Mai, Oh My!

I’m back in Malaysia now and mission USUK 2009 is completed. Finally some time to sit back and recall the past two weeks.

After my last post on Tuesday, September 29th – I left my Mexi-CAN clan and met with Theresa. She picked me up from BWI and we drove into DC (almost didn’t get there!) and we had supper at Sticky Rice on H Street. It’s a nice quaint place that serves Asian-fusion food where colourful people eat. I ordered the Osaka Tuna steak sandwich

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Apparently Tuesday  nights is karaoke night there but no embarrassing acts of ‘empty orchestra’ happened. Just some catch up time with a good friend and trying not to pass out from exhaustion, jet lag and everything between. After dinner, we still had to get back to her home away from home over in Gaithersburg and after head to VA. We had planned to go to Kings Dominion early next morning for T’s birthday but after tix had already been purchased online we find out its CLOSED! In a way it’s a blessing in disguise cause I was still suffering from major vertigo and I don’t think crazy roller coasters would’ve helped. Instead we spent the day at Tysons Corner mall and I got some shopping done.

Later T & I headed back to Baltimore to catch WAVVES at the Ottobar. The Mexi-CAN clan were there, and also a few other people I hadn’t seen in a looooooong time (and a few I hadn’t even met!) Wavves were pretty awesome. I expected a better turn out but the less the people the better for us cause we wouldn’t have been able to bop around up front the way we did. The new drummer, Zach Hill, is a killer skin king. He gave the performance an extra sound (compared to what I’ve seen of Wavves live on YouTube). It kinda almost drastically changed how the songs sound on record (that or maybe it was speakers blaring right next to me that shot my earlobes that support this statement of mine). Needless to say, after an expectedly good time, I just wanted to stick Nate Williams (who essentially is Wavves) into my luggage and take him home with me. I managed to catch him by the merch table after the show and dude is just…a dude. Despite the interwebz branding him an “asshole” or whatever. I could totally just ‘hang’ with him. I got him to sign my t-shirt in which he wrote “Maya, Fuck Jesus. XO NW“. BRO!

I did see him and his ‘crew’ up at the bar before the gig playing pool but didn’t really approach them. When I saw them again up at the bar later in the evening after the show I asked them where they were off to after and they said “DC” in which I then made some stupid joke about how they should leave NOW cause DC’s quite a drive away. I don’t think it gelled too well cause all I got in turn was “it’s only an hour away”. Durrrr. Next thing you know I’m downing more Natty Boh’s and we’re all dancing to Wu Tang Clan. Some black dude (who had been living in Alaska for the past 8 years) came up to me later and totally praised my dancing said I was “feeling it”. Boy, this junk in the trunk doesn’t just sit there – it moves, it goes badonkadonk. U feeling ME now?

Jump forward and we’re back at Carolina’s place after a pretty crazy time and was treated to her and Monica doing a song and dance for us, something they had been rehearsing during the day while I was away attending to my retail needs with T. I managed to record this on video – but only the last few seconds of it.

The next morning we went to eat at this Mexican place just down the road. After 15 years or so I finally had my fix of ‘real’ Mexican food. Tacos Al Pastor, rez, chorizos, tortas, guacamole..etc..etc.. I think even the mineral water we drank was packaged in Mexico!

Ironically served on one of those plates you eat on at Chinese restaurants

In the afternoon by the time we all showered and ‘prettied’ ourselves up, we went to the harbour by Canton to catch the water taxi to get to Fells Point. FAIL. The water taxi never came and when it did we had left and ate at one of those harbourfront restaurants. A few hours later we had a BBQ over at Carol & Tom’s place. We went to Nacho Mama’s after and I finally had one of those Margarita’s in a hub cap. Awfully tasty and I don’t think I’ve ever been so ’soberly messed up’ as I did that evening cause when I woke up the next morning I was fully convinced I had 20/20 vision! Turns out I had left my contacts in the night before and I swear I don’t recall any of this happening. Joke is on me I guess.

