Tuesday, January 29, 2008

for he's a jolly good fellow

what am i talking about exactly here? recently, i met someone who participated in the Riordan Fellows program at UCLA Anderson, a program which exposes recent grads to the real life experience of business in preparation for the real deal. here's a quick description of the program.

The Riordan Fellows Program targets current college students and recent college graduates who are considering graduate education in business management. Its core purpose is to educate, prepare, and motivate these individuals to competitively apply and succeed in a top MBA program and a career in management. Fellows attend eight (8) monthly Saturday sessions that provide various activities and services, including:

  • Riordan FellowsGraduate-level discussions and case studies led by top UCLA Anderson faculty
  • Personalized one-on-one MBA Action Plan counseling session
  • Guest speakers from the corporate community
  • Guidance on MBA Admissions, financial aid, and GMAT preparation
  • Personal mentors who are current UCLA Anderson MBA students
  • Team Community Service Project
  • Networking opportunities with industry professionals and the UCLA Anderson community
  • Social events with Riordan Programs alumni and corporate representatives

it really seems like a great opportunity for me to get exposure to the pre-MBA lifestyle (not like studying for the GMATs wasn't bad enough already). the only problem is my whole commitment to moving up to SF come late summer/early fall. if i were be accepted into this 8 month long program, it would push SF back a lot later than i had initially hoped for. i'm already anxious enough as it is to move...but this opportunity came along, and now i feel like i might have to reevaluate my goals in life.

what am i saying.....i need to get into the program first. don't you hate it when you so many decisions to make that you don't even know which one takes priority over which?

i hate thinking so much...

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

fireworks in january

i was listening to "Tong Hua" by Guang Liang (Michael Wong) last night when i thought to myself, "what other songs does he sing???" at work, i listen to IMEEM all day, so i decided to look for his songs.

browsing through his songs, i was really impressed with the melodic rhythms of his latest album "不会分离" (Never Apart), along with his lyrical brilliance. here's a song that has been on repeat all day...



烟火(Yan Huo/Fireworks)

是否还记得一起看烟火
Shi fou hai ji de yi qi kan yan huo
Do you still remember the times we watched fireworks together

我在你眼里看到闪烁
Wo zai ni yan li kan dao shan shuo
I saw lights flickering in your eyes

冷冽的寒风把你吹向我
Leng lie de han feng ba ni chui xiang wo
The cold and piercing wind blew you to my direction

抱你在我怀中没想太多
Bao ni zai wo huai li mei xiang tai duo
Holding you in my arms without thinking too much

爱情里的心动常常让我难以去捉摸
Ai qing li de xin dong chang chang rang wo nan yi qu zhuo muo
The flow of love is always so hard for me to predict

付出感情太多
Fu chu gan qing tai duo
Put too much heart into it

原来多情人总被伤的最重
yuan lai duo qing ren zong bei shang de zui chong
Actually the most sentimental person is the one who gets hurt the most

想起你的拥抱这感觉短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de yong bao zhe gan jue duan zhan ji nian
Thinking back about the feel your embrace, A short memory

在你我之间
Zai ni wo zi jian
In between you and me

有时说变就变
You shi shuo bian jiu bian
Always changing without warning

就像烟火下一秒消失不见
Jiu xiang yan huo xia yi miao xiao shi bu jian
Just like fireworks, disappearing in just a moment

想起你的微笑这画面短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de wei xiao zhe hua mian duan zhan ji nian
Thinking of the image of your smile, A short memory

放在心里面
Fang zai xin li mian
Kept in my heart

你说过的永远
Ni shuo guo de yong yuan
The 'forever' you talked about

留在昨天就当它是我最美的纪念
Liu zai zuo tian jiu dang ta shi wo zui mei de ji nian
Is left in the yesterdays Let’s just let it be my most beautiful memory

冷冽的寒风把你吹向我
Leng lie de han feng ba ni chui xiang wo
The cold and piercing wind blew you to my direction

抱你在我怀中没想太多
Bao ni zai wo huai li mei xiang tai duo
Holding you in my arms without thinking too much

爱情里的心动常常让我难以去捉摸
Ai qing li de xin dong chang chang rang wo nan yi qu zhuo muo
The flow of love is always so hard for me to predict

付出感情太多
Fu chu gan qing tai duo
Put too much heart into it

原来多情人总被伤的最重
yuan lai duo qing ren zong bei shang de zui chong
Actually the most sentimental person is the one who gets hurt the most

