Chiieew!

Movie note: Lost Boys: The Tribe

2011-04-23T07:08:00.001-07:00

ONE STAR

But why did Corey (Haim? Feldman? Feldman. Haim died, right?) speak like he was constipated the entire time?

Thank God

2011-04-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

One positive thing about working in Massachusetts, where the majority of my co-workers are Catholic, is that Good Friday is a slow day at work. And everyone leaves early, including me!

The Patridge family

2011-04-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm dismayed at television for giving Audrina Patridge, the least interesting girl on The Hills (except for Stephanie), her own reality show. Of course, I checked out the first episode and I'm glad I did for two reasons:

1. I have now been introduced to Audrina's mom, the perennially tanked leather bag who acts more like a wronged teenager than a mother.

2. I'm 98% sure the opening song has the lyrics, "Ooooohhh ... I sharted."

It's all very appropriate.

Marathon Monday

2011-04-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

Many organizations in Massachusetts celebrated Patriots' Day yesterday with work closures, community parades and other such festivities. Patriots' Day also is when the annual Boston Marathon takes place - and I'd been informed that it's a big day of celebration for Bostonians each year.

Since our workplace does not recognize the holiday, I went to work last year on Patriots' Day, just like any other day. This year, however, I decided to take the day off and join in the revelry, mostly because friends were in town from DC to run the thing.

Cheering for marathons is kind of crazy. I'm also very bad at it. I met up with my friend toward the end of the route, and we watched out for Poochie, whose pace we were monitoring on the BlackBerry. Before he passed us, I noticed all these hundreds of people, running, limping and crawling by. Some were being carried off on stretchers and others simply looked like death. It reinforced that I never want to run one of these things.

When Poochie came running by, I totally missed him (like I missed Puppy in the Chicago Marathon several years ago), but I did get to catch up with him at the meeting point at the end and congratulate him on finishing. And re-qualifying for next year's Boston Marathon, which I can't decide is a good or bad thing.

Girl talk

2011-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

I miss my friends! Last week, Reebs birthed a new baby, so Dickinator came to town for a little visit this weekend. Coincidentally, TurboBoob was in town for a family Pesach celebration, so we were able to spend last night hanging out and cooing over the baby.

The four of us lived together in college nearly fifteen years ago, along with six other characters and a cat. So, we had a pretty good catch-up session, talked a lot about babies, other friends, some frenemies and our current lives. And it was nice hanging with people who could check me whenever I said anything that might have rung untrue to myself or really ask the hard questions about my job, Boston, my family and Puppy.

Since Reebs is still tired from her labor and all, Dickinator, TurboBoob and I capped off the evening with some delicious food and drink. It really was lovely spending time with them yesterday.

I demand a judges' save

2011-04-16T13:39:00.001-07:00

I didn't care too much when American Idol voted Pia off, but I'm so sad that Jaclyn was sent home packing on this week's America's Next Top Model!

She was the only likable one in the bunch, and she took great photos! I loved her squeaky air-heady voice and wanted to see her in Morocco. Although, it would have been better if ANTM sent them to Canada, like dum-dum Alexandria guessed.

Quality control

2011-04-15T18:37:00.000-07:00

The other day, I accompanied one of my colleagues who's responsible or product quality to one of our stores and we assessed our product. We looked for loose stitching, uneven hems, puckering, stains, shade variation, dry crocking and other product defects.

It was an interesting visit that definitely heightened my appreciation for our quality team's job. I'm not quite so detail-oriented to review product so closely, so I guess it's good I do what I do, instead.

But at the end of the day, it was nice to get out of the office for a few hours and spend some time in a mall!

Celelb sighting: Cynthia Rowley

2011-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

I was pretty sure I saw Cynthia Rowley at last night's ICA opening. So, naturally, I have been doing some internet stalking this morning and it appears she is in Boston!

Artsy fartsy

2011-04-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

Last night, DJ Mother Nature took me to the ICA for the opening of a new exhibit by Catherine Opie, a photographer who is apparently known for images of football youth, lesbians of all ages and surfers. Sadly, none of those works were included in this collection, but the exhibition was still nice - mostly sunsets and Boy Scout jamborees and womyn.

I've wanted to visit the ICA since arriving to Boston, but it's so rare that I take time out to do cultural things. So, I'm grateful that DJ Mother Nature suggested I accompany him.

It's a very small museum, and I think the building was more interesting than the actual works of art within. Since it was an opening reception for members, there was very good people-watching. DJ Mother Nature knew several people, including an agressive and annoying lesbian and I actually ran into a former co-worker! It was nice to get out and about on the town and do something different. Or do something, period!

Workplace boundaries

2011-04-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm growing increasingly displeased at work. It's all come on very suddenly, and I fear it's gathering momentum like the proverbial snowball. And the worst part is, I seem to be feeding directly into a vicious cycle, spiraling down into an unproductive mess.

It pretty much started last Monday, became exacerbated on Tuesday, seemed to get better throughout last week, then plummeted back down yesterday.

As I was packing up my things to leave the office, my boss called my BlackBerry (from another building on our corporate "campus") and asked me to wait for him to return for a little discussion. I thought it was in reference to a vendor to whom I'd sent a stern message a few minutes prior, but he surprised me by closing the door upon his arrival.

It seems his boss, whom I met a few hours earlier, felt I was "detached" in our meeting and not my usual self. So, he asked my boss to check in on me. In truth, I'm not terribly pleased with how things are going, but it's been a particularly painful week of nonsense. It's nothing from which I can't recover, but I guess I'm no good at masking the strain.

The problem is, when my boss comes in to ask me if everything's okay, it really puts me on edge. I don't come to the workplace to discuss my feelings. And if I'm not happy about work, I am not about to share that with my superiors. Maybe that's not the best way to deal with things, but I've seen too many people get burned when they're honest about how they're feeling. I don't need to get saddled with the "attitude" label and boxed into a position with no prospects.

And when my boss shifts gears to ask if everything's okay "at home," in a condescending, faux-caring manner, it makes me want to die. If things aren't okay at home (which isn't the case), I certainly wouldn't burden my colleagues with my personal problems. Maybe I'm old-school, but work is work and home is home. In many cases, I'll build friendships that cross from work to home, but if this has not happened naturally, I resent anyone who tries to force it. And I'm not about to unload or moan about my cat nanny or lack of fun bars to my boss.

I'm told our HR partner may contact me to check in on me as well. That should be a fun conversation. All this "caring" just makes me want to find a new workplace.

Movie note: Monsoon Wedding

2011-04-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

People eat marigolds?

More ching chong ching chong

2011-04-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

The other night, Puppy brought home a very drunk lady. After she learned that I was of Chinese descent, she discussed how her chicken fried rice from the night before didn't turn out too well. And later, after I told her I am not a very prolific chef, she said she would call me when she next would make chicken fried rice, so that she would be able to make it properly. Racism.

Ching chong ching chong

2011-04-08T13:12:00.001-07:00

I never claim to understand Chinese, but once in a while I surprise myself when I hear something or remember the word for something. Last week, for example, I was pleased to order a piece of cake in Hong Kong and asked for a plastic bag so I could take it with me. It's the little things.

At work today, I met with a group of vendors, two from Hong Kong and two from Korea. In the middle of my spiel, I mentioned an initiative I hoped these vendors would invest in, and one of the Hong Kong-based folks said to the other in Cantonese, "They always ask us to cut costs, but then ask us to do extra things."

To which I replied, "Well, we see these minimal costs as investments that will reduce costs over time through..."

It was a nice moment.

Schizo supper

2011-04-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

Last night, I finally had the pleasure of meeting Puppy's former roommate, an older gentleman from Texas oil money who suffers from schizophrenia, cancer and imaginary diabetes. Accompanying him was his manfriend of several years, a fuzzy-haired fellow obsessed with conspiracy theories and a tendency to wear ladies undergarments.

