10/31/2006

Many many questions...

This is what you have to pay for browsing other ppl's blog... 55 questions.

1. NAME:
James Yang

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Bond, James Bond

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
When watching "Dear Frankie" on a plane to TW, without sound.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I like my English handwriting, definitely not Chinese.

6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
None that I am awared of.

7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
If I were another Libra, I would have annoyed myself so much, friends are very unlikely.

8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
Does blog count?

9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Yes, because I looooove sarcasm.

11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Nope, unless it is for true love. (and true love won't make me bungee jump)

13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope, unless I am trying to impress some people. (e.g. Queen of England)

15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM FLAVOUR?
Rum and Raisin, best one I had was in West Mall Complex, Raven's cafe, SFU.

16. SHOE SIZE?
8.5 or 9, don't remember.

18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
indecisive and turtle hair sometimes.

19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
myself, 10 years younger.

21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING?
greyish blue pants, black shoes.

22. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
fresh pineapple.

23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Report on Business Television.

24 IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Yellow, definitely yellow.

25. FAVOURITE SMELL?
The smell of the air after the rain.

26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE?
Frank, my high school buddy.

27.THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET?
Their eyes.

28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON (PEOPLE) WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Definitely, why else would I spend time answering these questions? :)

29. FAVOURITE DRINK?
Passion Fruit Green Tea.

30. FAVOURITE SPORT?
used to be swimming, golfing... I have to say... web-browsing...

33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
yes.

34. FAVOURITE FOOD?
Taiwanese, Greek, Italian, Korean, and Japanese... actually, there should be more.

35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING?
Happy Ending! Because everything in this world has happy endings... (sarcasm...)

36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Last Sunday, "Flags of our fathers"

37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Purplish shirt with stripes.

39. HUGS OR KISSES?
definitely kisses, you can't kiss alone, but you can hug yourself.

40. FAVOURITE DESSERT?
Grass Jelly.

41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND THE QUICKEST?
No one, I am not asking anyone :).

42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Everyone, I am not asking.

43. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
"The Corporate"

44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
HSBC official mouse pad with "The world's local bank" and "THINK joined up" slogans on them.

46. FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
Sound of cash... actually sound of an engine.

48. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
Copenhagen, Denmark, 15 hours flight from Taiwan, probably similar from Vancouver.

49. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Observation... I watch ppl... (sounds creepy, doesn't it)

51. MOST FAVOURATE/COMFORTABLE PLACE
My bed.

52. WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE YOU HATE THE MOST?
boring ppl.

54. Least Favorite Food?
Chicken feet.

55. Least Favorite Drink?
Taquila, it is just gross.

10/30/2006

I'll Walk Alone...

I am a war-junkie, always have been fasinated by War stories, tatics, weapons... In my relatively recent trips to London and Hawaii, I spent lots of time in military museums. Maybe it is the little boy in me that likes to see destructions and heros. On the other hand, I am very interested in understanding the human aspects of wars, why people kill and why people love.

That is why whenever there is a war movie around, especially with epic battles, I have to see it. This time, it is directed by Clint Eastwood, Flags of our fathers. A quick survey around my friends show lack of interest in war movies. Determined, I went to see the movie by myself, on a Sunday night.

The movie starts with a song from the 40s,

I'll walk alone because to tell you the truth I'll be lonely,
I don't mind being lonely when my heart tells me you are lonely too.
I'll walk alone, they'll ask me why and I'll tell them I'd rather.
There are dreams I must gather, dreams we fashioned the night you held me tight.
I'll always be near you wherever you are each night in every prayer.
If you call, I'll hear you, no matter how far.
Just close your eyes and I'll be there.
Please walk alone and send your love and your kisses to guide me.
Till you're walking beside me, I'll walk alone.

Last year when I started this blog, I mentioned that there are lots of things I cannot do alone, watching movie been one of them. This is only the second time I have watched a movie in a movie theatre by myself. It was odd, I had nowhere to go to but home, and no one to share the thoughts of the movie but me. For a moment there, I am not sure if I'd rather want to walk alone.

