Secret Asian Girl's Favorite Holiday Movie List

Everyone has their favorite Christmas movies and while it's a matter of pure opinion, I've never seen a list that didn't include It's A Wonderful Life. Sorry, cynics, so does mine. I used to think it was sappy...and it is. But that's ok, because a certain amount of sappiness is endemic to -- nay, required of holiday films. No Santa's Slay or Silent Night, Deadly Night for me. In my old age, I like to watch stories that make me feel better, not worse. I have real life for that. He he...but seriously. Having said that, here's Secret Asian Girl's list of favorite holiday movies, in no particular order: 1. It's a Wonderful Life (1942) Go George Bailey! 2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas - animated (1966) - I always wanted to taste Who Hash and Roast Beast. 3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) ABC, please always air the unedited version! 4. Frosty the Snowman (1969) original version only - Hap-py Birth-daayy!! 5. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964) "(Rudolph)...knew that the best thing was get the (cringe) women back to Christmas Town." Ack! I forgive you, Rudolph...and by the way, your dad was a jerk when he put that mud on your nose! 6. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (1970) Groovy acid-trip graphics. The Winter Warlock rocks! 7. The Polar Express (2004) a little creepy with re-animated dead-looking characters but it's hard to screw up Chris Van Allsburg's wonderful story. 8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Even if you hate Jim Carrey, you'll love this version. 9. Home Alone (1990) - for me, only the first film. 10. White Christmas (1954) Bing, Danny Kaye, soldiers coming home, the "Sisters" song. 11. Elf (2003) Will Ferrell at his best. Zooey Deschanel sings! 12. Jingle All The Way (1996) combat shopping for an action figure - this was my life back then. 13. Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) scared the crap outta Tristan but the story is quirky and fun. And my favorite holiday movie....14. Meet Me in St. Louis (1945) Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien. This is the MGM movie where the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" originated. I love this movie because it's about family, romance, home and simplicity. And...I know all the words to "The Trolley Song" and will belt it out if I feel threatened. Don't say you weren't warned. It's on Turner Classic Movies tonight at midnight. Instead of watching It's A Wonderful Life AGAIN, give Meet Me In St. Louis a try. I know it's corny (and sappy) but just get over it. You'll think it's "ginger peachy." (after you see it, you'll get this...and laaagh) For now, enjoy this clip from The Polar Express. It's my favorite song from the movie. Wishing you Merry Christmas and Peace.

Merry Christmas from Secret Asian Girl

Which kid would rather be somewhere else?

I Know About Keeping Christ in Christmas...

A Small Life

The holidays have always been a time of drama and stress in my life and this year has been no exception. Last week, my son's best friend was killed in an automobile accident on the way home from college for Christmas break. There were no drugs involved, no alcohol, just a senseless accident, in the purest sense of the word. And like all accidents, this one resulted in farther reaching repercussions than the actual event. Jacob was one of those kids who wandered through life. He was wholly unremarkable in every sense of what society deems is successful. Not greatly motivated, no big plans, not especially reliable, and overall, mediocre by most adult standards. He wasn't listed in the high school yearbook as memorable or anyone "most likely to" do anything spectacular. I don't even remember him as a classmate of Tristan's before they became friends, even though he was for many years. And yet, if you looked at the tear-stained faces at the memorial service, you would think the opposite description of this young man. Jacob indeed made an impression on these people who gathered to say goodbye. Maybe they weren't the popular crowd or the selection committee for societal upperclassmen, but plain, everyday folks; kids like Jacob, whose lives were changed and impacted by the small life of this one boy - yes, even though he was 20, he was a boy to me. But how can the loss of such a small, insignificant life affect so many? I saw it in my son's face the day of Jacob's funeral. Struggling to take it like a man, yet feeling like his arm had suddenly been separated from his body. Grief, shock, disbelief...tinged with anger at the unfairness of life and the irritation at even having to be there that day. To Tristan, Jacob was hilariously funny, fiercely loyal, caustically sarcastic, unquestioningly supportive, and always there for him...if he could remember to get up on time. They didn't always agree and they were as different as two kids could be...and yet, they recognized in each other a weird sameness which somehow complemented each other in a unique way. Tristan will never be the same for having known him, thankfully, for the better. I keep thinking about Jacob's mom - a teacher, living alone as a single mom of an only child. As great a tragedy as this was for Tristan, there are no words for her loss. Of course, I can sympathize, as a member of the same club - and at the funeral, we embraced with a knowing look, as only mothers of only children can understand. "It's not that I am lonely for you; I am mutilated. For you were a part of me." His life wasn't small to her...or to us. Peace, kiddo. Your life was bigger than you'll ever know.

