No, not the kind Michael Jackson uses. The anime kind that I have a sick addiction to. Bleach gives me the same sense of anticipation I get from Lotto winnings, women, and zombies. There's lots of violence, drama, and a talking cat. The description of the show really doesn't do it justice:

Ichigo Kurosaki is a normal high school student -- except that he has the ability to see spirits. But when a Soul Reaper named Rukia gives him her power to defeat an evil ghost, he's tasked with keeping the city safe from the monstrous Hollow spirits that plague the world's earth-bound souls.

And that description only applies for a short time, after that things get really interesting, weird and very violent. And yet, still a whole hell of a lot of fun.

While it really has nothing to do with China (Bleach is Japanese), I did discover an anime site allows me to download my favorite show and not wait for it week by week on Adult Swim. The one thing you discover getting the original versions is how much they clean it up the  American broadcast. The "Soul Reapers" are really called "Death Gods." And the sword they use, "Zanpakuto" is called a "Soul Slayer." And don't forget the occasional profanity. Apparently, Adult Swim ain't all that adult.

As with most anime it is based on manga (Japanese comics). The manga is on issue 280 or so, and the anime is up to 132.  I'm watching episode 63 right now, epidsode 40 is on in the States. And yes, I will watch both versions. Naruto, too. Time with the Soul Society is time well spent.

Last week, I was told by my friend/boss type that I'm so in to my work that I'm letting my China experience pass me by. Even though I denied it, I know there is some truth to the statement. I'm working a lot (and not enough because I know me) to get some things done. I felt like I let some things slip in my last slot. Sure, I was sick for almost 5 and a half months but, what the hell kind of excuse is that? Oh yeah, I was told to stop being so hard on myself. Normally, I tend to ignore that particular comment but, this weekend I heard someone else getting the same speech. And I heard the same protest coming out of her mouth. Now let me say I was watching a subtitled anime show at the time... A little crazy, I know but, since I don't believe in coincidence, I had to take note. It all about the patterns...

So, I'm really sore today because I decided to take the rest of the weekend off and spend it with some people I barely know and do things I that I normally wouldn't. And yes, I will take a few trips while I'm here. I will go to the Great Wall and Hong Kong, at least. Small steps.

 Hmmm, so this is what it takes to get me blogging again.

How do I know? Well, today...

One of my closest friends, who known me for a significant portion of our lives, found a place that she said made great cupcakes & that I would love it. So, I asked her to get me 3 of them. Now, to her credit, she (& her husband) did suggest that I try one before I get that many. But, hey she talked it up like it was the best thing since Christina Ricci in "Black Snake Moan." You guys, know I love my skanks from the South, right? So what the hell, three sounds good to me...  After a particularly unhealthy dinner, I thought, "Cupcake, welcome to hell."  Jokes on me. After the first bite, I literally had to force myself to finish one of the nasty bastards. Now, I'm stuck with 2 cupcakes that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Oh wait, yes I would...

Anyone tells you about a cupcake place in Wallingford Center, run! Run, like you would if Dick Cheney suggested a hunting trip...

Crap. Accidentally deleted this one. :S

Just back from seeing the new movie Black Snake Moan starring Christina Ricci, Samuel L. Jackson, and Justin Timberlake. No, I did not make up that title but, I do like it! It was a small story, with a limited number of characters and locations. Christina Ricci (little Wednesday Addams is 27 now) was a delight as Rae, a girl of questionable actions. Some might call Rae a girl of questionable character but, I didn't see it that way. There were reasons why she did the things she did. It would be easy focus on the character's sexuality and flagrant disregard for her own well-being but, damn if being chained to a radiator, by a broken-down blues man (with issues of his own) doesn't teach her a thing or two. Jackson revels in his role as Lazarus, a name that is more than symbolic. And Timberlake may be a surprise to some but, after his 2 runs on SNL, I know the kid has some skills. You're going to see more of him. Overall, the movie was a surprisingly funny and revealing slice of life in the South. Sure it's pretty far-fetched but, I wanted reality I would turn on the news. 

Tomorrow, my thirteen week obsession comes to an end. MyNetworkTV's "Wicked, Wicked Games" & "Watch Over Me" are coming to a close. About three weeks ago I confirmed the final dates of the show and went through the necessary 5 stages of grief. Now understand, the shows were only intended to run for 13 weeks but, I wanted more. Don't worry, I'm at the stage of "Acceptance."

