Take a Moment and Breathe
(Barcelona - Please Don't Go)

It's been an interesting 2 months traveling Asia and I'm sorry I haven't written much in this time span. I will update you guys soon in the upcoming weeks of my amazing adventures. Til then, relax, breathe and enjoy this video and song.

Yesterday Denial
(Owl City - The Saltwater Room)

I used to be in yesterday denial. Yesterday never happened. Today is great. Tomorrow will happen but I’m not sure if it's going to be great or not. I suppose it will probably be better than today, assuming that tomorrow I’m still in yesterday denial.

I have more than a few issues in my past that I totally regret. I know they say you shouldn't have regrets but I challenge you to name one person who's completely regret-free.

I think the reason I have so many regrets is because I've made so many regret-inducing decisions (RIDs). I guess a normal life in general involves a lot of RIDs and one of the goals is to gradually become wiser so that we can get rid of the RIDs in our lives ;) That or make enough good decisions to offset them. Either way I'm nowhere near as wise as I should be and I'm nowhere near regret-free. Though I have made good decisions recently. If all goes to plan somewhere down the road I'll be enjoying memories from the past instead of denying them.

I hope you're a part of those enjoyable memories.

Shanghai Surprise
(Blonde Redhead - 23)

You never know what you'll find in foreign lands. I found this on Absolutely Fobulous.

Great conversation piece...as is evident from the following...

Khiem: I wish I found this before you guys got married...I would've got this for you as a wedding gift!

Friend: she's on travel but I suppose i can still use it for personal use
jeez...4-6 weeks delivery. patience is a virtue...how ironic

Khiem: well before you couldn't wait to lose your virginity...now you have to wait to get it back...sounds fair to me.

Friend: i don't actually understand what you're supposed to do with this thing

Khiem: I'd like to help you out there
but it's a bit graphic for this time of day

Friend: the thing looks like a rorshach ink tests or something
i think i see fallopian tubes

Khiem: you are really examining this thing aren't you?

Friend: i've saved it to my desktop
why do you ask?

Khiem: why stop there...this would be great on a christmas card
I couldn't look at it for more than 5 sec

Friend: hey, great idea. my wedding thank you cards are still on the 'to do' list

Khiem: awesome...nothing says thank you like a hymen

Friend: correction, nothing says thank you like a broken hymen
this is interesting. did you click the link the company site?
it says the package contains 2 x artificial hymen
obviously, we know why you would need 1
but the second one seems, i dunno, superfluous

Khiem: in these parts of the world...you might have 2 wives

Friend: we can split the costs..in?
$15, that's a fair price

Khiem: just becareful cutting the package in half...I want my hymen intact

Friend: damn, too bad you didn't find this thing earlier. we just missed halloween

Khiem: it's never too late for a costume party
you could go as a virgin magnet or a de-virginizer and just have a few of those sewn on your shirt

Friend: costume party? i was going to drop it in the kids' loot bag
that was too much. i don't feel good about that last joke

Khiem: the kids are much more mature these days
if you decide to get this...just make sure the wife is not using it when she goes horseback riding
I hear you can lose it that way
or riding a tractor

Friend: you are right:
Main causes of hymen tore or break:

* Strenuous exercise (Gymnastics, sports, martial art, horse riding, etc)
* Premarital Sex
* Childhood accident (Hard object)
* Wearing a tampon for the first tim
from the website

Khiem: you really thought I was making that up?
I'm not the boy that cried broken hymen

Friend: loved that story, can't wait for them to make the movie

Khiem: they're rating PG-13
like I said...kids are much more mature these days

Friend: the product description for this thing is fascinating
there are so many spelling mistakes
and the grammar...my goodness
my favourite line: The artificial hymen will melt inside the vagina so will not fall out

Khiem: at least it doesn't say "it melts in your mouth, not in your hands"

Friend: Hymen-M's

Khiem: Wow...we might be taking this too far...

Friend: That boat passed awhile back.

Khiem: The little man in the boat passed awhile back.

Halloween Pictures
(Monster Mash)

So I'm up at 4 am in HK. Jet lag still hasn't subsided. Here are some picture from the Halloween party.





The rest of the picture can be seen here...

i am stanadian

faster than we thought we'd go
(Smashing Pumpkins - 1979)

This song always reminds me of driving around the neighborhood during my teenage years with the window down, the music blasting and my head stuck out the window. That's the key to a great song. It captures a period in time and brings back waves of memories you would have never remembered on your own.

