The One About EW...

Truth: I have a secret obsession for pop culture.

Don't worry, I'm not one of those spastic teens on TRL (remember that show?). I'm very subtle. Like when Cee-lo and I accidentally collided at Heathrow Airport, he had no idea I was obsessed with Gnarls Barkley. By the time I accepted his apology, my facebook friends were already liking our chance encounter including my random observation that his unusually soft hands smelled like cream cheese frosting...

And to ensure that I'm always in the loop, I surf Entertainment Weekly's online site (http://www.ew.com/) at least once a day during the work week. It's not a trashy gossip site but a review of movies, tv shows, books and music. One thing I love about EW is their annual list of pop culture's best and worse moments. It's interesting to see which artists and events had a lasting impact. And I couldn't help but wonder what an EW issue would look like featuring my life in 2011. Well, wonder no more! Because I haven't blogged in over two months, I've decided to present my 10 Best and Worse moments of 2011.

Puerto Rico/Thailand - BEST

2011 trips include Miami, Hawaii, Seattle and San Francisco but none can hold a candle to this year's international destinations. And because I couldn't decide between Puerto Rico and Thailand, I'm giving them both the top spot. Just how good were these vacations? After both vacations, I temporarily forgot what I do at work. Now that's how you know you had a good time.

Dad's Misprognosis - WORST

I blogged about my father having these scary black outs. I then spent the next week with him as doctors conducted multiple tests in hopes of determining the root cause. Just when it seemed that he would be discharged, a female doctor told my father that there was partial blockage in a heart valve. As a result, he was now terminal and only had a year left. My father's silence was deafening. Hearing him relay the news to my siblings was extremely difficult. I've never seen such humility as my father understood and accepted his limited mortality. And then it dissappeared in a string of curses as we realized that the doctor (still within initial stages of residency) had misdiagnosed the blockage.

Missing Twin's Church Blessings - WORST

Best: Twin nephews were born this year. My father flew in from Hawaii to help bless the newborn twins in our church. Worst: We slept in and didn't have a proper ride from Salt Lake City to Utah County (about 40 minute drive). My father and I got to the church just as my younger brother finished blessing his sons. It broke my heart to see my father miss this special occasion involving his newest grandsons.

Adele LIVE! - BEST

I can still remember the first time I heard Chasing Pavements. The sad yet sentimental lyrics blew me away. And so did the first single off of Adele's sophomore album, 21. I've seen a number of amazing artists live. But none had me completely spellbound by the raw emotion, sassy chatter and vocal prowess of this British songbird. I dare you find anyone else with the same allure without back up dancers or pyrotechnics.

New Roommate - BEST

I randomly told my female friend/former coworker that I was looking for a roommate. I had no idea she would throw her own hat in the ring. And even more shocking, I thought it would be a great idea. Two months later, I vaguely remember life before she moved in. If you've seen the tv sitcom, New Girl, my roommate gives Jess a run for her money in the adorkable department. Looking forward to many more adventures in 2012.

Used Car for Sale - WORST

I normally lie that I spent $500 on this car. Truth is that I slid $600 in cash across a table at the local Carls Jr (I should have known then it was a mistake!). Mr X handed me the keys and led me towards the fastfood restaurant's dumpster. I immediately dubbed the car, Buster. Sure, Buster gets me from point A to point B. At this point of my life, I was secretly hoping to arrive at Point B in style. Not park a block away from work and pray that no one sees me. BBC's Keeping Up Appearances, anyone?

Revenge - BEST

TV shows/movies driven by lead females are hit or miss. These characters always seem overly emotional or robotic (and sometimes both... Looking at you, Bella Swan!) It's for this reason why I'm in awe of Kill Bill, Nikita (latest tv effort) and now Revenge. If my father took the fall for a heinous crime committed by his super-wealthy friends, I would exact revenge in the same manner Emily Thorne does. She navigates Hampton's slippery society with a confident (and pearly white) smile all the while plotting her enemy's downfall. The overwhelming number of twists and turns will definitely keep me warm this long winter season.

