Simple Pleasure

Sometimes, it is the simplest things that can make your day. Whether it is a bowl of hot soup, a warm bath, the smell of clean clothes, or just a gadget that is on the computer, can make a seemingly ordinary day exciting and fun.

By accident, I discovered and started fiddling with the cyber cam special effects tonight. With its various functions, my favorite is the mirror effect that distorts your face. Accidentally, I've also discovered that I have quite symmetrical face, and it actually looks quite like normal myself.

Then I had to try another technique, and I made this

<--------- which is my personal favorite.

This may all seem childish and immature, which also may portray myself as a dork or geek. But I once had a kid told me that it's good to laugh 15 minutes a day at least, in order to keep a healthy mind.

Since the internet and my laptop are my soul-less intimate companions, I'm glad that I get to discover fun, entertaining, and creative ways to enjoy them all the better.

The Challenged

Since Ugly Betty, there has really been a trend of 'visually challenged' heroine versus the usual ones, and this trend does not limit to the western producers only. In China, there's a TV series called, 'Wu-Di - the Ugly Girl', which from its title, conceals no surprise about what to expect from the heroine whatsoever.

Without getting too much into it, like Ugly Betty, Wu-Di, which also means 'invincible', works in the vain business of commercial where she's surrounded by heavily made-up, fake-ass/ass-kissing people. But of course, she is the clear stream who is pumped with goodness and smarts, despite her dull outfit and glittering braces.

I guess the viewers really feel for Invincible due to her unfortunate looks, and admire her efficiency in doing what most fake-eye-lashed secretaries aren't competent of so well. As a result, my dad and stepmom have been religiously tuning into it every night, following the show like my grandpa's health. But now, since the last season is over, they aimlessly drifted into yet another, this time, western.

So instead of getting another 'ugly' girl, they've got a fat girl this time. Drop Dead Diva is about an exchanging of spirit between a supposedly horizontally challenged legal attorney and an air-head blonde, supposedly 'hot' chick.

And guess what, in order to make it all the more PC and 'the beauty lies in the spirit not the looks' or whatever, the blonde chick, who is supposed to have the smart brain, dies, and the fat chick has got some of the smarts remained inside her air-headed soul.

Voila! The best of both worlds.

Naturally, this is becoming my parents' favorite pass-time now. As a result, according to my stepmom now, fat means 'the ugly one', which is only normal if one is used to be exposed to such information daily. This might sound rich from a supposedly 'body worshipper', but I must say, TV sucks these days.

Scaredy Cat

Like most children, horror film used to be one of my fond memories during childhood. Nothing beats a good scare the Hong Kong zombie/ghost flicks.

Frankly, I was never a horror film fan, and since I started sleeping by myself, I've stopped appreciating it completely. However, I did make one mistake by watching The Sixth Sense in college, which deprived me of a week's sleep.

This may sound ridiculous, but the logic of my scare comes from the fact that it can happen to anyone. For me, The Sixth Sense means: when you open your eyes, you might could've possibly see an angry ghost who forgot that it's dead already.

On the other hand, there are also films which I have no fear with like The Exorcist. Known as the all-time scary film, I watched it by myself in an empty library and slept like a deadman afterwards. For many, the scare of this film comes from the religious connotations, but since going to Sunday school was only for the sake of my parents' social interaction, Jesus and the Devil seem more like a source of cause rather than a threat to me.

Even though I'm seemingly fearless of the possessed child, I've been dodging as many scary films as I could during my adulthood. But then again, scary films are somewhat like spicy food - you've gotta have some once in a while. So last night, I saw the greatly hyped up internet viral marketed flick, Paranormal Activity. Even though I knew the plot, I couldn't help putting my hand between the screen and my eyes, making that little peephole to reduce the scare.

Actually, the movie was mediocre, probably because I watched it on a computer, but I still had a hard time sleeping last night, scared of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night because of that 'possibility' of being attacked by some devious spirit at night. Fortunately, I survived through the night without pissing my pants or losing too much sleep after neutralizing the fear with something greater --- The Human Centipede.

Two pretty American girls are on a road trip through Europe...The next day they awake to find themselves trapped in his terrifying makeshift basement hospital along with a Japanese man. An older German man identifies himself as a retired surgeon specialized in separating Siamese twins. However his three "patients" are not about to be separated, but joined together in a horrific operation... the first person to connect people via their gastric system..."the human centipede". - IMDB

So if this can't chase away the scare the fear away of normal horror films, I don't know what can. With this thought in mind, I fitfully slumbered in the safety of my own home, but I would never fall asleep in public again.

Fear Sells

Today, I went to get a facial done. The last time I went was in March, and the reason why it took my so long this time is that every time I go, I'm certain that it gives me a fresh zit because it creates so much anxiety.

For example today, when I arrived, the beautician said:

"The circles under your eyes are really dark, you should go to bed at regular hours."

Or

"Do you use makeup removal to clean your face every time you get home? You don't? Aiyo...that's why you have so many whiteheads because your face is just too dirty."

The conversation would go on like that, and by the end of the session, she would always urge me to go there more regularly because my skin is just too inadequate to be left alone as it is.

Basically, going to a facial, in my experience, is like what women would feel on a bad day when our ass too big, face too pudgy, hair is too frizzy, and nails too ridgedy. On top of that, being bombarded by the various media telling us that we are not sexy, beautiful, and skinny enough.