So I'm back in the Honger. I mean Hong Kong. Day 1 of 25. It's gonna be a long month for me. This will be the longest I've been away from my family and friends since the early 2000's when I moved to Virginia to live with uncle. Luckily Sonia is flying down to visit in 9 days. Something to look forward to. I do have some friends in the area as well so it'll be nice to catch up with them.

Saturday was the Halloween party and SD and I dressed up as Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. I'll have to upload those pictures some time in the next week. Was a fun party but definitely felt rushed since I had to wake up the next morning and pack to leave. I really need to learn to cherish those times a little more. Live in the moment and not the future so much. I don't mind living in the past so much since reflection never hurt anyone. That is as long as you don't reflect and regret so much.

Sunday I got on the plane and bumped into Irene. She's here for work as well and she does this trip every other month she says. Is this the trend of our generation or is this just a trend within my circle of friends? It seems we're all jetsetting all over the world for work. I don't remember my parents ever traveling for work. Then again, they were never in technology/business. They were also married with children at a much younger age. My generation is all about career first, family second.

So if you're ever on a plane full of old Chinese people, try not to freak out at the really odd behaviour and poor manners. This one old guy kept leaning up and rubbing his groin against my shoulder as he got things out of the overhead compartments. He did this about 5 times during the flight and not once did he say "excuse me". There was also this lady in one of those face masks who kept getting up in the aisle near my seat and doing stretches for 10 minutes at a time. I'm sorry lady, it's not a pilates class. When we landed, I think I opened the door for at least 5 people at the airport and hotel and not a single thank you. Such a culture shock for me but I'm learning to deal with it one awkward moment at a time.

I just hit the 7/11 here to stock up on snacks and supplies. There's a 7/11 on every corner and they're very convenient. Especially convenient for a jetlagged North American who just woke up from a 5 hr nap in the evening. The terriyaki chicken with cucumbers and instant noodles definitely hit the spot. Now time to do some reading and back to sleep so I can be semi-conscious in front of the client tomorrow.

Good afternoon N. America.

seems somebody turn out the lights...
(Lights - The Listening)

Update on the bathroom lights :

1) You have to put your room key in a slot at the front door.
2) You have to switch an unmarked switch...wait for it...DOWN. Cuz UP is what people do in the western hemisphere apparently.

Tomorrow I look for that bar of soap I lost in my nook...or cranny.

I'm so scared right now.
(Aladdin - A Whole New World)

I'm on the other side of the world right now and want to curl in the fetal position and cry myself to sleep. I suppose it would help if I could cry.

Landed in Hong Kong about 2 hrs ago and just got checked into my hotel. Everything is so backwards here. People drive on the left hand side of the road. The taxi driver didn't speak English and couldn't figure out where my hotel was. He also nearly hit 2 cars on the ride to the hotel. When I got to the hotel they didn't have my reservation, couldn't get my visa card to be approved and then they ran out of king sized beds. After finally getting into my room and looking forward to a much needed shower (15 hrs on a hot airplane), I couldn't figure out how to turn on the lights in the washroom. I showered in the dark. First time ever. I hope I got all the soap out of those nooks and crannies. I feel like singing "a whole new world."

I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid.

I wanted to iron my work shirts for the week and couldn't find the iron or ironing board in the room anywhere. It's not standard with the rooms here. I asked them to bring one up and got them to turn the lights on in the washroom for me.

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no, or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming

The plugs here are weird shaped. Luckily they provided me with a converter. The bathroom also has clear glass so you can watch people shower and poop. Kinky.

So now I'm almost settled in and getting ready to prep for tomorrow's day at the client site. I'll update a little later on this week...

I am...
(Cranberries - Animal Instinct)

On my way to the airport to fly back to Toronto. It's been a long week and I've got a lot more travelling to do before the end of this year. Trying hard to teeter this work-life balance over to the life side but work is such an obese kid.

Did this search this morning for "I am" on google...the first two items on the auto complete were exactly how I felt. It's a sign from Go....ogle.

Insomnia
(Electronic - Twisted Tenderness)

In the past I've dabbled in a bit of creative writing here and there but never really took it seriously. It was more an exercise to free my mind from living within the confines of perception and the world around us. Sometimes life lulls you to sleep and you need to wake up before you become a victim of the mundanity of it all.

