2 MORE DAYS!!!

Hi there all ye lovely ladies & gents. I don't have much time but just wanted to update you guys on some stuff since I haven't written a real post in like... ummm... yea.


So anyhoos, here are the haps:


~ Brando buried his bone in the backyard last night. It was so cute.

~ I shall post a pic of our Christmas tree once I take one. It's different color blues, white & silver. Very pretty :-)

~ I'm cooking Christmas dinner. Not sure for how many yet. Just gonna make a whole bunch of food. Can't wait to eat. Whoo hoo!

~ Can't wait for the boys to open presents too. They're gonna love their gifts. *tricky smile*

~ I got an 8gb memory card for my new camera for only $19 on NEWEGG.COM Love that site! Just recently discovered it. :-)

~ Made a new recipe last night: Baked chicken with cream of garlic mushroom & long grain wild rice with different herbs & seasonings. Yummy!

~ I love Christmas at work. Everyone got each other so many gifts, treats & baked goods. Yippee!

~ Also love the fact that I'm off from tomorrow till Jan. 5th. PAID. lol. I love my job :-D

~ And the fact that when I come back it's gonna be 2 days from my birthday. Whoo hoo!

~ I made all of our friends & family Christmas cards. They loved them. I'll post those pictures later too.

~ Also made Brando his own stocking. Me & Actor have ours from last year. I made those too.

~ Don't know what we're doing for New Years yet. It's gonna be fun though.

~ Oh, I wanted to get Brando a Christmas T-shirt but apparently no one makes them that big so I settled for an antler headband thingy with bells. He keeps shaking it off though.

~ I'm giving him a bath today too. He's so freaking dirty. Want him nice & clean for Christmas. Gonna wear a poncho & a shower cap. haha. He doesn't like being wet.

~ I taught him to give me dap 2 days ago. I'm the coolest. And I have the smartest dog :-D

~ I have to renew my license before my birthday. Can't believe it's been 5 years since I've had it. Ugh!

2 more days till Christmas!!!!!!

SANTA CLAUS GOT A PARKING TICKET

"NEW YORK -- Santa Claus has added a New York City traffic agent to his naughty list after she gave him a ticket while delivering gifts to children. Chip Cafiero said he'll fight the $115 ticket he received in Brooklyn on Black Friday when he was dressed as Santa.

The 60-year-old retired schoolteacher was riding a horse-drawn carriage and handing out toys and candy canes. An SUV carrying the toys and protecting the horse from traffic was double parked next to him.

Santa said he yelled "Ho! Ho! Ho!" to get the traffic agent's attention because the SUV wasn't blocking traffic.

"The kids started crying: 'That's Santa's car! That's Santa's car!'" Cafiero told the New York Daily News. But he said, "This grinch just went ahead and fined me."

Local politician Martin Golden, who was at the event, called the parking ticket "ridiculous." Police won't comment on it."

Hanh: Aww, poor kids!!! I would've said that too. lol. Can't believe she gave him a ticket. What a loser! Some people are just so into their job that it consumes their common sense or empathy. Ugh! No presents for you this year.

6 more days till Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!! *does the happy dance*

MENTAL FENG SHUI

Hey you guys, sorry I haven't posted about the trip yet. Been busy making X'mas cards & just got my tree last night, still gotta decorate it. We got a real tree & this is the 1st time I'm spraying snow on it so I'm so excited! whoo! More about ze tree later, it's gonna be a blueee bluee X'mas :-)

Gimme your address if you want a X'mas card. My cards are very exquisite if I do say so myself. Hand-cut, very detailed snowflakes (among other things.) Uh, yea. I'm the shiznit. haha. First 5 people get one. I'm not gonna make 50 cards now, lol.

So for the moment, please enjoy these fine tips that I just got in an email today. Happy Tuesday everyone! 16 more days till X'mas!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MENTAL FENG SHUI:

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their
conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams
don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the
only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN! .. When someone asks you a question you don't want to
answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for
others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps
to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

I'M BACKKKK

Hey there me lovely ladies & gents. I just came back from Philly yesterday so shall post sometime soon. Trying to catch up on everything so gimme a few days & I shall have all ze details of the trip.

But to hold ya over, here are a few headlines:

~ I ate a real Philly cheesesteak for the 1st time. Heaven...
~ Sat next to army men who just came back from Iraq on my flight to Philly.
~ Spoke Vietnamese all week so getting used to speaking English again. haha
~ Hung out with some cute babies.
~ Ate too much, danced & sung karaoke at my brother's wedding
~ Ate like 80 times a day every day. And sleep. That's the gist of it. Eat & sleep. An extended Thanksgiving if you will.

Details to come!

3 more weeks till Christmas. WHOOO HOO!!!

RANDOM RANTS 11/24/08

Disclaimer: I'm having a brain shortage day so if this blog seems very inadequate or all over the place then... deal with it. Or come back another day. lol. Just trying to get my thoughts out for the day...

Anyhoos, yours truly is dragging today. Eh. I'm so glad we're having a short 3 day work week this week. WHOO HOO!!! So ready for Thursday. I love Thanksgiving! I'm going to my friend Story's & my Aunty's house for dinner.

I was supposed to go to Savannah with Actor & his family for Thanksgiving but my 2nd oldest brother announced a couple of weeks ago that he was gonna get married the same weekend so now I'm flying to Philly instead. I'm bittersweet about it because I've been looking forward to going to Savannah for a few months now to see his grandma & all but hey, my bro's getting married so I'm excited for that too.

I'm definitely not excited about the weather though. Ugh! I don't think I own jackets thick enough to withstand Philly weather. lol. If I come back as a prune then ya'll know what happened.

On a completely different note, Actor wants a PS3 for Christmas. Anybody knows where or who I can get it from that's cheaper than $400? lol. I really wanna get it for him but you know me, being a Capricorn and all, gotta weigh out my options & find deals. Besides, if the banks are going broke how am I supposed to afford things?

Remind me to post Brando's pix up soon. I took a couple of pix of him recently & you won't believe how big he is now. Still posing and all. His bad self. Just last week I was playing with him & training him some more. Do you know that I just realized that I never trained him to lay down? I'm a horrible master. One day I told him to lay down & he was like "Que?" lol. So I taught him to lay down & get back up last weekend. Also to freaking sit still so I can clean him with some doggy wipes. He used to fidget & try to bite the wipe like it was a toy so we'd go around & around in circles & sometimes I'd have to pin him down to clean him. But alas he is trained to sit still now. Treats works wonders I tell ya. Treats + training = a happy Brando & a less irritated me. Yays all around.

Oh yea, Aunty is babysitting him on Friday when I go out of town. Actor'll come back Saturday & get him so he won't be alone long at all. It's cool cuz he'll get to spend time with his parents & maybe some of his bros & sister for Thanksgiving. Hey, doggies need their fam too.

I haven't packed for Philly yet. I mean, who actually packs a couple of days before a trip? *stares* Don't judge me! AND my freaking washer broke last night as I was trying to do a load. Perfect timing. Now I have to go up there with my thin & dirty clothes & look like a fool. I swear I feel like a stepchild sometimes.

