Smile for Sakura

Cherry blossom festival in Brooklyn.

Pop quiz: Where are cherry blossoms originally from?

This is art?

I think Dali's other pieces are much better.

In the Big Apple

Just walked out of Penn station into Madison Square Garden. Reminds me of Japan. Wow.

Odd number

Interesting way to get drivers to pay attention. Speed limit in company parking area in New Jersey.

I'm too young for any kids

On my flight to New Jersey, I was surrounded by kids.  The girl next to me ended up being quite pleasant.  The gentleman beside her was helping her do some math homework.  The small boy in front of us addressed him as dad, but the girl didn't.  I couldn't figure if he was a father or grandfather.

 

I ended up making small talk with the girl.  She was 8 years old from New Jersey, but was in California visiting cousins.  She introduced me to her uncle, who was the 5 year old in front of us.  Huh?

 

The gentleman explained that the 5 year old was his son, and the girl belonged to his daughter, which makes her his granddaughter.  Oh.  There is a huge age gap between his first and last child.

 

Her name was Allysa.  I can't recall the name of the boy.  Anyhow, I adored this 8 year old girl.  Imagine if I had a daughter- yikes!  I ended up telling my age by using math.  I told her: add XX to your age.  Eventually, Allysa told me that her father was 26 years old and her mom 24 years old.  I did the math.  Not to give away my own age, but I'm older than both of her parents and yet I have no kids.  I have a feeling Alyssa was a mistake, since a second child was on the way, which would be a 9 year difference.

 

During my little time on the east coast, it seems like everyone has kids.  During my training course today, only one other person besides me had no kids (9 people in the class).  I was talking to one of the people in in my training course about my plane ride.  This person has 2 daughters at ages 4 and 5, and claimed that her life didn't change- sure, you have to get babysitters when you want to go out.  I just looked at her.  I think I'm too young for any kids.

 

I've been told that everywhere but California, everyone gets married by a certain age.  On the other hand, it's not uncommon to be single in California.  Why is that?

 

 

An asian's baby face

Since I'm sick, I took a nap after work and didn't get up until 9pm'ish, at which time I decided I should eat something I drove to New Brunswick from Somerset (near Newark) in New Jersey, but I didn't find anything appetizing. With no luck, I dragged myself to the hotel bar around 10pm since the kitchen closed at 11pm. I entered the bar and noticed that I'm the only non-white person. All the tables hadn't been bussed yet so I decided to take a seat at the bar. I was also the only girl at the bar. I potentially could have been the youngest person there as well. The bartender approaches me.

Bartender: You have to be 21 to sit at the bar.

sMhyla: I'm older than 21.

Bartender: Do you want something to go or for here?

sMhyla: May I eat at the bar?

Bartender: Yes.

sMhyla: May I see a wine list?

Bartender: I need to check your ID.

sMhyla hands him her ID. Bartender puts his glasses on and confirm sMhyla's age. Bartender gives sMhyla a wine list.

sMhyla: What year is the cab by Coppolla?

Bartender: They're all different years, no specific year.

sMhyla stares at the Bartender.

sMhyla: Fine, I'll take the Coppolla. I will also have a philly cheese steak.

Not the best combo, but beer at 10pm didn't sound proper either. My fries were cold, but I didn't feel like sending it back in fear of someone spitting in my food (I saw the movie, Waiting). This is the one downside to traveling: eating alone and not knowing where to eat.

I understand that I may look young, but I don't think someone needs to be rude about it. I doubt my blog rendition of this moment tonight expresses the rudeness the Bartender exuded. My friends make fun that I look young, but it will be my advantage one day.

Raining in New Jersey!?

When I added New Jersey and New York to my Google Weather Updates this morning, I didn't bother to check the 5-day forecast. Therefore, I was taken by surprise when my neighbor on the plane ride told me it would be raining in New Jersey. I exclaimed, "Really? I didn't pack for that kind of weather." He tried to calm me down by offering the fact there are stores in New Jersey. His wife chimed in, "Nice stores as a matter of fact." I crammed all my stuff into a duffle bag, so there is absolutely no room for new clothes, even if I wanted some. I just got back from Europe, so spending money is nonexistant at this point in time. At least, I brought one weather-proof jacket. However, I will probably succumb to purchasing an umbrella even though I avoided it in Europe. On the bright side, it could be snowing, right?

