LilRunningRhino's Xanga

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:22:10 GMT

Did a lot of cool stuff recently but too lazy to post about any of them. Its nice to put up a picture about events, but web hosting a large image is always a problem. I find it hard to justify paying for a hosting service when I am just an infrequent and low bandwidth user...oh well.

American LeMans at Laguna Seca was nice, but the freezing wind was not. It was so cold and windy that I broke down and bought the cheapest hoodie they have at the gift shop, at $50. I don't regret buying it, because otherwise I will be paying $15 copay to see a doctor plus another $10 to buy meds, not to mention lost wages from taking sick days.

But what got my lazy ass to write this entry is due to event this weekend....

I went to a comedy club (SanJose Improv) with friends on Sunday, it was pretty cool, till I felt asleep at the show from the alcohol I had and the 4 hours of sleep I had the night before. I blame it on the fact that the headliner was not the funniest dude around. I came home and went to bed immediately, and woke up at midnight due to hunger. Cooked an instant ramen, ate it, and proceed to break out in hives within 30minutes. I wasn't sure what caused it, but I never had skin allergies before. I had bumps all over my legs and it was itchy as hell. Smeared a bunch of hydrocortizone cream all over and it went away after a bit, but I lost a few hours of sleep dued to that. Whatever I was allergic to will take a few days to clear out of my system, so I decided to cook dinner at home.

1) I have no wok
2) I have no chopsticks
3) I have no rice

Yeah....after I moved, I haven't cooked once...I barely have any seasonings at home. I don't have a colander, nor a cutting board. I think a lot of people were shocked at the fact that I don't own a pair of chopsticks, nor soy sauce. After work Monday, I figured I would buy all the necessities at 99Ranch (your local chink groceries).

Guess what...there is no wok in 99ranch.... NO WOK!!!!
Like..what kind of chinese supermarket would be without a wok? It's not like I can walk down to the local "wok depot" and pick it up....wth? They have rice cookers and water heaters, hot pot and butane stoves....but no wok. For that matter, vegetables were all bagged in plastic, rotting in its own condensation...wtf! I haven't walked in a 99Ranch for a couple of years, and this is what happened in the mean time? So I walked out of that place without buying anything....needless to say, I had to eat out last night, and tonight too, since my evening class gets out too late for me to do grocery shopping at another asian supermarket.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 01:23:53 GMT

Hmm..yeah...so I went to a friend's wedding in LA on Sept 10th, it was cool and all. Tons of ppl and I took tons of pictures too...actually about 100 of them. Indoor digital photography sucks when you don't have a steady hand, with the slow shutter speed and long exposure time and all...I kinda needed a tripod.

You know who care for you by how late they stay at your wedding I think. When they clear out barely past the dessert, you know they are here purely for social obligation...shit...you probably invited them out of social obligation too. But all that aside, its awesome to have so many ppl that genuinely cares for you surrounding you, cheering you on, and generally have a good time. The love and care in the air was infectious.

Since the wedding was in downtown LA, I booked my hotel in Little Tokyo just so it would be easy to get back and rest after getting pissed drunk. It was only $6 cab ride back. Speaking of cab ride, the driver coming back from the wedding was super shady. First of all, he let the meter run while he was trying to give people directions right at the hotel lobby. I am not against helping anyone, but 1 they can call a cab, 2 they are not stranded in the middle of no where, 3 those ppl were just wandering around on foot looking for the next party to get drunk and wasted, 4 driver was actually trying to solicite business, promising to come back and take them. Do you own business mongering on your own dime you jackass! The meter ticked quite a bit as he was taking his sweet time talking to these ppl, and my party of 3 just got in the cab...not even out of the hotel driveway.

He knows he is running the meter...but he thinks we were too drunk to realize. Then he plays like he doesn't know where the hotel is at...keep muttering the name of the hotel searching his memory, while at the same time glance at the back seat and me (I was in the front) to see our reaction. Although I get quite red even half a sip of beer, I was actually sober, but he probably couldn't be sure one way or the other. So he didn't try to run around too much.

Oh...this is the best part...once at the destination, I pulled out a $20. He asked whether we have change. Now don't give me wrong, I am sure not every driver carries enough change if everyone whips out a $20 at the end of their ride. The ride was 6 bucks, so I told him I only want $10 bucks back. Considering it was short, and we didn't mess up his car like puking drunks would, I thought that was a fair tip. He seemed still reluctant to produce change. When our eyes meet, that's when I know he is trying to play that "I don't have change game". Would have been believable too if he didn't start reaching for his wallet slowly, while I INSISTED to my backseat passenger that I will pay for the ride. He knew I wasn't so pissed drunk to give him that fat of a tip, and I thought I won that game. Then the backseat guy whipped out a 20 and just shoved it in the cabbie's hand, saying that he will just pay for it. I can see the smile on the cabbie's face, because he knows the guy in the backseat is too drunk to ask for change back, he knew he won.