Five nights a week for over for over 3 months, I have been addicted to solid, trashy goodness. My evenings have revolved around these two shows as many of my friends can attest. Social engagements often took a back seat to Blythe Hunter & the story of Jack Porter and Julia Rivera. After months of being sick & dealing with other issues that I can talk about later, pure escapism was just what I needed and I wouldn't have traded it for anything.

This is why the posts have been infrequent... Hmmm, looking back, nicotine and black tar heroin would have been easier to kick. But not nearly as fun.

For some reason, this is my favorite news story in quite some time. I have a hard time believing that could happen here. At the same time I like that is shows that all it takes to initiate change is for someone to try. It's amazing how willing we are to give up on others. I've been guilty of it. But, I do know it doesn't always have to be that way.

BTW, this is my first post with the newest beta of Windows Live Writer. So many improvement and more to come... Great going, Rebecca & team! Okay now back to me.

Last week started bad. Not too surprising I suppose, lately I've had a lot of bad days. And I know there are more to come. That's not not me being negative or fatalistic, just realistic. That, and you don't know know the whole story. No need for full disclosure, this ain't a confession booth, you know.

Keeping in the theme of bad, without a doubt the holiday season of 2006 was the worst ever. I was sick from mid-November to early January. I've gotten better, still not a 100% but, closer. Even now, I still have a cough that causes small children and animals to run far away. The elderly clutch their chests when I cough. I guess they associate me a little to closely with their own mortality. Anyway, there are various other things that have stressed me, somewhat. Nothing I can't handle. After all, when you've already had the worst period of your life, the bad times are not so bad. I know what bad is, this stuff is hilarious in comparison.

Besides, I think things are going to get pretty interesting. Not Jack Bauer or Heroes interesting, of course. But, good enough for me.

There is a trend in television that I really want to see grow; putting entire episodes online. Thanks to the networks starting to catch up with technology, I am able to clear up some space on the TiVo and make room for quality shows like "Wicked, Wicked Games" and "Watch Over Me." Sadly, I am somewhat addicted to these telenovelas...  And by "somewhat" I mean completely.

Finally caught up on "Heroes", now you can too, right here. The future does not look good for the as yet un-titled folks. I mean are they mutants, metahumans, or freaks? I've got to label them somehow!

The funniest show on television is "30 Rock." Don't even try to argue with me, you'll lose. Where else can you hear stunning dialogue like: "Sneaky Taiwanese tranny who stole my watch!" Pure gold, my friends, pure gold. And Tina Fey was one People's 50 Most Beautiful People, what more could you ask for?

Another unexpected pleasure is "The Class" on CBS. Lizzy Caplan's "Kat Warbler" is the breakout character delivering the best lines. Jason Ritter is usually her straight man.

On an unrelated note; the other day, on one of the cartoon networks they showed the 1978 Challenge of the SuperFriends, Episode: The Time Trap: Batman and Robin facing off against Solomon Grundy. In a pivotal moment, Grundy grabs them both by their legs. Robin begins to freak and Batmans says (a direct quote): "Robin, use your Bat-Lube!" BAT_LUBE! Holy Christ, Batman! Not in front of everybody! Damn! Imagine the fine that episode would get from the present ultraconservative FCC?

Time flies. I let about a month and a half go by without an update. We got more than a little busy on the trip, and I couldn't keep up. Upon our return, I promptly got bronchitis. So, to make this quick, photos are here. Over the holidays, I'll try to add some to this site. And I'm going to give a quick recap of the rest of the trip. Naturally, I'm going to gloss over a lot.

Beijing: After Seoul, we went to China. China, land of the Great Wall, Communism and a billion people. I didn't get a chance to see The Great Wall, but in Beijing I did get to see The Forbidden City. Although to be honest, when David (my co-worker) proposed going I wasn't that thrilled about it. Naturally, not knowing much about the place, I thought it was just a title. It was a massive place and as another friend pointed out, it is a city. And an impressive one at that. And I got to see a whole lot of Chinese... I got stared at a bit in Beijing. It is not commonplace to see a black person in Beijing. Usually it was the older crowd that took a minute to look me over. It was fine, I looked at them too, and I took their pictures. The more interesting the character, the better.

So many people, so many places to see. In a very short time. With work being the reason I was there, I tried to cram in as much as possible in the time available. Our co-worker, Maggie, took us out to for a nice dinner. And we got to see a very different side of China than we normally would have.

Shanghai: The differences between Beijing and Shanghai were immediately evident. Coming into to Shanghai at night it was a little like seeing New York with a touch of Vegas. Shanghai is definitely my kind of town. We stayed in the Jin Mao Tower, an amazing piece of architecture. You do tend to notice the 3rd largest building in world. We made many friends there and saw a lot different stuff. Annie and her team were so cool to spend time with. We got to see a familiar face in our co-worker, Jameelah, who moved there from Redmond with her family. Even though I'm not spending much time on it, Shanghai was my favorite place for reasons too numerous to mention.