Anyhow, I hate the time change. I barely got into my hotel before I turned into a pumpkin (that's midnight for those who are unfamiliar with the childhood story). My wake-up call is scheduled for 7:00 am EST, which means 4:00 am PST. Somehow, I will force myself to bed right now.

Self-reminder for next blog post: Surrounded by kids on the long plane ride...

Sitting by a bunch of

Sitting by a bunch of kids, this will be a long flight!

Tough week ahead of me

Monday - Work in office in California
Tuesday - Fly out from LA to New Jersey
Wednesday - Training in New Jersey
Thursday - Training in New Jersey
Friday - Vacation day in New York
Saturday - Hanging out in New York
Sunday - More hanging out in the Big Apple

I have yet to plan out my schedule for the long weekend, since I haven't really explored the Big Apple. Any suggestions out there in the blogosphere??

I must say that I'm pretty excited that the hardest part of the week has passed. Monday was my first and last day of real work this week. Phew! New York, here I come...

PS. I've been blogging at nighttimes, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep up this week. My body (and brain) will not be thrilled with 8:30am EST meetings, which mean 5:30am PST. Well, at least it will be a short week.

Dress sexy or not?

Boy goes to Girl's house to pick her up for dinner with his co-workers in Hollywood. This is a milestone- meeting date's coworkers. Plus, it's Hollywood, so "dress to impress". Boy greets Girl at her doorstep. Girl is doing her last touches, so Boy steps inside the apartment.

Boy looks at Girl's sexy yet revealing blouse and asks, "Do you have any other shirts with less cleavage?"

Girl looks at Boy in the eyes and responds, "Yes..." Girl turns around and goes back into her closet to throw on a camisole underneath the top. [Camisole is a fancy way of saying tank top.]

When Girl returns to the livingroom, Boy says this time, "Can you pull up your shirt?"

For the rest of the night, Boy was checking out other girls at the restaurant to see what they were wearing.

I was dying of laughter when I heard this story. My last boyfriend was a conservative guy, but I think this one beats them all. For their next dinner date, Girl didn't even try dressing seductively for Boy. Moral of the story: Guys like to ogle at girls' skimpy outfits, but want a conservatively-dressed girlfriend?

Bad teeth = Bulimic?

My guy friend was telling me about a girl he had met recently. This girl had a nice body, but her teeth weren't so good. Specifically, her gums were discolored, blackened. The other oddity: she turned down his dinner invitation, but suggested meeting up for drinking and dancing. That was a first for him- what kind of girl turns down a free dinner??

My instant response: Maybe she's bulimic. The acid from throwing up will ruin teeth and gums. Check out her hands if she has bite marks and/or her nails look gross. This means she has problems that are deeper than food itself. I don't know firsthand, but I think I have a friend who's bulimic.

Later, when I asked him what happened, my guy friend had decided to not pursue that girl. "Too much drama." He did Google it and everything I said was true. Perfect teeth aren't a requirement per se, but there is a minimum standard. It's not necessarily being superficial, but it may be less pleasant to kiss someone. Since I had braces, I'm more critical about teeth, so I totally understand his point of view.

A dozen shots in 1 night?

Since I had spent a pretty penny on a few pairs of shoes yesterday, I decided to party smart last night. Therefore, pre-drinking was a requirement. I offered our humble abode for the pre-party last night, so that I can safely crawl to the bars. I was successful in not spending a single dime last night, which I must admit is a first for me. Normally, I don't accept any free drinks. For some reason, everyone (friends and strangers) was offering me drinks left and right. Don't confuse this with bragging. I ended up cutting myself off since I was already wasted BEFORE hitting the bars. Later in the night and many drinks later, when someone asked, "What would you like to drink?", my quick response was, "Water, please." Somehow, I knew my own limit (this time).

We caused havoc at the newest place in Hermosa Beach, called The Shore. From what I vaguely recall and based on my endless stream of photos, all in all I had fun last night for my friend's birthday. I definately want to go back to this place. The Shore was a good size for being in Hermosa and great music and atmosphere for dancing. I'll post some pics later. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit behind on posting pics, since I'm overloaded from my Europe trip.

