Việt Vista

Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken

2010-10-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

I caught a segment of the P Allen Smith's Garden Home show on PBS this afternoon. It was love at first sight. From tips on growing orchids to how to plant elephant ears. He had me from the "Just add ice!"

I have been sulking the last few weeks because I broke the oven and Dad is not replacing it anytime soon. We took it outside during the tiling. I thoroughly washed the damn thing for two hours. When we dragged it back in, only the burners are in order. So that means no baking or roasting. No pies, no cakes, no chocolate chips cookies. With my favorite holiday coming up. Yup, no turkey!

Fortunately, we still have the portable glass convection oven. The stars were aligning this afternoon because P Allen Smith was roasting a lemon rosemary chicken with white rose potatoes. The recipe was so simple; I thought I would test it out for dinner. For the time being, we are going to have roasted chickens for Thanksgiving! It was so moist and flavorful!

Here's the recipes. Smith used a roasting pan and baked in traditional oven at 350 degree F. I used a convection oven.

1 whole chicken 5-6 lbs, empty inner parts (Save it for stock).
1 lemon, quartered
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 tablespoon of salt
1/2 tablespoon of garlic powder (This is my modification.)
6 stems of rosemary (mince 2 stems and set aside)
1/2 Gala apple (This is my modification.)

1) Wash chicken and pat dry.
2) Squeeze juice of 2 quarters lemon onto chicken. Squeeze 1 quarter inside the bird.
3) Rub chicken with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and minced rosemary.
4) Stuff chicken with whole rosemary stems, apple, and left-over quarter of lemon.

Roast at 350 degrees F in a convection oven for about 1 hour or until chicken juice runs clear. Turn chicken at 1/2 hour to achieve even color.

Enjoy!

Bướm Đêm

2010-10-29T22:27:00.000-07:00

bướm đêm thương nhớ hoa xưa

hoa bay xa khuất bướm đêm đợi chờ

dù ai hất hủi bơ vơ

bướm đêm xếp cánh mong ai từng giờ.

Mai Tiến Dũng: Ta Chưa Quên Được Nhau

2010-10-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ah! Welcome the return of MTV promotion! Perhaps, one of the most successful MTV was Tim Vở by with Don Hồ and Như Quỳnh eons ago. Thúy Nga is finally catching on to the use of MTV to sell albums. Often the lights and staging on the Paris by Nights are unable to present the imageries in the videos. Here is a refreshing MTV of Ta Chưa Quên Được Nhau by Mai Tiến Dũng. While it is decades behind American standards, the style and cinematography is not too shabby. Is that a Tăng Thanh Hà look-a-like I see?

Soul Center

2010-10-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

The trees in Dad's garden are heavy with fruits this time of year. The guavas, longans and persimmons are all ready for the autumn picking. Collecting the persimmons from the branches this morning was a major task. Not because they were farfetched or ungiving but the heavy nostalgia that came with autumn and the persimmon tree encumbered my mind. The tree is fruiting once again but I am still here, stagnant.

The last two months flew by quickly. Where to begin? Dad was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. I followed the case from the incidental discovery on chest x-ray to the point of discharge after lung resection. He no longer have the right upper lobe but he quit smoking and have a different outlook on life. Fortunately, he is considered cure because staging showed T1N0Mx.

I extinguished my desire to pursue culinary education partly due to the bad timing and to the fact that it just didn't feel right. After the surgery we decided to renovate the house. I bought a copy of Tauton's Complete Tiling. Through the month of September I laid down more than a thousand square feet of cherry blossom marble tiles on the ground floor. By then exhaustion kicked in and the do-it-yourself bravado was buried with the thin set and grout. So when Mom wanted new carpet, I scheduled an appointment with Empire Today.

Dad returned to work last week. The plan to visit Buffalo this week was cancelled. I have more time than ever before. I decided to begin studying for Step 3 once more. And again, I am overwhelmed by disappointment and hopelessness. Even yoga and swimming couldn't eliminate the fear of failure. Setting the notes on endocrinology aside, I began looking at the concept of samsara in buddhism. My search led me to Đại Tạng Kinh Viêt Nam, an online library of Buddhist scriptures and Buddhism analysis.

I am fascinated by the scriptures and teachings. The featured essay, Khai Niệm Tâm và Phép Điều Tâm, helped calm some the my mind storms. I placed some sandalwood incense on the altar this evening. This time not asking for passing scores or better health. Just an appreciation offering.

㣺 : heart, soul, mind, intelligence.

Innocent Bystander

2010-08-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

It's so easy for innocent bystander to get injured in the heat of domestic bickering. In this case, my one year old rat terrier. The conflict started about two months ago when I came to visit I. in Buffalo, NY. The trip felt like a scene from a Guy Ritchie's film. Plane departed and landed. I am picked up and unloaded at I.'s apartment. Cooking, sexing, lounging, sight-seeing and ultimately fighting. Just as I had hastily arrived, I was dropped off at the airport. We made up over the phone weeks later after of the usual cold war tactics from the other side. The whole time I thought the war had passed, he continued to brew the reoccurring moody indifference.

Today, I expressed my frustration and in the heat of the argument I exclaimed that I will give Tuppy away. The moment I said it, I knew I was wrong. Perhaps that statement was meant to hurt I. It was I. who gave this adorable rat terrier to me. We raised the dog together when it was still an eight week mischievous, devilish fur ball. I have fought and penetrated the barricade of angry parents when I announced our return from Big Bear Lake. Tuppy has successfully won over the hearts of all members of my family. This precious dog has been there for me through thick and thin. He had seen every tears that have fallen in the the darkest times as well as the joy of after-fight-makeup. He had seen his jump-for-joy-asian owner when he was hired as enumerator for the U.S. Census or accepted into Culinary Arts program in Buffalo.

I realized the love for I. has been slowly diverted to Tuppy this past year. So tonight when I let it slip that I would give him away, a stinging pain struck my heart. And at that point I didn't care about the fate of this exhausting human relationship. I just care about my dog. He has become an innocent victim in the midst of human follies.

As long as I am still alive, he will be the luckiest dog in the world.

Salad Days Dream

2010-07-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

My sister found them in the attic a few days ago. I have finally found time to scan them this weekend. These are some of the few pieces of writings and artworks from the days in the refugee camp of Bataan, The Philippines. Reading the juvenile lines brought me to tears as images of the past came flooding back. The afternoon under mango trees making kites out of newspaper. The sound of the peddler selling balluts during monsoon season. The smile of my kind teacher as she shares egg rolls with my family. And many more.

Retreat and Advance

2010-07-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

Six months have gone by with a blink of an eye. While this blog stood still my life blog rolled on with postings. I felt that the biggest misstep I have taken is to blog about myself and my profession. The moment I retreat into my shell is the same moment this blog goes into hibernation.

Việt Vista sleeps because I couldn't share the fact that I didn't match. Yep. No residency this year. Even more mortifying, I returned to deliver for Domino's Pizza. There is no posting because me best friend moved 2492 miles away. I couldn't follow so I fell into an abyss of depression. On top of that, my beautiful hair is falling out at meteoric rate.

So why am I writing now? I need to write. Perhaps the outflow of thoughts and words will reverse the telogen effluvium. It might not work but at least I will end up with a shiny head that is light and clear.

There are days when I loaded Việt Vista onto a new tab and just wanted to activate the delete button. Even though it's not a literary masterpiece or anything profound, it is a part of me. When I turn a new page of life, Việt Vista will get a turn of post. And then I realized it's not a misstep after all to blog about myself. I can write about anything my heart desires. Anything! I am ready to start a new chapter and Việt Vista will accompany me. Come along if you want. If I decided to keep my words, it may get quite interesting.

Scent of Sandalwood

2010-01-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

Dad brought up an important point this morning. He noticed that I have not lit incense for my grandfather ever since I returned home from Big Bear Lake. I was embarrassed but stubbornly argued that I have done so more than one occasion. But that defense flopped as quickly as my stomach when I realized how negligent I had been the past year.

There were times when I walked by the ancestors' altar and noticed how cold it was. Yet I couldn't convince myself to pick up the lighter. I am a man of science. I just don't buy this incense-fruit offerings-life after death- overlooking ancestors belief. So that if I did light an offering I would be a damn hypocrite. So months went buy. The altar remained dormant. If I did manage to light an incense, it would be the green tea joss sticks by Nippon Kodo in my room.

But I recalled I used to do it. Not just lighting incense but also conversing with my deceased grandparents, the Goddess of Mercy and Buddha. When I encountered an obstacle in life, I would pray for help whether it is for strength to pass the SAT, get straight A's on the report card or wellness and health for the entire family.

Tonight, after cleaning the house and before sitting down to begin my review questions, I came before the altar, before the happy buddha in the bottom center and my grandparents above on both sides and Guan Yin and Buddha at the top. I counted, lit and distributed the incense sticks after an apology for my carelessness along with a quick prayer.

As the sandalwood fragrance permeates the house, a feeling of calmness came over me. I feel like I am home for the first time. I need to be home. I need this settling effect of home to study for this exam and not feel trap because I have to live with my parents. The fact that I don't believe in the afterlife is no longer of importance. I believe in family and that's enough for me to light incense everyday. Even if there no one is watching and guarding, I feel that the familial connection is everlasting as it links the present with past. But more importantly, it strengthens and unifies the present. As hope falls everywhere around me in all other areas of life, I still have my family. And that is more than enough strength to ride through any storm.

Việt Vista 2009: A Year in Pictures

2009-12-30T00:49:00.000-08:00

I have been sleeping a lot. Four hours naps in the evenings. One of the signs of major depression. I am certain the post-holidays, post-birthday, and low balance bank account all contributed to the misery and glum. But I refuse to drown in these horrible vibes. I opened up Iphoto and glanced at the photos I took the past year. And hey! It may not be sumptuous and flush but I had a wonderful year despite losses and failures. So here it is. Việt Vista 2009: A Year in Pictures.

January

One of happiest months snowboarding with I. on Snow Summit, Big Bear Lake, California.

February

Digging ourselves out on Valentine's Day at Vista Lane

Return to The Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco, California.

March

A month of loss. First Artax and subsequently, Amelia.

April

Spring in Big Bear Lake was most uplifting even though I was dreading the idea of returning to live with my parents.

That's Pete. Jacksboro Texas.

May

Farewell Vista Lane.

June

Dad and I built a tool shed.

We encountered a lady bug's nest while clearing mesquites on I.'s field. Jacksboro, TX

Evening in Jacksboro, TX

July

The Fourth in Austin, TX. We got the ultimate front row seats.

August

The dragon fruit plant bloomed.

September

Tuppy turned one!

A history lesson on sex and love at the J.P. Getty's Museum in Malibu, CA

October

Heavy-hearted days in October parallel to the burden of the persimmon's tree.

November

Not a single photo was taken during this month.

Thanks for calling Domino's. How can I help you?

December

A sunny late-December morning.

"Put on your Sunday clothes when you feel down and out
Strut down the street and have your picture took
Dressed like a dream your spirits seem to turn about
That Sunday shine is a certain sign
That you feel as fine as you look!"

-From Hello, Dolly!

Daso-Em Vẩn Tin-Big Smile

2009-12-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with Hồ Lệ Thu's performance of "Em Vẩn Tin" in Paris By Night 89 in Korea. I traced the song back to the original "Daso" by Maybee. I have been listening to the song without knowing the true meaning of the lyrics since "Em Vẩn Tin" is only loosely translated. Today, I came across the music video with Vietnamese subtitles from 360kpop.com on Youtube. The vietnamese translation struck a chord in my heart, reflected my feelings from the past week and inspired the following English conversion.

Original: Maybee
Vietnamese Translation: nhac07conmeo of 360kpop.com

Có phải nổi giận và làm em khóc
Đã trở thành thói quen của anh?
Và phải chăng lởi xin lổi chưa một lần nói ra
Đối với anh lại khó khăn đến thế?
Giờ đây nếu em nói đó không phải tình yêu
Có lẽ sẽ thoải mái hơn chăng
Khuôn mặt phảng phất buồn từng ngày qua của anh.
Giờ đây em sẽ cưởi và để người ra đi
Em thật sự đã rất hạnh phúc, đã rất yêu anh.

Với em co lẽ sẽ không sao
Nhưng em rất sợ đau đớn
Nên thật khó nhọc để có thể tiển anh ra đi

Sẽ chẳng có thể trở lại chăng, quãng thời gian yêu dấu
Những ngày xa xưa hanh phúc
Anh đã nói phải là em chứ không ai khác
Em nhớ quá những ngày ấy
Em thật sự đã rất hạnh phúc, đã rất yêu anh.

