f****** insane day
My co-worker Angela is the one who convinced me to take a full time job at the South LA non-profit. She tried to bribe me with drinks at a boring conference and promised me "fun" research projects. What really convinced me to take the job was that she promised she'd be there. I really enjoyed our comraderie and how much fun we had while talking about everything from green building standards to the latest celebrity gossip. She always talked about quitting and so I made a deal with her that I'd stay on if she agreed to stay on with me. On Wednesday, when I dropped her off at the airport for a long weekend, we were talking about our next projects and I was totally motivated for an awesome year.

So when she didn't show up for work on Monday and today, my boss and I got worried. It wasn't like her not leave a voicemail telling me she'd be working from home or an email about our next research steps. The last time I got an email was on Saturday.

Today, I drove circles around the city with my boss, trying to track down her friends to find out what happened to her. By the end of the day, I learned the most horrific news:

On Saturday night, Angela returned from out of town to host a birthday party for a friend. She planned on spending the night at her friend's house and was last seen by one of her close friends at 4am on Sun morning, when she walked her friend to car after the party. Later that morning she went out for brunch with the birthday boy and a friend and when they got back, the friend (who had been doing drugs the previous night) apparently gave Angela a fatal dose of heroin via a shot in the neck. Just to clarify, Angela does not do drugs and, although there were some hard partying people at the party that night, she was fine when her friend left her at 4am. I doubt that Angela would have consented to doing drugs.

I heard this story while driving my boss and two of Angela's friends through the mid-Wilshire area. One of her friends, on the cell phone with Ang's mom as I was driving, was sobbing while the mom shared what she learned from the police report. Apparently, the woman who shot up was book on murder charges. Her friend relayed the message as we were driving up Hauser toward Wilshire in rush hour traffic and I almost had to pull over as everyone in my car was sobbing uncontrollably.

I know, I know. This S*** is F****** INSANE. There's no other way to describe it but to use profanity to describe this horrific story. But I kid you not, this is what I found out about my co-worker, my friend today. Her friends and I sat in horror and disbelief at this. On top of this, she has a wonderful 15 year old daughter who is amazing and who now thinks that everyone will remember her mom as a druggie -- which is NOT true.

I am sitting here right now, in disbelief that I am writing about this, but I need an outlet. Angela is a FRIEND, not just a co-worker, and I am struggling with her sudden and tragic and horrific death. My head hurts from holding the tears in, and from trying to wrap my head around the things I heard today. On top of everything, my boss and I don't want to tell our co-workers the lurid details of her death, so as to not ruin her reputation by focusing on her untimely death.

My boss and I spent all day wishing it was some really horrible mistake. I don't know how I'm going to get through my job without her and our lunchtime drinking sessions where she'd tell me all the dirt and help me figure out what the hell I'm supposed to be working on. I used to sit at my desk and think "What would Angela do?" when I couldn't figure things out. I can't believe that she's not going to be at her desk tomorrow. I seriously don't know how I'm going to do my job without my friend and partner in research crime. Her friend whom I met today, said to me, "Sweetie, she really liked you. She used to talk about how much she liked you."

Thanks for everything, Gigi. You are missed already.

oh you sillies
"I'm outside of a bar/club at Santana Row with Danny,Dean and Hannah and they're playing Push It. We thought of Jo."

-- Text message received by minsoo from ooj tonight.

why i love fall

PUMPKIN dessert!!!

However, this news does not bode well for the season's orange delight:

Fungus causes pumpkins to develop mold
Could affect this year's crop of Halloween jack-o-lanterns

Updated: 4:02 a.m. PT Oct 5, 2006
LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Halloween lovers hoping to create the perfect jack-o-lantern might want to shop carefully this year because of a pumpkin fungus that has put a dent in some crops.

Two types of fungus or rot have affected crops from the Midwest to New England, causing pumpkins to develop mold in some spots and then begin decomposing, said Daniel Egel, a Purdue University Extension plant pathologist. The entire inside of the pumpkin eventually rots until the shell falls apart.