GMAT - WORST

Standardized tests suck. And the GMAT is no exception. As much as I think an MBA would supplement my work experience, I am still disturbed by the need to ace this Business School entrance exam. I didn't get my ideal score. But I'd rather take my chances with this score than take the dreaded test again.

Promotion - BEST
Any sort of recognition feels good. But a promotion at work almost reduced me to tears. It even allowed me to achieve temporary enlightenment. Instead of some crazy celebration, I wrote the following hoping to truly express what I felt. Goal is to remember this feeling as I bog down and vie for Vice President...

"The road less travelled is less travelled for a reason. It's incredibly hard. You might want to give up. And maybe you should. But stick it out and you'll realize why the drive was worth it."

Christmas - WORST

I had planned on spending Christmas in Samoa with my mom and sister. We had planned a fun-filled time including overnight stay at Samoa's best beach resorts. Due to some terrible flight operations (shaking my fist at you, Delta!) I didn't make it... And while I spent some quality time with my younger brother and his family, I couldn't shake the feeling that I missed an amazing opportunity in the homeland.

The One About Hogwarts...

I spent this last weekend at my college’s homecoming for my five-year reunion. Whoa… Five years have flown by since I accepted my diploma at the School of Economics’ graduation. It wasn’t the perfect tv/movie moment I envisioned based on Saved the Bell College edition and Legally Blonde. My name sounded garbled in the department chair’s heavy eastern European accent. Think he even added extra vowels and a couple of syllables… And my poor parents traveled over 4,000 miles only to watch me pushed to center stage (by a faculty member no less…) because I stood in the wings unsure if I were being recognized… Considering that I pulled one all-nighter a week finishing econ papers and problem sets, I should have taken the mic away and announced myself correctly after which the crowd erupted into cheers... Haha! Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda…
 
Reunion was slightly overwhelming. I was bombarded by a number of people asking the same question – what are you up to now? I started repeating the same six words in an almost rhythmic pattern – Salt Lake City. Three Years. Finance. Depending on how close we were in college, I would elaborate a little more but I was more interested in what others were doing. I found out that my fraternity brother cofounded Instagram – a photo sharing app I recently downloaded to my iphone. Another friend was part of a non-profit organization looking to construct more efficient water-wells in Kenya. I even met up with another classmate who is the current spokesperson for Bare Essentials (I’d actually seen the commercial randomly…). A number of other friends were in graduation school or settling down in their career or family. I was so inspired by how my classmates chose to live their lives.
 
Walking around campus and looking at the Richardsonian Romanesque architecture blended with elements reminiscent of Colonial Mission Revival (I was a dedicated tour guide, sue me….), I could not help but enjoy flashbacks from my undergraduate years: biking furiously through the quad as the toll of the bells signaled my tardiness, serenading a couple with my college a capella group before a heartfelt wedding proposal and hiding in the bushes behind Memorial Church as a fraternity pledge while our actives looked for us in a game of Hide and Go Sleep (yeah, it’s not hazing…). People say college is the best four years of your life. It certainly was a magical time for me. For four years, I was part of a world where anything (seriously, anything!) was possible. It was Hogwarts. And I, along with 1700 students, felt like Harry Potter in a four book wondrous series of fortunate events. ‘OOOOO-SIX!
 

The One About Ralph Lauren...