Với em co lẽ sẽ không sao
Nhưng em rất sợ đau đớn
Nên thật khó nhọc để có thể tiển anh ra đi
Hình ảnh người thoáng qua đi mất

Em sẽ quên đi anh, người đã không nhận ra tình yêu của em và để anh ra đi
Em xin anh đừng nói rằng ta sẽ không gặp lại.
I do! I know! You are still in my heart. I believe!

Nước mắt biệt ly tiển em ra đi
Xin anh hãy sống như không biết
Tình yêu ơi tạm biệt

Với em co lẽ sẽ không sao
Nhưng em rất sợ đau đớn
Nên thật khó nhọc để có thể tiển anh ra đi.

Is it true that getting irate and making me cry
Have come to be your habits?
And is it true that the words of apology
Have never once been uttered?
To you it is that difficult?
At this moment, if I said it was not love
Then maybe it would be more soothing
Your face permeates with sadness each passing days
Now I will smile and let you go.
I have been truly blessed and deeply in love with you.

Maybe I will be fine.
But I am frightened by pain
So that sending you off is extremely arduous.

Will it ever return, the time of love and endearment?
The old days of blissfulness.
You have said it has to be me and no other
Oh, I missed those days
I have been truly blessed and deeply in love with you.

Maybe I will be fine.
But I am frightened by pain
So that sending you off is extremely arduous.

Your images swiftly disappearing
I will forget about you, the person that no longer recognize my love and let you go.
I beg you not to say we will never meet again
I do! I know! You are still in my heart. I believe!

Parting tears sending me away
Please live like you have never known
Love. Good Bye.

Maybe I will be fine.
But I am frightened by pain
So that sending you off is extremely arduous.

Delivering Medicine.

2009-12-07T03:08:00.000-08:00

It has been exactly two months since I began working at Domino's Pizza. This is about the time a driver becomes comfortable in his/her position as the streets are becoming more familiar and the tasks within the stores are almost involuntary. Answer the phone, slap the stickers on the box, adorn the food, catch the pizzas as they emerge from the oven, cut, box, and out the door. The job is easy, instinctual, and unthinking. What was that last adjective? Unthinking. Perhaps that is why I have decided today is my last day at Domino's. I have learned enough from Domino's for the moment.

The "Delivery Expert" excursion had to be made. I got the job the day after I failed the Board. I didn't have enough money to re-register for the exam. Even though the credit card bills are still not paid off, I have made enough money to cover the exam, buy Christmas presents, and survive next several months. I am sitting for that exam again and I am determined to triumph.

I am relieved, excited, and frightened all at once.

I abandoned Việt Vista for one simple reason. I just could not bring myself to be creative even though I needed to write, to cook, and to take photographs. I miss writing my reviews. The advantage of being on the road a lot is having a lot of time to listen to music in my car. I have gone through tons of old and new albums that I want to review. I will share my vista when I have a chance.

The condition was stable-after-crisis in the realm of family and love within the last two months. I. flew into San Bernardino to visit and we entered disastrous turbulence but we managed worked it out. I reprised my delicious turkey recipe for Thanksgiving and received universal acclaims. Something about this time of year just brings people closer together despite all the bitterness and longing.

I am going to fuel up on all the warmth and love to prepare for my exam. I needed a break from medicine. I took it. And now more than ever I am convinced that I need medicine.

Delivery Expert, M.D.

2009-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally conceded in its struggle to linger and Autumn took its reign as the temperature drops mercifully and the wind creeps up slowly to agitation in the Inland Empire. The struggle of the seasons parallels the uneasiness inside my mind.

The Step 3 scores came. I failed by three points. I knew it was a risk taking it before residency. I don't know how a fail attempt will affect my application. Kern Hospital sent their rejection letter today. Gloomy outlooks all around. On top of all this, I have been working for Domino's Pizza for the past three weeks as their "Delivery Expert." Tips are good on most days. I get along with everyone. The customer seems to have friendly responses. Yet, the idea of Delivery Expert, M.D. is a bit discouraging. I bursted this bubble of depression as I self-reassure that it is only a temporary situation and I am slowly paying off my credit card bill.

I miss Big Bear Lake. I miss Vista Lane. But most of all, I miss I. It has been more than three months and we still have not set a date to meet. He sent me some of his shirts that he outgrew. I have been wearing them the last couple days. That is the closest that we can get to each other for now.

Queen of the Night

2009-09-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

The pitaya or commonly known as dragon fruit is cultivated in Southeast Asia. I am sure many have heard of or enjoy the aromatic pulp of the fruit but not many have seen its flowers. The cactus gathers its energy for a spectacular flowering event which occurs for only one night, once a year. The magnificent bloom is honored as Queen of the Night.

So on a serendipitous night, I dragged my floor lamp and camera into my front yard to capture this Queen of the Night.

Love Is...

2009-09-28T00:31:00.000-07:00

When Tuppy just "tee-teed" on your bed and all you could do is take off the sheets quickly and yell, "Bad dog!" while he hides under the bed.

When you text your boyfriend describing all kinds of nasty things you want to do to him even if you are mad at him.

When a 50 year-old married couple realized that they love each other despite all the in-between-drama.

When you smacked your younger brother on head after he cursed at you, "Fuck you, what the fuck do you know!" and then texted him to tell him how much you love him.

When a dragon-fly hangs on to a blossom of lavender so that you can photograph him for hours.

When you are jerking off to porn and decided that it's boring.

When you drank a whole bottle of wine but decided to learn all parts of the human bones because you don't want to disappoint your pretty anatomy professor on the next practical exam.

When the same dog that peed on your bed decided that the most comfortable spot to sleep is not on the big soft pillow but on your thigh.

Pink Light and Shark Fin Soup

2009-09-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

I woke up on D's couch with the morning light beaming at my face. Before I could squint, my head sunk onto the cushion and spun wildly. I stumbled nauseatingly to the bathroom. As I reach for the faucet I felt something strange in the back pocket of my slack. It was a white plastic fork. How did it get there? Flashbacks. Pink light. Pink decoration. Wilted, oily bok- choy. Cambodian music. Love songs from the nineties. Many shots of Hennessy. Triple-shots mojitos in plastic cups. Oh right. I attended a friend's wedding the night before.

I used to despise asian wedding receptions. You know, those receptions held at tawdry decorated seafood restaurants serving shark fin soups and house special lobsters. I vowed to my parents that they will never see me anywhere near there for my own wedding. This vow has a high probability of holding true considering the current situation. Besides, no shark has to suffer for the cause of my happiness.

My friend's wedding reception that night did not escape the seafood restaurant fate. It came with the rosé ambience and unsavory dinner entrees. However, unlike many of the previous receptions I have attended, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps it was the familiar faces at my table. People I have not seen for almost a decade. And D, one of my closest friends. Maybe I couldn't stand the awkwardness of seeing people striving desperately to be civilized. So I let go. I stepped off that pedestal of reservation and joined the party. When the Cambodian folk songs came on, I invited myself to the circle and gracefully curled my palms seductively. H. reminded me the morning after that I even attempted the dances from Jane Austen's novels. Decorous and genteel with bows and curtsies.

Suddenly, the gaudy finery became almost tolerable. Wedding receptions are more for the guests anyway. It's the ceremony that is reserved for the bride and groom. As long as one guest woke up with a utensil in his pants the morning after, it was a successful reception.

Any regrets that night? Well, maybe I shouldn't have whispered in the groom's ear that I am gay and that he has nothing to worry about between me and his bride. Or I shouldn't have played cupid trying to set everyone up with each other. But then, what is there to worry about? There is nothing to hide.

Defines Homosexuality

2009-09-18T01:38:00.000-07:00

From Nguyễn Lân's Từ Điển: Từ và Ngữ Việt Nam

The definition of homosexuality:

đồng tính luyến ái: ng (H. đồng: cùng; tính: nguyên lí việc sinh sản; luyến: thương mến; ái: yêu) Thói cùng một giới coi nhau như tình nhân: Trường hợp đồng tính luyến ái hầu như hiếm ở nước ta.

Lân's definition is right on but his observation in the sample sentence is a little distorted which translates: The circumstance of homosexuality in general is rare in our country [Vietnam].

Downward Day

2009-09-17T01:02:00.000-07:00

While other days are up, today is a downer. I forced myself to get out of bed and make it for Physiology lecture but managed to only stay half awake. Stepping out of class, I felt a pang of total demise that permeated throughout the day. Shit! It's a Downward Day. Not Downy Day for I love Downy Day. It's Sinking/Failing/Falling Day. What I am I doing, wasting my time on this class at a community college? I reassured as the half-awake self did manage to collect a few physiology pearls that I missed when I was in school. Besides, eyes on the big picture.

I hunted for jobs the rest of the day from full time to per diem. I even called up the two local phở places that were looking for helps. Nothing. You may try your best but things seldom go your way on Downward Day.

To Tweet Or Not To Tweet?

2009-09-15T22:36:00.000-07:00

Socializing is a task. Cyber-socializing is a harder feat to undertake. Especially when your significant other does not want to be exposed. And respectfully so. Now I understand how family members of those who have enlisted themselves on reality t.v. shows feel. Yet I am frustrated. This morning, I. invited me to open a Twitter account. I was hesitant but gave in. I spent the day changing usernames, making it public, making it private, and ultimately closing the account that is connected to him. I don't think that he is comfortable exposing whatever knots and links we may have together. We are not ready to do reality socializing. How are we going to handle cyber-networking? Back to square one. I manage my blog. I manage my tweets. I do it my way. We are both happy.

Like Butter on a Bald Monkey

2009-09-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

It's decided! I have anxiety issues. Not any major disorders or panic attacks. I have what you would considered stage fright. I carried this uneasiness throughout my whole life. The palpitations and jitters would appear every time I am before an audience regardless of the size. This is internally blatant as I am very skillful at disguising it. I seek activities that would help to improve the nervousness and desensitize the anxiety by joining theater arts and maintaining positions in college organizations that would require a lot of public speaking. All of the disguises fell apart tonight. In a community college piano class.

With down time (unemployment) from now until July, I decided to enroll half time at a community college. I am now four weeks into Human Anatomy and Physiology and Introduction to Piano. I love piano! I had a few false starts and many unsuccessful self-learning attempts. They just didn't work out when there was nobody to tell me whether I was playing properly. Tonight I got all that and much more.

The the two test pieces for the night was "Merrily We Row" and Dvorak's "Largo." I glided over them like butter on a bald monkey during practice at home. They were flawless! I even volunteered to go first. Big mistake. The performance was a total disaster. I played the first two measures like an alien had invaded my body with some undecipherable notes. Shaken by what had just occurred, I played again and luckily nailed it the second time. The nerve twang remained throughout the second song as I pounded on the chords and keys when the dynamics glared "piano." So much for the disguises. It was head-on collision with my arch enemies. Palpitations. Diaphoresis. Flushing.

Three good things came out of this nerve twisting episode, however. I realized that there are a lot more to piano than just hitting the right notes. Secondly, I think I have finally found the right piano teacher. Lastly, I now have many more opportunities to confront this inconvenient fear.

Post-It Notes Doodles

2009-09-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Random doodles on post-it notes while I was studying.

Bringing Sexy Back

2009-09-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how excited I am to be writing again after months in hiatus. I have been locked in my room for the past two months preparing for the last step of my board exams and residency applications. Now it's sit-and-wait time for the scores and interview invitations. I am crossing my fingers and toes. No joke, I can really cross my toes.

I realized that I function better on stress. I can't stand killing time. Or maybe stress is just a distraction. Studying for the board helped me forget the fact that I am thousands of miles from I. Medicine relieves the despair that it's going to be long time before we reunite.

The end of the exam also cracked my antisocial shell. I am gradually calling up friends that I have drawn bridges the last year. Yes, drawn but not burn. The new lines of communication bring about lots of news. As expected, most of them are either married with children or going to get married in the near future. As a matter of fact, am attending a wedding in a week and saving the date for another sometimes next April.

Am I behind? Do marriage and family determine your success in life? Many people proudly announced their marriage like winners in a foot race. Do I even want to win this foot race? But I understand their views. It's not the finishing line. It's opening a new chapter to life. I will open that chapter someday. I am just a slow reader.

Việt Vista is breathing once again. It's great to be back. If you are still visiting, you are really stellar friends. If you have just stumbled upon Việt Vista. Welcome!

Smoking: Yesterday and Today

2009-06-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

The Senate passes anti-smoking bill today.

Cigarette smoking kills about 400,000 people in the United States every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 45 million U.S. adults are smokers, though the prevalence has fallen since the U.S. surgeon general's warning 45 years ago that tobacco causes lung cancer.

The evidence is concrete. Ask any physician.

But lets turn back time and see what doctors said about smoking in this 1950's Camel television commercial.