A combination of high temperatures and record rain in August has helped the fungi flourish, Egel said.

anne shirley is my homegirl
Selections from my tape collection...

a favor
VOTE FOR JANE!!!

I'm ripping this off from my sis in laws' websites, but wanted to put in a plug for a friend -- many of you might remember her as one of the ladies that sang at our wedding... She's one of minsoo's oldest friends and has become a true friend of mine as well. Not only is she a kick-ass singer, but a great human being in general so PLEASE take a few and vote for her!! I don't know anything about that "wicked" musical, but I know a good thing when I see it and Jane is one of those good things. Voting for her is like voting for good things in this world. :)

Jane is one of 30 finalists for this singing contest sponsored by the musical "Wicked." You can watch her singing online, and then vote for her... if she wins, she'll get a free trip to New York and tickets to the show and a chance to sing live. So VOTE for her PLEASE!!!! And get all your friends to vote.

Here's what you have to do: Go to www.wicked-week.com
- Click on the "Wicked Week First Round 'Be Wicked' Singing Contest" link
- Click on the "Wicked Fan" area to register (yeah, its a pain, but it's just one step so please please please do it anyway)
- Once you're in, click on the East Coast link in the Round One Online Voting area.
- Listen to Jane (from Massachusetts, 26) sing! And then vote for her!!

** Random Fact: the background of her audition tape is Minsoo & Jane's home church!

Feed the need
Thanks to all who sent bday messages awhile back... I'm sorry I haven't responded -- it's been a bit crazy.

My kick ass sisters in law sent me the best birthday gift -- Anne 0f Green_Gables -- the original AND the sequel. YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! Watching it on DVD sure beats downloading each 10 minute clip via Y0uTube. I've already watched an hour between watching season premieres of new shows.

Real life pales in comparison to Anne and her turn-of-the-century hijinks. Ha ha ha... I'm so sad.

Yesterday was one crazy day.
After a long plane ride home from St. Louis, my co-worker and I had to head up to fancy-pants Bel-Air to attend an event for our latest campaign. Our boss called us just as we were about to leave for the airport and told us that we needed to be there to help represent (I think she meant, help represent for all the ugly, poor, non-white people). Minsoo picked us up from the airport and we headed back to my place to transform ourselves from schlepy non-profit research nerds, to "hollywood casual" (whatever that means).

When we were driving to the house, we noticed the homes in the area got larger and larger and farther and farther from the street. Pretty soon we couldn't see the properties because of the tall gates and foliage surrounding the mansions. When we got to the house, there was only valet parking for my dust and pigeon-poo covered civic. Hollywood elites, here I come!

As I greeted people at the sign in table, I realized I had NO idea who owned the home. It turns out that the homeowner was the producer of Al G0re's movie and all of Tarentin0's movies -- CRAZY!!! I had no idea what the guy looked like, but when I walked into the house, the first photo I saw was the producer, who was with Bill and Hillary (Clinton). Um, yeah.

There were a bunch of hollywood producers and other entertainment people, but the only person I recognized was a gal from Melr0se Place.

Anyway, in one day I went from hangout in a cheesy ballroom in the midwest falling asleep to the sounds of obnoxious policy-makers to hanging out with well-groomed hollywood types in a mansion in Bel-Air. Surreal.

Today, after sleeping for 9 hours, I woke up and felt like a train hit me.

smell you later, policy weirdos
I'm about ready to check out of the hotel. Yay for free wireless in my room -- boo for the suckiness of downtown St. Louis.

I'm so excited to be out of here that I want to run laps around the ice cold partioned ballroom with the tacky red chairs & flower patterned rug and high-5 all of the bald heads of the middle aged white men at the conference while screaming, "I'm out SUCKASSSSSSSS!!!!! Take your boring policy-speak and annoying nasal voices and obnoxious 'tude and go back to D.C. or wherever the hell they keep boring policy wonks! Um, and by the way, YOU'RE UGLY!"