10/27/2006

Phantom of the Opera, lover or loser?

For many people in Vancouver, the highlight for summer of '06 has been watching "The Phantom of the Opera".

It wasn't the first time I saw the play, but the beautiful music is still refreshing to listen to. The girls I went with though, were crying their eyes out, according to them, "poor Erik (phantom's name), poor him... sniff sniff, bad Christine, she is a biatch... sniff sniff".

I was pretty perplexed, I couldn't remember how I felt the first time I saw TPOTO, but I am pretty sure I was not feeling sorry for Erik. When the second time I saw it, I definitely am sure that I am NOT feeling sorry for Erik.

Reason is simple, other than the fact that he has poor taste in living environment (a damp, dark basement), his deception and bitterness towards life and people would be hard to bear. Yes, it is true that he had taught Christine and helped her to become the star, but he told her he is the angel sent by her dead father, a deception. Maybe it is the physical deficiency that causes the necessity of the lies, but once you brand yourself as a teacher or even a fathery figure, can you blame the girl for not loving you? That sounds like taking advantage of the authority.

Also, if you really love the person, should you be hiding in the dark (literally) for so many years, not letting her know your feelings? How would you expect a girl to act when you act possesive then kidnapped her in your dungeon (literally) for a few days?

I have no sympathy to how Erik was treated. Just think about a real life situation, Christine would probably get a restraint order and filed civil suits against our beloved Phantom.

But when looking at my female friends sobbing in the theatre, I really hope girls these days are not looking for a man with possesive and deceptive personalities...

10/24/2006

Why go and why stay?

1949, 4 years after the end of World War II, the port city of Bremerhaven was devastated by the allie airraids. Arnold, 17 at the time, was working in a meat deli.

It was a summer evening, one of his friend working at the dock told him that there will be a boat leaving tomorrow morning at 5:30am, and it was going to America. Arnold saw the first hand destruction of Germany, and he wanted to get out, leave the country under reconstruction.

He gathered all the money he had and bought the ticket to America. The journey took him to Montreal, not United States as he first thought. He didn't care though, anywhere would be better than home, anywhere...

Montreal was packed with european foreigners, and the job his friend promised was no longer avaliable. Cash was running low, and he needed to work. His friend told him that he has a cousin who works on the west coast, but Arnold had to take a train to get there.

Arnold used up his remaining savings and took the train. After a few days of train ride, he arrived at a little forest/mining town, Port Hardy, BC. It was late, and dark outside. He wondered around the train station. Then he found a small lake, it was covered with reflection of the sky, the sky filled with stars. Arnold gasped, he then told himself, this will be home, this is where I will stay.

Almost 60 years later, Arnold told me the story with his detectable german accent. He has been working in the forestry industry and has since retired. He said he will be buying a small vineyard next year, something he has been wanting since he was a kid.

He smiled and said, "I will never forget the night with the stars..."

10/20/2006

They are young, successful, and married...

I am doing something I have never done before, spending 3 straight nights with my C list friends. Yes, the married couples.

C list friends have the following characteristics:

1) they love to host home parties, not the ones where everyone gets drunk, but the ones where everyone gets to play monoploy until the cows come home.

2) they love to set up dates, reason is simple, they want to convert you into C list as well.

3) they are very very gossipy, because there is nothing much to talk about in their married life, they love to know who you are going out with, where you went last night, what are you going to do this weekend, and are you gay if you are not seeing anyone...

Oh, and they usually hang out with other C list friends, therefore, isolating most of the A list friends.

There was last night, an outing with 2 pairs of married couples, they were all young (younger than me), successful at what they do, and very married.

When they knew I was not seeing anyone, I had to go through the following interview

1) determine if I am playing with another team (aka. gay)
2) what type girls I like (you like older girls? you like japanese?...)
3) am I avaliable tomorrow night? (so there will be a setup)

When those are out of the way, we got into interesting conversation, we talked about sex, work, movies, and I have to say I had fun hanging out with these C list friends.

But every couples have their own share of problems like any relationships, one couple is raising a young child, one couple is considering moving to a different continent, one couple is starting a new company... The only difference is that they cannot walk away from their problems, and they have to face their hardship together, unlike B list friends, they could just walk away.