HOROSCOPE BREAKDOWN pt. 2

So we've covered my sign's positive qualities therefore it is only fair to cover the negative ones. Read the 1st part here

CAPRICORN'S TROUBLE AREAS:

You would think that Capricorns would be capricious. But you're not. Far from it. Oh, you have your occasional gambling binge or Saturday night bash, but for the most part you're very ordered. You live for the future, not for the moment. You're busy planning your life five, ten, twenty years from now while the Sagittarians, Leos, and Arians are living it up. That's all fine, but the problem is, you are easily depressed.

Hanh: true for the most part. I don't plan THAT far ahead. I do plan for the next day or week. But not years. Lord knows what's going to happen in one year & you're talking about 20 years? That's too much. I am easily depressed? Not really. I try to look at the bright side of things. I AM easily annoyed though. Not as a rage, but most things/ people get on my nerves.

In fact, you're probably preoccupied with death. Saturn is often said to be associated with Father Time; others believe it is an evil influence (Saturn and Satan are almost interchangeable). This makes you rather morbid—your sense of humor is sarcastic and dry to the point of being, well, sick.

Hanh: Wow. That's harsh. I love shows like CSI, the Sopranos & spent hours last night watching the best of Fights & Brawls on Tru tv. Does that have anything to do with it? lol. I wouldn't say that I am preoccupied with death but I am entertained by violence (Isn't everyone?) It makes my day to see someone get tackled or knocked out. Especially the slow motioned ones. LMAO!!! I'd rather watch gangster movies & see people get shot up than a corny romantic one. Well, I guess I DO have a sick sense of humor. haha. Don't judge me!

Capricorns are also known for bigotry. It seems your fear of poverty is so strong you'll take any tack to defend the status you've gained in life, and that includes a narrow-minded view of people of different backgrounds. You're entitled to your opinions, and you have strong reasons for them, but this inflexible attitude could cause irreperable reputation damage in today's politically correct climate.

Hanh: Wow. Also very harsh. Like I said in part one, I'm not scared of being poor, I just don't wanna be (Who does?) I've been out on my own since I've graduated from high school & has made it with little help. I spend money on things that I like but still clip coupons for groceries every once in a while. Hey! I'm a struggling 20 something year old just like the rest of the world.

As for the whole "narrow-minded view of people of different backgrounds" thing? My boyfriend is black & I'm Christian while my family is Buddhist. My circle consists of all races, mixed babies, gay-fabulous bitches, celebrities, singers, dancers, rappers, devoted Christians & Buddhists, atheists, almost homeless people, millionaires & whatever else you can think of. And in this day & age? How can you NOT accept others for who they are? It's 2008. My God! Get over it!

Saturn's slowness also throws delays into your life. You're used to them by now, but still, you often think you have the worst luck—another ailing relative to care for, or car to fix, or unwelcome responsibility at your job .... You'll do it, because sacrifice is your nature, and when you have time again you'll work harder just to make up for what you lost.

Hanh: Kind of true. Somehow I'm always handling an issue or problem. If it's not one thing it's another. But I always take on a challenge & resolve everything because I'm the shiznit like that.

This pattern can easily lead to a depressed, bad-things-always-happen-to-me attitude. Don't let it. People really appreciate you—no one else could be a better friend. They also respect your ethics and status. So relax—you'll get what you want, it just takes time, and time is something you know about all too well.

Hanh: I have my everything-that-can-go-wrong-did days, but so does everybody. I say my prayers every day & thank God for everything that happens to me, good or bad. Everything is meant to happen for a reason & I take every bad thing & learn something positive out of it. Life is too short to be angry & depressed all the time. Besides, it take more energy to be mad than happy. Try it sometimes. You'd be surprised. :-)

I AM... SASHA FIERCE & LOVE'S CRAZY

If you guys haven't heard, two of my favorite people are dropping albums today: Beyonce & Slim of 112

I haven't heard B's album (I am... Sasha Fierce) yet but some sources that have tell me that it was ok. She's been going on a hopscotch tangent lately so hopefully the other half of her album will deliver the old Beyonce that we all used to love. She's undeniably fabulous & is gonna sell regardless though so big ups to her. Still one of my favorite celebrities.

Slim's album (Love's Crazy) is also in stores today & I'm so excited for him! We heard the whole album a couple of months ago & it was banging! I'm sure he's made some changes since then but undoubtedly for the better. If you guys don't know who the group 112 is (how can you not?) but go google singles like:

"Peaches & Cream"
"Cupid"
"Only You" (Bad Boy remix)
"Anywhere" (with Lil Zane who I used to think was so fine, lol)
"Love You like I did" one of my all time favs.
"Your Letter" loveeee it
"Dance With Me"
"I'll Be Missing You"

Anyhoos, I used to loveeee 112. Remember when there was a whole 112 vs. Jagged Edge thing? Please, 112's music is undisputedly better. Jagged Edge was cool & I liked their music too, but 112's songs had much more substance with their lyrics, melodies, notes & all. And they write most of their songs which is incredible. I really appreciate an artist who can write their own stuff. Makes it so much more personal & heartfelt.

Within the last couple of years we've become really good friends with Slim & I can honestly say that he's a great guy. He's funny, down to earth, a great friend & also a great father to his kids. They've opened their house to us on numerous numerous occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday parties & just random get togethers.

So here's my shameless plug for an incredible guy & an even more incredible artist: Slim of 112. Go pick up his album Love's Crazy in stores today!

~ Hanh

COPS, MUSIC VIDEOS & BASKETBALL. SOUNDS LIKE BET'S BLACKBUSTER NIGHT TO ME

LOL! I kid I kid! Well, not really. Haha. Ya'll know that's what's all of them movies are about. Don't even front... I be on 'em sometimes.

:-D

Happy Friday everyone! Whew! Long week! I'm glad that it's OVERRRR.

So tell me why I've never gotten a traffic ticket before (I got into an accident when I 1st got my license but didn't even get a ticket for it) and just got 3 at once on Tuesday night?Long story & I really don't feel like elaborating. lol.

Freaking cops. Did I ever mention that I hate cops? Yea, I do. And not because they just gave me 3 tickets (well, partly) but I've always hated them. UGH! They always pick on random people when they're supposed to be out fighting crime. You're pulling me over for something that drivers do every day when there are people out there getting killed, robbed & Lord knows what else. UGH! They're such assholes sometimes.

Of course there are exceptions & I commend those cops. I've ran across some pretty decent ones, but they are indubitably outnumbered by farrrr by jerks like the one I just encountered. It's often that they're no help whatsoever when you need them... So here's to you Mr. Officer. Mr. I'm over 50 & still trying to look cool by riding a motorcycle with my fat ass & ugly haircut. You're probably not good enough, that's why they didn't even give you a squad car AND you're stuck doing traffic. I hope you get caught in the rain & all the (little) equipment you have gets wet & tase you. Not electrocute, just enough zzz to make you fall off your bike & block a 4-way intersection causing a Budweiser truck to crash & beer to fall out & spill all in your mouth & you get arrested by somebody in your own station for drunk driving AND wreckless driving AND blocking an intersection. You DICK!

~ Speaking of violations, I just saw Jazmine Sullivan's "Bust Your Windows" video and it was WHACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK. I mean, for real though. The song is good & I love the beat & refreshing concept but for it to be called Bust Your Windows there was no window busting whatsoever. NONE. (Well, I saw bits & pieces at different times but I'm pretty sure there weren't any.) I mean, really? I know she's just starting out & probably didn't have a big budget but damnnnn. If they didn't have enough money to bust real windows then at least CG it or something. Or is that too expensive too? Either way, she's not pretty enough to carry on a whole video by herself. Just like how Cassie couldn't dance well enough to carry the "Me & You" video by herself. Come on people! Get it together!