想起你的拥抱这感觉短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de yong bao zhe gan jue duan zhan ji nian
Thinking back about the feel your embrace, A short memory

在你我之间
Zai ni wo zi jian
In between you and me

有时说变就变
You shi shuo bian jiu bian
Always changing without warning

就像烟火下一秒消失不见
Jiu xiang yan huo xia yi miao xiao shi bu jian
Just like fireworks, disappearing in just a moment

想起你的微笑这画面短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de wei xiao zhe hua mian duan zhan ji nian
Thinking of the image of your smile, A short memory

放在心里面
Fang zai xin li mian
Kept in my heart

你说过的永远
Ni shuo guo de yong yuan
The 'forever' you talked about

留在昨天就当它是我最美的纪念
Liu zai zuo tian jiu dang ta shi wo zui mei de ji nian
Is left in the yesterdays Let’s just let it be my most beautiful memory

我的心情今天已换了季
Wo de xin qing jin tian yi huan le ji
The seasons have changed in my heart today

天边出现彩虹
Tian bian chu xian cai hong
A rainbow forming on the horizons

晴朗阳光洒在我的天空闪烁
Qing lang yang guang sa zai wo de tian kong shan shuo
The sunny and cloudless day bathes my sky, glimmering

像是笑着告诉我爱到最后是宽容
Xiang shi xiao zhe gao su wo ai dao zui hou shi kuan rong
Just like laughing at me, telling me that all these while love was just tolerance

想起你的拥抱这感觉短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de yong bao zhe gan jue duan zhan ji nian
Thinking back about the feel your embrace, A short memory

在你我之间
Zai ni wo zi jian
In between you and me

有时说变就变
You shi shuo bian jiu bian
Always changing without warning

就像烟火下一秒消失不见
Jiu xiang yan huo xia yi miao xiao shi bu jian
Just like fireworks, disappearing in just a moment

想起你的微笑这画面短暂纪念
Xiang qi ni de wei xiao zhe hua mian duan zhan ji nian
Thinking of the image of your smile, A short memory

放在心里面
Fang zai xin li mian
Kept in my heart

你说过的永远
Ni shuo guo de yong yuan
The 'forever' you talked about

留在昨天就当它是我最美的纪念
Liu zai zuo tian jiu dang ta shi wo zui mei de ji nian
Is left in the yesterdays Let’s just let it be my most beautiful memory

还有你陪我走过这一切
Hai you ni pei wo zou guo zhe yi qie
Still got you with me to walk through all these

记忆中你那些微笑的脸
Ji yi zhong ni na xie wei xiao de lian
That smiling face of yours in my memory

just wanted to share w/ ya'll! happy tuesday!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

this isn't madness...this is dineLA!!!!!

for all of you dine-out enthusiasts out there, what special event is coming up??



(click on the picture to go to the official website) starting on January 27th and ending on October 8th, dineLA is definitely a cannot miss event. and since i can't miss this even, ill be taking advantage of it.....five freakin times.

it's a pretty poppin deal I must say....$22 for lunch and $25-$34 for dinner for a 3-course, prix fixe meal. mmmm my mouth is watering just thinkin bout it. the only drawback i can think of is the hole that it's going to burn in my wallet. i think 5 is a little excessive....but as Joyce says, "think of it as an investment!!" i dunno how it's an investment, but i'll just go w/ the flow....

it was a hard decision trying to decide which restaurants to go to. and although i admit that i really wanted to go to Lawry's, it's a venue that i can go to any other night. i decided to try new things. here is a list of the restaurants that i'll be sticking my knife and fork into:

January 27



January 30
Park Grill @ the Intercontinental Hotel


February 3

LA Prime @ the Bonaventure Hotel


February 6



February 8

not to mention that I'll be going to SF this weekend cuz SF is having their Dine About Town, which is parallel to dineLA. go ahead, call me a fatty, but i'll die happy =D i'll post more about that when I come back on Monday.

but yes, I encourage all of you who love to eat out, or don't eat out at all, to participate in dineLA. it's freakin BOMB!! =D

Friday, January 4, 2008

trial by declaration? GOT IT!

I am here to attest the phenomenon that is...TRIAL BY DECLARATION!!

Dude, last year was not a good year for me in terms of the amount of parking and traffic tickets i got. To ring in the new year, I was slapped with a ticket. Not a parking ticket. Not a traffic ticket. But a FIX-IT TICKET. What the hell man?! What gives?? On the last day of the year, I get slapped with a ticket for of all things, TINT. I never thought that I would get caught for it, but I guess you should never say 'never'!