Jet lag is real! I've been completely exhausted since returning from Thailand on Saturday. Oh yeah, I went to Thailand! Haha.
My cousin Ui and I settled on this trip two months ago. And our excitement grew exponentially since that time. Actually... There may have been a slight decline in excitement when our other cousin and third member of the Thailand trio bowed out of the trip the same morning we were supposed to fly out... Oh well, the show must go on! And it did. 20 hours of flight time later (including four layovers) Ui and I finally landed in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is about an hour's flight north of Bangkok and known for the manufacturing of Thai goods like silk, umbrellas, silver and tourist trinkets. We were slightly worried because Chiang Mai was hit by a monsoon the week before and local news reported heavy flooding. But it was as if Fate wanted us to explore Chiang Mai without an Ark because it didn't rain until we left for Bangkok. Ugh, Bangkok... I'm not ready to discuss Bangkok and how the city practically Hangover 2'd us... haha. If you do make it out to Thailand, I insist you visit Chiang Mai. The city, with it's laid-back atmosphere, was comprised of identical looking streets offering ever-changing surprises. On one street sat a whole chain of massage parlors (So cheap!). On the next street, an ornate Buddhist temple (Monks!). I tried to take it all in while riding in our first tuk-tuk (motorized rickshaw) but the various sights and smells (fried pork!) were a blur.

What to do in Chiang Mai? I definitely recommend a tour of Maetmann Camp - kicked off by an elephant show (they paint?! They kick soccer balls?!), Ox pulled cart rides through the rice fields, elephant trek to the local town and back to the camp, buffet lunch, scenic bamboo rafting trip down the near river and a tour of an orchid/butterfly farm. Costing a grand total of $33, this was definitely the most bang for our great American buck.

In comparison, Bangkok was congested and chaotic. After being impressed by our posh hotel lobby and breakfast, we felt completely duped when our room looked like a dumpy motel crime scene from a CSI episode. Our one bright spot was hitting up MBK (one of the largest malls in Bangkok) and being overwhelmed by the amounts of designer merchandise (7 floors of clothes, electronics and furniture!) - whether they were real or great knockoffs was another story... I dare you to NOT buy a leather Mulberry wallet for $15 or two Ralph Lauren polos for $18. Haha!

All in all, it was a great trip. I just wish I slept more. But sleeping is for the grave. And I intend to wear my new Ralph Lauren digs till the very end.

Samoa in December!

The One About The Windy City...

I remember when my freshman roommate opened our door exposing the black envelope on the floor. My name was written in cursive gold lettering above a blood red wax seal. Fancy… I quickly learned that it was a bid or invitation to pledge Sigma Nu, the only fraternity on campus with a recruitment event I reluctantly attended because of the Lu’au theme and that my roommate looked ridiculous wearing all of the “island stuff” in my room. Receiving this bid was interesting news... Mike and I had discussed living together another year until he received a bid from another fraternity. I knew he secretly wanted to join Theta Delta but offered to decline if I had no one else to live with. Truth was, I didn’t have anyone else… And because I wasn’t prepared to spend the next year with someone hating me for crushing their dreams, I called Sigma Nu and accepted their invitation. I would be moving into their house in the fall.

Last week, I spent four days in Chicago reuniting with older Sigma Nus I haven’t seen since they graduated – at least 6 years! I flew in Thursday evening – hung out at a bro’s incredulous 91st floor apartment at the John Hancock Center, worked out of my firm’s local office on Friday before meeting up with the bro’s at Mercadito - an upscale Mexican restaurant. Our initial conversations were really awkward…

“So… what have you been up to since college?”

I think I recited the same response 7 times hoping to sound as if my life were incredibly interesting and work was self-fulfilling… Like I do in job interviews… Or beauty pageants… haha!

The rest of the weekend was a blur – swanky bars, underground clubs, Chicago Cubs game, beer die tourney, Stanford win over AZ,
McFaddens… I realized that my years in Sigma Nu (including 2 in the house) produced amazing memories temporarily suppressed by the
constant onslaught of my current life… I honestly forgot how close we all were six years ago. And I vowed not to forget… As I passed out in the backseat of my cab Sunday morning heading to O’Hare after just getting back from McFaddens, I realized that my risky choice to not live
with my freshman roommate paid off. ‘Cause when you think about it, is he blogging about a kick ass reunion with the bro’s? Nope! I
checked. He watched Family Guy all weekend… Lame. Haha! JK Mike!

Rose to EN.