Tonight I am going KTV with more of my C list friends...

10/15/2006

男人二十八女人二十五...

我在愛情上是個挺挑食的人(有朋友說這叫犯賤)... 但我一旦吃到好吃的,就天天吃一樣的... 很不幸,人越大,越多東西不吃。我除了一大堆跟感覺很有關係的限制之外,有幾個「絕對不把」得鐵律:

1. 前女友的好朋友
2. 好朋友的前女友

今年加上第三項

3. 25歲以下

我以前是不歧視比我小很多歲的女生,現在還是不歧視,只是不會是考慮的對象而已。為啥?

近年來,我慢慢的了解,男生真的比女生成熟的慢,不論是感情還是工作,他們通常會用很長的時間去認識自己,每步都走的戰戰兢兢,很怕一失足成千古恨,所以你通常會聽到男生會用工作來拋棄女生,不能怪他們,因為他們自己都搞不定…

女生也會有雷同的問題,但她們會來的比較早,而且她們還有生理時鐘的壓力,所以她們更要在某個年紀之前(九成九是二十八歲) 趕快找到自己的方向,所以她們在某個年紀之前是很茫然的,要工作? 要唸書? 要找對象? 好像來日無多…

很多的大男生一直到二十八歲,才能理直氣壯的說,我想要的是什麼。很多的大女孩一直到二十五歲,才能開開心心的尋找自己的幸福。

當然,有很多人非常早熟,但真的不多,反而晚熟的大男生,大女孩越來越多。

我自己已經有個譜,現在就缺個認真尋找自己幸福的女孩,應該二十五以上…

10/10/2006

The party after party...

It has been 29 plus a week for me, and I am still feeling the party after effect, maybe I am still at the denial stage... (I am not 29 I am not 29 I am not 29 I am not 29....)

But, I am feeling like more clubbing lately, even though I had a good share of clubbing since the beginning of this year, not much drinking, a lot of dancing. Maybe it is one of the pre-pre-middle-age crsis. :)

Sexy Back

I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
I think you're special whats behind your back
So turn around and ill pick up the slack.
Take em' to the bridge

Dirty babe
You see these shackles
Baby I'm your slave
I'll let you whip me if I misbehave
It's just that no one makes me feel this way

Take em' to the chorus

Come here girl
Go ahead, be gone with it
Come to the back
Go ahead, be gone with it
VIP
Go ahead, be gone with it
Drinks on me
Go ahead, be gone with it
Let me see what you're tworking with
Go ahead, be gone with it
Look at those hips
Go ahead, be gone with it
You make me smile
Go ahead, be gone with it
Go ahead child
Go ahead, be gone with it
And get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it

Get your sexy on
Go ahead, be gone with it

Get your sexy on

I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
Come let me make up for the things you lack
Cause your burning up I gotta get it fast
Take em' to the bridge

I'm bringing sexy back
Them other boys don't know how to act
If that's your girl you better watch your back
Cause she'll burn it up for me and that's a fact

Take em' to the chorus

Okay, it doesn't make much sense posting a dance music lyrics, but the party is on, inside my twenty-f@#king-nine's head...

10/03/2006

Happy Birthday to me!!! Again...

Another year, another birthday, but this year is a little different, it marks the last year before the age of 30. Some say this will be a depressing year, I am not sure about that though...

With a great start of a great party surrounded by friends, I am sure this will be another fun year!

Time to make another list of goals/wishes:

5 Year List:
My own place (either 300k condo or 400k townhouse, have to keep up with inflation)
Laser eye surgery (might need mental support, will do after the next wish)
Fall in love (yes, and make it last a little longer than 1 month)
30 million portfolio (my clients', not mine)
Travel to Greece (the Aegean Sea...)

The small list for this year:

Hit golf ball straight 80% of the time (at least with 7 ~ 9 irons)
Learn how to drive a stick (might need friends' cars)
Learn to play guitar (maybe self-learning?)
Get Insurance licensed (again...)
Make a new 5 year list (if the above doesn't work :) )