Here's a short story I started about 6-7 years ago but never really completed. Ironically it was called "Insomnia" -- something I've never experienced in my life.

It's a bit rough so don't mind the grammar and spelling mistakes.

---

Insomnia

As I laid in my bed that night doing the one thing I hated most -- thinking; I realized how completely empty my bed was. I had that bed since my freshman year at university and I remember the day I bought it. I had desperately needed a new bed for my room after waking up on numerous occasions with backaches from my old mattress. The life of a student -- always pinching pennies, scrounging around for tuition money, yet always having enough money left over to go drinking. I decided to buy a futon, which would serve as a couch as well. Surprisingly I haven't used it much as a couch. Possibly a combination of my laziness and my lack of friends. Trust me, it depresses the hell out of me as well.

My bed has seen its share of visitors though. Some were girlfriends and lovers and some were merely friends who needed a place to crash after a night of drinking. On this particular night I wish I had their company. I quickly threw piles of clean laundry and old stuffed animals on my bed. Still felt empty. It's been awhile since I felt this way. Even though on most nights I slept on this bed alone, it still felt as though I was sleeping in a crowd. That's the comfort and feeling of companionship. Having someone there for you even though they're not physically there.

A while ago that feeling left me and I struggled with bouts of insomnia. I would lie in bed looking from dark corner to dark corner. In one corner, a bookshelf filled with books. Some were given to me by her. Books that we both read and shared. In another corner, a computer filled with letters we wrote to each other, conversations that seemed to never end and pictures that are gradually losing their significance. I wish I could just fall asleep at normal hours like everyone else. Instead I lay here, staring in the dark, letting my imagination run free and seeing subtitles in everything that passes by.

The first night of insomnia, I found solace in listening to music. Music has always comforted me. It's the feeling that someone out there understands what you're going through, and that you're not alone -- even if you are. It's also about self-loathing. There's something completely intoxicating and addictive about self-loathing. We're all masochistic beings. Maybe we need to see the contrast between sadness and happiness to really enjoy happiness when it comes. I don't know what it is, but it can sure be depressing. I swear to God.

And as the hours passed by, the music became more of a backdrop to my insomnia and I could start to see the glow of the sunrise behind my white Venetian blinds. When I could hear the shuffling of feet in the hallway as my family prepared to go to work or school, I would decide to finally fall asleep. I slept in hopes of waking up with selective amnesia -- forgetting the last 3 years of my life -- but it never happened. Just like that old movie with Bill Murray where he kept waking up on the same date everyday. I think it was Groundhog's Day. I always woke up remembering vividly the day before and yet I couldn't distinguish the day before from the current day. When you're up 21 hrs of the day, that tends to happen.

Every morning I'd wake up thinking about the very thing I didn't want to think about, along with all the poor decisions I made in my life. I've always had good intentions; they just never panned out the way I intended. Have you ever noticed that whenever someone talks about good intentions, it never ends up well? "Mom had good intentions. Too bad the cold medicine she gave the dog killed it." All my life I've been taking a headlong rush down the road to hell, stubbing my toe on every poorly paved intention in my life and I am just now coming to terms with it.

So I've lost track of how many days it's been now since the starting of my insomnia. But I know it's getting better. I think. My bed is still empty and my ex-girlfriend hasn't come running back to me yet, but the dark corners of my room are no longer laced with bad foreign film subtitles. They're just dark now.

Last night I caught myself talking. The sound of my voice scared me. I'm not sure if I was talking to myself but I had a phone to my ear. And the person on the other side seemed to care. They seemed to understand. They too had insomnia. The voice soothed me. The voice told me a story about a man named Fas, who sailed across the sea in search of a new world. He had imagined a world with bright beautiful hues. Where no one spoke yet knew how each other felt. Love there didn't need to be heard, it only needed to be felt. Time -- it seemed to move half a step slower. Fas never came back. No one ever heard from him again. Some say he found the new world and stayed there. Some say he died at sea chasing his foolish dreams. No one really knows for sure but you can always tell whether the storyteller was an optimist or a pessimist by the ending they chose for the story.

I'm not quite sure if I really talked to anyone that night but I didn't feel quite as lonely. I think I fell asleep before the sun rose that morning.

I'm slowly finding that one is sometimes more than two.

Jetsetting
(The Fray - You Found Me)

Back in the cold winter of 1980, a young 4 year old Vietnamese boy arrived in cold, snowy Regina, Saskatchewan.