Some ppl may still think I looked too much into it...but here is the bitch slap: he didn't put the money in his wallet, which he pretended that was the only place he carried his money earlier while "searching for possible change". He put the money into another box/compartment, which clearly has some other greens in there that is not of $20 denomination. What a dirty asshole...at least have some decency to put away the money after I got out of the car with my back turned. Even though I wasn't the one that got money conned (It was Kaz, fool), it was tough to live it down, when victory was so within reach.

So for all those who knows Kaz and want to comment how much he sucked, please do so.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 21:23:29 GMT

NJonHo: i closed my account with etrade
ryan: why
NJonHo: because they are charging hella brokerage
NJonHo: i withdrawn all the funds
NJonHo: and then out of the blue, they gave me 34cents dividends after a month
NJonHo: of closing account
NJonHo: and then proceed to charge me 10bucks to process the check
NJonHo: it was a genuine WTF moment
ryan: yep
ryan: etrade rapes
NJonHo: when they are charging me 10 bucks for sending me a 34 cents check that I didn't earn.

Friday, September 02, 2005

Fri, 02 Sep 2005 17:38:52 GMT

NJonHo: http://www.craigslist.org/sby/car/94884356.html
NJonHo: read the ad, click the picture
NJonHo: and BEWARE!
NJonHo: so i was getting off of work
NJonHo: and almost got hit
NJonHo: in my own company parking lot
NJonHo: because some bitch is driving this black celica convertble while on her cell phone
NJonHo: which was a WTF moment, but sort of to be expected to see driver distracted with cell phone
NJonHo: then the car roll by with a huge ass for sale sign
NJonHo: i was like WTFFF? the bitch was test driving the fucking car while on fucking cell phone? with a stick shift?
NJonHo: I decided to go on craigslist to see if the ad for that car is on there....SOB

anyways...the link to this car's picture can be found here: http://photos.yahoo.com/kichuraj

BEWARE......

It still confuses me why there is a need to talk on the cell while you are test driving a car...don't you have a more important task at hand? Like listening for strange noises from the car?

Monday, August 22, 2005

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 23:54:20 GMT

rokku: lol, ever heard of xanga called "xangay"
rokku: lol
NJonHo: yes
NJonHo: because there is a lot of gay shit on there
NJonHo: like all diaries
NJonHo: diary is gay in general
NJonHo: since most inner thoughts are gay
NJonHo: hahahahha
rokku: yeap
rokku: it's hella funny when ppl make fun of themselves for blogging
rokku: XANGAY
rokku: ooh ooh post it on ur xanga!
NJonHo: actually, its just this culture, sensitivity is very gay in america
rokku: LOL
rokku: as in, who gives a shit?
rokku: that what u mean?
NJonHo: werd
rokku: how bout i start my xanga and write about all the gay xanga's i've found
NJonHo: werd
NJonHo: spread the sensitivity around
NJonHo: and all the self promotion
NJonHo: and all the neuroticism

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Sun, 10 Jul 2005 20:57:48 GMT

Got a letter from high school about the 10yr reunion. I guess they pull some internet searches to find me, since I have moved more than 5 times since I moved to NorCal, and I never once register my address with the school.

I went to 3 high schools, and the one I graduated in is my least favorite one. I didn't come out with any school pride, because it was populated by spoiled suburban kids who are shallow and lack respect. In contrast, people from the poor neighborhood in Anaheim were more real and true, and I enojoyed my year there. But since I didn't graduate from there, fat chance I will be invited back to that school. Not sure about being introspective, but I tend to walk down memorylane a lot when I am alone. It has been that way since when I was young. I always examined what I've done right and what I've done wrong, and hope to improve for the future.

There are better things to spend time on than to catch up with people that I could never call friend. So I guess someone wasted their internet search fee...

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Sun, 10 Jul 2005 18:18:24 GMT

The parental units came to Norcal to visit, because I guess they are bored in Socal. I had absolutely no desire to spend time with them, for I still harbor a lot of grudge for their part in contributing to my failed relationship. Some people asked why I would still see them, the simple truth is this, I need them.