Free Admission Weekends At U.S. National Parks

2009-06-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

The Interior Department on Tuesday said Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and 144 other national parks would offer free admission on three weekends this summer: June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16

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The Beatles: Rock Band

2009-06-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

I can't wait!

Watch the cinematic opening for the game.

Woohoo!!!!

Tôi Với Trời Bơ Vơ- Me And the Lonesome Sky

2009-06-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

By: Tùng Giang (1940- 2009)

Night, there's a long sigh
Night, there's some anguish
The city lies motionless
A pair of weary feet
Returning on a rain-flown path

Night, you sing in solitude
Lull me in a wholesome dream
Begging all the tranquility and calmness
For the small birds
High above the immense skies

You lull me to sleep
Unparalleled to the forlorn lines that you have written
You lull me to sleep
This lullaby dedicated and gentle
Who gave me one day of serene joy
For me to forget a tempestuous life
So that I still cherish the human race.

Night, blowing gently and chillingly
Deepening eyes of melancholy
Casting a shadow of my life on an old river
Me and the lonesome sky

Đêm có tiếng thở dài
Đêm có những ngậm ngùi,
Khu phố yên nằm
Đôi bàn chân mỏi
Trên lối về mưa bay

Đêm anh hát một mình
Ru em giấc mộng lành
Xin những yên bình
Cho loài chim nhỏ
Cao vút trời thênh thang

Anh ru em ngủ
Không bằng những lời buồn anh đã viết
Anh ru em ngủ
Này lời ru tha thiết dịu dàng
Ai cho tôi một ngày yên vui
Cho tôi quên cuộc đời bão nổi
Để tôi còn yêu thương loài người.

Đêm hiu hắt lạnh lùng
Sâu thêm mắt muộn phiền
Soi bóng đời mình bên giòng sông cũ
Tôi với trời bơ vơ

By Any Other Name

2009-06-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

From Dad's Garden.

The States in Technicolor

2009-06-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

Lets see how far the gradient bucket will take us. Download yours at United States Maps and color the states "gay."

Mom Training My Dog

2009-05-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

An attempt to make Tuppy sit down.

Mom: Shit! Tuppy, Shit!

Tuppy sits.

Mom: Good dog!

Odds and Ends

2009-05-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

All the odds and ends in the living room were packed and transported home. The remaining kitchenwares and canned goods sit unaware that within a week, they too will migrate. It has been almost a year since I stormed out of my parents' house along with my pair of ill-fated and unwelcome cats. I did not know how long I would be in Big Bear Lake. At the moment, it felt right. I needed to be alone. I dawned responsibility for my newly adopted feline friends. And there was that exam. Another reason to be undisturbed.

The drive up to The Lake dwells deep in my memories. The winding roads stirred up hindered adrenaline. The exhilaration of being one with wilderness encouraged the gas pedal. I turned off Highway 18 onto Lakewood Drive. Then Dream Street appeared. Who wouldn't want to live on Dream Street. Then I remember that town I passed on the way to San Diego. Rainbow City, California. Population 2026. The cabin wasn't on Dream Street but Vista Lane.

I arrived at the cabin waiting for the agent with the house keys. The rock-paved driveway lead to a path of concrete pallets pass the large pine tree. I walked towards the wooden porch and stood under the triangular awning guarding the
glass-encased front entrance. I tried hard for a peek at the interior of the house but I have already made my decision. The neighbors across the street are retired husband and wife who have just returned with bags of groceries in their arms. I waved. The broker pulled up with the keys and scolded me for the unscheduled showing.

The front door opened to a red-brick fireplace. A wooden bar with two padded flannel stools separated the dining area from the kitchen. I scanned the bedroom and checked the water pressure of the shower. By the time we came out of the back door stairway to see the garage, I asked her for the lease.

And it is on that same bar counter, I began my first post on Viet Vista, "Betrayed."

The humility of returning home engulfed me. Yet, the day that I told them I am returning, I was unapologetic. Perhaps I am waiting for the right moment. Perhaps the best way to apologize is to get back on my feet as fast as I could and return to New York City.

Floras and Faunas of Jacks

2009-05-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

Memories of Paris

2009-05-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

Asia 61: Nhật Trường, Trần Thiện Thanh II

2009-05-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

Every April, like clockwork, The Republic Army of Asia Entertainment would release a politically charged DVD to commemorate the fall of Sài Gòn and to fling some vindictive spites at the Vietnamese Communist Government. That means a dilapidated set, war torn barricades, staged explosions, guns, a parade of military uniforms and women in gaudy dresses. This year they striked again with the sequel, Asia 61: Nhật Trường, Trần Thiện Thanh II.

As an officer in The Department of Psychological Warfare at the time, Trần Thiện Thanh was a prolific artist composing songs that meticulously documented the war. It is debatable whether his music is purely propaganda. Nevertheless, the fairy tales romanticism in poetry and everlasting boleros soothed the minds of yesterday's troops and hypnotized today's music lovers.

I was very skeptical in watching the program and anticipating Viet Dzũng's indignant anticommunist oratories, Nam Lộc The Timid Ginger's tacky MC-ing along with Thùy Dương's tasteless jokes. I decided to approach the DVD in a different manner by watching all the performances first and saving the commentaries for later. This proves very effective as the show became much more enjoyable.

It is evidence that good music transcends horrible set designs and nauseating masters of ceremony. Hồ Hoàng Yến and Bích Vân shine in "Ai Nói Yêu Em Đêm Nay" and "Không Bao Giờ Ngăn Cách," respectively. Nguyên Khang and Diểm Liên, as expected, flawlessly deliver"Trời Chưa Muốn Sáng." Most impressive is the elegance of Lâm Thúy Vân in "Xin Em Đừng Hỏi." The vocal is intoxicating while that flowing silk dress is swirlingly unforgettable. Despite the garish and patchy black-and-white áo dài, Nguyễn Hồng Nhung sends chills down my back with passionate "Bắc Đẩu." I was relieved to see Chí Tâm in place of Billy Goat Đặng Thế Luân with Ngọc Huyền in "Tạ Từ Trong Đêm." Miraculously, even The Tường Brothers' "16 Trăng Tròn" is fairly acceptable.

The two theatrical excerpts, "Trên Đỉnh Mùa Đông" and "Chuyện Tình Mộng Thường" are bland and uninteresting. There are so many imaginative ways that they could have staged and arranged these classics. Even Như Quỳnh couldn't save the performance and don't get me started on Băng Tâm. For the more hip-hoppy portion of the program, I see different outfits, different songs but the same head-against-wall choreography. I wonder how many more performances until the Quang Minh-Hồng Đào Troup realized that it is unfunny. I would rather go to church.

Propaganda or not, the music of the Trần Thiện Thanh have diffused deeply in the hearts of Vietnamese people, veterans and ordinary citizens alike. I admire the message of peace and glorification of love amidst the violence of war. Asia Entertainment actually got it just right this time with a respectable tribute to a legendary artist in Asia 61: Nhật Trường, Trần Thiện Thanh II.

Successful Results

2009-05-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

My heart pounded wildly. I couldn't breath staring at the email in my box. The link to the score report glistened in bright blue. The PDF file opened. I fear the word "FAIL." I have seen it before. As I scrolled further down, my heart jumped. "PASS" appeared. Everything that I dread quelled at that instant. Success. Finally. I have passed the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Exam! Those words sound so good. Lets hear them again. I have passed the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Exam!

I. left half an hour ago heading home. We have been waiting for the scores since yesterday with the same agitation and edginess as a couple waiting for labor to occur. The drive to the airport would have been much more high-spirited have we gotten the results. Nevertheless, I've already left a voice message. It will be the first thing he hears when he lands minus the hysterical jumping up and down.

The Hunt For Gollum

2009-05-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, listen up Tolkien's fans. If you are sadden by the end of Peter Jackson's Trilogy and can't wait for the release of The Hobbit, here is something that would tide you over. The Hunt For Gollum is a forty minute film based on the appendices of Tolkien's Lord of The Rings depicting the encounter between Aragorn and the creature Gollum. The film was released last weekend only on the internet and is free for viewing. Filmaker, Chris Bouchard did any excellent job in retaining the essences of the Trilogy from cinematography to screenplay. Despite the constant effort to escape the helpless yearning for the original cast, The Hunt For Gollum is a well crafted extension of the Epic Masterpiece.

Như Quỳnh- Mưa Buồn

2009-04-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

"Mưa Buồn" marks the continuation of the Như Quỳnh-Asia collaboration. The much anticipated and long overdue album of the same title has finally been released. Trúc Hồ and Thy Vân obviously hope to replicate the magic of Chuyện Hoa Sim and Chuyện Tình Hoa Trắng with 10 tracks of heavily infectious Anh Bằng tunes on Mưa Buồn.

The title track and "Từ Một Giấc Mơ" did bring about nostalgia of the early days of the unostentatious Như Quỳnh. "Thăm Mộ Mẹ" and the politically charged "Khóc Mẹ Dân Oan" provide solidity to the album. I can't imagine anyone else more apt of imploring the injustice conjured by Mạc Thiên.

Unfortunately, other tracks on the album are wearier and flatter than a hoary bottle of spumante. The fragmented phrasing of Lê Minh Bằng "Đôi Bóng" seems to place Như Quỳnh in the present and her successful shadow in the middle age. Drabby and uninspiring "Tình Ơi, Tình Nhớ Không" is suitable for manic patients on the verge of dementia. Nope, I don't remember.

The album attempted to take fans back to Asia's golden age but failed to comprehend the fact that Như Quỳnh's talent has progressed and transformed to the different ground. Instead of trying to work with the here and now, Mưa Buồn's clingy existence gives impressions of Asia falling behind the time and a talented artist wearing an old hat, riding on a horse and buggy.

Regret for Peony Flowers- Tích mẫu đơn hoa kỳ 1

2009-04-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

By Bạch Cư Dị

Trù trướng giai tiền hồng mẫu đơn,
Vãn lai duy hữu lưỡng chi tàn.
Minh triêu phong khởi ưng xuy tận,
Dạ tích suy hồng bả hoả khan.

Buồn rũ trước thềm cánh mẫu đơn,
Chiều buông đôi nhánh mới khô tàn.
Sớm mai gió nổi bay đi hết,
Đêm tiếc hồng phai thắp nến xem.

Melancholy steps before red peonies
Evening come only be two branches remain
Bright morning wind start cope blow exhaust
Night regret decline red hold fire look

I'm saddened by the peonies before the steps, so red,
As evening came I found that only two remained.
Once morning's winds have blown, they surely won't survive,
At night I gaze by lamplight, to cherish the fading red.

Original Poem and Translation from Chinese Poems and Thi Viện

Real Hobbitses

2009-04-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

The half-lings of the Shire are not mere fancies of Tolkien. These creatures really do exist! Not only that. They were Asians! Classified as a separate human species, the remains of hominid Homo floresiensis were discovered in Indonesia. The casts are currently on display at Long Island's Stony Brook University.

9 Reasons Why My Tup is Better Than Obama's Bo.

2009-04-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

My blog list is filled with "numeral" entries today so I thought I would follow suit. I still hold a grudge against Obama for calling terriers "yappy" in an interview regarding his potential "First Dog" pick. Here are 9 reasons why my rat terrier is better than his water dog.

My Tup V. Obama's Bo

1) Rat Terrier is an American breed. Bo is Portuguese. Symbolically, Tuppy has the edge here.

2) Terriers are farm dogs. Bo is a coastal dog. In the U.S., being on land is more practical. What's the point of a water dog on land?

3) One single rat terrier is recorded to have caught 2501 rats in a 7 hours period. Water dogs herd fish. Rat terrier is more superior.

4) President Theodore Roosevelt once owned a rat terrier. Senator Kennedy's dog was a water dog. The terriers take this one.

5) Rat terriers are bred for speed and agility. Portuguese water dogs swim. Rat terriers could be taught to enjoy the water. Terriers win.

6) Terrier is a hardy breed with rare health problems. PWD's have numerous genetic problems including juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy and fatal GM1 Storage disease. It is obvious who has the lead.

7) Terriers can perform tasks in a wide range of environments. PWD's cannot be left alone for long periods of time. PWD's are clingy.

8) In Lady Be Good, a dog named Button was trained to tap dance. Again, PWD's swim. Rat terriers take precedent.

9) Social sensitivity is a desired asset of rat terriers. Water dogs prefer to bond with a main, dominant alpha figure. Rat terriers take victory.

Water dog photo from puppydogweb.com

The Ages of Trees- Monterey, CA

2009-04-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

What's in a Name.

2009-04-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

I won't discuss Texan's representative Betty Brown's comment regarding her problematic illiteracy with Asian-American names. I want to explore her name and her parents' lack of creativity in coming up with a name for Betty Brown.