Anyhow, I don't plan on partying for awhile. After 4 nights of debauchery, I need to rest up for NYC. I'm still recovering from my Europe trip as well. I think I'm still jetlagged since I've been waking up about 7:30am every morning even though I got smashed the night before. This morning, I sent text messages to all my friends but everyone was still sleeping, to no surprise. I ended up getting coffee and bagel all by myself. My hangover wasn't too bad, especially considering how much I had...

• Starbucks latte spiked with 1 shot each of: vanilla vodka, Bailey's, and Kahlua (recipe copied from a drink we had in Las Vegas last year)
• Minimum 3 homemade double Tanqueray and tonics (I measured each shot precisely, btw)
• Minimum 3 single Tanqueray and tonics

That adds up to 12 drinks, if I am not forgetting anything, that is. No regurgitation this time, since I was smart about eating dinner early enough. Needless to say, I don't want to touch another drink for awhile. Let the countdown begin to the next weekend...

Girls on the dance floor

Girls on the dance floor
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Getting down and dirty with the 80's band at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach for Sally's birthday last night. There are more pics, but "what happens in Hermosa, stays in Hermosa", right? This is just a glimpse since the weekend has yet to begin. One birthday down, one birthday to go...

TGIF.

Happy Birthday, Angi!!!!

My balcony view today

Weird weather at Hermosa Beach today. Sunny yet overcast but still better than London.

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Move or stop???

That is the wicked question of the day. I need to get rid of some unwanted readers. This may sound rude, but it's causing some problems. I don't know how I can do it... Perhaps I shall start from a blank slate and lose 1.25 years of hard work? Does anyone know how to block specific IP addresses?? Any wild ideas out there in the blogosphere? Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I played b-ball today, uh-huh

Brother #1: You have so many bricks, that you can build a house.

Me: Huh? Oh... that's funny, I've never heard that before, but maybe I've never bricked so much.

Later, my brother dares me to do "suicides" where I run back and forth along the basketball court at full speed while dribbling (or at least trying to). As I am trying to, my bro says, "Do it without looking at the ball." As I look up, I continue in forward motion while the ball fails to keep up. Oops. My brother says, "I remember that you used to dribble the ball well." I respond, "Well, at least 10 years have passed by." Highschool was awhile ago...

Today was my first attempt to play b-ball in a long time. My bro made me do lay-ups until I got 5 in a row before he let me take a break- what a tough coach, huh? I sure was getting a good workout. I think the endorphins gave me a natural high and then I was in a good mood for the rest of the night when I went out. Tonight we celebrated my friend's bday.

Happy Bday, Sally!!!

I can't believe it's beer!

I can't believe it's beer!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Lemon in beer? I know that Mexican beers do that, but where does one draw the line? Anyhow, this was my first beer on tap, a Belgian beer called Hoegaarden (see picture, to help my memory). BTW, it's made by the same people who make Stella Artois and Beck's. My friend bought me a pint as soon as I arrived at London Heathrow airport 2 Fridays ago. It tasted too good to be beer- totally beats Budweiser. I drank Guiness in Europe too, smmmooooottthhhh. There was another white beer that tasted sweet, but I can't recall the name at the moment (forgot to take picture, darn it). I must agree that beer tastes much better in Europe.

We went to one beer garden in Cambridge, UK, but it wasn't much. I'm sure it will be crazier during summertime. The beer gardens here are set up for special occassions only, i.e. Oktoberfest and the summer fairs. I wonder where I can find this beer here...

Water & gas = Pretty pence

I think the most that I have paid for a bottle of water in the US is $7 (for fancy water in a club in Las Vegas). Here are some prices for "still" water, not the "bubbly":

• 1.50 Euros x 1.22 $US/Euro = $1.83 US at a vending machine in Paris
• 0.50 Euros x 1.22 $US/Euro = $0.61 US in a grocery store in Paris (most reasonable)
• 1.20 Pounds x 1.88 $US/Pounds = $2.26 US at a vending machine in London
• 2.00 Pounds x 1.88 $US/Pounds = $3.76 US in a club in London
• 2.50 Pounds x 1.88 $US/Pounds = $4.70 US in a club in London
• Fun I had in Europe = Priceless

I didn't fill up my tank before I left, so I had to get gas on the way to work this morning. The price went up over the past 11 days. Now it's over 3 bucks per gallon, but it's supposed to rise to $4/gallon by summer time. I remember the days when it was $1.19/gallon! In the UK, my friend said it was ~8 bucks per gallon, so I guess I should not be complaining. However, the public transportation in Paris and London supersedes anything in California. If there were more convenient trains and subways, I'd take it. Next week, I will be learning how to get around NYC, the one part of the US with decent means of transportation.

