It's for her own good...

I've decided, my little girl will marry a Chinese - one that speaks Cantonese, to be specific.

Today at the park, a little Caucasian boy was chasing Nui-nui around.  He may have been playful.  He may have been nice.  He may have been only 3.  But at that moment, I decided, my future son-in-law will be Chinese.  And more importantly...his Chinese must be better than mine.  His English must be better than mine.  And most importantly, he must be funnier than me! 

My son, on the other hand, the world is your oyster boy!! Have at it!!! Woot! Woot!!

愛·回家

家, 是愛的起點.
漫遊人生路, 腳步疲乏時到安樂窩聊聊,
溫暖的藏身處, 既熟悉又穩妥, 重新得力再上路去.

有家, 便有情, 有望, 有信, 有延續, 有承傳, 有愛,
有終點...

您... 愛回家嗎?
                                                                     --梁詠欣

                                                        

Son of a #&!^@*$!

Noticing how I rarely if ever write a post solely for my son... Here's a memorable one....

Today at Pizza My Heart... we find that Bebe loves (absolutely adores) MUSHROOMS!!! MUSHROOMS!!!!

WHAT?!? HOW!? WHO!?

THAT SON OF A #&!^@*$! LOVES MUSHROOMS!!!??!?!?!??!

High Maintenance

Recently, I've gone through a huuuuuuuuuge string of piss-poor service.

For Joyce's birthday at the Plumed Horse... dinner lasted 3 friggin hours.  Worst yet... it was chef's menu (aka a set menu!!)

Down in Anaheim, we were having dinner.  When another big group showed up...and we were the closest to be done, the owner and the waitresses did everything they can do the hurry us away. 

The other night while having dinner with our buds... the restaurant wasn't even packed! But the waiter kept coming back and back and back to ask Cecy if she was done with her plate. 

Tonight at JLP.. I ordered one of my favorite 生炒糯米飯.  I easily waited 15 minutes before finally asking them to look into it.  I gave them the benefit of the doubt...cuz it does take time to cook.  And we had the kids with us anyways.  But after another 10 minutes...and Bebe getting restless.... I had to cancel it.  But the waiter gave me such "wonderful" attitude.  The bill was $21.11.  I gave $22.  If I had $0.11, I would've given the exact amount. 

As I review this...I ask the question, "Where is good service these days????"  And I think I slowly realize... the service ain't that bad.  I'm just HIGH MAINTENANCE.

The OTHER age old question...

For you married folks.... or living with someone and you share a tube of toothpaste, should you squeeze from the bottom? or the middle?

Well.... the answer for YOU is....100%, without a shadow of a doubt, the BOTTOM.  Why?????

See.... my wife squeezes from the middle.  And unlike me, who squeeze from the bottom, I can keep moving on up from the bottom until I get to the top.  In other words, there will always be a bottom.  But for she who squeezes from the middle, once she flattens it... she's done.

Hence, I realize that it is my job... to make sure she has a fat and chubby "middle" to squeeze every time she brushes her teeth.  Which means.... I squeeze from the bottom to enable her to have the full enjoyment of squeezing from the middle. That is why....as a loving husband... I am the ultimate giver.  And she's the ultimate receiver. :)


Now the "other" question....? Toilet paper over the top, or under the bottom? I'll save that for another post.

Firestone...uh....is it the same? or have i changed?

So the much awaited vacation ended with a trip good ol' faithful Firestone Grill in SLO.  And to my dismay... I think I've gotten to a point where the food is probably just as good as the memories.

There was a time where the food was gold.  The juicy chicken.  The tender trip tip.  And the seasoned fries.

But this trip truly was eye opening.  After sucking down an ABC Burger - which was simply above average

Maybe this is an aberration.  Only the next trip will tell, eh?

happy hour... phew

After 5 days of driving...waiting in lines... packing, unpacking.... dealing with mood swings and attitudes... we finally arrive in Morro Bay.  Shortly after checking in.... in find the have a "wine pouring" hour.

Skip the glass...just pour the wine into my mouth.  Oh baby....those two glasses of red truly hit the spot.  Would've preferred a cold one (or two). 