Betty. They can't do any better than that? A pet name? Illiteracy and ignorance perhaps may have lead to disregard towards the more intellectual forms that one would use in a birth certificate such as Elizabeth, Beatrice and Bethany.

Brown. Even more ordinary than a blunt stick, standing fifth on the commonest surname in the United States that traced back to an irrelevant origin.

Their lack of education have spawned a child that further kindles their idiocy. Bravo! So Betty Brown. The resentment towards your parents in raping your name should not be displaced towards Asian- Americans.

Gay Marriage in Iowa

2009-04-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought the Hawkeye State Iowa would be the haven for gay marriage? However, the state have set precedents in fights for civil rights throughout U.S history beginning with the 1839 ruling against slavery in the famous case In Re to the Matter of Ralph followed by the abolition of segregation in 1868's Clark v. Board of Directors, 68 years before the U.S Supreme Court. Coger v. The North Western Union Pack Co. in 1873 ( 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court) put an end to racial discrimination in the public accommodation.

The April 3, 2009 ruling of Varnum v. Brien sent shocks throughout the country but will this decision follow the footsteps of California with a reversal in a subsequent election. But for now, Iowa has gained attention on the map with values that surpassed even the "liberal" New York City and California.

From the New York Times Op-Ed, "Iowa's Family Value":

That I almost cried last week upon reading that the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state law banning same-sex marriage will therefore come as no surprise. I’m still struck by one thought: over the years, I’ve met so many gay émigrés who felt it was unsafe to be gay in so-called flyover country and fled for the East and West coasts. But as a gay man, I can’t marry in “liberal” New York, where I’m a resident, or in “liberal” California, where I was born, and very soon I will have that right in “conservative” Iowa.

The Dynamics of Mangoes

2009-04-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad invited me to Orange County for a seafood dinner. House special lobster and basil clams. I was driving down the hill lickety-split! While waiting for Mom and my sister to "get their hair did." I ventured the local bizzar along the stretch of shops near ABC Supermarket. There I learned that there are very few differences between Wall Street and Bolsa Avenue.

The smell of jackfruit lured me to the fruit shops. In front of them are street merchants peddling mangoes. I strolled by and the lady advertised, "Sweet mangoes, one box for $11!" I had no intention to by and was merely passing by. About five minutes later I made my way back the same lady becked at someone else, "Sweet mangoes, one box for $10." I wonder how low they will go if I pass by a few more times?

Ngọc Khánh: In The Shadow of a Legend

2009-04-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

There's a big hurrah in various forums about Ngọc Khánh AKA Ngọc Lan II. I had to see the ruckus myself by peeking into her blog and listening to her music. After hearing "Mơ Giấc Bình Yên" with my eyes closed, she does sound a whole lot like Ngọc Lan. The pronunciation is uncanny. It was difficult to compare because "Mơ Giấc Bình Yên" is a new song so I scoured the web for something that both singers recorded. Sure enough, Vủ Thành An's "Bản Tình Cuối" showed up as the common ground. Again, it was surreal. Ngọc Lan had an edge, however, with a smoother tremolo that came with experience and because she was singing in her natural voice. The Sound-A-Like is not. Ngọc Khánh strained suffocatingly in order to achieve the exact pronunciation, to match, and to imitate.

So she could imitate Ngọc Lan. So what! She will always be a pretender. There are many performers that can imitate Elvis and The Beatles down to the last "uh-huh" and head bop but they are appreciated in a Vegas-style shindig. The novelty is gone after you discovered that the voices are similar. Whooptydoo! What qualified Ngọc Khánh into this class of look-a-like-performers is that she tried really hard to resemble Ngọc Lan evidenced by the hair, the photos and the poses. Who is the real Ngọc Khánh? We will never know unless she gets tired of this silhouetting gig. Or until the mystery wears off and audiences realized that nothing will ever compare to Ngọc Lan no matter how strong the resemblance may be.

Vietnamese International Film Festival Flourished

2009-04-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Remembering the days when Vietnamese International Film Festival (VIFF) consisted of a small panel of actors and directors gathered in a hall at UCLA to tell their stories in one-day event. Under the directorship of Ysa Le of Vietnamese- American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA), the organization has grown into nest that fosters Vietnamese artists far and wide. One cannot glance at this year's program schedule spreading over two weeks with over forty submissions and not acknowledge the work that VIFF has put together.

If you are in Southern California this week and that of the following, do not miss out this opportunity to experience Vietnamese cinema from the down -under Footy Legends to wacky The Hot Kiss . I wonder why Owl and the Sparrow didn't make it. Have they enjoyed so much success that they are above VIFF?

In an case, enjoy the films, meet the directors and actors. Support Vietnamese films.

Bích Huyết Kiếm

2009-04-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

The 80's saw the invasion of Hong Kong televisions. You can't talk to your neighbors without asking which episode they are waching in Nghỉa Bất Dung Tình or Anh Hùng Xạ Điêu. The dubbing that was so old-fashioned and extremely harsh to the ears that I am forever ingrained with the northern accent behind Mai Sư Phong. I was deeply infected with these series, of course. Tapes burned like wild fires in my house. Yes, I even owned a flute to imitate my idol Đông Tà, Hoàng Dược Sư. Of all the characters, why him? And who fight with a flute anyway?

The impact is evidenced in our music. Studios released several albums dedicated to themes from these television series. Dạ Lan 22 and 24, Nhạc Phim Bộ I and II, respectively, were most notable containing themes recorded by bright stars like Ngọc Lan, Tuấn Vủ, and Kiều Nga. I didn't like albums released by HK-TVC. Among those themes, my utmost dearest is "Tình Ngăn Cách (Bích Huyết Kiếm)" sung by Kiều Nga and Tuấn Anh. I appreciate how they didn't attempt to sing the Chinese part but left it to Nikko Cheng and Tsang Wang.

Paris By Night X: Trở Về Với Âm Nhạc

2009-04-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

Just a dream...

Trở Về Với Âm Nhạc

1) Sáng Rừng (Phạm Đình Chương)- Trần Thái Hòa- Trần Thu Hà or Hợp Ca. This is an exciting opening.

2) A Tribute to Aretha Franklin Medley: Respect, Chain of Fools, Natural Woman- Bảo Hân, Tú Quyên, Loan Châu- Classic Motown, heavily Supremes in influence, style and choreography.

3) 3 Điệu Lý –Lý Hái Hoa/Lý Quạ Kêu/Lý Đất Giồng- Hương Lan-Chí Tâm

4) Sonata In G Minor For Solo Violin BWV 1001: II. Fuga. Allegro (J.S. Bach)- Hoàng Thi Thao (Violin)

5) Nhửng Ngày Thơ Mộng (Hoàng Thi Thơ): Hoàng Oanh

6) Trích Đoạn Cải Lương Bạch Hải Đường:
Mạnh Quỳnh as Minh
Minh Tuyết as Nhung
Lương Tùng Quang as Cang (Don’t worry, he doesn’t need to sing at all)
Divided into two parts (Part two later in the program)
Phần 1: Lá Thư Phản Bội: Mạnh Quỳnh

7) Đôi Mắt Ngưởi Sơn Tây (Phạm Đình Chương):Trần Thái Hòa

8) Tiếng Hai Đêm (Hoàng Nguyên): Mai Thiên Vân

9) Hương Ngọc Lan (Dương Thụ): Trần Thu Hà

10) Besame Mucho/ Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves): Tuấn Ngọc- Khánh Hà

11) Minh Họa Kiều (Phạm Duy Phóng Tác Nguyễn Du): Kiều Gặp Kim Trọng
Quỳnh Vi as Kiều.
Trần Thái Hỏa as Kim Trọng

12) Dạ Cổ Hoài Lang (Cao Văn Lầu): Hương Thủy in a House of Flying Dagger theme setting with 15 large drums on stage.

13) Nổi Lòng (Can’t remember the composer. Begins with: Yêu ai yêu cả một đời): Hồ Lệ Thu. Mix this in a jazzy, loungy beat.

14) Kịch

15) Kim và Tango Điên: Nguyễn Hưng- Thùy Vân

16) Một Dạ Khúc Buồn (Lê Uyên Phương): Minh Tuyết

17) Liên Khúc Nhạc Phim Bộ (Tuyết Sơn Phi Hồ/Tình Ngăn Cách (Bích Huyết Kiếm): Dương Triệu Vủ- Như Loan

19) Torna a Surriento (Ernesto de Curtis. Lời Việt Phạm Duy): Thế Sơn

20) Trích Đoạn Cải Lương Bạch Hải Đường
Phần 2: Đoạn Kết- Tình Yêu Muộn Màng
Minh Tuyết, Mạnh Quỳnh, LTQ.

21) Sầu Lẻ Bóng 1 & 2 (Anh Bằng): Quang Lê-Duy Trường

22) Waltz #6 In D Flat Major (Chopin): Vương Hương (Piano)

23) Hoa Biển (Anh Thy) Mai Tiến Dủng- Hương Giang

24) Hoàng Hôn Tím (Lời Việt Julie): Ngọc Liên

25) Bridal Fashion Show: A revisit to PBN 29 in Vegas. 5 Vietnamese gowns designed by Tường Khuê and 5 Western gowns by Thái Nguyên
Tà Áo Cưới (Hoàng Thi Thơ) and Áo Lụa Hà Đông (Ngô Thụy Miên)

Quang Lê- Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sỉ

2009-03-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

No one can dispute that Quang Lê has a distinct voice. Amidst the cup o' noodle explosion of the Vietnamese music industry, often you can't tell one voice from another. Perhaps this is why Quang Lê holds a very important place on Thúy Nga's stage. His vocal is quite crafted in the quê hương/trử tình genre from enunciation to breath control. One might question, however, whether he is an artist or simply a singer? Quang Lê's Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sỉ may settle this debate.

Everyone is aware of the fact that there is shortage of new quality compositions in this genre. It seems that poetry have peaked after the war and vanished into thin air in the last few years. Thus, singers like Quang Lê are forced to re-stir-fry music of the past. This shortage is so severe that they even attempted to microwave songs of the not-too-distant past.

So what do all these chow-mein and chop suey have to do with Quang Lê's album? There is a much closer relationship than you may think. The popularity of hit song "Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sỉ" became the selling point of the album. I think it is a great song. I wouldn't rank it as a classic but it is satisfactory in music and lyrics.

Skip forward to the next track on the album. Actually, skip forward a whole lot because the album began to crumble into a dismal abyss. The music behind "Giả Từ" was so cluttered and dishevelled that it seems to bid adieu to Quang Lê with every bar. The blaring artificial electric guitar in "Em Hảy Về Đi" weaved its way to destruction from the opening riff to its closure. "Ngại Ngùng," "Nửa Vầng Trăng," and "Các Anh Về" enter into their own category of lets-see -how-many- people-I-can-name-that-sing-these-songs- better. This is where the earlier chop suey allusion enters. As if to declare that this album has no core substance, the near closing track, "Neo Đậu Bến Quê" by An Thuyên is miraculously exceptional.

The forgettable Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sỉ serves as clear evidence that the making of this album is purely for commercial purpose. There is absolutely no aesthetic values from musical arrangement to vocal. Quang Lê's contribution is minimal. Therefore, even if he possesses a unique voice, he is merely a commercialized singer.

Artax Left

2009-03-31T19:23:00.001-07:00

No more scary nightmares.

Artax, I love you.

2009-03-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

Artax was a cat. To be specific, Artax was a male orange tabby. I adopted him and his sister, Amelia from a family in Victorville, California last July. Because of them, I had to pick up and move from my parents' house into a cabin in Big Bear Lake. Artax (fans of The Neverending Story will recognize that it is the name of Atreyu's horse) is a beautiful cat that loved to go outside at night. I let him out because he wouldn't have it any other way. The heart wrenching meows drove me nuts. He has been missing for four days.

In crime television shows, they advice not to contact authority and report a missing person until 96 hours have passed. I think it goes the same for cats. It's safe to assume that he is missing. However, there is no need for authority. I no longer doubt my suspicion that he is dead because I know how he vanished.

Springtime in Big Bear Lake aroused critters of all types. For the coyotes that have been starving during the long winter, this is buffet time. Unfortunately (fortunate for the coyotes), Artax appeared on the menu on that fateful night and got yoinked.

Even more disturbing is the fact that I have seen Artax in my dreams for the last two nights. In one sequence, as I was frantically running towards my metered car in order to evade a parking ticket, he appeared dangling from my windshield wipers. No ticket, just dead Artax. Last night, Artax came home. I let him in as he was able to walk. His body was quite battered. Closer examination revealed his head almost severed from his frame with blood vessels lacerated and exposed.