I must say that I'm glad to be back. I can drive wherever I want, whenever I want. The weather in Los Angeles is much more pleasant, sunny and warm. I'll post more pics soon...

Home sweet home

As much fun as I had in Paris and London, I'm glad to be back home in my own bed with warm weather.  This is a quick post since I'm goig to crash any moment since I'm still running on London time (4:30am at this moment to be exact).  I will load my hundreds of photos soon.  Stay tuned...

London, here I come!

I finally got to my friend's house in Cambridge by 2am last night.  My flight was delayed, so I was sitting at the airport for 7-8 hours.  It doesn't pay to go early.  At least, the flight was smoother this time, so I didn't need a doggy bag.  I can barely get out of bed this morning, but at least it should be fun from now on.  This was the first chance to sleep in since last weekend.  The weather looks pleasant, no rain today (yet).

 

Since this was primarily a business trip, it hasn't been full of pleasure.  I was in Holland for less than 24 hours, so I was unable to take full advantage of the spa hotel.  It was the nicest hotel on the trip so far.  I was in Lyon, France, for a little more than 24 hours but I spent most of it in the airport.  The Wi-Fi wasn't free, so I sat in utter boredom at the airport for the most part.  Traveling is one of the perks for my job, but I don't like moving to a new place every day or two.  I haven't stayed long enough anywhere to do laundry, so I had to pack for 11 days.  At least, I took a day off before and after my trip, so that I can have 2 full weekends in Europe.  This wasn't the best time of the year to visit and Paris was nice so far, I think the Caribbean is a better getaway spot.  However, one can argue that there is nothing to do there but lay on the beach.  I suppose there are some beaches here that are nice in the summer.

 

Time for me to get on the road for London...

I hate waiting

I'm sitting in the airport at Lyon, France...  I think our flight is 6 hours away.  I hate waiting.  I can kill some time on the internet, but my laptop battery will die any second.  I hate waiting, if I haven't said that yet.  I can't wait until I'm in London tomorrow for vacation.  Ugh.

European Words of the Day

What Americans call "French fries" are simply "fries" in France. However, "fish and chips" in the UK don't quite mean "fish and fries". I learned that "chips" are the wider cut friend potatoe wedges, while "fries" mean the slender ones . I suppose this is the same as how "Thai iced tea" means "ice tea" in Thailand. If you haven't had the pleasure of it yet, Thai iced tea is iced tea with condensed milk, I believe, which is not the healthiest drink around. My colleague from the UK shared a story that he learned about "English muffins" at his last business trip in California. He exclaimed to an American lady in line at the hotel breakfast buffet, "I've been English all my life, but never knew about English muffins." It must be an American who made up the silly name, of course.

I thought "cheers" in (British) English meant "goodbye" or "take care", but it actually means "thanks". I had no idea that I didn't know "English". I should have bought a proper English dictionary for my trip. I'm sure I'll have a harder time when I hit London for Easter weekend. I was in the Netherlands today for less than 24 hours, so I was not lucky enough to enjoy that part of the world. At this very moment, I'm in Lyon, France, for about 24 hours as well, before I head to London. Jetlag has kept me messed up still. I'll blog more later about other tidbits I've picked up in Europe.

Safety for French pets

Safety for French pets
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

When we passed by the Arc of Triumph on Champs Elyees Road in Paris, I spotted this motorcyclist and its pet. I've heard of sweaters and shirts for dogs, but...

The Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum in Paris
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

Just having some fun at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. I asked my friend to pose like the Borghese Gladiator from Greece- he's a good sport, ha ha. As I mentioned earlier, we didn't do justice to the Louvre, since we zipped through the Top 10 exhibits in 1 hour. One weekend (with a French-speaking friend) is barely enough time to get a taste of Paris, but I can always come back another day...

Bonjour from Paris!

Bonjour from Paris!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

This is the first chance to access the web in Europe. My withdrawal from blogging was manageable, since we were constantly on the go all around Paris. In 2 days, we squeezed in most of popular tourist things-to-do. Of course, we didn't do justice to the Louvre, but we saw the Top 10 displays within 1 hour, believe it or not. I will be posting more pictures in the near future.