Needless to say, apparently policy wonks are not my type of nerd.

I need to get back to LA. Peace Out Midwest. The arch was only OK.

wow, i am so cool
Live from Nerd Fest 2006...

If I had to be here any longer, I might actually convince myself that I'm really cool...

Just spent sometime at the happenin' hotel bar, where my co-worker and I just got free drinks and food, courtesy of some dude who showed up after food service had closed. We gave him a half of our sandwich and he bought us our food and drinks in exchange for the sandwich and some "stimulating" conversation. He told us that he'd be happy to go to work if he'd see us everyday. EW. Thanks for the free booze dude, but you're 36 and you look like you're 46. GROSS. Also, I noticed that the ring finger on your left hand has big fat tan. EW. I guess I just experienced my first skeezy pick up at an out-of-town conference. Sad.

I'm leaving tomorrow. Yay. These humorless policy nerds are driving me crazy.

please tell me i'm cooler than this.
I am at nerd conference 2006.... aka the econ. analysis and research network conf in st. louis,mo. The opening plenary included jokes about tax reform and about how policy related to King Frederick of Prussia and his speech on how beer should not be replaced by coffee. I know, true nerd-fest.

You know you're at a nerdfest when...

You feel like the coolest person there.
Being drunk doesn't not make it better.
There is a woman with terrible dandruff and a man with terrible breath talking to you at the same time.

On the plus side, there's free internet and I can see the arch from my room.
Aw, how sad... and how nerdy.

Yes, a rockin' time in St. Louis.

I wanna go home.

social ambush
Earlier today, minsoo asked me if I wanted to "go see a free screening" of Co1ma:the musical (yes, a musical about the place with all the cemetaries and car dealerships on the way to SF. Funny funny). I was really tired from a long day at work, but I had wanted to see this film awhile ago, so I changed into grubby clothes, my comfy sweater and we headed to the theater in Little Tokyo. I figured it'd be a good way to veg out after a long day at work.

However, when we arrived, I was very surprised to find a semi-fancy reception gala going on outside the theater. I saw the business casual-dressed crowd sipping wine from clear cups and immediately felt under-dressed and unprepared for what I like to call "the schmooze". I wanted to just hop inside the theater, but we were forced to crash the party, not intentionally, but because the gala was blocking the entrance to the theater. We were socially ambushed.

We were spotted by a few acquaintances who directed us to the name tag and buffet table. I felt really underdressed and all-around uncomfortable and dying to escape into the theater. Note to self: in LA, going to see a movie may also require wearing heels and something trendy.

We also ended up in a few group photos. The photographer showed me the first photo, where I look so frumpy (Think Wai-Ling circa 1998). The second time the photographer asked if he could take a group shot of "Us" (aka people we were standing next to), I wanted to say no, but that would have been rude. So I tried to smooth out the lumps of food in my mouth and do a pressed-lip smile (never a good look for a "round" faced girl like me). Mmm, so beautiful.

When we first arrived, we met up with the guy who was going to get us free tickets and he introduced us (or rather, he introduced Minsoo) to a random girl who did PR for film festivals. She was young -- like, just out of undergrad young. And very enthusiastic, which made me feel even more awkward given that I was unprepared for social interaction. Under better conditions, I think we might have hit it off. However given my state, I just wanted her to stop talking. She went away after a bit, but then popped up as we were getting food and introduced us to her friend. I think she thought we were her age or not that much older because when minsoo introduced me to her friend as "my wife", she was taken aback, I hope because of how "young" we look/seem not because she was disappointed that minsoo was taken.

Pet peeve: standing right by a person being introduced by another person (who knows you) and not being introduced to that person. What the hell? How rude.

=sum(number 1, [number2],...)

