Well, my hard drive bit the dust late last weekend. It was NOT a good weekend for me. I’m so very grateful that Aaron was genius enough to buy me a system that mirrors – if it wasn’t for that, I would have lost EVERYTHING. But I’m still bummed. Now, I’m waiting for my new system to come in, so my editing has come to a bit of a halt. If you are waiting on your pictures, I apologize. At least it came towards the end of wedding season for me instead of smack dab in the middle of it. I should be up and running next week.

Sooooo … in an effort not to bum anyone out (because I’m sure you’re taking this news just as hard as I am), I’m going to post a few interesting/random/weird/funny to me only things to lighten the mood.

1. Saw Inception last week. Loved it. Would go back and see it again. And if you know me, you know I HATE the movie theater. The only other movie I willingly saw twice in the theater was Ocean’s 13. And it wasn’t for the popcorn … ifyouknowwhatimean. Was it for George? Matt? Brad? No, baby … all 3.

2. Aaron & I just watched the series premiere of The Colony on the Discovery Channel. Some of you may find it very interesting, but it’s pretty brutal for me to watch. This ain’t no wimpy Survivor with TV drama. 7 strangers dumped in a 4-block area in abandoned, devastated Louisiana. The premise? They just survived a global epidemic, and they have to work together to survive against the elements and other survivors who want to steal their food and supplies. No cash prize. No limits or boundaries. Just cameramen and medical personnel in case they are in real danger. And apparently, getting pepper sprayed in the eyes does not constitute real danger. It’s very interesting if you are into human survival and instinct since they concocted this show after Hurricane Katrina. And it’s peppered with commentary from survival and disaster experts. Let’s just say I’m glad there are no cute animals on that show. They would not last very long. Crap, that just bummed me out. Okay, something fun, something fun …

3. What does it take to become a test chef for the Food Network? If you know the answer, call me. How much freaking fun would that be?! You get to cook all day long using other people’s recipes and critique them! Aaron likened it to being asked to test The Edge’s guitars and amps … AND provide feedback. Not too shabby!

4. I am now 20 weeks. Halfway there. Yep, that’s about it. I’ll bet you wish there was more to report on, but there really isn’t. Just getting bigger.

5. Anybody else sick of Lindsay Lohan? Yeah, me too. This is why the rest of the world makes fun of us. Sweetheart, I know your life is over, and you’ve compared your well-deserved jail sentence to the possible stoning of an innocent Iranian woman (WTF?!?!?!). But guess what, this emotional roller coaster you’re on is a repeat from Paris Hilton. That’s right, all that fake crying has been done before. So suck it up, go to rehab and be a responsible citizen. #spoiledpeopleshouldbeonthecolony

6. Yay for hashtags! I love them!!!!

Happy Thursday!

What can I say, I like my drinks on the rocks.

I’ve come to realize that for me to fully enjoy a cold beverage, it must come with ice and a straw. Chock full of ice. Not in a can. Not in a mug. Not in a paper container. Nice big glass with ice and a straw. They just make a drink taste soooooooo much better. I guess it’s the mental equipvalent of a little umbrella in your beverage.

In an attempt to be more eco- and money-conscious, I went and picked up a Starbucks plastic tumbler with a straw. And I have used it every day since. Now, if only they could make styrofoam look this cool.

Happy Tuesday!

It’s 6:00 am, and I can’t sleep. But it’s because I’m excited – I get to see my dad today, who lives in Hong Kong and visits once a year every summer. Aaron & I are picking him up at the airport this morning. We even gave Tele a bath the night before and made sure she looked nice and pretty for his arrival. Oh, she’s coming with us. Because my dad loves dogs.

It wasn’t always this way. I don’t think he grew up with any pets, and we didn’t have a dog until we moved to America. And even then, my dad was like, eh. But of course, when you get a small little yappy Maltese like we did, what grown man is going to go gaga over it?

About 10 years ago, my parents found a homeless dog in Hong Kong. Most homeless dogs in Asia are hungry and uncertain around people (uncertain = potentially vicious), but not this one. It was a beautiful German Shepherd, very shy but unbearably curious. So my mom, who was now an avid dog lover after living in the States, decided to bring it home, much to the chagrin of my dad. But this dog was smart. So very smart. It never peed in the house, never barked. Just slept in the corner and was happy for a meal once a day. Always greeted my dad when he came home. And my dad fell in love – even though he denied it when we teased him about it.

Unfortunately, a few months later, this dog was hit by a bus, right in front of my dad. He had taken it for a walk in the mountains and was just about to put the leash on when the dog uncharacteristically ran into the road. You could hear his heart was broken over the phone, so my mom & I devised a plan. I would fly to Hong Kong for a week to cheer him up and keep hin company. But while I was there, I would also buy him a puppy. Not to replace his dog, but it was undeniable how the companionship of a pet did my dad good, no matter how much he downplayed it. So I found the cutest Golden Retriever puppy while I was there, brought it home, and watched as my dad stared at the new little ball of fur sleeping on his floor.

I don’t need another dog, he said. Okay, that’s fine. I retorted. Let’s just keep it for a week, and then after I leave, you can return it to the pet store. But in the meantime, I’m going to take it for a walk while you eat dinner. But of course, my dad insisted on coming with me. And I knew at that moment he would never return the puppy. And sure enough, by the time I woke up the next morning, he had already taken it out for its morning walk.

Romeo is now a hefty 80 lbs of fur. He’s loud, picky and completely too smart for his own good. And my dad loves him to pieces. After we got Tele, I was so excited for my dad to meet her. Because he has now become a dog lover. What grown man will you see play-wrestling with a dog on the floor? Yep, my dad is THAT guy. He even tries to wrestle with the cat while he’s here, much to Neo’s confusion. So I can already picture him wrestling on the floor with his grandchildren – and he’s got 2 coming his way this year. Our kids will probably be too young to remember their wrestling days with grandpa, but I won’t. I will remember.

This picture was taken back in 2007, the last time we were in Hong Kong. Every Sunday, my dad takes Romeo for a long hike in the mountains where there are plenty of mini-pools of water for him to play in. Usually, my dad will even get in the water with him, but I begged him not to while I was there. Let’s just say that their swimwear in Hong Kong leans more towards the European variety.

Happy Saturday!