Goals, Aspirations, Dreams, and Fantasies

 

 

Chichen Itza. One down, a lot more to go.

Random Observation/Comment #111: Ambition and curiosity drives me.  I’m not exactly an adrenaline junkie looking for the next extreme sport to almost die from, nor am I a millionaire thrill seeker spending all of his money experiencing crazy things; I am just a man with goals, aspirations, dreams, and fantasies.  Many of the goals are very short term and involve completing tasks at hand to make myself feel productive for the day.  Long term goals exist as well, but they are much more reasonable and can probably be achieved in the next few years.  The aspirations are for my long term career outlooks and accomplishments that occur in the next decade or so.  My dreams are what I deem as possible, but will require a lifetime of hardship or a whole lot of luck to come true.   My fantasies are things that will probably never happen, but their existence makes me happy and keeps me wishing.

 

During the web2.0 era a few years ago, a site was created called 43things.com.  It was a site to share your goals while reading about others.  I consider this site the exact opposite of grouphug.us, which is one of my favorites for confessions, but requires somewhat of a “twisted release through the pain of others” to read.  Anyway, I hope my list inspires others to live life the same.

Goals:

1. Finish Master’s
2. Stop procrastinating
3. Take care of parents
4. Narrow down primetime TV shows because they take up too much time in my life (House, The Office, Heroes, Dexter, Colbert Report, 24, Californiacation, 30 Rock)
5. Learn to write more in Chinese
6. Learn to speak more fluently in Japanese, Mandarin, German, and Spanish
7. Get better at cooking
8. Review more restaurants
9. Finish the comic book
10. Finish the manga
11. Go sky diving
12. Write more poems
13. Finish my bottle cap collection of beers
14. Read more books
15. Write the backpacking itinerary
16. Document my backpacking through Europe
17. Dominate Travbuddy like XDrive (www.travbuddy.com)
18. Ski the alps
19. Don’t die while skiing the alps

 

Aspirations:

1. Fall in love again
2. Get married (hopefully after the love thing)
3. Find a career with flexible hours, low stress, and high pay (maybe this should be a fantasy or at least a dream)
4. Live in NYC
5. Publish a book (autobiography, memoirs, novel, etc)
6. See the Northern Lights
7. Make money from photography
8. Write about drinking expensive wines
9. Get an MBA
10. Start a company
11. Go on a road-trip with my close friends
12. Save someone’s life – change it for the better forever
13. Own a dog and play in the little dog park with them – yay!
14. Conquer my fears

 

Dreams:

1. Visit all 7 continents
2. See all 7 wonders of the world (all of them listed on Wikipedia which makes them like 50 based on different organizations)
3. Travel to at least 50 countries
4. Make my first million by the time I’m 27
5. Eat at almost 80% of all restaurants in The City
6. Early retirement
7. Make a living traveling and writing
8. Learn to fly a plane
9. Write a series of motivational posters

 

Fantasies:

1. Travel to space
2. Have an orgy in space (obviously) – girl majority, please.
3. Time travel to change that one moment in my life…
4. Get bitten by a spider and swing through the city fighting crime.  I would, of course, struggle with internal conflicts and the balance of a love life with a superhero secret, but this is the price I am willing to pay to shoot web out of my wrists.  “With great power comes great responsibility.”
5. I am Tony Stark.
6. I am Hiro Nakamura (without the whole saving the world business)
7. Actually see the flying spaghetti monster create the universe in a drunken mess
8. Halle Berry from Swordfish + Jessica Alba from Sin City + Me
9. Super strength, super speed, x-ray vision, flying, and a cape
10. I have all of Dirk Diggler’s assets 😉
11. Jumping out of a plane at high altitude to catch up with a parachute, and put it on just in time to save my life
12. I am an International Man of Mystery or The Secret Asian Man (I guess this is more of a fact than a fantasy)
13. Build everything in Back to the Future – I’ve wanted that hover-board for soooo long
14. Shove the blue pill up Morpheus’s ass and hope I don’t turn into an Agent – bad luck.
15. Lucid dream forever (I could be now, and just thinking about that being true makes me happy)
16. Be remembered forever for doing something really awesome or really outrageous.  Like invent the hover-board or first man to have a threesome with Jessica Alba and Halle Berry in space.
17. World happiness (however this works out, cool beans).
18. Do one-handed, one-finger pushups in a capsule with 100G forces for years straight as training to fight an ugly, short blue guy.  When I get angry, my hair sticks up and turns blond while a glowing aura surrounds me.  The dialogue lasts forever.
19. Kick Yoda’s ass in a light saber fight.
20. I am a bounty hunter who has really bad luck with collecting money, so I must resort to eating bell peppers and beef or shitake mushrooms all the time.
21. I wear a red trench coat with blonde spiked hair and really cool round sunglasses.  I love donuts and … this was an awesome series.  Love and Peace!
22. I can pinch your neck and kill you in an instant.  Stop making fun of my pointy ears and flawless logic.
23. I am Jack Bauer.  So badass.
24. When I do a pushup, I am not lifting myself up, but pushing the Earth down.  When I was born, roundhouse kick deaths increased 13,000 percent.  There would be no chin behind my beard, only another fist.  I can divide by zero.  I can count to infinity – twice.

