Silky Tofu, 味道好极了!

However, when I was hiking in Marin Headlands on Sunday, there were plenty fog floating around the top of those mountains.

The mountains are turning yellow gradually due to the drought during the summer season. Meanwhile, the flowers are blooming not only in the wild, but also on city streets. Couple weeks ago, I took a picture when I passed the famous Lombard Street a few blocks away from where I live. Surely there are plenty flowers.

The city is always pretty, hot or cold, foggy or sunny, today or yesterday.

I feel quite relaxed lately and energetic. Not sure what is happening. Perhaps from the hysterical laughing I had last week? Perhaps nothing. I have not missed a day at gym. I have been getting up really early. However, I still go to bed really late. That needs to change.

I even spend more time in the kitchen. That's how I found out that my new rice cooker already shows some fatigue!

I noticed that there is a small gap on the top lid. But I just got it for about a month, how can this be?

To be fair, I have been using this rice cooker a little bit too much that it might well be a victim of my abuse. Not only I cook rice with it, I also use it to cook stew and porridge. I even made bibimbap with it once.

On Sunday, before I headed out to the mountains, I put in beef short ribs into the rice cooker, set the slow cook time, and went out the door. When I came back, a perfect stew was waiting for me in the rice cooker.

I called the customer service today and I am quite confident that I will be able to get it fixed or replaced because it's still under warranty. I might have to live without a rice cooker for couple weeks. How can I survive without my rice cooker?

Dear rice cooker: I promise not to abuse you again once you recover from your injury.

As for movies, I wish I liked "Brüno" as much as I would have hoped:

Brüno

After a tremendous amount of publicity campaign (remember bare buttocks falling on Eminem's face and nude photos on GQ?), Sacha Baron Cohen, the star from the outrageously hilarious "Borat,", finally meets the audience on a big screen in director Larry Charles's new satire comedy "Brüno" (USA 2009 | 83 min.). Unfortunately, similar like those promotional campaigns, the film is more shocking than funny. It's a big disappointment compared to "Borat." Sacha Baron Cohen plays his new character Brüno, a gay fashion journalist from Austria who is banned from the fashion world due to his mischief. He decides to move to Hollywood to become a celebrity, and gets rid of his gayness which he blames to be the cause of his failure. He tries to create his own talk shows, sets up humiliating interviews with celebrities, adopts a black baby, and stages gay bashing gatherings only to shock the homophobic crowd by his exaggerated gay acts. However, most of these events (and many more) are just to set up pranks for the audience—if you think you have seen them all, here comes another one. These pranks appear more shocking than entertaining, more offensive than funny, and more juvenile than intelligent. The film takes equal opportunity to offend just about every group: gay, straight, women, Asian, black, Latino, celebrities, and politicians. For a satire film, that's not necessarily a bad thing. What makes these offensive acts remain a tasteless shocker is that they are simply just a shocker, but not funny. For example, the sex scenes of Brüno with his small framed Asian bottom boyfriend (can it be even more stereotype than that?) are cheap shots to beg for a few chuckles. The scene in which Brüno seduces Presidential candidate Ron Paul is simply weird and puzzling than anything else. Certainly not funny. Director Larry Charles is brilliant at setting up stages to let unknown participants to create comic moments. His previous films such as "Borat" and "Religulous" are smart and hilarious. However, none of those qualities repeat in this new shocker "Brüno." Sacha Baron Cohen is courageous to take up this role and to push the limit beyond boundaries. I cannot think of any other actor who might be willing to perform as he does in this film, even what he is shaking might not be his own penis in this film—and the fact that this film gets an R rating is the last shocker if there are not enough shockers in the film already. "Brüno" opens on Friday, July 10 in theaters.

Due to my problem with Firefox 3.0, I upgraded to Firefox 3.5. However, that breaks my Sage-too add-on for reading my RSS feed. Without reading my daily feed, I should have more time at hand, right? Nope. I don't understand why my time simply disappears without checking with me first.

On 4th of July, Sean and Alex took me shopping, mostly groceries in East Bay. When I saw uni in the Korean grocery story, I grabbed a box right the way—it should not be skipped. I made uni sushi after I came home.

After dinner, I didn't go to the beach to watch the fireworks, because I saw some low fog in the sky. I was afraid that I would not be able to see even I joined the crowd at the water. It was also an excuse not to walk after dinner for the 15-minute-long fireworks.

Instead, I watched the fireworks from my apartment window. It was perfect! I didn't even have to put on a jacket.

In the end, I shot a video that captures a few pretty good explosions.

Last Sunday was a museum day for me, instead of a hiking day in Marin Headlands. The original plan was to go to museums first and then to the San Francisco Symphony's performance at Stern Grove Festival. Of course, things won't go according to plans. Tan and Jay were late, and they didn't feel like going to the concert. So, just the museums.

Then I headed to Sean and Alex's house for dinner. That's when the "fun" began.

We were drinking Er Guo Tou(二锅头)—a strong Chinese liquor made from sorghum. I didn't feel much when I was taking shots with Ryan and Alex, but it hit me later even before I knew it.

At one point, something made me laugh. So I laughed, but then I couldn't stop. I laughed so hard that I couldn't even breath, and my stomach muscles hurt much more than working out in the gym. I laughed myself literally onto the floor. Sean captured all of my laughter on his camera, because he thinks I was drunk and wants to document it.

On Monday morning, when I woke up, I realized that I had a little too much fun on Sunday night, I didn't even remember what happened after I got home, and how I emailed, made phone calls etc.

Well, at least I laughed, as shown in the video. Every time I watched that video, it makes laugh again, but I still cannot recall what makes me laugh so hard. No, I wasn't stoned.

Thanks Sean. I think that video is the only thing I want to play at my funeral after I die.

I am extremely saddened and devastated by the violenc in Ürümqi (乌鲁木齐), China. My heart goes to victims and their families.

When can we live in peace without hatred? Sitting there, all I can hear in my mind is John Lennon's "Imagine":

...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
...

Despite the troubling world, I still manage to find peace in my kitchen. I cooked a dinner, even just by myself tonight, including eggplant with carrot, bitter melon, and fish belly. Not only the food, but the process makes me happy.

Last time when I was buying fish, the gentleman behind the counter gave me a piece of fish belly to try out, telling me that it's loaded with fish oil. I sliced them and pan fried tonight. Delicious, although I don't even remember what fish it is.

Life is precious, enjoy it and live full of it when I can.

And, laugh loudly. Often, drunk or not.

Qiqi's visit makes all the celebrations more hectic, but more fun as well. Now I can sleep in for a few days, because it's a long weekend for the 4th of July.

On my birthday last Friday, I decided not to eat out at a restaurant, but to cook at home myself. I took the day off from work and got up late. After a workout at a workout at the gym and grocery shopping, I cooked dinner. I wish I had a bigger place so I can have more people over.

I really don't want to celebrate birthdays. They remind me that I am just another year older, without being wiser. I wish I could stay young forever. Well, who doesn't? But I do enjoy having friends over and have a long dinner sitting around the table with food and drinks, and of course, laughter.

The pride celebration is fun as always. This year the crowd seem much timid, I am not sure why. I see less extravagant and flamboyant this year at the Civic Center, and much fewer naked people. Not that I want to see those who are normally naked at these events, probably not. But they do serve as an indicator to be free and wild spirit. Even the parade has fewer floats; and no gift bags at the VIP party at the City Hall after the parade.

But, that's okay. The pride spirit at this recession time is still up high and I had a lot fun nevertheless. Since this year Tida Aida doesn't have a float, I joined the Mystermayor's contingent in the parade on Sunday.

The route is much quieter and calmer compared to shaking on a float with blasting music, but it was fun and enjoyable to celebrate proudly.

However, I was really annoyed by some protesters at the beginning of the parade. They calling the mayor names and scaring the children in the parade by screaming and yelling. The reason? They think the mayor is responsible for the recent budget cuts on health services in the city.

I know it's a tough time and everybody is affected. But they treating Newsom as if he is Regan is no way to gain any support or sympathy from anyone, including me. They choose the wrong time and wrong place and use the wrong words when they try to spoil the community spirit at the pride parade. Dumb asses!

I am already looking forward to next year's pride.

Couple days ago, when I was trying to upload the pictures from pride, I couldn't find my camera! I panicked. I thought I lost all the pictures. It turns out that it dropped off my bag at Sean's place. After I retrieved my camera, I put stickers all over my camera case with my phone number and email. I hope I will never lose it. If I do, I hope my contact info will bring it back to me next time.

On the last night before Qiqi's departure, he took me to Nara Sushi for a midnight eating out, because for almost a week, we never ate dinner by ourselves. It was really late and many items ran out already, but I enjoy couple drinks with him and a little sushi to go with the conversation. I really enjoy his visit and his company. Come back soon, Qiqi!

Finally, I have to express my disgust toward the media coverage following Michael Jackson's death. By no means that I am a big fan of this troubled individual, but can the media just give him a break upon his death? Show some decency and respect to the deceased. Perhaps these so called reporters just don't have any.

I think the media are public enemies, not the John Gillinger this new film:

Public Enemies

During the current deep recession, we all already know (or lost track of) how much tax payers' money have been poured into major banks. Those bank CEOs become shameful figures in public eyes. That makes robbing a bank almost a heroic act, hardly criminal. After all, the bankers have been doing that, just without a gun. Intended or not, that's precisely the tone of director Michael Mann's action thriller "Public Enemies" (USA 2009 | 140 min.), about a bank robber's surreal tales during the Great Depression. John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is a legendary bank robber during the Great Depression in Midwest. FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) is hand-picked by Edgar Hoover to capture John Dillinger. However, John Dillinger seems able to elude FBI's hunt miraculously and carries on a romantic relationship with Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) in and out expensive restaurants, when he is not robbing another bank. John Dillinger is named the Public Enemy Number One, but the "public" really just means the FBI that Hoover is trying to advance. Johnny Depp brilliantly portraits John Dillinger as a handsome, charming, intelligent, loyal, determined, and brave young man. He appears more as an action hero figure, who will do everything for his love, than as an outlawed conman. No wonder Billie falls in love with him despite his high profile as a most wanted criminal. On the contrary, Christian Bale plays Melvin Purvis as a dull, arrogant, cold agent who further direct public's sympathy to John Dillinger. Luckily, the Texas Ranger character Charles Winstead (Stephen Lang) adds much needed intelligence to the law enforcement. The film is entertaining and captivating for the most part, even with its formulaic story development. It brings John Dillinger's story back to life when the American sinks into another deep recession. However, just don't try to mimic what John Dillinger did, even we all know who are the true public enemies. "Public Enemies" opens on Wednesday, July 1 at Bay Area theaters.

While Gore and Bush headed to the court to dispute the election results, millions of Gore supporters were furious and devastated by Bush's claim of victory.

Angry Americans went on streets across the nation to protest Bush's victory. The protests began to spread all over America and turned violent. Chinese and many other foreign news media flooded their TV stations and newspapers with coverage of the protest in the US. Repeatedly, the images of protesters holding signs in Chinese appear on TV and online. Gore supporters' signs are written as:

"我投的票哪去了?"

The Chinese government urged the Bush administration to go easy on the protesters and not to shut Gore supporters up, even the situation might get out of hand.

Does that sound absurd?

Well, what about if we replace the US with Iran, and replace China with the US, and fast forward from 2004 to the present day.

Will that make the situation less absurd?

I don't understand why Western media are so worked up with Iran's election, which is a democratic one, mind you.

And, why in the world I see on TV all the time that protesters holding a sign in English saying "Where is my vote?"

The last time I checked, Iranian speaks Farsi. Isn't it obvious just to whom those Iranian protesters are displaying their messages?

Western media, especially that notorious CNN, need to stop fueling the Iranian protesters and stay out of it! You are not doing anybody a favor, but you are only encouraging and provoking conflicts.

Enough of politics and world affairs. Back to something pleasant.

Last Sunday, I hiked three hours and went to Tennessee, Tennessee Valley in Marin Headlands that is.

It's pretty tough hike, because on the way over there is downhill all the way on a steep trail. That means on the way back, I was working on muscles on my butt all the way because it's constantly up a steep hill. It was about 8 to 9 miles hike, on a beautiful day.

The Tennessee Beach is really pretty. For some reason, the water seems greener or bluer, whatever the color is. The beach makes the hike worth every step.

I sat on the beach and finished a sudoku, then came home and cooked myself a nice dinner.

I was sore all over the next day. It's good pain though.

The SF Pride is under its way after the rainbow flag raising ceremony at the City Hall. I will attend the kick off party at the API Wellness Center tomorrow.

