Last night, Will and I went to the Aragon ballroom to see President Obama speak. Neither of us had ever seen a sitting president before. There were about 1000 people in the room, and so we were able to get pretty close.
Obama was charismatic, handsome, energetic, real. Exactly what you hoped he would be. Sometimes the speech was trite, but I was sufficiently excited that I am probably going to change my Facebook and Google profile picture to something referencing "I'm In," his new campaign 2012 slogan.
I loved how diverse and energetic the crowd was. We don't see a whole lot of diversity together, celebrating, being one community in Chicago all that often, so this was a special night.
You can read the news story of the event here.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Studying for Tax Exam, but Still a Great Birthday
Today during our study group, we went over the practice exam - and Carrol brought cupcakes for my birthday!
I have the world's best study group.
I have the world's best study group.
Finally Spring!
After a long, hard winter, spring has finally come to Chicago! And the orchid from Eugenie and Vishal has survived (hurray!) and is blooming again:
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Memphis - A Pilgrimage of Sorts
When I was a college freshman, I wrote a paper on the American pilgrimage to Graceland. It was basically a lark. I wrote it because I was a little prat, and I wanted to respect and mock my teacher at the same time.
This weekend, I made my own pilgrimage to Memphis, wife in tow. I suppose justice has been served.
This has been the most tumultuous year of my life. My father’s illness first struck in February of 2010. Lauren and I married and honeymooned in July. August marked our move to Chicago, a move away from ten years of friendships and a comfortable life in California. Our only breaks from the biting Chicago winter were trips to Tampa -- trips to be with my father, who died this January.
During the course of this year, I twice bought tickets to see Band of Horses. They’re a rock band. Their music did not change my life. I just like them.
Long story short, I had to sell my tickets to both shows at the last minute (see two paragraphs up). At the time, I had bigger things on my mind, and so it didn’t really sting all that much to miss the concerts.
Then a few weeks ago, I was sitting in a coffeeshop, trading emails with my friend Emily, listening to Band of Horses on my headphones, and reflecting on the year. And for a moment, things crystallized in a way that was very simple and very unusual for me: “This has been a hell of a year. I really like this music. ... I should go see this band.”
Lauren was supportive, as always.
So! This weekend, we caught a Saturday morning flight to Memphis, enjoyed a ridiculous plate full of ribs at the Blues City Cafe for lunch....
...marveled at the neverending stream of Elvis references (favorite example: Elvis on men’s room signs)...
...had dinner and drinks at the excellent Rum Boogie Cafe (where we must return with Lauren’s dad, Robin, someday)...
...went to the concert (Band of Horses was opening for Kings of Leon, another great band)...
...treated ourselves to breakfast the next morning at the Blue Plate Cafe (“best collard greens I’ve had in my life,” reports Lauren)...
...and boarded a Sunday afternoon plane back to Chicago.
Memphis seems lovely. We’d love to return for a normal visit some other time. Beale Street seemed like some weird combination of Bourbon St., Disneyworld, and Dollywood, but I’m glad we walked it, and I’d like to walk it again. So many things in Memphis revolve around music; we could spend a week soaking in the local music scene and not make a dent, I’m sure. I’d like to sneak off to the Gibson guitar factory tour. And the civil rights museum is supposed to be fantastic.
And, well...
------
I think that I would like to see Graceland someday.
You know, I looped the Paul Simon song the entire time I was researching and writing that paper. And I spent sixteen hours on that paper, easy. Sixteen hours born from irony, but steeped in the words of honest pilgrims, all. Sixteen hours with a good man singing plaintively in my ear: "For reasons I cannot explain, there's some part of me wants to see Graceland."
Somewhere in the course of it, his words became mine. By the end, I wanted an honest pilgrimage of my own.
-----
A pilgrim can be many things, but he is always incomplete. He’s missing something, and it’s important, and it’s important enough to leave home for.
By contrast, my life has been - and still is - incredibly blessed and full. But for the first time this year, I had some urge to leave home.
------
Dad would have loved Memphis. He would have rattled off historical trivia about every streetcorner we walked by. That’s just who he was.
