A Picture of an Underdog Who Aspires to Greatness

Its been nearly 2.5 months since my last post, and you probably thought I fell off the face of the earth, didn't you??? =P

In the last 2.5 months, I:

• Quit a job that I hated;
• Started a new job, in a completely *different* area of law;
• Was forced to evacuate my home due to brush fires and threats of landslides;
• Celebrated a very meaningful Thanksgiving with my family;
• Celebrated Christmas... although it didn't feel like I actually celebrated Christmas;
• Received an alcohol breathalizer device... a gift I've been finding EXTREMELY useful these days (see why, below);
• Developed a need to have at least one glass of wine every evening;
• Celebrated NYE at a Bel Air Mansion;
• Questioned my long-term relationship with my boyfriend;
• Felt confused about a friendship;
• Dined with old friends;
• Went snowboarding at Mt. Baldy twice;
• Went snowboarding in Tahoe;
• Earned my Orange Belt in Karate;
• Triumphed over a few small victories at work;
• Struggled through a few small hardships at work;
• Doubted myself;
• Lost touch with myself; and
• Put the people I care about the most second.

In short, its been a very rocky 2.5 months for me.

At the center of all the chaos that's been going on the last several weeks, is my new job. I haven't felt this lost since my first year of law school... and indeed, I haven't felt this challenged, nor have I pushed myself this hard since my first year of law school. But after a month of being in court, I'm beginning to feel as if things are starting to settle down . I'm growing more comfortable in my new job. I'm starting to develop an instinct for how to approach certain situations. And I'm starting to get used to the pace of criminal law... things definitely happen at a much faster pace than say, corporate law, where your boss encourages you to take your time working on a document, so you can bill the hell out of a client, and where it sometimes takes SEVERAL weeks for a deal to close. I'm starting to feel as if I can actually forget about work when I'm spending time with my boyfriend and family. I'm starting to forgive myself for the things I can't seem to get right. And I'm starting to feel more confident in my negotiations with opposing counsel.

Last weekend was very pivotal for me. Call my crazy, but I think I feel overall better about my new job and life in general because I had an awesome weekend snowboarding in Tahoe. As I view my ability to snowboard fairly well as a huge accomplishment (seriously, I put it up there with passing the bar, and hopefully one day with earning my black belt, completing a marathon, and becoming a dee-jay) over the weekend, I realized that like snowboarding, I'm going to fall on my ass A LOT in the beginning. I'm going to have some bruises, as well as some cuts and scrapes. I'm going to cry, and whine, and blame everyone around me for my own misery... and I'm going to want to give up and walk away. But I won't... because I'm annoying that way. =P No more fuckin around!!!

This picture served as my visual when I studied for the bar exam the second time, and since then, I've found it to be very motivational in most every challenged I face. A picture of an underdog who aspired to greatness:


And another...

How the Mr. Lee's Sauce Changed My Life

I have been a frequent customer of Wahoo's fish tacos for several years, and whenever I visit I usually order the Combo No. 2, with one shrimp enchilada, one steak enchilada, green sauce, no beans and extra salsa. Several members of my family, as well as my boyfriend, are also frequent customers of Wahoo's, all of whom order their "usual" each visit, along with a side of Mr. Lee's sauce.

For as long as I have been a customer of Wahoo's I have heard many good things about Mr. Lee's sauce. My sister, who never orders her food without an extra side of Mr. Lee's sauce, would rave about how spicy and hot it was. Mike, who smothers it all over his food, loves it just as much. Being someone who has a low tolerance for very hot or spicy foods, I have always been hesitant to try the Mr. Lee's sauce despite advice from my sister and Mike that it really isn't THAT hot.

Then one day a few months ago something changed in me. Maybe I was bored with my life and felt the need to "live it up" a little. Nevertheless, I finally got up the nerve to try the Mr. Lee's sauce. Low and behold, I LOVED it. It lived up to all my expectations, and more. I can't believe I've been missing out on this delicious sauce for all these years, all because I automatically assumed that I wouldn't like it. What else have I been missing out on?

This small act of finally trying something that I have for years been resistant to try, sparked a new era in life. I started to find myself more open and driven to go for things that I thought were out of my grasp, and to try new things before deciding that I didn't like it. For example, shortly after trying the Mr. Lee's sauce, I signed up for Karate in July and engaged in a multitude of new experiences in Egypt. Like the Mr. Lee's sauce, both Karate and my experiences in Egypt have made huge impacts in my life.