Disneyland and California Adventures

Been over 10 years since I've stepped into the "Happiest Place on Earth."  Last time I was here... I was a new college grad.  Boatload of debt.  Single.  Young.  Energetic.  Naive.  My how things have changed...

This was a new experience.  We decided to go all outs and stay at the Disney Resort right in the heart of Disneyland and California Adventures.  Didn't pay premium price...but it certainly wasn't cheap either.  The main thing was...we wanted some place close that didn't require us to drive back to the hotel for nap time.  As it turned out... that was the 2nd wisest decision we made.  The first was....to bring a friggin' rice cooker.  More on that later.

Disneyland has gotten smaller than I remember.  Joyce and I literally got done with California Adventures in half a day.  And likewise, we got done with Disneyland within 2 hours - since we had early admission prior to the general public.  A lot of things we decided to skip...or didn't bother waiting in line for.  The rest of the time...we either spent in line with Nui-nui (the kiddie rides) or we spent in the hotel pool.

As for the kiddie rides.... at Nui-nui's age...   it's more torture than enjoyment.  First of all... she has no concept of waiting in lines.  So to be in line for 30 minutes, and seeing people get on and off rides is a unfair...and unfathomable.  And after 30 minutes of tortuous waiting... they finally get to enjoy the 2 minute ride.  Oh boy!! As the ride comes to an end, they scream in terror...cuz they want it to continue or want to "do it again!" 
Torture for the kids?? Or torture for the parent who has to pull their crying child off the ride...only to reveal to them the truth about life.... it's UNFAIR.  Sigh...

As always.. and as expected... "It's A Small World" was the favorite ride.  But the favorite moment (or moments) have got to be seeing the princesses.  "AHHH!!!"  Forget any tiredness...any slumber... any hunger.  Once she saw Snow White walk out.... Nui-nui was more awake than a child who just inhaled an espresso at a Toys r Us.   Course...that excitement took it's toll.  We had reservations at Aerial's Grotto for Lunch with the Princesses.  And due to some miscommunication (or no communication), we almost missed it.  Have never seen Joyce so peeved....she was so angry she was on the verge of tears.  And all that....so her precious daughter (our precious daughter) can have those "AHHHH!" moments.  Sigh...to be a parent.  To be a loving mother.

Back to the rice cooker.  When that first idea was brought up...it was nothing more than a joke. Who brings a rice cooker to vacation? To Disneyland!?!  But nonetheless...we had it.  And boy...it was invaluable.  We needed to heat up (or almost had to cook) porridge for Bebe who still only eats one thing and one thing only.  None of the hotels we lived at had personal microwaves and there's no way they'll let us use the staff kitchen.  So each day...we fired up the rice cooker before we left the hotel room.  Furthermore... the ricecooker allowed us to make some simple breakfast and snack - macaroni, spam, chicken soup.  After 2-3 days of bacon and eggs... one really has to go to something else.  Embarrassing?? Sure. But practical.  Definitely!! 

I'd be remissed if I didn't mention Star Tours.  The one ride that made this trip worthwhile.  And in fact, I got to go on it twice.  With the average wait time being 60 minutes despite having 5 screens.  And with the fastpass times being 4-5 hours beyond the time it was available... I was lucky enough to have early park admission where the wait time was 5 minutes.  The ride itself was nothing compared to the very very first time (circa 1988?) that I rode this ride.  But was still an experience of experiences.

There's still a million and one things to write about.  The fact that Nui-nui hated the ugly characters and loved the cute characters..... how Bebe loved all kinds of characters, with no fear.... the outpouring of memories of the previous trips with my family.... the food excursions we took while in SoCal.... the fact that I'm a planner and I hate when things go unplanned or awry..... but most of all.... I will cherish those few moments where Joyce and I were able to spend time alone, embracing one another.  Regardless of where we are...that is truly the happiest place on earth.

First Fight

It's inevitable... but my dear Nui-nui got into her first fight.  Anecdotally, I was told she took her best friend's toy.  And her best friend retaliated by biting her in the arm.

Many thoughts cross my mind...

