w00t w00t booyah

Nisei Week without the Tofu Festival means most of the vendors I counted on being there are gone. They've restructured the first floor of the JACC in a way that made them split the ikebana into two rooms.

I fell asleep sitting up during the tea ceremony.

And I had at one point, a 16 to 1 ratio. They all knew me - and that was the common thread. I had four units at one point. I am very derfed. SO derfed. Derf derf sake OMG die derf.

And we missed caitlin. We were selfish that way.

Nisei Week without the Tofu Festival means most of the vendors I counted on being there are gone. They've restructured the first floor of the JACC in a way that made them split the ikebana into two rooms.

I fell asleep sitting up during the tea ceremony.

And I had at one point, a 16 to 1 ratio. They all knew me - and that was the common thread. I had four units at one point. I am very derfed. SO derfed. Derf derf sake OMG die derf.

And we missed caitlin. We were selfish that way.

Told you it wasn't over - John Chiang is tell Arnold NO. And he can do it - he's the guy who signs the paychecks.

"Chiang disagrees with the governor's reading of a five-year-old court decision, White v. Davis, and is not complying with the governor's order to cut pay for 200,000 state workers to the federal minimum wage, $6.55 an hour. Their next paycheck is not due until the end of the month.

In addition, the controller said the pay cut is unworkable with his 25-year-old payroll computer system. The complicated court order requires full pay for persons who recieve overtime.

Chiang said in 2004, when Steve Westly was controller, his office spent 12 months trying to work out a way to comply with the pay-cut order, before concluding accurate pay could be disrupted for months.

"Recovering from such a sweeping adjustment to the minimum wage would take at least six months before all employees could see the right amount in their hard-earned paychecks," said Chiang.

Dumb as dead cats. Stay tuned.

Morgan Freeman in car accident, at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. You know what ya gotta do now. Make a mix, put it on CD and send it. Best tip I ever got for something to bring with you to visit someone in the hospital - a CD player and something to listen to.

HAY.

It's time to think about Nisei Week again. Who wants to go? Look for "Nisei Week Japanese" on Facebook if you have one - more details there, and if you search events you'll find multiple listings - for good reason. You want to try out - experience - see - *anything* related to Japanese culture, filtered through being on this side of the water...here's your chance.

Jim and I always renew our memberships to the Japanese Cultural Center and the Japanese American National Museum at this time. Chock a block of stuff. Start early, hang in there until you can't go any more. Dress appropriately, because it's traditionally HOT. Repeat it with me. HOT. During the festival.

The Tofu festival, however, has called it a day and won't be back. They lost their parking lot venue to development...and well, can't find a way to make it work without it. BLAST.

And now, I munch.

And if you're a fan of vintage shojo manga?

Japanese Cultural Center is having a big exhibit on it right now. Completely free.

Original artwork by Osamu Tetsuka...and if you're a fan of Rose of Versailles, there's original art from that manga as well. Layouts from Banana Fish. Others.

(Yes, CLAMP sent some lovely...prints. Yay CLAMP. WTF?)

If you Google up 'Shojo Manga! Girl Power!' (the name of the exhibit), you'll find it's been travelling all over North America this year. (There you go, Sushi & Sake Magazine...https://chartreuse.site-secure.net/sushiandtofu/Event_Entertainment/Tidbits_of_Month/2007-08Tidbits.html)

Time to go to Little Tokyo, folks. All free except for the goodies.

And if you're a fan of vintage shojo manga?

Japanese Cultural Center is having a big exhibit on it right now. Completely free.

Original artwork by Osamu Tetsuka...and if you're a fan of Rose of Versailles, there's original art from that manga as well. Layouts from Banana Fish. Others.

(Yes, CLAMP sent some lovely...prints. Yay CLAMP. WTF?)

If you Google up 'Shojo Manga! Girl Power!' (the name of the exhibit), you'll find it's been travelling all over North America this year. (There you go, Sushi & Sake Magazine...https://chartreuse.site-secure.net/sushiandtofu/Event_Entertainment/Tidbits_of_Month/2007-08Tidbits.html)

Time to go to Little Tokyo, folks. All free except for the goodies.

*balls up week, tosses it into wastebasket*

*scores*

See you all at Nisei Week tomorrow!

Came home. Took food out, put in microwave on defrost and slept.

Dressed said food for oven, put in oven, set timer, slept some more.