That was the last time I was in the eastern hemisphere. Growing up in a middle class family we never had much money to go on vacation. The furthest I was able to go was a 24 hr drive south to Dallas, TX. Ironically, I didn't step on a plane again after arriving in North America until my early 20's when I met a girl who was also living in TX.

Now while most of my friends are very "worldly" and have travelled all over, I've always kept my feet grounded wherever I called home. Mostly out of necessity. And it wasn't til the last few years that I've had a chance to expand my horizons with opportunities to travel for work, vacation and special occasions.

A few years ago I travelled to Hawaii for one of my best friends' wedding. I've been to California, Florida, Vancouver, Jamaica and Cuba for vacation. I've been to Arizona, Minneapolis, Massachusetts, New York and California for work. Next month I return back to the eastern hemisphere after 25+ years. I head to Johannesburg, South Africa for work in November and then shortly after that I head to Thailand for a 3 week belated honeymoon.

For most people, travelling to new countries and experiencing new cultures is exciting. For me, I find I'm somewhat indifferent to the experience. I don't know if it's just a matter of being so sheltered all my life or if I just don't have any legitimate interest in travelling.

So here are the top three things I like about travelling...

1) spending time with friends

The best part about spending time with your friends is that they make you forget about the things that stress you out. You can throw out your everyday inhibitions and fake work facades and be normal around them.

2) not worrying about time

How many times in a day do you look at your calendar to figure out where you have to be, who you have to see and what you have to be doing? Most of us live such a fast-paced, time oriented lifestyle that requires a lot of effort and organization to maintain. Whatever happened to just going with the flow and coming in with the breeze?

3) enjoying new physical activities

I'm an active person and I enjoy physical activities that are mentally stimulating. If I can't lie around and let time pass aimlessly, then I'd like to be involved in an activity that challenges me physically.

And the top three things I don't like about travelling...

1) planes

I have a fear of flying. Wait, actually I don't have a fear of flying. I have a fear of crashing and dying.

2) site seeing and touristy activities

I've lived in Toronto for almost 25 years and I haven't seen 90% of the tourist sites here. I can read about history and see pictures of architecture and monuments. I don't need to see it for myself just to say I was there. If the experience is just to say you've experienced it, then is the novelty really worth the effort? I'm not one of those people who needs to take pictures standing in front of old buildings and monuments.

However, what I find interesting about people taking these kinds of pictures is that they're capturing 2 different periods of history with one photo. The history of them travelling and the history of the building/monument they're standing in front of. Here's something interesting to do the next time you're travelling -- carve your name into the building or monument you're in front of and take a picture of it. Then show your children/grandchildren the picture. If they ever travel there when they get older, they can take pictures of your vandalism and capture 3 different generations of history.

3) rigid agendas

The reason you're on vacation is to get away from meetings and appointments. Don't set an agenda that requires you to run from site to site to get in everything you want to see. It quickly becomes a chore and your vacation turns out to be just another regular appointment in your calendar.

So right now I can't say I'm overwhelmed with excitement to travel to either S.Africa or Thailand because I haven't really planned out any activities that would interest me but I am however glad to have the opportunity to a) travel to the other side of the pond and b) share the experience with Sonia. Hopefully on these trips, I'll be struck with the proverbial travel bug and come back excited for the next trip.

Well this just sucks...
(Lights - Drive My Soul)

Wanted -- Life Coach
(Josh Groban - You're Still You)

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a people person. I don't interact well with new people. I tend to hide in my shell and sometimes come off as too irreverent for my own good. I've even been accused of being stand-offish. However, I am also easily inspired by people who are smart/talented/unique/funny. People who make me forget how awkward I am simply because their personalities demand to be noticed. These are the people that make it easy for me to open up and share with them. These are the people that inspire me to do greater things with my life. If you're not born with inspiration like myself, you feed off of these types of people.

My company CEO once told me he spent 13 months trying to arrange a meeting with a famous advisor to Microsoft, Apple and the other Silicon Valley companies. The reason he did it was because he was looking for inspiration and advice from someone who obviously had more insight than he did. He said, "I am new at being a CEO and I need all the coaching I can find." How's that for humility?

Part of my growth as a human being largely depends on who I surround myself with and the people I extend my hand out to and ask for help. I need to reach out beyond my own social comfort zone and find inspiration in the people that have oodles of it.