Waiting for the water taxi that never came

More beligerence ensues into the night:- Martini’s, ‘ Cristal’, more cat nip – ow my system hurts thinking about it. I think I’m missing a day or two somewhere in here – but it seems like one big LOOOOOOOOONG day honestly, but a good one at that. Before I knew it, it was Saturday and we were at Little Havana’s drinking mimosas and Paul came to pick Rosie up. The troop split and I was saddened. It was more the times ’shared’ than what actually happened. Being back with my homeys (as one) after 13 years was just amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard. I didn’t even have to think half the time. Now that’s what I call a HOLIDAY..oops, I meant VACATION (sorry I’m writing about my trip to America).

The last night in the B-more – I decided I’d get in touch with a few ‘blasts from the pasts’ – one of whom suffered a recent motorcycle accident and couldn’t meet up and the other who dropped from the face of the earth (a few months before he was suppose to be my date to my sister’s wedding last year) – of whom still remains dropped from the earth it seems. I even received a message from the blast of all pasts – neither of whom I met with.

Links to relevant sites related to the above post:

• Blogger writes about the Wavves show @ the Ottobar, Sept 30 2009
  
• AV Club interview with Wavves
• Magic America photos 2009 via my Facebook.

A post about my UK (London / Edinburgh / Inverness / Glasgow) is next !!

P/S – thanks to Mel for pointing this out but apparently my “comments” section is all out of whacked. I dunno why – must be a script issue in which case I’m shit (or you’re shit) out of luck . I guess if u do have any comments or whatever there are other forms of contact.

Official ‘day 1′ in the B-more. I’m pretty on time with the hours – except right now I’m up and it’s 3 something in the morning here. I’m experiencing a sort of ‘vertigo’ and it sucks. Also, the crimson jimson is in full swing. I’ve been feeling nauseous and ughherr… other than that everything has been super so far. There’s been more reminiscing than actual ‘catching up’. There’s been a ridiculous amount of laughing. I wish I could update more but I’m usually too busy attending to one vice or the other…in short, the weather has been great (minus the sudden downpour while walking home from brunch), the food portions are disturbingly HUGE, the people friendly, sports seems to be the topic of conversation every corner I turn, I have trouble differentiating the guys here (former frat-boy, football playing/watching, typical “American” dudes)…..also the TV in the living room is huge but apparently it’s “ONLY” 42″…WT? Apparently size matters…

[cut/pasted from notepad while lounging about in the comfort of the sofa bed @ Carolina's place in the B-more]

Friday night we decided we’d go out for a few drinks and by the time I got home I was only a few hours away for heading out to the airport so I decide I’d pull an all-nighter. Brilliant right? ha ha ha. At the time I thought I could probably sleep a full 8 hours or so on the plane – WRONG…8 was actually maybe 2/3 hours with 15 minute nap intervals every now and then.

So I arrive in Stansted (the flight landed 45 minutes early). For a change I was one of the early people in the immigration line. I was also one of the last to get my suitcase. I decided I’d hang out a bit at the cafe before I boarded the bus into town. I ordered a cappucino – I figured I would need some caffeine to get me through the airport sleepover. The bus into town was packed and some Irish dude (flashback!) sat next to me. He was fighting on the phone the whole time though – eventually when that was over he started to talk to me (Ahhh the fighting Irish)…. moving along. I eventually get to Victoria Station and well, this is when shit gets bad. For starters, a few of the escalators weren’t working so I had to CARRY my friggin luggage all the way down… a few times I had to walk UP some stairs. It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just one piece but I packed like an asshole this time In the process of my incredible luggage workout, I dropped my oyster card so when I finally got to Terminal 4 @ Heathrow I told the guy what happened and he so rudely replied “So what do you want me to do about it?” The rest of the conversation goes something like this:

ME: Do I have to pay a penalty?
HIM: Well you have to pay for your ticket.
ME: Ok, where do I pay for it?
HIM: At the ticket office.
ME: Where’s the ticket office? (note I am still on the side where the trains are and logically there aren’t any ticket offices/machines on that side cause well, you have to pay to get IN before you get out right?)
HIM: Here (he gives me this dirty look)
ME: Ok. How much do I have to pay?
HIM: How am I suppose to know? I don’t know where you’re coming from?
ME: Victoria Station.
HIM: And where do you want to go?
ME: (irritated by this very DUH moment) Uhm… I’m here. Terminal 4 – I’m trying to get out.