I take Friday off to celebrate my birthday. Then on Saturday, well, I am sure some party is going on before the parade on Sunday. This year, I will march with Mayor's contingent.

Although Friday is my birthday, I am positive that I am not any monk's reincarnation. However, some other kid is claimed to be one:

Unmistaken Child

No matter if you believe Buddhist's reincarnation or not, Israel filmmaker Nati Baratz's documentary "Unmistaken Child" (Israel 2008 | in Tibetan/Nepali | 102 min.) will take you to an extraordinary journey that is hard to forget. The "unmistaken" child's curious eyes will not leave you alone—either joyfully worshipping the little boy, or wondering what has been done to the child and his family in the name of reincarnation. A Tibetan Lama passed away at the age of 84 in 2001. His disciple Tenzin Zopa goes on a quest that lasts over four years to search for the "unmistaken" child to be his master's reincarnation. The film documents the search process and reveals the human aspects behind the religion believes and faith. It allows the audience to come to their own conclusions if the little boy is indeed the unmistaken reborn of the deceased monk. There is no doubt shown by the film that Tenzin Zopa is a devoted monk. He has been at his master's service since the age of seven. For over 20 years, he doesn't think but simply always follows his master—he told us in very good English, wearing a Northface jacket. After his master's death, he needs to fill the void by completing his reincarnation. Based on the Tibetan tradition, the master's reincarnation should be a new born between the age of one to two. Would you want to be chosen as the unmistaken child? Whether the child is the unmistaken child depends on who you ask. To non-believers of reincarnation, it's an incredible sad to witness that a child is lured away by toys and balloons from his parents. To believers of reincarnation, it's a delightful celebration of the reborn of their master and a remarkable achievement of finding the boy. However, one thing is surely unmistaken is that the boy's fate is sealed and his life is forever changed, and he doesn't even know yet. He is no longer living in poverty condition and he drinks American brand orange juice even in a remote mountain area. He wears clean clothes, although not a Northface jacket, yet. He is preoccupied by many toys that he has never seen before and sleeps soundly in a sea of teddy bears. I hope he will feel a little comfort in the future when he sees his parents speaking to the camera in this film, with profound sadness in their eyes: "If it's not for this (reincarnation), who is going to give up his child?" "Unmistaken Child" opens on Friday, June 26, at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

The rainbow flags and posters are everywhere in the city, even on buses. Couple weeks ago, I was taking the bus to Marin Headlands, a group of elderly Russian tourists were on the same bus. One of the local Russian explains to the rest what the Pride poster on the bus is about, in Russian. I thought that was intriguing.

I got an email at work warning us not to be alarmed if we would see a huge crowd on the street on Tuesday morning. That would be a rehearsal of an emergency evacuation from the McKesson building next door. I got all excited and ready to see something unusual on the street. I know, I am that easily amused.

But to my deepest disappointment, nothing happened. No crowd. I think most of the people don't bother and don't care. I took a picture of the street anyway from my office window anyway, even nothing is unusual on the street. But, I do notice the rainbow flag on Market Street, which is tiny in the picture.

I don't think that shows the pride spirit. So I wend down to the street and took a close-up picture of the waving rainbow flag.

Every year during the San Francisco Pride, it is also the time when the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival (Frameline) takes place.

Although much progress has been made since Stonewall Riots forty years ago, the struggle for equality in the LGBT community continues, and still there is a long way to go. While many states have legalized gay marriage, the notorious Proposition 8 took away the right to marry for same-sex couples in California. The San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival—Frameline has been part of the LGBT history to reflect and document the struggle, the progress, as well as setbacks. It continues to tell the LGBT stories via cinema.

With 96 programs, including 80 feature films and 139 shorts from 32 countries, Frameline 33 will take place June 18-28, 2009 at Castro Theater, Roxie Theater, Victoria Theater, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley.

Despite the fact that we are still in recession and most film festivals increase the admission fees, Frameline 33's ticket prices remain unchanged. However, the number of screenings seems reduced, and many films are only get to shown once at a venue other than Castro Theater which has the more seats. How does this matter? Well, that means if one waits till the last minute, the tickets might be all gone for that movie, leaving only one option—standing in a rush line to score a ticket.

Besides the always entertaining "Fun in Boys' Shorts" and "Fun In Girls' Shorts" (no pun intended), this year's festival provides a wide range of films that will make us laugh, make us cry, make us think, make us angry, and make us feel to be part of the community and the history.

However, I have to say that I am a little disappointed by weak presence of Asian films at this year's festival. I have heard a lot about "Permanent Residence" (永久居留 | Hong Kong 2009) and I bet all my money that this film would be included in this year's festival. I lost. Let's hope next year's festival will be different and have more Asian films or films about queer Asian.

Here are a few feature films that are worth seeing.

• Born in '68 (Nés en 68 | France 2008 | in French | 173 min.)

  Spanning over almost four decades, Born in '68 (Nés en 68 | France 2008 | in French | 173 min.) is a beautiful epic film that tells a story about idealism, passion, politics, and love. Although it's a quite a long film, the audience won't look at their watches because the story is captivating and the characters are fascinating. The film starts with the student riots of 1968 in France during the hippie era, and the film chronicles all the way to the current struggle with the AIDS epidemic, and the issues the world is facing in a time of post 9/11.

  This film is particularly fitting to be screened in San Francisco, because the city has the culture, history, and spirit that remarkably resemble the story lines in this film.

  

  This is by far the best film I have seen at this year's Frameline, and it just might be your best three hours at the festival.

  
  

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• Soundless Wind Chime (无声风铃 | Hong Kong/Switzerland 2009 | in Cantonese/Mandarin/German/English | 110 min.)

  One of the few Asian films at this year's festival is Hong Kong director Kit Hung's (洪榮傑) "Soundless Wind Chime" (无声风铃 | Hong Kong/Switzerland 2009 | in Cantonese/Mandarin/German/English | 110 min.). Loosely based on his real life experience, Hung stylishly tells a personal story about love between two lonely souls coming from foreign lands and struggling to survive in Hong Kong.

  Despite the weak story and unlikable characters, the exquisite cinematography and touching music scores are unforgettable and will stick with you long after the film.

  

  Gorgeous Lu Yulai (吕玉来) ("Peacock (孔雀)") gives a terrific performance as the immigrant young man from Beijing who falls in love with a street bum from Switzerland (why?). If the Swiss guy were a local Hong Kong boy, the story would have been more interesting. But, that would be a different movie as well.

  
  
  

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• Boy (Philippines 2009 | in Tagalog | 80 min.)

  Auraeus Solito, the director of charming "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" and the delightful "Tuli," brings to the festival his new film "Boy" (Philippines 2009 | in Tagalog | 80 min.). It tells a story about a teenager poet who falls in love with a macho dancer, tenderly, when he is not obsessing with his fish tanks.

  This film continues the tradition in Solito's films that a young boy occupies the center stage as the protagonist who pursues his love innocently, or the lack of it in this film by buying the other one.

  

  I wish the casting of the film would have been different to make the characters more convincing and to act better.
  
  

  ---

• Prodigal Sons (USA 2008 | 86 min.)

  If you think your life is tough and full of drama, wait until you see Kimberly Reed 's feature debut documentary "Prodigal Sons" (USA 2008 | 86 min.). It tells director's personal mind-boggling story about the relationship among her family members including her adopted first brother Marc who becomes mentally ill after traumatic brain injury, her gay brother, and her supportive loving mother; and of course, about their reactions on her transition from a star quarterback in high school into a woman.

  It's courageous for the director to tell this incredible story to the world. It's a remarkable process to make peace and reconcile with her family members, and mostly importantly, a second coming out process to herself.

  
  
  

  ---

• The Country Teacher (Venkovský ucitel | Czech Republic 2008 | in Czech | 113 min.)

  One sure thing about Czech drama "The Country Teachers" (Venkovský ucitel | Czech Republic 2008 | in Czech | 113 min.) is that it's not a happy film to watch because almost all of their characters are coping with unrequited love. I am sure many people can identify with these characters, because we might all have similar experiences at some points in our lives. And, those experiences are pure torture.

  Pavel Liska brilliantly portraits a country teacher who leaves his boyfriend and escapes to a village. He stays at a ranch to tutor a teenager boy. While he cannot return the attention from the boy's mom, he also cannot suppress the urge toward the boy.

  

  The emotional struggle among these characters is absolutely unforgettable.

Another man went on a killing spree and killed three Asian. He didn't even get on the death row.

Two punks teased a tiger and got both the tiger and their friend killed. Now they get to live and collect $900,000 settlement from the San Francisco Zoo.

Recently, I am disgusted by these so-called justices. I don't know what laws made all these happening. But I do smell these laws stink. Perhaps because I am not a lawyer, so I cannot make sense in any of these cases.

On the other hand, I am glad that San Francisco now has the toughest regulation in the nation about recycling, although I think it's not tough enough. People should not have to be pushed by law to be environmental conscious. Everybody can do it. If in a month, I can generate less than 1 pound of trash that goes to the landfill (the rest goes to recycle bin or compost bin), so can everybody else, if they give it a try.

I hope we can continue to enjoy the beauty of this great city and some part of this planet many years to come, only if we can control the wackos and the environment.

I hope the sunset is always as pretty as tonight.

After five years, my old rice cooker shows its fatigue. I am sad to say goodbye to it, because Eric bought it for me. There are many fond memories and plenty rice associated with this rice cooker.

After some search, I bought a new one—Sanyo ECJ-F50S. So far, I love it! It cooks much better rice than the old one, especially when I mix the brown rice and black rice.

The new rice cooker gives me even more motivation to cook a meal tonight. After swimming, I went to a fish shop on Mission and 24th Street. I bought some salmon bellies which are loaded with fatty fish oil. With just a little bit oil in the pan, topped with a few pine nuts, those fish bellies turned golden and they are delicious.

I also bought a giant fish head and added some tofu and hairy cucumber (毛瓜). They turned into a big pot of soup. The texture of the fish head reminds me of turtle soup.

I totally failed on making some sheet jelly (粉皮), because I made the starch mix too thin. So the salad didn't have sheet jelly as I originally planned. It was still very good with cucumber, red chili peppers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and woodear.

Oh, of course, I also cooked the fluffy mixed rice using my new rice cooker.

I am proud that tonight's dinner contains few issues raised by a documentary called "Food, Inc." that opens this weekend.

Food, Inc.

If indeed "you are what you eat," American people are in deep trouble. Based on Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation", director Robert Kenner's new documentary "Food, Inc." (USA 2008 | 94 min.) paints a grim picture about what Americans are putting in their mouths. It reveals lots information that food industry definitely does not want consumers to know. In fact, many people probably prefer not to know, because they might go to bed hungry after watching this film. The film peels away the layers of packaging wrapped around the foods we put on the table. It traces back to the root where the foods are coming from. It illustrates how the foods reach the shelves in grocery stores. It criticizes how the food industry puts profit ahead of public health, environmental impact, and workers' wellbeing. It shows how vulnerable our food resources have become. It predicts disastrous health consequences in the generations to come. Apparently, the fast moving life style in our modern society has transformed how we eat and what we eat. Not only animals grow faster, consumers also spend less time on preparing food, if they cook at all. When most Americans are not eating at fast food joints, they are probably eating processed food controlled by very few giant multi-national corporations. If you are familiar with the information presented in this documentary, the film makes you more disturbed and terrified. If you have not given much thought about what are in the food you put into your mouth everyday, this film is an entertaining and informative eye opener. If you are on the other side of the fence rooting with the food industry, it is unlikely this film makes you change your mind. It's pretty clear that the film tells one-sided story, because the filmmakers simply cannot get any interview from major food industry players. However, even the film is not as balanced as it wants to be, it tells a story that needs to be known by the American public. We need to buy local and buy organic. We need to eat less meat and more food in their original forms versus processed versions. We simply need to cook more—food not only will taste better, but also might save our lives instead of killing us. "Food, Inc." opens on Friday, June 12 at Landmark's Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco. Special Appearance: Eric Schlosser, co-producer of the film and the author of "Fast Food Nation" will be in person on Saturday, June 13 at 4:50 & 7:30pm screenings.

I am very relieved that I am back safely. For some reason, more and more I begin to scare of flying. I understand that there is a small chance to have an accident. However,

1. Why should I take even a small chance if it's not absolutely necessary?
2. If an accident happens during a flight, even with a small chance, I will be in deep shit.

That's wrong. Not the statistics, but what they are comparing when talking about safety.