If it was me I would've shot it in black & white with them dressed old school & dancing in a ballroom. (With her lips, the flower in her hair & her nails still red.) It flashes back & forth between them dancing all intimately on the dance floor to her catching him in bed & busting the windows out his car. When the bat (or brick) touches the window it'll change into different colors. It also shows numerous other women busting the windows out of numerous cars. And it changes from decade to decade & century to century. All played by the same guy but with different girls. Like he's reborn into another life but he's still the same jerk. It's hard to explain but I see it in my head... Just a short overview as I haven't thought that deep into it, but still. Anything would've been better than just her in the camera the whole time.

~ Speaking of videos, T Pain's Chopped & Skrewed video is HOT! Now THAT'S how you're supposed to do it. Given his status & budget it's not a fair comparison but you can do a nice video on a low budget. No excuses!

~ Speaking of how you're SUPPOSED to do it, I'm just gonna end it with these pix.

How cool is he? lol. My President can ball, what about yours? BIATCHES!

HOROSCOPE BREAKDOWN

Something told me to check my horoscope profile today. I love horoscopes but don't believe in the predictions in magazines & whatnot; they always put something so broad that it could pertain to anybody. I do, however, believe that people do live up to their signs. Or most of it. I used to be into astrology when I was younger & wanted to read palms. I'm still very intrigued by people & their signs but aren't proactively doing anything about it at the moment. But anyhoos, I'm a Capricorn & here's a breakdown of different aspects of my life. I'll let you know what is & isn't true. A deeper look into the life of Hanh...

POSITIVE QUALITIES:
You are a tireless worker, to the point of self-martyrdom. You'll do any and all work assigned to you, so that you can impress your superiors and gradually move up the ladder. You will eventually gain more and more status and wealth, but it takes a long time. That's okay with you, though—you've always understood this.

Hanh: Completely true. I do all work assigned & never really complain. Well, sometimes, but not to my boss. And nobody mentioned to me that it's gonna take a long time. Thanks alot!

Chances are, you come from a poor background—like the baby Jesus—and you decided early on that you would work as hard as you could to improve your standing for your family. In fact, you have an innate fear of poverty, so much so that once you've achieved a rank or two in the world you will fight to the death to keep it.

Hanh: also true. I do come from a poor background & I'm always thinking about making enough money so that my parents wouldn't have to work anymore. I don't know about a fear of poverty... Doesn't everybody not like being poor? I dunno about fight to the death but I know I'm not gonna blow my money.

This is also in keeping with your far-thinking approach to life, as determined by the slow-moving Saturn. You plan, plan, plan. You save, save, save. One would think you a dour person for all this work, but you have your moments of joy— after all, the words saturnalia and bacchanalia apply to you, and both define wild abandon.

Hanh: also true. I plan & save. I'm very particular about everything. I plan what I'm going to do for tomorrow the night before; I plan what I'm going to cook at what moment so that everything is done at the same time & according to Actor I take forever to prep when I eat. haha. Like I'll unwrap a burger, put it on top of the bag that it came in, open the ketchup packages & put it on the side... I do have my crazy & spontaneous moments though: i.e. getting a tattoo & my belly button pierced in 10th grade while out one night with friends. Never thought about doing it before that moment. Wait, was that legal? I was under 18...

You probably already know a lot about sacrifice. You were the one who stayed up caring for a sick relative when you were a kid, instead of playing with your friends. You're the one who keeps the family together, in fact, when members drift off. You're the glue, the controlling force in this world. Without you, it would simply fall apart.

Hanh: I don't know about that part. Well, I guess I'm the glue that keeps my parents together but our family don't really talk to each other so... eh. It's not that well put together. I'm a cheap dollar store glue...

Similarly, you have a great sense of tradition. You respect what you've inherited, and you believe in cherishing it and handing it down in the same state or better. Be it a grandparent's locket or the oral history of the family, it's safe with you.

Hanh: very true. I AM 60% traditional & 40% new. I love being Vietnamese & sharing/ comparing different things with Actor all the time. I also am very particular about keeping up with things. I hate when anything breaks or doesn't work anymore. My parents have appliances/ electronic stuff from 15 years ago that still works...

Like your neighboring signs, Sagittarius and Aquarius, you are proudly intellectual. But you're not as argumentative as a Sagittarius. Yours is a quieter wisdom—if you know you're right, you don't believe you have to get into an all-out war just for the show of it. The truth will win out.

Hanh: very true. I hate arguing. Hate it. If anyone gets loud I'd probably just walk away. Not that I can't stand my ground, just that I don't feel like wasting my time & energy being loud & arguing with you. Especially if I'm right. Me, Actor & Q have grammar disagreements sometimes & I'm always right 99% of the time. I DO rub it into people's faces sometimes though. haha.

For this reason, you make an excellent teacher. In fact, you see the world as very structured, and as you gain rank in the system, you believe in teaching those below you. If you are a teacher, you're probably very strict. It's not due to malevolence, just a strong sense of tradition, of wisdom, of right and wrong, of the merits of hard work.

Hanh: I wanted to be a teacher all the way from 1st grade to the first semester of my senior year... I then changed my mind. Don't feel like I can deal with all them bad kids. I'd probably get arrested for tasering somebody's child. haha (just kidding! Or am I? Hmm...) I'd be a half & half teacher though. I'd expect you to do your work but still cut you some slack, only if I see you trying. Can't help those who don't help themselves. Something my teachers used to say that I completely believe in: "I don't give out Fs, you earn them."

WASHING OBAMA HATERS' & BITTEN HANDS WITH PINEAPPLE PORKCHOPS WHILE HOPSCOTCHING

Tell me why:

~ So many people don't wash their hands after using the restroom? That's DISGUSTING!!! Ugh! Every single time I go into our shared bathroom at work there's at least one person that doesn't wash their hands. And any other public places too. I've considered yelling "Wash your hands!" from inside my stall numerous times. But I figured if people were gonna be nasty then they wouldn't listen to me anyway. Ugh! I might just put up a sign that says "Wash your hands! It's very unsanitary for you & others if you don't... You nasty biatches!"

I guess most women are just nastyyyy. When I used to work at a retail store we got a complaint about the women's bathroom every single day. Sometimes numerous times a day. The men's bathroom never really got complaints. Maybe it's because some women are just plain old disgusting and that men are cleaner, or that women will actually take the time to go to customer service to complain & men won't.

~ Soon-to-be-out-of-office-for-good President Bush's dog bit a reporter? LMAO! There was blood too! Guess he's not ready to move out... He's not that cute of a dog either. Scruffy little thing. Well, I guess he's a little cute. I love all dogs now.

~ Beyonce's "Put a ring on it" video is banging despite the fact that the song makes me wanna gag? She looks gorgeous & the choreography is dope... BUT I'm so tired of all these "hopscotch music" songs. I desperate wish that she'd go back to the old Destiny's Child Beyonce with the soulful ballads & touching songs. Hopefully 1/2 of her new double album release will achieve that as it says it will. I know I know, she's Beyonce & she can do whatever she wants & still be hot & sell... but for the true B fans, love is slowly fading. And I've loved her since the very beginning. I remember being so happy when they won the Soul Train Lady of Soul awards & stuff. Yea, that far back... So get it together & quit all this upbeat crappy music!