Tokyo: Even coming from Shanghai, Japan is quite the startling change of pace from China. Traffic is neat and orderly, taxis are clean and the drivers polite. Our co-worker, Aya, joined us for this leg of the journey. A good thing, too. He's a native speaker and made it much easier to get around. Everything you heard about Tokyo is true. It is a huge city and very complex. For an outsider with little free time, it was somewhat difficult to navigate. Or maybe it is just that I have no sense of direction... One of the odd things I found in Tokyo is that everyone seems to have a keen sense of fashion. I felt a tad self-conscious in that city. And more than a bit like a pauper. Beer and saki helped me work it out. Bad therapy, very bad. Anyway, I liked it a lot and the team was very good to us. They, like all of the teams went out their way to make us feel welcome. I know we don't as good of a job here.

I got to see a lot of history in Beijing, enjoyed the city & people of Shanghai, I let go a bit in Tokyo.

And in a neat twist, Annie is visiting here right now, and Jameelah will be here next week. Time to repay the hospitality.

Damn, I'm rambling. Overall, the experience was well worth it. Even considering the ripple effect...

Putting the layover behind me... Seoul was too cool.

Today, was my first real outing in the city. I had worked through the night when we got here on Sunday, presented on Monday and slept right after I ate Monday evening. Tuesday, today, the team in Seoul presented to us. Once we had agreed upon some action items and next steps, Kyung Ae & JiSoo gave David & I a mini-tour. We went to a palace but it was closed by the time we left work. No big deal, getting there was fun enough. The auxillary plan was to go to the N Seoul Tower. I had seen it from the hotel but, didn't know what to expect up close. Leaving the taxi, we had a steep walk uphill to the entrance. It served to remind me that it might be a good idea to hit gym more frequently... Nevertheless, I have to say, it was worth it. The thing is tall, really tall. On the inside, you get a panoramic view of Seoul that only became more impressive as it got dark. We left the tower by way of a trolley that gave us yet another view of the city that is hard to describe. Go to the website, it's much more impressive than my half-assed descriptions.

We were all starving by this point and took a bus to another part of the city to meet Jeong for dinner. David pointed out that in this part of town, the blocks were were clustered by stores that sole the same types of goods. There was a block of furniture stores, one of motorcycles shops, jewelry on the next and so on. We could not figure out how they all stayed in business. Kyung picked a place for dinner that was so hidden, Jeong had a hard time finding it. But, he did make it & with the stuff we really needed.Jeong saved our butts with the visas! The food was a traditional Korean dinner and was very good. As usual, David was more experimental than me... But, I did try one of the kimchi dishes, it seared off my tastebuds. Of course, I had no problem downing the shots of booze. Don't judge me, I know my limits. And I have a delicate constitution, like a little flower.

Anyway, Kyung, JiSoo, and Jeong, thank you! You were great hosts and we really enjoyed ourselves.

That's right, we stopped in Tokyo for what was supposed to a be a brief layover. If your version of 'brief' is that the fight is cancelled and you have to stay in a hotel out in the sticks and wait a few hours for your room... Still, David (my co-worker) and I decided that we needed to appreciate the experiences no matter what they were. After all, we were in Japan. And everything was being taken care of by the airline.

Dinner was a buffet Japanese style, of course. I had some sushi and various other things. Except for my throbbing lack of sleep headache, everything was going well. David wanted me to try some fruit I had never seen or heard of before. I took a bite and somehow, it immediately exited my mouth and ended up on the floor where it belonged. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to be your typical 'ugly American' but, the fruit particle left my mouth under it's own volition. Far be it from me to impose my will upon another sentient being. It tasted so wrong. I'm convinced that this was because we off our timetable and when we're supposed to be in Tokyo, it will all even out.

The next morning (Sunday), we took the bus to the airport and headed to Seoul.   

Heroes - The first episode did not grab me. It made me curious but, nothing more. The second episode was intriguing. The third episode got me hooked.   And they have a great official site, 9th Wonders. You don't have to tell me what I dork I am, I kind of know.

