rockin it in dallas tonight.
i haven’t been here since i was 5 years old. i don’t remember all the strip malls and fast-food joints.
Honestly, this place kinda sucks. I’m stuck in the suburbs. I spent an hour and a half trying to find a vegetarian dinner at 11PM on a Sunday that was still open and wasn’t fast food. Finally I gave in and had the veggie burger at Burger King. I’m so thankful that Burger King offers a veggie burger, or else ida had to eat the day-old salad at 7-11. Ouch, it’s times like this that I really miss NYC the most. At least there was always a slice or a falafel around the corner, no matter what time it was.
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this morning i ran the 3M half-marathon.
Wow! What a fun race, I felt great! (I really felt like I ran supa fast too, but actually, I pulled a 9:22 pace, which isn’t as good as the 8:45 I swung at the Bison. Oh well.)

Best part is running with other people though. i ran the first part with a good pal from church, then the rest of it with a friend from school. It’s fun to talk about things and just run. I didn’t even notice the miles blowing by.

So I found out my uncle, who lives in Seattle and has been a Seahawks season ticket holder since I was born, won the Super Bowl lottery! But he’s not going!
He’s going to auction off the ticket to support a mission trip for hurricane relief!
Wha? Huh?
Check out the story right here. It’s made him a local celebrity, can you believe?

I gotta throw a lot of respect to my uncle, he’s doing a good deed. And I know how long he’s waited for the Seahawks to get to the big game. Wow. He’s been one of my role models for a long time, I wonder if I’d do the same thing.
Nah, I’d probably auction it off just to keep the cash for myself.
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See you later old apartment.
You have a new owner now, and I know she’s gonna take good care of you.

I sold my apartment! Whoo-hoo!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel so old now, having sold the very first place I bought.
It’s a great feeling, though. It was killing me, how long it took to finally get this sale done. But we did it!
Now, time to look for a new place. oh oh oh.
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I don’t like to complain, so I’ll just say this.
I’m taking a class on educational equity, and the topics have largely been about racial advantages in modern American society. Needless to say, even in a PhD level course, I feel that most of the people I’m surrounded by are racists idiots. And the worse part is, they all think they’re pretty progressive.
Oh man, I can’t stand reverse racism. You know, when people are trying so hard to not be racist in their speech, but by the way they carefully choose their words and say things like, “How can you honestly understand what it feels like to grow up as a black child? I know, because I taught in a black school for one year!”. I just want to yell back, “Shut up, priviledged white liberal arts girl. Why made you such an authority on black culture? Is it cuz you flirt with black boys? Or you dig Usher? Or maybe it’s because you love showing respect to a culture that’s not yours, just so you can make sure it’ll always be something beneath you, something you can pity and decry.”
Those o’ you that know me well, know how I strongly I feel about racism going both ways. Just because you’re bemoaning African-American culture and talking about helping it, doesn’t mean you’re not using it to generalize a people and fulfilling your own goals. In my mind, that’s the same game as outright racism, sometimes even worse cuz you’ve convinced yourself that you’re doing good.

Stupid white people.

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Is anyone else just laughing like crazy everytime that Nelly song about Grillz comes on? I luv it! They’re rapping about putting all these diamonds in their mouth. Why do I find this so incredible comical?
I just love staring at people who have all that crap in their mouth. I think it’s a great form of tribal body art . . . except it’s in your mouth.

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see you later everybody. I’m hittin up Dallas next week. I’m excited! I’ve never been to Dallas!

Oh, and Happy Chinese New Year.
Remember to roast that chicken!

teds
(who makes sure the chicken head points to you, sucka)

Hey kids,

I forgot to tell you all about my favorite holiday in the whole world. Or, as I like to call it, The Single Most Important Day in American History!

Martin Luther King Day!

Yes yes yes! A day to celebrate my hero, my idol, and a man who’s belief in the strength of non-violence and God changed the world.

Here’s two of my favorite MLK quotes:

For through violence you may murder a murderer but you can’t murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar but you can’t establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can’t murder hate. Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

And here’s a great article about remembering the true spirit of MLK. You know, when I was in college, I remember so many people having posters of MLK up on their walls. You know, next to their Monet’s and posters of Bob Marley. (okay, I admit, I was one of them.)
But, this article talks about the iconification of MLK into posters and feel-good pictorals doesn’t properly convey his belief in Ahimsa, true strength through non-violence. Check it out right here.
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Edit.
Whoa, that was weird. Within minutes of me posting this, someone commented on it and posted a website that slammed MLK. Kind of a racist site, very kkkoniving if yaknowwhati’msayin. Crazy huh? Who’s reading this?