~ People are such haters? I've gotten numerous reports of people making racist remarks about Obama being president. 1st of all, if you didn't vote then you have no right to complain. And for those that did, Obama clearly won so accept defeat graciously. 2nd of all, if you hate it that much then move out of the country. More elbow room for me. 3rd of all, grow up! It's 2008. F*$% race. It's all about if he's gonna be a good leader or not. Who cares what shade his skin tone is? Get a life!

~ I made pork chops for the 2nd time & loved it? Whew! It was pineapple-honey glazed with actual pineapple on the side. I made angel hair pasta & cornbread with it. Yummy! I kinda concocted my own recipe after finding this orange-honey chicken recipe online. That one was good too. I LOVE FOOD!

YES WE CANNNNNNN

I'm sure everyone is blogging about the election but... HOW CAN YOU NOT?!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

OBAMA WON!!!!!!!!!!
YES!!!!!!!!!!

We took Q down to his county to vote & guess what? He was in & out within like 10 minutes. I swear! I was like dang! We should've waited till today to vote. Oh well, I don't mind standing in line for change.

We hung out at his dad's place for a minute & went back home around 6 or so. I watched the entire process on CNN all night; from beginning to end. Well, I switched to Trading Spouses, Real Housewives & Rocky inbetween but I caught most of it. I wanted to be surprised at the numbers so didn't want to watch it the whole time. At 1st McCain was in the lead 8-3 & then I turned back & it was like 33-16 (or something) in favor of Obama. Can't remember the specific #s but Obama kept soaring & never looked back. I screamed for joy EVERY. SINGLE. TIME his # went up, even if it was 4 points. lol. By the time he reached over 270 I was ecstatic. I ran in the room to tell Actor, high fived Q & screameddddddddddddddddd. Longest scream I've ever done in my entire life! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! I wanted to go outside & run around & scream but decided not to. lol.

Everybody started calling us & we called others & all screamed & talked shit. Everyone we knew were rejoicing.

It was THE most amazing thing that I've ever seen in my whole entire political life. For the American political life period. The 1st African American president. Wow. I'm SOOOOOOOO proud. I feel deeply honored to be a part of this. I've always been a huge supporter & believer of civil rights. I'm so thankful for those before us that led the way, fought, bled & stood their ground so that we could come to this. It's a beautiful beautiful thing. I might not be black but my family & friends are & I'm a minority in this country so I still feel proud. I feel proud for Actor & Q & all African Americans. It's indescribable how much the atmosphere has changed. At that exact moment.

Actor said (looking at the tv) that black people actually look like they belong now (referring to this black lady host amongst her white counterparts.) That black children actually have a shot at becoming a president now. Nothing is impossible now. He said that back then black parents used to tell their kids that they could be anything, but they knew deep down inside that it couldn't be a president, you know? Can't kill a kid's dreams though.

Him & Q said that there's no excuse for black people now. Especially men. Alot of them feel like society and/or the judicial system is against them or whatever & now they can't say that. They can't use that excuse anymore to be sorry at anything. At parenting, having a job or any race related cop out.

I personally hoped that alot of racist people were watching, people who think white people are the only good or that only the blacks were happy for Obama's win. The crowd proved otherwise. Obama coming out & everyone at Grant Park (blacks, whites, asians, hispanics... everyone) cheering brought me to tears. It was refreshing & life changing to see that everyone wanted him to be president. Not just blacks.

That leads me to another subject: haters. I just don't understand why people are so hateful, angry & narrow-minded. Every since this election started there were strong supporters on both sides. But people are so wrapped up in their own views that they are condescending to the opposite party & I really can't stand it. My coworkers get so worked up & upset at each other talking politics that they don't speak to each other for days. I don't discuss politics at work anyway so don't ever engage them. But it's so disturbing to hear people call each other stupid & narrow-minded when you're the one doing the same but even worse. Everyone has their own opinion, who's to say who's right or wrong? Just stick to what YOU believe in & let others feel how they feel, you know?

On that note, I couldn't believe that the McCain supporters booed while he was making his congratulatory speech. Are you kidding me? Have some class and/or respect for your country & new president. HE AIN'T GOING NOWHERE. At that moment I actually felt a little sympathetic towards McCain. He's a good guy & he ran his race. Not many people can say that they've ran for President.

But they did & Obama won. By more than double. Now THAT I wasn't expecting. Since both sides had such strong supporters I thought this was gonna be the most heated & close race in history but it was quite contrary. I couldn't believe the numbers; I know alot of McCain supporters didn't believe it either. But that just goes to show that AMERICA wants Obama. Not just blacks. Not just younger people. But EVERYONE. Refer to the crowd at Grant Park for proof. And the number; numbers don't lie. He even won Florida & numerous other "Republican" states. Goes to show even further that everyone feels like change is needed. And they feel that Obama can bring that change. So for all those who say that people are stupid for voting for Obama I guess the whole nation is stupid then. We'll all be stupid together.

I'm extremely proud that this election broke voting records. From people voting for the 1st time to those who are voting again after a long time. From younger & more urban people to older & conservative people. From gays to straight, rich poor, abled & disabled. Everyone showed up & did their thing. That makes me proud. To see everyone unite for a cause worth believing in, for change that we needed. Shows that anything is possible when people work together.

Many people are fearing assassination plots and such. I refuse to believe that someone will carry that out. I'm sure many are thinking it, but if someone were to try then I'd be so disappointed at this country. I would lose my patriotism. I just, I dunno, I pray for his safety but I also pray that I wouldn't have to pray for his safety, you know? I shouldn't have to. People need to stop being so hateful.

But at the end of the day, I am proud to say that I am VERY happy that Obama is our new president. I pray for him to be successful, loved & respected. I pray that he makes the right decisions, change the right things & make a positive impact in this country & world. I have so much faith in him as I'm sure millions of others do. Make us proud Mr. Barack Obama. We'll stand by you every step of the way.

Love,
Hanh

ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE DAWN

We heard the news about Obama's grandmother last night at dinner. I'm so sorry for his & his family's lost. Mannnn. That is CRAZYYY. She's going to miss her grandson becoming the 1st African American president. Physically anyways; I'm sure she's watching over him every step of the way. I can't even imagine what he's going through right now trying to deal with the passing & the biggest election of his life at the same time.

They say it's always darkest before dawn & his dawn is definitely coming. I have so much faith in him & I know that he'll make a great president.

Today is a beautiful beautiful day in Atlanta. It's 72 degrees, sunny & bright; perfect for people who are voting. I encourage EVERYONE who hasn't voted to go vote. It's SO crucial. SO important to this race. Please don't be discouraged by the lines. You'd camp out for concert tickets, the new Js or the Wii so how can you NOT wait a couple of hours for the biggest political moment? Go vote!!!

I have to take Q about 45 min. from our house to go vote today. Since he couldn't vote in our county he decided that he didn't want to wait in line again at his former county. But I encouraged him to do it last night. So we're going straight there after I get off of work today. Hopefully the lines won't be too bad. Who knows whether people voted early or are voting after work there. Either way he's still gonna vote. I'm debating if I'm gonna stand in line to keep him company though. Me & Actor don't really want to but I'm sure he'd like the support. Makes the time go by faster when we're acting crazy. I'm probably gonna end up waiting with him. Cuz I'm that hype. lol.