So if you find an awkward little Asian guy stalking you, it's just because I'm impressed by your mojo and am looking to learn how to get my own -- not because I am a weird, little Asian stalker.

Find Your Own Light
(Killers - This Is The World That We Live In)

On religion...

I don't want my kids learning about religion at an early age. I feel kids are far too impressionable at a young age and they need to pick a religion with their own free will. When we introduce it to them too early, they can't distinguish between what we want them to believe and what they have a choice in.

So what's the story about my own religious beliefs? I was raised a buddhist by my parents and grandma. I was baptized in a christian church that my family's sponsors went to. I was never pressured by either my relatives or our sponsors on what I should or shouldn't believe. As I got to university, I realized I needed to explore my spiritual beliefs a little more. So I took a few religion courses figuring that if I learned a little more, I could make an educated decision. What I found out was that my beliefs are not streamlined to one religion. My beliefs are just a patch work of multiple religions.

I think as long as this still leads me down the right path, I am ok with it. The right path though is defined by my own conscience and not anyone else's. I think the key to this is that I was raised well by my family and they instilled in me a good set of values.

So where does that leave religion? When should you have religion in your life? I don't think there's a real answer to this. I believe if religion adds value to your morals, then great. Or if you weren't brought up with a good foundation of morals and need religion as some guiding light, that's ok too. If you feel lonely in this vast universe without knowing that there's someone looking over you, then religion might be the answer.

What I don't believe is that religion is absolutely necessary for everyone and I don't believe you should just adopt the religion that's first presented to you. Educate yourself, understand your choices and then embrace it.

You'll love my nuts.
(Notorious BIG - One More Chance)

A lot of interesting things happened on the weekend. Let's start with the garage sale. I had a joint garage sale with some friends on saturday and learned a couple of things.

1) Women value their junk more than men do. All the girls consistently priced their items significantly higher than the guys. I sold S' stereo for $5. I think the girls would've charged $15-20.

2) There isn't a price people won't negotiate. Someone tried negotiating 0.50 down to 0.15 on a glass picture frame.

Then that evening I went for a few drinks, dinner and then a comedy club. Sounds like a great date doesn't it? Too bad it was actually a coworker's bachelor party. Theme song for the party? --> I've had the time of my life. Worst bachelor party itinerary ever.

---

Been watching a lot of infomercials lately and I have to admit, I really want a slap chop. Best quotes from the host -- "You're going to love my nuts!" and "We're gonna make America skinnier one slap at a time." Somewhere a fat kid is getting five across the eye.

---

Has anyone received one of those chain mails lately where if you don't send it to x people, you'll die? I haven't seen one in ages. I'm thinking the last person who was suppose to send that on died. The chain had to end somewhere.

Boys Don't Cry
(The Cure - Boys Don't Cry)

I think being vulnerable has a certain attractive quality to it but I can't seem to quantify exactly how much. The reason I ponder this is because I have a certain fear of showing vulnerability (how ironic is that?), which theoretically puts me at a disadvantage with my male peers when it comes to establishing a connection with the opposite sex.

A guy who is willing to show his vulnerability and open up to a women would likely be more approachable simply because he's easier to talk to. There may also be a empathy factor involved here. Women would be able to empathize with a vulnerable man. Now while that gives him an edge in approachability, I would argue that it doesn't give him an edge in attractiveness simply because if it did, natural selection over the generations would've made men more inclined to cry. Which I think we all agree that men are significantly 'dryer' than women.

So why would women not want a vulnerable crying guy? Women still want someone to take care of them (notice I didn't say 'need'). So here's my tip to you guys -- a little bit of vulnerability will get you in the door but once inside, don't use up all her tissues. She still needs you to be the man so she has a shoulder to cry on.

I can clearly see your/you're nuts.
(UB40 - Red Red Wine)

The one thing I love most about growing up is that less people depend on you to fix their problems. People no longer look for a solution but rather someone who will sympathize with them. When I was younger I was always looking for a soulmate. Which in retrospect was probably synonymous with "therapist". Someone who would fix me or at the very least, make me forget about my flaws. After you turn 30, you're less concerned about fixing but rather learning to cope better. Here's a little word of advice -- not everything can be fixed and not everyone cares to be your savior.

