Hopefully, my extra-long (and extremely random-- i.e. a "melange à Juin", a mix of June) post today will make up for my near 2-month absence.
Now that I've quit my job and am chillin' out until business school in August, I should have more time to put up updates on my life!! (That is, unless I end up actually travelling the world-- which will only happen if I get off my lazy ass and do some real planning. heheheh.)
Anyway, I had several experiences that have reminded me of "The Wizard of Oz" and so, here's a photo of me with the Scarecrow costume at the Smithsonian Museum back in 2006... (The Scarecrow was always my favorite character and I always fancied myself to be his protégé)
A few months ago, I lost the cable service to my apartment and it was a sad day. :(
I used to wake up to reruns of "Saved by the Bell" on TBS, but that was no more an option...
So I started watching only basic TV channels and READING books! (which is totally unlike me-- since I hate reading.)
BUT then I realized that I just glitched my TV setting-- I had had cable all along! And it reminded me of the last scene in Oz...
Dorothy realizes that she always had the power to return to Kansas, but she needed to figure it out herself and ultimately, use her own ability to return home-- and that's exactly how I felt about my situation with cable! =D
Yesterday, as I was visiting at Tibetan Museum on Staten Island, I couldn't find my ATM card and so, had no cash to get into the museum.
Luckily a stranger I met on the bus was nice enough to take me in as his guest (he worked for another museum and therefore, got into this one for free), so I didn't have to pull out my credit card to pay the $5 admission.
When I got home, I looked through my apartment for the ATM card but couldn't find it. And lo and behold, it turned out it was hidden in another compartment of my wallet all along!
So perhaps the lesson from "The Wizard of Oz" is that we needn't look very far to find what we're looking for...
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One channel that I did not have during my cable blackout was the Food Network, and I have to say that it was not a big loss. =P
Although there's definitely a smidge of fine programming on the station (all of my friends know that my favorite show to wake up to on weekends is Giada DeLaurentiis' "Everyday Italian"
Their most recent "Down Home with the Neelys" show features a black Southern couple, cooking barbecue and Mrs. Gina Neely is about as stereotypical as one could imagine. Her endless use of the “Hey Girl”, “Girl” , and “Girlfriend” lingo is obnoxious, along with her loud laugh, constant sexual innuendos and over-the-top actions.
I'm not trying to knock the Neelys, but the lady has definitely got to tone it down if she's wants her show to be watchable.
Sunny Anderson's "Cooking for Real" show is somewhat more enjoyable, but I feel like the "fo' real!" language is another exaggeration of a minority stereotype. =P
And as before, I'm still wondering why there aren't any Asian-themed shows.
Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean, etc. food is HUGE-- yet it still goes unrecognized on the Food Network.
The battle wages on...
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Another television cook (who is NOT on the Food Network) is actually one of my role models-- Martha Stewart.
Most people might knock me for looking up to an ex-convict, but I have to say that I never quite believed she was guilty and I don't think anyone can question her genius in rebuilding her image after being released from prison.
One thing I know I'm going to constantly face in the future is failure; it's a sheer fact that we can't succeed in everything we do, and life will have its ups and downs.
I can only hope that I will be able to face my setbacks in as dignified and tenacious a manner as Martha did with her dilemma...
As the adage goes:"When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade"-- OR you can make a new cocktail I discovered, which bears my name!!
THE GRASSHOPPER!!
According to Wikipedia, the ingredients are equal parts green Crème de menthe (i.e. mint cream!), white Crème de cacao (i.e. white chocolate cream!) and fresh cream.
Mix those ingredients with some ice in a shaker and you get a delicious, refreshing grasshopper!!
Cheers!!
But speaking of things that bear my name, there's apparently a Chinese boy band that bears the name Grasshopper...
According to my friend, who is an expert in Chinese pop culture, these guys were huge back in the '90s and are now doing a reunion concert called Forever Grasshopper.
I've never been a fan of boy bands or Chinese music, but let's hope that these guys do the grasshopper name proud!