One of the reasons that I didn't want to wait in line though is because I really wanna watch tv & see everything following up to the announcement. I wanna catch it all. I'm so excited!!!

So there it is. I'm not telling you who to vote for. Just go vote!!!

OBAMA

* And I just realized that I didn't have my "I voted" sticker on yet. It's in my purse from last week. About to wear it right now. Whoo!!!

SHAKIR STEWART & JENNIFER HUDSON

*sighs*

Just found out Saturday night right before we went to a birthday party that Shakir Stewart committed suicide. If you don't know, he was the CEO of Def Jam who took over after Jay-Z stepped off. I didn't know him personally, but we knew him through Slim of 112 & he seemed like a very nice guy. So condolences to his family.

I'm thinking of Jennifer Hudson & her family today too as they are having the funeral. God bless you & Shakir's family.

To everyone else out there: I know life is not pleasant & easy sometimes but hang in there. No matter what is going on in the economy, your love life, or at work everything will be allllll right. Don't ever ever think that you are alone. God loves you. At the end of the day if you don't have anyone to talk to you still have him. Talk to him. He'll be happy to hear from you. If you don't believe in or want to talk to him then talk to me. I might not know you but I'm always here to listen. I won't judge or make fun. It's actually easier to confide in a stranger because you'll get a refreshing & unbiased point of view or advice from them. Sometimes you just need to step out of your head a little, you know?

Well have a great & blessed day everyone. Stay positive & do great things because you can. Hug your loved ones just a little longer. Tell them that you're proud of them. I'm sure someone would really appreciate it.

Love,
Hanh

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!

We voted yesterday. Stood in line for almost 3 hours but it was worth it. GO OBAMA! Whoot whoot!

My initial plan was to get off work at 4pm, get home by 4:30pm & get to the polls by 4:45 or 5pm. I was trying to beat the 9-5ers getting off work but that didn't happen. lol. I told the boys to be ready but when I got home Actor was still sleep. *stares* It was cool though, we didn't have any plans for the night so could afford to wait in line.

We got to the place at 6pm. Followed the signs, went inside & smiled. We saw the line wrap around a little bit but it didn't look that bad... and THEN the officer asked us if we were here to vote & directed us to go to the back of the line. We walked around a maze kind of to find the line. And boyyyy was it long. It snaked around the whole entire building. Not like a baby snake. Like the snake when you play that game on your phone when you've gotten to like the 10th level & you've eaten so much stuff that the actual snake is filling up the screen & you have no where to really turn & end up dying because you hit yourself kinda long. Yea....

It wasn't a bad experience though. I brought my word search puzzle book (that I've been on obsessively for over two weeks now,) Actor brought a book to read & Q had his Ipod so we were good. After a while all of us put our stuff down & started talking to each other. We always have a ball talking about random things. The better part of our waiting in line was spent people watching & talking about them. hahaha. People are funny man. We said who looked like which celebrity (good or bad,) who was looking crazy & etc. This one older white guy had a thickkkk mustache, teal sweatpants on, a white tee & a black & white South Pole hoodie on. It was funnnyyyyy. We did a "guess who I'm describing with these 2 adjectives" game. His was "stache & South Pole." haha. They spotted him immediately.

There were alot of celebrity lookalikes there: Shaq, Montel Williams, Charles Barkley, Flav & etc...

The line was moving pretty fast considering. But since it was still so long we started to play a "I know what can make you get out of line right now" game. (And this was when we had been in line for like an hour & a half. We weren't going ANY. WHERE.) We were in a building that hosted different boutique shops & stuff. It was like a mall/business plaza kinda thing. So Q was like "Actor, so if somebody came up to you right now & said "I have some Ferragamo shoes on sale for $20 each. RIGHT NOW. You wanna buy 'em? My store's just right around the corner. What would you say?" Actor was like "Ummm. I might have to hit that corner real quick & come back tomorrow." haha. Q then asked me the same but in regards to Jimmy Choos & Manolos. I was like "Well, if you had the time to go around the corner & ask me this then why don't you bring the shoes back to me & I'll buy them right here." Hence, I ain't getting out of this line. haha. We then proceeded with other temptations like PS3s, laptops, celebrity sightings & etc.

Once we got to the top of the line the actual process very rather quick. Had to fill out an absentee form, get the voting card & then to the booth. We got our stickers too. Yippee! I'm gonna wear it on Tuesday when Obama wins :-D

Tell me why Bob Barr was still on the ballot?! haha. I didn't even know he was running until like last week. Crazyyy.

And tell me why Q couldn't vote?! UGHHHH. It was the most disappointing thing of the night. He's registered under another county & didn't change his address on time. But I called the elections office & they said that he could just change it at the same time when he came & voted. THEY LIED. So he stood in line all that time with us for nothing. *shakes head* The lady at the door was really nice though. She gave him a sticker anyway.

All in all, we didn't mind the line. We feel special voting in a historical election. And if you haven't voted WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Go do it now!!! Don't wait till Tuesday cuz you'll probably be in line for 8 hours. And in some places you'd have to wait outside in the cold. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

OBAMA for PRESIDENT!!!

HI MY NAME IS HANH & I'M ADDICTED TO TV

Tell me why I've been watching so much tv? I haven't really watched tv in a longgg time & just finally picked up the remote like a couple of weeks ago. I've been watching everythingggg. Here are some thoughts:

~ The BET awards was actually very entertaining; one of the best that they've done. T-Pain was a good & funny host. I wished Eve & Missy would've came out for the all ladies performance. Wayne was showing OUT coming on stage like 80 times. haha. He was actually likeable for the moment & I felt that he deserved all of the awards. T.I. & Luda did their thing. Ummm.... I can't remember much else but it was pretty enjoyable overall

~ I've been trying to catch some new CSI episodes but have caught mostly reruns & I've seen about all of them so... *channel surfs*

~ Why are the American Idol hosts everywhere?! Ugh! I can't even look at the guide station without hearing them interviewing somebody or some other crap. And there's like 20 different ones. Go away!

~ I watched the reruns of Housewives of Atlanta for the 1st time last night. I don't really care for reality shows but I guess I had nothing else to watch so stuck with that & it was actually pretty entertaining. Lisa is gorgeous & I love her business drive & personality. Deshawn doesn't really do much for me; I feel like she's a boring character. That girl tried to raise $1 mil. in one night. haha! Yea, right. Kim is pretty cool but she gives off this materialistic (well, all of them but Kim the most) & air-headed vibe. Doesn't help that she's blond with big boobs either. Well, at least she's a good (but spoiling) mom. Nene is definitely the drama factor in the show. She is a trip! Sometimes she gets on my nerves but she's definitely entertaining. Sheree is cool. She's pretty & laid back but won't take your crap. I like her & Lisa the most.

~ Kimora Life in the Fab Lane.
I loveeeeeeeeeee her show. I've always admired her & Russell for the empire that they built & the loving interracial relationship from way back. Watching her show is fun & informative. You see how the industry works, how much work, time & money is put into just one single event, and I love to see the assistants stress out. haha. She has a good sense of humor & I love how she is with her kids. They're so cute!