This brings me to a more recent event. You know how I've been agonizing for several MONTHS about what the next move in my career should be? Well after a couple months of going back and forth on whether I should apply to a particular government job, after months of evaluating my professional goals, reservations and limits, and after weeks of seeking advice from various friends and relatives, I finally decided to take the plunge and submit my application. Three very stressful interviews later (all of which I thought went horribly) I was given an offer... I of course accepted with little hesitation. =)

I formally accepted the job offer last week, and immediately gave my boss notice. At first he didn't take it well, but now he's starting to come to terms with my decision and understands where I want to go in life. Yay!!! Its official!!!

I am so excited for what this new job may bring into my life. I'll be exposed to a completely new area of law. I'll spend more time in the courtroom and less time at my desk. I'll have other intelligent colleagues to converse with. And hopefully, I'll find the personal fulfillment that I've been looking for.

Thank you friends and family who patiently counseled me through months of indecisiveness. Thank you God for making it very clear to me what direction I should take at this point in my life. Lastly, thank you to Mr. Lee's sauce for giving me the courage and inspiration to take a risk and live outside my comfort zone. It definitely paid to try the sauce.

La Shukran! Hammum! Mashi mashi!

I came back from Egypt last week, but have been too sick/tired/busy/lazy to write the obligatory post where I talk about my trip. Because my trip was too long and too eventful, and because I'm short on time (and also because you, Reader, have a short attention span), let me lay out the highs and lows of my trip:


Three Favorite Sights:

1. Abu Simbel. This was an optional excursion that was a bit out of my budget, but I'm glad I sucked it up and went anyway. Truly a marvelous sight. I agree with our tour guide that it deserves to be mentioned as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
2. Luxor and Karnak. What I liked is that literally, years of history have left its mark on these temples. You see the Egyptian structures and hieroglyphics, the Greek/Roman influences, the Christian Influences, and now Egypt's current predominant religion, Islam.
3. Alexandria. We ended our long and tiresome trip by spending one day/evening in Alexandria in a beautiful hotel by the Mediterranean sea. I really enjoyed the views and the cool weather, and the feeling that I was in Greece.
   

Abu Simbel -- My picture looks superimposed doesn't it?

Four Most Memorable Moments:

1. Our Camel Rides at Giza. My mom and aunt tried to ride the same camel, and it got pissed off. My cousin Andree got attacked by a camel.
2. When the belly dancer on our cruise ship FORCED Mike and I to belly dance in front of everyone, much to our dismay.
3. Our Visit to the Cairo Museum. We saw the mummy of Ramses II and the mask of King Tut.
4. Our ONE night out in Cairo, which lead us to discover a cool cafe called Abou El Sid. Known as the favorite restaurant of Omar Shariff, the vibe was cool and filled with young people who drank tea and smoked shisha. The food was delicious. And I got to try the quintessential Egyptian dish known as Koshari.

Three Least Favorite Moments/Disappointments/Regrets:

1. Not being able to go inside the Khufu pyramid. Only 300 tickets are sold each day!
2. Lack of Free Time. Because there are so many things to see in Egypt and because we were only there for a week, we had very little free time. I wish I had just two more days to explore Cairo and Alexandria on my own.
3. The bad food and service on our Nile cruise ship. The rooms were clean. The food was sub par. But the service was terrible. I got into it with the manager of the ship over some water that I bought outside of the ship.

Mike is the tiny speck standing on Khufu's Pyramid.

Three Biggest Surprises:

1. Women CAN wear shorts and tank tops! I brought enough conservative clothes for the trip, but the heat was just too much for me to stand. When I saw other tourists (mostly European women) walking around in their shorts and tank tops or other getups that would even make heads turn in Los Angeles, I decided to just say screw it and wear whatever made me comfortable. I didn't experience any more aggressive behavior than I usually experience at home. My take: Egypt is a tourist factory, so they're used to seeing legs and shoulders. So go for it!
2. How safe Cairo is at night and how friendly the people are. When I first arrived in Cairo, I was very cautious about interacting with the locals because I heard that the locals (especially the men) can be rather aggressive when it comes to female tourists. But it was absolutely fine. The people are friendly and the city is much safer than even some parts of Los Angeles.
3. That I didn't get sick! In the middle of the trip, I started to feel some stomach craps. I immediately took some Imodium and it disappeared.

