random musings.

went to the dentist today for my 6 month check-up and cleaning.... woohoo! no cavities! i find that amazing since ive been eating chocolate and sweets like there's no tomorrow, for the past year now. my toothbrush must be really damn good (it's the one the dentist gives you for free too, with his office number on it. i think it's called G U M).

just thought i'd share my joy today. ^^

my cousin posted this on myspace and i didn't want to forget it. ^^
my comments will be in parenthesis below each one.  teehee.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHEN:
- Your monthly house payments exceed your annual income. And you think that's normal.
(i've yet to own my own property, but i've heard this to be true, sadly.)
- You drive next to a Rolls Royce and don't notice.
(yup. no biggie.)
- You don't know anyone's phone number unless you check your cell phone.
(i'm guilty!)
- The waitress asks if you'd like "carbs" in your meal.
(it happens.)
- You speak Spanish, but you're not Mexican or Latino.
(they give it the option to take the class in school, so why not?  it can be handy!)
- Getting anywhere from point A to point B, no matter what the distance, takes about forty minutes.
(about is right... but me, i'm more 20-30 minutes. ^~)
- You begin to lie to your friends about how close you are, when you know damn well that it'll take you at least an hour to get to their house.
(guilty as charged.)
- You drive to your neighborhood block party.
(no, i'm not that sad of a person. besides, gas is killar nowadays! why waste???)
- In the winter, you can go to the beach and ski at Big Bear on the same day; or mow your lawn in your shorts on New Years Day and maybe sunburn.
(this is true. gotta love SD weather!)
- You eat a different ethnic food for every meal.
(yup yup.)
- If your destination is more than 5 minutes away on foot, you're definitely driving.
(*sigh* guilty again.)
- Calling your neighbors requires knowing their area code.
(well, i wouldn't say neighbors per say, but maybe just people in general...)
- Stop signs stand for: Slow To Observe Police.
(ha! first i've heard of this. i stop, though. like, really stop.)
- You go to a tanning salon before going to the beach.
(me? tan? never! i keep it light as can be, yo!)
- You eat pineapples on pizza.
(i love it! is it weird?)
- You think that Venice is a beach.
(psshha! i'm college edumacated! i know better, really!)
- You classify new people you meet by their Area Code. You think the best area code are: 323," "310", "424". An "818" would never date a "562"; "949/714" are Republicans. You look down on anyone from the "909/951" because it stinks there and you consider the "619" to be the nice side of Tijuana, Mexico.
(this is a new one for me. never heard of that. must be a teenie bopper thang.)
- You call 911 and they put you on hold.
(never had to dial, i don't think, but that's hillarious if they do put us on hold.)
- You have a gym membership because it's mandatory.
(well, i do have one, and haven't been in there in 5 months...)
- The gym is packed at 3 pm... on a workday.
(yeah... WTF is up with that?!)
- You think you are better than the people who live "Over the Hill". It doesn't matter which side of the hill you are currently residing.
(what?! what does this even mean?)
- You know that if you drive two miles in any direction you will find a Subway or a Starbucks.
(yeah, no shit. we need more Quiznos and Coffee Beans. seriously.)
- You know what "Sig-alert", "PCH", and "the Five" mean.
(i only know the first one. what's the other two?)
- You know the meaning behind the name of the 405 freeway... because it takes 4 hours to go one way and 5 hours to get back.
(hate the 405...)
- It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station: "STORM WATCH."
(another WTF thing... because it's certainly true.)
- The Terminator is your Governor.
(go Arnold!!!)

So Cali fo' life!!!

Mizushima Hiro

so i've been watching Hana Kimi (my new favorite drama of the moment) and i've said this from the get go, but that Namba Minami sure reminds me of MatsuJun.  and i keep wondering, why didn't they cast MatsuJun for the role? to me, they look so much alike and i could totally imagine him playing Namba. it would also be a nice reunion with Oguri Shun and a nice opportunity to see a lead reversal between the two (since Jun was the lead in HYD series).

Mizushima Hiro

anyhow, i'm just sitting here and watching, episode after episode, totally mesmerized by this actor who plays Namba, and i'm liking him more and more.  then comes episode 5 and not even half-way through the episode, just the opener—i'm sold. 

i love this actor. he's great. he's wonderful. he's not MatsuJun and i love that he's not MatsuJun. he is Mizushima Hiro. and i want to see more of him.

mmm... dreamy. :)

images c/o pali-mari@LJ.com.

Show us the one thing that unfailingly makes you smile, no matter what. 
Submitted by Sourire.