~ Intervention.
Just saw this one episode where this girl kept inhaling dust remover. Lol! That was funny & crazy!!! I couldn't believe she kept doing it. It was weird for me cuz I'm so used to seeing people on drugs & alcohol. But seeing her inhale the dust remover can made me cring. And she was cutting herself too. Somebody didn't have enough art time in elementary school. Scissor cutting & glue sniffing to a whole notha level. Well, at least she got better. I'm always glad to see that.

~ And tell me why I always get teary-eyed during the intervention? What a wuss. Lol! I can really feel the family's pain man. Get off me!

~ I'm sorry to hear about Jennifer Hudson's family too. It's so horrible. Condolences to her & her family & I hope they find the suspect(s). Sorry Jennifer! Be strong girl! God is watching over you. Maybe I could help, you know I be on them CSI shows. I know all of the procedures!

"AN" ADDENDUM

Oh. Yea. I forgot one more error: "An"

You put "an" before any word that starts with a vowel people! (And also some words that starts with an silent h. Like "an hour")

As in: an apple, an empty glass, an initial contact, an octopus, an umbrella

I gave you an example for each of the vowels. So you better learn & you better learn quickly!!!

Incorrect examples: a apple, a empty glass, a octopus, a annoying idiot who doesn't know how to use "an."

I think out of all of the errors this & "it's" are the most annoying one to me. It just sounds so wrong! And once again, I hear everybody use it incorrectly: radio hosts, tv hosts, business people... EVERYBODY. I mean, seriously. Learn. It. People!

K thanks! You can go now...

GRAMATYCAL & SPELLEING ERRURS

Tell me why so many people make simple grammatical and/or spelling errors? I don't know how or why I'm so prone to pointing out these mistakes because I don't even look for them but as soon as my eyes cross something I can see the mistake instantly. Maybe one of my Language Arts teachers taught me well or I'm just psychotic (but that's not the topic right now. lol.) Anyhoos, here are the ones that I see so often & it drives me crazyyyyyy:

1) It's

Why can't people use it in its correct form? UGH!!! I mean, I speak in slang everyday but it still makes sense. It's messed up to use slang & make no sense. Now you're just sounding like Lil Wayne...


"It's" stands for "it is" or "it has" people!


So many people use "it's" to replace "there" in a sentence & it sounds so stupid! For example: "It's 3 people at the party." So you're basically saying "It is 3 people at the party" or "It has three people at the party." Does that make sense? NOOOOOOOOO! You mean to say "There are 3 people at the party" or at least say "There's 3 people at the party" even though it's not all the way correct it's better than "It's 3 people at the party."

And I hear professional people say it all the time. Radio hosts, tv anchors & etc. I'm like, somebody needs to get an "IT'S" lesson from Hanh!

Some other wrong examples: "It's snow on the ground." NO! "THERE'S snow on the ground."
"It's gonna be some cute men at the club tonight." NO! "THERE'S gonna be some cute men at the club tonight."

Some right examples: It's gonna be a nice day. It's been a while since I had some lobster. It's like that? It's crowded in this room... well, you get the point.

The next time you say it's and can't tell if it's right or not then break it down & see if it makes sense. Challenge number one.

2) Their. There. They're

This one is a little more extensive than "it's" because, well, there's 3 of 'em. But how many people didn't pay attention in school? My God! What are we wasting our tax money on?

This isn't a verbal mistake as when you say them they all sound the same but when you write it down then that's when people look like a) they didn't get more than an elementary school education or b) they are so careless that they just write whatever & not check it.

So as a public service announcement, here are the (broader as I'm not gonna get extra detailed cuz that would take forever) definitions & examples of each:

Their: shows possession. As in: their keys, their books, their car, their sense of humor.

There: shows location or state of condition. As in: Your keys are over there on the table. You went to Vegas? We went there last summer. There! I'm finished.

They're: They are. As in: They're crazy. They're going to therapy this Sunday. They're going to be late too.

Get it right people! It's not that hard! Just think before you write/type. Challenge number 2.

3) People mispelling business signs. Are you kidding me?! Why would I want to do business with you if you can't even spell? First warning sign right off the bat! lol! I'm sure most are just simple mistakes but if I still see the same mispelled word day after day & month after month then somebody obviously hasn't checked or noticed. That would mean you are careless or unattentive which would also be another bad warning sign. Or it could mean that someone told you that it was wrong & you won't change it cuz you don't feel like it or keep forgetting to change it. Either way that makes you lazy, stubborn or forgetful so that's three other bad warning signs to not do business with you. Either way, a mispelled anything for a business is a no no. Ergo, check your signs people! Challenge number 3.

Of course even the most literate people make grammatical & spelling errors & they aren't the biggest problems on earth but you might be surprised how it affects you. It might affect you not getting a job if it's on your resume, affect a potential date from not happening if he/she sees your myspace or whathaveyou & see that you can't spell for nothing which means you might not be that smart, or something just one letter off can mean a completely different word which can completely change everything.

Just a little something to think about...

WE HAVE GAS. AND NOT THE BAD KIND. Wait, is there a good kind?

Our gas shortage is officially over. Well, it's been over for like a week or so, I just haven't had a chance to post. But thank God! Everybody was starting to panic & fight each other for gas. Ugh! It was starting to get pretty ugly pretty quick.

I'm sure you've noticed but gas prices are falling dramatically & boy am I glad. Gas was starting to become my biggest monthly expense. I mean, I pay more for gas per month than my car note. Can you believe it?

And can you believe that we've been getting gas for $2.99? Yeaaa buddy. You read right. $2.99. A couple of stations near our house are dropping down to that. I read that in other parts of Georgia gas is $2.79. I hope that catches on and I hope that it never goes back up lol!

On an adjacent note, I just read that OnStar has started a stolen vehicle slowdown program. If a car with OnStar is stolen, a signal would be sent to the engine that gradually slows the vehicle down. How dope is that?!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 300 people die each year in the 30,000 police chases that occur. Before the slowdown program there were only three ways to stop a police chase: the officer stops the chase, the suspects stops (or runs out of gas haha) or in the worst case scenario, there is a crash. So I think it's definitely a better & safer alternative for everyone.

Basically what happens is once a person reports their car stolen, they'll use GPS to track down the car & report it to the police. Once the police have the car in site & confirm that conditions are safe they can tell OnStar to slow the car down. As the car is slowing, everything else will still work, including power steering and brakes.

I love technology (most of the time) and I definitely think OnStar is cool, especially now with the slowdown program. Maybe I'll get one one day. I've been thinking about trading in my car anyway. Want an alternate fuel car though. Do they have any with OnStar? Hmm, have to do some research....

A BLIND DATE THAT TURNED INTO 60 YRS.

From NPR.org:

"They've been together for over a half-century — but Ben and Bernice Finn met on a blind date. It was eight months after the end of World War II, and Ben had recently returned home to Brooklyn, N.Y., after serving in the Army.

"My two best friends were Hank and Eddie," Ben said. And unlike Ben, they both had girlfriends. So, the two asked Ben if he'd like to go out with them — and a blind date.

"In those days, you wore a suit and a tie when you went on a date," Ben said.

"I didn't have a suit to my name. So, I bought a suit to match the tie that I had."

That sparked a memory from Bernice: "Did it have apples on it?"

"It had apples on it, yes."

"I was very nervous," Ben said. "She was so pretty."

"I remember that day very well," Bernice said. "And no, you weren't pretty."

But when the couples all went out that night, there was a chill in the air.

"And I took your arm," Bernice said.