Noooooo.....

Only gonna say this ONCE. Never, ever, ever....cross the streams.

How Punctuation Saves Lives

Thank goodness for commas!

Ditto

Don We Now....

Even as we speak, some of you are getting ready to commit a heinous crime. A fashion faux pas. A glittery, felt-appliqued, jingle bell-ious assault to the senses. Yes, I'm talking about your hideous Christmas sweater. I know, you think it's "festive," you think it's cute...you're just getting into the Holiday Spirit. But unless you teach Kindergarten, here's what you need to know: people are laughing at you. You need to give it up like a crack habit. I worked in an elementary school for four years and have seen more UCS (Ugly Christmas Sweaters) than I should see for my health. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. In fact, PTUCSSS (Post Traumatic Ugly Christmas Sweater Stress Syndrome) is something I will be battling for a long time. Now, to be fair, there are a FEW sweaters that are tasteful and even bordering on cute but these are few and far between and usually involve just a few snowflakes. Sadly, most people start with a cute snowman (tolerable) and just lose their minds and dive off the deep end into tacky fake fur bordered Santas and goofy reindeer. Worse yet are the "pimped out" versions of the above which require battery packs and even "press here" buttons which buzz with migraine-inducing versions of "Here Comes Santa Claus" or "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." And I haven't even touched on the frisky off-the-shoulder sweaters for women where Rudolph's nose lights up in just the wrong place. Ho, ho, you should be ashamed of yourself, you tacky HO! There are also websites devoted to UCS's such as the appropriately named, myuglychristmassweater.com. And to help wean you off your addiction, you can create your own virtual Ugly Christmas Sweater and be ugly to your heart's content. Go to weloveholidaysweaters.wehatesheep.com, select a style and click to add all the colored lights, fat Santas and sparkling trees you desire to enjoy in the privacy of your own home without offending anyone...except your family of course, which is the way the holidays should be.

Kitty Surprise

If this doesn't get you smiling on a Monday morning, nothing can.

There's Always The Sequel

Trekmovie.com reports that Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman actually wrote a scene for William Shatner as an alternate ending for their impressive Star Trek movie released this year. The scene was never shown to Shatner and it's questionable whether he would have done it since he has maintained that cameos are not his thing. I think the film is wonderful as is, and perhaps "Kirk Prime" is meant for subsequent installments, but the idea does touch on one of the fundamental touchstones of Trek that make the franchise so endearing (and enduring). Instead of ending on the (ironically) emotional predicament of the two Spocks having only each other to lean on (because you can really only count on yourself and your own kind), this new scene would act as a reminder to young Spock to cherish a remarkable friendship with someone who couldn't be more different than himself. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Dang, I'm good...but could I BE a bigger geek?

Cutest Dog On The Planet

Even though Sam does not need a contest to tell him how awesome he is, for the prospect of a charitable donation he has entered the Hallmark "A Dog Named Christmas" contest. Please go here to vote for him
(once daily until Dec 15) or enter your own cutie pie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone is enjoying a non-calorie-counting day today. Mom is bringing the turkey and here are my contributions: Pecan Cheesecake Pie, Homemade potato yeast rolls and Martha Stewart's Perfect Pumpkin Pie. Ahhh...feels good to unbutton those pants! Giving thanks...

Post-Thanksgiving food coma.

