Kim Unplugged: Randomness

Currently Unemployed? Looking for a Fresh Start? Here's an Opportunity You Simply Can't Pass Up!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:26:00 +0000

So you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that traveling is what most people would opt to do if they were out of work!

Our current economic climate is icky and we are constantly bombarded with headlines about the job market worsening! A few hours ago, the Associated Press released an article titled, Jobless claims indicate economy remains weak, and just 24 minutes ago UK Yahoo! News published Job market slump continues. Day in and day out, that's all we read and hear about on the news!

While most people patiently wait for the economy to stabilize, some people are actually taking advantage of this changing job market to pursue their dream career! That's not a bad idea considering that 7 out of 10 Americans would change jobs tomorrow if wishing could make it so.

After the success from Australia's Best Job in the World campaign, there have been a couple of "copycat" campaigns such as The Next Best Job in the World (which has been suspended due to “unforeseen events,” whatever that means!!! Booooo Mason Horvath Elite Travel Experiences!) and Taiwan's Best Trip in the World contest (ended June 30, 2009).

So if you are looking for a new career involving travel, here are two hot opportunities you may want to consider:

* Lastminute.com: One lucky winner will have the opportunity to spend 60 days traveling to eight cities across three continents, collecting over 32,000 miles! All you have to do is submit a photo from a trip you took, along with a review (200 words or less) of your experience here. The deadline for the One Heck of a Summer contest is July 15, 2009.

* TheBigTrip.com: Spend 15 weeks traveling the United States as a travel correspondent! All travel expenses will be paid along with a $50,000 salary. Submit a 60 to 90 second video here explaining why you are the perfect candidate. Deadline for entries is November 1, 2009.

Good luck to everyone! BTW - each winner gets to bring a friend along with them (Ahem, clearing my throat), so uh keep me in mind yeah?

American Expats Celebrating 4th of July in London

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:04:00 +0000

What is an American Expat living in London to do this Fourth of July? I don't know about you, but I can't bare to celebrate Independence Day without a barbecue, fireworks and other Americans!

Whether you're looking for a picnic at the park, boat party on the Thames River, or a late night getting your freak on at the clubs, here are some events to consider:

The London Expat American Meetup Group will be hosting their 7th annual 4th of July Picnic at Battersea Park! The event is FREE of charge all day and everyone is welcome. They will set up in the grassy area in front of the Pump House Art Gallery, which is rented for the event and will have two fully stocked bars in operation as well as clean toilet facilities. There will be softball games and impromptu frisbee playing. Guests are encouraged to bring American footballs, volleyballs, kites or just bring a blanket and a bottled water (which is all you really need)!

(Over 900 people showed up to last year's event)

Or if you're looking for some "sun-drenched" (if we're lucky) fun on a boat filled with local musical talent, you should check out the Green Man on the Boat Party. From 2pm to 7pm, the all-inclusive cruise up the Thames River promises a little debauchery and some of the finest musical happenings including newcomers 6 Day Riot and folktronica artist James Yuill. Tickets are available for £20 plus booking fee, click here to purchase.

But if you happen to be a night owl, the APT Bar is offering a £5 guest list if you RSVP here. Open until 4am, guests are encouraged to sport red, white or blue (or all three)!

Any of these events tickle your fancy? If not, check out Time Out London's comprehensive list of Yankee-themed celebrations!

Let's hope the sun decides to keep us nice and thirsty all weekend long. Have a happy Fourth of July!

Flickr Slideshow: Banksy Versus Bristol Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:00:00 +0000

"This is the first show I've ever done where taxpayers' money is being used to hang my pictures up rather than scrape them off," Banksy was quoted by the BBC as saying. "This show is my vision of the future." (Reuters, June 12, 2009)

When I first heard Banksy would be exhibiting his work in Bristol, I knew I'd find a way to get there. This opportunity does not come along too often, and for me to be living in England when it did, I knew I had to make it happen.