"I was thrilled by that," Ben said.

"And the reason I took your arm is, you seemed nervous. And I wanted to make you more comfortable."

The group went to a coffee shop, where they all started ordering hamburgers and drinks — everyone, that is, except for Ben. He didn't order anything.

"And I say to myself, 'Oh my God, I bet he doesn't have any money,' " Bernice remembered.

"And there I am, starving," she said. "And I ordered black coffee. Because I was afraid my date didn't have any money. So, you owe me a hamburger," she told Ben.

"I have no memory of that," Ben said. "Maybe it was I didn't have any money. Maybe I was just cheap. I don't know."

"Okay," Bernice said. "I'll buy that second explanation."

The couple dated for two years before getting married. Ben eventually got a master's degree in education and taught elementary school. The Finns have two children, Gail and Steven, and three grandchildren.

Their 60th wedding anniversary will be this Christmas, Dec. 25"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanh: That story is so inspiring & uplifting. It touched my heart so I just had to share. This is what I want; something true & long-lasting. I still want my husband to be my best friend even when we're 90 :-D

HANH'S TAKE ON SOME LOCAL NEWS:

"The number of black men registering for the first time in Georgia increased by 33% from 2004.
The number of black women registering increased by 22%.
The number of white men registering for the first time decreased by 7%.
The number of white women registering for the first time decreased by 11%."

Hanh: Good job! I know I haven't been very vocal about the election but I'm very supportive of Obama. I've been trying to get everyone that I know to register to vote for a while now. Glad to see everyone else was doing the same. Many are for McCain and Obama; they have great supporters. But if people aren't registered then they can't even vote for them in the 1st place. So good job people! Whoo hoo! Obama's getting closer to office!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The ex-husband of televangelist Juanita Bynum is recasting his new reality show and will be counseling couples even as he courts the would-be new Mrs. Thomas Weeks.

"The Holy Hook Up: Who Will Be the Next Mrs. Weeks?" will track Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III's search for love, but he will also share the stage, coaching singles and other brokenhearted couples and drawing on his experience as an author, minister and twice-divorced man.

Weeks told listeners, "It's going to be a very tasteful, five-star presentation.""

Hanh: Seriously?! Are you kidding me? If you guys didn't know, they had a really dramatic & might I add VERY public altercation last year. He beat her outside of a hotel. Badly. Yea... He was given 3 years probation, 200 hours of non-church related community service, and ordered to attend anger management counseling. Who's to say she didn't start it & who's to say that he hasn't changed. But seriously? I'm good. Church women better watch out! Sounds like bad business to me...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Detectives said three men burst into the home, chased down, and killed Carver High School student Devontae Alexander Jones.

According to detectives, the killers tried to also kill Jones’ mother; but she survived. They said drugs do not appear to be related to the murder nor do they think anything was taken from the home.

Police are searching for three men and one woman who they believe are driving a burgundy-colored sports utility vehicle.

Authorities said the victim’s dog was also killed by the intruders."

Hanh: That's just horrible. It's crazy how people are so violent these days! I mean, there's always been violence but it's another story when it's so close to home. Actor & I were just talking about how it's legal to carry guns in most public places now. We feel that it's the right thing to do to give people a fighting chance in case some crazy nut tries something, you know? It's hard to control because you don't want guns in the wrong person's hands but if somebody's gonna do something illegal they're gonna have a gun regardless so might as well protect yourself. We're all for the right person carrying guns.

My condolences to their family... And did you have to kill the dog? My God!

MAN HITS SHARK TO SAVE DOG

"ISLAMORADA, Fla.

A dog is recovering after a Florida Keys carpenter dove in to save his pet from a shark. Greg LeNoir said he took his 14-pound rat terrier Jake for a daily swim at a marina Friday.

The five-foot shark suddenly surfaced and grabbed nearly the entire dog in its mouth.

LeNoir said he yelled, then balled up his fists and dove headfirst into the water. He hit the shark in the back and the creature finally let go of the dog.

Man and dog made it safely back to shore. The dog suffered bite wounds but was not critically injured."
------------

Hanh: Wow. What a brave guy. He must really love that dog. I love Brando too but I dunno bout jumping in & hitting the shark. Might have to shoot the shark or something. Either way it's animal cruelty. *sighs* You can't win.

Way to go Hero of the Day!

LIFE QUESTIONS pt. 2

I was always taken cared of financially. Actor & Q said they ate so much Hamburger Helper, sometimes without the hamburger, ate leftovers for days, went without gifts for holidays and birthdays & couldn't go on too many field trips cuz their parents wouldn't pay. I told them that I always got what I wanted. I could always get what I wanted to eat at the grocery store. Gushers & Fruit Roll Ups. Holla! I went on every single field trip that was offered, got a nice little budget for back to school shopping every summer & had my own computer & everything. And mind you my parents weren't rich by far. They worked in factories on minimum wage.

The only thing that differs with our familes are that Actor & Q are definitely, by a long shot, closer to their family than I am or probably ever will be. That's the only thing that I can honestly say that I ever lacked. I never had to worry about not having dinner or school clothes or the lights being off but our family isn't a very, how do you say? talkative & open family. Probably because it's our culture or whatever but it was always whatever my dad says goes. There's no discussion, no my doors are always open so you can talk to me about anything deal. Talk to my dad about dating or love for music or movies? Are you kidding me? I wasn't allowed to like or be focused on anything but going to school & to become a lawyer or doctor. If you know me, needless to say that was not finna go down. lol.

I can't say I'm envious because that wouldn't be the right description but I do wish that my family was closer like how their family is. My brothers & sisters moved to different states when I was still in elementary school so I basically grew up as an only child. I never had any brothers or sisters to go through things with. We still don't talk much to this day. I probably see or talk to them 4 or 5 times a year, if that.

With white families, if they're wealthy then their parents are probably always working, have no idea what their favorite hobbies or who their friends are, miss their games & shows & compensate by throwing money at them. Again, not all but most.

With Actor & Q's family they are tight-knit. They talk about everything with each other, they laugh, cry, have family dinners, fights & do it all over again the next day. I remember going to my 1st housewarming with Actor. My 1st Thanksgiving dinner. 1st Christmas dinner. 1st baby shower. 1st any family gathering really. My parents are Buddhist therefore don't really celebrate any American holidays. They barely even celebrate any Asian holidays for that matter.

My dad was soooo strict. While I could get any material thing that I wanted, I couldn't get a social life. He used to tell me how long to keep my nails, what I could or couldn't wear, I couldn't talk to boys on the phone or even stand near them when he came to pick me up from school. I couldn't go to the mall unsupervised; they used to walk behind me in the mall. It was so embarrassing. I eventually stopped asking to go. lol. Just told him that I had club meetings after school & went with my friends instead. Don't even get me started on all the tricks I did to get to do what I want. haha. I'm not gonna incriminate myself. Maybe I'll tell ya later. It's sort of a bragging right.

Therefore I guess I'm stuck in the middle. I have the best & worst from both the lower & upper class people. I was taken cared of financially but not emotionally. I couldn't afford a monthly trip to Greece but I always had money in my purse. I didn't have the family support or confidante that I wanted but they paid attention to me. Too much attention & in the wrong areas. I couldn't express myself or be who I wanted to be without feeling guilty or sad because they didn't approve.