The One That's Untitled...

Been feeling overwhelmingly uninspired lately. Not sure if I've swan dived into a funk but I haven't wanted to write in some time now. I learned in my teenage years that the urge to not pray truly meant it was necessary. Blogging seems to follow this same rule. Hope below updates are satisfactory until my new muse is found...

5 Mins Ago
- Bought a car for $500 (Timing couldn't be better as just lost my annual bus pass...)
- Enjoyed the last week with my mom, sister and younger brother (+ kids) during my cousin's funeral services this past weekend
- Adele live in concert

Right Now
- GMAT studying
- Working overtime (Car insurance + Gas = Hella Expensive)
- Living alone (Optional clothing night makes a comeback! Haha!)

On Deck
- Looking for a roommate (No small feat... More crazies in SLC than people realize...)
- Career choices (Grad school vs New opportunities)
- Upcoming trips (Chicago in a week, Thailand in a month)

The One About the Circle of Life...

I don't think I'll ever forget this past Saturday night. Before turning in for bed, I called my Dad inquiring about his health. On Friday, my father was shopping at the Laie Foodland when he lost consciousness for a couple of minutes. Luckily, he was in the Bakery area and found a bench nearby to rest on. He was released Saturday afternoon from Kahuku hospital. During our conversation, I laughed so hard as my dad recounted the blackout and how a young female employee immediation rushed over only to become completely useless having succombed to shock over my dad's situation. Poor girl. haha.

The fact that he was humourous elicited closure on my end. My father is okay, I assured myself. And then I heard him blackout again.

In my quest to experience life to the fullest, I hadn't completely grasped an important aspect of mortality - that as I grow within the prime of my life, my father further fades from his. Sure, I've watched Lion King (Film and Broadway, mind you...) and understand the Circle of Life. But it had never felt as poignant as I scrambled to reach my dad, notify my family and figure out a way to get to Hawaii immediately.

The One About the Phone Curse...

I decided last night to get up at 6am this morning and run the 3 mile distance to work since I start at 730am. Spring has finally arrived and I was eager to see it firsthand while jogging the nearby bike/running trails that looped through the local marshlands. Think I even saw a fox... 20 minutes later, I reached in my front sweatshirt pocket to check the time on my phone. Except it wasn't there. Just my wallet. I immediately stopped running and swore out loud. Unsure of whether I should backtrack for fear of being late to work, I quickly turned around and sprinted back the way I came.

I have a history of bad luck with phones. Each phone has it's own unique twist - stolen at a gym, fallen into the crevice of a friends car, left on a plane - but the end result is the same. In 2010 alone, I lost three phones - two of them were iPhones! I finally settled on a cheap Nokia that lasted a year before giving up on me last month. Taking a leap of faith, I got the iPhone 3Gs and have yielded high returns of utility from Words With Friends among many other apps. However, the dreaded phone curse would not allow this happiness to last. I walked up and down North Temple this morning feeling less and less hopeful. Acceptance finally set in around 7am and I had to head to work.

Still sad about my phone, my friend Vake took me to Panda Buffet for lunch which did nothing to appease my dark mood. Our discussions over facebook gossip, SLC concerts and other nearby restaurants were especially disheartening because I couldn't utilize an app or search the internet. I went to sleep shortly afterwards dreaming of my Guitar Strum ringtone on repeat. Addicted much? Haha. I woke up 4 hours later and used my ipad2 to peruse the Internet. Turns out my Facebook was hacked! A pilot found my phone and updated my status asking me to contact him. Whoa!!! I picked up my phone 15 minutes later and couldn't believe my luck.

Call it Karma or the lifting of the Phone Curse if you will. But major props to Ryan Purvis for reminding me that there are honest and decent individuals in this world. Besides me of course... And I intend to pay it forward. Until then, looking up an app to help brainstorm a great thank you present. Haha.

Tangentially, heading to Hawaii from weds - sun. Hope to see some of you Hawaii friends. Take care!