5: Hot dogs consumed on Labor Day weekend
2: Part-time jobs
0: Full-time jobs
1: Lock picked this weekend (using a vons card and a paper clip)
3: Ants at work that crawled across my desk/computer/bag
4: Trips down to the 'rents house to play with my sister's cat
2: AnneofGG marathons this weekend
3: Margaritas mixed and enjoyed courtesy of my sister
3: Hours spent tonight working job #2 after working all day at job #1
5: Days until I go to a conference for job #1 & experience St. Louis...*YAWN*
-----
28.

no turning back now
Minsoo and I decided to merge our CD collections and sell off our duplicates for some extra cash. I used this opportunity to cleanse myself of my past music sins.

Among the exorcised late 90s-era CDs:
- The Titanic Soundtrack
- Savage Garden
- Can't Hardly Wait soundtrack... I had 3 copies of this one
- The Bodyguard Soundtrack
- All for One
- Backstreet Boys

I'll stop there. Suffice it to say, I had forgotten about my horrible CD collection so I was pretty shocked at the crap I collected over the years. It was minsoo's job to sell back the CDs, which must have been embarrassing for him.

I think it was a big deal to merge CD collections. I had to say good bye to some good CDs because Minsoo already had a copy and it made me think about the process of giving up part of your individual life for a partnership as a married couple -- something that was a huge deal for me during my engagement year. I guess becoming "one" is a long process.

I'm on AoGG crack
I just finished watching AnneofGreenGables: The Sequel on Y0utube. The entire movie was uploaded onto the site as 23, 3-10 minute clips. Yeah! Watching both of the movies on Y0utube was like being on crack... I'd finish watching a 10-min segment and then immediately load the next clip. I had to have it. I watched half of the sequel yesterday and only watched a few today before I had to go down to my parents' house to do some cleaning. I thought I'd have a chance to watch some more at their house, but I was totally busy. The entire time, I was thinking to myself: I can't wait to be done, I need to watch the "diamond sunbursts and marble halls" part. I raced home and immediately finished the movie. *sigh* I think if I saw the actor who plays Gilbert Blythe right now I'd pass out. This movie is like a drug. I'm basically now on an AoGG high.

Wow this post is really disturbing/scary/pathetic. I'll be back to talking about real issues and my daily mishaps soon.

wai-ling's definition of awesomesad
SCORE! I found the ENTIRE Anne of Green Gables movie on Y0utube last night... Someone had uploaded 10 minute portions of the movie so I watched 16 of 20 clips last night and just finished it. I haven't seen it in years and forgot how much I love it. I heart Gilbert Blythe!

On another A.o.G.G. note... there are some weird-ass fan videos out there. Apparently it's pretty popular to take clips of the movie and create (ahem) interpretive music videos... Among the songs used for the videos --

- You're Beautiful: James Blunt sings over clips of Gilbert gazing at Anne and each share longing looks
- Miss Independent: Kelly Clarkson belts it out as Anne maddogs Gilbert
- Lovefool: The Cardigan's girly song plays as Gilbert stalks Anne. This one makes him seem really creepy.

There are others, such as Eternal Flame (not the Bangles version, some other crappier version) and Hungry Eyes. Oh... my... goodness. I laughed so hard I almost peed. It just seemed so wrong. There's only one real song that goes with that movie -- All you fans know what I'm talking about.

Anne of GG fans, check it out... disturbing yet hilarious. And I guess sort of sad. I want to create my own definition of "AwesomeSad", messy and minsoo's term, to include this.

My reunion: One big, ugly cliche
Top 10 reasons why my reunion was not awesome:

10. Seeing one of the prettiest girls in high school, 50 pounds heavier. While it could have been one of those moments of sweet justice, I actually felt sort of sad for her and I could tell how uncomfortable she looked. Her awkwardness actually made it so uncomfortable that I didn't even talk to her.

9. None of the people I really missed from high school were there because those were the people least likely to go to a school event. The only other people I actually wanted to hang out with were people that went to my wedding and had seen within the past 6 months.