My subconscience is convinced that I have something to do with it. You see, on the night that Artax vanished, I was reading by the bar in the kitchen. Suddenly, an abrupt crashed against the trash can in the backyard created such a loud noise that Sir Tup had to bark. Even Amelia, who was in my lap sensed danger. An eerie growl followed that chilled my bones and quickly disappeared. I turned on the light but hesitated to go outside. I knew that was so ordinary dog but a coyote. Artax was so close to home.

I have been comforted by the idea that he had a pampered life even if it was merely short of one year. He had enjoyed gnawing on my fingers or napping in my lap many times. Artax, you will be missed. I will say it like I have always done so when I noticed him in the room or coming towards me, "Artax, I love you." That said, now get the hell out of my dreams.

Đức Tuấn: Đôi Mắt Người Sơn Tây

2009-03-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Đức Tuần revived the classical genre in his tribute album Đôi Mắt Người Sơn Tây: Tuyệt Phẩm Phạm Đình Chương. Đức Tuấn, the winner of the 2000 Voice of Television (Tiếng Hát Truyền Hình,) with a tenor that rivals Michael Crawford, poured his heart and soul into seven gems from the vault of Vietnamese music.

Despite the superfluous sample of Andrew Lloyd Webber, my whole spirit was drawn by Đức Tuấn's hypnotic "Nửa Hồn Thương Đau" into the dimly lit enchantment of "Xóm Đêm." He left me breathless with the first few bars of "Đôi Mắt Người Sơn Tây" and enraptured by his urge, "em hảy cùng ta mơ." As climatic as good sex, "Mộng Dưới Hoa" hits the spot with silky vocal that leaves you lingering for more "muôn chiều ta có nhau."

In "Sáng Rừng" and "Tiếng Dân Chài," he genuinely conveys the valor and boldness of Phạm Đình Chương. But most impressive of all is the solitary triumph over the epic "Hội Trùng Dương." This is the voice that keeps the music of Phạm Đình Chương alive. This is the album that moves Đức Tuấn to stardom.

I am floored!

2009-03-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought this gotta be the worst season ever, enters Adam Lambert and "The Tracks of My Tears."

Duy Trường-Người Yêu Cô Đơn

2009-03-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Duy Trường is the ultimate proof that if you stay in the business long enough, the tide will turn. After freelancing under the name, Quốc Dũng, in gigs with Asia, Vân Sơn and Tình Production, this Okie is a rising star in the Vietnamese folk genre. Duy Trường follows the debut Mình Ơi, Tủi Phận, with a fully loaded Người Yêu Cô Đơn. The unusual whopping 14-tracks album is made up of ten solos and four duets. You can't go wrong with strength in number. Or can you?

Although Duy Trường's vocal is quite elementary when compared with masterful predecessors, he managed to create a niche for himself with "Nội Tôi" and "Về Miền Tây." He drove home his grandma's dedications with "Vọng Cổ Tình Nội." Under the guidance of talented Hương Lan, Duy Trường has great potential in this arena.

His rendition of the hackneyed "Người Yêu Cô Đơn" is passable. I couldn't decide whether he or Mai Quốc Huy is the better butcher of Tô Thanh Tùng's "Xót Xa." To really feel "Xót Xa," I recommend a Trường Vũ's version. The same goes for the "Nhớ Người Yêu" sequel, "Tôi Không Còn Nhớ Người Yêu." I was baffled to hear the regurgitation of "Lý Con Sáo Bạc Liêu" where the exact musical arrangement was used for Phi Nhung and released under the same title. It should have been left in Bạc Liêu as he couldn't bring anything new to the song but rather mangled it with his unsettling pronunciation of the letter "s."

I did enjoy Minh Vy's new hit, "Sài Gòn Em Nhớ Anh." Perhaps Hương Thủy had a lot to do with it. Quỳnh Dung's loss of vocal control in the other duets is rather frightful and distracting.

This album has "tenderfoot" written all over it yet is still enjoyable with a few fresh songs along with new musical arrangements by Lý Huỳnh Long, Duệ Hùng and NNX.

Shock You Straight

2009-03-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

Open the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association and do a query on "homosexuality." You will find that it is not under any pathological diagnosis. Well not until 1973. Despite this fact, some American psychiatrists and organizations continue with attempts to treat homosexuality as a disease. Bootcamps, aversion therapy, and shock have all been implemented. So I was not surprised to read the London's Independent, "One in six psychiatrists has tried to 'turn gays straight'." I don't think Americans fall very far behind the one in six value of their transatlantic neighbors.

During my early twenties (the early 1970s), I became increasingly depressed and went to my GP. I ended up meeting one of the leading lights in treatments for homosexuality at the (local) university department of psychology. He used aversion therapy and an electric shock machine that was tied to the ankles and wrists. You then watched a number of slides, some [of men] which you find sexually attractive, some which [of women] were best identified as your heterosexual goal.
...
Increasingly I feel betrayed by the promises of treatment. After I left treatment where was the back up? My deepest feelings, the very structure of my being, had been torn apart in the name of science and left abandoned while the psychologists got on with building their own careers and lives.

Misery in Conneticut

2009-03-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

Granted there are many ways to reconcile a situation than to change the bedroom lock and use handcuffs. But there are also several ways to get out of those handcuffs peacefully, suavely, and manly instead of screaming like a pansy. Listen to the recorded 911 call from the husband who was handcuffed by his wife to herself as an attempt at conciliation.

Nature's Trickery and Survival

2009-03-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

After the "First Bloom" entry on March 21st, I thought these flowers would never survive the snowfall and frost the following day. I even debated digging them up before the snow arrives and planting them in a pot. But I decided to let nature runs its course. The temperature rises today so I thought I should check them out. They survived! Guarded but survived.

Lam Phương's Một Mình: Alone

2009-03-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with "Một Mình" after hearing Hương Giang's performance on Paris By Night 88: Đường Về Quê Hương. Some may prefer versions by Ý Lan or Gia Huy or even Thiên Kim. Hương Giang's voice portrayed a different kind of loneliness, an innocent solitude without resentments and causes. A much more frightening solitude.

Early morning awoken, look around alone.
Outside the veranda, abrupt sunlight startles the birds.
Wonder if the expression* of love have found its listener?

Sun's rays pierce through leaves, dews separate from branches.
Life is too delicate, not excluding my story.
Sunlight laments a romance, suddenly loses its dawn.

An old path familiar way, love's deception one carries.
Love fated hundred knots, a lifetime of mishaps
Pursuing loves that pile up chaotically.

How long until we are silver-headed?
Coincidentally we meet, awkwardly we look at each other
With nothing left to give each other.

Morning, afternoon, midnight, evening, look around alone
The old path unreachable, finding each other timorously
Simply because my life hasn't* had its dawn.

*Revision: tây bụi

Sớm mai thức giấc, nhìn quanh một mình
Ngoài hiên nắng lóe, đàn chim giật mình
Biết lời tỏ tình, đã có người nghe

Nắng xuyên qua lá, hạt sương lìa cành
Đời mong manh quá, kể chi chuyện mình
Nắng buồn cuộc tình, bỗng tắt bình minh

Đường xưa quen lối, tình dối người mang
Tình duyên trăm mối, một kiếp đa đoan
Cố tìm tình chồng chất ngổn ngang

Còn bao lâu nữa khi ta bạc đầu
Tình cờ gặp nhau, ngỡ ngàng nhìn nhau
Để rồi còn gì nữa cho nhau

Sáng trưa khuya tối, nhìn quanh một mình
Đường quen không tới, tìm nhau ngại ngùng
Chỉ vì đời mình, chưa có bình minh.

Grilled Basil Fish Paste (Chả Cá Nướng Lá Quế)

2009-03-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am infatuated with my food processor. Can't stop blending and pulsing. I'd have to say it is one of the most useful appliances in the kitchen. Introduction aside, lets continue with the recipe. I love fish paste or chả cá either grilled or in sour soup (canh chua). Rather than getting it in a tub at the nearest asian food market, you can make it yourself. With the food processor, you can flavor it any style you desire.

Ingredients:

6 filets of tilapia (I can finally get rid of them)
3 cloves of garlic
10 leaves of fresh basil
5 stems of cilantro
2 teaspoons of black pepper corn
1 teaspoon of ground red chili
1/2 tablespoon of sugar
3/4 tablespoon of fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil (To prevent burning when grill)
pinch of msg

Steps:

1. Place ingredients in food processor and blend until you attain a smooth doughy consistency.
2. Roll into balls.
3. Grill until the patties is fluffy and golden. (I find the George Foreman Grill is excellent for the job.)

Serve: Best with rice vermicelli and pineapple fish sauce. Pair with a cold Geikkeikan Sake.

Bon Appétit!!!

Jealousy

2009-03-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

First Bloom

2009-03-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

Spring is here but the weather forecast shows possible snowfall tomorrow. I hope it would be the last frost. I finally reclaimed my porch back after from months of non-budging ice. I cleaned the porch chairs and set up my pots ready for planting. Don't know if I will stay in Big Bear through spring. We'll see. The weather this week has been wonderful. I have been laying in the sun reading all morning. While tidying the front yard, I came upon the first blooms.

The Wonder of Fetal Positions During Normal Labor (WATCH)

2009-03-21T00:18:00.000-07:00

This has always been something that is a mystery to me even though I have sucessfully delivered one baby during my apprenticeship as an OB/GYN tenderfoot. Yes we were taught to memorize the six fetal positions during normal labor of a vaginal delivery. They are as followed:

1. Descent
2. Flexion
3. Internal Rotation
4. Extension
5. External Rotation
6. Expulsion

Yet I could never fully visualize them until now thanks to EBSCO Host Research Database. It is fascinating! So for all the expecting moms and dads, this is the aesthetically pleasing number that those little ultrasound shadows been working on the whole time.

Stem Cells: The Trojan Horse of Gliomas

2009-03-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

While stem cells research in the United States suffered an era of stagnation under the Bush Administration, the studies at the Lund University of Sweden uncovered the key that could possibly cure gliomas, a group of malignant brain tumor.

Neural stem cells have been shown to have the ability to recognize signals from tumor cells in the brain and migrate there. If stem cells are injected into a part of the brain in laboratory animals with a glioma in another part of their brain, the stem cells migrate over to the tumor area.

This has spawned the idea of having stem cells transport drugs or immune stimulants to the tumor. This was the principle the Lund scientists wanted to test. But as it turned out, no extra assistance was needed: the stem cells themselves had the ability to combat the tumor.

Scientific progress and hope may flourish after the astute reversal of legislation regarding stem cells research by President Obama.

Biggest Accomplishment of the Day.

2009-03-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

Nope. It's not saying farewell to I. at the airport. It's not mowing the lawn or repainting the patio.

It's teaching Mom how to text message.

I was ecstatic to see she was psyched to learn. She text messaged all her kids at college telling them to study hard and that she loves them a whole lot.

This is technology at its very best bringing two distant generations together as Mom attempts her English and my brothers endeavor "bamboo shoots" Vietnamese.

Do something great. Teach your mom how to text.

The New Origami

2009-03-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

The Japanese art with so much history that give us the fortune teller and neat ways to fold a love note acquired a modern make-over at instant origami. This makes me a little angry.

Tilapia Filets and Shrimps in Coconut Cream

2009-03-07T17:54:00.000-08:00

Mom gave us a bag of tilapia filets yesterday. I had tons of ideas. I could grill 'em with onion and roll with vermicelli and rice paper in a tamarind dip. I could pan-sear the fish with lemon and cracked black pepper. But I was lazy and feeling a bit adventurous. This dish resembles the Spicy Salmon recipe posted not too long ago.

Ingredients:

6 filets of tilapias.
1 lb. of shrimp de-shelled.
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
3 cloves of garlic, chopped.
3 cloves of shallot, chopped.
1 stalk of lemongrass, smashed. Stalk only.
2 Thai chilies, chopped.
1 can 14 fluid oz of coconut cream. Don't settle for coconut milk.
2 tablespoons of instant sour tom yum paste.
1/2 tablespoon of sugar.
1 teaspoon of black pepper corns, crushed.

Steps

1. Place the filets into a 13 X 9 in. baking pan.
2. Distribute the shrimps to cover the tilapias.
3. Scatter garlic, shallot, lemongrass, chilies over the sea critters.
4. Drizzle the pan with crushed black pepper and oil.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes.
6. While that is baking, prepare the sauce.
7. Heat the coconut cream in a small sauce pan.
8. Add tom yum paste and sugar. Stir to mix thoroughly for about 5 minutes.
9. Top the pan with sauce and bake for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed rice.