We gathered for dinner at Fakey Saccharine and So So Deaf's home, where they and Puppy created a meal as an homage to the grand dinner parties that Puppy's former roommie used to host. Dinner was tasty and clearly is not helping any effort to maintain or shrink my waistline.

When Puppy's former roommate arrived, it looked like one of his eyes had closed shut. Upon a bit of prodding, we learned that this was due to "diabetes" and that it would return to normal in two weeks. On further prodding, we learned that he could, in fact, open this eye, but that he chose to close it in order to avoid seeing double. Fakey Saccharine retrieved a sleeping mask from his bedroom, which was quickly fashioned into an eyepatch - something that did not come off throughout the entire evening.

Dinner conversation was much more normal than I expected. I didn't witness any responses to auditory hallucinations or any building of structures from stones - two things that apparently have happened in the past during dinners with this couple.

I did, however, get involved in a trying conversation with the roommie's manfriend. He started talking about abolitionists and Martha Washington and Alaska. It was a lengthy ramble where he would begin a thought, only to let it trail off without reaching any point. From time to time, he would ask me if I was following, and to tell you the truth, I wasn't. And it was not for lack of trying! I was really giving it a good effort, but I simply could not follow. When no one came to help me out of this "conversation," I decided the rest of my night should be spent trying to avoid eye contact with this man.

Trying teamwork

2011-04-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

In the past few days, I've endured several of my most irritating pet peeves at work, such as:

* Being appointed scribe in a small group breakout session
* An all-day team offsite
* Collective wordsmithing
* Group editing of PowerPoint on a projector
* Being put on the spot to present without any warning

It hasn't been the best week at work.

Annual performance review

2011-04-05T05:05:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had my annual performance review with my boss. Here's a nifty tip for you managers out there: If you would like to have a constructive conversation about performance, do not schedule it for the morning your employee returns to the office from a 3-week trip to the other side of the world and it's probably a good idea to let him/her know what the subject of the conversation will be.

My meeting invitation was simply "Touch Base," which, after three weeks out of the office, I took to mean simply that my boss wanted to catch up. But when he handed me a piece of paper outlining my bonus for the year, I realized I had stepped into my review. Simply put, this was one of the most confusing and frustrating conversations I've ever had. Throughout the hour, I was told many different things, paired together below to highlight lunacy:

1. You need to be more strategic. You need to pay closer attention to details.
2. You need to have a more aggressive stance on which factories we should not be using. Never stand in the way of business needs when it comes to factories we should use.
3. You're taking on too much work. You need to reach out and support other parts of the business.
4. I'm pleased with everything you've accomplished this past year. You will not be receiving a merit increase.
5. The only way to increase your compensation is to get promoted. I do not know what you need to do in order to get promoted.

And the irony? I got to work in a good mood, thinking how much I was looking forward to making progress on the work ahead of me. I left in a decidedly worse mood, thinking how much it blows that I am woefully under-compensated for the work I put in.

Also ironic? The fact that my boss insists the bottom-line message is that I have done a wonderful job and that I have a bright future ahead at the company. It's clear to me that he was struggling to provide feedback, but instead of offering anything constructive, he babbled some platitudes and counted down the minutes until our meeting ended.

When the beat goes boom

2011-04-03T10:58:00.001-07:00

I'm very busy catching up on the television shows I missed while traveling in Asia, and at the top of my list is All About Aubrey on Oxygen. When Ms. O'Day made her debut years ago on Making the Band, I became instantly intrigued by her, the obvious star of the show.

And as a member of Danity Kane, Aubrey still kept my attention, even though I started to relate better to some of the other girls who were more down-to-earth. Still, Aubrey's sass was interesting and kept my attention. Hell, I even bought her issue of Playboy!

So, as she tries to make a comeback, I am interested to see how Aubrey's journey continues. This show, however, is a hot mess. There are so many contrived situations, her makeup and clothing are ridiculous and her "friends" are horrible. I enjoy the parts where she's rehearsing, in the studio and generally doing her music thing, but I could definitely do without the rest of it.

Brothel bar

2011-04-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

The other day in the lobby of my Hong Kong hotel, I ran into PocketMan, a fellow I met several years ago in Sydney and haven't really been in touch with since. We ended up going out for a drink my last night in Hong Kong, a city PocketMan knows well since he travels there for work nearly every month.

We went to Aqua Bar, with a spectacular view of the harbor. After catching up over a few drinks, we headed back toward the hotel and passed an alley where a little old lady stood and implored passers-by to get a drink. Clearly, it was a shady, shady venture, but PocketMan felt up for a little adventure and pulled me into the alley.

We made our way through the alley, past an older man and a little boy eating dinner on some stacked crates, and into a tiny little bar. In the bar sat a blond man with a little Asian lady hanging all over him. Behind the bar were three young Asian girls wearing tank tops with plunging necklines. They had listless expressions on their faces and leaned against the bar so that their breasts looked fuller.

After approximately two seconds in the doorway, I decided I couldn't stand to be in the bar a second longer, especially since I couldn't handle the overwhelming stench of urine. I told PocketMan that I wasn't staying and he tried to convince me to stay for just one drink. I declined and walked out.

At the alley's entrance, a different lady, older than the first, asked, "Why you no stay for drink?"

Huffily, I answered, "Because it stinks like piss in there!" and briskly walked away, with PocketMan following quickly behind.

I'm not the kind of panda who likes to support prostitution, especially where the girls are probably underage, sold into the sex trade by their parents and clearly unhappy to be involved. But I guess it makes for an interesting introduction to Hong Kong's seedier underbelly - and an awkward end to my Asian trip.

Movie note: Tangled

2011-04-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

My, what big eyes they have!

Movie note: Clash of the Titans

2011-04-02T11:13:00.001-07:00

TWO STARS

They're making a sequel to this boring mess? I wish they hadn't discarded the clockwork owl.

Movie note: The Tourist

2011-04-02T11:08:00.001-07:00

TWO STARS

Nice clothes!

Movie note: Burlesque

2011-04-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

Xtina did a better job than Elizabeth Berkley and Cher makes a great Robin Antin!

Movie note: TRON Legacy

2011-04-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

How did they know to film all those scenes when Jeff Bridges was younger? I should have seen this when it was in the theater.

Dining in

2011-03-31T05:03:00.001-07:00

Usually when I travel, I'll have room service a few times. This week in Hong Kong, however, my family has been in town, so I've been dining with them or I've had work-type dinners.

And at each meal, it's been more than a feast! We've had suckling pig, hand-pulled noodles, dozens of dumplings, hot pot and countless other delicious, delicious yumminess.

But now the family has left and I ditched the reception for today's conference, so I got my room service groove on. It was disappointing. And expensive.

Hong Kongference

2011-03-31T04:32:00.000-07:00

I spent the afternoon at a conference at the stingray-shaped Hong Kong Exhibition and Conference Centre. I found only three of the nine presentations at the confernce, billed as something about sustainability in the supply chain, to be relevant to me.

Other presentations were either too technical for me (something about fungicides to be used in treating leather, anti-mold mechanisms, hide prices, etc.), but they were mercifully short.

When I looked up how to get to the Centre, I feared I might get lost from the MTR to the building, but smart Hong Kong built a bridge over several blocks of streets, directly to the facility. It was neat being in the iconic building, but I'm ready to get back to the office.

MTR man

2011-03-29T19:14:00.001-07:00

I miss living and working in a city. For the past few days, I've been going from meeting to meeting throughout Hong Kong, relying mostly on the MTR (subway) system for transport.

It forces me to walk a bit more, learn how to navigate from place to place and it reduces my carbon emissions! The MTR system is very efficient, fast and clean, which makes it that much more pleasurable. I guess I wouldn't be so keen on public transportation if I still had to deal with Muni.

Radioactive dinner

2011-03-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

For dinner last night, I met a woman who does similar work as I do, but works for another brand, based in Asia. She suggested a Japanese restaurant near her office and I love sushi, so I was game.