As much as I am willing to walk away from my racist, selfish, bigot parents (if they were white, they would have joined KKK), I don't know of any girl's family that would be happy to marry their daughter to a family of no in-laws. Invariably, when you date a girl and get serious, her family is bound to ask about your family, to see how you are raised and all that good stuff. They also wouldn't want to have the daughter married into an abusive in-law household. Since my parents aren't dead, and I have no intention to lie otherwise, they will want to meet the in-laws. And also, if my parents don't show up for my wedding, I couldn't care less, but the bride's family may feel insulted, and no one would be happy if the bride's family is not happy.

So yeah...unless I find a girl that truly doesn't give a shit about the family, I am gonna have to play this toleration game with my parents. Where is my wild princess who would elope with me??

So they came up Friday night, and I came up with some excuses to not go with them to Napa on Saturday. I didn't know what to do with them for Friday night, since they are such boring/picky people that no activity would please the both of them. In the end, I just went to have kaiseki dinner at Kaygetsu in Menlo Park with them. Knowing that a kaiseki dinner would take 2 hours, that would save me from figuring out an activity, plus I can be busy staring at the pretty place mat or eating good japanese food. 500 bucks was a small price to pay when it came to that. In truth, I have always love the kaiseki dinner at Kaygetsu, so it wasn't too much of a dread. My poor brother though, couldn't escape his fate of being stuck with his parents....hahahahaha. But hey, in a few months he would be off to Japan to study for a year, he should have no complains.

They probably won't be back from Napa till afternoon today (Sunday), so I should get some more work done. It is sort of unfortunate that I have to deal with the parents the way I do, but you can't change how another person see things in this world, and they are certainly too old to make changes in their outlook and philosophy in life. Filial piety aside, I have no love for them, since they are not loveable characters. Much like having to work with people that you dislike, you just need to put up enough of a front to get things done. In this case, I need a presentable set of parents for the future bride. I hope whoever she will be, will appreciate my efforts and struggle.

Friday, July 08, 2005

Fri, 08 Jul 2005 04:06:51 GMT

So its that time of the year again...dog in heat season. Since cookie is staying inside, she has to wear panties and pads to prevent the carpet from being dirty. Although she doesn't like it very much. In fact, she has a hard time walking in it. I guess she doesn't like the way the pants rub against her legs, so she walk sort of side ways like a crab with the hind legs, while walking normally with the front legs. Weird but funny.

How do you like them denim and pattern bottom? HAHAHA...housemate said it looks like daisy dukes....

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Sun, 03 Jul 2005 20:23:38 GMT

Oh yeah...so I went down to SoCal to visit my mom for her knee surgery a month ago I think? and I got a speeding ticket on the way back to NorCal...96 in 70 zone. County decided to make me appear in person to pay the fine, so I couldn't just send in a check to call it a day. Well, so I took Friday off to drive to Taft, Kern County...which is in the middle of nowhere mind you...to pay the fine. After that, I decided to drive the extra 2 hours to hit up the LA Anime Expo.

Oh, did I mention the night before I installed the IPD rear sway bar on my car? I thought the car could use that little boost when I cruise the beach of LA...hehehe. So yeah...about that install....one of the hole on the sway bar was too small to fit the endlink thru...which I chalked it up to shitty quality control. That pissed me off quite a bit, because it was 9pm Thursday night and I have no tools to enlarge the hole. And since I sold both the Jetta and the 240 convertible, I had no way of going to hardware store to buy tools. Called up a Leroy, who was nice enough to buy me some files and deliver to my place. Problem solved...but not thrilled.

Back to the trip...so here I was, cruising into the LA area, and car handling fine. Feeling adveturous, I decided to get off 405 and head into the canyon for a nice drive toward Malibu/Santa Monica Beach. Figured this would be first time I can exercise the car with coilover and both sway bars on the car. No sooner did I get off the 405 did I hear a "clunk" "clunk" "clunk" in the rear...uh oh. I am right near UCLA at this point, so I figured I would cruise into a residential neighborhood and see what's up. Here is what I found:

For the benefit of non-car ppl, this is the rear sway bar bushing, slipped off the bracket, because the bushing broke! At this point, a lot of ugly words came to mind. Let's put it this way, I had the new bar/bushing on for no more than 400miles, while the OEM pieces were on the car for 5000miles, of which 4500 of those were with the car lowered to the current height, and showed no signs of problem. So yeah....IPD bushing sucked ass...to put it mildly. And of course, I have 0 tools with me.

