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Tarzan: The Christmas Gift Box

Posted on January 27th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Cats.

It occurs to me that I haven’t recently blogged about Tarzan.  Like myself, Tarzan is a geek, so he obsesses over things easily.  This is the story of Tarzan’s obsession with a box.

Tarzan and I had just arrived in Minnesota for Christmas, and his cousins, Sophie and Smokey, had been picking on him.  He got a little defensive and, Christmas Eve, while we were opening presents, decided to lay claim to a gift box.

He defended his gift box from his cousins any time they came near.  Eventually, he curled up and took a nap, so when it was time for bed, I took the box to my room and set it in the headboard.

Tarzan slept every night in that box in my headboard, so when it was time to New York, I brought it back with us.  A month later, the box still sits, wedged between my pillows.  It’s one of his favorite spots in the apartment.

What a geek.

2 comments.

Movie: Cloverfield

Posted on January 26th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

This is me remembering to blog about movies I see.  Yay me.

I went not really knowing what the movie was about, and I left not really knowing what the movie was about.

Let me sum it up: big monster destroys Manhattan.

If you’re looking for something more, try a different movie. 

That said, I actually enjoyed it - well, after we got past the first thirty minutes of boring character development.  Lets be honest: we’re not here to see the characters, we’re here to see the monster.

I guess one reason why I accept the fact that we never learn anything about what the monster is or where it came from is the fact that it was a story from the eyes of an average person - someone who had no clue what was going on.  Someone who was just trying to get out safely with his friends.  That’s realistic.

Now, that said, I don’t know that it really merits the sequel that’s being talked about, but hey, if you’ve got a few million lying around and nothing better to do with it, have a blast.

0 comments.

USA: NYC: Restaurants: Peperoncino

Posted on January 22nd, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Food, NYC.

[Front door: Peperoncino]

I think Dave and I originally wound up here while stumbling around in the cold looking desparately for someplace to eat.  Cold and tired, we decided to chance a new Italian spot on the corner of 5th Avenue and St. Mark’s in Park Slope, Brooklyn.  Just looking for a decent meal, we ended up with our new official neighborhood eatery.

[The Pheasant special…mmmm…excellent…]

Peperoncino delights with a wood-burning oven, candles and flowers on each table, and quite possibly the best service I have ever had in my life.  There’s just one main waiter, and he knows the food so well that he can offer a plethora of details about the dishes, such as the history of the dish, the ingrediants, or whatever questions you want to throw at him.  (He’s gotta be the owner or the manager or something…)

[We’re geeks.  The bathroom fascinated us.]

With phenomenal specials and perfect portions and reasonable prices, of course I would highly recommend this place, but as geeks, what really excited us was the bathroom.  The triangular, wooden sink set in the corner, filled with rocks at the bottom totally warrents a trip to the bathroom - I felt like I was in a spa, if only for two minutes.

0 comments.

Broadway: Mamma Mia

Posted on January 20th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog.

I promised myself that if I moved to New York, I wuold go see a broadway show every month.  This has never happened.  In fact, the only time I go see a show is when I have someone from overseas visiting me.  (Though I imagine that if I had domestic guests, we would go as well.)

Last night I saw Mamma Mia, which was new when I visited New York in spring of 2002.  I had wanted to see it then, but it wasn’t until now that it finally made it to the tkts booth, where Broadway tickets go on sale every day for half-price.

The story wasn’t great: a girl in Greece, seeking the perfect wedding, invites three of her mom’s past lovers to her wedding in the hopes of discovering her father and having him walk her down the isle. 

Still, the music was wonderful, and there was some great choreography.  My favorite scene - I forget the song - was where the men all came out and danced in purple wet suits and flippers.  How no one fell flat on their face, I have no idea, but I had a great laugh.

1 comment.

Meaningless Rant: Comfort is a State of Mind

Posted on January 15th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Meaningless Rants.

[Myself, laying down on two wheeled chairs I’ve pulled together]

Over the years, as a result of college and world travel, I developed the amazing ability to get comfortable and fall asleep in almost any situation: on planes and in trains; out in the forest and on a hard floor; in airports and in offices.  I love sleep, and I can sleep nearly anywhere.

But never did I realize, until seeing a picture of myself, how bizarre I look when I’m just getting comfy.  Now I know why people think it’s strange when I lay down on a hardwood floor to relax, or why people will stare at me when I squat down on the curb to do something.  It’s not normal to sit down on the kitchen floor to eat; when in the livingroom, I’m supposed to sit on the couch, not plop down on a cushion I’ve tossed on the floor.

I’d like to relegate the blame the realm of culture shock, but I really don’t think any one culture has taught me to do these things…it’s just me.  But take me or leave me, my friends, because I likely won’t change.

2 comments.

Meaningless Rant: My Bags

Posted on January 12th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Meaningless Rants.

I don’t so much carry a purse as I do some variety of bag.  More importantly, that bag generally needs to have some sort of supernatural, bottomless pit qualities.  Things go in the bag - they never come out.

The result is that my bags get quite heavy.  So every now and then, I get curious and dump out the bag and try to sort everything out and ease a couple pounds off my shoulder.

I recently had such a day - “What’s in here?” I asked myself in exasperation after lifting the painfully heavy bag onto my shoulder.  I started digging…my wallet…my iPod…a 400-page novel…my cell phone…an umbrella……a pad of paper…my digital camera…  All necessary things to survive in our modern world.

And then, I found it.  Surprised, I pulled the lightsaber hilt out of the depths of my bag and hefted it once or twice.  “Probably don’t need that,” I muttered to myself.  I set the lightsaber hilt down on the back of the couch and lifted the purse onto my shoulder: “Better,” I commented, and headed out the door.