We entered the empty restaurant, sat at a table and began perusing the menu. It occurred to us that maybe sushi wasn't the best idea at the moment, but we threw caution to the radioactive wind and enjoyed our meal.

Sevens and sustenance

2011-03-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those Sundays that felt very long, yet extremely unproductive. It started out with a delicious, fast-paced dim sum outing with the cousins on my mom's side. Our party was too big for the table, so we basically had to stand up and reach across the table each time anyone wanted some food. And despite having eaten straight through the past week, it was as if we'd never eaten before and the food would disappear instantaneously upon arrival.

After inhaling lunch, my siblings, their significant others and I headed up to see cousins on our dad's side up on The Peak. There, we spent several hours watching the Hong Kong Sevens on television and taking turns in the fancy massage chair.

Rugby is a pretty interesting sport to watch. I don't really know the rules, but each game lasted only about 15 minutes, which was great for my short attention span. Add some chips and other munchies, and it was a nice afternoon while it was cold and rainy outside.

I walked through some stores on the Kowloon side, then it was time for another meal. We went to Xi Yan, one of those "private dining" restaurants that's becoming pretty ubiquitous in Hong Kong - where you are treated to an innovative meal and don't have to deal with crazy crowds.

Our meal consisted of several courses, each prepared with great care and presented artfully. Some dishes seemed Japanese-inspired, others had flavors of from different parts of China and all were delicious. It wasn't your typical Chinese buffet and it was a special meal that I won't soon forget.

Ain't no party like a Hong Kong party

2011-03-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

After a long day of travel yesterday, I arrived in Hong Kong, the final leg of my Asia trip. My father hosted a big family dinner with my grandmother, my uncles and all the cousins in town. Like always, it was a big feast and I continue to overeat at every chance I get.

When dinner was finished, all the "youngsters" headed out to Lan Kwai Fong to a newish bar called Hyde. But first, we had to get through the drunken masses in town for the Hong Kong Sevens - an annual rugby tournament that brings people from all over the world for a crazy weekend of messiness.

People were wasted, wearing all sorts of costumes, and spilling into the streets. Even for Hong Kong, it was unusually active and reminiscent of Mardi Gras. Probably something that would have been fun for me about a decade ago.

We finally made it to our destination, ordered up some ginormous beers, and caught up. The bar quickly filled up and the party really got going - only to be stopped abruptly by a police raid.

The po po came in with a cute dog who seemingly was sniffing for drugs. They pushed their way through and made it impossible to enjoy ourselves in the bright lights. Apparently, this happens in Hong Kong when nightclub proprietors don't cooperate with or pay off the police. It was a relatively minor annoyance, and we were able to get over it quickly once they left.

And once the lights dimmed again, I noticed a familar face in the crowd - a friend from b-school who was in town for the rugby tournament! I hadn't seen this friend since our graduation in 2004, so it was fun to catch up with him - very random to run into each other in a crowded Hong Kong club.

After downing some magnums of champagne, it was time to call it a night. It was fun to go out with the cousins, tear it up a bit, but return to my hotel without being a complete disaster. I guess that has come with my advanced age.

Comedic cooking

2011-03-25T02:02:00.000-07:00

Our big adventure for today was a Vietnamese cooking class! We gathered early in the morning to go on a tour through the cramped, hectic Hoi An marketplace. Our tour guide introduced us to all the different vegetables and fruits (One interesting one was called a "woman's boob" or something. Apparently it has no English name, so that's the rough translation from Vietnamese.), walked us through the various areas where seafood was being hacked to death and where chickens were being chopped up.

It was kind of uncomfortable, being a big, lumbering American who didn't fit under the droopy tarps while little Vietnamese women pushed their ways around me. I was definitely feeling claustrophobic and it's a good thing we didn't stay long because the various smells were beginning to get to me by the time we finished the marketplace visit.

Next on our tour was the obligatory, but seemingly unnecessary boat ride down the river. This time, we went to the cooking school/restaurant, where our instructor greeted us. The instructor apparently teaches the same class five times each day, so he tried his hardest to inject some levity into it. He made fun of people, told inappropriate jokes and laughed at all of us.

We learned to make several Vietnamese dishes, but the most interesting thing to me was making thin sheets of rice paper, which are basically used to roll everything edible up in Vietnam. The entire process takes about a day, but we were invited to try our hands at just the final part - spreading the rice batter onto a steaming cloth and gingerly peeling it off once finished.

As we worked on this delicate procedure, one of the instructor's helpers came up to Cousin Beezy and yelled, "You fail!" because she had done a poor job at spreading her rice batter. Actually, I think they determined that her burner wasn't working properly, but I laughed at her misfortune.

Later in the course, the instructor grabbed Cousin Beezy's camera to take our photo. He told her to "get close to your lover," to which we responded loudly, "COUSINS!"

Hue to go

2011-03-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

The weather here in Vietnam hasn't been of the expected hot and muggy variety; instead, it's been downright chilly, gray and windy! It kind of put a damper on yesterday's pool party, but spirits were lifted at dinner when our party of 44 descended upon a very delicious Vietnamese restaurant.

And somehow, after about a week and a half of non-stop eating, I roused myself early this morning to hit the breakfast buffet before our day of touring Hue, the former capital of Vietnam situated about 2.5 hours away from Hoi An. Our plan was to do some Hue sightseeing in the morning, followed by some leisurely biking around town.

We started by visiting the former emperor's palace - a compound similar to China's Forbidden City. We went through relatively quickly, our guide pointing out things like the number of gates, different buildings and some statues. To be completely frank, it wasn't terribly interesting, but the cool weather and throngs of other tourists definitely didn't help.

Next up was lunch! We had another multi-course Vietnamese meal in a restaurant where everything from the napkins to the chopstick wrappers felt moist. The food was good, but I probably could have skipped the meal.

Our driver took us a few blocks away to visit a pagoda, where statues had beards and mustaches made of actual hair. It was pretty grody.

For some reason, after the pagoda visit, we were taken down the Perfume River by dragon boat. On the boat, a lady tried to sell us some various arts and crafts, but some members of our party decided instead to sleep. It was kind of a pointless journey, but I guess it probably would have been prettier on a warmer day. It probably would have been smellier as well, so maybe the cool weather was a good thing.

Upon returning to shore, we made the decision to ditch the bicycling part of the tour in favor of visiting the fourth emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty's tomb. The tomb was actually another compound with several buildings, like a smaller version of the palace grounds. It was actually quite peaceful, featured a nice moat, and the damp, gray weather lended a nice peaceful quality to the visit.

Some of Cousin Steppynose's friends decided to rent old-timey garb and get dressed like emperors and concubines for a photo. Since there was no photographer on duty, we took their photos - along with a gaggle of French tourists.

After our time at the tomb, we piled back into the van and headed back to Hoi An. It was a pretty long day, and the tour was only okay, but I was happy to see something other than the tailor's shop!

Tailor made

2011-03-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

For Cousin Steppynose's marriage celebration, we traveled yesterday to Hoi An, a small town with literally hundreds of tailor shops where one can get custom-made garments. It's a quaint little town, definitely caters to tourists, and is much more manageable than larger Vietnamese cities like Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi.

We spent the afternoon in a few tailor shops where my siblings and mother got measured for different garments. It was fun picking the different fabrics, mixing and matching them with jazzy lining materials and considering what other garments can be made.

It's really difficult to tell one tailor from another. They all offer similar fabrics and display the same types of garments: coats with funky overlapping collars, basic suiting, silk blouses, etc. It's hard to see how any of these businesses survive!

Because I have too many clothes in the first place, I didn't order anything to be made. Instead, I offered my criticism and opinions, even when unsolicited!

Let's talk about sex, baby

2011-03-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days that make it all worthwhile. I feel inspired, that my work is meaningful and that there's a sense of purpose behind what I do.