So as I’m about to pay him the 4 pounds, I start telling him about how the escalators at Victoria Station were not working and how inconvenient it was etc..etc.. (what possessed me to do this I don’t know – I was fucking pissed off by this time)… the fucker decides to piss me off even more and say something along the lines of ‘it’s not my problem’ and I’m not sure if I understood him correctly with his err… ‘ethnic’ accent, but I swear he said something like ‘The workers at Victoria Station are probably underpaid to care’….

Jump to present time – I need a shower badly. They do have free showers here but I dunno – it smells funny in there. I am so close to splurge on the “YOTEL”. It’s about 35-45 pounds for 4 hours but at least in that 4 hours I can take a shower, charge my phone(s), get online for FREE and even sleep for a bit if time permits. As I type this however, I’ve made a nice comfy spot on some seats, however, construction men are moving heavy machinery in front of me (the noise = bad but some of the men aren’t too painful to look at! heh) I think I may just splurge on YOTEL….

Photo post laterzzz..

Sunday …again.

Alright, it’s not so bad. I’ts about 2 p.m. in Detroit and I don’t feel so jet lagged (yet). My flight from London went pretty smooth. It’s weird to have free inflight entertainment having gotten use to no frills – pay for everything – kind of flights. I watched 3 movies on board – The Proposal (meh), Adventureland (ok) and I Love You, Man (again)… That made 5 of 8 hours go by quite fast. I also watched an episode of 30 Rock and an episode of the United States of Tara.

It’s so weird to be back in the States. I’m feeling bloated as hell (plane food) and I’m in dire need of a good…well, you know what. Also, the lady in the store I bought water from was uber nice. I’m shocked at the courtesy to the point I felt It was a joke.

I sometimes feel I get asked more about my “life savings” than about when I’m going to get married (a shocker coming from an Asian family). I think it would make more sense to talk about my savings after getting married and/or having kids because then you’ve invested in other people outside yourself (ie husband/wife/kids etc…). Right now I’m free as a bird. I don’t have to look out for anybody except for myself. Yes, I do think it’s a good idea to have money for a rainy day but that whole “5 year plan” savings scheme seems a bit out of whacked for me right now. As much as I hate saying this all-time classic cliche – yes you could drop dead any day regardless of how healthy you are. Live a little, spend money, go places and do  potentially regretful* things (*with slight caution )

Well in a few days I’m on my way back to the US / UK  for a visit.  It’s been labeled the uSUK Tour 2009 though I hope not aptly named. I’m nervous, excited, anxious and @#%!&@#$%()*@. Being the total control freak I am I’ve pretty much structured my whole trip. Aside from just enjoying the company, I’ll be:

• Sleeping at Heathrow Airport
• Going to Kings Dominion
• Wavves @ the Ottobar
• Driving all over Scotland
• Spending my 29th birthday in Glasgow and London

I just got a pair of decent walking shoes and yes they are *GASP* Crocs (http://www.crocs.com.my/footwear_detail.php?mainID=54 – in dark blue) I think I could have waited to get a pair of http://www.crocs.com.my/footwear_detail.php?mainID=36 in black instead but it was combo of wine and an impatient Ben that resulted in my rushed purchase. They are comfy as hell and light as shit (though hell isn’t comfy and shit isn’t light).

So aside from the obvious packing itself, I still need to sort out my holiday playlist. I’m a little behind on the times and only have a 2GB memory card to store my music on my phone. I must be very selective! But I forsee a lot of Jesus & Mary Chain, Wavves, Lovvers, the Horrors and uhm Ministry – that is if I stick to my Last.FM listening trend.