Japanese Tea Garden: Revisted

2009-02-26T22:14:00.000-08:00

H. and I came upon the Japanese Tea Garden of San Francisco three years ago when we attempted the 49 Miles Scenic Drive. Revisiting with I. was a different experience. His right eye developed an allergic reaction to a foreign particle that became so painful we had to zip through it like angry mobs towards the end. The zen was disrupted. I was anxious about the onset of symptoms at the same time suspended by the tranquility of the garden. Diagnosis remains unknown. Here are a few photos I managed to capture amid the chaos.

Thành Phố Sương Mù: City of Fog

2009-02-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of my Huỳnh Anh favorites. When I first heard the song, Đà Lạt came to mind. It was not until later that I learned the song was written about San Francisco. Perhaps, this is the only Vietnamese song written about the city. Woke up to a gray and damp morning in the City of Fog, I quickly transcribed:

City of fog, rainfalls in early autumn
The faded blue sky, oh such sorrow
I wander the streets and small lonely shops
Alone night after night searching
For a person that have forgotten the city.

Since the time we parted, many seasons of falling leaves
You have truly gone far away, out of reach
So that night follows night I reminisced about the stories of yesterday
Until I hear pain surrounds the eyes
Until yearning and love overflow

Clouds still float over the land of yearning love
Rains still fall on the lonesome city
You have left the city for a foreign soil
And forgotten a person, forgotten the path of moon and stars

Then on a night, the rain reminds us of each other
Leafing through the letters of olden days, deepening pain and sorrow
Tonight, passing by an old street with cold numbing shoulders
Night street with one shadow
In the midst of the city of fog.

Thanh pho suong mu - Nhu quynh
Uploaded by Viettrinh

Thành phố sương mù, mưa mùa chớm thu
Trời mây xanh nhạt màu, ôi buồn sao
Tôi hay lang thang đường phố nhỏ quán đìu hiu
Một mình đêm đêm tìm về
Một người bỏ quên thành phố
Từ thuở xa người, mấy mùa lá rơi
Người đã đi xa thật rồi, xa tầm với
Nên đêm thâu đêm nằm nhắc chuyện cũ ngày xưa
Để nghe cay riềm mắt
Để nhớ thương nghẹn ngào

Mây vẫn bay trên vùng thương nhớ
Mưa vẫn rơi trên thành phố quạnh hiu
Em ra đi thành phố xa đất lạ
Quên một người, quên cả lối trăng sao

Rồi có đêm nào, mưa về nhớ nhau
Tìm lại trang thư ngày nào, thêm buồn đau
Đêm nay qua con đường xưa lạnh buốt bờ vai
Đường khuya ta một bóng
Giữa thành phố sương mù

Early Bloom

2009-02-24T13:13:00.000-08:00

We descended from the everlasting winter of Big Bear Lake Monday morning heading towards San Francisco. I wanted to take the Pacific Coast Route but I. suggested that we should save it for the return leg so that there is something to look forward to. Both of us were dreading "The 5", the cows and Bakersfield! Fortunately, the drive turned out to be quite pleasant.

The rolling hills on both sides resembled puppies fighting under fuzzy green blankets. Picturesque clouds drifting against the powder blue backdrop was enough to melt my heart. People wait all year long to travel to Washington, DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of March. However, Californians get a chance to witness the blooms a month early along Interstate 5. We rolled down the windows as we approached large acres of blossoms on the bank of the highway and immersed the car in the subtle fragrance. The late afternoon's sun illuminated these orchards that stretched into a soft pink carpet as far as the eyes could see. I wished dusk didn't have to arrive so soon.

Night enveloped and light rain scattered against the windshield as we encountered San Francisco's skyline. Rain foretold a brilliant dawn.

More Classic Album Arts

2009-02-22T23:16:00.000-08:00

As promised, I have amounted another heap of album arts from the nhạc vàng era that I am ready to share. Duy Khánh, Chế Linh and Hùng Cường were all heart throbs. Does anyone care to throw some light on who were the members of Gia Đình Phạm Duy?

Failure

2009-02-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

The Office this week was a re-run so I had a chance to catch an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Even though the show strays far from reality, the themes and issues that it communicates are very true in medicine. This week's episode explores the humanity of the field and reduced doctors to well, human beings. Everybody makes mistakes from the most experienced "dinosaur" surgeon down to attendings and interns. Everyone fucked up one way or another.

I have failed in my path countless times. Being an over-achiever, it was devastating the first few times. I greeted failures differently each time. This time, I analyzed and found that I actually learned every time I screwed up. It's definitely not in the numbers. It is how much I know. It is how much I am able to retain. Failing now in front of a computer and simulations is immensely better than failing with real patients under my care.

So with a clear plan, I vowed to press on. And if I have to fail ten times, I am determined to learn from every mistake. Not for my ego and self-esteem but for my patients.

End of the Cold War

2009-02-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

I can't stand cold wars. I. is a big proponent. The last two days we have been walking around like zombies in the same cabin.

An attempt on my part to melt the ice.

You want some water?

No

I made some coffee, you want some?

No, thank you.

Want to go snowboarding?

Nuh uh

Are we still going to San Francisco?

I don't know.

I made some noodle.

Okay.

This morning I woke up to a fresh cup of coffee awaiting on the table exactly the way I take it. I. told me to open iChat. The moment the program is opened, this link appeared.

It is true. There is no rule on how to make up for Valentine's Day.

We are snowed in today so we postpone the trip to SF until next week. It will be raining this whole week up there anyway so it's not a bad thing.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T23:06:00.000-08:00

The last REM cycle was a nightmare. A dream of separation. As I have indicated in earlier posts, I am not superstitious. Yet it made me uneasy and predicted a gloomy foreshadow. I reassured myself to take this day as any other day. People place too much importance on this rosy-inflated-cocoaey-candlelit-dinner day.

For the last two years I spent Valentine's Day with a bucket of KFC's, two side orders (coleslaw and mashed potatoes) and two liters of Cherry Coke. This year with I. living with me, I thought I would catch a lucky break. I was lead astray.

We were planning a whole day of snowboarding and a romantic dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant up here. Oh hopes and dreams. I. decided to hit the slope early since it's mind-numbing to spend the whole day in the cabin with the animals. I agreed.

Somehow, everyone in the family has something to do on this special day so I was delegated the task of picking up Grandma from the airport. That meant I had to descend from Big Bear Lake and head to LAX. Flight from Taipei landed at noon. If everything goes as plan, we would leave the airport by one o'clock, return to her home in Riverside by two, and join I. at Snow Summit by four o'clock and the latest five.

Long story short. I did not return to Big Bear Lake until nine o'clock. I. had been at the slope all day. We got into a huge fight. Dinner plan scratched. I should have stuck to my annual bucket of KFC's.

Spicy Salmon

2009-02-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

Post-exam time is nerve jolting. Three weeks of watchful waiting for the scores that determine your life. The idea is silly letting a few numbers decide your fate. My distraction is cooking! Snowboarding during daytime dents the pocket so I wait for the weekend nights to use my season's pass. Where was I? Cooking! That's it. Last night I grilled salmon and did the whole lemon and garlic ensemble. Tonight, with half of a fillet still fresh I decided to do some experimenting. With seafood, less is more. Yet I decided to be pretentious with this spicy salmon. This is a two-servings recipe and is perfect for a homemade Valentine's Day dinner. Here we go:

1/2 a salmon fillet (1 lb), skinned (Skin on when grilling but nude when baking)
2 bulbs of shallots, sliced
2 teaspoons of chopped gingers
2 teaspoons of black pepper corns, crushed
2 Thai chilis, chopped
4-6 leaves of sweet basil, chopped
juice of 1 navel orange
juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 teaspoons of fish sauce

Steps:

1. Skin salmon fillet
2. Cut the fillet into 3x5 steaks and place into 9x9 in. Pyrex baking dish.
3. Drizzle citrus juice over the steaks.
4. Sprinkle shallots, gingers, peppercorns, chilis, basils and fish sauce over salmon
5. Bake in oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes

Serve: Salmon is best with steamed jasmine rice.

Wine pairing: Gaetano D'Aquino Pinot Grigio delle Venezie

We were hungry so the fish disappeared before I had a chance to take any photos. I know that not a lot of people will try the recipes that I post. If you indeed decided to venture an attempt, let me know how it turned out.

Chả Giò and Pineapple Dipping Sauce

2009-02-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

I bought two pounds of ground pork and the ingredients for chả giò and intended to make it for I. after his exam. When I checked the pantry this morning, I discovered I forgot the most crucial element, the roll papers. My "chế biến" instinct said, "No fret." I scrambled the pantry for the alternative, rice paper. The convenience of living in the U.S. allows the use of Twin Dragons and such. If my memory serves me well, the rolls Bà Cố Tám (I rolled my first roll under her guidance) made called for rice paper. The texture of the rice paper once fried is different from the Twin Dragons egg roll sheets but the crisp is not lost. The fillings vary depending on who is making them. You can put anything of your heart's desire into the rolls from dry Chinese mushroom to carrot, taro, shrimp, crab, and so on. I scanned the fridge and found napa cabbage. The recipe below is simple but delicious.

The filling:

2 pounds of ground pork
5 bulbs of shallot, diced
2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of msg (Yes, msg. You are not misreading.)
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon of sugar.
1 cup of napa cabbage (the leafy portion only). Wrench out the juice.

Mix ingredients above thoroughly.

The skin:

1 package of rice paper. I used "Ba Cô Gái" brand. Wet paper one by one with warm water and place on rolling plates.

Use 1 egg yolk to seal the rolls and prevent them from unraveling during the frying process.

The pictures illustrate how to fold the rolls.

Frying:

A deep fryer is the trick of the trade if you have one. I left mine at Mom's place so I resorted to my trusty electric skillets. Fill the skillet 2/3 full with vegetable oil. Set temperature at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and cover with lid. Carefully place the rolls into the skillet for 10-15 minutes. Unlike the conventional paper, rice paper will not reach the desired gold color so don't wait too long before plucking them from the oil vat.

Pineapple fish sauce:

The versatility of fish sauce is demonstrated in this recipe. This recipe will make about 20 fluid oz sauce. The pineapple gives it a zing of sweetness and tart.

3 tablespoons of sugar (Adjust to taste.)
juice of 1-2 limes (Adjust to taste.)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5 Thai chilis, minced (Adjust to taste.)
8 oz of pineapple, crushed
fish sauce (Adjust to taste)

Steps:

1. Place the above ingredients in a 24 oz jar.
2. Fill jar with boiled water to 1/2 full.
3. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolved
4. Add small amount fish sauce (straight from the bottle) to jar. Pause momentarily to taste the mixture. I don't provide a finite amount for this recipe because some people like the sauce more salty than others. So adjust the fish sauce according to taste. Keep in mind pure fish sauce is potent. The sauces should have a balanced taste of sweet, salty, and sour.

Serve with mint and lettuce.

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

We woke up to ten inches of snow this morning. It is certainly winter wonderland up on the hill. The forecast predicted snowfall until Monday. That means powdery slopes, the dreams of all snow bunnies. Also means I will be using my shovel more. Way much more now that the city snow plow just drove by adding insult to injury. I am plowed in. I. is out there clearing the snow off the drive way while I am in here blogging away. No guilt here.

I took him to Mom's house a couple days ago with a strict schedule. We were going to retrieve Tuppy's leash that I left behind, say hello to Mom and my sister and be on our way with haste. I was anticipating turbulence because the last time I took him home to meet the parents was a monstrous disaster. Time certainly heals all. After downing a six pack of Heineken, he was in the kitchen talking to Mama about his career as a pathologist while Mom practiced her English. I haven't felt that feeling of uncomfortable joy since I took my first girlfriend home.

So the results were exceptional beyond what I dreamed. Now if I could get Mom and Dad to put aside these societal follies and drive up here to experience this beautiful wonderland by the fire while I cook up french crepes for breakfast. With Tuppy, the cats and my man. Oh, Winter Wonderland.

Mai Thiên Vân: Nếu Anh Đừng Hẹn

2009-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Mai Thiên Vân's appearance on Paris By Night in the duet "Nước Non Ngàn Dậm Ra Đi" with Quang Lê created sensational ripples in the hearts of Vietnamese audience in the US. In Vietnam, her voice trills far and wide under the name of Mai Hậu. The success of her U.S. debut Thương Hoài Ngàn Năm album quickly prompted the follow-up release of Nếu Anh Đừng Hẹn, an eleven-tracks album containing eight solos and three duets with Quang Lê and Mai Quốc Huy.

In the age of DVD, external appearance serves as an important ladder to fame. Beautiful faces and physiques bring radiance to the screen. But how many CD's do these "hot bods" sale? Mai Thiên Vân lures her fan with her golden, glacé voice. Singers in the "nhạc sến" genre cannot escape being compared to prior legendary songbirds because the songs that they sing have been reprised to the nth power number of times. Another obstacle that Mai Thiên Vân has to tackle.