As a result, we buy things to make us feel better about ourselves even though they were the ones that have been telling us that we're not good enough.

So after the facial, I went to buy some overpriced facial toner to get this facial skincare done right. Then some overtly made-up gay salesperson tried to persuade me to get the eye cream too. However, he said that it's on sale instead of pointing out any inadequacy on my part. So thinking of money and necessity, I rejected the offer instead of clinging on to his words.

Now, sitting here with marks on my face from the cleansing, feeling moisturized and toned, I regrouped myself and begin another episode of Nip and Tuck as I march on to another day's deficiencies.

Cheap Food (貳) --- Vietnamese

"Which country's cuisine would you choose to eat for the rest of your life?" A while ago, I would've answered Vietnamese without any hesitation. The answer now might still be the same, but with less determination, not because it stands any less in my mind, but I think I've overeaten my share of Vietnamese in the past months.

When I was young, I thought that Micky Ds and Round Table Pizza were exotic, but little did I know there is a Vietnamese restaurant that has been standing for three decades and still holding strong being in the top list of the affordable and wonderful places to eat in Taipei.

Madam Jill's was my first encounter of Vietnamese food, and the hook was its deep fried Vietnamese-style spring rolls served with a basket full of fresh lettuce and herbs. The mixture of crispy pork spring roll with basil and sweet and sour dip. When I took my sister there for the first time, as reluctant as she was to try anything 'strange', the presentation and taste won her over instantly.

Later on, as I visited more restaurants, I've realized that there is something of a service there too. Actually, I can say that it is one of the best services where the waitresses know to look for people to attend to. Also, the food comes fast and accurate. The atmosphere is also a perfect match for the place. In the simple, canteen-like restaurant, it also gives a laid back, second-rated eatery, which just makes eating there all the more pleasant and homely.

Another place is right beside the CTV station (華視),

it is also where I did my showreel. They have the best fresh rolls and beef rice noodles. I used to go there after workout and the height of it all was to get the noodle soup, even in a summer afternoon.

Whenever I have a sip of the steaming soup is like a sauna for my organs. This is a strange, satisfying sensation that makes me sweat like a mofo in the end. I felt like all my hard work and lifting were worthwhile. Then it sends me to a euphoria as I stumbled my way to work.

Cheap Food (壹) --- Northern Chinese

I've never considered myself as a gourmet, or even thought that food is all that important. When I was younger, I used to eat whatever was healthy, despite the taste most of the time, including celery with tuna.

Also, having a frugal dad, being thrifty on food has become a habit since I was a kid. Even after started working, going to fancy restaurants to have 'amazing meals' has never been my thing; partially is also because I've never equated 'amazing' with 'expensive'.

Even though I'm never a foodie in a gourmet sense, I appreciate good food. Over the years living in Taipei, there is a kind of restaurant that brings a piece of grandma's cooking wherever I go.

來來順 (Lai Lai Shun) is a Chinese style eatery that is owned by two mothers. They've been running this for more than a decade.

They're popular dishes are: 餡餅(xian-bing), a Chinese-style pie, that comes in beef or pork. Or 蒸餃(zheng-jiao), steamed dumplings that come in vegetarian, beef, pork, and kimchi flavor. Then, it's the 小菜(xiao-cai), small dishes, usually served cold, including: spicy pig ear, lotus root slices, eggplants, and a kind of green bean taste like capers.

There are also traditional Chinese stirfrys in most of these places. Things like Mushu noodles, General Tso's Chicken, sweet-sour pork and so on. Sometimes they also have beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) and beef rolls. (牛肉捲餅)

There are a lot more restaurants like this, including: 穆記, near 101, and 北大行 on Guang Fu near TongHua, or the one next to it which I forget the name of.

The best things about these restaurants or why this restaurant is good depends greatly on its 小菜, because even though it seems insignificant because they're cold and served in small portions, if it isn't treated with care and skill, it gets screwed up easily.

Since my grandparents are from 山東 (Shan Dong Province), food like this has always been a home-cooked meal for me. But as they get older, it seems like rather learning the techniques of making, I have been depending mostly on the restaurants to keep the memories.

I'm a Woman, Hear me ROAR

Today at the gym, a chubby chubster was doing the leg press as I was in front of him doing squats. As I got the leg pressed lined up secretly as my next workout, I intently observed the guy while he was doing his thing, not because he was any good, but I had a gut feeling that he is one of those people who would leave a bunch of weights on the equipment and walk away as if it's none of his business.

Then, there it was. As he was about to walk away, I stopped him and said: "Put those away." And he did, slowly, one... by... one. Then as I was ready to move ahead, he stopped and jumped on the machine again and started his half-ass leg presses with 90 lbs. I was about to walk up to him to confront him of his lame behavior, he had his eyes conveniently closed while resting between the set.

So lamely I called him a dick as I walked off, but all I had in mind was how to take him down if we were in a scrap. Then I started to contemplate my training time for the boxing gym membership.

I know that it's immoral to treat boxing as a way of punishment, or any punishment in that matter. But being empowered with such ability is like having a superpower altogether for me. Being an Asian woman, I seldomly have been in any confrontation and would have little idea on how to deal with it if it were to arise. Like that time I almost got into a fight with a man at a party earlier this year, I simply just walked away.

But if I were to be equipped with the ability to throw a good punch and protect myself, I would not only be tough, I would also be able to use my well-trained body and reveal my real She-Hulkness.