 

Most importantly: Stay healthy (or else none of these really matter) and never stop learning (or else none of these really matter). 

By the way, making up this list was immensely fun and really relieved a lot of stress.

~See Lemons Start the Adventure

Thanksgiving-ing Part 2: Shopping

 

 

Thanksgiving 5ths of mashed potatoes 🙂

Random Observation/Comment #110: I’m not obsessed enough with fashion to stay on top of every seasonal style at all the release dates.  In fact, I have become very judgmental and close-minded towards those bizarre, new designs.  My shopping entries from Japan rant about this exact out-of-this-world weirdness that has gone beyond my taste and reason.  It leaves the line between metro- and homo- way too thin for my personal preference.  Over about 4 years of gathering data, I developed my own image of each ideal article of clothing.  For example, jeans should not be sewn onto another pair of jeans to make it look like you’re wearing one of them at ass crack length (when they come to America, you’ll know what I’m talking about).  I am not always looking at what people wear, but sometimes it’s hard not to notice disasters or commendables.  Whether it be a t-shirt, sweater, long sleeve, collared shirt, button up, button down, jeans, shorts, khakis, slacks, wool dress pants, vests, hoodies, etc, these external influences will not drastically shift my current fashion standards (I didn’t even start naming accessories or categories based on season, weather, or occasion).  I only wish my wallet was thick enough to support these urges.

 

My taste for clothes has changed over the years.  Actually, “change” is quite the understatement.  I went from second-hand, nerdy, and Asian stereotypical clothes with unkempt hair in middle school, to corduroys, middle-parted hair, and discount rack clothes in high school, to now – designer central.  I see the trend of increased price range over the years, but I consider all of these very sound investments.  The more days I wear the clothes, the less I am paying per day that it is used.  This means that if I wear the same exact same outfit two days in a row, the daily cost of my image on the second day would be less than the first because the extra day has been averaged into the overall payment. 

It’s like buying a monthly unlimited subway ticket: You pay the price in full ahead of time, but every ride brings you closer to the threshold of getting a discount.  In other words, an $80 unlimited card’s first-time-use feels like the first ride costs the full $80.  However, the second time you use this card, the first and second ride sums to $80, but is averaged by the number of uses (in this case, $40 per ride on the second day).  If you use this 40 times a week, then you have broken even with the normal $2 ride.  Obviously, then, if you use it more, you will be spending less money per ride than you would if you bought it at a regular price.  If you don’t get it, I don’t know why you would even bother following my random train of thoughts.

Anyway, I’m not sure of the exact time this transition from Geek to Tool occurred, but it was somewhere within those three years of being a part of a fairly upper class family when I felt obligated to camouflage in their Giorgio Armani and Joseph Abboud ways.  Shopping with her began as a terribly boring and time-consuming chore, but I soon followed that old Chinese proverb (probably doesn’t exist, so don’t try looking it up) “it’s hard not to catch a cold if you’re always running outside naked.”  I was addicted by association, and my acute sense of categorization gave me these super powers.  I had obtained The Eye.  It’s like I was touched by a gay guy and then completely left alone with the sole purpose of pleasing girls (for the record, I was not touched by any man).  Some say it is a gift, but I consider it a curse.  Even when she left, it was already too late – the bug had bitten me and my ways had changed. 