Listen to Nếu Anh Đừng Hẹn for what it is. A new interpretation of the classics. The musical arrangement is typical of the "Tùng Châu Mold" and is way inferior compared to the creativity of music recorded before the war and that of Lê Văn Thiện. Thus Mai Thiên Vân was forced to guide the album with her voice. And she did it beautifully from the opening track of "Nếu Anh Đừng Hẹn." The unexaggerated vocal flow brings life to Hàn Sinh's "Tình Yêu Đơn Phương" and Văn Tùng's "Thu Tím Lá Vàng." Despite the intrusive organs in the background, "Giọt Sầu Trinh Nử" is the focal track of the album. Mai Thiên Vân's levitating falsetto in "Cho Tình Yêu Chúng Mình" is breathtaking.

Quang Lê remains thus far the only male voice that can harmonize with Mai Thiên Vân. The Mai-on-Mai duets are deleterious because Mai Quốc Huy's voice breaks with high notes and deaden on the lower ones. "Nếu Chúng Mình Cách Trở" and "Cho Tình Yêu Chúng Mình" would be wonderful with Trường Vủ.

Regardless of the filler duets, Nếu Anh Đừng Hẹn is an impressive and enjoyable album. I project a heavy line up of subsequent albums for Mai Thiên Vân. I only pity the fact that the shortage of music in the "nhạc mùi" class forces new voices to regurgitate old songs.

Plight of the Refugees

2009-02-02T15:16:00.000-08:00

An excerpt from a personal statement of many years ago.

The tiny boat carrying sixteen Vietnamese passengers was tempestuously tossed by the ferocious waves. After days of traveling through the Cambodian and the South China Sea, they reached the shores of Thailand. They have joined the fate of many Vietnamese who left their country following the war. They are the boat people. They are the Vietnamese refuguees. I was among sixteen passengers on that boat who were fortunate to make it to the United States.

Fortunate. Yes fortunate. My heart goes out to the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Perhaps only a refugee understands the plight of refugees who had to flee their country in search of a better life.

The Talented Thái Nguyễn

2009-01-30T00:20:00.000-08:00

The gowns featured on Paris By Night's stage is only a smidgen of Thái Nguyễn's vision and creativity. See why Nguyễn was able to land BCBG Azria. Check out the glamourous áo dài collection and exquisite evening gowns at Thái Nguyễn Couture.

Paris By Night 95: Thank You For Not Singing

2009-01-28T19:34:00.000-08:00

The second installment of the 25th Anniversary Celebration came as a huge disappointment. After almost three decades, Thúy Nga has grown into a giant in Vietnamese media. Stage production values can rival a program on American Television. Polished lighting, expansive sets and excellent choreography are important threads that have woven Thúy Nga into a multi-million dollars production. That said, Paris By Night 95: Cám Ơn Cuộc Đời sacrificed music for theater and trends. If not for the flashing lights, choreography and Thùy Vân's sizzling assets, I would have drifted into the Land of Nod.

Of the two dozens songs, only a few left any impression. "Nếu Chỉ Còn Một Ngày Để Sống" by Hoài An was a heartening show opener. This also marked the most crowded opening in Thúy Nga's history with twenty-one singers. Ngọc Hạ was definitely the Prima Donna of the Night as she gloated over Phạm Duy's "Dòng Sông Xanh." While not spectacular, Trần Thu Hà should be commended for making "Ra Ngỏ Mà Yêu" enjoyable. Kông Thanh Bích's newest composition,"Tương Tư Nàng Ca Sĩ" was a delight with Quang Lê. Hoàng Oanh proves true to the phrase, "gừng càng già càng cay." Her voice is untainted with age. I don't think anyone else alive is fit to sing Mai Châu's classic "Một Người Đi."

And now onto the flinch and cringe. It was obvious Thúy Nga wanted to promote Quỳnh Vi and fit a fresh figure into a wedding gown. The sacrifice proved detrimental because Quỳnh Vi miserably failed to carry a note one song after another in the matrimonial medley, "Cho Người Tôi Yêu." So Trường Sa was a guest in attendance but do we really need to be mauled by Trần Thái Hòa and "Xin Còn Gọi Tên Nhau?" I am slipping into lethargy just writing about it.

Let me deviate from music and turn to the unappealing fashion trends. Either the male performers lacked an innate sense of fashion or they were neglected by production designers. The "âm thịnh dương suy" atmosphere is quite apparent from hair to wardrobe. Last month's issue of Details Magazine featured an article on "douche bag hairstyles" and these guys fit snugly in that bag. Men's hair should be natural to the touch and sight not primped and blended by a paper shredder. A look at Trần Thái Hòa's hair will elicit a "wtf!" Did you see the bird carcass on Dương Triệu Vũ's shoulder? Somewhere in the forest, the birds are missing their feathers.

The "áo dài" couture presentation flopped dolefully. I have always enjoyed Thái Nguyễn's designs in previous Paris By Nights; the gowns were simple and refreshing. His solid silk collection for the night was quite elegant from afar. As the camera approached, you see the expendable flesh tone fabric. Maybe the designs looked great at conception but when they were sewn, physics got in the way and he had to resort to flesh tone to make them wearable. He failed nonetheless. Calvin Hiệp's creativity peaked in the collection featured in Paris By Night 62 Âm Nhạc Không Biên Giới. His latest religious epiphany is a pretentious pile of rags.

Thúy Nga and Paris By Night have definitely come a long way and their accomplishment is worthy of celebration. Lets now focus on music and live out Hoài An's claim in "Nếu Chỉ Còn Một Ngày Để Sống" for the next twenty-five years. Bằng nhửng lời ca...

Join the Bacon Explosion.

2009-01-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

Bacon is good! Pork chop is good! This recipe guarantees to clog arteries but it looks so much fun to make and eat. I will give it it a try when I have a chance.

First Morning: Emotionless and Awkward

2009-01-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!

I don't have new materials for today as I am preparing for an important event tomorrow that will determine the fate of my career.

I invite you to read an older entry from Thursday, March 30, 2006. It is a review of First Morning by Victor Vu.

This is a big growth for Vu since the flop of Oan Hon or Spirits. Moving away from the Hollywood influence of M. Night Shyamalan, Vu decided to explore topics closer to home: Vietnamese families and the "boat people" experiences.

The film centered on a typical family in Orange County on the verge of disintegration because of a haunted past. The story is neither trite or hackneyed. As a matter of fact, the plights of boat people need to be told. However, Vu could not communicate the grandeur of the adventure, the integrity of a Vietnamese family, or the tears and blood that spilled on the South China Sea. Victor Vu seems to fear the grime and gritty truth. Stop trying to fold and wrap it so neatly in "independent art film" lace. Tell the story.

Kathleen Luong's good face wasn't able to fully express the complexity of Linh's disturbed character. Catherine Thuy Ai could not shed a tear in one of the most pivotal scenes of the movie.

Aside from the horrendous acting, the screenplay was disjointed and awkward. Obviously, the film was originally writtened by Victor Vu in English and then translated back into Vietnamese. The natural flow of speech was lost in translation. I had to cringe everytime Johnny Nguyen (Linh's Brother) delivered his lines. And it's not just because of his heavy American accent.

With so many distractions, the hopeful message of the film was drowned. It's too soon to say that this is the end for Victor Vu for this is only his second project. I am actually looking forward to his future films.

Did anyone notice the "Hitchcock" slight of lens?

Spring From Afar

2009-01-24T10:58:00.000-08:00

It breaks my heart to have to tell my parents I won't be home for Tết. Over the last five years, I was home only once. For them it is harsh but for me Tết is no longer significant. No spring blossoms, no rice cakes, no sugar gourd and lotus, no lì xì. Just a pot of stewed pork and steamed rice.

Wishing those far away from home a happy new year filled success and prosperity. Next year will be better.

Mark His Words

2009-01-23T11:15:00.001-08:00

Wordsmith.org dedicated this week to terms used by President Obama. Cast off the Bush Babbles and welcome these:

cohere
PRONUNCIATION:(ko-HEER)
MEANING:verb intr.: To be united; to work or hold together.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin cohaerere, from co- (together) + haerere (to stick).
USAGE: "I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds, understanding that each possessed its own language and customs and structures of meaning, convinced that with a bit of translation on my part the two worlds would eventually cohere."
Barack Obama; Dreams From My Father; Times Books; 1995.

syncretic
PRONUNCIATION:(sin-KREH-tik)
MEANING:adjective: Combining different forms of belief or practice.
ETYMOLOGY:From Latin syncretismus, Greek synkretismos (union), from synkretizein (to unite in the manner of the Cretan cities), from syn (together) + Kret-, Kres (Cretan).
USAGE:"Traditionally, Indonesians practiced a tolerant, almost syncretic brand of faith, infused with the Buddhist, Hindu, and animist traditions of earlier periods."
Barack Obama; The Audacity of Hope; Crown Publishers; 2006.

endemic
PRONUNCIATION:(en-DEM-ik)
MEANING:adjective:
1. Natural to a particular people or place; always present in a particular area.
2. Confined to a geographic region.
ETYMOLOGY:From Greek endmos (native), from en- (in) + demos (people).
USAGE:"Some of the worst actors on the international stage can also take advantage of the collective exhaustion and outrage that people feel with official corruption, as we've seen with Islamic extremists who promise purification, but deliver totalitarianism. Endemic corruption opens the door to this kind of movement, and in its wake comes a new set of distortions and betrayals of public trust."
Barack Obama; An Honest Government, A Hopeful Future; Speech at the University of Nairobi, Kenya; Aug 28, 2006.

abrogate
PRONUNCIATION:(AB-ruh-gayt)
MEANING:verb tr. To put aside or treat as nonexistent, especially by an authoritative act.
ETYMOLOGY:From Latin abrogatus (repealed), past participle of abrogare (to repeal a law), from ab- (away from) + rogare (to ask, propose a law). Ultimately from the Indo-European reg- (to move in a straight line, to lead or rule) that is also the source of regent, regime, direct, rectangle, erect, rectum, alert, source, and surge.
USAGE:"I am proud to be sponsoring this amendment with the senior senator from West Virginia [Robert Byrd]. He's absolutely right that Congress has abrogated its oversight responsibilities."
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Military Commission Legislation; Sep 28, 2006.

sui generis
PRONUNCIATION:(soo-ee JEN-uhr-is)
MEANING:adjective: Of its own kind; unique.
ETYMOLOGY:From Latin sui (of its own) + generis (kind).
USAGE:"Time: What's the best piece of advice that you've gotten from someone about being President?"
Obama: Well, precisely because it's sui generis, the only people that really know are the collection of ex-Presidents we have."
The Interview; Time (New York); Dec 29, 2008.

Trashy Superstition

2009-01-22T21:01:00.000-08:00

The Lunar New Year carries with it unwavering customs and traditions. The myths and superstitions surrounding Tết are quite extensive and deeply ingrained in the Vietnamese culture. Almost every custom we follow during Tết can be explained with a legend. For example, Táo Quân elucidates the importance of kitchen gods while the story of Sơn Tiêu justifies firecrackers.

Of those observances, I find tale that forbid cleaning during Tết most absurd.

From Sưu Thần Ký as told by Phan Kế Bính loosely translated:

There once was a merchant named Âu Minh. While crossing Thanh Thảo Lake, a water demon awarded him a servant named Như Nguyện. The merchant became very wealthy. In time, on the first day of Tết, the merchant beat her. The girl tunneled into a pile of trash and disappeared. From then on, the merchant became impoverished. Thus, following the Chinese tradition, cleaning or picking up trash is forbidden (during the first few days of the new year.)

I understand that it is proper to balance the book and payoff my debt before the new year. In a way, it is cleansing if not for good luck. I don't mind releasing a gold carp so that it will convey household news to the Jade Emperor. I enjoy lighting the firecrackers to chase away demons. But I just can't tolerate having trash around the house during Tết. Ridiculous!

In the preface of Việt Nam Phong Tục, Phan Kế Bính assured us that these customs could be amended as our ancestors were not perfect beings. He proposed a way we may discard the bad ones based upon their origins. While I don't completely agree with his idea, I think it is a sufficient platform. He suggested that we can toss out the shoddy ones over time. However, we must keep the faulty ones if they originated within our own culture.

Therefore, I propose we throw on the scrap heap the whole trash embargo ritual as it is Chinese in origin, pointless, and unsanitary.

President's Speech Censored on Communist Media

2009-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

President Obama alluded to communism in his inaugural speech:

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.

As expected, this was unacceptable and became lost in translation by Communist media. CCTV of China yanked the translation.

VietnamNet replaced the term "communism" with three dots in their translation.