4 comments.

Movie: Juno

Posted on January 12th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Movies.

I saw Juno last weekend not really knowing what to expect: it was excellent.  It made me laugh so hard I cried, and as the tears streamed down my face, it suddenly turned serious (and by that point my emotions were too built up to not continue crying.)  What could easily have been a lame, cliched movie about teen pregnancy was actually a wonderful flick.

One phenomenal aspect was the characters.  The best character was probably the step-mother.  At first, she comes off as the typical step-mother who will always love her own children more than the ugly step-daughter, but she turns out to be an amazing woman, and really steps up to defend Juno when it counts. 

And on a random note, it’s set in Minnesota - you can’t beat that, can you?

1 comment.

Star Wars: LEGO AT-ST

Posted on January 10th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Star Wars.

WOOT!  My inner child lives! 

[Myself, dilligently assembling the AT-ST]

I felt deserving of a toy the other day when passing through Times Square.  Although I was in the mood to buy the walking AT-AT, Toys R Us was not obliging.  Just as well - it’s $130…but it WALKS!  (Forward and backward…but who’s ever seen an AT-AT go backward?)

[Myself with my new LEGO AT-ST - aren’t we a cute couple?]

I’ve enjoyed building LEGO sets since I was a kid - at that time, I was very much into the Castle sets (which are back again, but by no means do they compete with the LEGO Castle sets of old…)  Now, I get my Star Wars Legos and my Harry Potter Legos…it makes me happy.  As do dreams of the $300 LEGO Star Destroyer and the new $500 LEGO Millenium Falcon…

0 comments.

Star Wars: The Crux of Star Wars Fandom

Posted on January 5th, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Star Wars.

[Myself, playing with lightsabers - photo/edit credits go to Shaddius]

I am a Star Wars fan.  I do not deny this.

People don’t understand what I see in Star Wars - I’m not wholly certain either.  As I blogged about previously, the obsession developed out of frustration with perceived inconsistencies and short-coming in the films - though even when I discovered all three movies, I still spent hours compiling lists of mistakes throughout the trilogy.  From there I graduated to complaining about Star Wars books, half of which are so infuriating or just plain bad that it takes a great force of will to finish them.  I buy the video games and computer games even though I suck at them all.  I go shopping for action figures and then complain about the poor representations of characters (Force Unleashed models are exempt from this criticism) and I buy lightsabers and then complain about their poor quality and flawed design.

I’ve long struggled to understand my obsession with a franchise I’m consistently dissatisfied with…but no more: an editorial in JIVE Magazine, “The Complex and Terrifying Reality of Star Wars Fandom”, explains all, starting with this simple, sweeping argument: “Star Wars fans hate Star Wars.”  And our hatred for Star Wars, the editorial argues, is exactly what drives on our obsession.

Don’t get me wrong - there are things I love about Star Wars.  I love the idea that an ordinary person can step forward and discover the potential within to be a hero.  The simplicity of clearly defined good vs. evil is refreshing.  The heavy influence of Eastern philosophy is something I connect with.  And the technology - while unrealistic - is a lot of fun.  Throw in the adventure/travel aspect of running around the galaxy, and I’m sold.

I love the basic concepts behind Star Wars.  But people assume that I love everything about Star Wars - they’ve got it all wrong.  I would have no respect for myself as a Star Wars fan if I wasn’t infuriated by it all.  But, as a Star Wars fan, I’m able to read between the lines and pull out the amazing story within.  JIVE Magazine put it best: “Every true Star Wars fan is a Luke Skywalker, looking at his twisted, evil father, and somehow seeing good.”

Yay for the noble Star Wars fans, and the great sacrifices we make.

7 comments.

USA: NYC: New Years 2008

Posted on January 3rd, 2008 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, NYC, Star Wars.

 
[The Best part about this picture is the sea of glowing LCD screens in the crowd, each recording this moment]

I thought I’d do the tourist thing and get one more thing checked off the To Do List and go to Times Square for the 100th anniversary Ball Drop.  Do note that if you go at the advised time (4 to 6pm) you will never get in to Times Square at all - I was three blocks north of there.  According to the cops, arrive in the morning if you want a good spot.  I would also recommend camping chairs, food, water, books, games, iPods, and other time-wasting devices.  Also, get off the trains near Central Park and walk south…everything is blocked off on the south end.

[I was going to just walk by, but then I saw he was letting people wear his hat, and that was just irresistible.  Though, I have to say, NYPD is pretty great.  They have to deal with insanely huge crowds that are generally drunk and/or high, and they still kep a good attitude on the whole.  Much appreciation goes out to these guys.]

It was surprisingly anticlimatic.  After waitng around for 6 hours, reading and socializing with travelers, we spent the final ten minutes getting hyped up.  We did the 60-second count-down, jumped and screamed for maybe a minute, and then everybody started climbing over the police barricades and walking towards their hotels or trains or wherever.  I made it to a friends’ home is Queens by 1am.

[Myself, with the Obi-wan in my left and the Luke in my right, ready to slay some Sith]

At some point, the lightsabers came out, as is obligatory.  I’d never held a Luke or an Obi-wan, and suddenly I had one in each hand.  I can only imagine the look on my face: “You don’t understand,” I said, “It’s like I’ve just seen my two childhood heroes fall in battle and now I’m picking up their arms to slay the enemy…”  I can’t even describe the feeling…awe, fear, adrenaline…wow.  I may have to start collecting lightsabers.

2 comments.