30 Rock - Tina Fey + Alec Baldwin + Tracy Morgan = Funny. Obviously, Saturday Night Live was holding Tina Fey back. Alec Baldwin is one of the most clever human around. He may have some anger issues according to his ex-wife but, damn it, I would drink with the guy. Tracy Morgan, never really did much for me on a regular basis but, I think this is he breakout performance.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - Just got done watching the pilot and this one might be my favorite. Smart, funny, and fast. Aaron Sorkin has a gift. Doing for show business what he did for politics. This one I will watch. Matthew Perry & Bradley Whitford, who knew? Apparently, Amanda Peet did. Although, the real secret weapon of the show is Sarah Paulson, she always is.

NBC is clearly rockin' the house this year.

If it weren't for TiVo, I would have a hard time leaving the country for 3 weeks. Oh wait, that would be me lying to you.

Okay, barring any unforeseen events, like military action that prompts me to either get involved or get out, this time next week, I'll be in Seoul, South Korea (then Beijing, Shanghai and finally Tokyo). It's for work so don't expect any delightful tales of drunkeness, gangwares, or sudden marriage(s). Okay, I'm sure something will happen that will involved the me running for refuge at the local company campus or US Embassy. Just kidding, overlords (necessary discliamer that I don't mean or guarantee). I will try and capture as much of the local flavor as I can when not working, recovering from jet-lag, avoiding local crime bosses, and other Americans (I see US Americans all of the time, this place is lousy with'em).

Now, I wasn't going to mention that fact this early but, I just was watching the news. G.W. was commenting on the unanimous vote for a UN resolution, "We are united in our determination to see that the Korean peninchula is nuclear weapons free." That's right, he pronounced "nuclear" correctly for the first time in, oh I don't know, ever. But, to all things there is a balance and he decided today was the day the US would start pronouncing "peninsula" as "peninchula". That's a C student, folks.

We are number 1. But, not in our mastery of the English language...

As my friends and co-workers have discovered over time, I am not a morning person. Sure, I get up early for various reasons but, the first thing I do not want to do is talk. This week, I started going to a new Starbucks. Why? Well, in case you can't guess, I started to get a little annoyed at the old one. It all started with a barista asking me my name, that was a couple of weeks ago. It snowballed from there. And now, well it's like I'm friggin' Norm from Cheers. One could take this as a sign to stop with the fancy 3 tall non-fat, no whip mochas, which it probably is, but I'm being stubborn. This week has been crappy and I'm a little bit tired of losing. I know losing is momentary and it will pass. 

On the bright side, by most accounts, I am extremely lucky. Normally, at this point, one would illustrate why that is, but, I can't. Okay, won't. But don't worry, I'm not going to say, "Trust me." And I sure as hell ain't going to say, "Good morning, (insert your name here)."

Well, I'm feeling pretty good! Thanks to a little test (thanks to POP Candy for the link), I've discovered that my dead celebrity soulmate is the foxy and deadly Lucrezia Borgia. While I don't believe in soulmates or dating the dead, I'm pretty sure there is something of value here. So, yeah, feeling good. Here are the results:

Lucrezia Borgia responds...
"You sound really cute! Daddy and my brother would probably go crazy if they knew that I was agreeing to talk to you, but I don't care. Just don't tell anyone for now, okay?"

What your date might be like...
Should you end up having dinner with Ms. Borgia, we cannot stress enough that you should be very, very careful about what you eat and drink. There have been reports of a special ring with a secret compartment, used to transport and deliver toxic substances to unsuspecting victims-- but this has not been confirmed. Beyond that, Ms. Borgia is a happy and vivacious young woman, and you will surely have fun together, whatever you end up doing. The Borgias are a very traditional family, and you can expect to be heavily scrutinized by both her brother Cesare and father, Pope Alexander VI; chances for a long-term relationship (or life) are slim if they find you unacceptable. As with all initial face-to-face contacts made through our service, we strongly recommend that you tell at least two friends where you're going and how long you plan to be gone; and if you can, try to plan any activities in public spaces. Make sure anything you eat remains in your sight at all times and who knows? This might be the one!

Doesn't that sound delightful? Everyone has some family issues and that poison ring might be a deal-breaker (okay, only if she used it on me). And really, travelling back in time to make this happen is probably not as difficult as one might think.  All things considered, it could be worse.

You would think, after a certain age, we all start to grow up. Truth is, no one ever really does. They just pretend. Or that just might be the people I hang out with...

Here is a note I left for my friend, Evan: "If you're reading this, I just sold your kidney."

After getting off the plane, Evan & I at a car rental place in LA:

ME: "Uh, you really think a stick of gum is going to cover up all of the vodka? Damn, you reek!"
Evan: "You can smell that?"
ME: "My eyes are watering. I'm getting 2nd-hand drunk."