Well, in that case, let me post another great article about MLK’s vision. This one by Taylor Branch, who’s written some great biographies on MLK’s life. This one is about how we’re charged to take his vision to the next step.

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Oh, and on a related note, here’s an awesome article about Asian-Americans and their unhealthy ways of eating. A great read for all you interested in the gigantic wave of Chinese immigration that’s been hitting our shores lately, and the way all Asian-American kids throw contempt and hate towards traditional Chinese food and embrace fast food junk, like McDonald’s and KFC. Come on, you know you were exactly like that growing up. I know I was.
(But, really, I just like the article’s cuz it’s got a picture of a fat Chinese boy, which reminds me a lot of myself.)

fatlittleteddy

What a whirlwind!
Tomorrow, we got classes starting up again. Yippee!
I tell ya, 3 weeks off between semesters might be a great idea, but I guess I’ve been out of school so long, it really feels like I’ve been gone for a couple of months. Being back in Houston for 2 weeks, then running the 20 mile race, then rolling in NYC, I feel like it’s been so long since I’ve been in a classroom. I even noticing my thinking patterns slightly alter, now that I’m not reading academic research articles everyday. My emails are more boring, my witty repoire is waning, and flat-out, my mind is getting dull.

Case in point, I saw a horrible, horrible movie on the plane ride, In Her Shoes. Normally, I’d just take off the headphones and sleep, rather than watch such sappy acting and trite filmmaking. But I watched the whole thing.
Now, honestly, I know this is a chick flick and all. And I’m not slamming it because of that. I dig “chick flicks”, I really do. It’s my secret shame, deep down inside, I love romantic comedies.
But this movie really sucked. And, stupid on-vacation-mode teddy watched the whole thing! Ah, it’s good to take a break from reality now and again. Maybe one day, I’ll even watch this “American Idol” I hear so much about.
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Best part of NYC

1) Seeing my old students and the rest of the staff at my former school. I miss my kids, I really do. And seeing them, 6 months later, really brought a tear to my eye.
2) Playing with my goddaughter and her brother. Oh so cute! They’re so big now, and talking! And running around! And constantly saying, “I love you!”
3) Poking my big sis’s baby! Wow. Such a magical evening, especially just seeing a little girl that was created by your own friends.
4) Rolling with old friends and just hanging out and talking. I miss NYC a lot, especially my friends up there. It’s so hard to keep in touch with anyone, right? But just being able to hug someone you love and haven’t seen for a long time makes it all worth while.
5) Eating. Oh my my. I sure did inhale a whole lotta food. I feel like I ate everything I possibly could. I’ve got this new tummy here to prove it! Looking at myself in the mirror, I can’t believe I just ran a 20 mile race last week. New York City is so bad bad bad for a Teddy who loves to eat. And drink beer. And the worst part of all, I didn’t even get to eat all the things I wanted to! On my list for another visit:

• Zabb Queens, a dope Thai place in Jackson Heights that’s supposedly taken the mantle from Sripaphai
• Spicy Mina’s. I keep hearing about how this is the best new Indian place in the city
• Sullivan Street Bakery. Years and years ago, I happened to be walking by in the morning and caught a whiff. I crossed the street, stared at the delicious baked goods and the pizza. Yes, bakery pizza, which when done right, is the greatest pizza in the world! I didn’t have any cash on me so I walked away, saying I’d be back another day . . . That day has yet to come. But one day . . . one day, I will eat Sullivan Street’s award-winning bakery pizza! One day!
• Chaat in Jackson Heights. Last year, Stacy and I went out to the super-Indian section of town and tried a whole bunch of different Chaats. What are they? I can’t really describe it. It’s a street food, common on the beaches of India. Cheap stuff, really, a bunch of puffed pastry, yogurt, various chutneys and sauces, and whole bunch of other things. But . . . oh so delicious. Wow!
• And of course, I’m a little bummed I didn’t make it out to Sripapai, otherwise known as the greatest Thai restaurant in N. America.