Just Dance...Gonna Be Ok.
(Oasis - Wonderwall)

I watched SYTYCD Canada tonight. I'm kinda addicted to SYTYCD. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I secretly want to be a dancer. Even though I dance like everyone's watching....pointing and laughing. Maybe it's the music and creativity. Either way, it's entertaining to me. However, after watching Canada's version of this show, I've come to realize a few things.

a) I hate Emmanuel Sandhu. I don't think it's homophobia. He's obnoxious and pretentious. Everyone hates people like that!

b) Canadians are way too nice. I don't think the judges had one mean thing to say to the dancers. Even though half of the routines made me puke in my mouth a little.

c) I think I could choreograph some pretty fantastic dance. In fact, I've come up with my own dance. Actually it's more of a hybrid of two existing dances. I call it krumptemporary. It's part krumping, part contemporary. Contemporary krumping if you will. It weaves in and out of hard hitting moves to soft, sensual spins and turns. It's where chaos meets order. If you see or here of this in the streets, you know where you heard it first.

---

More on crying.

The keys to not crying...

1) Never put all your emotional eggs in one basket. That way when you drop one, it's not the end of the world.
2) Never put your emotional eggs in a basket to begin with. In fact, hide your emotional eggs. If people can't find the eggs, people won't drop them and people won't ask stupid questions about whether or not the Easter Bunny is real.
3) Whenever possible, trade in your emotional eggs for the occasional emotional ketchup burst. That's where you've bottled up your emotions for so long that they just explode on some unsuspecting poor soul. Some people may argue that keeping all that emotion inside is unhealthy. I argue those people are a bunch of crying sissies.
4) When you see other people cry, make sure you point at them and ask them what that liquid substance is that's coming out of their eyes. The more ashamed you make people feel about crying, the more ashamed you'll be the next time you have the urge to cry.
5) If you have to cry, make sure you wipe with your sleeve or borrow a tissue from someone else. Never break out your own tissue. It makes it seem as though you cry often, which you don't. In fact, you never cry. It was something in your eye.

(I'm not sure why I decided to number this list as opposed to lettering like the above. I'm random.)

---

I'm blogging like the Khiem circa 2004/2005. I'm pretty excited. So excited I might be a little horny. Talk nerdy to me baby!

Random Tidbits
(Neverending White Lights - The Grace)

I've lost 2 blackberries in the last 6 months. Both while wearing them on my belt clip and both while dancing at a club. So I've come up with a motto that will hopefully help keep me from losing my 3rd phone as well as help me keep my marriage going strong while I cruise the clubs.

Keep it in your pants!

---

Internet pickup line I came up with today.

"Hi, do you have a blog?...email me your url gurl!"

If she rejects you...you can always accuse her of being so Web 1.0. Oh snap! (I think I'm the only one that still says this. I am trapped in the 80's and I don't care.)

Speaking of 80's a friend of mine is having an 80's costume party in the next month. Do I go as a Miami Vice character or do I go dressed like an 80's rock band (e.g. Duran Duran)? So many good/bad costumes to choose from.

---

Wife pre-ordered Douglas Coupland's next book "Generation A" for me. Psyched! As you know, I'm a huge DC fan. What's your favourite DC quote?

Mine is probably a tie between...

"Destiny is what we work toward. The future doesn't exist yet. Fate is for losers." -- from Girlfriend in a Coma

or

"If you want to get close to somebody, you have to tell him or her something intimate about yourself. They'll tell you something intimate in return, and if you keep this going, maybe you'll end up in love." -- from Hey Nostradamus.

A few other good quotes...

"I'm trying to feel more well adjusted than I really am, which is, I guess, the human condition."

"I used to always think I had to have a reason to record my observations of the day, or even my emotions, but now I think simply being alive is more than enough reason."

---

I need to create a list of readable blogs to pass some of my idle time. Let me know if you're reading this and have your own blog I could return the favour.

Warm Front
(Nas - If I Ruled the World)

Ever have one of those days where you just feel average? That nothing you do is particularly exceptional. That you're just hovering around the competency level for any given activity. I've been having those days a lot lately and I have to tell you, it's a real downer. I wish there was something that I could do that would make everyone ooh and ahh instead of the usual point and laugh.

So what do people do when they feel like this? Do they ride it out? Do they try and rise above the mediocrity by focusing on improvement?

When I feel like this I just want to sleep. Which is probably why I'm such a gifted sleeper. Yes! That's what I do better than anyone...sleep. Now sleeping isn't exactly something to boast about but I don't have much to work with.