What I missed most about being away from home:

1. My own bed. I can never seem to sleep as well in hotel beds, no matter how comfortable they are.
2. The cool California weather. Did I mention how surprisingly HOT Egypt was for late September?
3. The Nightlife. Maybe it was just because we were there during Ramada, but nothing was going on as far as bars or clubs.

What I will miss most about Egypt:

1. The deep rich history. No where else in the world has the same rich history as Egypt. We're talking structures that are more than 4000 years old... older than anything I've see in Western Europe.
2. The exchange rate. Haha... its always fun to live like a balla on your vacation.
3. Not being at work!

What I will NOT miss about Egypt:

1. Having to pay to use the filfty public restrooms with no toilet seat covers, toilet paper, and soap and towels for washing your hands... FREE OF CHARGE!
2. Tips. I had to tip someone for any little stupid thing he did. I had to tip a guy for taking a photo of us. I had to tip a guy for showing us a good spot to take a picture. I had to tip a guy for information or assistance that I did not ask for!
3. The heat, dust and air pollution that gave me a sore throat.

Tips I'd share with future travelers:

1. Its a good idea to bring a hat and good sunglasses. Its an even better idea to bring a little pocket fan because DAMN does it get hot.
2. Wear what makes you comfortable, even if its shorts and tank tops.
3. Before leaving on your trip, make sure to bring a lot of $1 bills for tipping, or make sure to carry a lot of small change with you in Egyptian pounds. You will definitely need this to tip and use the bathroom.
4. Learn the phrases LA SHUKRAN, which means "No thank you" and HAMMUM, which means "Bathroom." These were our two most used phrases during our stay.

Would I go back? Definitely, but not to upper Egypt. On my next trip back, I'd like to spend more time in Cairo and Alexandra and visit the Red Sea and Petra.

Walk Like an Egyptian

Tonight, I will finally be embarking upon a very long awaited (and deserved) vacation to EGYPT!

"Why Egypt?" some people ask. Well:

1. The Egyptian pyramids are the oldest standing structures in the world!


2. They are regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World!


3. Having been to most of Western Europe twice, and most of Southeast Asia, I thought it would be nice to visit a country more foreign to me than any other country I've ever visited before.


4. Lastly, EVERYONE wants to visit Egypt. But eventually, they get too old to go, or they never find the time. My parents were planning a trip, and invited me and Mike to go. How often does the opportunity to go to Egypt present itself?

Here is my itinerary for the next ten days:

Day 1: Depart from home, overnight to Cairo.

Day 2: Arrive in Cairo, rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 3: Cairo sightseeing, including the Egyptian Museum to see King Tut, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Sphinx! At night, light show at the Pyramids and Sphinx.

Day 4: Flight to Aswan to visit the High Dam, travel by motorboat to see the temple of Isis on the island of Philae, then board our Nile cruise ship for lunch. In the afternoon, traditional "felucca" ride around Aswan's botanical gardens. Light and sound show at Philae Temple in the evening.

Day 5: Nile Cruise, Temple of Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo then Edfu.

Day 6: Nile Cruise to Luxor. Light and sound show at Luxor in the evening.

Day 7: Disembark Nile Cruise and visit to the Valley of the Kings.

Day 8: Drive from Cairo to Alexandria.

Day 9: More Alexandria sightseeing, including the Roman Amphitheater, Pompy's Pillar, and Kom Elshokafa Catabcob.

Day 10: Fly home.

I'm so excited! I'm pretty excited to not have to go to work next week, but even more excited to be in a very interesting part of the world. A few things I definitely want to do on this trip, besides what is mentioned above, is ride a camel, belly dance and go to a hookah joint. Whenever I visit a new country, I like making friends with new animals (in Thailand I rode an elephant, in Cancun I swam with dolphins, and in Malaysia I fed monkeys) and participating in something "ethnic."