As Black Friday rolled around this year, I felt more judgmental than ever.  Not only was my spending-money dramatically decreased from the poor economic times, but I also developed a fairly respectable wardrobe that didn’t really need much addition.  I looked for the essentials with this urge to splurge my savings, but surprisingly, I left empty-handed.  Nothing particularly caught my eye, and I didn’t spend hours just browsing.  There must have been a solar eclipse or aligned planets because this was a phenomenon.  The day I came back from my Thanksgiving trip, I went to Macy’s in the city for another test of will.  Mind you, I was already breaking one of the shopping codes – never shop alone.  But for the name of science and experimentation, I made the sacrifice. 

I spent two hours browsing and scanning, and yet, I still had that itch that needed scratching.  There were clothes that fit my taste, but the accountant in my head (mom’s conscience) held on to that plastic firmly.  I left with a very nice sweater-vest, but I considered it one of the most disappointing shopping experiences this year.  On my way to meet my friends, I passed by Ben Sherman in Soho.  I walked in for a quick glance, but left an hour later with a sports jacket.  I would have stayed longer, but the consistent buzz in my pocket reminded me of my prearranged plans.  If I stayed any longer, I think I would need to start selling my organs (not really, but the literary effect adds a flare, doesn’t it?).

So what do my experiments say about this season of shopping?  I had unconsciously realized the value of saving this holiday before actually spending any money (which is a good thing), but more importantly, I weighed my needs and obsessions much more maturely.  I am in no way a minimalist, but I have saturated myself with enough stuff to consume less frequently. 

It makes me wonder how much we would save if people just stayed content with their old and still usable stuff.  Sure, the golden arrow of consumption will fail and our economy will perish, but – wait, never mind.  American people: keep buying new stuff every few months because of new features.  Engineers: keep building things that are only durable to a certain extent.  Advertisers: keep feeding us the bullshit that we love to hear because it makes us less guilty.  Corporate: keep getting rich so the money trickles down to us.  Government: keep flushing our money down the toilet.  Everyone else around the world: keep hating us for being the annoying, arrogant, and smug superhero.  Happy Holidays J.

~See Lemons Consume

Thanksgiving-ing Part 1: Chefs’ Compliments

 

 

I ate all of thanksgiving. all of it in its entirety.

Random Observation/Comment #109:  I love mashed potatoes.  I know this already.  I think anyone that knows me, knows this already.  It has been my obsession for the longest time, and I think it directly led to my “fay chai” early years.  I even follow the methodology of making the mashed volcano with the bubbling gravy overflowing into the vegetable villages below.  I love it because of its versatility and overall awesomeness.  Mashed potatoes just go with everything: meats, vegetables, bread, pasta, fries, stuffing, bbq, soup, fruits, ice cream – anything.  Regardless of texture, spices, or food group, I am not bias towards experimentation.  In fact, to show exactly what I mixed it with, I took pictures of all the different combinations.  Despite those raised eyebrows and dry-heaving regurgitations from friends and family, my combinations are surprisingly successful (at least I think so).  Mashed potatoes and shrimp tempura – yum.  Needless to say, I love Thanksgiving.

 

Thanksgiving is not only a day of celebration – it is an entire weekend stuffed (hah) with feasting, sleeping, family timing, and (of course) shopping.  I ate and talked and slept and ate and slept and shopped and ate and slept and ate and slept and ate and ate and slept – all in that order over the course of two days.  I basically did nothing, but doing nothing was everything I wanted, hoped, dreamed, and fantasized it would be – bliss.  The stress dissolved in those mouthfuls of mashed potatoes and I never felt so awake after that food coma.

To many of my aunties, this weekend is an excuse to indulge in their culinary dreams.  It seems that they all want nothing more than to cook.  I’m not sure if it’s that fulfillment of contributing to the mass of hungry family members or the practice of a skillful art, but either way, I am happy to be the taste tester on the receiving end.  This year was as much of a success as the last.  I could tell because my taste buds jumped with joy and my belt buckle happily moved from its worn-in notch.  The spread across the table left me with such a glorious feeling.  Loud and merry conversations about the events over the past years since this reunion filled the room.  The eating part of the weekend got out of control very quickly. 

While I was stuffing my face and trying every combination of mashed potatoes with every other dish on the table, I saw that everyone was enjoying themselves in one way or another.  On one end of the table was the wise elderly groups taste testing their long forgotten favorites.  In the middle was the alcoholics’ section making enough commotion and energy to fuel the ends of the table.  Finally, on the other end was the satisfied chefs, marveling at their successful feast and analyzing reactions on their dishes. 