They should compare "probability of survival," not the "probability of having an accident." Anyone who takes math courses should agree with me that:

Pr (having an accident and survive) = Pr (survival | having an accident) * Pr (having an accident)

Now given the condition of having an accident, the conditional probability of survival makes the probability of survival during a flight looks really bad, compared to traveling in cars. That proves that I am not totally a fool when I worry about flying.

I think it's worth a celebration after my returning from Iowa. Yes, Iowa, the field of dreams.

On Tuesday, in order to catch my flight to the SFO airport, I set up two alarms to 4:30am, hoping that I would give myself plenty time to have a little breakfast and wash up before my shuttle comes around 5:30am.

However, when I was woken up by a phone call on my cell phone, I heard an automatic voice from Supershuttle: "Your van will be arriving in 3 minutes!" It was 5:30am already! Oh my mother Teresa!

I hate mornings.

Two days ago when I was at Iowa State University, when I was requesting a wakeup call at 8am, the girl at the front desk giggled—she had no idea that 8am is my 6am!

Although the weather was super pleasant and the campus was incredible beautiful at Iowa State University (ISU), the trip is little bit dreadful. Everywhere is quiet and empty, because few are attending the summer school.

The familiar sceneries bring back lot memories, but I don't feel nostalgic. I didn't want to stay there any longer and I was extremely happy that I could leave. My old apartment that I used to live, University Village, still stands there and still looks the same. I bet my room is still very small. Paths on campus that I used to travel daily still surrounded by beautiful landscaping and nicely mowed green lawn.

I don't know when I will visit ISU again. Perhaps never. I don't wanna fly unnecessarily, but mostly, I closed that chapter of my life, for good.

Now I am back home and I can eat, exercise, and sleep regularly.

There is a Japanese place called Nara Sushi in my neighborhood that I have wanted to go for a while. Finally, I paid a visit last night. It's not bad at all.

The presentation is not fancy or over the top, but the fish is fresh and delicious. I am surprised to find out that they have ama-ebi. They are delicious!

Next time I go there, I will order a screaming orgasm.

I will go back to Marin Headlands tomorrow, so I must go to bed now.

G'night.

• Very Long Hiking

  The weather has not been cooperative lately. It's foggy and chilly most of the days. Despite the not-so-perfect weather, I went to hiking in Marin Headlands yesterday.

  I was going to try a new trail that I have not hiked before, but I didn't bring a map with me.

  I became nervous when I couldn't see where the trail was going due to the heavy fog. All the hills disappeared in the clouds. I began to wonder if I would be in the next day's news in a lost hiker story.

  I checked my cell phone, no signal! Don't they have a law that I should be able to call 911 anywhere with a cell phone? I calmed down a little after I told myself the thought was my GAD at work again.

  I kept going. Turning my head, I saw those hills falling behind me afar.

  It was so peaceful. I could only hear birds and the wind. When tall grass was pushed around, I felt like I was in a movie. So I decided to shot a video to document the moment.

  By the time I finally reached to a road to catch my bus back to the city, I have hiked 3 hours non-stop. I probably hiked between 9 to 10 miles.

  I think I will go to a different trail next time.

• California Academy of Science

  Finally I got to visit the much hyped California Academy of Sciences. I am somehow disappointed.

  I anticipated something spectacular. But nothing comes close to it. The aquarium is very small, and it's no comparison to the Oceanário de Lisboa that I visited couple years ago.

  What bothers me the most is that in the middle of the museum sits a giant dinning area. A cafe! A very ugly looking cafe. It looks like a construction zone people build when they paint or repair a building.

  The planetarium is the best in the museum. A must see, and perhaps it is worth the $25 admission fee alone.

  Oh, a guy named Robert works at the entrance of the rainforest is adorable. I didn't tell him this, because he must already know it.

  The low light makes it difficult for taking pictures. But I managed to take some anyway.

• An Amusing Sign

  I remember that many beach front stores post signs saying:

  "No Shoes, No Shirts, No Service."

  A few days ago, when I pass a bank, I saw a totally different sign that is asking people to take off stuff. Personally I thought it's quite amusing because it is totally fake when it states the reason:

  "So We Can Get To Know You Better As Customers and Friends: No Hats, No Hoodies, No Sunglasses When Doing Business With Bank Staff. Thanks For The Cooperation!"

  

  I don't care how many errors this sign has, I find it funny because it's absurd to be posted at all. Why can't they just say the truth in black and white? Aren't really trying to say: "If you rob us, we want to see who you are, so please take off your sunglasses, and hats, and whatever else that can hide your identity."

  Now, I can imagine a robber stops at the door, reads the sign, removes the mask, sunglasses, and hoodies, then enters the bank and points a gun to the teller demanding for money.

• Good Luck to Billy

  I really admire Billy's courage to quit his job and to move to Taiwan for a year to study Chinese. I don't think I can do the same. Of course I don't need to learn Chinese, but I cannot do it for any other languages.

  On Saturday, on his rooftop, Billy hosted a farewell party. It's very chilly, and very windy in downtown. No matter, we had a good time anyway.

  

  In this picture, Yhow Wei looks like he is on a DVD cover for a Korean drama. Maybe a comedy.

  

  I took another picture with my new glasses. I really like this pair because they are lighter than the previous pair of Versace. Now I can wear them for the entire film reading the subtitles without getting a headache.

  

  Good luck, Billy! I will see you in Taiwan.

• Learning Knitting

  Mom knit so many beautiful quilt, blankets, pillow cover, glasses holders etc etc when she lived with me. It's extremely mysterious and totally magic to me watching her knitting. She could just talk or watch TV while she was knitting. Now, all I had are a few pairs of knitting needles she left and many items she made.

  I want to relive the yarn world she used to be in; I want to touch these needles that used to pass between her fingers; I want to bring back her magic; I want to feel how she was feeling.

  There is no other way to achieve this besides learning how to knit.

  So last week, I went to a program at A&PI Wellness Center to learn how to knit.

  That requires patience, which I hardly have any!

  I kept making mistakes and started all over twice. Our teacher Eric definitely has more patience than I can ever have. In the end, I am very proud that I can finally make a small piece that looks like a thong. That wasn't my intention though.

  

  I am very confident that I can master this. Perhaps I can never be as good as mom, but I can certainly make a nice scarf, someday. It probably can also help me to build more patience, and bring me more Zen moments.

  I can do it. Time to shop some yarn.

• Heading for Iowa

  I am done packing! Where am I heading to? Iowa. Not Ohio.

  However, I am not sure if I can get up tomorrow at 5am to catch my shuttle for the airport. Today's missing Air France plane makes me nervous again. Why do aviation accidents always happen the day before my flight? It just trigger my GAD.

  On the bright side, I get to visit ISU campus where I spent so much time studying. It will be interesting to see my $200/month apartment when I was a student. It surely will bring some memories.

  I tried to rent a car, but the travel Web site told me that there is no car available for me. That's fine by me. I want to take CyRide and experience the old days anyway.

  I am looking forward to the trip now actually, except the flying part. I should catch some sleep before my ride is at the door in few hours.

Indeed, waiting for a whole week to write something is too long.

I changed that yesterday and witness the extravaganza.

It was a really chilly day. It was so cold that it set a "record low for high temperature." I know, I need to read that again to make sure I wrote it correctly. What a big contrast with the record high during the Bay to Breakers last week! However, the cold weather didn't damper the festival spirit a bit on Mission Street in a Latino neighborhood. People dress in lavish and flamboyant costumes in the parade while exposing as much skin as possible.

The upbeat Latin music is extremely contiguous. I couldn't keep my feet, legs, and anything on my body standing still. I don't think anybody can. A guy in the parade even came over to me and led me circling couple times like in a ballroom dancing.

Even I tried move around a little, I was still cold. That makes me appreciate those folks in the parade even more—they worn so little while bringing the happiness and smile to everybody.

I am shocked to realize that some of the dancers didn't even wear shoes! They dance through the lengthy parade route on the cold paved road without anything under their bare feet!

Let's hope next year it will be sunny and warm.

Today was not much sunny either in the morning, but I went to Marin Headlands hiking anyway, because I have not been there for a while.

Like always, it's peaceful and delightful hopping around those hills and sneaking in and out the fog. It's very dreamy.

Too bad the long weekend doesn't last any longer. I must get ready to get back to work tomorrow. How come I have not won the lottery yet?

Departures (おくりびと)

Winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and numerous awards around the world, "Departures" (おくりびと | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 131 min.) is a deeply moving and sentimental film that pays tributes to a traditional Japanese profession—encoffiner. Young cellist Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) loses his job in an orchestra. He and his wife move back to his late-mother's old house in his small hometown. After he answers a job ad in a newspaper to help "departures," he reluctantly becomes an encoffiner who sends those "departed" to a new journey by gracefully dressing and placing the body into a coffin. When Daigo's wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue) finds out his encoffiner job, like many others, she disapproves him and hopes that he gets a different job instead. However, after she sees his elegant work, she and people around the town gain respect toward Daigo's profession and appreciate how encoffiners bring a closure to the family and connect the life and death. An encoffination ritual is tremendously moving and beautiful. Like during a tea ceremony (茶道), every move by a encoffiner possesses impeccable precision, soothing gentleness, and ultimate respect. Boy-band-singer-turned-actor Masahiro Motoki (本木 雅弘) gives a terrific performance as Daigo. Tsutomu Yamazaki (山崎 努) brings humor and wisdom to the role of Daigo's boss. Unlike in the classic "Tampopo" (タンポポ | Japan 1985 | in Japanese | 114 min.), instead of eating noodles, Tsutomu Yamazaki is cooking good chicken and fish. He "hates" himself because he cooks them so well. "Departures" is a well crafted film that touches all walks of live who must face the inevitable—death. The film does not shy away from being sentimental while dealing with a sensitive topic. Yet, it eloquently transforms the moaning of death into a celebration of love among the living. "Departures" opens on May 29 at Bay Area theaters.

I have not worn a pair of shorts in San Francisco for a long time—it's simply too cold for shorts here. I was glad that I got a chance to wear them this weekend. It brings back some memories during my college years when I felt the hot air rubbing my naked legs on the way to the library, and the raging hormone among my buddies.

Due to the changing policy regarding Bay to Breakers, there were significantly less floats and drunken people this year compared to past years' events. However, I think there were just as many naked and dressed-up people as before. The hot weather is a tremendous gift to those who want to show their skin because normally it's quite chilly walking in the park even with clothes on.

What fun! How can one not to smile at the silliness, goofiness, and craziness in the crowd? How can I not to love this city? Only in San Francisco!

Then Monday, the weather seems having a hangover from Sunday's big party—it was windy and cold! How lucky are those naked people at Bay to Breakers! Sunday's weather is the encouragement for getting naked from the nature.

On Saturday, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration at Civic Center is also very enjoyable despite the hot sun.

While enjoying a terrific performance from a band on stage (that boy surely can sing!), I signed up the Comcast's Internet service. It's only $19.99 per month with the 12MB per second speed, how can I say no to that? Besides, Comcast was the major sponsor for this year's San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. I need to do business with them in responding Comcast's support. To encourage Comcast, I sent Comcast an email. I call it community building.

At the street fair, I also got a "Go Veggie" brochure from Suprememastertv that advocates reducing global warming by eating less meat.

When I was reading it, I couldn't stop giggling because I think their intension might be good, but they all came out so wrong in this brochure.

I am totally support the idea of eating more vegetables and less meat, for the obvious health reason while reducing human carbon print.

However, this brochure claims that if one person becomes vegetarian for a year, he or she will achieve all of the following:

1. reducing 3,267 pounds of CO2 emissions
2. stopping 5 people from starving to death
3. saving 25 lives including 0.4 cow + 0.5 pig + 0.1 sheep + 24 chicken

I think the math is totally wrong here... I mean TOTALLY, regardless how much life is for 0.1 sheep.

Here is why.

Let's assume all claims are correct. Then, my becoming a vegetarian will actually do more harm to the earth than if I continue to eat meat.

How so?

Suppose that I become a vegetarian and save five people from starving to death. Now, what if these five people I save are not vegetarian? In that case, there will have 5x3267=16,335 more pounds of CO2 emissions from these five people; 5x5=25 more people will die because they don't save them; and 2 cows, 2.5 pigs, half sheep, and God knows how many chicken will be eaten by those five people I saved.

No way! I will save the planet by cooking meat when I want to eat. Will five people die because of it?

On the other hand, doesn't China's One-child Policy look remarkably visionary compared to the massive highway system in the US? We all know who are consuming 23% of energy with only 5% of the population on this planet.

The brochure goes on lecturing:

"Pigs are curious and insightful animals considered smarter than 3-year-old human children. A pig once saved a boy from drowning."