A voicemail from my buddy, Dan: "Boy, brakelines sure are easy to cut... Just sayin'"

My friend Bill & his wife just had a baby, Lily. I heard about it secondhand. I expressed my displeasure in IM. Take note.

ME: Congratulations on the new girl.
Bill: thx, love 'er
ME: I have to hear about these things 2nd hand?
Bill: ?
ME: send an e-mail, bastard!
Bill: well, we were pretty good about notifications with max and got kind of lazy with lily
there are *family* members we didn't directly notify, lol
ME: I didn't even get an e-mail about Max. I hate your monkey ass
Bill: besides, i often wonder how much people want to hear about that stuff.
 lol. my monkey ass.
ME: of course I want to know.
Bill: i never realized how small Tom Cruise's hands were (editor's note my IM pic was Tom Cruise)
ME: you know, we're going to know one another until we're old men or one us get's shivved in prison.
Bill: i hope so
ME: I hope your kid's put you in one of those homes you see on 60 Minutes!
Bill: lol!
ME: damn you
Bill: you kidding? i'll be living in THEIR houses
you sure i didn't send you an email about max?
ME: like they want the kind of grief you're giving me...
nope
Bill: maybe it was an IM message
ME: nope
you suck
Bill: how can you be so sure
it was three and a half YEARS ago
ME: I catalog every slight
I'm petty that way
Bill: lol... i never disbelieved it

This is how intelligent men express themselves. Classy, I know. And really no conversation is ever complete without the mention of someone getting a shiv or a shank. It ain't pretty but, it's the way of the world. You had to learn sometime.

 Somewhere, out there, is the funniest damn being walking the planet. How else can one account for this piece of sheer genius? That's right I said "genius." Look upon it and marvel.

I've been watching the statistics on my Flickr site for a little while now. And while I don't claim to be an photographic genius by any means, I know that there are some interesting photos on my site. Some from various locations in Italy, some of my friends and just things that catch my eye. What is the most viewed photo on the site? This one!! What the hell?! A woman who had an insanely long ponytail. It's not a clear photo or well composed, just a someone that come into Geraldine's in Georgetown and who was ordering breakfast. But, that's the one the freaks are going to...

Sniff, I feel so dirty.

Okay, I know I wrote about it yesterday but, I have to say this blog captured my feelings perfectly. Okay, not quite, but it is pretty good. Steve had a lot of humor about himself and knew how most Austalians saw him:

"Crikey means gee whiz, wow!"

"When I see what's happened all over the world, they're looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior, Australian bloke. And yet back here in my own country some people find me a little bit embarrassing."

I found it hard to believe until my co-worker, an Aussie made a comment to that effect. And although I consider him a friend, I have to say, what a bastard. Steve Irwin did more for Australia than anyone else ever has and in a way that many will remember for years to come. Everyone interviewed about him said that was what you saw was the real deal.

And while I definitely feel for his wife, Terri. Look at anyone of their shows and you see what they had. One thing to remember is that their kids will get to know what their father was like (in a way). They'll have hours of footage of a guy who lived life to the fullest. A guy that the world will not forget. 

So long, Steve.

It's been a busy weekend. A little bit of work, not as much as I would have liked. I've had a few friends take me out at various times for my birthday.

Last night, Marc, Shawna and I met Judy & Chris at Bumbershoot to watch Zero7. The concert was okay, the crowd was into it. Afterwards, we went to The Garage for late night drinks. There was a lot of serious debate about the age of our server (she was 24) and whether or chai & yoga is manly (Marc & I say no). I got home a little bit later than I had planned on but, the whole evening was fairly spontaneous anyway... Even as late as it was, I did check news on the web to see what was going on in the world and saw the horrible news about the death of "Crodile Hunter", Steve Irwin. That definitely put a damper on the evening. Irwin was a guy, that I always looked upon with a mixture of disbelief and amazement. You could always see how much he loved what he doing and that he never blamed the animals for anything that happened to them. Steve knew that animals are true to their natures, and so was he.

Today, Tina, Grant, and I went to Meridan 16 to see Crank. Not as entertaining as I had hoped. It was kind of like watching a live version of Grand Theft Auto, it was the kind of story that had no one to root for and in the end, no winners. Only losers. Hard to get behind that kind of story. The best thing about it was a counter-point ad from Coke of all things. It is an commercial done in Grand Theft Auto style but with a completely opposite message. And thanks to YouTube, you can check it out here!

And over at the blog, Ants in Space, there are some nifty photos of New Mexico. Antonia has quite the eye for scenery...