Everyone loves "I Love You, Man"

It has been a long time since I've seen unanimous positive consensus on a movie. I thought maybe "Slumdog Millionaire" would be the breakout, but some of my friends strongly disliked the movie. Go figure.















So I was kind of surprised that my friends, future in-laws and random co-workers all gave "I Love You, Man" the thumbs up. I was expecting it to be another raunchy comedy and I was expecting to have some LOL* moments but I certainly wasn't expecting to leave feeling so happy. It really combined elements of outrageous humor and heart-filled moments in an original storyline that tied together neatly like a beautiful department store gift-wrapped present - with the exception that you cannot get from Silver Lake to Venice in 30 minutes no matter what time of day it is in Los Angeles!

Borrowing from JesusH.com, 5 Pocchacos!

*I know using IM/text message abbreviation in a blog post is obnoxious but what can I say, I've succumbed to this ultra-lame behavior! When in Rome...

Cost-cutting Consequences

Like every other company, our company has caught cost-cutting fever. Gone is a color copier. Anything that can, has gone digital. There is dramatically less free food leftover from meetings. But none of these things have caused the amount of water cooler chat as the elimination of milk. Because I'm part of the growing lactose intolerant population, I've never paid much attention to the milk supply but I seriously couldn't avoid the topic. People just couldn't stop talking about it. It's to the point that my colleague keeps her milk in a baby bottle to ensure noone touches her precious milk. As Cathy would say "Ack!"

Anyway don't feel too bad for us. The milk was temporarily suspended but it's now back in limited quantities. And it's been made clear that the milk is only for coffee. Apparently people were using it for their daily cereal. Can we say moral hazard?

There's no crying in yoga...

But maybe upchucking? I just finished P90X yoga for the first time and when I say finished, I mean that in the loosest terms possible. I got nauseous just watching them do the crane pose (image below for those non-yogis out there).

















Maybe eating that Vietnamese sandwich beforehand wasn't such a good idea.

Korean BBQ Tacos!!!!

There's nothing like standing in a Korean Taco Truck line for over an hour with a bunch of hipsters, some shaking what their Momma gave them to Tupac, to make you feel young again!



















On a side note, the food was freakin' delicious!!! Korean spicy pork, beef short ribs, tofu and spicy chicken over corn tortillas - who woulda thunk it? They also make some mighty fine breakfast burritos - same filling with eggs, potatoes and cheese added. Yum!
















Sorry for the blurry pics - only had my blackberry camera with me.

Double oy vey - college football upset post #2

My heart hurts. I hate when my anxious, nervous foreboding feelings materialize into awful reality.

Oregon State 27 - USC 21.










I still heart you Pete Carroll.

Brand Bully

Why is it that the meaner someone is to you, the more you like them? That's how I feel about Tom Fishburne. I totally heart Tom Fishburne. He mocks brand marketers through comics. Wow, we brand people can be pretty ridiculous.

Oy vey - college football upset!

Colorado just upset #21 West Virginia. The Buff fans just stormed the field and tore down the goal post. In all my years at the Coliseum cheering on my beloved Trojans, I have never seen that happen. But getting back to the upset, seeing that 'SC is #1 right now, games like this make me uneasy! However I have always felt that West Virgina is overrated...

Book Review: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

It seems like I may be the last person in Los Angeles to have read this book but what the heck, I'll write a review anyway! Every person I've mentioned this book to has always had positive things to say about Bel Canto. One of my friends called it "a beautifully written book." I find that an odd description as I'm not sure I found it beautifully written, but I did find the story beautifully tragic. And I have a renewed interest in discovering opera. However, given my short attention span and lack of appreciation for fine arts, I'm sure I'll discover that I wish they'd make movies based on operas so I don't have to sit through the opera.

Valentine's Day Quote

With V-Day just around the corner, I thought I'd lend you a starting hand with the most romantic line I've heard in a very long time.

In an attempt to coax Meddlesome to hang out a little longer, the smoothest line you'll ever hear from a 3-year old boy emerged:

"You're my chocolate milk and I'm gonna drink you up!"

Happy Birthday to Tall Girl!

If you were here, I'd treat you to kona pie at Islands. Oh well, here's a pic instead.

All-Time Festivus Grievance: Crazy Craisins

I got a grievance to air. How in the world are Craisins still on the market? 2008 marks the 15th anniversary of these little boogers. Let's back it up. Or as George Costanza would do, picture George's palms beckoning you towards him as he goes "beep...beep" I was the first person in line, prepared to sing from the rooftops about this amazing hybrid invention. I like cranberries. I like raisins. Ergo, no doubt I would LOVE craisins!

So imagine my dismay when I find out they are none other than freakin' dried cranberries!!! As a marketer, I should praise them for their ingenious way of duping consumers to pay double the price for a product that is as old as Thanksgiving. However this is one of those times when being a marketer and a civilian are in conflict. I am so offended by Craisins that I might have to start a boycott petition.

BOO CRAISINS!!!




Fro Yo and W suggested I share my Craisin gripe with the blogging community, so I dedicate this gripey post to them.

Boo J. Crew!

Jemifus doesn't understand why I'm so worked up about this. But I'm sure Meddlesome or W can empathize. Who doesn't love the deliciousness that is the J. Crew catalogue? I almost cried with joy at the spectacularness of the issue shot in Paris. Oui Oui!

So imagine my anguish, disappointment and shock when I placed an order that racked up a shipping charge of $15 and did not receive my package. The thing is, a confirmation email was issued promptly to me after I hit the "Order Now" button...kindly reminding me of the exorbitant costs of the items I purchased. Well, a few days later I check JCrew.com and see that my order has shipped. So I patiently wait for my 'final sale' cashmere sweaters to arrive, pretending that I don't see the mailroom delivery guy bypassing my office every day and dropping important looking packages to my colleague next door.