The National Express Coach (£18 return ticket) from London to Bristol took 2.5 hours, the (uphill) walk from the bus station to Bristol Museum took approximately 20 minutes, and the queue to get inside the exhibit was one hour! It was worth the trip, no doubt! The exhibit is FREE -- a great way to bring some business to Bristol and showcase the city as a funky, hip destination.

Banksy's work is brilliant. He conveys such strong controversial messaging using the simplest images.

"Banksy, who is rumored to hail from the Bristol area, but has never revealed his full identity due to ongoing legal complications, is mounting the show as a salute to the city, which supported his early street career," according to a PR company representing Banksy, which it said came directly from the artist, explaining why he was staging the show in Bristol.

These are three of my favorite displays. The Chicken McNuggets and fish sticks are creepy --- you can bet I won't be eating them any time soon!

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution at the Barbican: Free Musical Performances

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:06:00 +0000

If you enjoy sipping Cuban rum, listening to Cuba's hottest musical talent, and watching troupes dance to invigorating drum beats, you won't want to miss out on Havana-Cultura, a series of musical events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Havana-Cultura will be hosted at London's famous Barbican Centre, the largest performing arts centre in Europe!

On Saturday, June 27th, Havana-Cultura will be offering FREE pre-show musical performances by Yoruba Andabo, Changui de Guantanamo, and jazz violinist Omar Puente starting at 2pm.

The ticketed show (£10-20) is a triple bill of Cuba's finest artists, featuring leader of the nueva trova movement singer-songwriter Pablo Milanes, Harold Lopez Nussa, and Son del Tropico. The show begins at 7:30pm.

The FREE stage pre-show performances on Sunday, June 28th will include Son del Tropico, Chacon y su Timba, Charanga del Norte and Leo Duany & Tumbao Tivoli.

And starting at 7:30pm, the ticketed show (£10-20) will showcase Cuba's biggest, funkiest dance orchestra Los Van Van, and Yoruba Andabo, a company of singers, percussionists and dancers performing original West African music styles preserved since the 16th and 17th centuries!

I don't know about you, but just listening to the music by these talented, extraordinary Cuban artists makes me want to shake my bon-bon!

Hope to see you there with a Mojito in hand!!!

Click here for a map of the Barbican Centre located at Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS. Nearest tube stations are Barbican, Moorgate, St Paul's, Bank, Liverpool Street and Mansion House.

View Larger Map

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Banksy Exhibit: Bristol Museum (June 13th - August 31st)

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Check out this trailer for Banksy's Exhibit at Bristol Museum! (See below)

Banksy (Robert Banks) is considered the most provocative and politically controversial graffiti artist of all time, and that's why we love his work so much!

"Banksy's stencils feature striking and humorous images occasionally combined with slogans. The message is usually anti-war, anti-capitalist or anti-establishment. Subjects include rats, monkeys, policemen, soldiers, children, and the elderly." - Wikipedia

The exhibit opened on Saturday, June 13th and will run for 12 weeks ending on August 31st. Admission is free and open from 10am to 5pm every day. Bristol Museum is located at Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RL.

Click here for directions.

View Larger Map

Some of his work may be a bit disturbing and upsetting (especially for young children), but his crafty work demands appreciation and praise, whether you agree with his messaging or not.

(Thanks for bringing this up to my attention Juan. Wish you could be here to join me at the exhibit.)

No Durian, No Music, No Talking, No Littering, No Jaywalking, No Peeping and No Urinating Allowed in Singapore!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:08:00 +0000

I'm surprised there wasn't a sign for "No Breathing"

I studied abroad at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and remember my first impression of this city/country/island/state was not all too positive.

This "fine" city made front page news for the caning of Michael Fay, an 18-year-old American charged with theft and vandalism. Before leaving to Singapore, we were briefed on the strict rules and policies, i.e. no gum chewing, jaywalking, littering, spitting, etc.

To my surprise, my Singapore experience was amazing! I loved every minute of it and would recommend it to anyone, especially if it's their first time visiting an Asian country. Singapore is an Asian country with strong western cultural influences, i.e. McDonald's and Starbucks available throughout island. Although English is the official language (and language of instruction), many Singaporeans speak Singlish.