The biggest pain in the ass so far has been packing for this trip. Since Egypt is a Muslim country finding 10 days worth of appropriate clothing was challenging. I surfed the web and asked different people about how lady tourists dress while in Egypt. Some recommend not wearing anything above the knee, low cut, or bearing shoulders. Others say that shorts and tank tops are okay. While another source says that shorts and tank tops are okay, but bring a shawl just in case because Egyptian men are reeeeeaaaaally pervy. Great. So I ended up packing an array of everything, along with a small bottle of Febreeze and packets of Tide in case I gotta wear the same pair of jeans or capri pants more than several times -- I wouldn't want my sexy legs to cause a commotion, now, would I? =P

So off I go! See you later alligator!

A Journey of a Thousand Miles...

...begins with a single step.



I've made the first one.

***

On a side note, Happy Birthday Mike! I love you, babe!

Ready to Kick Some Arse

You know how in law school, the most active students are usually the older people who have been out of college for a few years, have families, and who quit their jobs to pursue a new career in law? They're the ones that do all their homework, raise their hands in class, have lunch with the professors, and get involved with every type of club out there. Contrast with the apathetic just-out-of-college student, who stumbled into law school because he/she did well on their LSAT, but in reality had no idea what the hell they were getting themselves into.

In law school, I belonged to the latter group -- I signed up for law school without thinking it through as if I were making a huge life decision. I was studious, but not actively interested in the curriculum. I didn't read the footnotes in my book, or raise my hand in class, or visit my professor in his/her office hours. But when it comes to karate, I belong to the former group. I'm the kid in class who made an outline of everything she has learned since her first karate class. I'm the kid that made flashcards of each of the different things that will be tested on the yellow belt test, so I could test myself. I'm the kid that watches martial arts movies to inspire and teach her. Yes, I've become a karate nerd.

But all this karate nerdiness I hope will pay off tomorrow as I take my yellow belt test. Everything I've learned so far will come down to one hour... and I'm really excited! I feel like I've come such a long way since I started, and its only been eight weeks! I feel more confident. I feel stronger. I feel more in control of my movements. And I feel like my mind is sharper. You should hear me say "Kiyah" now! Its no longer the wussy kiyah I uttered under my breath 8 weeks ago, but a battle cry, as if to warn my opponent that he's about to get an ass whoopin!

Despite all this growth, yesterday had to be one of the hardest classes I've had. Because it was actually a make-up class, it was just me and my sensei, no other students. So my sensei made me balance on a balance beam, while he shouted out blocks, strikes and kicks for me to do. Every time I made a mistake or fell off the beam, I'd have to do 10 push ups. On the eight point blocking system I had no problem, until he started yelling out random blocks out of order... that's where I screwed up the most. I would panic and throw up the wrong block resulting in about 30 push ups. Then he made me do kicks. I was fine with the front ball kick, and side kick, but on the back kick, I of course fell off the beam, resulting in another 10 push ups. At that point, I was so exhausted and in pain that under my breath I dropped the f-bomb... which my sensei heard... and which resulted in ANOTHER 10 push ups. Lastly, for some reason, when he yelled "Kenpo A", I did two front punches... resulting in yet another 10 push ups. So I did sixty push ups in class yesterday, which for me, is no small feat. I'm incredibly sore today. But I'm certainly ready to kick some ass tomorrow!

And with that, I leave you with some karate jokes:

Q: What is Bruce Lee's favorite drink?
A: Wataaaaah!

Q: What is Bruce Lee's favorite hotel?
A: Hyaaaaaaat!

Q: What is Bruce Lee's favorite hamburger?
A: Whopaaaaah!


Happy Friday, everyone!

Why I Sometimes Get Carded for Rated R Movies

Yesterday in my karate class I had a conversation with two girls that went something like this:

Girl 1: So what grade are you in?

Me: *Chuckle* Grade?!! I don't think they have a "grade" level for where I am in life. What grade are YOU in?

Girl 1: I'm a senior in high school!

Me: Haha.. well I'm much older than you!

Girl 2: Well, you can't be any older than me!

Me: Well how old are you?

Girl 2: Twenty-four.

Me: Yup! I'm older than you too!

Girl 2: [Disbelief/bewilderment] Wow! Good job!!!

Girl 1: I thought you were a junior in high school!


Yay for Asian genes!!! And yay for my gi which makes me look like I'm 12 years old. =)