But, I did do a whole lot of other eating. Here’s some highlights:

• Breakfast at B&H vegetarian, my favorite place for blintzes, perogies, and great great great soups.
• A random Parta bread from one of the 2 Indian cab stands on Houston, between 1st and A. This used to be a secret . . . the incredible Indian food and Pakistani food that came out of these two little holes in the wall, making delicious and cheap comfort food for cabbies in a rush. But come on, these two spots are in the East Vill, it didn’t take long for the secret to get out. I’m glad they didn’t become like Borobudur, and turn into a fancy restaurant. So, on my way to church on Sunday, I stopped into one of these spots, pointed to the bread to someone who spoke no English, threw down my $2.50 and walked away. 5 minutes later, as I unwrapped my goodie in the subway station, I knew I’d done good. Deliciously flaky and hot naan bread, filled with a potato and lentil curry. Oh man! This is what sucks about living in Texas. Where’s my random delicious Indian take-out joint that’s situated precisely on my commute. Huh?
• Sushi in the East Vill. I feel so bad, the place used to be called Koi, but for the life of my, I can’t remember the name! (Because the wait was a little long, the host gave us free beers. So I was a little drunk . . . okay, a lot drunk. We had just come from happy hour.) Oh wait, it was callled . . . Kanoyama! (I love that internet!) Oh, such delicious food. Now, for vegetarians, it takes a a lot to get me excited about sushi. Most places stick an avocado slice on some rice and roll up some cucumbers and expect you to be impressed. But this place went all out. Stuff I hadn’t seen since Tokyo. And, even better, honestly. Plus, my pal said this place is owned by Morimoto, the Iron Chef.
• Bagels at Murray’s Bagels. I overdid it here. I orderd 2 bagels with cream cheese as a snack and was so delightfully full that when I walked past my favorite Ray’s Pizza 10 minutes later, I couldn’t even fathom ordering a slice. Oh well. C’est La Vie
• Zen Palate. I know, it’s factory style Taiwanese Veggie food. And, now that I’ve become such big fan of Pine Forest Garden in Houston, this place is no longer as alluring as it used to be. (Back in the day, I I ordered lunch from here 3 days out of the week.) But, to me, it’s my favorite comfort food. Nothing like some good ol’ gourmet vegetarian chinese food every now and then, right?
• Buddha Bodai in Chinatown. Had to run an errand in Chinatown, which gave me a chance to stop into my favorite Vegetarian restaurant there since Veggie Paradise shut down. This place is great! I skipped the lunch specials and went straight for the dim sum. Oh my. Jook, some spring rolls, and a sharks fin soup dumpling. Nothing too lavish, but things that require real skill (kung fu) to cook correctly. I love it. Especially, because afterwards I went to Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and had some Black Sesame Ice Cream. mmm. (but only because they were out of my favorites, Avocado and Wasabi.)
• White Castle. I will always love this place forever, even if I can’t eat anything there. I loved it back in the day, and especially because it became a symbol for success in the the White Man’s world with that great movie, I love it even more. But, oh man, those mozarella sticks and onion rings really are just drinking a cup of grease.
• Pizza. I ate a lot of pizza. The thing I love about NYC, even the bad pizza’s pretty good. I even had a slice at the Famous Famiglia’s at the airport when my flight was delayed. And you know what? It was pretty good.

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Okay, I’m gonna get ready for school now. Peace everyone, and much love to all the people I saw in NYC.
Especially you, cuz you know you’re always in my heart. (and you’re the only one who reads this).

teddy

hey hey folks,
happy new year! Ain’t it great, the way our arbitrary calendar cycles around in accordance to the earth’s orbit, giving us a time to wash old mistakes away and look forward towards a new tomorrow?

i’m running a 20 mile race tomorrow, which is the longest distance i’ve ever run in my life. never felt nerves like this before, i hope i make it all the way through.
i ran 16 miles straight on Monday as a warm up, and it killed me. Took me almost all morning, and I ached for 2 days. All this holiday eating and beer drinking and wine and cheese eating and late night ice cream binging sure don’t help with the running. oh well, we’ll see how i do tomorrow.
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So, I’m back in NYC on Monday for a week. I miss that city so much. Gonna be around? hit me up and we can hang.