So please don't let these signs deter you from visiting Singapore...

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

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Last, but not least....No Studying! (My personal favorite)

Photo Credit

What were we supposed to do if we weren't allowed to study? Trust me, it wasn't difficult to figure out what to do with ourselves, especially since Singapore is central to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam! Traveling by bus was cheap and convenient!

Check out this video (below) produced by a former colleague from Norway, Kjartan. We both lived in Hall 14 and he was crafty enough to create this wonderful video to share with the rest of the students in the study abroad program!

Wedding: My Favorite 'First Dance' Video

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:02:00 +0000

I love it when couples don't take themselves too seriously on their wedding day. I get it, your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but c'mon, lighten up a little and have some fun. There's no better way to entertain your guests than with a surprise like this (watch video).

The couple in this video show off their dancing skills during their "first dance" to a little bit of Jack Johnson and Michael Jackson --- the perfect combination of romantic music for your fairy tale wedding!

Dare to Enter? A Funny Urinal Idea - Sofitel Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Men's Toilet: No Girls Allowed! Unless of course, you're one of these life-sized gals pictured above.

I'll be sure to sneak a peek into Sofitel's men's loo next time I'm in Queenstown NZ! Fun and clever artwork indeed!

A Dash of Sriracha to the Rescue!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:29:00 +0000

Is there more to English cuisine than fish and chips? Indeed there is. There's sausages and mash, mushy peas, and kidney pies! Now doesn't that just make your mouth water? Not quite.

I don't consider myself a picky eater by any means (trust me, I had to fight with three brothers for food at the dinner table), but I'm just used to food cooked with herbs, spices and a multitude of flavors.

After living in London for a little over a month, I decided to satisfy my craving for Chinese food by ordering take-away from a local Chinese restaurant. I requested for some hot chili sauce and not only was I charged £1, but I received a small plastic container filled with hot chili OIL?! Not what I had in mind at all. I expressed my utter disappointment to Nick and we were suddenly on a mission to secure a bottle of Sriracha, also known as Rooster Sauce. Sriracha is the ultimate hot sauce that my family uses on EVERYTHING from pho and chow fun to pizzas and pate! Growing up in San Diego, a city with a large Asian community, Sriracha was readily available at restaurants and supermarkets. In London, it's a bit trickier to find.

Luckily for me, a new international supermarket opened right around the corner just last week. We walked down aisle after aisle in search of Sriracha and came across a similar looking bottle with "Sriracha" printed across the top. We were a bit puzzled because the cap was yellow (it's supposed to be green) and there wasn't an image of a rooster on the bottle, instead it was an image of a Thai Buddha. Had the product been rebranded? Is this the same thing? We decided to purchase the hot chili sauce and give it a shot.

As soon as we returned home from the supermarket, we put the chili sauce to the test! We cooked Swedish meatballs and dipped them in Sriracha sauce. Our eyes lit up and we both smiled, knowing we would never eat without it again!

Although this may not be the original Sriracha brand that my family enjoyed throughout the years, it will have to hold me down for a couple months until I return to San Diego and stock up on bottles of the original hot chili sauce!

It's been six days since we purchased the bottle, and so far we have used it on french fries, chips, pizza, sausages, tuna, sandwiches, pate and eggs!!!

If you happen to be a fan of Sriracha, check out their Facebook Fan Page and join the discussion! What other foods have you tried with it?

Free Tool: ShareThis Button Makes it Easy for People to Share Your Content

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:31:00 +0000

Every blog and website should have a ShareThis button. Why not make it easier for visitors to share your content via Facebook, Twitter, and Friendfeed by simply clicking a button at the bottom of an entry?

It takes only a few minutes to add the ShareThis button on Wordpress, Blogger, Typepad, or any website for that matter. I regularly read blogs on my mobile and can't tell you how many times I wish there was a Sharing button so that I could easily share the content on my Twitter, Delicious and Facebook accounts.

Think about how many steps someone has to go through to share content on Twitter without a sharing button (or a Retweet button):

1. Copy the URL
2. Open a new window to a website that shortens URLs, e.g. good.ly, tinyurl, bit.ly, Twitpwr.com
3. Paste the URL
4. Copy the new shortened URL
5. Open another window to Twitter, login.
6. Paste the shortened URL to Twitter and hit "update"

One too many steps if you ask me, especially if you're using a mobile phone on a fully-packed, rocky tube ride without an inch between you and the next guy...it's just a hassle!

T-Mobile's G1: Great QWERTY Keyboard Option but Dreadful Battery Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:48:00 +0000

I've been using my T-Mobile G1 mobile for a month now and love the QWERTY keyboard, but hate-hate-hate the battery life!

To be honest, at first I was a bit bummed that Nick didn't get me an iPhone since I had never even heard of T-Mobile's G1 and was rather skeptical about how it would even compare to Apple's iPhone.

However, a few weeks later I found myself becoming a G1 advocate. The feature that won me over was the option for a QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen, although I hardly ever use touchscreen. I am a heavy texter and send loads of emails everyday and couldn't imagine using a touchscreen for all my communication. How do people with iPhones manage to send texts and emails without driving themselves mad?

But of course the G1's not perfect, yet that is. Aside from the wretched battery life (130 hours standby vs. 300 hours standby on iPhone), to enlarge contents on the screen, you can't simply spread two fingers apart to zoom in like you can with an iPhone. It's a bit more complicated. If you're lucky, a pop-up appears at the bottom of the screen for you to click if you want to enlarge or reduce the image. However, the pop-up doesn't always appear and you have to tap on the screen and hope that it pops up without you 'accidentally' clicking on another link on the page, which will redirect you to another page/site. This can be aggravating when you simply want to enlarge text.

For my specific communication preferences and needs, T-Mobile's G1 has my vote!

For a more in-depth review of T-Mobile's G1, visit CrunchGear and read Peter Ha's comments or check out PC World's iPhone vs. G1 story here.

Stephen Colbert Takes the Piss Out of Twitter Co-Founder

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:52:00 +0000

Stephen Colbert takes the piss out of Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter! Check out the interview if you want to learn a little more about Twitter and how it's going to "become a strong, profitable, independent company.” Oh, and of course expect a few chuckles here and there from Colbert's sarcasm!

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Biz Stone

colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Gay Marriage

No More Excuses! Time to Get Fit!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Thu, 14 May 2009 07:11:00 +0000

Alright already! It's time for me to get off my butt off and get into shape again. All the sausages and mash and Indian food I've consumed is starting to catch up to me. Why do I live across the street from the best chicken tikka masala in London?

And to top it all off, the last time I attempted to go running, I got lost in my own neighborhood! I swear I'm not directionally-challenged, it's just that I was spoiled by Manhattan's street grid. Just so you see what I'm talking about, here is an example of how the streets look in London!

So I sort of gave up on working out for a while. It didn't take too much to convince myself that it was impossible to exercise in London. Here's what kept me in front of the TV:

1. The weather is SHITE!
2. It takes too long to get to a park on the tube. (Approx. 35 min. each way + price of tickets)
3. Gym membership is EXPENSIVE! £85/month (That's $129 USD!!!)

But now that Genevieve introduced me to EA Active Personal Trainer for Nintendo Wii (TM), these excuses have no bearing on why I can't break a sweat everyday. ***deep sigh***

(Note: Genevieve works at Fleishman-Hillard and invited bloggers to test out the product first-hand)

So I decided to give it a test-drive and slipped on the leg strap while holding the Nunchuk firmly in my hand. I first selected the boxing exercise and broke a sweat with the punch combinations and rapid repetitions! After testing out a few more activities, I'd have to say my favorite would definitely have to be cardio dance, hands down! My least favorite activity was alternate side lunges, but then again...I never enjoy doing lunges.

Former England Rugby player Austin Healey
& BBC Radio 2 presenter Emma Forbes test out EA Active Personal Trainer

It's like having your own personal trainer in your home. Before you start your customized workout, you create a profile which keeps track of your eating habits and fitness progress.

The most appealing thing about this product is that you just never get bored. The EA Active Personal Trainer has more than 25 exercises and activities to choose from, which help to keep you motivated throughout your workout.

The only gripes I have for EA Active Personal Trainer is the inability for players to compete with each other, and getting the hang of using the motion-sensitive Nunchuk. Sometimes it felt like the Wii wasn't detecting my Nunchuk and made the selection process a bit frustrating. Perhaps it requires some getting used to...

The product launches in the US on May 19th and on May 22nd in the UK, priced at £44.99.

For a demo of EA Active Personal Trainer, watch my favorite talk show host, Ellen Degeneres, show off her speed and stamina! She cracks me up :)

FREE Webinar: How to Protect and Defend Your Brand Reputation Online

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:55:00 +0000

"As the saying goes, your good name is everything. Every individual, and brand, needs to know what their online reputation is and how to protect it."

Chris Abraham of Abraham Harrison LLC and Jay Jaffe of Jaffe Associates recently teamed up and revealed some of their SEO strategies and tactics on how to protect your brand online. The 50-minute Webinar is definitely worth a listen. I recommend skipping the intro (gives a brief history of how rumors spread back in the old days and how they spread today)--- fast forward to 10:29. There's a lot to takeaway so get your pen and paper ready!

How to Protect and Defend Your Brand Reputation Online

View more presentations from Chris Abraham.

London Marathon 2009: It's a Carrot, It's a Smurf, It's Superman?!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:00:00 +0000

We went out to support the runners at Flora London Marathon on Sunday near mile 24. Watching the runners run their last couple of miles was incredibly inspirational and surprisingly entertaining. While some runners made it look like a walk in the park without even breaking a sweat, others embraced the cheers from the crowd to help push them to the finish line.

The costumed runners attempting to set Guinness World Records (TM) looked like they were having the time of their lives!

Ten Guinness World Records (TM) were set on April 27th at Flora London Marathon 2009:

1. The fastest marathon dressed as Santa Claus - 2:55:50 Paul Simmons (Manchester, UK)

2. The fastest marathon in a film character costume (male) - 3:11:50 Ian Benskin (Loughborough, UK)

3. The fastest marathon dressed as a vegetable - 3:34:55 Robert Prothero (Staines, UK)

4. The fastest marathon dressed as a cartoon character (Banana Man) - 3:36:07 Darren Stone (Taunton, UK)

5. The fastest marathon in an animal costume (male) - 3:42:27 Alistair Martin (Scotland)

6. The fastest marathon dressed as a leprechaun - 4:22:08 Jack Lyons (Ireland)

7. The fastest marathon dressed in full suit - 4:19:37 Thomas Day (UK)

8. The fastest marathon dressed as a fruit - 4:32:28 Sally Orange (UK)

9. The fastest marathon carrying a 40 lb pack - 5:35:19 Gordon Chaplin (UK)

10. The most runners linked - (6:18:41) Neal Gardner and his 29 friends from Wales

Click (below) to view my slideshow from the London Marathon or click here.

If you'd like to participate in Virgin London Marathon 2010, check out these charities listed here. Make a difference, have some fun and stay healthy while doing it!

KFC's Self-Serve Cashiers: Will it Take Away Jobs?

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:08:00 +0000

I haven't stepped foot in a KFC in years, but after relocating to London I find myself visiting American fast food chains every once in a while to get over my feeling of homesickness.

Yesterday, I walked into a KFC and couldn't believe my eyes!!! No, no, no, it wasn't the fact that KFC actually charges 10p for each packet of ketchup, mayonnaise or barbecue sauce in London. BUT I was shocked to find myself face-to-face with a self-serve touch screen cashier!!! I don't know about you, but I was kind of expecting to be greeted by a low-spirited human with a 50-50 chance of screwing up my order. Call me cynical, but customer service at fast food chains isn't the BEST out here, to say the least.

At first, this new option to physically place my order myself caught me off guard and I felt a bit lost, but I think it will definitely catch on just like airports' self check-in kiosks and grocery stores/drug stores' self-service check-out aisles (e.g. Boots and Wal-Mart).

The self-serve cashier at KFC is a great idea, but how will it impact the job market?

Who knows what's next! As you can see from the photo below, technology has made the ordering process more efficient, but humans aren't keeping up with the orders fast enough. The queue on the left is where people pick up their food after placing their order. Looks like they may need to speed things up a bit back in the kitchen.

Perhaps robots will be preparing and serving the food the next time I visit KFC!

The Latest PayPal Email Scam - Don't be Fooled, it looks Authentic!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:54:00 +0000

The popularity of the Internet definitely has its pros and cons. The Internet has impacted our daily lives in so many ways. It allows us instant access to information, provides us with more channels to stay in touch with family and friends, makes it more convenient to shop and pay for goods without ever leaving our home, and even changed how some of us earn a living.

Of course every good thing has its downside. The Internet is also the perfect platform for scam artists to sharpen their skills. With easy access to tools and information, con artists can also take advantage of the Internet to help them uncover new ways to swindle innocent people. Their techniques are becoming more and more difficult to spot as technologies continue to advance.

Luckily for us, we can fight against these scam artists. We can "out" them and warn other Internet users about what to look for in emails or software viruses. Sharing information and reporting these scams is a proactive method for stopping these predators.

A friend of mine recently received this email (see text below) from a scam artist posing as PayPal. At first glance, it looks legit because they duplicated PayPal's logo and website design layout. The message seems innocent enough - PayPal's computer systems experienced technical difficulties which may have affected member's account information. The email requests that members take the simple precautionary action of logging in to check their account to ensure nothing has been changed. Once you click on the link provided and enter your username and password, the scam artist immediately captures your PayPal login information and can make purchases using your account.

Here is the message received from the phony PayPal email:

Dear Paypal User, Today we had some trouble with one of our computer systems. While the trouble appears to be minor, we are not taking any chances. We decided to take the troubled system offline and replace it with a new system. Unfortunately this caused us to lose some member data. Please follow the link below and log into your account to make sure your information is not affected. Account balances have not been affected. Because of the inconvenience this causes we are giving all users that repair their missing data their next two incoming transfers for free! You will pay no fees for your next two incoming transfers*. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr/?cmd=_login-run Thank you for using PayPal! * - If fees would normally apply, you will not pay anything for the next two incoming transfers you receive. PayPal Security PROTECT YOUR PASSWORD NEVER give your password to anyone and ONLY log in at PayPal's website. If anyone asks for your password, please follow the Security Tips instructions on the PayPal website.

So what should you do?

In this instance, you can forward the email to spoof@paypal.com. PayPal will immediately work to shut down the scam site.

However, if it's another scam not related to PayPal, you can forward the email to spam@uce.gov. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will place your email in a database and use the combined information to track down and prosecute the scammer/spammers.

Make sure to Bring $1.40 if you Fly with Ryanair -- Does that Include TP?

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:55:00 +0000

Just when you think air travel couldn't get any worse, Ryanair takes the cake with the idea of charging passengers $1.40 (£1) to use the toilet! They are actually considering to install a coin slot next to the lavatory door.

So will the coin slot accept US Dollars or just British Pounds? Can you imagine a passenger looking for coins while doing the pee-pee dance?

What could they possibly come up with next? Looks like the artist behind this cartoon may be on to something...

Attention: All Ryanair visionaries looking for more ways to piss off passengers

The cartoon was featured on Gizmodo and created by The Coast of Yemen

This may seem preposterous, but the scary thing is that it could be reality some day --- start saving those British Pounds!

Thx for forwarding this to me Nick - comic relief helps me get through the day!

Not ALL Female Drivers are Bad!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:53:00 +0000

I'm sure there are male drivers that are just as bad, if not worse!

Fact: Male drivers have a 77 % higher risk of dying in a car accident than women, based on miles driven according to the Traffic STATS, a risk analysis of road fatality statistics by Carnegie Mellon for the American Automobile Association.

Why Bother with a High School Reunion when you have Facebook and Myspace?

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:31:00 +0000

I remember watching T.V. shows and movies about high school reunions in the late 80's/early 90's, wondering whether I'd ever attend my own 10-year reunion some day.

Curiosity would be my pure motive for attending a get-together of this nature. Who will show up with the hot wife/husband? Who will gain/lose 100 pounds? Who will surprise us all with their new nose/breasts/face/body/what-have-you?

After convincing myself that satisfying my curiosity would be reason enough for me to show up to my high school reunion with a fake smile and a rehearsed narrative of what I've accomplished the last ten years...then came along sites like MySpace and Facebook!!! I created my MySpace profile back in 2006 and connected with some former classmates. MySpace was only the beginning...

When I moved to New York in 2007, the big thing was Facebook! EVERYONE in New York had a Facebook profile, it was ridiculous (of course I immediately copied and pasted my MySpace info into my Facebook account). When I met people out at bars, clubs, networking events, seminars and parties, we didn't exchange phone numbers, instead we'd tell each other how they could find us on Facebook. "I'm friends with so-and-so" or "my last name is Smith" or "I'm tagged in Sarah's New Year's Eve Album."

As many folks already know, Facebook was founded by Harvard grads and began as an exclusive social networking site for students (particularly in the east coast). It became such a HUGE hit that it was open to EVERYONE with an email address (students AND non-students). It eventually found its way over to the west coast --- slowly but surely. Most of my friends and classmates have made the conversion over to Facebook and completely ditched MySpace.

Thanks to these social networking sites, we area able to browse (and for some people, stalk) other people's profiles to get a snapshot of their lives --- at least of what they are willing to share.

So is it really worth it to attend your high school reunion anymore? MySpace and Facebook provide instant gratification! You no longer have to dread creating small talk with someone whose bloody name you can't even remember. What a relief!

Although I decided not to attend my 10-year high school reunion, I was able to check out photos posted on Facebook from classmates' photo albums (see above)! Hehe....thanks for posting :)

Accepting Uncertainty

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:36:00 +0000

My future sister-in-law recommended an extremely moving book to me called Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell. This personal memoir is about an unexpected mother's journey to adoption in China. Filled with emotional turmoil and unique circumstances, the author writes about topics that we can all relate to from our own journeys in life.

Although I am not a mother or have any plans to adopt a child, the memoir included philosophical annotations and thought-provoking questions regarding acceptance, faith, uncertainty and rejection, which are things everyone can relate to. Readers can identify with Russell's emotional struggles and extraordinary situations

Excerpt from Forever Lily:

Ambiguity is one of the most difficult things to tolerate, and the intolerance leads to poor choices. Not knowing, not knowing how something will turn out, leads to impatience for an outcome. The impatience then results in one of two actions: either a resolution is forced, or there is a move to retreat, to give up. Either way, the result cannot be optimal, for in every situation, a process is working, an intricate, complex process, which has as its goal the highest outcome, the good of the whole, which we cannot easily see or grasp. The ability to allow the process to work can be called faith, and this faith is not a belief, this faith is not passive. The self-descipline needed to overcome the anxiety of ambiguity takes enormous effort to sustain.

The truth is that every single moment of every single life is uncertain. We go to great lengths to deny this, so much do we crave the illusion of security. True power lies in accepting the fact that everything is uncertain in every moment; it is the truth, and it is where our freedom lies. A small shift in thinking, a slight willingness to admit the possibility, and one can see that if everything is uncertain, then anything is possible.

I will remember this throughout all my personal journeys in life --- whether I'm coping with love, family, work or all the little speed bumps life has to offer. Thanks for sharing this book with me Rosario!

A Star is Born!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:45:00 +0000

This adorable little Indonesian/Malaysian girl sings her heart out. You've got to watch her facial expressions and hand gestures...melts my heart every time!

Just 4 Fun: Introducing My Folks to the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:48:00 +0000

I'm currently visiting my parents in El Centro, CA (120 miles east of San Diego) for some quality time with the family --- little did I know what I was signing myself up for. Ahhh...just like the good old days! Helping my parents at the restaurant was never glamorous, e.g. mopping, sweeping, washing dishes, food prep, working the register, running errands, but most importantly --- completing all of these tasks with a SMILE on my face! Oh the joy.

Before my departure to London to be reunited with Nick, I decided to introduce my parents to what we all know as the INTERNET. Just a couple of months ago, they thought the Internet was the actual computer! *Sigh* You gotta love 'em!

Don't get me wrong, my parents are intelligent and extremely business savvy and I have the utmost respect for them, but some things are completely left in the dark. I envy their diligence and ability to recognize a business opportunity before anyone else --- natural-born entrepreneurs! My parents are perfect examples of immigrants living out their American Dream.

So the fun began when I connected to the Internet and showed them what came up in search engines when I typed in the name of our restaurant. We searched using various keywords and they were disappointed in the results. "Why are they (competitors) coming up?" You should have seen the look on their faces. Priceless.

I must admit, there were moments when I wanted to launch the laptop across the room, but I didn't. Can I really afford a new laptop right now? J/K

I figured the easiest way to demonstrate the importance of the Internet was to create a Web site or blog for the restaurant. After snapping some photos of the restaurant, we sat down together and started to develop content for a simple blog (www.ChinaExpressElCentro.com). The goal was for my parents to understand the basics of SEO and realize the marketing tools that are readily available with a click of a mouse.

Once we launched the blog and gave the spyders a few days to crawl, we ran the searches again...and voila! Just like magic (well, almost), they witnessed the results and became excited about the Internet --- especially now that they have their very own blog for the family business.

They truly are the 'BESTEST' parents any kid could ever wish for.

This is the closest I'll ever get to cooking in a kitchen. My last cooking experience almost resulted in me burning down Nick's flat!!!

The World's Biggest Inn-N-Out Burger Fan!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 09:15:00 +0000

Believe it or not, the world's biggest In-N-Out Burger fan is English, not American!!! Here's a picture to prove it...

"I can probably eat two 4x4's next time!" - Nick

I'll be sure to capture the event on video if and when it happens. Stay tuned...until our next trip to In-N-Out Burger!

Growing up in the 80's

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Hong) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Every once in a while I get an email forward from a friend or colleague that cracks me up. Just recently, Diana - my newly engaged friend - sent me this hilarious email. Thanks for sharing this with me Di :)

You Know You (or your kids) Grew Up In the 80's IF:

1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.

2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the "Carlton"

3. You know that 'WOAH' comes from Joey on Blossom

4. If you ever watched 'Fraggle Rock'

5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons. (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Gummy Bears, He-man, Jem and the Holograms)

6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.

7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.

8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

9. You played the game 'MASH' (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)

10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.

11. You know the profound meaning of ' WAX ON , WAX OFF'

12. You wanted to be a Goonie.

13. You wore fluorescent clothing. (Some of us...head-to-toe)

14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off, his cheeks shifted and his nationality became questionable.

15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pail Kids in the schoolyard.

17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.

18. You still get the urge to say 'NOT' after every sentence.

19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.

21. You owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.

22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying 'I know you are, but what am I?'

23. You remember 'I've fallen and I can't get up'

24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.

25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.

26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.

27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.

28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.

29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.

30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool... and don't even flinch when people refer to them as 'NKOTB'

31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on 'Saved By The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.

32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

33. You just sang those words to yourself.

34. You still sing 'We are the World'

35. You tight rolled or french cuffed your jeans. And still debate on which is the right term!

36. You owned a bannana clip.

37. You remember 'Where's the Beef?'

38. You used to (and probably still do) say 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?'

39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!

40. your hair looked like this for at least 1 school picture!