Big deal! We should not eat pork because pigs are smarter than your new born babies? So, eating a retarded pig is better than eating a genius pig? What about eating a 2-year-old baby since they are not as smart as a pig?

Absurd? Then stop comparing pig with babies. Because we are eating pigs, and pigs are not human. This brochure has no credibility because it turns a good message into a ridiculous joke.

Anyways, I ate steamed pork buns I cooked myself for dinner.

They are delicious.

As planned, I visited a few museums last Sunday. I am surprised to find out that there is a roof top garden opened at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Although it's small, it's relaxing and beautiful up there.

I am impressed by a work made from toothpicks. I have never imagined that small toothpicks can explode like this.

Anything can explode.

One morning when I pass Chinatown, I saw a big red sign on a bakery's window: "嫁女旦糕回来了, 优惠! (Married woman cake returns, with a special price!)"

Besides the wrong character is used (旦 should be 蛋), I am not sure what that means. A married woman returned and made some cake? Or is the cake made for marrying some woman out of the house? I decided to find out what these cakes are. Boy, how disappointed I was! All I saw were some ugly looking muffin-looking stuff.

Of course I didn't buy any, only took a picture. I am afraid the woman will have to get a divorce eventually if she makes shit like that. Or she probably stays in the house forever and can never get married if these are the best she can do.

The warm weather is here again for the weekend. Just in time for the Asian Heritage Street Celebration and Bay to Breakers!

It does feel like summer is here. That also means fog and chill in the evening and morning. Therefore, I think it's okay to have some winter soup even at this season. Last night, I made some spicy and sour soup (酸辣汤).

What's in a spicy and sour soup? A lot. This is what I put in a pot last night: pork, potato, woodear (木耳), daylily (黄花菜), wolfberry (枸杞子), frozen tofu, ginger root, green onion, garlic, white pepper, vinegar, and soy sauce etc.

At the end right before serving, I added some dissolved corn starch to thicken the soup. There is the healthy tasty spicy and sour (or sour and spicy, whatever) soup.

But I didn't eat much, because I have set up a goal to lose another 10 pounds by August. Why? I think I have indulged myself with food too much everyday. I almost always eat at dinner to a point that I can hardly move. I need to change that habit by eating less at night.

I am so happy that the CYC (Community Youth Center) (formally Chinatown Youth Center) came over and took away 12 very nice computers yesterday. We are upgrading our classroom at work, so I contacted them and got the computers. I hope they can make good use of them because the computers are even nicer than mine.

I had my annual eye exam couple days ago, and I got another pair of glasses! Even the prescription is pretty much the same, but I like the new frame (Versace) I pick. I cannot wait to get them next week.

Alright, I need to get out the house to the streets. It's so beautiful out there!

The Girlfriend Experience

After the four hour long epic "Che: Part One" and "Che: Part Two", Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh's following project is a much shorter film "The Girlfriend Experience" (USA 2009, 77 min.), staring adult film star Sasha Grey. The film is set at present time, when the economy melts down deep into the recession. 21-year-old Chelsea (Sasha Grey) and her boyfriend Chris (Chris Santos) also feel the pinch in their own businesses, besides they hear about the economy constantly from their clients. Chelsea is a high-class escort making $2000 per hour, and Chris is a personal trainer at a local gym making $125 per hour. Chelsea records every detail about her service because she is also writing a book. When a Chelsea's client evokes her feeling and compromises her emotional detachment, both Chelsea and Chris must face the new challenge in dealing with their relationship, besides the economy meltdown. Although Sasha Grey has stared in more than 80 adult films, this is her feature debut in a non-porn film, and her performance is quite impressive, considering her character is no match in sophistication to her hourly rate. The film's cinematography is beautifully to watch, and it tends to draw more attention from the audience than the babblings from film's characters. Even they really talk a lot in the film, very few conversations seem sincere and meaningful. Sometimes, as if they are reciting from some newspaper articles to fill the emotion void during the "business transactions." Perhaps that's the reality when intimacy is based on money and payment. No soul or humanity can be found in these characters, or maybe they were buried too deep under cash to be noticed. Like many personal trainers, Chris is a big talker and persuasive when he tries to sell something. However, when he sits down at home with Chelsea, he sounds like a shrink. It's totally understandable—It must be mind-boggling to have a girlfriend who is an escort. That's some "girlfriend experience." "The Girlfriend Experience" opens Friday, May 22 at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco and Shattuck in Berkeley.

• Broken Stuff

  Electronic equipments are supposed to last forever, until people throw them away because new models come out. Well, not for me. Things are kept breaking on me in the house. I start to wonder if this is a calling for my contribution to stimulate the economy.

  First, the inner lid of my rice cooker keeps falling off. I thought I fixed it after I pushed it back, but it falls again from time to time. I have been shopping for a new (good) one, but cannot decide which one I should get.

  Then the DVD player won't play DVDs. Can DVD players actually break? I suspect that I accidentally hit some buttons on the remote control and turned that DVD player into a zombie mode. However, I just couldn't get it back to life. So now, I am down to only two DVD players in the house, besides my laptop.

  Now to my laptop. It must have had an argument with my iPod Nano—they stop talking to each other. I stick my Nano into my laptop's butt, and my laptop just pretends that it doesn't feel that cute little thing. What the hell? Can't they just be friends?

• Special Election

  I mailed out my absentee ballot for the May 19 CA Special Election. I am furious for even having a special election like this proposed by those incompetent California lawmakers.

  These politicians cannot come up a solution on balancing state's check book. While we are deep in the red, these dumb souls think spending millions of dollars to hold a special election might be a good idea—begging voters to cut some programs which still cannot balance the budget. How can they be so stupid?

  I am not saying that they have easy jobs. But they campaigned for these jobs and promised that they are ready for these positions. That's why voters give them the job with a six figure salary plus all the perks and power. Now, they cannot manage it? Bullshit. Resign!

  Therefore, I voted NO on all Propositions, except 1F: "Elected Officials' Salaries. Prevents pay increases during budget deficit years."

  Take that, suckers!

• Making Twisted Steamed Buns (花卷儿)

  After two weeks, the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF52) drew its curtain on Thursday night. This year, I didn't watch as many films as I used to. Besides I am swamped with various commitments, many films will have their theatrical releases soon. No hurries.

  The end of the film festival also means that I finally have more time at home doing regular things like cooking a dinner. After helping Chris's moving in the afternoon, I came home and cooked twisted steamed buns (花卷儿), which I have not cooked for ages.

  In order to have a better texture and taste, I mix regular flour with whole wheat flour, and ferment the dough with active yeast.

  

  Then flatten the dough. add a little salt, pepper, and green onion, with tiny bit oil. Roll the dough into a long tube.

  

  Cut into pieces and pull each piece to make them longer. Twist it couple times and fold into a small roll.

  

  Put them into a steamer, steam for about 15 minutes.

  

  They turn out pretty well, fluffy and tasty.

  

  I also cooked some eggplant with swine, I mean, pork.

  

  But semi whole wheat flour buns don't seem to make the dinner healthy enough, I decided to have some green vegetables. I stirfried rape with garlic.

  

  What's next? Eat!

  

Life is back to normal.

The rain stops, the sun shines, and cool air breezes. I really should be going to hiking tomorrow. But tomorrow is the Koret Foundation's Museum Day, so most likely I will end up in museums instead.

And, mom, where ever you are, I have been thinking about you. I miss you, terribly.

I am totally surprised that San Francisco still gets some rain in May! Even April shower is very rare here. I am glad that the sidewalks can get cleaned one more time before the dry season comes.

It's probably also good on washing away all kinds of viruses and bacteria, including the H1N1 or H&M or whatever virus. When I was washing hands, I always wonder why viruses like water so much. Why don't they stick with people but just get in the water people wash hands? Nature is quite strange and fascinating.

I don't quite remember how I spent my Christmas in the past, except one.

That was a few years ago when I was still living in North Carolina. It was cold and grey outside. I didn't leave the couch for about nine hours on that Christmas Day, mulching on leftovers and sipping hot tea — I was watching "The Godfather" (USA 1972, 175 min.), "The Godfather: Part II" (USA 1974, 200 min.), and "The Godfather: Part III" (USA 1990, 162 min.) continuously. I was completely captivated into a world that the legendary director Francis Ford Coppola creates in these films. It was a magical day that I will never forget. Coppola has been one of my favorite directors.

To celebrate his outstanding contribution to cinema, Francis Ford Coppola is honored with the Founder's Directing Award at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF52).

Tonight, over a thousand people packed the one and only Castro Theater to spend the evening with director Francis Ford Coppola, joined by his long time friends and fellow filmmakers George Lucas, Carroll Ballard, Walter Murch, and Matthew Robbins.

It was an enchanting night when these old friends tell entertaining stories about filmmaking, and the love of San Francisco — they all left Los Angeles and settled down here. Coppola's story about how Marlon Brando got the part in "The Godfather" drew big laugh in the audience.

It's inspiring to hear their journeys of pursuing their dreams. Coppola encourages the audience to tell individual personal stories. I wish Hollywood executives were in the audience, so they might have taken Coppola's advice and stop remaking Asian films.

Coppola explains that his latest film "Tetro" is one of those "personal" films that he has been making. The trailer of the film is stunningly beautiful, in black and white. It will be in theater in June.

Apparently, tonight's event is just one of the many "award nights" at the San Francisco International Film Festival. Many remarkable filmmakers are recognized with these awards, and festival goers get a chance to be up and close to these artists.

The festival just passed the half way mark. I am sure there are plenty personal stories yet to be told.

I am listening.

I begin to think about wearing a mask when I go out. Actually, it has very little to do with this swine flu saga. I always want to wear a mask to fence off vehicle exhaust and nasty smoking. After the news report over the weekend about this flu outbreak, it seems I get a perfect excuse to wear a mask. So, this morning, I wore a surgical mask walking out of my door, and my sunglasses.

People on the bus kept looking at me. They probably either think I just escaped from a hospital, or I am running away from the law enforcement after robbing a bank.

When I visited Japan, I always saw people wearing surgical masks on subways, even just walking on streets that are normally very clean. It seems very natural to others. Why do people think I am weird when I wear a mask here, even when there is a swine flu outbreak?

However, I cannot get over with those curious looks that make me self conscious. On my way home this evening, I took off the mask. I was not in closer contact with other either. I didn't take the bus and I walked back home, because the bus was simply not showing up. The bus must have got swine flu or something like that.

Regardless what other people think, do what I have to do to stay healthy, that's what I want to live my life. Go to the gym, be happy, stay away from hazard sources, and eat healthy.

Speaking of eating healthy, I was pondering today when I was taking a shower — why do food with poor nutrients often taste better? Of course, many nutritious foods are delicious, if cooked correctly. However, it's normally true that if it tastes good, it might not be good for the health.

Deep fried foods are always comforting and fatty foods are also addictive. For example, duck skin, pork belly, bacon wrapped scallops, and many sweet stuff.

On the other hand, the better nutrition, the worse it tastes. Brown rice doesn't taste as tender and fluffy as sushi rice. Whole wheat bread isn't smooth and fancy as the regular white bread. Broccoli tastes like medicine when eating it raw.

On Sunday morning, I made a batch of steamed buns using whole wheat flour that Sean refused to eat. In order to make it a little bit easier on the tongue, I added some raisins in the flour dough.

Well, although these whole wheat flour raisin buns (麸皮葡萄干馒头) taste not bad, but the texture reminds me a little bit of the corn bread (窝窝头) that I hated since I was a little kid. I vividly remember the corn bread just stayed in my mouth and cutting on my throat. I chewed and chewed, but I just couldn't swallow it.

But, the corn bread is so much better in terms of nutrition values compared to white flour bread (馒头).

Why does it have to be that way?

Is taste a learned sense or born from birth? What about smell? Is that also learned sense? Can our brain be trained to alter the sense?

I should go to bed, not to think too much...

Over the super hot weekend, I completed my "ゆ Noren."

Because I am inexperienced, my noren didn't came out as good as I would have hoped. I should have used a hairdryer to dry it quickly after I wrote the "ゆ" character on the fabric. I didn't know. The ink spread a little bit. However, instead of paying hundreds of dollars to buy one, I made it myself for nothing. Plus, I gained some experience and I can definitely do better next time. I hang the noren at my cubicle as soon as the ink became dry.

Mission is completed.

To add more heat to the weather, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Parade took place on Sunday in Japantown. Although I have seen to it so many times, I still enjoy watching it, just like I enjoy going to the annual Chinese New Year Parade no matter how many times I have been to.

