.2004

Just got home from work. Just a little bit sleepy.

4.03.2004

ITASA West Coast turned out nicely. Props to the organizers at Stanford. Several of my TAYL crew made it to the conference. I'm so proud of them. Also, I forgot Jenny was coming to the conference from USC, so it was a nice surprise seeing her emerge from a crowd to give me a hug on my arrival. I also had the opportunity to chat with Calvin (representing my very own U of I) who knows my Illinois TAFer crew and is involved with all the organizations I used to dedicate so much time to: AAA, APAC, TASC, etc. Sounds like the APA movement is alive and well there, with an APA Cultural Center on the way. All those years of work paid off. Damn. Who would've known.

Mengting from NW was also at the conference, and I just didn't realize it was her until just before I left. I chatted with her briefly, but I'm excited to know that she's soon moving to the Bay area, and working next door to Berkeley. And she's gonna be Sandra's roommate. Talk about excellent Taiwanese Americans! And cute women at that.

I had the opportunity to chat with Rosie and Lily, as they were conference speakers too. At dinner, they mentioned that when they were little kids attending TAC 1990 at Cornell, they had such crushes on me and Tim (who were college students at the time). Funny how info like that re-emerges years later.

How come I can't be someone's crush now? Boo.

Anyways, I enjoyed speaking at the dinner banquet. My message in summary: "You each have a special and unique gift to offer the world. Know that is true. Ultimately, you will end up doing what you were meant to do. Realize your Passions today. Make an Impact for tomorrow." I think it was an appropriate topic as an intro to Welly's speech and impromptu performance immediately after. I think this is the 5th time I've crossed paths with Welly in the past year, the last time being in Seattle for his Wedding Banquet musical premier.

Good friends. Good times. A complete blast from the past. I'm having fun again.

Jane, Ho Chie, Ivy, Welly, and Dina.

Calvin from U of I! My fav NJ girl, Jenny!

TAYL folks: Ivy, me, Eric, Charlie, and Chuan-mei.

4.02.2004

I have a cold. I sound congested. And I'm a speaker for ITASA West Coast tomorrow night. This could be interesting.

4.01.2004

Meeting up with some friends for Indian food tonight. My stomach is working overtime since I barely ate any breakfast and had only a muffin for lunch. Yes, healthy lifestyle.

Thinking about Anny today. She's had rough times recently.