Did she really take her friend's toy? Or did her friend take it from her first...and Nui-nui was caught taking it back?
She was biten...WTH?? Where'd this kid learn to do that?
Should I teach Nui-nui to defend herself... to bite back? To drop kick and body slam the other kid?

It's really that age-old dilemma... fighting is wrong.  But I rather fight...win the fight...and be accused of being wrong.  Geez Louise.  Goes against everything I've been taught or want to teach. 

Sigh...to be a parent.

Here we go again...

September 2010 was when I ran my half-marathon.  Since then, I can count on one hand how many times I've gone for a run.  In fact, I can count it on one finger. 

On the eve of my son's first birthday, I got off my lazy @$$, dawned my New Balance to retread the familiar asphalt of m neighborhood.  Was thinking if I go a mile... that'll be a huge accomplishment. 

I went no further than 0.5 mile and my heart started hurting.  Legs were burning.  Lungs are screaming.  Oh me.... Oh my.... what have I done to my body the past year and a half??

A Man's First Love and Your Future In-law

One of my close friends conspired in me that he's been having some marital problems between his wife and his mom.  This is probably one of the most common areas of friction in any marriage.  And as I was doing the dishes... inspiration started coming to me... leading me to document the following.

A Man's First Love and Your Future In-law

From the moment we are born... we've been loved unconditionally by our mother.  The first person to hold us, the first person to feed us, the first person to coo us to sleep.  They were there when we fell off our bikes, when we got our first B+ in math (ouch!), when we needed someone to drive us here or there.  For the average man that gets married at 30, there are 20+ cognizant years of your life that have us put our mom as the number one woman in our lives.

Asians are raised under Confuscianism of "忠孝仁義." Throughout our childhood, we are taught to sing "世上只有媽媽好."  Americans, likewise, offer Mothers as the dominant parent of honor.  Mother's Day this...Mother's day that.  In the 90's, before cell phones were prominent, the #1 thing that happens on Father's Day is long-distance phone calls... children didn't even bother buying a card or sending flowers.  Catholics are taught to worship Mother Mary.  Christians, Jews and even Muslims have the 10 Commandments drilled into us throughout our childhood - "Honor Thy Parents."  It isn't until we are young adults, perhaps college years, that we start studying Ephesians and Colossians and learning about "submitting to your husband" or "love your wife as God loved the church."  And even then, it's still scratching the surface.


Men are emotional creatures, contrary to popular belief.  Ask any Giants fan about 1962 or 2002... and see if you see a grown man weep?  Or walk into bar that is showing Manchester United playing Chelsea.... and I'll show you men hugging like there's no tomorrow.  But interestingly... it takes men a while to fall in love.  And it takes us a while to fall out of love.  If we are committed to a person, place or thing... we go all in.  And it's hard to pull ourselves out.

Now, how can wives even begin to expect their husbands to "leave your parents and be one with your wife" after 2-3 years of courtship, 2-3 months of pre-marital counseling and a set of vows?  The answer is... WE CAN'T.  Not that we don't want to... but we don't know how. 

So does that mean wives need to just step aside and wait another 20+ years till their husbands come around? No no no.  This is where the grace of God comes in.  It is in His will that you two are together.  And it is through His love, that we can love one another.  Without even getting into the theological definitions of eros and agape... I can summarize it that God will work wonders.  And wives - you must never stop praying for your husband.  Pray that he will continue to be a God fearing man...and a God loving man.  A man that loves God... will learn to love his wife.

It's taken me 5 paragraphs to describe the first four words of the title.  It'll take me one to finish it up.  Instead of waiting for the wife (or spouse, I should say) to pray for the other spouse... parents, start praying for your children now.  Pray that their future spouse will be that God fearing and God loving man.  Why wait until your son or daughter walk down the aisle and commit themselves to your future son or daughter in law.  Now's the time.

We always want the next generation to have it better than us.  If your parents weren't able to pray for your marriage throughout your life... you can make a difference in your children's lives.  Remember... learn to love God more, learn to receive His love... and He will faithfully reward you with more love to love your husband or wife.

-H. Leung