Although the weather was scorching hot, some people in the parade are hotter. I feel exhilarated to capture the beauty, the strength, the spirit, the excitement, and the fun with my camera.

After I got back from the parade, I stopped by Chinatown and bought some roasted pig (烤乳猪), and some fresh chives and buk choy. I completed a perfect day by cooking couple dishes, served with my newly bought dishes.

Apparently, every spring, San Francisco's Japantown is the hot spot to be.

Tens of thousands come to Japantown to celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival, and also come to attend the longest-running film festival in the Americas — the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF).

With more than 150 films from more than 50 countries, the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival (SFiFF52) will take place April 23 - May 7 at Sundance Kabuki Theater, Castro Theater, Landmark's Clay Theater, and other venues.

As always, this year's program is full of excitements. It contains a wide spectrum of recent world cinema as well as a few retrospective programs. Regardless one's taste in films, everybody should be able to find something that is familiar and delightful. In addition, people have plenty to choose from at the festival if in the mood of experiencing something new and challenging.

Here is a list of films that I am looking forward to at SFiFF52.

• Still Walking (歩いても 歩いても | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 114 min.)

  Director Hirokazu Kore-eda's (是枝裕和) "Nobody Knows" (誰も知らない) is one of my all time favorites, and I also enjoy his period drama "Hana" (花よりもなほ, SFiFF50). Now I am thrilled that his highly anticipated new film "Still Walking" (歩いても 歩いても) comes to the festival. "Still Walking" tells a story about grown children visiting their elderly parents on one summer day. It shows how a family is bonded by love as well as resentments and secrets. A must see.

  

• Artemisia (艾草 | Taiwan 2008 | in Mandarin | 85 min.)

  Chiang Hsiu Chiung's (姜秀瓊) feature directorial debut "Artemisia" (艾草) is nothing short of excellence. The film is an affectional and beautiful portrait of a loving mother Ai-chao who struggles to cope with her family's affairs that reflect the changing society in Taiwan.

  My full review.

  

• Every Little Step (USA 2008 | 96 min.)

  Based on the audition process of the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, documentary "Every Little Step" is a touching and endearing film that pays tributes to artists of many generations. It captures auditionees' heartfelt journeys and explores A Chorus Line's legacy.

  

• Good Cats (好猫 | China 2008 | in Chinese/Sichuan dialect | 103 min.)

  After director Ying Liang's (应亮) feature debut "Taking Father Home" (背鸭子的男孩) won the SFiFF49's SKKY Prize, all of his feature films have been selected by the SFiFF since. His second film "The Other Half" (另一半) was shown at last year's SFiFF. His latest film "Good Cats" (好猫) will be shown at this year's SFiFF. It's a story about greed and corruption beneath the current rapid modernization in China. I have seen this film frame by frame numerous times because I donated my time and talent to translate the entire film. I hope the countless hours I spent on revising and editing its English subtitles will pay off when the translation conveys the story to the audience.

  

• Easy Virtue (UK/USA 2008 | 93 min.)

  Director Stephan Elliott ("The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,") blends brilliant performance, fantastic cinematography, lavish art design and costumes, funky music, and mischievous humor into an entertaining "Easy Virtue" (UK/USA 2008 | 93 mins.). The movie is the second adaptation of Noel Coward's classic play, and the first adaptation is a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock eighty years ago. Even though this film is no "Gosford Park," it has its own charm when telling a story about a newly wed American wife tries to escape a suffocating upper class British family.

  

• The Beast Stalker (證人 | Hong Kong 2008 | in Cantonese | 110 min.)

  Just won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Awards few days ago at the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards, director Dante Lam's (林超賢) action packed thriller "The Beast Stalker" (證人) will have its U.S. premiere at the festival. Go and see it before the Hollywood remakes it.

  

• River People (水上人家 | China 2008 | in Chinese/Yan Cheng dialect | 88 min.)

  Worked with directors Zhang Yimou (张艺谋) and Chen Kaige (陈凯歌), director He Jianjun (何建军) is considered to be a leading voice of the sixth generation Chinese filmmakers. His new docudrama "River People" tells a story about two teenager boys living on the Yellow River bank, one wants to leave for the city, and the other one wants to stay.

  

• The Window (La ventana | Argentina/Spain 2008 | in Spanish | 85 min.)

  It appears to be a very simple story — a bedridden 80-year-old man gets ready for his estranged son's visit. He looks out his window at the Patagonian landscape and sees light and life, the past and the present, while sensing the future. When the story is told by renowned director Carlos Sor’n in his new film "The Window," it becomes a must see at the festival.

  

• Speaking in Tongues (USA 2008 | in English/Mandarin/Spanish/Cantonese | 60 min.)

  While there are 112 languages spoken in San Francisco metropolitan area, the notion of "English Only" (in 31 states already) seems absurd. The intriguing documentary "Speaking in Tongues" follows four youngsters and their families in a San Francisco public school for a year to study the fascinating impact of bilingual education. Can't speak in another tongue yet? Not to worry, the film will be subtitled at the screenings before you get back to school to learn another language.

  

• Tongzhi in Love (彼岸浮生 | China 2008 | in Mandarin | 30 min.)

  Academy Award winning director Ruby Yang's (杨紫烨) new documentary "Tongzhi in Love," perhaps the first documentary about gays in China, examines gay men's double lives in modern China — the freer city gay life versus the closet life being the only child who is responsible for producing an heir for the family.

  My full review.

  

• Home (Switzerland/France/Belgium 2008 | 97 min.)

  The still images from "Home" (starring Isabelle Huppert) reminds me European films such as "Adam's Apples" (SFiFF49). I feel that if I were going to see only one European film during this festival, "Home" would be the one. The story about a happy-go-lucky family dealing with a highway built on their front yard interests me. Don't we all deal with similar situations even it might not be a highway?

  

• Claustrophobia (親密 | Hong Kong/China 2008 | 100 min.)

  Award winning screenwriter Ivy Ho's (岸西) directorial debut "Claustrophobia" is a drama about office romance set in modern time. Although personally I never think office romance is a good idea — for the obvious reasons — I am eager to see how protagonists in this film sort things out in their cubicles.

  

• Departures (おくりびと | Japan 2008 | in Japanese | 131 min.)

  This just in: the winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009, "Departures" will be shown at the fesitval on Saturday May 2 at 11:00 am at the Clay Theatre! Enough said.

  

That's plenty to watch at SFiFF52, besides "L: Change the WorLd" screening event next Wednesday.

I got an absentee ballot in the mail. What? Another election? I don't even know what that's for. Whatever...

Tomorrow marks the 103rd anniversary of 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. I hope the big one won't come anytime soon. However, the unusual weather pattern always makes me a little nervous.

It was quite cold and windy last few days. But now, there is a "severe weather alert" for extreme hot weather this coming weekend! I am so ready to get out this weekend and enjoy the spring, regardless there will have an earthquake or not.

Actually I have been indulging myself in the spring. I took Wednesday off to visit the California Academy of Sciences on its free day. However, the nice sunshine and blue sky brought more people to the park then I expected. The line was super long, and I have absolutely no patience to stay in line.

Instead, I enjoyed spring flowers in the San Francisco Botanical Garden. They are outrageously beautiful and extravagantly colorful.

I normally don't care to attend events at Bloomingdales due to the reputation of being lame and boring. However, after wandering around the park and a film screening, it's time for a drink. I stopped by the Details event at Bloomingdales before I head home. As I expected, indeed it was lame and boring. The only drink they had was gin and tonic.

After couple drinks, I left the mall heading home. When I was passing Union Square, I saw three animals on the sidewalk: a dog was carrying a cat and the cat was carrying a mouse.

How can I not love this city?

Peter's birthday was celebrated at Coriya Hot Pot City on Monday night. I think the name "Coriya" is quite funny because it makes fun of the pronunciation of "Korea" with a heavy accent.

When we left the place, I smelled like as if I am fresh off a grill. Lovely.

Besides worrying about earthquake, I am also concerned about the school children in this country.

Few days ago, an 18-year-old high school student was caught in bed with his 48-year-old math teacher. Who caught him? It was that teacher's 20 years old boyfriend, who is her former student. The result? The 18-year-old was stabbed to death.

If not for the love of math, I don't know what draw these young students to their math teacher. They are labeled as triangle love. But for a triangle in mathematics, the sum of two sides is definitely greater than the third side. However, here 18+20<48. Go figure.

Then I learned today that another 47-year-old high school teacher in Ohio is fired because she took four students to a male strip club.

Obviously, these teachers take Bush's "No Child Left Behind" literally. They took the students with them to bedrooms and strip clubs.

After all, perhaps Americans are not that far behind Europeans when it comes to sex.

The pain on my right hand's middle finger mysteriously disappeared, just like it mysteriously came. I must have done something wrong, then right again. Hopefully I won't do anything wrong again. I can keep my fingers crossed.

I am looking forward to a fantastic warm (or hot) weekend, including the Cherry Blossom Festival Grand Parade on Sunday. It's time to practice how to put on a fundoshi (褌) that I am sure that I will see a lot at the parade.

But one question remains unanswered for me: what if the nature calls while wearing a fundoshi?

There have been a few ships in the water lately, and I am sure none of them are the out of control pirates. Isn't it preposterous that mighty US of A can invade and occupy an entire foreign country, but they cannot prevent these pirates from taking ships in the sea?

I ran out of flour and rice last week. No, it's not because pirates robbed my food shipment, it's because I have been too busy to shop for groceries. When my landlord offered to help, I immediately accepted the "bailed-out package" with much gratitude. What's on the shopping list? I got 50 lbs of rice, 50 lbs of flour. 2.5 gallons of canola oil, and 7.25 lbs of kimchi from Costco. It looks like as if I am ready to open a restaurant.

After I got my "supply," I cooked some steamed buns (馒头). There is nothing inside — plain, so I can eat whatever with them, such as kimchi.

One problem that has been bothering me lately is that I have been feeling quite painful on my right hand's middle finger. I do use my middle finger a lot, scrolling the wheel of my trackball mouse, not flipping it to other people. However, I have been using the same trackball for years without any problem. I don't know what happened. Perhaps I should use that middle finger more in some other way to reduce the pain.

Of course, I have been watching films. In fact, yesterday I walked out the third ones after 30 minutes into the film. Partly because the white subtitles are almost unreadable when they fall on white objects (do the filmmaker have any sense of visual?), partly because I am too tired. Here are two reviews I wrote recently.

Artemisia (艾草)

Although Chiang Hsiu Chiung (姜秀瓊) might be recognized for her Golden Horse Award nominated performance as the middle sister in Edward Yang's (film ) epic "A Bright Summer Day" (牯嶺街少年殺人事件), most of her works have been behind the camera. Some of her works are with renowned directors Edward Yang (楊德昌) and Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢). She is the assistant director in Edward Yang's "Yi Yi: A One and a Two" (一一). She also worked in Hou Hsiao-hsien's films such as "Flowers of Shanghai" (海上花) and "Millennium Mambo" (千禧曼波). With that exceptional resume, Chiang Hsiu Chiung's feature directorial debut "Artemisia" (艾草 | Taiwan 2008 | in Mandarin | 85 min.) is nothing short of excellence. The film is an affectional and beautiful portrait of a loving mother Ai-chao who struggles to cope with her family's affairs that reflect the changing society in Taiwan. Ai-chao (艾草) means Artemisia. It's also the name of this film's protagonist — a 58-year-old Taiwanese woman. When Ai-chao was young, without her mother's approval, she married to her mainland born husband who was 20 years her senior. After her husband died 20 years ago, she raised her son and her daughter by herself. Now, not only her children have grown up, the social norm in Taiwan has also changed. It's Ai-chao's turn to face the reality in her family affairs. Despite the conflicts and gaps in generations and culture, the bond and love in a family ultimately prevail. This deeply affectionate and heartwarming film embraces family, love, and the turbulent journey of understanding and accepting each other in a changing society. Either coming from her own or influenced by directors Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-Hsien, the film definitely has a resemblance in the storytelling style to films by Yang and Hou. The film's engrossing story and lively characters are naturally developed and effortlessly win over our hearts. "Artemisia" will be shown at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival on Sunday, Apr 26 at 9:15pm, Sunday, May 3 at 12:45pm, and Thursday, May 7 at 8:30pm at Kabuki Theater. "Artemisia" is the winner of the Golden Gate Awards in the Television Narrative Long Form category at this year's 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival.