For a bit of context, let me rewind a day. At one point during yesterday's Mekong Delta tour, our guide discussed the country's problem with population control, contributed in part by an unwillingness to discuss sex in Vietnamese culture. As a consequence, not only is unwanted pregnancy on the rise, so are STDs like HIV/AIDS.

Cut to today's factory visit. We recently partnered with a Vietnamese factory to invest in a factory-based health education program for women in developing countries, and today I had the chance to observe a training session.

Since the training was conducted entirely in Vietnamese, I didn't understand the content, but I got a sense of the discussion from the condoms, leaflets and birth control pills that were being used as props and handed out. I especially liked the photo used on one of the instructor's slides, pasted for your convenience above.

Entering today's training, I was worried that the training session might be fruitless, given my understanding of the discomfort surrounding talking about sex. The women in the session, however, seemed very engaged throughout the doctor's presentation. And when it came time for questions, they were eager to learn more! The participants seemed hungry for this information and it was clear that these concepts were new to them. I was relieved to see this level of engagement and felt good that our investment was not in vain.

Today's visit also included a meeting with the factory's management team, who shared some of their experiences in implementing the program. Sure, they cited some frustrations, but most of them had to do with logistics and not the core content of the training. Everyone seemed to believe in the importance of delivering health training. There are opportunities to deliver the program more smoothly, but nothing that cannot be overcome.

But what I didn't expect was to hear the factory managers cite this investment as a potential competitive advantage. Even though the training program was launched only a few months ago, they have already seen participants taking these learnings back to their families and communities. The factory is beginning to earn a reputation as a preferred employer and people in the community seem to appreciate the added investment in worker education. In a time when all factories, across all industries, face tremendous challenges in recruiting Vietnamese workers, this is an obvious business benefit.

In thinking about my career path, I never would have imagined that I'd spend a day at work sitting in a sex ed class in Vietnam, but today has turned out to be one of the most gratifying days of my career.

Rolling on the river

2011-03-20T02:39:00.000-07:00

Most of my family has arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, so there are people for me to hang out and talk with during the weekend! Today we embarked on an organized tour of the Mekong Delta - a part of Vietnam apparently known for fertile land, coconuts and high-grade sand.

I've been on many of these kinds of tours where you're loaded onto a bus, the tour guide tells you about local history and points out sights, you stop at a bunch of stations where people sell "artisan" crafts (at 200x the price it should cost) and you eat a big lunch of local food. The routine's the same, whether you're in Mexico, India, South Africa or Vietnam, yet I continue to go on these excursions.

It's all so fakey, but I don't know any other way to see new parts of the world. 10 of us loaded onto a bus, learned about the Mekong area, and stopped at a temple where people offered to take photos of us with a ginormous buddha, seemingly made especially for tourists. The photographers reminded me of my visit to the Taj Mahal, but the background was a lot less impressive.

We then took a boat to some island where they harvest honey made from bees who pollinate longan plants, so it's especially sweet and fragrant. We looked at a bunch of stuff made from coconut wood and shells, sat down to eat fruit and try the honey tea, then were serenaded by a local "band."

The band consisted of a few musicians who looked extremely bored, two female singers dressed in traditional Vietnamese dresses and one male singer who, sadly, was not wearing a traditional Vietnamese dress. The first song they sang was about the region. The second song was about tourism (Really?). The third song was a love song and I didn't catch what the fourth song was about. I didn't really enjoy the music, but we felt guilted into tipping, of course.

We then got onto these wagons dragged by tiny horses to another spot about a mile away. This part of the tour was a bit sad - the poor little horses were pulling carts of overweight tourists up and down a stretch of road in the blazing heat. I thought maybe this would make a nice campaign for PETA.

After a brief spot to take a photo with a python around our shoulders (no thanks), we got onto little rowboats that cruised down a canal. This part of the tour felt very much like Disney-Vietnam, since it was obvious the boats had motors, but women rowed us along anyway. Vietnam is so charming and romantic!

We boarded the original boat, made a pit stop at another island where a local family made some icky coconut candy and sold arts and crafts made from coconut shells (I overpaid for a small gift for Puppy.), then re-boarded the boat for land.

Then it was time for lunch. These tour lunches are always so awkward. All the tourists sit at tables in one area, while the tour guides sit sequestered in another area of the restaurant. The food, however, was very interesting and pretty good. We had weird puff balls made from rice flour, some frightening-looking fish, tasty vegetables and other dishes I cannot remember. The highlight for me was the super-sweet Vietnamese coffee.

We then bussed back to the hotel, and received a geography/history lesson along the way. I think the most interesting thing to me has been learning that the Vietnamese refer to the "American War." It makes sense that they don't call it the Vietnam War, but I never really thought about it before.

The doctor is (reluctantly) in

2011-03-19T02:47:00.001-07:00

For my travels this past week, our buying agent sent along a babysitter who met me in the Hong Kong airport on Monday and basically stuck to my side until today. I appreciate the support, but it does get tedious spending all your time with someone you don't know very well and who doesn't speak great English. To be fair, I didn't really try to communicate in Cantonese, which would have been an utter failure.

Yesterday, on our last day together, our relationship hit a new point (I don't know whether it was a high point or a low point.) where my friend decided to share. I guess he got to the point where he thought he could trust me with details about the past six years of therapy he's enjoyed.

We talked about many different topics, including the following:

* His trepidation about getting married several years ago. It's no surprise that his now wife encouraged him to seek therapy.

* The pressure he faces as a Chinese man to support his family.

* Societal pressure that discourages him from getting in touch with or expressing his feelings.

* The "little boy" who lives within him and the wall that surrounds him.

* His fear of accompanying me on this trip to Indonesia and Vietnam because he'd never been to either country and because as he "counted down" the days to this trip, his imagination created frightening scenarios of what was to come.

* The conversations his adult self has with his inner little boy in order to convince himself to try new things.

He shared all these things and more, leaving me a bit dumbstruck and unable to respond. I felt like I should also share my personal challenges, but I barely emote, so I didn't go down that route.

I will never again ask him his weekend plans, the catalyst for this major overshare.

Bang. Wink. Smack.

2011-03-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

I visited a denim factory that produces jeans for us as well as other brands like G-Star and Mavi. One line was producing for Fornarina, which the factory manager explained to me is a "Japan brand." I'd never seen Fornarina jeans before, but all I could think about was this ridiculous mess:

Indochine influence

2011-03-18T01:20:00.000-07:00

The breakfast buffet is probably my biggest indulgence whenever I travel overseas for work. I love sampling all the different foods and taking advantage of the variety of cuisines available.

At today's feast, I had the usual fruit, eggs, sausage, etc., but also indulged in a big bowl of pho. After all, I am in Vietnam! Usually, I skip the dessert area, but one of our VPs informed me that this hotel has very good chocolate croissants. So, I felt like I had to give it a try.

And I'm so glad I did! It was one of the best chocolate croissants I'd ever had, so I had to eat two!

The other pastries also looked amazing, but I can try those in the days to come. For today, I relished the pho/pain au chocolat combination - one of the benefits of French imperialism, I guess!

Body image

2011-03-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

Upon arriving to today's factory near Ho Chi Minh City, the production manager proclaimed, "You are a big man!" Every single time I go to Asia, people comment on my body. It's so uncomfortable, especially in a business setting!

This factory's senior management team is Korean, while all the middle managers and workers are Vietnamese. The Koreans are mostly expats on assignment, so there's a management dorm where they live, and it was in the dorm where we gathered for lunch.

Again, the production manager felt compelled to discuss what I look like, so he turned to me and said, "I like your body. I want my body to look like yours for the ladies. Are you married?"

I said I was not married, and he gestured across the table to the Vietnamese HR manager with the horrible teeth and said, "Cindy is not married either!"

::nervous giggles::

Like a prayer

2011-03-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

On our way back to the hotel after visiting a dyeing facility today, the Indonesian social compliance auditor said, "Excuse me if I don't answer your questions. I am praying."