So my question is: What is a better situation to grow up in? A poor loving life or a rich loveless life. People out there that have a rich loving life are exceptionally lucky. But the reality is, most people are either or. Maybe more or less but still. Would you rather have a little less to eat, less expensive clothes on & be close with your family than to wear the best clothes, have steak in Italy for lunch & be disconnected & dysfunctional with your family? I'd choose the former.

But does your relationship with your family define who you are? Does a failed home life mean a failed social & work life? If you have problems with your family does that mean your romantic relationship will have problems? If so will they be the same problems? What about when you get married? Will you treat your children the same way? Will it be a never-ending cycle that trickles down from generation to generation? If so, will it ever be broken?

LIFE QUESTIONS

Me, Actor & Q-Ball are always talking about something whether it's music, movies, life, finance, so on & so on...

We got on the subject of how much race has an impact on your upbringing. Besides the obvious discrimination and/or treatment from society, we were talking about how growing up a certain race completely makes who you are in your adult life financially. For instance, they said that growing up in a lower/middle class home where their parents made due but still struggled really affected how they are now. How they were never taught to handle finances correctly; to budget, save, or not live check to check so they had to learn it themselves growing up. That they're older & more responsible, but if someone had told them about the importance of credit & etc. they would be way better off now than having to go back & repair the damage that's already done.

We talked about how most white people are higher class & they lead completely different lives, even from birth. They were born into money, never have to worry about college tuition, cars, bills or anything. They get to travel the world even as a tot, don't have to work if they don't want to because as long as they keep their grades up their expenses are paid for & they make more money from the abundant amount that they already have because they were taught to invest & run businesses, etc.

Don't get me wrong we know there are always exceptions & whatnot. I'm sure there are struggling whites & wealthy blacks but the majority is the latter from what we've seen & experienced.

As for me, I guess I grew up in a middle class family. We came to America in '93 & my parents started from the ground up. I was only 7 so can't recall specifics but I think we were on food stamps for a minute. We lived in a rural part of Vietnam so I've never experienced the whole inside marketplace. In our town all of the shops were outside booths or a small store that the owners lived at upstairs. Like how some of the shops are in Chinatown in any city over here.

I remember the 1st time that I went into a grocery store over here I was ecstatic. I've never seen so much food in my life! That had to be the happiest day of my food life. lol. I even have a picture of our whole family posed in a grocery store for the 1st time I kid you not. It was a BIG deal. That's why I love food so much now. We didn't have much in Vietnam. I remember my dad used to come home with an apple probably like once every 2 weeks or a month & he'd slice it & we'd all share one apple. I used to eat it soooo slowly because I didn't want it to go away. Yea... It's like that. It was a luxury.

But we came over here & my parents found jobs in factories & they built us a nice little life. It's a good & bad thing at the same time because that was the only job that they could get because they didn't have any degrees or know how to speak English. But to this day my mom still works in a factory. My dad just got a new job fixing ambulances or something, I'm not sure what he does exactly... I guess I just want so much more for them. But since they were way older in years than I was & I went to school, I picked up on English more than they did. My dad can speak & converse with you in broken English & my mom even less. Ergo, they still don't have any degrees or anything so they stick to what they know: hard labor working in factories. You know my mom hasn't gotten a raise in like 5+ years? It's crazy but it's all they know so that's how they make their money, you know?

All in all, they came over here making minimum wage in factories & built up a nice life for us. I have 3 brothers & sisters & they all own their own businesses. They do nails; typical I know, but hey, people stick to what they know & what their friends tell them have profited. Why do you think Indians own Dairy Queens & gas stations & Hispanics work in construction? I'm getting sidetracked here, but the point is we literally came over here, built from ground up & are living comfortably.

So my question is: How is it that my family can come over here & flourish & thrive better than most people that are born & raised here? Is it society or the economy? How is is that I never lacked anything living on minimum wage & families with parents making double or triple my parents' income lack so much more? I'm not saying we're better than anybody at all. I'm just trying to get an answer. How is it that Hispanics can come over here, crunch together in one house (and car) & stack their bread & build up nicely?

Is it because Americans spend or indulge in more things than we do? Is it that immigrants come over here & were told a set of rules & abide by them, whereas Americans know more (like loopholes & tricks) & try to beat the system & fail? Credit & debt wise any way. Is it because they don't appreciate the value of money or was never taught to budget? Is it the drive or determination from the experience of not having anything & never wanting to lack again? If different races were given the same amount of money & the same opportunities will they all end up the same? Probably not. I guess it all comes to survival of the fittest. Natural selection if you will. There always has to be someone at the top & at the bottom. That's the way of the world. Can we change it? Possibly. Will we? We'll see...

TELL ME WHY NOBODY HAS GAS pt. 2

An update on gas: We still have a shortage!!!!!! UGHHHH!!!! So annoying! And guess what? They lifted this ban & are now allowing "dirtier" gas to get here to supply the demand. Are you kidding me? I'd rather have no gas than put dirty gas in my car! Who's gonna pay my mechanic if it breaks down? Pleaseee. There's actually been 2 cases where 2 women put gas in their car & it broke down as soon as they pulled out of the gas station. Same station. Same day. 6 hours apart. I don't think it was his fault because the warning system they have didn't go off for dirty gas but the owner said that he'd pay for their car repair anyway. But can you imagine how many people got gas inbetween the 6 hours? I wonder how many more people are gonna break down.

Well at least those people found some gas, dirty or not. Last night me & Actor drove around on E for almost 2 freaking hours & didn't find ANY. Can you believe it?! 2 hours! We drove down every single street & passed at least 40 gas stations & there weren't any gas anywhere! We literally drove in all directions from our house covering at least a 4-5 mile radius to no avail. I kid you not! I don't even know how our tank held on for so long.

It was horrible because Actor was supposed to go to his best friend's performance at 10:30pm & he couldn't go because we couldn't find any gas. His friend came back in town for only a week or so & is leaving for Cali on Tuesday so it was a really really bad look. He really wanted to go.

It got so bad to the point where we were both emotionally & physically exhausted from trying to find gas. I was developing a massive headache on top of my neck ache, almost-sprained ankle & came-out-of-nowhere-never-had-it-before-sinus problems. So we went home... We figured we should save the drops of gas that we had left to get some in the morning before work.

Around 2am he heard word from our friend Buckets that there was gas so we went to the QT down the street & got some. No lines. Whoo hoo! I guess that's what we're gonna do from now on: get gas in the middle of the night to avoid the traffic & crazy people. The way that it's going right now I wouldn't be a bit surprised if people were arrested for fighting over gas.

Well, that actually did happen. lol. My coworker said that this guy was cursing at & harassing her at the pump because she was supposedly taking too long. She was like "Uhh, I can't make the gas pump any faster. It's taking forever cuz there's 50 people here getting gas at the same time." I guess he kept at it & a police officer came over & told him to back away from her car. She left but saw him getting arrested a few moments later. lol! Sit yo big ass down! Won't have to worry about getting gas cuz you won't be driving for a minute buddy. lol!

Arrested over gas. Can you believe it? My other coworker was around during the 1970s' gas shortage where he said it was on the news that people actually got into fights over the pump. In one situation a guy actually shot (and maybe killed?) a honeymooning couple. That's just crazyyyyy.

Well, that's all the gas talk that I can handle for the day. Hopefully I won't have any more bad stories but they're not expecting things to get back to normal for a couple of weeks so...

Stay tuned!