Epicuriously Challenged

Scenario: Department meeting to brainstorm venues for the Holiday Luncheon - must have private room and be relatively "affordable."

After many rounds of "oh that's way too expensive!" and "I don't think they have a room big enough..."

Eyeris: What about Maggiano's? They have a party room.
Boss Lady: Oh, that's peasant food!!
Eyeris: ...

Turkey Day 2005--Sub Z

Our first Thanksgiving together, and it's below freezing outside. Bryan attempted to play football this morning, and I watched. Oh my, I've never been so freezing cold in my entire life! It was 18 degrees and windy. EIGHTEEN!

Thanksgiving day lunch was at Joy Yee's. Very delicious...and yet very expensive. For Chinatown at least.

While we were at Joy Yee's, I noticed something very peculiar. We were surrounded by MANDARIN speaking people. Not even Mainland China Mandarin, it was all definitely Taiwan Mandarin. Where did they all come from all of a sudden? I NEVER hear Mandarin here in Chicago Chinatown, and it's even more evident amongst my friends. I've finally decided to come to accept the the fact that "Chinese" = "Cantonese" here. Well, for whatever reason, all the Mandarin speaking people decided to take a field trip to Chinatown today, on Thanksgiving. And it was nice and familiar for me.

So, just a couple more hours until Thanksgiving Dinner, which will be turkey-less for us. :( But maybe we'll get some fried chicken somewhere in Chinatown...

Go Cowboys!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before I sign off, let me leave you with some amusement from this IQ test I just took... Check out my scores. Haha! All right, let me just point it out in case you'll miss it... "Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional." There, it's in writing. Done.

Your IQ Is 110

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Snap!! It's Brutally Cold Outside.

The temperature never got above freezing today. No question about it, winter is definitely here. As I stared outside, at the snow flurries dancing in the gushing wind, I can't help but get really really giddy. I LOVE SNOW! It reminds me of some of my best times in Chicago. (From merely a year ago.) :)

Now onto a completely different subject. I have decided that I need to drink more water throughout the day and less carbonated beverages.
The goal: 32 oz. a day

Let's see how I do...

D.I.N.K.

Set up our joint accounts this weekend. It's official. Goodbye "Yuppie-hood." "Double Income No Kids," here we come!

Crap! I'm old.

P.S. Cannot wait until Rent is out! Getting goose bumps listening to the soundtrack...

Pictures! :)

Our wedding photos are live and online! Let me know if you want to see them...I don't feel too comfortable putting the link on here for all of the xanga-sphere to access.

Paranoia? Perhaps.

***Photos Credit: F8 Studio***

Pride and Prejudice, Revisited

Tonight I went to the screening of the new Pride and Prejudice movie, you know, the one with Keira Knightly.




I must admit, I went to the movie with the biggest chip on my shoulder. Because in my mind, I had held such high regards for the the six-hour A&E/BBC rendition with Colin Firth. Which in my opinion, is the perfect standard of the Jane Austen novel. I have watched those DVDs more than what's considered "enough" times. I couldn't understand why they had to bother ruining a perfectly good thing by making another one? Also, I have a special place in my heart for this novel because it was the first "A" I've ever received on a book report. (Please remember that I'm a FOB.) I loved it so much that I've also read it in two different Chinese translated versions and one comic version. This movie had a lot to prove to me.

However, after I saw the it, I was pleasantly surprised.

The movie encapsulated the best parts of the story into one concentrated dose. I found myself being drawn into it, in spite of my pre-conceived resistance, derived out of loyalty to my A&E/BBC DVDs. I was entwined in the romance, the yearning, the angst. Tears were definitely shed, short of bawling, at parts.

The casting was not disappointing either. Jane Bennet, played by Rosmund Pike, really was serenely beautiful. Dare I say it, maybe even better than the Jane Bennet in the A&E/BBC version. Judy Dench's Lady Catherine was probably the best performance of the film. Darcy, played by Matthew McFayden, successfully took the audience on an emotional roller coaster with his multi-faceted character, but my heart will always belong to Colin Firth's Fitzwilliam Darcy. I was however, disappointed with Keira Knightly as Lizzie. Can't put it into words really, but the maturity that's intrinsic within this character was lacking in Keira. She was also too skinny. Lydia Bennet, played by Jena Malone, wasn't "annoying" enough to make me cringe either.

My only big complaint: the last scene of the movie was way too "schmoopie." Could have done without it.

Bottom line, do I love it more than my coveted A&E/BBC mini-series? No, but it sure does a pretty good job on the big screen.

Watching this movie tonight just really validated how much I LOVE PRIDE AND PREJUDICE!!! It is my favourite book in the world. It is the BEST love story ever told.

Need to own this DVD. Definitely.

I think I'll go re-read the book now...

Picture Preview

Our wedding pictures should be live online soon. Yay!! In the meantime, enjoy some Sweatshop pictures!

The Sweat Shop - hole punchers, ribbon cutters, knot tiers, chop stampers...












Christine & Judy, slicing with the utmost precision and steady hands...

BTW, I LOVE our dining table!











Meanwhile, Karen's in the study working on the CD labels...I'm operating on very little sleep, and always carrying my USB key around my neck that stored all of my wedding related files.










Ta da!!! The programs are finished!!













Oh, and it was Rey's birthday too!! Happy birthday buddy!












Thanks everyone for all of your hardwork!!



Bonus Picture: My smoking hot bridesmaids!!

I was tagged by Tankjuice a long time ago. Didn't have time then but got lots of time now...

5 Weirdest Habits

1) I have a secret obessession with earwax. (Ok, I've said it!!)

2) When I get food from potluck of buffets, I don't like the different food items to touch one another on the plate and get "contaminated."

3) I exfoliate my face every Thursday and Sunday.

4) My closet is organized by color, by season.

5) If I have a choice in color, I will always go with red.

Ok, I'm a freak. But I get to tag 5 people.

ChristosDoulos
scrader
mezuzah
maiday919
ally_kat82

I think I was also tagged by someone else awhile back too, can't find it now. If you're that person, tag me again.

A Genius! And Didn't Even Know It!

After work, I was walking towards the Red Line because I thought I'd actually attend Large Group for once. Then I thought about what's on TV, and suddenly I remembered...doh! Large Group was LAST night! Oops.

Well, I tried.

No Title Needed

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6739710473912337648&q=chinese+students