Skip to present day - which is 11 days after my online purchase - I email Jcrew customer service. My first note is very matter-of-fact, merely inquiring for details on the status of my order. The response I receive makes my blood boil. Apparently UPS was unable to deliver because they didn't have a suite number. That is such bullcrap. I can't tell you how much I hate UPS. I'm sure www.UPSsucks.com already exists but if it doesn't, somebody should set that up. But I digress. So the response email also says that I can either write back with my complete shipping address or contact UPS directly. Isn't it interesting that J.Crew can be so conscientious about sending me a confirmation email telling me about all the money I owe them for my purchase but isn't so good about emailing me when there are delivery issues for items I've already paid for?! My next email to Jcrew customer service is as follows:

"Dear Angela (J Crew rep),

My shipping address is: blah blah blah.

Can you please expedite my shipping without charging me extra? I think it is unacceptable that noone contacted me about this. First of all, I work for a company that can locate me in the system with the address provided sans building number. Second of all, what would have happened if I did not contact you? Would you never have delivered my package? Lastly, I order frequently from Jcrew.com. What incentive do I have for continuing to shop online if I can't trust the shipping service?"

So I ask those not named Jemifus, do you think my note was too harsh or a bit melodramatic? I think not!

Carded!

Last week, I introduced Jemifus to Mijares, an old Pasadena establishment, that was introduced to me by fellow Pasadenians. Jemifus had just returned from a long business trip. I had just made it through another atrocious week. And it was TGIF. I decided to let loose and deviate from my usual beverage of choice, Diet Coke, and tagged on a Corona light to my order. Our waitress paused and before writing my order, asked to see my ID. I was annoyed that she asked for my ID b/c if I were underage, would I really order a diet coke and a beer? Wouldn't I order like a sex on the beach or something? I hate when people don't exercise logic! But I obliged and received the oddest compliment. Our waitress said "Wow" when she looked at my ID. And since I have high self-esteem, I assume the "Wow" was as in "Woooooow girl, you look damn good for your age!" Note: I haven't been 21 in over 10 years. What was even more delightful was that Jemifus had ordered a margarita before me and our waitress didn't even blink.

And for the record, I began this mostly non-gripey post before Jemifus' unauthorized guest post. That's right...I'm not all gripe, all the time.

The Gripe Train

This is an unauthorized guest post from Jemifus.

Did you notice that V-Train just added labels to her blog, and that the label "Gripes" outnumbers the runner up by nearly two to one? Sometimes I think she only calls herself V-Train because Angry Little Asian Girl was taken.

Against the Norm

It's official; Norm Chow has gone over to the dark side. That's probably why he looks so distraught in this picture.

Grody Neighbors

I generally dislike people. So it's not surprising that I have less than love for my neighbors. Don't we all have crazy neighbors in our 'hood? But mine aren't just crazy - they're grody! I'll call them the Grodies.

I live in the middle unit on the first floor of a condo complex. Also important to know is that my unit is in between the elevator and the grody neighbors' unit. This is significant because quite frequently, they lug crap from their luxury import car to their unit via a stolen Target shopping cart. Oh yeah, the floors are tile too. So picture me, lounging peacefully on my couch perusing my People magazine and then the jolting "BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM" coming by. It takes me a few minutes for my heart rate to go down and back to enjoying the "Stars - They're Just Like Us" section...okay you got me, I'm really reading US Magazine but I thought People sounded more respectable. Anyway that's not the point. As I'm back in my blissful state, "BOOM BOOM BOOM" again! And though it's annoying to be jolted twice, it's better than the alternative - the Grodies have a tendency to leave the shopping cart in the courtyard instead of taking it back to the underground garage. Even more annoying than that, they sometimes have the nerve to push the cart in front of other people's units so it's out of their way!

There are just so many wrongs there that I don't know where to begin. It's inconsiderate to make all that noise. It's lazy considering they could just make multiple trips; they are both able-bodied very fit, bordering anorexic people. It's totally criminal and don't think I haven't considered reporting them to the Shopping Cart Association. And the worse I think is that they're causing our place to look ghetto! I moved out of L.A. proper into the burbs of Pasadena. And for that sacrifice, I expect to live in a picturesque setting!

And if it was just that shopping cart, maybe I could deal. But what really puts me over the top is that they treat our common courtyard as their own. All of the units have huge patios; they're about 400 square feet. Yet the Grodies insist on wining and dining in the courtyard, which is annoying enough to see their stupid faces when I come home at night. But it gets worse, they leave remnants of their eating behind. WTF - this is not a hotel!


Actually what REALLY pushes my blood to boil is the Grodies have grody cats! Keep in mind, all of the units are around 1100 square feet. That's pretty good for a couple and maybe one medium-sized pet. But the Grodies have THREE ginormous cats. I've never seen cats like these - they are each easily 3 times the size of a chihuahua. Do you even dare imagine what the Grodies' unit smells like? And the Grodies let their creepy cats out in the courtyard unattended all the time. Can you imagine how frightening it is to step out of your door at night and see 3 pairs of crazy cat eyes staring at you. And these cats don't scare easily. YUCK YUCK YUCK. Even grodier than the unattended freakishly large cats is when they are being attended by their anorexic owner who likes to comb their feline hair in the courtyard.


I'm pretty sure the Grodies know I have contempt for them. I've been pondering what the appropriate behavior is when I see them...currently I don't acknowledge them. But I feel like my silence means I'm tacitly condoning their grodiness. Any tips would be much appreciated.