Gigantic

Director/co-writer Matt Aselton's feature debut "Gigantic" (USA 2008 | 98 min.) is a quirky delightful treat for those who are in the mood for some serious giggling. 28-year-old Brian Weathersby (Paul Dano) sells high-end Swedish mattress while pursing his "lifelong" dream — adopting a Chinese baby. After art collector Al Lolly (John Goodman) comes to the store to buy a mattress for his back problem, Brian meets Al's daughter Harriet Lolly, or Happy. While Brian is romantically involved with Happy, he has to constantly fight off a mysterious homeless guy who tries to kill him. Actually the film's plot is not important. The most entertaining aspect about this film is the witty and humorous dialogue, and these verbal exchanges reveal the fascinating relationships among these characters. This is a film one must watch several times in order to catch all the lines, because many of the conversations will not be heard due to the giggling in the audience, especially both Brian and Happy always speak softly in the film. The uniformly strong performances from an ensemble cast deliver many funny lines brilliantly. Paul Dano completely vanishes into a quiet Brian from the charismatic priest in "There Will Be Blood." Edward Asner hilariously steals many scenes in the film playing Brian's 80-year-old father. However, I am not very fond of the subplot of the crazy homeless character — not because of its relevance to the main story, but because he didn't say a word in the film. After all, the dialogue is the gem of the film that is worth of listening and that is funny. Of course not all of the characters have to speak in order to be funny. For example, those masseuses do not say a word either, but how can anybody keep a straight face while watching them working? "Gigantic" opens on Friday, April 10 at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco, Landmark's Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley, and Camera 12 in San Jose. FILMMAKER IN PERSON: Director and co-writer Matt Aselton will speak at Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco on Friday, April 10 at 7:00pm & 9:40pm shows, and Saturday, April 11 at Shattuck in Berkeley at 5:00pm & 7:25pm shows.

And, I pushed myself a little too hard.

I used only an hour to finish a trail that I normally hike for at least two hours. I even ran a little a bit at the end, because I didn't want to miss the hourly bus. Now, I am suffering the consequences, but I don't mind.

I am in the spring fever mood. On Saturday, I spent pretty much the whole day to clean the house, wash rugs, wipe dust, and organize my stuff.

That's just after I moved in and organized my new cubicle, which I hate already after just one week.

I simply cannot get used to hearing others' talking on the phone when I am at work, and there is no longer a door that I can close to keep the noise out. I asked the secretary ordered me a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. They help a little, especially when I am playing music in my headphones, but I still can hear people talking! I am thinking to begin to work from home.

Another problem is the distraction I get when people pass by my cubicle, even very few people do. I have been thinking a solution. On Friday when I was working out on an elliptical machine in the gym, suddenly an idea came to my mind, and I almost giggled myself off the machine. People in the gym must think that I am crazy.

What came to my mind? — I think I should hang a noren (暖簾) at my cubicle entrance! That will build a barrier between my cubicle and the walk way, also it will create more privacy for me.

It will be perfect if I can find one like this one, because I doubt anybody in the office would know what "ゆ" means (bath house).

The search is on, and I didn't find anything like this in Japantown on Sunday. If I can't find one, I probably make one myself!

I hate cubicles!!!

I should feel content actually. I got both the federal and state tax refund within a week, especially when the governments are all broke. I am quite impressed. Besides the terrible economy, many Americans reach for their guns and start to slaughter others and themselves. During the period of one month, there are 53 people died from mass shooting! A quick rundown:

• MARCH 10, SAMSON, Ala. &8212; A gunman kills 10 people and commits suicide in a rampage that spanned two dozen miles across the southern Alabama countryside. Police say Michael McLendon had struggled to keep a job and left behind lists of employers and co-workers he believed had wronged him.
• MARCH 22, OAKLAND, Calif. — A man pulled over in a routine traffic stop fatally shoots two officers and then kills two more in a gunfight in which the suspect was also killed. Relatives say Lovelle Mixon, 26, had been frustrated about not finding work and feared returning to jail.
• MARCH 29, SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A man shoots and kills his two children and three other relatives, then kills himself at a family housewarming party in an upscale neighborhood. Investigators don't yet know the motive of Devan Kalathat, a 42-year-old engineer at Yahoo.
• MARCH 29, CARTHAGE, N.C. — A man opens fire in a nursing home and kills seven elderly residents and a nurse who cared for them. Investigators say Robert Stewart, 45, apparently had targeted an estranged wife, a nurse's assistant who escaped by hiding in a bathroom.
• APRIL 3, BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — A gunman bursts into an immigrant center and kills 13 people before killing himself. Police say Jiverly Wong, a 41-year-old Vietnamese immigrant, was apparently upset about losing his job and about people picking on him for his limited English.
• APRIL 4, PITTSBURGH — A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opens fire on officers responding to a domestic disturbance call, killing three of them. Police say Richard Poplawski, 23, had been upset about losing his job and feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns.
• APRIL 4, GRAHAM, Wash. — A man fatally shoots his five children in their mobile home and then takes his own life in his car miles away. Relatives identified the father as James Harrison. Authorities said he lashed out because his wife was leaving him.

Last fall, I was told that our individual offices are to be demolished, and everybody will work in newly built cubicles. I was stressed out trying to figure out where I should put all the junk I have been accumulating over the years in the office.

I don't think I am a hoarder as bad as featured in last week's SF Weekly. However, I do tend to keep stuff, or too lazy to clean up. I was really happy when I finally finished packing up my office.

The construction followed. Our offices are torn down and the place is like a war zone in the Middle East.

Now it's all over, and all I get is a small cubicle. I moved in on Monday.

Well, life goes on. I have boxes of ammunitions I packed away to transform this cold metal square into a place of my own. If my office needs to evolve, it has to come out to be a cute baby if I am the parent.

It didn't take very long for me to empty all of my boxes, and my cubicle is definitely MINE now.

I actually kinda like the new cubicle, it makes me feel like I just move in a new house — everything is new and I get to rearrange the furniture and redecorate the empty walls. Now, I can just yell at my co-workers without having to walk into their offices.

The big question is how long I can keep my little cozy cubicle neat and tidy. Actually it might not be difficult because the space is much smaller for me to mess up and much easier for me to clean up. I will keep my fingers crossed.

I also wonder where my office might evolve from here. Probably no where, because I already have a nice view, and I don't think they will tear down the cubicles and build officers again anytime soon.

To me, every day is the Earth Day and every hour is the Earth Hour. Why must the rest of the world light up everything when they can go on their lives without them? If lives can go on during the Earth Hour when the lights are off, then why are they turned back on afterwards to pollute the night sky and to waste energy?

There are plenty things that we can conserve energy in our daily lives. For example, I don't use a clothes dryer. I think clothes dryer is one of the most evil machines that human invented. They waste so much energy and dry clothes in the least efficient way. I can dry my clothes on a rack just fine in my apartment, when I don't have a yard like I used to.

So right before 8:30pm, when the Earth Hour was supposed to start, I was actually hanging my clothes in my room. When I looked outside my window, I saw the Golden Gate Bridge was visible, although it never glows at night.

By the time I finished hanging my clothes, the lights were off!

The Palace of Fine Arts also disappeared in the view, and I noticed a bright moon in the sky, even it was not a full moon.

Wouldn't that be nice if we can keep those lights off forever?

The weather has been super nice lately. Yesterday, after the gym, I decided to go check out the Mission District, a Latino neighborhood I hardly visit.

When I got off the BART's 24th Street Station, I was greeted by an energetic street performance.

I had been enchanted by the lively and colorful surroundings, until a few young guys wearing bandanas covering their faces showed up at a street corner. They surely look like gang members to me. My mind began to run through those news stories about shootings and violence in the Mission District. I decided to leave. But before I headed back, I bought some fatty salmon bellies and some jalapeño pepper.

They are so delicious and rich in fish oil!

Since the weather is so inviting, today I went to Marin Headlands again with Peter. It's absolutely beautiful out there and two hour long hiking is extremely invigorating.

Apparently, the spring season not only wakes up all the wild flowers, it also wakes up something that makes both Peter and I screaming and running:

Now I regret that I didn't catch it and bring it back home to cook a stew. Alright, I will never have the guts to touch it, especially when it's alive.

I hope there will still have plenty wild flowers when I return to the wildness next weekend.

Now, the Earth Hour is over, the light is back on, and I just took a peak outside of my window, the moon is hanging on top of the bridge now.

Tomorrow will be the first day for me to work in a cubicle — the remodeling is finally finished and our private offices are all gone, and cubicles are built. Now I am officially becoming a Dilbert. I am not looking forward to it. I prefer watching movies. This is what I wrote this weekend:

Every Little Step

We can all imagine how fierce competitions might be among actors trying to get a role in a Broadway production. Every winner is followed by hundreds if not thousands of losers. Although almost every audition process is brutal and "not for the weak of heart," unlike TV shows such as American Idol, we normally do not know the often deeply emotional behind-the-scene stories about those auditionees. In 1975, when Michael Bennett brought audionees' personal stories into a Broadway musical "A Chorus Line," it won nine Tony Awards and became one of the longest running musicals on Broadway. Three decades later, "A Chorus Line" is revived on Broadway. The audition process not only once again echoes the musical's story, it also produces a touching and endearing documentary "Every Little Step" (USA 2008, 96 min.). The film pays tributes to artists of many generations. The casting team consists of A Chorus Line's original co-choreographer Bob Avian and original cast members Donna McKechnie and Baayork Lee. Their task is to select 19 actors out of over 3000 auditionees. The film captures auditionees' heartfelt journeys and explores A Chorus Line's legacy. The filmmakers bring us inside the audition studio and also those actors' lives through their observant and affectionate lenses. The film turns the harsh audition process into a suspensive dramatic tale about the dedication and struggle from these talented artists. Even we might have our own picks after each audition, all actors, especially those who do not get the parts, earn our respect and admiration. During a scene in A Chorus Line, a gay youth character Paul gives a monologue describing the moment when his parents come to see his performance. When Jason Tam auditions for Paul, his powerful deliverance not only brings me into tears, it also breaks down the casting team captured by the film, even they have heard the same lines for thousands of times. If anybody is not moved by Jason Tam's monologue, I will refund your ticket myself. Regardless whether you like musical or not and whether you have seen A Chorus Line or not, this terrific documentary will inspire you as well as entertain you. "Every Little Step" will be shown at the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival, April 23-May 7.

Although the food was not bad, but nothing is extraordinary, and nothing begs me to return.

The first thing I noticed about the place is loud — loud music and louder (young) patrons. Everyone is shouting, because that's the only way people can hear each other. I almost left the place right I walked in, but I thought I would stick with my plan and give this place a try.

As always, I sat at the sushi bar.

I wasn't impressed by the nigiri sampler ($11.95). It was my fault for not telling the chef that I don't like a piece of shrimp on top of sushi rice. Too late, I got a piece of dead shrimp for $2.

Then I had a roll with spicy tuna inside and Hawaii white fish on top (either $12 or $13, I cannot remember). It was good, but the presentation is quite mediocre. On the same plate has two pieces of expensive chūtoro (中とろ) nirigi, $7.50 a piece. They are tasty, but how can anyone get it wrong?

With a bowl of miso soup and a bottle of hot sake, I wish my dinner were a little bit more enjoyable. But I was totally annoyed by the loudness, and the portion is too small for the price. I think I could do better than that! I will buy some fish this weekend and make a sushi dinner myself. Too bad that Sushi Groove doesn't give me any reason to return.

I am so proud of myself yesterday because I finally finished my tax return. It has been a long time since I started to work on them. I was determined to stop my procrastination and to finish the tax returns last night.

It's extremely frustrating to go through the tax forms. I don't know who are those idiots who designed these forms — confusing, redundant, and without any common sense. I am glad that I don't have deal with tax for another year! I am done! I got very little back from the federal return, but I got more than $360 from the state return.

Am I going to spend the money to stimulate the economy? Well, I don't really need anything besides food. Plus, that tax return is really an interest free loan to the California government, and now the government is broke and I am not even sure if I can get paid back quickly. I shall see.

