HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Recap of 12/24/02-01/02/03

I love having time off from work...

What'd I do all week? Let's see what I can remember...

Hung out with family for Christmas... day after Christmas, went to the Fry's sale to get a nice 27" Panasonic TV for my parents' room. Friday, had lunch at nVidia where we got to hear Alice's story of how Tomio proposed to her on Christmas day... hilarious to hear just how confused and surprised she was. In the afternoon, hit up Eastridge Mall with Andrew W, Janet, Olivia, and Joy; in other words, the folks who didn't have to work on the 27th... picked up some basketball shorts and a new blank journal, and got to laugh at Janet's tour guide-ish tendencies as we drove around in Southeast-ish San Jose. That night, ate dinner at Hunan Chili with a few folks then went to the Farley houses for some ping-pong and foosball, which led to this memorable exchange...

me: (after a particularly forceful ping-pong forehand by Karen) I think Karen is making a statement.
Olivia: Well Karen, I'm all ears.
Karen: [burp]

Last couple days, been playing some poker with the guys (Jeff/Mike/Dave/Eric), a few game nights (Taboo/Cranium), went to Todai with my bro, rang in the New Year with some folks from church. On Monday, spent some time reading through my journal over the past year and reflecting on lessons learned and memorable experiences... I'll probably write up a new blog with some thoughts there. Helped set up new DVD systems in my parents' room and at a friend's place... today was relaxing, did some reading, bike riding, practiced some golf over at West Valley.

As I was biking to get to West Valley, I rode through some of the residential parts of Saratoga. Passing by rather large houses with nice Benzes, Bimmers, and Lexuses parked in front, I found myself wondering whether I could really see myself living a quiet, suburban life when I grow up- er, when I grow older. I think I'll write more on this later...

Last Sunday, a couple of us watched The Count of Monte Cristo... better movie than I expected. Guy Pearce (the actor playing the villain) does a very nice job being smarmy. Also, there were a few good quotes, some poignant, and some hilarious - there was a high level of unintentional comedy in this movie... I'll end this post with some quotes. I think I'm going to start up a new page, perhaps off of geocities, where I just put some of my favorite quotes of the moment.

Abbe Faria: God said "Vengeance is mine".
Edmond: I don't believe in God.
Abbe Faria: That doesn't matter. He believes in you.

Edmond (to the teenage son of his rival and enemy): Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. "Do your worst, for I will do mine." Then the fates will know you as we know you...as Albert Mondego - the man.

Dorleac: Now you're thinking, just now, "Why me, O God?" The answer is, God has nothing to do with it. In fact, God is never in France this time of year.
Edmond: God is everywhere and sees everything!
Dorleac: Let's make a bargain. You ask God for help, and I'll stop (flogging you) the moment He shows up.

Luigi: We watch you and Jacopo fight to the death. If Jacopo wins, we welcome him back to the crew. If you win, I have given Jacopo the chance to live, even if he did not take advantage of it, and you can take his place on the boat.
Edmond: What if I win and I don't want to be a smuggler?
Luigi: Then we slit your throat, and we're a bit shorthanded.
Pause
Edmond: I find that smuggling is the life for me, and would be delighted to kill your friend the maggot!

Jacopo: I swear on my dead relatives - and even on the ones who are not feeling too good - I am your man forever!