Several minutes later, when he was done praying, he said, "For Muslims, you can pray anywhere if it is an emergency." Apparently, it was an emergency because he was unable to pray during the noon hour, as expected. Since he was leading our audit today during the prayer hour, I guess he had to make up for it in the car!

Movie note: Unstoppable

2011-03-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

That guy from My Name Is Earl sure is a jackass.

So, this is what good looks like

2011-03-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

The first factory we visited yesterday in Indonesia was one of the best I've seen from a corporate social responsibility perspective. The factory managing director was eager to share with me some of the community investment work it has implemented, some at the behest of another customer, but others that it initiated to fulfill business and community needs it identified. Some of the highlights to me included the following practices:

CNG Power - Apparently, Indonesia sits on a huge pool of natural gas, so this factory converted its power supply to compressed natural gas. The factory has realized tremendous cost savings due to this transition and mentioned that the amount saved was so significant that they could not reveal how much it was!

Wastewater Treatment - Years ago, the factory realized it was having a negative impact on the environment when blue geese were appearing nearby, due to the dyestuff in its effluent. Since then, the factory invested in an on-site wastewater treatment facility that ensures all effluent is free of chemicals and harmful dyes.

Infant Mortality Campaign - Apparently, the region where this factory is located has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. Factory management found that some women workers would get pregnant, go on maternity leave and their babies would die. The women would suffer from extreme emotional devastation, return to work once their maternity leave was finished, then immediately try to get pregnant again, resulting in less productive workers and the potential of another few months out of the office. To combat this, the factory has embarked on an extensive infant mortality campaign, that includes not only education, but also training and nominating capable midwives for factory workers. The factory has seen great success in reducing workers' infant mortality rates, and continues to find benefit from this investment.

Community Health Clinic - After the factory realized workers would take time off to care for their sick husbands and family, it invested in a community health clinic that provides healthcare services at a substantially reduced cost. The clinic is used by factory workers, their families and others in the nearby community - a visible symbol of the factory's commitment to the community.

Outreach to NGOs - One of the most surprising initiatives is the factory's proactive outreach to local, national and international non-governmental organizations. It's tough to get large multi-national corporations to understand the potential benefits of partnering with NGOs, but this one factory already has seen the power of learning from civil society organizations.

There were some other initiatives that puts this factory among "best in class" in my mind, but what I was most impressed by was the factory manager's attitude toward these initiatives. She understood both the business and social/environmental benefits of these programs, realized where her team did not have expertise so brought in the right community partners and eagerly searched for additional ways the factory could support its workers and community.

If only more factories took this approach, I might be out of a job! But the world would be a better place.

Movie note: Alice in Wonderland

2011-03-15T07:21:00.001-07:00

TWO STARS

Apparently, it's "Underland." Also known as "Boringland."

Fast food world

2011-03-15T07:12:00.001-07:00

One of the things I enjoy most about traveling is sampling the local cuisine. I can't help it - I'm an eater.

This morning, after enjoying the hotel breakfast buffet, we traveled for three hours to visit a "nearby" factory. After our tour of the facilities, lunch arrived. I've had some spectacular lunches during factory visits, both at nearby restaurants or on-site. Today, however, was the first time I was given fast food!

Our lunch came from Pizza Hut and consisted of two small pizzas with chicken, some garlic bread and some chicken wings. It was pretty consistent with the Pizza Hut from home, but I didn't try the wings. I'm not sure if the factory thought this would help me feel at "home" (where I don't eat Pizza Hut) or if it was simply what they ordered on a regular basis, but in either case, I was kind of bummed.

Driving back to the hotel, I noticed a McDonalds billboard that advertised a "Prosperity Burger" and made a point of noting that it was "BEEF!" It also displayed the number one could call for "McDelivery." I guess I'm grateful we had pizza rather than a McSpaghetti for lunch.

Sloth and gluttony

2011-03-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Door-to-door, my trip from Boston to Jakarta took roughly 30 hours. And most of those hours were spent lying down and eating. I have barely stood up, let alone walk around, and I basically ate at every opportunity. I ate in the lounges in both New York and Hong Kong, I ate on every single plane, and I'm even contemplating eating the orange on my hotel room desk!

I'm grateful that my company still allows us to fly business class for these long-haul flights. And I'm grateful that Cathay Pacific has those pod-like business class seats. But seriously, I think I may have developed bed sores. And gained 30 el-beez.

Movie note: The Social Network

2011-03-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

FOUR STARS

This movie almost makes me want to delete my facebook page, then follow in Zuckerberg's footsteps by moving to the Bay Area from Boston.

Movie note: Morning Glory

2011-03-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

THREE STARS

Why on earth would you name a television network "IBS"? Also, Harrison Ford makes a terrible newscaster.

Movie note: The King's Speech

2011-03-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

FOUR STARS

I can only imagine what poor Bertie's life might have been like were there tabloids and paparazzi. This movie has piqued my curiosity about his older brother's life.

Reunited and it feels so good

2011-03-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

Last week, while in New York for work, I had the chance to meet up with VALedictorian and SameBrain for dinner one night. We think it's been about a decade since the three of us were last together. Certainly, we've seen each other one-on-one when we travel to each others' cities, but it goes to show how quickly we move about.

At SameBrain's suggestion, we went to a very yummy tapas restaurant and ordered all the items that sounded a bit outrageous: squid ribbons, blood sausage bundles and a rich foie gras were just the start.

But once dinner was finished, we decided we couldn't simply return home (even though I promised myself that I would) so we headed out to a nearby bar where I was introduced to Patron Cafe, a new liqueur that may be my favorite.

Our conversation ranged from careers, to relationships, to the goings-on of our high school classmates. It was really nice to be together once again - even just for one night.

You put the dim in dim sum

2011-03-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had dinner with a number of my company's executives and one of them had never heard of dim sum when it came up in conversation. After I and our CIO explained the concept to her, she replied, "Where I come from, I think we call that a pu pu platter."

Disco office

2011-03-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

On Monday, I had a meeting with a prospective vendor in midtown New York City. The office was in a typical office building that didn't seem very special ... except that it used to be Studio 54!

So strange to think that cracked-out celebrities danced the night away in the same place where I was discussing how we could better protect human rights in developing countries.

Movie note: Love and Other Drugs

2011-03-07T06:05:00.001-08:00

THREE STARS

Nudity! Is it just me, or did the brothers depicted in this movie have an unusual relationship?

Movie note: Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

2011-03-06T15:57:00.001-08:00

FOUR STARS

Cute movie, but why do all the bunnies have pig snouts?

Irish eyes are smiling

2011-03-06T15:51:00.001-08:00

In my continued adventures visiting with my friends' children, I went to Dorchester this morning to spend time with Safety First and her two toddlers. Even though it is a 10-minute drive away, it was my first visit to Dorchester, which some claim is Boston's new gay mecca.

Well, instead of rainbow flags, shamrocks and leprechauns adorned all the homes! It seems the city is home to a very large, proud and visible Irish population. After breakfast, "jumping practice," and various other activities with the kiddos, we took a walk to a nearby Irish bakery which featured genuine Irish workers!

We enjoyed cupcakes, some more coffee, then we walked back home, the kids singing most of the way...

Dining delay

2011-03-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

When one makes a restaurant reservation, one expects to be seated at or around the time of said reservation, right? After all, isn't that what a reservation is for?

Well, last night Puppy and I had dinner plans with two of his friends, Fakey Saccharine and So So Deaf at 8:30. Apparently, the people at our table were taking their leisurely time finishing up their meal, so we ended up waiting for an hour before getting seated. By that time, I was quite ornery.

Dinner ended up being a tasty affair and Fakey Saccharine and So So Deaf weren't nearly as irritating as I expected, but the ridiculous wait put me in a sour mood and by the time we finished, it was beyond past my bedtime. I am an old panda.

Deadly delay

2011-03-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

By the time my train arrives to Penn Station, I will have missed two of my scheduled meetings for today. I probably shouldn't have changed my schedule to get on a later train (I needed some dear, sweet sleep!), but this guy should probably not have been walking on the tracks.