He would have chuckled at the Elvis paraphernalia but probably taken a tacky doodad home. That’s who he was, too.
He would have been a big help with the plate of ribs. He would have known the names written on those guitars.
He would have been glad that I’d taken the time to go. I’m glad, too.
I hope you all get a chance to visit Graceland, wherever yours may be.
This weekend, I made my own pilgrimage to Memphis, wife in tow. I suppose justice has been served.
This has been the most tumultuous year of my life. My father’s illness first struck in February of 2010. Lauren and I married and honeymooned in July. August marked our move to Chicago, a move away from ten years of friendships and a comfortable life in California. Our only breaks from the biting Chicago winter were trips to Tampa -- trips to be with my father, who died this January.
During the course of this year, I twice bought tickets to see Band of Horses. They’re a rock band. Their music did not change my life. I just like them.
Long story short, I had to sell my tickets to both shows at the last minute (see two paragraphs up). At the time, I had bigger things on my mind, and so it didn’t really sting all that much to miss the concerts.
Then a few weeks ago, I was sitting in a coffeeshop, trading emails with my friend Emily, listening to Band of Horses on my headphones, and reflecting on the year. And for a moment, things crystallized in a way that was very simple and very unusual for me: “This has been a hell of a year. I really like this music. ... I should go see this band.”
Lauren was supportive, as always.
So! This weekend, we caught a Saturday morning flight to Memphis, enjoyed a ridiculous plate full of ribs at the Blues City Cafe for lunch....
...marveled at the neverending stream of Elvis references (favorite example: Elvis on men’s room signs)...
...had dinner and drinks at the excellent Rum Boogie Cafe (where we must return with Lauren’s dad, Robin, someday)...
...went to the concert (Band of Horses was opening for Kings of Leon, another great band)...
...treated ourselves to breakfast the next morning at the Blue Plate Cafe (“best collard greens I’ve had in my life,” reports Lauren)...
...and boarded a Sunday afternoon plane back to Chicago.
Memphis seems lovely. We’d love to return for a normal visit some other time. Beale Street seemed like some weird combination of Bourbon St., Disneyworld, and Dollywood, but I’m glad we walked it, and I’d like to walk it again. So many things in Memphis revolve around music; we could spend a week soaking in the local music scene and not make a dent, I’m sure. I’d like to sneak off to the Gibson guitar factory tour. And the civil rights museum is supposed to be fantastic.
And, well...
------
I think that I would like to see Graceland someday.
You know, I looped the Paul Simon song the entire time I was researching and writing that paper. And I spent sixteen hours on that paper, easy. Sixteen hours born from irony, but steeped in the words of honest pilgrims, all. Sixteen hours with a good man singing plaintively in my ear: "For reasons I cannot explain, there's some part of me wants to see Graceland."
Somewhere in the course of it, his words became mine. By the end, I wanted an honest pilgrimage of my own.
-----
A pilgrim can be many things, but he is always incomplete. He’s missing something, and it’s important, and it’s important enough to leave home for.
By contrast, my life has been - and still is - incredibly blessed and full. But for the first time this year, I had some urge to leave home.
------
Dad would have loved Memphis. He would have rattled off historical trivia about every streetcorner we walked by. That’s just who he was.
He would have chuckled at the Elvis paraphernalia but probably taken a tacky doodad home. That’s who he was, too.
He would have been a big help with the plate of ribs. He would have known the names written on those guitars.
He would have been glad that I’d taken the time to go. I’m glad, too.
I hope you all get a chance to visit Graceland, wherever yours may be.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A hui hou Kailua
Kailua beach with the Mokulua's in the background. A beautiful day walking the Lanikai loop with dad. I will be back in December! I miss Hawaii already.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Drive Around the Island
Here's a pic of Morning Brew in Kailua, the cafe where I park for a couple hours every morning (usually between 6:30 AM and 8:30 AM, before they get crowded):
I usually take one of the tables on the right side of the picture - it's the second floor loft area looking out over the rest of the coffee shop. To the left of the picture are big glass windows looking out over a school yard. It's perfect!