Based on my short time in Paris...
Highlights:
*Convenient public transportation (which equals exercise)
*Desserts - fancy and yummy
*Acceptable to drink wine during the day

Lowlights:
*Graffiti and trash, especially dog poop
*Not English-friendly (but thank goodness for my friend who doubled as my translator/tourist guide)
*Cold weather

Now I'm in Cambridge, UK (just as cold if not colder). My jetlag is killing me today, so I can't wait until today is over. We might do some punting after work if it doesn't rain (again). I don't mean punting, like in rugby or American football. Cheers!

Europe, here I come!

This might be my last post for awhile, since I'm not sure about my internet access when I'm overseas. I'm counting down the hours until I leave work today and get on the plane. I'm anxious to just get there. I started another countdown timer at the top of my blog site, so that I know how much time I have until I return. Woo hoo.

Updated travel schedule:

• 4/6 Depart from Los Angeles, CA
• 4/7 - 4/9 Weekend in Paris, France
• 4/9 - 4/11 Work in Cambridge, UK
• 4/12 Work in Netherlands
• 4/13 Work in Lyon, France
• 4/14 - 4/17 Easter weekend in London, UK
• 4/17 Return to Los Angeles, CA, for 1 whole week
• 4/25 - 4/27 Work in New Jersey
• 4/27 - 4/30 Long weekend in New York
• 4/30 Return to Los Angeles, CA, for 3 days
• 5/3 - 5/5 Work in Mexicali, Mexico

Alot of space out here...

Alot of space out here...
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

That's exactly what my Italian friend emailed me with this picture. I've never been to Montana, but I'll be in Paris soon. My plane leaves in exactly 24 hours... Woo hoo!

I live in God's country too!

Funny license plate
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

After work yesterday, I was driving behind this car, when I noticed it's license plate. Then I thought to myself, "Hey, I live in God's country too!" I know my bro wanted a new license plate, so I wonder where I can get one of those for him. Hope it's not blasphemy. However, I personally don't want a recognizable plate on my car for good reasons.

Podcasts to learn French & more

First of all: Thanks, Sue!!

Per this reader's suggestion in my chat box (see right panel), I finally took the time to start podcasting. I knew that I'd want to download the podcasts for my fave TV shows, but I browsed the list of Top 100 Podcasts. Here is what I downloaded so far (in order):

• The official LOST Podcast
• 24 cast
• NPR: Technology
• French for Beginners (I need a crash course, since I'll be in Paris this Friday!!)
• YOGAmazing
• NPR: Story of the Day
• Business Week - Cover Stories

Now I can learn some French on my Nano iPod while I'm sitting in the plane for a half day or so on the way to Europe. The French lessons come with vocabulary lists in PDF files for me to visually following along, how cool! I only wish I had learned about Podcasting earlier. Does anyone else suggest other particular podcasts?

Many places to go

I just learned that I have to go New Jersey for 2-day training.  While I'm there, I will take a vacation day to spend a long weekend in New York with an old college friend.  I went to New Jersey 5.5 years ago, at which time we went to New York for a quick dinner one night.  This will be my chance to explore the Big Apple.  I'm looking forward to doing all the touristy stuff, including a Broadway show.

 

Now I won't be around much in April.  I've got one weekend in between the 2 trips, where I can celebrate birthdays of two of my good friends.  We might go to Rosarito, Mexico, for the semi-annual bike race, but I'm hoping we stay local for the weekend due to limited time and money (I'll probably be broke after Europe).  Of course, it's not my birthday.

• Apr 6-17 Europe (UK, Netherlands, France) for business and pleasure
• Apr 25-30 New Jersey for business in 2 days and New York for pleasure in a long weekend

I might have to go to Mexico for work too.  Originally, the visit is supposed to be this Thursday, but I'm already booked.  I will only be in the office for 5 business days for the rest of April.  Some of that time will be dedicated to unpacking my stuff in my new cubicle, so I will be in disarray.  The thought of too much work in too little time is distressing.  I can't wait until April is over.  I guess I shouldn't complain too much, since someone else I know is traveling for 4 weeks non-stop.  At least, his weekends are paid for, while I'm footing the cost of my weekends in Paris and London.  I know it's a small price to pay for my first chance to visit Europe.