---

Collection of worst made-up words by friends...."Leh."..."Romancy". Yes two is a collection.

Examples :

"What do you think about the new tax they introduced?"
"Leh."

"Did you see that couple having a picnic in the park?...how romancy!"

fob + romance = romancy.

---

Does anyone ever use the term "low hanging fruit"? I heard it for the first time during a meeting with my team. I nearly spit up my coffee. I have to say, as intuitive as it is to understand the meaning, it's also lends to some pretty great sexual innuendos. I love sexual innuendos. Especially when people aren't shoving it down my throat.

TV movie of our lives...
(Metric - Waves)

Mom added me on facebook today. Wow. Awkward. I have to say though, there's nothing on my page that I'm ashamed of. Except maybe that one picture of me wearing women's high heels after a night of heavy drinking (Sarah you've got big feet!!). I'm not sure when I became such a lush but I don't think that's going to change anytime soon. The fact of the matter is this; I like drunk Khiem. Drunk Khiem is the fun Khiem. He's much more sociable and friendly. Two traits that I think are crucial for people to be successful in life. You can't live life alone and people are drawn to these types of personalities.

I think if you compared me ten years ago to now, you'll notice that I've gone from introvert to borderline extrovert. And ten years ago I was proud to be an introvert. I will admit that there are a lot of social situations that still make me feel awkward but for the most part, I'm very comfortable in my shell (and out of my shell) these days.

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The wedding pictures are in and I have to say, they turned out better than I thought. Our photographers Dave and Charlotte must have stayed up day and night to photoshop these to make me look half presentable. Quite a memorable day. As painful as the prep was leading up to it, the actual day and all the great friends that came out for us made up for all of it, and then some.




http://daveandcharlotte.instaproofs.com/collection.php?event=146518

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Tears. The running joke around town is that I've got none. That I'm a robot.

I don't see you crying you robot!

I've been working on my social skills for the past 30+ years and this is the next big thing I'm going to work on. One of these days I'm going to cry in front of one of you. And trust me...it will be awkward. Just don't do what I normally do and ask "what is that liquid coming out of your eyes?" I've been told that earns you a nasty look and a night on the couch.

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Have you ever been so bitter about something/someone that you feel like you're one of those evil villains in superhero movies that have that big grudge against the superhero? That just won't let it go? That's me sometimes.

Remember when you dropped me in that vat of acid? Yeah, that's right...I haven't forgotten.

I hate that feeling. Why does your brain make you feel guilty for someone else hurting you? I suppose that's what makes us caring human beings...the need to forgive someone. I'm not sure if I'm ready to forgive yet but I'm maybe ready to move past the petty passive aggressiveness.

Wow...that's not me being happy to see you...that's me GROWING!

I <3 you...sort of...maybe.
(Duffy - Mercy)



Word of advice...never reciprocate an "I <3 you." when you're not ready. Second word of advice...never go back and say "I didn't mean it." when you've already reciprocated.

My Way Becomes So Clear
(Lights - Drive My Soul)

Strike a pose.

Keytar
(Duran Duran - Rio)



Does anyone still play the keytar? It's probably the best combo instrument ever made.

Sitting at the airport trying to get connected. I feel weird if I'm not connected. I think they've done studies about how the internet is as addictive as a drug. Speaking of drugs...I've never done E. I'd like to do E one day and just sit around with a bunch of people listening to Samantha Fox sing "Touch Me". How surreal would that be? I wonder if anyone plays the keytar in her band.

Thievery Corporation
(The Killers - Spaceman)

Last day in MN. Today I took from the hotel...

Shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, lotion, pen, pad...and wait for it...the tie hanger and 9 bars of soap. They left the storage room open so I grabbed me a handful. Sadly they didn't have slippers in my room this week.

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Had a discussion with a friend a few days ago about how friendships aren't as static as everyone thinks it is. In fact they're very fluid and dynamic. As people go through phases of their lives they reset their priorities, their interests change. This in turn impacts their relationships with other people. You meet new friends, you lose old friends. My question to you is this...how much of an impact does history have on a friendship? Can you base a friendship purely on the history you've had with a person? I don't think you can but I'm open to hearing any arguments.

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I'm convinced foreplay for snapping turtles has to be the definition of living dangerously.