However, I am not going to worry about it. If my money gets lost, I will give the Great Buck Howard a call for help, because he can always find his money in this movie:

The Great Buck Howard

Loosely based on the life of mentalist George Joseph Kresge Jr., known as "The Amazing Kreskin," director Sean McGinly's all-star cast comedy "The Great Buck Howard" (USA 2008 | 87 min.) is not only funny and entertaining, it also brings out fuzzy and warm sentiment. Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) drops out of law school because he wants to find a dream before it's too late. He becomes the road manager for a hard-to-please stage artist — the Great Buck Howard (John Malkovich). The Great Buck Howard wants to give Troy a "life experience" starting with a clarification to Troy that he is a mentalist, not a magician: "I was a magician when I was 3 years old, but I evolved out of that. Not that I have anything against magicians, as long as they're dead." After Troy meets a publicist Valerie (Emily Blunt, like Tina Fey's twin sister on screen) in Cincinnati, he begins to question his career choice, so does his father Mr. Gable, played by Colin Hanks's real life father Tom Hanks. Years later after Troy leaves Buck Howard, Troy realizes the great mentalist's impact on shaping his path to reach his dream — the Great Buck Howard strides a chord that continues to echo in Troy's mind. John Malkovich's earnest performance as the Great Buck Howard is crucial to the success of this film — his violent handshake makes Jon Stewart beg for a "mental handshake" to replace the real one; his trademark shouting "I love this town!" makes him a memorable and interesting character. Similar as in "For Your Consideration", the satire on the entertainment industry is quite entertaining in this film. Surprising appearances of numerous celebrities adds charming comic reliefs to the story. Like a magic — or a mentalism act — the film transforms a seemingly obnoxious and arrogant aging performer into an charismatic and fascinating performing artist, who loves what he does and loves those towns he travels. "The Great Buck Howard" opens on Friday, March 20, at Bay Area theaters.

As I stated earlier, "All Around Us" easily becomes the best film I saw at this year's SFIAAFF. I spend most my times attending short programs, because I saw very little before the festival as a member of the festival's feature screening committee. For many of these short films, this is probably the only chance I can see them in a theater.

I miss SFIAAFF already, but that's okay. The 52th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) is just around the corner. I am glad to learn that Ying Liang's (应亮) new film "Good Cat" (好猫) is selected at this year's festival. Why is it significant? Because I made the English subtitles for this entire 103 minutes film!

During the SFIAAFF, I was hanging out at the Kabuki Theater pretty much the whole week, attending at least two screenings each night. That leaves me little time at home doing things like writing a blog or cooking myself a dinner. I need to set my priorities.

Last Friday, a day after SFIAAFF closes in San Francisco, I flew to DC.

No, I didn't go to DC to ask any stimulate money. I have never got a penny since the government started to throw cash around like spaying pesticide in a heavily damaged corn field. I doubt there is any money left in Washington, if the government doesn't borrow more money from China. I went to DC because I need to teach a short course at a conference on Sunday. After a hectic schedule, finally I am able to find time to write something during my six hours flight.

I always like DC for its spectacular monuments, wonderful museums, and cultured population. However, this time I stayed far away from everything that vibrates. Actually I was not in DC, but in Virginia, on an isolated location called Gay National Resort. Ops, that should be Gaylord, or Gay Lord. Whatever.

Once I got there, it immediately reminds me the Grand Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Other than it doesn't play country music in the lobby, almost everything at the hotel is tacky, ostentatious, and stupid. I feel like in a redneck's trailer that's blown up, and charges $300 per night.

In order to reach my room, I need to go around and around after I exit an elevator, without any visible difference in each hall way. I think only blind people might be able to keep their sense of direction while walking in these hall ways.

That got me into trouble.

My room number is 14-218, on the 14th floor, which is really the 13th floor, and luckily I didn't find any ghost in my room, but it's far away from the elevator.

When I walked around and around, I finally saw the room number 14-128. I inserted my room key trying to open it. I failed. Repeated. Failed again. Then I realized that I was trying to enter somebody else's room!

After walked around the hall way more. I finally found my room 14-218.

I didn't this not only once, but bloody FOUR times during my two night long stay.

I blame it on the designer of this ugly hotel, which doesn't have common sense.

Another example of bad design of this hotel is its elevators. There are lights on both sides of each elevator. Each light is just a light, no arrows or anything else indicating which light is for which direction of the elevator. When an elevator arrives, only one side of the light gets lid, but where is this elevator is going? The only way to find out is for me to get in and press the button for my floor. If it takes it, I am okay. If it doesn't let me, I get out for the next elevator.

If the hotel were named Gay Resort, things might have been totally different.

The hotel is also far away from the airport and downtown DC, which makes going using public transportation extremely difficult. I am glad that when I go back to DC in August, I will stay a hotel close to the National Mall.

Unfortunately, I am about one week earlier before the cherry blossom season.

That's okay. There is always next time. I am just so happy to be back home back home, and to get life back to normal, hopefully.

Tomorrow will be the opening night for the 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF). I was planning to write more about the festival, one for "Documentaries at SFIAAFF 2009," and the other for "Queer Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009" because the documentaries and LGBT films are always very strong at SFIAAFF. Oh well, obviously, I didn't get around to them.

I will be busy attending the films and the parties at the festival starting from tomorrow. Therefore, I won't have any time left cooking. So tonight, I cooked myself four dishes plus one soup. Actually, I just want to have more vegetables — tomatoes, bitter melons, onions, and the fourth kind of veggies that I bought and cooked for the first time. I don't even know its name, but I am sure it's good for me.

The followings are what I wrote so far about films at this year's SFIAAFF.

The 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

Chinese Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009

Japanese Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009

Korean Cinema at SFIAAFF 2009

Then I felt a jolt, with a squeezing noise from my bed. "Is that an earthquake?" I wondered. "If there is a small one, there might have a bigger one after that." — My mind began to take a trip. There is no way I could go back to sleep. I got up. Indeed, it was an 3.5-magnitude earthquake! Boring.

Since I got up early, I decided to go hiking in Marin Headlands — it had been raining during the last few Sundays which kept me away from the mountains.

The weather can't be any better for the hiking. Calm wind, bright sunshine, and fresh air. The rain causes a lot water streams on the trails. The mountain is green, the ocean is blue, and my spirit is high.

After I reached to the top of Hill 88, I looked over east, I saw that white structure on the top of another hill again.

I always wonder what that is, but I never take the chance to hike over to check it out. I thought it might be a cross built by a church on top of the hill. Today, I want to find it out.

I took a trail down the hill, even I had no idea where that trail might lead me. I've got whole day, no worries.

Almost an hour later, I arrived the top of the other hill. I laughed out loud when I saw this big warning sign over there. The white thing is definitely not a cross.

When I was hiking back to the bus stop, I met a couple hikers with a dog. The guy stopped and asked me:

"If we keep going up this trail, are we going to be back to where we started?"

I looked at him and tried very hard not to laugh:

"I don't know where you started."

He felt a little embarrassed:

"Good point."

Of course! I always have a good point, if not a few. Ha ha.

After about three hours roaming in the mountains, I finally saw the bus stop. But before I reached to it, I saw a bus flying by. I just missed the hourly bus! Fine, I will have another hour to check out the horses. If I had not missed the bus, I would not have caught these two horses French kissing for a long time.

Ah. The spring is here, even the horses are frisky.

A great day, a terrific hike, and a breathtaken view, as always.

Yesterday was a beautiful day as well, but my highlight wasn't outdoor activities, it was in the kitchen.

I missed Beijing yesterday. Actually, I was craving for 肉饼 — pan fried pancakes with ground pork inside that are sold all over Beijing. No, I cannot find it anywhere in Chinatown. It's a cuisine from Northern China.

However, I have never made them before. I think very hard trying to remember how mom used to make them. I want to give it a try. However, I wasn't confident how they might turn out.

Let's see what happened.

1. Mix half of the dough with boiled water.

   

2. Finish the dough by adding more cold water.

   

3. Mix the ground pork with green onion, soy sauce, salt etc.

   

4. Roll the dough flat and spread the meat on top.

   

5. Roll the dough into a long shaft and divide into a few pieces.

   

6. Flat each piece.

   

7. Put in the flat pan greased with very small amount of oil.

   

8. Cook till golden brown.

   

9. Cut into pieces and eat!

   

10. Not enough? Cook more!

    

They turned out very well. I was quite happy for the success even it was the first time I made them.

Time for bed, an exciting week ahead.

It has been raining for so long and so heavy lately. But, I enjoyed it, because the heavy rain not only helps the drought situation, it also washes streets very clean — especially it gets rid of those dog shit left over by some irresponsible dog owners.

However, the season is indeed changing. Even the Day Light Saving Time will start this coming weekend! Too fast.

That means this raining season is over. I am not sure if yesterday's rain will be the last rain till next winter. Until then, I will just have to enjoy the beautiful sunshine, and fog, when I get up in the morning.

Then I will get myself some breakfast. Although I really should eat some bigger breakfast in the morning, for some reason, I just don't have any appetite when I get up. The only thing I can have is some smoothie I make in the morning.

I don't feel very energetic lately even I have been eating healthy and going to the gym everyday. Sometimes I even feel dizzy when I look at my computer screen.

My body might be telling me that I should stay away from the computer a little bit longer. So I went to the corner store bought myself $1 lottery ticket. Even all the banks are collapsing, the lottery money is so real, and it's not from any bailout money. So, let me win! I need to be stimulated!

Actually my dizziness might be because I think too much. I need some meditation and clean my thoughts. That doesn't mean that I am admitting that I have many dirty thoughts.

Therefore, when I heard a program about "Japanese Tea and Zen" led by the Urasenke Foundation San Francisco and San Francisco Zen Center, I decided to check it out last evening.

The program was very interesting, informative, and enlightening. I learned a lot about Urasenke Tradition of Tea. I would never imagine that there are so many "how to" in the tea making, serving, and drinking.

It's fascinating and delightful to see how the tea masters turn tea making into a form of art. One must need many years of training in order to fold napkins impeccably and to operate the utensils with the maximum precision as if they are making a computer chip. It's an eye opening experience and I feel like a criminal now when I drop a tea bag in my mug at work.

Oh, the green tea tastes great!

That was my wonderful Zen moment.

On my way to the event, I passed a Chinese food joint. I was shocked when I see the menu on the window: 肉燥面. It's supposed to be 肉炒饭, which means "stir fried rice with meat." However, what's on the menu means "meat parches rice."

Actually the reason I was amused when I first glanced the menu is because I read it as "肉操饭," which literally means "meat fucks rice," or "meat fucks noodle" which ever the customers prefer — I hurried up and went to the Zen session to clear my mind. Actually, I was almost late.

In other news. I am so happy to find a new political commentary columnist to help me digest the daily bad news a little better — Melissa Griffin who writes for The Examiner.

She has a sharp tongue that definitely can "Break Political News into Pieces." She is witty, funny, and insightful. Did I mention that she is funny?

I fully understand that today's court hearing about the notorious Proposition 8 is a very serious subject matter. However, when I was reading her today's column, "Proposition 8 is before the judges - here's what you need to know," I was giggling so hard that I almost fell off the elliptical machine in the gym.

Oh, I was also giggling when I was reading her quirky poem about "federal dough." Brilliant!

What else? Oh, I also laughed when I heard this story: this idiot thinks "this is an emergency" when she calls 911 because she can't get her chicken McNuggets at a McDonald's restaurant. Is there anything else more bizarre than that?

Apparently, yes! Jacko will sing again.

However, I do want to follow up on my last entry.

Even if it were not a dream and if I had lost my laptop, apparently, I could have a protection for it. There is a software called Front Door Software I found from this AP article. It allows me to track where my laptop is and even let the laptop keeps talking, never mind that there is a mute button on each laptop.

Okay, enough about my laptop, allow me to get back to the chicken.

After the chicken stew was cooked, of course there were leftovers. So the next day, I had made some noodles and cooked them in the soup. I called it homemade chicken noodle soup, not "chicken and dumplings."

Although I don't have much time to write and need more time to sleep, but I did cook quite a bit last few days. It makes me feel safer and healthier for what I eat.

I even started to blend smoothie with two fresh orange every morning, sometimes mix with a banana or some cherry tomatoes. If I had a teenager to blend it for me every morning, I would be able to put a Jamba Juice sign on my door.

A few days ago, I cooked green onion pancakes and some fish. The soup was made from tofu and pork feet — pork feet is supposed to be beneficial to the skin. I guess I can't be more Chinese than this dinner.

Yesterday, I was craving for some steamed pork buns (包子). I want the filling made from dices of pork, not ground pork. It's Shan Dong style that my grand parents used to make — 山东大葱猪肉包子.

So I marinated the pork with soy sauce, cooking wine, pepper etc, then chopped a bunch green onions. My filling is ready.

Next, I rolled wrappers with leavened flour dough I prepared in the morning, and put the filling in.

Then put them into a steamer. About 15 minutes later, I had my fluffy buns.

Well, I really should not have written this — I am supposed to go to bed. But now, I am hungry.

That's okay, I have been going to the gym, everyday. And, the movies.