It's like a Hallmark holiday

2011-03-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

The weather lady this morning said it's the first day of "meteorological" spring, as opposed to "astrological" spring. What the heck is that? I'd never heard this term before, so I performed approximately 12 seconds of internet research and decided it's just something weather folk make up.

Movie note: Into the Blue

2011-02-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

THREE STARS

As expected, thin plot and pretty people.

So shock!

2011-02-26T12:07:00.000-08:00

I still cannot believe they say the s-word on MTV's Skins!

Were you really born a genetic woman?

2011-02-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

From the cover of Rolling Stone magazine as the queen bee of Laguna Beach to ... a lackluster interviewee on RuPaul's Drag Race. I think someone's nearing the end of her fifteen minutes.

The longest short week

2011-02-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

Why do the short work weeks always feel like the longest? I guess with 7:00am meetings and doing work after getting home, it was bound to feel like this.

T-shirt tiiiiiiiiiiiiiime

2011-02-21T14:02:00.000-08:00

Since I didn't have work today (Happy birthday, Mr. President!), it seemed like a good idea to go out on a Sunday night. Puppy and I met DJ Mother Nature and one of his Brazilian friends at the cabaret lounge act that DJ Mother Nature supports every week. It was the usual: bald man singing standards and making terrible jokes, us drinking beverages and giggling at the other patrons.

Fortunately, a "one time only" gay disco was happening upstairs, so DJ Mother Nature and I decided to check it out. It was my first "dance dance dance all night" type of event since moving to Boston, so I was interested to see what it would be like.

The space was pretty neat, and the DJ was one of my favorites, so I had high hopes. It quickly filled up, but one thing I noticed was that the clientele leaned more toward Jersey Shore reject than circuit queen. Maybe I've just been out of the scene for so long, but I really didn't expect to see so many horrible Affliction t-shirts!

The party's theme was "Miami" or something equally nonsensical, and there was a fat Samoan aerialist who was twisting and turning, while suspended from the ceiling on a piece of purple fabric. He reminded me of the homeless Samoan guy who hangs out on Castro Street in San Francisco - only this guy was wearing much less clothing. Not necessarily a good thing.

Other entertainment included four guys in ill-fitting wetsuits with electronic piping. I think it was supposed to reference TRON, but it just looked kind of looney.

Overall, the music was good and it was relatively easy to get drinks, so that was nice. I think I only saw one crazily wild-eyed nutjob, but all the gorilla juiceheads were too much! And strangely, only a handful of people took off their shirts, even when the dancefloor got crazy-crowded.

I decided to leave early because I got bored and didn't want to be stuck in the coat check line when it shut down, so maybe things took a turn for the better after I left at 1am, but I'm not so sure.

Movie note: Wonderland

2011-02-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

TWO STARS

This apparently isn't one of those movies where you can fall asleep at the beginning and expect to understand everything that's going on. Also, this is a true story?

Wool brunch

2011-02-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday in the middle of a three-day weekend. So, you'd expect me to take the day off from work and enjoy the time off. Thanks to my job, however, I've become one of the retail industry voices on wool and animal welfare - at least to a group of Australian wool farmers who are trying to promote their progressive farming practices. And when the CEO of an organization representing a group of Australian farmers is in Boston for only seven hours, it's only polite for me to make time for him.

Thus, I trekked down to South Station, met this fellow when he arrived, and went to a nearby restaurant to discuss sheep. During the course of our conversation, it became clear that he added a Boston stop only to meet me, so I'm glad I didn't blow him off like I wanted to!

In the end, it was a good conversation, I got a free brunch and a nice bottle of Australian wine, so it was time well spent. I just wish he could have made his trip during business hours.

John Daly dinner

2011-02-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

IronWoman was in town for some smartypants event, which became the catalyst for a wonderful dinner college swim team reunion! Puppy spent all day cooking and cleaning, preparing a delicious dinner of Tuscan chicken and mushroom risotto for the occasion.

Flabs, Jillian and their husbands also came for dinner, leaving their kiddos at home with sitters. An adult evening! With adult beverages! Puppy had concocted a lemonade/iced tea/vodka drink which is apparently called a John Daly. And after several dozen glasses, it became a much boozier dinner than anticipated.

Surprisingly, I wasn't very hungover this morning, but even if I had been, it would have been worth it. Last night was a nice visit and great to see IronWoman while she was in town.

I shall need a typewriter and an abacus

2011-02-18T13:40:00.001-08:00

You can imagine how I felt this morning when I arrived at work and realized that I had forgotten my computer at home! I was paralyzed for a second. Do I go home and retrieve it? But I had a 9am meeting I couldn't miss, so I just headed into the office.

I found someone else's old laptop and logged into my account, but couldn't get much to work. No printer. No e-mail. It was basically a non-starter.

Finally, after an hour with IT, I was up-and-running and I could begin my day! At 1:30pm. I thought "the cloud" was going to fix all this.

Tony/Tony, Michelle/Michelle, Cassie/Cadie

2011-02-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

And here is the post where I admit that I've been watching the US version of Skins on MTV.

I'm still conflicted, mostly because I love the UK original so much. Whereas the original is engaging and effortless, the MTV version is interesting and forced. The US actors are not nearly as good as their UK peers and the storylines, although similar, diverge enough to keep me wondering what will happen next.

I'll admit it was pretty boring at first, but the "Cadie" episode drew me in. Maybe it's because Cadie is the parallel to Cassie, one of my favorite characters from the original, or maybe my standards have finally devolved far enough for me to enjoy it, but whatever the reason, I guess I'm hooked for the rest of the season.

It's also been kind of shocking to hear the kids say "shit" and "fuck" and to see bare bottoms on MTV. And I don't think I realized this was even going on until the second or third episode!

Hopefully, if this continues, it will be further refined, because a lesser version of Effy certainly won't be able to carry season 3.

All the single ladies

2011-02-15T08:13:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I had a lunch meeting with a consultant in a fairly empty pan-Asian restaurant. Our server was a frumpy-ish, middle-aged woman who clearly thought she had better things to do than her job.

It was obvious that our lunch was focused on a workplace discussion, since we were throwing around words like "executives," "factories" and "ridiculous." Our server, however, insisted on foisting the day's Hallmark holiday on us and greeted us by saying, "Happy Valentine's Day!" with a big frown on her face. "I guess when you're single like us," she continued, "you have to work on Valentine's."

I guess I missed the memo. Who knew I was free to take yesterday off?

Movie note: All Over the Guy

2011-02-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

TWO STARS

I think I'm too old for this type of movie about twentysomethings in unrealistic relationships. Also, maybe I should stop watching movies where everyone has answering machines.

Tea time

2011-02-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

Another indication that I'm getting old? I spent yesterday afternoon with a good friend at her suburban home having tea and cookies! I will concede that she has a 1-year old to take care of and that she is 8.5 months pregnant with twins (Man, she is huge!), but wow, my weekends are not like they used to be.

Queen Titania and her sparkly fairies

2011-02-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

Puppy, DJ Mother Nature and I went to Cambridge last night to see "The Donkey Show," a disco spectacular based very loosely on A Midsummer Night's Dream.

It featured a bunch of scantily clad boys and girls, covered in glitter, a bunch of cross-dressing, some references to drugs, dancing and yelling. It was very difficult to follow the plot, especially since the actors jumped and danced through the audience.

But the plot was beside the point - really, people were there just to drink and dance and have a good time. Interestingly, the audience was mostly composed of middle-aged folks who were sweating to the oldies. And after the show ended, and the event turned into a disco dance extravaganza, it sort of felt like we were at a wedding. A wedding where the bride was getting married for the second or third time.

Token panda

2011-02-11T06:00:00.001-08:00

My employer sponsored a table at a regional human resources diversity celebration last night, and thanks to my Asian-ness, I was invited along. As expected, I got to hang out with the HR folks at our table, representing as the only non-white individual!