Not to worry right? I was in a metropolitan area on a Friday afternoon, so finding tools should be easy.....right.... So two hardware stores decided they need to close today to do inventory...WTF!! Eventually I found an autopart store to buy some tools, and of course they gave it to me HARD. 45 bucks for a 3/8 drive ratchet, WTFFF!!! So 60 bucks in tools and supply later, I headed back to the car, parked on the side of the street next the the store, and started wrenching on the ground. Did I mention it was hot in LA, and this was the afternoon, and I was lying on hot ground with no shades? psst...minor details. Ok--check out the bushing that I pulled out:

The ridge that prevents the busing from sliding around under the bracket was torn...which explained why it slid off the bracket. Have any of you seen damage like that before? Anyways, more swearing and 2 hours after I discovered the problem, I present to you, this:

At this point, I hoped the bushing won't slide off with 4 hose clamp blocking its path. Oh yeah...that totally ruined my plans of driving thru the canyon, or driving much around period. Shit...I still have 400 miles to drive back home, I wasn't gonna risk mroe damage by driving around, who knows when part of the IPD sway bar will break on me?!

Got a motel for the night and rested up, ans still pissed about the overall experience with the IPD product. The next day, Anime Expo.

Got to the Anaheim convention center, and notice there is a huge line getting into the registration area:

Once inside the registration area, I realized it was just a giant holding lot for people:

After going through that line, you got sent upstairs via escalator, to (drum roll):

another line.... so they can :

enter your info in those labtops. And all this even if you pre-registered online and fully paid! There is another line you have to wait in to pick up your badge, but I got tired of taking line pictures.

As soon as I walked into the vendor hall, I saw a bunch of screaming/yelling people:

The vendor was throwing down free tshirt and cd from the balcony, and whipped up quite a frenzy. It was like a bunch pirahnas.

Tons of convention goers, and a lot of them dressed up as their favorite anime characters. But since I am not a hardcore fan, I have no idea who they dressed as. For example, who is this?

or this?

There were some star war characters also, and even Bender! But as I was trying to take some pictures of Bender and the x-wing pilot, someone got in the way and blocked my shot..who did she think she was?

I think she was threatening me to donate to City of Hope charity...I was a bit frightened by her chain...

Here are more random fan shots:

Ok...this guy is nuts:

Most people made prop sword out of foam for weight reason, this guy decided that it wasn't good enough. He wanted some thing that would hold an edge, which foam can't do. So he made the blade with oak....and the hand guard was steel....That sword weighted a good 40+ lbs, and he carried it around all day.

By that point, I am kinda tired, and worrying about my trip home, I decided to leave LA early so I can have some extra to to fix the car this weekend. So I drove home Saturday night, 7/2. Needless to say the IPD rear sway bar ruined my weekend....I knew I shouldn't have made a mod before a trip...DUMB DUMB DUMB!!!

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Sat, 11 Jun 2005 21:40:33 GMT

Not much of a freq blogger...I guess I only blog when I have a lot of bottled up emotions, or if I am really excited about something. There is nothing exciting lately, aside from the usual car parts buying addiction. I am sure soon I will reach a plateau in terms of buying toys. Either it will get too expensive, or I finally rein in my spending.

Went to Mark's beach party for his engagement 2 weeks ago at Redondo Beach, right next to Chart House. It was awesome weather and awesome people all around. I really do miss sitting at the beach and just stare at the ocean. The closest beach from here is still a long drive away, which is a shame, cuz that ruins the spontaneity aspect of my personality. I almost have to plan to get there. Being that its one of the few beaches in the area that has decent sand and water, the parking situation can be quite frustrating if you don't get there early.

I realize I am comparing places...I wonder if I really do like West LA because of the ambiance, or because of the good times I had in college. Memory plays a strange head game some times. This time I tried to see if I can view the place objectively, see its good and bad. Traffic still sucks as usual, as i saw someone being stuffed into the center median on 405 near Getty Center while the whole time traffic was bumper to bumper...its like..how do you manage that? Smog is still bad too, yellow haze over the sky. Some how, it still seems to not be a big deal. I drove along PCH, and for a while I felt free from all the worries, be it work or personal life. It was definitely refreshing.

I can really see myself living at the West LA area near the beach, and I wonder how much would it be to buy a condo or something in the area. I got an awd car because I was prepared to work at snowy states if I get the opportunity, just to explore different parts of the country. On some what related note, my company recently acquired another company, and they have offices in Torrance and Anaheim. Once the merger settles, I am going to seriously look into getting a job in those offices. For one, I have a better chance of buying my own property. Secondly, I can move closer to the water, and be a beach bum.

If I do move though, I would like to volunteer at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter in spare time. I like that place, and they always need people to walk dogs and clean up.