Happy 20th Birthday Tristan

Romance Novel Covers

One of the head-shaking topics of conversation at our library is the popularity of paperback romances and the ridiculous pictures on the covers. Most elicit giggles and some severe eye-rolling but I think these "re-imagined" ones really go over the edge. Unless you want to snort something out of your nose, put down all food and drink before you click here to see more.

"Eliminate the Impossible and Whatever Remains, However Improbable, Must Be The Truth."

The truth is...the new Star Trek DVD is out today and yes, I have mine! The extras are worth the $6 or so more to see behind the scenes, Klingons and especially the wrap take of Leonard Nimoy's final scene, which may be the last time he "puts on the ears," so to speak. Sniff! If you still need more Nimoy, you can bid on spending a day with Mr. Nimoy at the Griffith Observatory in L.A. Enjoy a tour of the iconic landmark and some one on one time with the one and only "Spock Prime," all for charity, of course! I've been there before but wouldn't mind going just to be in the presence of the Logical One himself. Fascinating... Current bid is $5,250.00. Auction ends Dec. 2.

Global Warming Rug

Get it here before it becomes extinct.

Daredevil: Puppy Mill Survivor

And The Pumpkin Decorating Contest Winner Is...

Balloon Boy Pumpkin!!!
An idea for a reality show based on this design was later squashed.

Finger Lickin' Good

Serve this gruesomely delicious Meatloaf Mummy Hand for Halloween dinner. Love the gnarly onion nails and the bloody third degree burn ketchup "skin."
Ahhh...I love Halloween!

Truly Terrifying Halloween Masks

Download your own last minute Halloween masks here. But be forewarned, these masks will strike fear and disgust in most reasonable, intelligent people and cause much eye rolling and head shaking. Very, very scary. Aaaiiiiiiii!!!!!

Zombi-fy Yourself!

For a limited time, go to Picnik.com and turn a photo into a flesh-eating ZOMBIE or other Halloween horror. I'm planning to zombify this photo of me on a normal Monday morning before coffee.

Obama vs FOX Wild Things

"...when he came to the place where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws till Max said "BE STILL!" and tamed them with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all..."
- Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are.
courtesy Life in the Nohodome

Genealogy #70: Genealogy 2.0

There are so many cool tools and toys to play with if you're researching your past. I'm not sure if all of them are helpful but they're certainly entertaining. I created an account with MyHeritage and tried out the celebrity look-alike generator. In my case, my celebrity comparisons are limited to Asian heads of state and Jackie Chan. I almost broke the thing because we all looked alike. Relax...I'm kidding. I think that if you got the whole family in on it, and assuming that most of them were computer literate, the site would be very helpful as a tool everyone could contribute to. The other gizmo was a family Look-alike meter, which uses face recognition technology to decide once and for all which parent you most resemble. Regarding my son, who he looks like is not what's most up for debate, it's which parent is most responsible for questionable behavior. But let's stick with my own lineage. Apparently, I look more like my mother by 12%. My sister looks more like my mother by 4%. I'm not sure where my dad even fits into this picture. I wonder how different the Look-alike meter would gauge an adult photo.

Member discoveries on the Footnote website were interesting, albeit morbid. I like the idea of sharing documents but using the site to create Creative Memory pages for dead folks was....icky. I just saw on the news that the only existing film image of Anne Frank has just been released. It's a mere 20 seconds of the famous Holocaust diarist leaning out of her apartment in Amsterdam to watch a happy wedding couple. The film was shot about a year before she went into hiding. Watching the video made me think of the above photo of my father in Germany during WWII. I never saw the photo until after he was gone so I didn't get a chance to ask him about where it was taken and why he's posing on top of that monument. All of these websites are wonderful tools if you have access to information from the actual participants. If you miss your chance you're left staring at photos and wondering what was left unsaid.