When you go out to eat, how do you pick where to go?
Submitted by Kristine.

wow.  well i have 2 answers to this question.  as a lover of food i always always enjoy eating out, so this is something really special and luxurious to me.  i love getting things i can't get or make at home.  sure, you pay the price for them but most of the time it's worth it. ^-^ the way i used to eat, i would decide purely by cravings or by what i already know is on the menu of that restaurant/eatery.  most of the time i don't even need a menu because i already know what i want to eat.  i'm the type that does occasionally eat the same menu item each time i go to a specific place—it's just that good, i tell ya.  and it's not like i get a chance to eat it everyday, ya know?

for example, everytime we go to eat at McCormick & Schmick, i always always get the stuffed salmon with veggies and garlic mashed potatoes.  mmm mmm mmm!!! the stuffed salmon and dill sauce is the best i've ever had (and i compare this dish a lot when eating at other restaurants); the veggies has just the right amount of seasoning so as not to kill it's "healthy" side; and they just make the creamiest smoothest mashed potatoes on the face of this earth!  soo sooo good, i'm not even exagerating, it's that good. YUM.

there are times when i do order something different, say like at Red Lobster or King's. but that's because i've eaten there enough times to get to try various items on the their menu.  best bread, by the way, IMO, is Red Lobster and Outback Steakhouse.

but, that was the way i used to eat. now, since i've been on this mission to lose 10lbs. by July (for a wedding), i'm on a diet and being on a diet means watching what you eat and counting calories.  so, i have to look ahead at the nutritional value of restuarants/eateries and calculate if what i would like to eat is A) good for me; and 2) allowable for my daily calorie budget (1250, if you're curious).  as a lover of food, i must say it sucks, but that's what diets are.  they suck, so i have to live with it for now.  i figure once i reach my goal and am able to maintain, i can splurge more then than now so it's only a matter of time, dedication, and lots of hard work at the gym.

so good luck to me!
but yeah, that's how i decide where to eat. ^-^

Ever run for office?  (School, club, organization, politics, etc.)  Did you get elected?

f@ck no! why the hell would i ever wanna do that?!
just as Makino Tsukushi, i just wanted to get through high school without getting noticed or having drama. i think i managed okay.

excuse my rudeness, but i've suddenly become in a bad mood due to a stressful situation placed upon me (i was asked if i wanted a chance to interview for a relative easy position that i know i can probably perform, but i have to get my ish ready in less that a week and i know that it's IMPOSSIBLE—hence the stress) and i just feel pissy right now. argh! and i want to chat with someone and none of my friends are online. grr.

i should just release my stress by doing something relaxing, like playing a game, but wasting time when i should work towards preparing my ish?! damn, i'd feel guilty. i don't know what to do. argh. f@ck!

i hate looking for jobs. i hate the interview process. i hate my job right now. i hate work. God, just let me win the lottery now, please.  arrrgh! i'm in such a bad mood!

sorry, friends & neighbors. this indeed is a non-sensical post. i'm just so pissy and i have no one to vent to... grrr.

What's the next country you want to visit? 
Submitted by Schomer.

Italy. i want to see all the monuments and artwork that i've studied during my years at SDSU. afterwards i want to go to Japan. and hope i bump into Yamapi. *swoon*. maybe get discovered or play an extra in a drama. teehee. ^-^

How do you beat writer's block? 
Submitted by marvel is my pen name.

oh man, writer's block is the worst. i really hate it. it's perhaps one of the main reasons why i procrastinate when writing term papers because then i know i have to get it done or i'm totally screwed. it's also the reason why i never start early on term papers because i already know i'm going to get it (the block, that is).

but to beat it to a bloody pulp, i have to get up and do something else completely unrelated to what i'm writing. take a break, watch some tube. never play a video game cause then i won't be able to stop. um, snack, eat, just something --anything-- else to get my mind off it and clear my thoughts. you would think 10-15 minutes would do it, right? but nope. i usually take an hour break and end up pulling all-nighters.  i'm so bad.

yet that method doesn't work on everything i write. if i'm writing something creative, like a fanfic, i take a different approach. i actually just lay down and stare at the ceiling, thinking how i'm going to work out my next plot or what action will take place next. fanfics/creative writing is more easier and less stressful to deal with than term papers, so i kind of take a more relaxing approach and dig deeper into my imagination until something really really good comes to mind. creative writing gives me such a buzz.  i should really get back into it.

at least i'll never have to write another term paper in my life.
i hope.  hell, i better not.