Some people might be offended by invitations based on ethnicity, or having to be the token minority, but I usually enjoy a free meal. Even if it's the typical hotel banquet fare of a wilted salad, rubbery breast of chicken and dry pastry. But I wish I'd known that last night's event would not include any wine! There was a cash bar upon arrival, but once we were all ushered into the main ballroom, it was H2O all the way.

Good thing the event was a 10-minute walk from my home.

Celeb sighting: Oh here go how come

2011-02-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

Puppy and I just finished dim sum with my parents and Lil' Bro Panda!!!!'s future in-laws. As we exited the building, a short Asian man wearing a plunging v-neck t-shirt and a scowl on his face entered. For a moment, I thought he was a friend of mine from San Francisco and I smiled at him. He looked back at me, scowled some more, and I realized I don't know him at all!

It was Calvin, a contestant on the recent season of The Fashion Show! he was the season villain who had to be subtitled because he was difficult to understand. Furthermore, he was difficult to understand because he put words together in nonsensical strings.

Why do you go by Mr. Rings?

2011-02-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Robyn's opening act was a tall, skinny blonde boy from Toronto with the stage name Diamond Rings. I'd recently read a favorable review of his music, but I didn't make the connection until he actually took the stage.

He put on a pretty good performance and has a surprisingly low voice for a kid who wore stretchy gold pants and blue eye shadow! Afterward, he stood by his merchandise table, waiting to engage fans and to sign posters. After the three or so people approached him, professed their admiration and took photos with the young man (including DJ Mother Nature), he just stood there by himself, so I figured I should talk to him.

Turns out his name is John and the Diamond Rings monicker has something to do with the Toronto Blue Jays. I asked him why he went by the name "Mr. Rings," which didn't seem to go over so well. And when he described an upcoming music video that features him in drag, gobbling a pizza, I suggested he should have been eating poutine.

After entertaining a few more of my ludicrous questions, he excused himself politely to "get a lamp" for his table. We thought he was just exiting the conversation, but minutes later, he did return with a lamp!

Stilettos and broken bottles

2011-02-05T16:34:00.001-08:00

Last night, Puppy, DJ Mother Nature and I stuffed our faces with Mexican food and went to see Robyn perform at the House of Blues. As a teen, I did enjoy the catchy "Show Me Love" of which she is probably horridly embarrased.

She put on a great show - jumping around and flailing her arms about frenetically. And all while wearing some Timberlands with three-inch platforms! She is a truly small little pixie!

And for me, it was notable that I ran into two whole people that I knew!

Movie note: Born Into Brothels

2011-02-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

FOUR STARS

These kids sure do take good photos! Too bad their parents are such whores.

Boating through Boston

2011-02-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

I took another work-from-home day today because of this storm that has 2/3 of the country experiencing snow, sleet, ice, rain and other nasty weather occurrences. There has been a major storm each week since I've returned to Boston from California and it is not pretty.

There are mountains of snow everywhere, and today the snow turned to sleet, then freezing rain, then regular rain. I dared to leave the house in order to retrieve my car, so I had to walk down several blocks to the garage where I kept it (my usual garage, across the street, was full!). At each intersection, I basically gave up trying to leap over the puddles. It was futile. I just stepped into the oceans and sacrificed the bottoms of my jeans to the elements. Fortunately, I had my water-proof boots on.

Babies everywhere

2011-01-28T06:31:00.000-08:00

Alternate Title: Anne Geddes is a menace to society

Last night I went to dinner with a good friend from grad school who was unfortunate enough to spend this very frigid week working in her Boston office. We used to live blocks away from each other in San Francisco, yet I rarely saw her - especially after she birthed a baby.

Catching up over delicious fried foods and burgers, we basically spent 30 minutes talking about work and 2 hours talking about babies, parenting techniques, her knocked-up nanny, the controversial Ms. Chua, the priviledges of being born into the upper-middle class and "16 and Pregnant". Now, I don't have any kids, so I'm no expert on any of these topics, but since when did my whole life become about babies?

I guess I'm just at that stage of life where all my friends are starting families and it's become the topic du jour. Fortunately, I have enough friends with babies so I understand the concept of the Pack N Play, the Hooter Hider and the complications associated with selecting child care options. I've heard about how trying it can be to "sleep train" an infant and how weekends are scheduled around nap times. And after you see a few friends completely frazzled by sleepless nights and worrying about newly mobile toddlers, all the glamour associated with newborns seriously loses its luster.

So, Anne Geddes, with your posters of "cute" babies in various flower or animal costumes, maybe you're doing the world a disservice by perpetuating an image of peaceful, clean, sleeping angels. But fortunately for me, I've always found these images to be so creepy and so disturbing that I was never bamboozled by your horrific photos.

Movie note: Blow

2011-01-28T06:20:00.001-08:00

THREE STARS

Pee Wee Herman was especially good at playing a gay hairdresser/coke dealer.

Where is my febreeze?

2011-01-25T10:54:00.001-08:00

For lunch today, I had some sort of wrap containing roast beef, cheese and caramelized onions. Now, sadly, my office reeks of caramelized onions and altoids. Thank goodness I have no more face-to-face meetings today.

Movie note: Grown Ups

2011-01-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

TWO STARS

One extra star for making fun of Massholes!

Rooty tooty fresh 'n fruity

2011-01-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

If anyone wonders why my posts have become less and less frequent, I think it's a reflection on how interesting my life has become. Take, for example, this weekend. I think the most interesting thing we did was go to IHOP for brunch yesterday.

And yes, I did have the rooty tooty fresh 'n fruity.

The driving snow

2011-01-21T12:03:00.001-08:00

Even though I've lived through snowy winters before, this is the first time I've ever had to commute in one. And let me tell you, it is not pleasant.

This morning, the weather lady mentioned that Boston was expected to get 4-7 inches of snow, most of it landing right during the morning commute. She said, "New Englanders can handle 4-7 inches, no problem!" I, however, am not a New Englander, so I was a bit petrified at the thought of driving to work while blinded by the white stuff.

So, I got up hecka early and left my house around 6:15 this morning to drive to work. Mother nature had already been doing her thing, so I had to spend the first few minutes brushing a layer of snow off my car before gingerly exiting our parking lot. 6:15am, it turns out, is also about the time the snow plows get deployed, so some of the roads were clearer than others. I also got stuck behind a train of about 10 plows, all headed onto the highway. This actually gave me a sense of relief because I couldn't be blamed for the snail's pace at which we were traveling.

Once I got onto the freeway, all the snow on my roof slid down to cover my rear window, making it nearly impossible to see out the back or the sides (thanks to the nearly horizontal sheets of snow). So, I poked along in the slow lane and let everyone zoom past me at 25 mph.

I definitely lost control of my car a few times along the way, and that was very disconcerting, but it was nice that the car sort of corrected itself, thanks to the grooves in the snow from travelers in front of me. I'm thankful I didn't slide into a snow bank or off a bridge, but this is not an experience I need on a regular basis.

It seems like even native New Englanders also get freaked out about driving in these conditions. Some colleagues commented on how unnerving this morning's commute was and another encouraged me to get a four-wheel drive. He said, "You know how you lose control on the road all the time? In a four-wheel drive, that happens only about a quarter the amount as you experience in your car." Actually, he said "cah."

Movie note: Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2011-01-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

THREE STARS

If it weren't for the gorgeous costumes and sets, I would have been pretty bored. More women should wear fantastic red wigs with feathers on their heads and ruffs around their necks!

MLK getaway

2011-01-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

Since it was a three-day weekend, Puppy and I decided to get out of Boston for the weekend. People probably expected us to seek out a more tropical climate like Florida or the Bahamas, but instead, we decided to celebrate our nation's civil rights with the First Family in Washington DC!