 

I have alot planned in May as well.  I'm hoping to go to (Toronto?) Canada with my cousin to visit her cousin.  I'm excited about visiting all these new places.  When I get back, I'll have to update my meme for "Where in the world is sMhyla" map from a previous blog post.

 

I will apologize now for any interruptions in my blog posting since I don't know what my internet accessibility will be during my trips.  I'm sure I will have alot for show-and-tell, so stay tuned...

 

2 days and counting...

Mr. Bubble & me, ooh la la

Mr. Bubble
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

The only bubble bath stuff I could find at Target was for kids. After awhile, the "wacky watermelon" scent of Mr. Bubble grows on you. Since it has been a long time, I wasn't sure about the proper amount. Soon enough, I learned that it is possible to put too much, especially in a tub with jacuzzi jets. It was nice to soak in a hot tub after a painful (another story) yet good massage. I think I can get used to this pampering...

Adam's April Fool's Night

Happy Bday, Adam!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

In my limited drinking years, I had not formally done a pub crawl until this past Saturday night. We made the trek to Santa Monica in honor of my b-school friend. Since I was lucky to be DD that night, I was not out of control, but I can't say the same for the birthday boy, ha ha. The first stop was the World Cafe, which had a cool atmosphere. Then we crawled to O'Brien's Pub and Mor Bar, both of which was shoulder-to-shoulder. These last two places were too dark and crowded for me to take any more pictures. At least The Mor Bar offered dancing, albeit a small and overcrowded dance floor. I had been to The Mor Bar a few months ago for another friend's birthday, but I can't say that it will be one of my top spots. I'll have to explore Santa Monica a bit more, especially since I'm getting bored of the South Bay. Happy Birthday, Adam!

First engagement party

Another friend engaged
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

I've hit that age, I think. Marie is one of the few people I have stayed in touch with from the college years. On Friday night, she formally announced that will be taking the plunge with her love. I'll be posting a cute picture of the lucky guy soon. Congrats, Marie.

Another blogaholic is born

One of my friends has entered the blogosphere, andreabonanomi.blogspot.com. Andrea is an Italian guy who was one of my neighbors and lived with my colleague, but now he is traveling around the US for work. Blogging will be a good way for him to keep in touch with his friends, especially those international ones back in Italy. In less than a few hours, he has already posted 3 times- a tell-tale sign of blogaholicism... I've added a link to his blog site on my Blogroll in the right panel of my site, in order to keep up with him. Andrea, welcome to this side of the blogosphere!

My commenting policy

Recently, I've used my right to edit/delete a comment by an anonymous reader (AKA a "secret admirer", but the admiration doesn't feel heart-warming). Perhaps, a commenting policy is worth posting for my blog. As a reader, you are entitled to your opinion, which you are welcome to share. You can do it in a personal email directly to me and/or as a comment in my blog, but I retain the right to edit/delete it per this policy. Sounds serious, eh? Well, some people don't have common sense, sad to say.

I reserve the exclusive right to moderate all comments posted on my site, including but not limited to:

• Marking up comments that contain flames or ad hominem attacks against me or others in the community. Any comments that I decide are personal attacks against me or others. Such flames will be marked as deleted and linked to this page.
• Deleting comments that contain flames or ad hominem attacks against my family or friends. Repeat offenders will be banned by all available means.
• Deleting comments that are off-topic. Comments that are dramatically off-topic or do not contribute to the discussion of the posts (or any discussion that has arisen in the comments) will be deleted. Email is the best way to give me your opinion in these cases. Email me; ask me anything.
• Not all posts have comments enabled, and this is intentional. Some posts have comments enabled for a limited time, and then no more comments may be added; this is also intentional. Attempts to use one post to comment on another will be deleted.
• Deleting comments that contain offensive language. Repeated use of abusive and offensive language will be deleted and banned.
• Trackbacks are remote comments and are subject to these same rules.

Ultimately these rules are here to give me some control over my site.

Note: This commenting policy follows that recommended on Haloscan.

Turbo Tax not free for elders

This year, I offered to do the tax return for my father, instead of him shelling out $60 for someone to do it, albeit tax deductible. Taxes aren't that complicated for me. For this year, I already did it for myself and two of my brothers. I've never done it for my parents until now.