As a struggling, wannabe-chef, I do understand the beauty of the mix in spices and textures, but I also never forget the reward of the product’s completion and overall influence.  After spending hours cooking whatever dish, I could not help myself but stretch my ears to hear a compliment, critique, or general review.  I scanned the room looking for that reaction in their faces and responses of helping themselves to seconds or thirds.  I yearn for such feedback to better improve myself, but also to be in that personal shining spotlight.  I become my own harshest judge, but it fuels that stove to make the next plate better. 

My face always seemed to make them smile – I ate every piece as if it were my last.  I licked the plate and asked for more.  A combination of knowing that feeling of hearing satisfaction, and a desire to compliment the chef, made me say everything that was on my mind about the food.  I suggested different dishes and paused in mid-conversations to savor the taste.  Trust me, it was not entirely done to boost their egos; every bite and chew just hit the spot.  It was just uncontrollable.  I hope that this happiness in my reaction contributed to that indescribable feeling of being together – the true spirit of Thanksgiving.

~See Lemons Eat Mashed Potatoes (with everything else)

 

ahah drunk relatives playing "hip" games

 

I Love You.

Michigan Week

 

 

the crew

Random Observation/Comment #108:  I used to be confused by the existence of sports and entertainment, but then I realized how much easier we follow orders when we’re preoccupied with useless statistics and adrenaline junkies.  Entertainment of any sort is vital to keep the majority of people content in a largely consumer-driven society.  The government would be happy if we did nothing but contribute to the economy and shut up when grown-ups are talking politics.  What’s a better way to keep the majority distracted by the bigger picture than to just force them into their own little interest-groups?

 

Each sport supports a form of nationalism for the team and it’s representing state or country.  How many New Yorkers hate Bostonians because of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry?  How much blood will be spilt in an Ohio State-Michigan game?  How many Rangers fans want to kick the ass out of Canadians (well, maybe that’s a bad example ::shakes fist at Canadians::)?  Do the fans (or even players) know why such hatred exists?  I am brought back to our inescapable tendency towards violence and war.  Do our soldiers blindly follow orders, or are their fervor, love, and trust for the country and the leaders so undeniably/unconditionally strong that any decisions made do not require personal reason?  I’m not sure if I should envy such devotion or shake my head to naivety.

This rivalry, “school spirit”, pride, or overall masculinity of the weekend was important enough to have Professors know better than to expect any work completed by Monday.  The traditions of belligerent inebriation met all my expectations from their well-developed stories.  Teenagers jumped into freezing lakes, cracked skulls from stupid stunts, and blacked-out from alcohol poisoning.  I couldn’t believe the lack of common sense – who am I kidding, these kids make renown scientists seriously question evolution.  I was embarrassed to be remotely related to these people.  I felt like scrubbing my genes to make sure I wasn’t contaminated.  At the end of the day, my head hurt just trying to step in their shoes and reason how they came up with these genius ideas.  Apparently alcohol gives people superhero powers including, but not limited to, flight, invulnerability, invisibility, force push, telepathy, Jedi persuasion techniques, regeneration, teleportation, inhuman strength, and time travel.  Needless to say, it was quite an entertaining documentary of the Darwin Awards.

I didn’t pay $200 to see the game – I was happy being warm, lying down, and under blankets rather than freezing with those thousands of fans.  I didn’t really understand that overall rush that my brother and many other claim.  I’m sure if I was in some way contributing the deafening cheers and helped dot that “i”, I would get that sense of community, but in the beginning, I refused such embarrassing behavior. 

All I could judge was what I saw and heard from this sea of red and white.  Their chants were addicting, and as more time passed (and I started drinking at noon to meet the occasion of the game) my involvement was fickle.  I wanted to be a part of the atmosphere, and surely, I started the expected football etiquette.  The cheers of victory, grunts of distaste, and angry screams of frustration seemed to follow naturally.  I started the game lying down and half asleep, but by the third quarter I was at the edge of my seat and chest bumping with the crazies around me.  I must admit, it was a little satisfying.  My character was very dynamic in this story – wordlife.

 

~See Lemons Miss Ohio

look at those low gas prices! - PA