On Thursday, Kung Kung and I met Dad at the Manoa Marketplace to eat at O-Bok, a Korean BBQ joint:
Really good quality meats and of course kim chee - so yummy!
That night was St. Patrick's, so Gram made some slow-cooker corned beef:
Picture is not great, but what can you do. With lots of mustard it was amazing.
Friday we went to Hakkei, my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii, and the only competitor to Sushi Tomi in Mountain View. Hakkei specializes in a hot pot, and your goodies are boiling inside:
Fresh, homemade tofu is in the bottom left of this picture. It is creamy and silky -- no words to describe it, and totally different from store-bought tofu.
Saturday we went to Waikele where Dad found a backpack with Will's name on it:
But I told Dad that Will is very picky about his backpack, even if it was a cute one.
Today we drove around the island with Kung Kung. We stopped for lunch at Kua 'Aina Burger:
And for me the highlight of the trip was probably the view from Laie Point:
Another beautiful day in Hawaii!
I usually take one of the tables on the right side of the picture - it's the second floor loft area looking out over the rest of the coffee shop. To the left of the picture are big glass windows looking out over a school yard. It's perfect!
On Thursday, Kung Kung and I met Dad at the Manoa Marketplace to eat at O-Bok, a Korean BBQ joint:
That night was St. Patrick's, so Gram made some slow-cooker corned beef:
Picture is not great, but what can you do. With lots of mustard it was amazing.
Friday we went to Hakkei, my favorite Japanese restaurant in Hawaii, and the only competitor to Sushi Tomi in Mountain View. Hakkei specializes in a hot pot, and your goodies are boiling inside:
Fresh, homemade tofu is in the bottom left of this picture. It is creamy and silky -- no words to describe it, and totally different from store-bought tofu.
Saturday we went to Waikele where Dad found a backpack with Will's name on it:
But I told Dad that Will is very picky about his backpack, even if it was a cute one.
Today we drove around the island with Kung Kung. We stopped for lunch at Kua 'Aina Burger:
And for me the highlight of the trip was probably the view from Laie Point:
Another beautiful day in Hawaii!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
More 'Ono Food in Hawaii!
Another great day today. First Morning Brew in Kailua Town, which is my new favorite breakfast spot. I will include pics tomorrow.
Then a quick lunch to burn off some of the food and Kung Kung and I headed for The New Young Sing (otherwise in reality known as "The Mandalay" but let's be real - it's the New Young Sing, not to be confused with The Old Young Sing, which used to be in the same spot). We ate with Auntie Elo, one of her friends, and my cousin Janele and her son David - third and fourth cousins I had so much fun spending time with. Kung Kung had a great time as well - it was a special lunch.
Dinner was Grammy's make-your-own-sushi:
And we have made short work of the pie:
The real treat was that after dinner, Grammy showed us her current project, beautiful wooden animals:
My favorite was this friendly chicken:
I told Gram that she could not sell all of them without saving some for Ash's babies and our babies. Gram wants to send one to Soren, so she is going to make him a rabbit puzzle finished in canola oil in case he sticks it in his mouth:
Note the little baby bunny inside.
Because Soren is the little easter bunny, of course!
Then a quick lunch to burn off some of the food and Kung Kung and I headed for The New Young Sing (otherwise in reality known as "The Mandalay" but let's be real - it's the New Young Sing, not to be confused with The Old Young Sing, which used to be in the same spot). We ate with Auntie Elo, one of her friends, and my cousin Janele and her son David - third and fourth cousins I had so much fun spending time with. Kung Kung had a great time as well - it was a special lunch.
Dinner was Grammy's make-your-own-sushi:
And we have made short work of the pie:
The real treat was that after dinner, Grammy showed us her current project, beautiful wooden animals:
My favorite was this friendly chicken:
I told Gram that she could not sell all of them without saving some for Ash's babies and our babies. Gram wants to send one to Soren, so she is going to make him a rabbit puzzle finished in canola oil in case he sticks it in his mouth:
Note the little baby bunny inside.
Because Soren is the little easter bunny, of course!
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