Fly Me To The Moon
(Growing Pains Theme Song)

So I'm sitting at the airport getting ready to fly out to beautiful Minneapolis, MN. If you're not familiar with Minneapolis, it's where fun goes to retire and die. I've been travelling to MN for the past 6 months for what might be one of the worst projects I've ever been on. Poorly managed, most unreasonable clients and the worst team ever assembled. Not to mention the location. But I'm not here to bitch and complain about work. I'm here to tell you how to keep busy on a shitty project.

One of the things I've been doing to keep myself entertained while on travel is seeing how much stuff I could take (steal) from the hotel before they start charging me.

The first week I started off with just soap, shampoo, conditioner.

By the 3rd week I was taking the following :

soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion, bath gel, sewing kit, shoe polish kit, fuzzy slippers, embroidered laundry and shoe bags, qtips, pens, pads and of course fancy tea bags from the free lobby breakfast. I don't even drink tea!

After several months of this, I had so much stuff, I didn't know where to keep it in my condo. So I started making little care packages for my friends and family. The care package usually consisted of a laundry bag, a couple of slippers, a sewing kit, a shoe polish kit, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.

I've noticed lately however, my room is being stocked less and less with the goodies I've been taking. I haven't seen a sewing kit, the nice pens or a shoe polish kit in over a month. Maybe they're on to me.

Outside of entertaining myself, I always have the client entertaining me with absurd requests.

Just the other day the client asked me if they could re-brand our company software with their own logo. He sent me this as a sample.



At first I thought he was joking. Until he brought it up in one of our status meetings with a straight face.

Last I heard he was filming a rap video with him in a hot tub surrounded by naked women, fancy champagne and people throwing Benjamins around.

Diamonds and Diapers
(Sufjan Stevens - Chicago)

I fell in love again, all things go, all things go

Two weeks removed from the "big day" and I can safely say that things have not changed much. I still leave my clothes lying on the floor of the closet. I still play brick breaker while laying bricks on the toilet. I still snore like a bear after a night of drinking with the boys. I suppose it helps to live with your wife before you get married. There are no surprises that way.

One of my married friends however warned me about how sex changes afterwards. Over a few drinks one night he commented on how after you get married, "it's no longer just sex...it's sex with a purpose". Of course mixing my poor hearing and some alcohol, I thought he was talking about kinky marine animal sex. Who said sex is boring after you get married?!

The thought of now having sex to procreate is a bit scary though. I don't think Sonia and I are at that stage right this moment but I must admit we're not too far away. *shivers* I barely have time to write this blog let alone raise a kid. I suppose when the time is right I'll make time and priorities will change. Less frequent Friday night drinking sessions and fewer weekend fishing trips...o noes. :(

So I guess until that "time", I'm going to enjoy being freshly married and childless. How much longer do I have? Who knows but the clock is definitely ticking.

The Return?
(The Strokes - You Only Live Once)

So I went to an internet friend's wedding in Vancouver on the weekend. I've known her for over 10 years and we go waaaaay back to AA days (Asian Avenue...not the other one). She introduced me to a few of her friends with "Khiem, this is xxxxxx -- she's read your blog." Which got me thinking...wow...people actually read my drivel? So my ego has returned and I've decided that maybe I will come out of blogging retirement and write again. To be honest, I've gotten bored with twitter. Though I will admit, it made me be much more concise with my thoughts.

Blog --> I am sitting on my couch picking lint from my belly button while singing along with Kerri Hilson on tv. "I used to be commander and chief of my pimp ship flying high!"

Twitter --> couch, picking lint, belly button, pimp ship.

Anyhow...some thoughts on my recent marriage in the next few blogs.

As George Constanza would say..."I'm back baby!!...back!"

Engagement Photo Preview
(Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Hysteric)



!EDIT 5/27/09!

Dave and Charlotte, our photographers, have blogged about our photographs and our bullfrog powered wedding :)

Dave and Charlotte

And if you want to see the complete album, you can find it here.

Cherry Blossoms in May

Cuba
(Metric - Waves)

Some pictures from a fake engagement photo shoot we did with some friends in Cuba a couple of weeks ago...

Cuba Pics

Thanks Stan, Linda and Jojo for the pics.

We did our official engagement photos this past Friday with Dave and Charlotte in High Park under the cherry blossoms. Hopefully those pictures will be ready in the next little while so I can post them.

Just Like Heaven

A pretty good cover of a great song.