Genealogy #69: Database Researching

I see myself in every one of the faces in this photo (taken sometime in the 1930's) of my mother, her parents and five of her seven younger siblings. These faces are the foundation of my family and the familiarity is both comforting and unsettling. Knowing the intricate details of their past and of the future each has yet to experience seems somehow invasive. I don't know why they're all dressed up or where they're going but this photo seems full of expectation and the security that comes from being part of a large family. Around the time this photo was taken, my family owned and operated a laundry in Detroit. One of the documents my co-worker found was a 1930 census document - recently made available in 2002 - from Detroit, Michigan where my mother's family lived in a "flat," a residence built above the family laundry business. My mom confirmed the street address as "Ferry Park" but couldn't remember the name of the laundry. As stated in the module, the handwritten notes listing the head of household was interesting and could be challenging depending on the penmanship of the census-taker. I checked out many, but not all of the websites listed in the module but was largely unsuccessful. HeritageQuest did not impress me and yielded many dead ends. I'm not sure if the snafus were generated because of phonetically spelled or misspelled names but I kept running into obstacles. Also, many Chinese names are listed surname first, given name second. This was true in the case of my great-grandfather, of which little is known. As the oldest grandchild, my mother recalls meeting him once when he was ill and came to Houston to live with their family for a short time. There is mystery surrounding him, not the least of which is the enigmatic Caucasian wife (not my great-grandmother, which must be a whole other story) he brought with him. My mother only remembers her as "tight-faced and blonde," a description which cracks me up but is typical of my mother. Later, she called me to add that her name "might have been Helen." Also, she had a parrot by the name of "Rosebud." Interesting that these minute details are what are memorable of this first and last family reunion. There's one photo in existence, apparently, of my great-grandfather and that is of him holding a violin. The whereabouts of this photo are currently unknown. My mother rattles off a list of various siblings who may have pilfered the family heirloom but personally, I strongly suspect "fowl" play on the part of the parrot.

Genealogy #68: Detective Work

This is the location of the final resting place of secretasiangirl. Hopefully, I won't be moving there anytime soon, but eventually, I will be rolling through these gates feet first. Actually, since I want to be cremated, I'll be in a jar or nice box. While this visualization may seem creepy to some, it's never really bothered me. All my life, I've been coming to this place to honor my grandfather and later say goodbye to my father, grandmother, my aunt, uncles and cousin. Ironically, my favorite teacher in college is buried only steps away from my own father's grave. I found a kind of peace with that news; and sometimes go to sit between the two sites and think about all the things these two men taught me. My grandmother had the foresight to provide for her very large family long ago and purchased multiple plots when my grandfather died suddenly in 1965. Although my parents purchased their own family plots at the same time here, there are available spaces for anyone in my large family who "needs one" unexpectedly. Sadly, we've had to use a few in the past couple of years. When I asked Mom why Grandma bought so much property here, she translated and answered, "She doesn't want to be crowded." Funny, but typical for my grandmother, the toughest woman I've ever known. I'm grateful because I know that she put her family first and never wanted any of us to go through the trauma of what she went through when my grandfather died. I'm also grateful because this is a very nice cemetery and if you have to spend eternity somewhere, a $7000 plot ain't bad. Plus, I would keep company with notable Houston attorney Leon Jaworski and Young Adult author Joan Lowry Nixon. I visited the websites listed in the module. The Oral History Project is very interesting. As I stated before, I would love for my mother - the oldest living member of my family - to record her memories in some way for her own closure as well as for my son's birthright. Right now, she's not up for it but who knows. The Tejano Voices website is also fascinating. I listened to the stories of two notable Texas Hispanic women. Listening to their voices gives their words so much more weight. Find-A-Grave is a truly creepy website. Because I've been to Glenwood Cemetery, off Washington Ave. for a school project on Howard Hughes, I took a look at the oldest grave I could find there. Margaret Lair Anderson's grave had this information:

Birth:	1787 Kentucky, USA
Death:	1867 Houston Harris County Texas, USA
Daughter of John A. Lair & Sarah Custer. Wife of Carter Anderson. Died in the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867 along with her granddaughters Mary Morris, Texas & Dora DeChaumes (all children of Susan Nash Anderson DeChaumes).