Hãy nhớ rằng các thế hệ cha anh của chúng ta đã đánh bại chủ nghĩa phát xít... không chỉ bằng tên lửa và xe tăng, mà còn cả sự đoàn kết keo sơn và niềm tin bền bỉ. Lớp cha anh đó hiểu rằng, nếu chỉ dựa vào sức mạnh thì không thể tự bảo vệ và nó cũng không cho phép chúng ta làm những gì mình muốn. Các thế hệ đi trước hiểu rằng, sức mạnh của chúng ta sở dĩ lớn dần lên là nhờ chúng ta đã sử dụng nó một cách hợp lý. Nền an ninh của chúng ta sở dĩ có được là nhờ vào sự chính nghĩa, tinh thần gương mẫu, sự khiêm nhường và kiềm chế thực sự.

Vnexpress omitted it altogether.

Đề cập đến vấn đề nhạy cảm hiện nay, ông Obama tuyên bố: "Đối với những kẻ tìm cách đạt tới mục đích bằng việc kích động khủng bố và tàn sát người vô tội, chúng ta nói với chúng rằng tinh thần của của chúng ta đã mạnh hơn và không thể bị bẻ gẫy. Chúng ta sẽ đánh bại chúng!

VietnamNet came the closest of the three.

Maximum Exploitation

2009-01-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

You may recall the Hoàng Thùy Linh sex scandal exploded not to long ago forcing the cancellation of the popular series "Nhật Ký Vàng Anh." Since then, Hoàng has return to work in several fashion ads in the country. However, the damage has already been done. While searching for a few DVD's I came across the following:

If I am forced to make a guess, this DVD contains those same clips that came to extinction on the web. And for $1.99 you can make this your very own. Did I mention that it's also on sale? Oh boy! 30% off! Private property and copyright infringements aside, the exploitation is disturbing.

President Obama: We Are Ready to Lead Once More

2009-01-20T09:42:00.000-08:00

So I do care about the Inauguration. The speech is powerful recalling our magnificent history. I strongly believe that only a man who understands history has the ability to change it. The poetry is inspirational. The dress is charming. A new era has begun. America is welcoming back its own version of royalty.

Symbolically Hollow

2009-01-19T22:43:00.000-08:00

For those interested in symbology, read more on the five-pointed stars

We All Need a Hero

2009-01-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

Today's entry "Ly Tong spray painted FOB II’s art works" on The Bolsavik ironically falls on the same day as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's Birthday (observed). A discussion followed about whether Lý Tống is a hero. Someone contributed the definition to hero. His actions thus far have been valiant and brave from Rayong to Sài-Gòn and San Jose. He has reduced that audacious image with petty vermin-like act of vandalism. What ever happened to free speech, nonviolent protest, and self respect? It is possible he left them at the door when he decided entered the gallery with his panties and spray paints.

One can support communism or one may spray paint one's own signs of remonstration. The moment the individual stepped beyond that and demolished others' properties, he is considered an impudent criminal. Far from valor and heroism. Now I understand why the pen of The Bolsavik repeatedly publicized delinquent Vietnamese from dog thief to ecstasy dealer and crooked doctors. Our community needs less of them.

Như Quỳnh: Khóc Thêm Lần Nửa (Watch)

2009-01-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

Yep! I am dedicating an entire entry applauding Như Quỳnh and "Khóc Thêm Lần Nửa" in Tình Production 17, Quê Hương Tình Yêu và Tuổi Trẻ. She is departing from the folk genre without an apology. Perhaps departing is not an appropriate choice of word. Returning is more suitable because "Khóc Thêm Lần Nừa" elicits images of "Tim Vở" and "Bọt Biển." She is definitely not making a revolutionary exclamation but the following hypothetical statement:

"Hey! I know you people love me in the folk genre and I am very good at what I was doing but I am bored out of my mind. I want to do what I want. I don't need to please anyone."

With age comes more elegance and grace. She's not stunningly voluptuous but she is beautiful. She is not a fashion icon but her taste is refined. Her voice is not suitable for pop but I predict she will rescue "Khóc Thêm Lần Nửa" from obscurity. I am pleased!

Metropolis Dreamin'

2009-01-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

I am a country boy that loves the city. It has been more than half a year since I hastily left Brooklyn vowed never to return. The heartaches and the indifferent city life made me yearn for a calmer, more secluded environment. Big Bear Lake came into the picture and have remained so as my hiatus abode. I am in hiding attempting to complete a very important task. Until this daunting burden is complete, I cannot descend.

And so the days pass and the endeavor becomes more difficult to complete. I have stayed here too long. Big Bear Lake is a tomb, a living cemetery. People come here to die. Every other houses on any random block are on sale. I associate this abundance of properties to the increase in death rate. Or maybe something less morbid like the plummeting economy. The majority of those living dead are white and retired. Sometimes, a couple of yuppies would drive by asking about the abandoned house across from my cabin because they wish to purchase it as a vacation home. I secretly want to tell them to get the hell out of here as fast as their SUV could carry them. This city is a vacuum of vitality.

I love the weekends. They are my intermissions to this morose atmosphere. With the weekends came flocks of snow bunnies and college students hoping for sunshine and soft slopes. They bring so much life into the city. Supermarkets and streets awake with diversity. I no longer feel like I am the only Asian man sticking out like a sore thumb.

The moment I complete the task at hand is the moment I rent the U-haul truck. San Francisco, Manhattan, Austin, London, or Paris. The Boston Globe featured an article on How the City Hurts Your Brain discussing new scientific evidence revealing excessive stimuli in the metropolis reduce your intelligence. The article came at a point in my life when I must choose where I will end up. Finishing the article, I concluded that even if city life brings about idiocy, it keeps me alive.

The Curious Case of George W. Bush

2009-01-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

If you can look past the stuttering, the neologism of words like "recruiterman," the war, the crashing economy, W. is an innocuously endearing president. Watch David Letterman's final "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches"

Sir Tups-A-Lot

2009-01-15T09:37:00.000-08:00

Naming a pet is an important task. The name has to fit the character and be fun to call. Ever since I got the puppy, I have gone through a series of name but never quite seemly. The transformation and modification from Legolas to Akira and Akiraho continued for months. The rat terrier is now four months old and got serendipitously stuck with a hideous name of Tuppy. We looked up the root yesterday and it turned out to be an apposite accident. Not so terrible at all.

tup /tʌp/

noun, verb, tupped, tup⋅ping.

–noun
1. Chiefly British. a male sheep; ram.
2. the head of a falling hammerlike mechanism, as of a steam hammer or pile driver.

–verb (used with object)
3. Chiefly British. (of a ram) to copulate with (a ewe).

–verb (used without object)
4. Chiefly British. (of a ewe) to copulate.

Origin:
1300–50; ME tope, tupe ram, of obscure orig.

Thus ensues the coinage of variations like Sir Tups-a-Lot, Sir Tups-Enough and The Tups-Too-Much...

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

The Inaugural Dinner Menu

2009-01-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

I am not concerned about what Obama is going to say in his inaugural speech. I can careless about the gown Michelle will wear to the ball. I am more interested in what's on the menu. Here is a draft of the dinner menu under the direction of head chef, Alice Waters:

Aided by a group of local culin-istas, Waters hopes the Monday night menu will features Chesapeake Bay oysters and crostini; rockfish soup and a confit of saffron-spiked tomatoes, though if the fish don't look so great, she'll shift to winter vegetables; shoulder of local lamb with salsa verde, and an apple tart.

There will no fussy wine pairings, "just a red and a white" from California donated by friends. Yes, she knows the Veuve Cliquot Champagne, made in France and provided by the vineyard for the toast to President-elect Obama, is hardly carbon neutral.

The Hope Continues

2009-01-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

Obama's Inauguration will commence with a prayer by gay bishop Gene Robinson. There's a chance for California Prop 8 overturn after all.

Robinson is the first openly gay diocesan bishop in the Anglican Communion. "God never gets it wrong. The church often takes a long time to get it right. It is a human institution, but one capable of self-correction," Robinson told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. "I believe in my heart that the church got it wrong about homosexuality. There is great excitement in my heart to be living in a time when the church is starting to get it right."

The Long and Windy Word

2009-01-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

I wish to never have to conjure the following word to discuss disease with my patient:

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Supposedly, the longest word in the English Dictionary.

Legend of the Condor Heroes

2009-01-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

I am not referring to Jin Yong epic martial art novel but a tale of a gallant California condor. Defying death and overcoming emotional agitation, Topa is undeniably a hero in the salvation of his endangered kins.

Topa, as he is known for short, lived alone in a cage for the next 20 years, devoid of the socialization needed to learn the basics of condor life. As a teenager, he courted tree stumps and tufts of grass and tried to mate with sticks and rocks. His first encounter with a female was disastrous. He didn't know what to do. She beat him to a pulp.
...
Now he is a legend among condors -- virile and strong, the father of a new generation. This year, the condor who has spent his entire life shielded from the public and highly protected behind chain-link fences celebrates his 43rd birthday.
...
Today, Topa is one of 81 California condors in the state and 322 on the planet. Some of his offspring soar over the Grand Canyon, Ventura County and Baja California. Others are in captive breeding programs.

Defining Vietnamese Pop

2009-01-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

I am sorry to announce the death of Vietnamese pop oversea. The future of nhạc trẻ resides in the east. The influence of classic rocks from the 60's, disco of the 70's and new wave in the 80's will give way to a new genre of Vietnamese music. The 90's marked the birth of mainland pop with the emergence of Phương Thanh, Lam Trường, and later Đan Trường. Chinese pop with ballads like "Tình Đơn Phương" and "Kiếp Ve Sầu" steered the music of the latter half of that decade. Current releases from the Sài-Gòn transport albums with beats and rhymes obviously infected by American and Korean Pop, mainly hip-hop and R&B.

I usually overlook these albums believing that they are "instant noodles" that will fade with the flip of my finger on the ipod. I was wrong as I found myself obsessed with Hà Anh Tuấn's Sài-Gòn Radio. I could not refrain from joining the chorus "Một thằng bé nghe đài, hát vang trời" or gyrating to the topsy "Con Quây." Syrupy "Bóng Mưa" and "Lời Nhắn Số 4" mysteriously appeared on my "Most Addictive" play list.

A reader raised the question of what exactly is Vietnamese nhạc trẻ. The answer is quite simple. You can ignore the roots or influences because they are of no importance. Vietnamese artists are the masters of absorbing international pops. Therefore, inspiration and guidance can come from any sources not just American or French pop. More importantly, nhạc trẻ must appeal to the younger generation as it accurately reflects on the current youth sentiments at the same time charms older listeners into a budding state of mind.

I played Tùng Phong while my thirteen years old sister (the harshest critic of pop music, especially Vietnamese Pop) was in the room. As "Trọc" came to an end, she unexpectedly asked for the artist and name of the song. She did admit, however, the execution of rap interlude is still embarrassingly in its infancy. Even though the album is a giant package of ramen, Phan Đình Tùng have successfully reached the younger audiences with his music.

The avalanche of music coming from Việt Nam with crisp album arts and crafted sound proclaim a progressive step in the future nhạc trẻ. The sprouting new faces and voices carry with them individual senses of style that are essential in pop. The twilight of oversea names like Elvis Phương, Lê Uyên Phương, Thanh Lan, Don Hồ, Linda Trang Đài, will now yield to a more contemporary wave of artists.

Do It Like Bonobos!

2009-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

These monkeys are awesome! From the same genus as the chimpanzees, bonobo monkeys possess many human characteristic behaviors leading many philosophers to argue for "their rights to survival and life"

I am impressed by their use of sex play to greet each other and resolve conflicts:

Bonobo males frequently engage in various forms of male-male genital sexual behavior (frot).[22][23] In one form, two males hang from a tree limb face-to-face while "penis fencing"[24][25]. Frot also may occur when two males rub their penises together while in face to face position. A special form of frot called "rump rubbing" occurs to express reconciliation between two males after a conflict, when they stand back-to-back and rub their scrotal sacs together.

More on Bonobos.

Bare It in the Snow

2009-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

The many things I think about when on the ski lift are ways I can perfect my carving skills on the way down the next slope, how beautiful the City of Big Bear is one thousand feet above, and the manner I would land if I accidentally slipped off the chair. The scenario to follow never really comes to mind until now. Check out the photos

Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General

2009-01-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

Despite much criticisms on reporting and the Michael Moore disputes along with republicans strong disapproval, Sanjay Gupta is an excellent candidate for Surgeon General appointment. Compared to the current acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galston, Gupta is overqualified. The state of the nation's public health is in dire straits with obesity following insurance cost, access to care and cancer as the U.S. most urgent health problems. Sanjay Gupta's ability to communicate effectively to the general public may be crucial in promoting and improving health awareness.