Two Lovers

This is supposedly to be Joaquin Phoenix's last role before he quits acting — he costars with Gwyneth Paltrow in director James Gray's new romantic drama "Two Lovers" (USA 2008, 110 min.). Unfortunately, both Phoenix and Paltrow fail to spark any chemistry to make the film either romantic or dramatic. Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) lives at home with his parents in Brooklyn and helps their dry cleaning business. His parents tries to help him to recover from his recent breakup by setting him up with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of a businessman who is buying out his family's business. While Leonard seems willing to play along with this arrangement, he quickly falls for a neighbor Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is having a fair with a married man at work. On Christmas Eve, Leonard has to make a final decision about his triangle relationship. I cannot figure out why Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow are cast for these two protagonists. It's quite obvious that they don't look like a couple together, but both of them have to work hard to pretend on behalf of their characters. I feel their pain on the screen, because they have to behave wired according to the script, which make them appear to be awkward, unconvincing, and strange. Soon after Sandra meets Leonard, she invites him to a dinner with her lover, the unfaithful cheating husband. Even Leonard has a crush on Sandra, he comes to this expensive restaurant anyway to have dinner with them. Just pretend that you were any of these three characters for a second, would you come to a dinner like this? That being said, I very much enjoy the characters of Leonard's parents, terrifically played by Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov. This is perhaps the most unromantic film about romance. When Leonard checks out Sandra by peeking into her window from his apartment, it's creepy, not romantic. When they yell out at each other from their windows, it's annoying to the neighbors and the audience, still not romantic. I am glad that the film has a conclusion for everyone so Leonard's neighbors don't have to suffer any more, nor these characters. "Two Lovers" opens on Friday, February 27, 2009 at Landmark's the Embarcadero Center Cinema in San Francisco and the Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.

Why was I running? I forgot my laptop at a shop up the hill when I was making a phone call. I was kicking myself — why I was so careless and forgettable! What's wrong with me??!!

I didn't expect that I would find my laptop still sitting there — this is not Japan. The more I thought about it, the more I was consumed by the regret from my mistakes. I began to think what files I had not backed up, and what important personal information might get stolen.

Then, I woke up.

I am so happy and relieved that I found my laptop so quickly just by waking up from a "heavy workout dream."

I am not sure why I dreamed like that. I didn't have time to analyze it. I needed to get ready for work. I got up and opened the window and I saw a rainbow in the sky!

It's nice to be awake.

The 81st Academy Awards are history. I really enjoyed the show which is energetic and entertaining. I especially like the new arrangement when five past winners jointly present a major award. Speaking of which, I missed two categories in my Oscar predictions. However, I am very happy for Sean Penn's win for his performance in "Milk."

Dustin Lance Black's emotional acceptance speech brought me into tears when he accepted his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Milk":

"When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California, and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life. It gave me the hope one day I could live my life openly as who I am and then maybe even I could even fall in love and one day get married.

I wanna thank my mom, who has always loved me for who I am even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours.

Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, God, for giving us Harvey Milk."

It's inspiring.

It's raining outside during the Oscar show. I wasn't just watching the show, I also pulled out a big pot, and threw in a complete naked chicken with some carrots, ginger roots, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and wolfberries (枸杞).

After simmering for about an hour and half, I was checking if the chicken was done. However, I only saw a so very naked chicken. So, I picked up couple slices of shiitake mushroom with chopsticks, and the chicken was transformed immediately.

I know, mom told me that I should not play with food. I promise that I won't do it again.

It's still raining outside, so go to a movie inside, even it's about an adult film.

Serbis

Competed for Palme d'Or at 2008 Cannes Film Festival, director Brillante Mendoza's new film "Serbis" (Philippines/France 2008, in Tagalog, 93 min.) tells a struggling Filipino family's miserable story. In an inner city in Philippines next to noisy streets, a run-down adult movie theater called "Family" is not only the home for the extended Pineda family, but also the hustling ground for rent boys. The film's title "Serbis" means "service" in Tagalog, referring to sexual service the hustlers are providing inside the adult theater. The endless battle to keep the "family" business afloat and to resolve the conflicts among family members become daily routines inside the theater, and they consume away everybody's life, hopes, and dreams. Like Brillante Mendoza's previous films ("Slingshot," "Foster Child," and "The Masseur"), the hand held camera follows the characters running up and down the theater to witness everything raw and uncensored. It is amazingly effective. The film makes me feel like that I am living with these characters — inside the smelly theater, enduring the unbearably heat, suppressing or unleashing the desire, coping with the desperation, and being suffocated by the horrible environment. I want to escape from this "Family" theater as much as the film's characters. Apparently, the film has plenty shockers. I call them shockers because I don't see a clear connection between their existence and the storytelling. I am surprised by the very long opening credit (with the weird sound track) to begin with. Then I see the pain in the butt — a boil. After many more events, it's the end of the film... "Serbis" opens on Friday, February 20, at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco.

Last year, my Oscar prediction missed the Best Picture and Best Actress categories. I blame on Tommy Lee Jones's Southern accent in "No Country for Old Man."

Unlike last year, I have yet seen one of the best picture nominees, which somebody calls it "poverty porn."

However, based on what I know so far, I hope I can do better this year to predict the winners. I am dropping the Best Documentary Feature category because I only saw few of the nominations this year.

Best Picture

None of the five nominees are on my last year's top ten list, and I don't really have the desire to see "Slumdog Millionaire" right now either. I do enjoy "The Reader" and "Frost/Nixon" more than the rest, although I doubt that they have any chance to win.

Will win: Slumdog Millionaire
Should win: None of them

Best Actor

Among the five performances, the only one I have not seen is Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler," yet he has the highest expectation to win. If I were voting, there would be no doubt in my mind that Frank Langella's fascinating portrait of Nixon in "Frost/Nixon" deserves the trophy. Sean Penn ("Milk") runs up close to the second.

Will win: Mickey Rourke
Should win: Frank Langella

Best Actress

Again, only one performance I have not seen (Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married"), but that doesn't matter. This is the year for Kate Winslet ("The Reader") who has been sweeping numerious awards lately. Both Melissa Leo ("Frozen River") and Meryl Streep ("Doubt") give strong performance, but Kate Winslet will finally take the award home, not only for her performance in "The Reader," but also for her performance in "Revolutionary Road" — that's what the Academy members have in mind when they cast their votes. Why isn't Sally Hawkins nominated for her lovely performance in "Happy-Go-Lucky?"

Will win: Kate Winslet
Should win: Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Actor

This category is completely overshadowed by the tragic death of Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight"). He is a beloved talented actor and people want to pay tribute to him. That doesn't mean that his performance doesn't deserve the award. However, given the current situation, come on, give an Oscar to him, would you? He doesn't have another chance.

Will win: Heath Ledger
Should win: Heath Ledger

Best Supporting Actress

This category is full of impressive performances this year. Despite Penélope Cruz's ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona") winning of a few awards, I think the winner will be a tossup between Viola Davis ("Doubt") and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"). Although I don't care about the corniness of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Taraji P. Henson's performance as Button's adopted mother is memorable. However, my money bet on Viola Davis.

Will win: Viola Davis
Should win: Anyone but Penélope Cruz

Best Director

I almost can repeat my comment about Best Picture in this category. I think Ron Howard really does a terrific job telling an gripping story in "Frost/Nixon;" as well as Gus Van Sant amazingly brings Harvey Milk back to life in "Milk."

Will win: Danny Boyle
Should win: Ron Howard or Gus Van Sant

The evenlope please...

We have been soaked by heavy rain during the last few days, which prevents me from hiking in Marin Headlands today. That's okay. We need the rain anyway. This winter has been so dry that the idea of drinking the ocean surfaces again.

On Friday when I was in my office, a huge storm rolled in from Twin Peaks direction, while it was still sunny in downtown and over the bay.

However, that didn't last long. A few minutes later, the bay was as dark as night.

That trend didn't stop by the time when I got home. Marin Headlands were covered by the dark clouds as well.

Apparently, the storm in the sky is not as bad as the economy. I keep seeing new "Out of Business" signs when I walk around the city. I hear more layoffs in the news.

I won't have a raise this year either. But, that will be alright.

There will have a tax hike, and reduction in services. That will be fine by me as well. We are all in this mess together. I doubt that "$787 billion stimulus plan" will stimulate me in any way.

$787 billion!? I don't think those politicians in Washington have any idea how much money that is. I certainly have not seen that much money in my life.

On the other hand, I think the recession is not necessarily a bad thing. It brings Americans back to earth. Americans need to learn how life should be.

The other day, I heard "news reports" saying that Americans are tightening up their wallets and only buy what they really need these days. Excuse me? Isn't that what everybody should be doing all the time?

All these financial crises are caused by greed and stupidity, as far as I see it.

People want bigger houses and cars than they really need and they can afford. They want lavish life style without thinking how to pay for it. Consumerism sets the root in American lives, and is exported to the rest of the world, especially the developing countries. I am extremely saddened to see how China is stepping into American's foot steps these days when it comes to life style.

It especially irritates me when banks claim that their huge bonuses and expensive parties are not using tax payer's bailout money. Whom are they kidding? Aren't they the ones who ask tax payer's money because they are short on cash? Are they saying that they have cash to spend on somewhere else such as bonuses, therefore, they need a bailout? What are they smoking?

I should stop reading news, because there is no good news. Even Bay to Breakers are getting screwed this year. WTF!?

Luckily, the 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival comes to rescue.

The festival program looks fantastic. I am very excited about it.

Finally, I am pleasantly surprised by Yi's photos shown by Reuters today. I have not seen him since we had lunch in Beijing almost two years ago. I am proud for what he did yesterday in Beijing. They are inspiring and encouraging.

It's still wet outside which I don't mind, although I have to go to work tomorrow — we never consider Presidents' Day a holiday.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life, I better have a good start. I am going to watch more movies.

The spectacular annual Chinese New Year Parade took place on Saturday. Unlike in the past, it was a picture perfect day for the festivity — no rain! I went to downtown before the parade started so I could take pictures when it's still bright.

It was a joyful time, with many colorful floats, fantastic costumes, and loud firecrackers. Those adorable kids marching in the parade gave everybody a big smile. It became chilly when the night sank in, so I came home and watched the end of the parade on TV.

However, I am saddened to learn the tragic fire in China that destroy the 44-floor luxary Mandarin Oriental Hotel in downtown Beijing. The hotel was not even completed yet! My heart also goes to those victims in a devasting fire that killed 170 people so far in Australia. I am glad that the firecrackers at the Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday didn't cause any harm.

To complete the celebration of Chinese New Year, we are supposed to eat Tangyuan (汤圆) in Soutern China, and Yuanxiao (元宵) in Northern China. It's more complicated to make Yuanxiao, so I decided to make some Tangyuan instead, even I am a Northerner.

I picked up some sticky rice flour, and some ground pork for fillings, because I don't like sweet fillings. After I mixed the dough, I was shocked how sticky it is. It's incredibly difficult to make a wrapper and to put the filling in, because the dough stuck all over my hands.

After I made about dozen of Tangyuan, I decided to quit. The ones I already made would be enough to give me good luck and fortune.

Luckily, they turned out pretty decent. None of them broke. Of course, the filling tastes just the way I like it.

I need to work on the dough though to make it more workable.

I am taking tomorrow off from work, to watch movies, three of them. The joy begins. The 27th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) will announce its program tomorrow! I am so excited.

Another review I wrote last Friday.

Donkey Punch

Four guys, three girls, and one gorgeous yacht in the sea. That might sound like a great party if it's not in the British thriller "Donkey Punch" (UK 2008, 95 min.). "Donkey Punch" is part of Magnet's Six Shooter Film Series, a showcase of six of the best films from the vanguard of international genre cinema. In "Donkey Punch," three young British girls Kim (Jaime Winstone), Tammi (Nichola Burley), and Lisa (Sian Breckin) are having a great time in Majorca. They met three boys at a party: smooth talker Marcus (Jay Taylor), drug dealer Bluey (Tom Burke), and handsome Josh (Julian Morris). The boys invite the girls to their gorgeous yacht and spent the night out at the sea to see the sunset. Once they board the yacht that Josh's older brother Sean (Robert Boulter) operates, Bluey begins to share ecstasy and his knowledge about "donkey punch" with everyone. Predictably, an orgy is followed. However, when Josh throws his "donkey punch," all hell break out. The situation gets worse and worse — everybody wish that they had not been part of it. They turn against each other in order to survive. Obviously, the party is over. Although the heavy British accent and inaudible dialogues are very frustrating during the first part of the film, the second part of the film changes the pace and tune completely. It becomes a horror film soaked in blood with convincing performance. The logic of their behavior vanishes. Shocking violence leaves the audience no time to sympathize these characters or to understand their motivations. "Donkey Punch" opens on Friday, February 6, at the Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco and Shattuck Cinemas in Berkeley.