The website itself is very difficult to navigate and unless you're famous, the chances of finding a relative are slim. And I have to wonder about the kind of people who find this sort of search recreational. If it's your thing, however, Glenwood is probably one of the oldest cemeteries in Houston and is the resting place of many famous names like Hobby, Hofheinz, Hughes and even Gene Tierney. If you like old mausoleums and trees dripping with Spanish moss, this is your kind of hangout.

Genealogy #67: Genealogy Genesis

This photo is probably familiar to you if you've ever been to the Smithsonian Museum or read anything related to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The baby in the picture is my Aunt Natalie and her mom is holding her. While the backgrounds of my family and many other Japanese and Chinese families may be rich in historical significance, following the threads of their lives may not be easy. Wonder why...Oh yeah, could it be because they were forced by law to leave their homes and all their family belongings and relocate at a moment's notice? Or maybe because their names were too difficult to pronounce so they were altered or changed altogether to suit the convenience of immigration officials? If I were to begin a family tree, I'm afraid the branches would go no further back than my grandparents. On my mother's side, my sister and I are the first generation born in the U.S. since my mother and her parents traveled here on a slow boat in 1932. My grandfather had already been here, at age 15, first working as a kitchen bus boy and sending money home to his family, later going back to China to marry. Because of restrictions placed on Chinese laborers (Chinese Exclusion Act, later extended by the Geary Act), my grandfather had to return to the U.S. after a short time. It wasn't until 1932 that he was able to bring his family (my grandmother and my mother) to San Francisco. Thanks to the excellent research of a co-worker (who just so happens to have worked at the Clayton Library in the past), we were able to recover a passenger manifest of the ship that brought my family to Angel Island, the Pacific version of Ellis Island. Among the passenger list "Chinese Third Class from Hong Kong to San Francisco" aboard the U.S.S. President Hoover is clearly my grandfather's name and "wife" and "dau" (daughter). I showed this to my mother recently and she had never seen it before. So in answer to the exercise in the module, if I were to do any research on my family tree I would definitely start with my friend and co-worker. Beyond that, I would probably visit the Clayton Library and take advantage of their resources. Because of language limitations and due to the fact that beyond my grandparents, most of my relatives lived in China in pre-industrial age conditions with little or no records, the search would most likely end there. Not exactly three steps, but you use what you can. At age 80, and with two of her 7 siblings deceased, my mother is the only living source remaining for my family history. After speaking with her on the phone today, I did learn some more information regarding my Japanese father's family that I didn't know before but I'll save that for another post. I can't convince Mom to write this all down but perhaps a request from her favorite (and only) grandson will do the trick.

Falling

The leaves are falling, falling as if from far up,
as if orchards were dying high in space.
Each leaf falls as if it were motioning no.

And tonight the heavy earth is falling
away from all other stars in the loneliness.

We’re all falling. This hand here is falling.
And look at the other one. It’s in them all.

And yet there is Someone, whose hands
infinitely calm, holding up all this falling.

by Rainer Maria Rilke

The Empire Strikes Barack

Not photoshopped. The Prez joking around before play-fencing with
Olympic fencing champion Tim Morehouse.

Squirreled Again!

If you surf the net at all, you've probably seen that goofy picture of the ground squirrel who crashed a couple's vacation photo by popping up in the shot. Turns out the picture is real...not photoshopped as many have suggested. However, if you'd like make your own "squirrelized" photo, you can visit the Squirrelizer website and create your own nutty photo.

The Force Is Strong In This Sushi

Lightsaber chopsticks. 'Nuff said.

OMG...He Sparkles!

Settle down girls...Twilight Barbie (Bella) and Edward are here.