In a previous blog post, I mentioned that the free offer for Turbo Tax has a income cap, which made me ineligible. I normally pay for Turbo Tax, but I decided to save myself $35 this year and do it myself. However, I used the software on-line to simply calculate my taxes, then proceeded to fill out the paperwork by hand and sent it to IRS by snail mail.

I just learned right now that there is one other exception: the tax payer must be under age 50. That's odd. Is it because older people should be able to afford tax software? Turbo Tax's website for this offer is called "Tax Freedom", which should be "Tax Freedom for lower income younger people". 12 days and counting until the tax deadline...

Pussy, Pussy, Pussy...

Pussy Cat Dolls at Club Pure, Las Vegas
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

...Cat Dolls. I mean, Pussy Cat Dolls.

That's exactly how I said it, stutter and all. One night, we were talking about Vegas at the poker table, when I was desperately trying to remember the name of the performers at Club Pure in Cesar's (my fave club in Vegas). I was stuck on the first word, Pussy, and couldn't remember the rest of the name for the life of me. My friends busted out in laughing after I completed my thought, because they thought I was literally saying, "Pussy, Pussy, Pussy". *Blush* This moment now ranks as one of my most embarrassing.

I've been Schmap'd

My Vegas pics of the Pussy Cat Dolls* at Club Pure made the final cut into the Schmap Las Vegas Guide. You can download this city guide for free, CLICK HERE. Once downloaded, you can search for "Pure" to find my pics, or you can see my username listed under photographer credits, which links to my Flickr page. I'm also posted on the Schmap website. Schmap found out that many bloggers were blogging about Schmap, so they added a section called "In the Blogs", like "In the News". CLICK HERE to see references to me and other bloggers.

*This reminds of a funny story, which I will blog about next.

Note: I made up the new word "schmap'd". Sounds like a catchy trademark?

No touching

In general, I don't like to be touched. You may think this is odd, but I have my reasons (personal reasons that I'm not going to share in this blog). I can be affectionate with a boyfriend, but I don't like hugs and kisses with other people. My friends were offended or perturbed that I didn't welcome them when I saw them. However, I've been working on it lately by being the first one to offer a hug to a friend. Eventually, I explain to them and they understand. If you will, I have "my personal space" and don't like anyone in it. Some people thinks this is odd, but it's my perogative.

Anyhow, I bring this up because my best friend gave me a gift certificate for a massage at a local day spa as a Christmas gift. Originally, he had gotten me something else, but I had bought it for myself (b/c I have no patience). Anyhow, he got a massage for me since I have been tense. My headaches have come back to haunt me. I have had neck/shoulder/back problems since my car accident 5 years ago last month. It is a nice gift, but then he remembered that I don't like being touched. I get over it by telling myself, "No pain, no gain" and "This is for my own good". After 3 months since I received his gift, I have finally scheduled an appointment today. I'm so excited to make my headaches go away.

NOTE: I archived earlier than normal upon a fellow blogger's request, so you can read previous blog posts in my monthly archives (see right panel).

Comments from anon reader

Today, an anonymous reader left me the same comment 3 times and posted it in my chat box in the right panel. I usually approve all comments, but I'm not so sure about this one.

This anonymous reader is located in Japan, but I don't think it's a Japanese person. This person has been reading my site since last year. I wonder why he/she care so much to write me a comment without leaving a username and/or email address. This person reads my site for an hour at a time, hmm... Anyone can always write me a personal email. I think you know my ex-boyfriend, who is also my best friend. I don't write about him much because he does read my site. Regardless, it doesn't matter in the big picture. If I'm wrong and you are sincere about commenting, then let me know and I'll consider approval of your comments. Otherwise, I will let my best friend see your comments personally, since you want someone to see it.

Yummy for my tummy!

Yummy for my tummy!
Originally uploaded by smhyla.

I made dinner for a few of my good friends the other night, so my friend brought wine and dessert. I think this is a good custom to follow whenever one goes to another's home (hint, hint). She remembered that Chocolate Ganache Torte from Trader Joe's is one of my faves. The way to sMhyla's heart is through her stomach, ha ha.

When I have to bring something to a party, Chocolate Ganache Torte is always a winner. It's delicious yet cheap (about 5 bucks only). Of course, I only buy it for special occassions where I can share the fat, otherwise it would be "a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips".