Another day another twist in life, regardless of how constant things may seem to be, the only thing that remains constant will always be change. I’m turning older going on 23, at this most exciting junction of life. Finally out of college, starting a career, and being independent, meaning racking up debt and paying back student loans. It’s now a balancing act to control consumption and balancing the quality of life.

There’s a list of items that I would like to have by the end of the year that I’m going to be looking forward too obtaining. Why, because it would make me happy to have them, as it will increase my happiness barometer, heighten my sensation, and increase delight? What do you want me to say? PS I just like to hoard things as well.

First on this list, yes, despite everything I do want a Nintendo Wii. I’ve had the great fun of playing this first hand like 2 years ago when one of my roommates got one. I’m not an crazy gamer at all, but I would like to swing and play the tennis game, grow my Pokemon, and play some smash brawls. See a theme here? I want a way to release well stress and well energy, and there’s no better way to smack Jigglypuff around. 8-)

Second, I want sight, and more screen space. It’s about time I get a huge LCD screen. See here, 22in is the new standard, so I have to bump it up to 24in. I would be very happy with a 24in LCD, but the incremental jump from 24 to 26in is like $45, so might as well get that right? Well, sitting 2 feet away from a 26in LCD might make me go blind, but it’s going to be amazing! The gaming experience, the DVD experience, the chat boxes, I can have everything right in front of me, you would think that productivity would increase, but I would wager that productivity would hit an all time low. Still! I would like a bigger LCD screen please.

Third, Sound. I’ve decided that the Bose Companion 3 Series II multimedia speaker system would just be perfect for my room for a simple price of $200. Amazing! It’s Bose, enough said, if you want great sounds with simple clean design, get a Bose.

I want a cooler Camera. Now that I’ve got some time to explore my world I want a camera with RAW capability, so that means I’m going to have to invest in getting a Semi Pro Digital SLR. No better camera for that than a Canon Digital Rebel and the price is well pretty much bargaining now. I can get a whole Canon Rebel EOS XT for about $400. What a steal.

GPS. One Word, okie, I already have a pretty decent GPS system, but it’s kind of not new anymore, and I got both my sisters newer and cooler GPS, so now I’m feeling left out. Time for an upgrade, I already know what I want, so it’s just a wait and she if the price will drop anymore and how quickly I want it.

So the big question is who’s going to get me what? I know it’s a big tech heavy list, but it’s all really useable and practical. I’m a practical kind of guy. I still want cake, balloons, flowers, and all that jazz. Actually, writing up this list points out the seriousness and flaws of our way of life. Consumption is king, and all we want to do is consume.

I want the world to be a better place, and I want to spend more time with the people I love. Mom, Dad, Nick, Kim Anh, & Kim Son. So even if I don’t get any of these things in the near future, I’m still one happy chuck, because I know that I’m loved, now and always.

Tags: Wants, needs, Love, Happy, media, Gadget

Unexpected Interruptions:
We don’t miss it until it’s gone, whatever it’s.  Let me give you some background on this.  I’ve had my glasses for about three years now, and I never liked it, love it as much as I could.  Why?  Because it was my second choice. The one I really wanted it was a Versace black and white frames, and at the time, I couldn’t afford it and Dad didn’t want to pay that extra over the top $ooo for it. Therefore, I ended with Jaz by Europa. It was beautiful, and I’ve had a great time with it.  

So what happened?  Well this morning (Monday) while at work, I was just adjusting it a little bit because it was bent, and being human, I was curious and played with it a bit more.  Then it just snapped, and well broke.  I ran next door to the optometry office Eye Care of Iowa, and asked if they could fix it.  They said no, and suggested I call some jeweler and see if they could fix it.  So, I’ll do that the first chance I get, which will be tomorrow!  Because I can’t see, well I can’t see as well, and especially not well at all if I have to read 100 pages of text documents.  And I work in front of two computer monitors for 8 hours, and just staring at it gives me the headache of my life.  I already miss my second choice glasses, really, I adore it, and I want it back.  Even if it’s imperfect now. 
Unexpected Happiness:
The biggest annoyance in life is never something major, because if it were a major deal, we would expect it, and can deal with it.  It’s always the little events, the kicker, and the nuances that throw of our balance.  I have a 15.4 inch Mac Book pro that’s less than a year old.  I did not buy it brand new, and thus, I got it at a cheaper price, and imperfections that I’ve had to deal with, I only found out these imperfection after it was too late.  
The first was well, the DVD player didn’t work, well it did, but it was stuck in region code number 4.  Meaning that I couldn’t play any of my DVD’s because North America, we live in region code 1.  You have no idea how upset I was when I found out that this was the case.  I called the seller up, and well, it’s really not his fault that he played things on region 4, I just wished I he told me about it, but then again, is this something that was obvious to him?  Probably not, he had no idea that I would, a regular American Asian person would just play things coded in region 1.  This is why illegal smuggling of DVD’s into the US is damaging, do you know that it could well “brick” your precious DVD players in your $2000 Mac Book Pro?  How annoying right?  
For a while, I contemplated cracking the firmware, and breaking the region codes.  Seriously Apple, you are so annoying as way, all the other manufactures play nice, why can’t you?  But I never got around too it, and I could just sell this quirky laptop and let the next buyer deal with the drama.  Fortunately, when I upgraded the laptop to the latest OS Leopard, it allowed me to reset the region code one last time!  Thank God, I was jumping for joy; one time was all I needed, one chance.  The DVD player worked again, I was able to play The History of Art a five part DVD series this weekend, and it made me all happy again.

Tags: Life, Lifestyle

Life is sad at the moment.
Loop, Loop, Loop!
Happy Joy Happy Joy
Joy Tear, Joy Jerk
Rain, Mud, Rain, Mud
Little feet, sharp nail
Salty ice cream, sweet Pill
Sleep, dream, lifeless.

Tags: Life

So I quickly made a Facebook badge today. Because I didn't know it had existed before. How cool right? So yeah, that was fun, for about five minutes.
I really recommend people make a FB badge, especially if everything you do, and all of your contacts all centralized through Facebook. That way when someone wants to know something about you, you can just re direct them to your FB profile page, via the badge. It could just be me, but I found this to be really cool. Who knew? Haha.
They come in two versions, one with HTML still images, and one with a more interactive javascript.

Tags: Facebook

Please let me be the way I am so that I can be free to express my opinion and unique expression. I love me because I how can I not love me? I’m afraid to love, because I must give up a part of my soul. Come into my life and teach me a new way, so that I can adopt a new path. Read me a book, so that I can be curious. Draw me a tree, so that new life will grow from it. Catch me a fish, so that I can make bubbles. I’m like a rock, kick me around and I might hit you in the face, but you can use me to hit some other fool as well. I’m hard and soft, full of substance, and full of life. Hardened from experience and pain. I’m like a teddy bear, brining back the old memories, and soft for you to touch. Wrap your hands around me, and I will comfort you. Get to know me, only a few more minutes left of this old year 2007. 2008 will be explosive, will be romantic, will be super nuts! Peace on earth, for the little creatures. xoxo ~ithinkminh

PS: Enjoy the firework that I captured in Omaha, Nebraska Firework Show 2008

Tags: Video, Firework

The year is coming to an end in a matter of a few hours and I felt that I have to close some loops by writing one last blog. Even though the a new year is coming up oh so fast. 2008 will be a new of new opportunities, new trials and tribulations, new challenges and hearty moments. I haven’t even made any New Year’s Resolution yet, and the usual still trying to make it happen. I hope to gain some weight, and have a few more pieces of muscle. I read a few great books this past year, hopefully I will read more fantastic books in 2008. Still there are much unfinished business in 2007, that I will pleasantly deal with as it comes up. I hope for new things, I hope for much, I hope for all, I hope for old. A toast for the dead, a toast for the living. A tribute to me, a tribute to all. Good luck everyone, ride your horse, and ride it with a steady-hand in 2008. ~ithinkminh

Tags: Resolution, Video