8. I realized 10 minutes into the reunion that I really didn't have any desire to talk to most of the people there.

7. I paid $170 (for 2) and THERE WAS NO OPEN BAR. I want my money back.

6. I ate half of my meal and then it was taken away from me by the aggressive waitstaff.

5. Explaining to people what I did and then getting blank stares. I should have made up my occupation, like actress/professional mover. Or maybe I could have said petite model/ninja.

4. Seeing a girl that I'd known since I was 4 who had gained 100 pounds and looked like she was into goth-slash-ren-faire stuff. When she came up to hug me (which was kinda intense), she pulled her cell phone out of her cleavage to show me a picture of her 6 month old daughter. Scaaaary.

3. Karaoke after dinner. Enough said.

2. It was one of those events that looked classy... from far away. Close up, the cheesy hotel ballroom, red/white ("sprited") carnation centerpieces, overweight drunk white guys who still party like they're 18 and the dirty-dancing big-chested girls who now strip for a living just made me feel like the whole evening was one skanky ass wedding gone awry.

1. No open bar.

Am I glad I went? Hm, ask me in 10 years.

my keyboard is burning my fingers
My boss and co-worker are out of the office today so I've taken the opportunity to waste as much time as possible while still doing enough work not to get caught slacking off. My other co-worker does as much work in a day as I've done in the past hour slacking off so I think I can pull a "case of the Mondays."

I haven't blogged in awhile about anything substantial so I guess this a preview of things to come:

- Reunion. Yes I went. Was it worth it? Only because the new 3.5/4 inch heels I bought for the occasion are my new favorite shoes.

- The Mayor. I got to see him at a launch for our new campaign for "green" jobs for LA's working class. He looked as slick as ever.

- Baby. No not us, silly fools. My cousin just had a baby. Her name is Kyle, which does a number on my gender identification skills, especially since the baby is very androgenous looking, as all babies are. The nurses put a green cap on her head because they couldn't figure out what gender she was. Ha ha! They live in Hawaii so I can't wait to visit them in Feb when our other cousin gets married.

- Jobs. Still waiting to see which one can give me the best deal. For now, still working at two part time, still trying to make ends meet.

Will post more... now back to sitting under a hot skylight in a black shirt, trying not to sweat on the keyboard and pretending to work.

why, West LA, why?
My neighborhood is going to the dogs. From 7-9 tonight, my local BestBuy is hosting a she-who-shall-not-be-named in-store appearance. (That was for you, messy.) I feel a bit betrayed by my local BB for hosting such an event. Just knowing that she'll be in my zip code makes me feel a bit skeezy.

full disclosure
I've been getting a lot of flak for being so stressed out about my reunion. However, in my defense, let me show you why I am so concerned:

Hey little boy, why are you wearing lipstick?
Winter, 1995. I got the worst haircut of my life right before my senior winter formal, ironically the same venue that tonight's reunion will be held.

Now, do you get it?

10 years later...
So I've decided that I'm probably going to the reunion (Thanks to the 3 people who filled out my survey). I went shopping for an outfit and ended up shopping at the mall near my parents house. As I was wandering the mall, I realized that I was shopping at the same stores I would have gone to as a high schooler shopping for a high school dance -- Macy's, Robinsons-May, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, Windsor Fashions. How apropos. However, while these places had a lot of dance-appropriate outfits none of these stores carried my future reunion outfit. It was weird walking through the mall, remembering myself 10 years ago, doing the same thing (actually it was over 10 years since I graduated June 96, but that's a minor point, I suppose), wondering what all the high school kids would think about my outfit. Now, here I was, walking the same mall, wondering the same thing.

On another note, I was talking to my co-workers about the reunion and comparing stories about high school and talking about 5-year college reunions, when the youngest co-worker (a dude who just finished undergrad) said: "Wait, you've been out of college over 5 years!!???" Yes, I'm older than you, sucka.