Anyway, I digress. I'm here to talk about the use of Trial By Declaration. I got 3 tickets this year:

Traffic Ticket 1
Location: Western Ave x Beverly Blvd
Violation: Running a red light
Synopsis: Ummm....driving a little under the influence really DOES impair judgement.
You've all seen the ticket (I posted it on my Xanga). Here is it again for all of you who missed out.

But back then, I didn't know about trial by declaration. How stupid I really was.

Traffic Ticket 2
Location: I-605 South in Irwindale
Violation: Speeding
Synopsis: This happened right after Kel's birthday shindig at Claim Jumpers in Arcadia. This is what happens when you're preoccupied with talking to your passengers that you lose sight of your speed.

Traffic Ticket 3
Location: Valley Blvd x 3rd St.
Violation: Illegal U-turn in a business district
Synopsis: I admit.....STUPID MOVE. I made a U-turn from the curb, cutting 2 lanes and going over a double yellow. What makes it worse? The cop was pulling out onto Valley just as I was making the turn. Not one cop, but like THREE freakin cop cars.

I am here to talk about the last two tickets. Per Nutz' advise, I contested my tickets through Trial by Declaration. It's a simple process- pay the ticket, write a letter of contest, send it in, wait for a decision. Why would you do this?

Name: SCOTT ANTHONY LEE
Court: West Covina Courthouse

1427 West Covina Parkway, West Covina, CA 91790

(213) 742-1928
Violation Date: 05/12/2007
Initial Due Date: 06/26/2007
Case Status: Dismissed
Disposition: Case dismissed on 09/27/2007
Last Action: Court trial
Last Action/
New Appearance Date:
09/27/2007 in 001

Name: SCOTT ANTHONY LEE
Court: Alhambra Courthouse

150 West Commonwealth, Alhambra, CA 91801

(213) 742-1928
Violation Date: 07/27/2007
Initial Due Date: 09/25/2007
Case Status: Dismissed
Disposition: Case dismissed on 12/31/2007
Last Action: Court appearance
Last Action/
New Appearance Date:
12/31/2007 in 002


I am living proof that this works!! That's $563 that I was able to claim back. Shit son, I got boba money now!

Moral of this post (for all those who haven't gotten the message already): USE TRIAL BY DECLARATION!!!

the new year's here.......BITCH!

HAPPY 2008!!!

I can't believe the new year's already here. Just this morning I was thinkin about past events that still linger so vividly in my mind and then I realize, "Damn, that happened YEARS ago". It really perplexes me how fast time flies....and boy, it flies FAST. Just for a quick recap of 2007, these were the highlights of my year (in no particular order):

- Korea
- EDC & Love Fest
- Bra's return to MEI GUO!!
- Landing a job at CBRE
- Trying out the most restaurants I've ever had with BFG
- Sunday volleyballs gone AWOL now that Thomas moved
- Making SF my second home with all those visits
- My first trip to Mammoth / first snowboarding run in 4 years
- Finally getting gym membership and staying in shape
- Holiday Disneyland
- Taking the GMAT
- Hosting my first ever Christmas party
- The start of new friendships, and rekindling old ones

The end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 ran by me in a heartbeat--especially being in the inebriated state I was in and besides the fact that the countdown was messed up. GIANT MAXIMUS (echo echo echo) was off the HOOOOOKKKKER!! I have tons and tons of pictures to share, but that'll have to wait for another entry cuz I'm at work with no access to my laptop =( In all honesty, I don't think I would have had it any other way. I was with the people I wanted to be with, and partying like a rock star the way it should be =)

It's also the year of the rat! It doesn't necessarily mean a good thing though. My dad, along with other resources have told me that this year isn't going to be a very good one, and to take caution. I got kinda creeped out by the discretionary warning, but this year has turned out to be a good one thus far! Well, I guess I can't say much with only 4 days into the new year, but still. What's in store for me this year?

THE BIG MOVE. A quick update regarding the big move to SF. I've been riding the fence in terms of moving April or September. April would've been an ideal time if I didn't just get the whopping 7% raise from CBRE along with the GMAT studies I have to prep for. But for right now, September seems to be the more viable option. BUT MORE TO COME SOON!

In any case, I'm done with rambling. Lunch in Ktown with BraKelly today. Here's to more happy blogging in 2008!!