Crafts and Hobbies #66: Knitting and Crocheting

Since I've already covered my thoughts on knitted/crocheted clothing, here's something I've only recently heard of: Amigurumi. If you're new to this Japanese art form, they're simply the most adorable knitted or crocheted dolls you've ever seen. Okay, you say, but that's old news. I've owned crocheted octopi and squashy monkeys knitted by Aunt Dora. These are a new take on an old toy. This super cute manatee is available on NeedleNoodles, an Etsy shop online. There are knitted foodstuffs like sushi and burgers, fantastical creatures, soft robots and tiny fingertip critters. Some are extremely detailed soft sculpture and not really intended for small children under age 3. Others are kind of creepy and goth (as a lot of Japanese pop culture is) and may be too edgy for the average kid. The little Grim Reaper is also available at NeedleNoodles. Still, they make interesting collector's items and teens, apparently love 'em. There are also books available with Amigurumi patterns to try at home. I don't knit or crochet but I think these would make very cute (and unusual) gifts. The websites listed in the module were also very interesting variants on typical knitted items. I love the idea of making hats for chemo patients, prayer blankets and afghans for soldiers returning from.... Afghanistan. I'm not sure how comfortable those helmet liners are (I'd think, HOT) but I'm sure short-cropped heads get chafed easily. Great ideas! Historically, women have always merged socializing with some sort of handiwork. Two women at our branch spend their lunch hours wrapped in yarn and needles so perhaps they'll start a club. Wonder why men have never made sanding or grouting into a social club? Possibly because it involves more communicating than, "Get over here and hold this light!" he he

Crafts and Hobbies #65: Coin Collecting

Numismatist much? Not exactly but I do own a few of these coins. They're called Morgan Silver Dollars, named after its designer, George T. Morgan but it's also known as a Liberty Head dollar. I didn't find much help identifying this coin on the iHCPL module post - the links to the U.S. Mint just pointed me to currently circulating coins, commemorative coins and future designs. The other links led me to reserve a Red Book from my local library or purchase one from online dealers. The dealer search may come in handy if I decide to sell later. But what about MY coin? My oldest Morgan is like the one pictured left, minted 1885. When I Googled the date and type, I found that 1.5 million of these were minted in various states, indicated by a teeny tiny letter on the back above and between the "D" and "O" in the word "DOLLAR." Mine has an "S" which means that it was minted in San Francisco. Makes sense since I got it from my Chinese grandmother. If there had been an "O" it would have been more valuable, meaning that it had been minted in New Orleans, where less were made. Morgan dollars were unpopular when they first came out and many were not even made public until 1960 when the government traded these at face value for silver certificates. Now they're very collectible, in good condition, of course. All very interesting stuff but doesn't do a lot of people good when a good ol' greenback buys you only a few drops of gas. This reminds me of that scene in the movie, "Throw Mama From The Train" where Owen (played by Danny DeVito) asks his friend Larry (Billy Crystal), "Wanna see my coin collection? This one...is a quarter. This one here is another quarter..."

Drive Him Crazy

Pon Farr, an alluring scent with "light, clean top notes of citrus, blackcurrant, lotus blossom and water lily. And with base notes from sandalwood, peach and mulberry," And in case you didn't know, Pon Farr is an event that occurs every seven years when the Vulcan race go into heat and must mate. If they don't find a mate, they go into blood fever and become violent, ultimately dying if they don't find a mate and do the deed. - Popgadget.com. Available from Genkiwear $29.99

The Sound of Contrition

Upon allegations that Amazon's CEO took a "Big Brother" approach to the recent backdoor deleting of Kindle downloadable books like "1984" and "Animal Farm," Jeff Bezos issued this apology:

“This is an apology for the way we previously handled illegally sold copies of ‘1984’ and other novels on Kindle,” the Amazon chief executive said in a post on Thursday on the Kindle Community discussion forum.

“Our ‘solution’ to the problem was stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles,” Bezos wrote.

“It is wholly self-inflicted, and we deserve the criticism we’ve received,” he said. “We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission.”

YEAH. Now that's what an apology sounds like. Are you listening, AIG?

Go Ahead, Play With Your Food

Remember these magnetic toys you personalize with iron filings? Now you can do the same with your food on Food Face dinner plates. Look how easy it is to use french fries to make "angry eyes"! Only $9.99.