Took food out of oven, found suitable program off TiVo to consume food by - did so, and slept some more.

Now awake, but ready for sleeping again.

This is going to be the pattern through next week. I'm flattered by being asked to cover these items at work while the usual suspects are on vacation - but the earlier wake up is messing with me big time.

ANYONE UP FOR TOFU FESTIVAL? Nisei Week begins this weekend, and the Tofu Festival is concurrent with it the first weekend.

Will be gathering swag for at least two other people who would normally attend. And this year, it doesn't look like any celebrity appearances...bother.

http://www.tofufestival.com

I might mention the recipients of all the raffles, script sales and the like is the Little Tokyo Service Center, one of the very few organizations providing social services (outside of the penal system) in Downtown Los Angeles. They also rock big time - so come down, buy raffle tickets, eat a lot of tofu and have a lot fun. I'll be there all day.

Other amusing facts related to the TiVo - Jim now has one more reason to laugh like a maniac. He can TiVo all the MythBusters he can watch, and rewind and re-watch all the explosions he wants. I am quite happy right now he wasn't a chemistry major in college. *nodsnods*

Came home. Took food out, put in microwave on defrost and slept.

Dressed said food for oven, put in oven, set timer, slept some more.

Took food out of oven, found suitable program off TiVo to consume food by - did so, and slept some more.

Now awake, but ready for sleeping again.

This is going to be the pattern through next week. I'm flattered by being asked to cover these items at work while the usual suspects are on vacation - but the earlier wake up is messing with me big time.

ANYONE UP FOR TOFU FESTIVAL? Nisei Week begins this weekend, and the Tofu Festival is concurrent with it the first weekend.

Will be gathering swag for at least two other people who would normally attend. And this year, it doesn't look like any celebrity appearances...bother.

http://www.tofufestival.com

I might mention the recipients of all the raffles, script sales and the like is the Little Tokyo Service Center, one of the very few organizations providing social services (outside of the penal system) in Downtown Los Angeles. They also rock big time - so come down, buy raffle tickets, eat a lot of tofu and have a lot fun. I'll be there all day.

Other amusing facts related to the TiVo - Jim now has one more reason to laugh like a maniac. He can TiVo all the MythBusters he can watch, and rewind and re-watch all the explosions he wants. I am quite happy right now he wasn't a chemistry major in college. *nodsnods*

*shakes up friends list* YO.

It's time for Nisei Week again.

The best of the best festivals Little Tokyo does, the annual Open House that if you want to know anything about Japanese culture, and being of Japanese descent living in Los Angeles...this is your gig.

I haven't missed one in ten years. It's that good.

Traditionally, we get up EARLY and get breakfast in Chinatown...then park the car and walk, walk, walk. Dress appropriately, include a hat and plenty of water - because August is HOT in Los Angeles, and I don't mean like teh sexay.

Anyone want to come out the first weekend - which is the 18th - I'll be around, but closing weekend, I'll be up in SFO for AOD.

Need to remember to bring flowers for the Go For Broke Monument this year....

Bah.

They ran out of cookbooks on Sunday less than twenty minutes after the presentation, which largely was staged and executed at the time the event opened at noon.

I am. Le tres bummed. Oh, well.

I have a couple of ass cellphone shots that I can't move off the phone, and probably won't keep - but I can recall the dish made, and it has some features that intrigue me.

Live lobster, notwithstanding.

Take some fresh garlic and shallots, mince and saute in some olive oil.

Add a can of crushed tomatoes, some V-8 juice and thai basil. Take a block of firm tofu, slice into chunks and add.

Take a daikon radish - peel, and if you're l33t with the knives, make a paper-thin strip by slicing around the circumference and slice into fettuccine-like strips (for the rest of us, make strips with a vegetable peeler). Put in heavily salted water. (This draws out the moisture, making the "noodles" soft).

Kill and steam the lobster, shell and cut meat into chunks and add to tomato mixture reducing by simmer on the stove. Drain the noodles and add to mixture until warmed through - serve. (Garnish with a bit more basil, and grate some romano cheese on top - just a bit.)

It smelled wonderful. It also looked like enough to feed four.

Tea ceremony presentations aren't until next weekend. Bah twice.

We got the book, and got it signed. Really wanted to talk to the fellow a bit more, but I can also take a hint to move on and let other people chat a bit as well. Bummer, v. 3.0.

And we're back to Monday morning again, now in progress.