It actually was about 15 to 20 degrees warmer than in Boston, so it was a welcome change from the freezing cold blizzard conditions that have been common in Beantown. Upon arriving on Friday night, we headed out directly to the bars, where one bartender asked me where I'd been. Since I moved away in 2002? Is that what you mean? In any case, it felt nice to be recognized, even if I was charged full price for my drinks.

Saturday's plan was to enjoy a Mexican fiesta at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in DC. I'd invited four friends, their husbands and babies to meet us for a rowdy, kid-friendly margarita session. Little did I know that it would be so difficult to organize around seven kids' schedules. Not being a parent, I guess I underestimated how unpredictable naptime can be! Only one friend, her husband and their twin boys showed up. It was very fun to see them, but sadly, I didn't get to see the other friends and their families. I guess it means I have to return to DC to visit them sometime in the future.

We spent Sunday walking and walking. We visited the stores in Georgetown, got Puppy a haircut and rested back at my friends' house. For dinner, we met up with some old friends of mine from the swim team and I realized quickly that the drama from nearly a decade ago still consumed their lives. Some people didn't want to sit next to others, there was complaining about the same old characters and similar concerns to those from the early '00s took up a lot of conversation.

In all, it was a nice visit. DC has changed significantly since I left and there are new neighborhoods where previously only gang territory existed before. It was fun to see those friends I could and it was nice to leave Boston for a bit. Would I ever consider moving back? Probably, but it would mean figuring out where to live all over again - my old neighborhood clearly isn't as cool as it used to be!

Snow day

2011-01-12T06:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to today's blizzard, our office is closed and I'm at home. It's a good thing, too, because I would have no idea how to drive in these conditions.

But every television channel is now The Weather Channel. It seems all regular programming has been suspended so our local newscasters can talk about the weather. Surely there must be something else going on in the world!

I wonder if the gym will open today.

Movie note: Showgirls

2011-01-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

THREE STARS

Who knew there was so much grunting in Vegas choreography? Elizabeth Berkley is a truly horrible actress. I considered giving this movie one star because it is so bad, but then I considered five stars, also because it is so bad. I guess that makes it three.

The business of battle

2011-01-11T05:27:00.000-08:00

What is it about businesses that insist upon using wartime analogies to motivate people? We are not soldiers. We are not fighting a war. Yet, time and time again, executives insist on "rallying the troops" by using very aggressive metaphors.

We're in the midst of a minor crisis and suddenly everyone talks about being on the "defensive" or "offensive." I heard someone refer to the room next to me as a "war room." War room? Come on! It's a conference room! There are large black-and-white photos of birds and flowers. Women's garments hang from racks along one wall. How on Earth is this considered a "war" room?!

The only thing I hate more than the rhetoric of war is when people use sports analogies to motivate co-workers. If I were a professional athlete, I'd expect a much higher salary.

Movie note: Salt

2011-01-10T10:23:00.000-08:00

FOUR STARS

Thoroughly entertaining! I don't think it would have been half as enjoyable with Tom Cruise. Also of note, the black hair is a much better look than the initial straw-yellow color.

Movie note: Bottle Shock

2011-01-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

ONE STAR

Puppy was right when he said this would make a good hour-long documentary on the History channel. As a movie, it was bor-to-the-ing.

She'd only do agony flip and go ra-ra

2011-01-09T08:21:00.001-08:00

In preparation for MTV's Americanized version of "Skins", I have been catching up on the original British version. I'm in the middle of season 3, where Tony Stonem's little sister Effy takes center stage.

I have no idea how MTV is going to make this work, given the FCC and Republicans. And how are the Brits able to produce such amazingly talented, young actors?

Please note that I am watching the discs with closed captioning on. I don't understand half the words that come out of these kids' mouths!

I know I'm no Eskimo

2011-01-06T13:31:00.000-08:00

Today at work, a woman explained to me what an igloo is, as if I could never in my life have possibly have heard of such a thing before.

Quality control

2011-01-06T08:09:00.001-08:00

I just finished walking through samples for our Fall '11 season with two of our Quality Assurance team members. I was looking for garments with potential social and environmental risks (hand embroidery or beading that could cause poor working conditions, ostrich feathers, etc.) while our QA team was looking for quality risks (difficult-to-achieve pleating, colored suede, etc.).

To me, I enjoy seeing the clothes that we will be producing, but it's also interesting to see how other people view the garments. Now I find myself examining today's outfit, looking for unfinished seams, poorly constructed button holes, etc. I suppose if I were in a QA job, I'd find it very difficult to buy clothes since all the imperfections would jump out at me!

Movie note: Fanboys

2011-01-05T06:52:00.001-08:00

TWO STARS

This movie needed more Kristen Bell and more humor. Some nice cameos, though.

Movie note: The Secret Life of Bees

2011-01-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

TWO STARS

The book and movie are equally dull. And for a movie with three recording artists-turned-"actresses," I expected more singing.

Snow parking zone

2011-01-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

When I returned to Boston last week, I retrieved my car from the airport parking garage and made my way home. As expected, our building's parking lot was completely full and I had to search for a spot on the street to park. But since the Holiday Blizzard of 2010 had hit town, I realized there were fewer parking options than usual.

Instead, there were mountains of snow where cars used to be able to park and several vacant spots were coated with several inches of packed snow and ice. My little car is not exactly made for snow, and I am a thoroughly Californian driver, so I gingerly backed my car into a spot that seemed free.

Well, parallel parking in the snow is not a strength of mine, so I ended up leaving my car poking out into a driveway. Fortunately, it wasn't towed and i moved it to the parking lot the next morning.

But today, I realized that winter has just begun! And it's been so long since I drove to work that I didn't realize how mounds of snow had piled up on the sides of the route I take to work each day, rendering previous two-lane streets into 1.5-lane streets. So now, in addition to having to avoid the slick ice, I have to maneuver among Masshole drivers who honk at my grandma-inspired driving style.

And again, I was faced with fewer parking spots than usual this evening. Fortunately, I found a relatively close spot near my home, but the tires definitely started to slip as I backed her into the spot. This is going to be an interesting winter of commuting.

Movie note: Splice

2011-01-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

ONE STAR

Talk about gender confusion!

Happy 2011!

2011-01-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

I have just spent the tamest New Year's Eve of my life! No big parties, no cute outfits, no booze-a-palooza and no trannies! Instead, DJ Mother Nature and Jimmy Jam came over for a calm dinner and television celebration.

Since Puppy was working on Friday, it was up to me to do all the cooking! I have a feeling our guests were nervous since Puppy is the one blessed with culinary talents, but I think I did a pretty good job, thanks to recipes on the internets.

The good thing about our low-key NYE celebration is that yesterday was hangover-free! We were able to get food, do some shopping, get a workout in and have a normal, productive day. Not the most exciting way to start the year, but probably one of the healthier in recent memory. I wonder if that's a portent for 2011. Or my life.

Sleighride home

2010-12-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

On my flight yesterday, a portly old man with a white beard and long, curly white hair sat in my row. He was dressed in a bright crimson jumpsuit with "S. Claus" embroidered in white on the front. On the back was more white embroidery: "NORTH POLE FLIGHT SCHOOL."

When kids approached him (and why were there approximately 90 kids on my flight?), he entertained their questions directed at Santa Claus and he played the part of a Santa whose annual business has just ended and was ready for a break.

I wanted desperately to snap a photograph of him, but I thought it would be weird. He probably wouldn't have minded, but I wanted to catch him enjoying the rum and cokes he ordered.

Movie note: Avatar

2010-12-30T13:01:00.000-08:00

FOUR STARS

What a long piece of animated leftist propaganda!

Holiday sloth

2010-12-30T12:54:00.000-08:00

You guys, I've been so lazy! During my two weeks in California, I basically sat in front of the television, ate a ton, saw a couple of movies and slept in. I tried to go to the gym once or twice, but really, the only thing I really managed was getting through some of my ne tfl ix queue.

And upon returning to Boston yesterday (thank goodness I missed the big blizzard), I decided to skip work today and use one of my vacation days. I could definitely get used to this.