BLOGKEN

The lesser of two Wii!vels.

This past weekend like many people around the country, I set off on a mission to get the Nintendo Wii. Up until last week, this particular item wasn�t even on my Christmas list but as more and more people kept talking about it, I found myself more excited about the prospect of getting one. I heard that shipments were coming in this Sunday morning and made the resolve that I wouldn�t sleep the night before, not that I sleep that much anyways.

I made sure to take a nap during Saturday afternoon in preparation of my evening activities and set off. Here is my chronicle of that night.

6:00PM Saturday

My evening started in Chinatown. I met up with brother and had drinks with him and his friends. After that, I met up with some friends at Tonic East.

12:17AM Sunday

Tonic East, if you have never been is a trendy bar located in Murray Hill. It caters primarily to the 20 something crowd and is a really good place to bring a group of friends. Not really an ideal place to meet people.

4:00AM Sunday

I got back to my apartment with my roommate with some other friends trailing behind. I told them my master plan of getting a Nintendo Wii and they all thought I was crazy. My other roommate turned out not to be home, so we decided that there was really only one thing to do, beer pong and loud music.

5:30AM Sunday

Walked over to Toys R Us and found myself entrenched in people, about 200 people to be exact. I had done some recon the day before at the Nintendo World Store and TRU and I knew that they would only have about 200 units. I decided to give up at this point and walked home. As I was leaving, one of the people at the beginning of the line offered to me a chance to cut the line if I gave him $50. I was just about to reach for my wallet when 5 people behind him got up and started protesting. I decided that it wasn�t worth my life to get a game system. I went home

5:45AM Sunday

With little or no hope for a Nintendo Wii, there was only one thing I could do, beer pong and loud music.

8:15AM Sunday

It suddenly occurred to me as I sat in my room in a half drunken daze, debating whether or not Westway Diner was calling my name, that there was a GameStop in the South Street Seaport mall. No one really knows about this location because the mall is frequented by tourists. And also like the TKTS office down there that no one but true New Yorkers knows about, I was betting that there would be no one online. I grabbed my coat quickly and ran out to the subway, hoping desperately that my intuition was correct.

Sunday morning in NY is very interesting, especially when you�re drunk and in your bar clothes from the night before. Suffice it to say, I was a little chatty on the subway ride down, but I kept my true purpose hidden so know one would steal my idea.

8:45AM Sunday

As I neared the doorway to the South Street Seaport mall, my heart skipped a beat seeing as how there was no one in sight. Could I really have been that correct? Nearing the door I noticed that there were people inside waiting and just as quickly as my excitement had arose, it sank. I opened the door hesitantly, fearful that whatever was inside was a dragon train of people, snaked around the mall, hoping for their chance at the coveted item. Too my joyful surprise, only 6 people looked back at me. �Are you here for the Wii?� I asked. They were and I was number 6.

11:15AM Sunday

The last three hrs there was some of the most grueling hours of my life. There was a sign posted on the door saying that only 8 Wiis were available, so the eight of us that had gotten there by 9:15, were busy securing our spots. Others came to the line and left after knowing there laziness and short sightedness had cost them the prize. However, a few people stayed and we wondered with much anxiety and paranoia whether these people had an �in� that we didn�t know about and that somehow, one of us was going to get screwed out of our Wii.

11:30AM Sunday

The manager arrived with security guard in tow opened the doors and quickly closed them behind. Shortly after, he announced that there was a miscount and that only 7 Wiis were available. I was number 6. Guy number 8, a graduate of William and Mary and with whom I had split a doughnut and conversation the last 3 hrs was devastated. He eyed the fat security guard inside, who seemed to be a little too chatty with the manager, and we all got the distinct feeling that there was a Nintendo with his name on it, sitting in the back room. The manager came out and handed the first 7 people tickets and announced that only with a ticket, could you purchase the Wii.

12:15PM Sunday

I walked out of 42nd Street subway station with Wii in hand, along with extra controllers and the Legend of Zelda. It�s been about 10 years since the last time I spent any money on games�but I think it was the most fun/grueling experience I have ever had actually getting the system. I can�t believe I waited in a line of 7 and not 400.

4:00PM Sunday

After 2hrs of playing tennis and boxing, I was exhausted. The Nintendo Wii is a lot of fun. I have a feeling I�m going to spend a lot of money on games.

How to roll sushi: A demonstration

One of my favorite hobbies within cooking is making sushi. It can be a lot of fun and simple to learn. Here's some info, knock yourself out.

Basic Equipment

1. Rice Cooker ($20 from target. Its useful even if you only use it once in a while)
2. Knife (Sharp kitchen knife will do. Sushi knives are special in that only one side is sharp. This allows you to cut fish without tearing it. If you ever get serious about making sushi, you should definitely get one.)
3. Glass or wooden bowl to hold the rice. (Do not use metal as it will interact with the vinegar and create and odd taste)
4. Cutting board
5. Sushi rolling mat (Can be found at sushi counter at grocer)

Ingredients

1. Rice (Nishiki Brand or Kokuho Rose brand medium grain rice)
2. Sushi Vinegar (Can be found at sushi counter at grocer)
3. Wasabi Powder ((Can be found at sushi counter at grocer)
4. Light Soy Sauce
5. Filling ingredient (crab, chicken, tofu, tuna, salmon, etc)
6. Cucumber
7. Avocado
8.Roasted Sushi Seaweed Sheets (Nori)

To prepare (California Roll as example)

1. Cook rice in rice cooker and use 1 cup rice to 1 cup water. You want the rice to be dryer since you are adding liquid later.
2. Fold seaweed sheets in half to get the right sheet size.
3. Once the rice is done, add sushi vinegar according to directions on bottle and allow to cool.
4. Cut cucumber in 1/4 inch x 2 inch strips.
5. Cut crab sticks in half
6. Cut avocado in strips.
7. Fold plastic wrap over your bamboo mat to avoid rice sticking to it.

To roll

1. Place rice on one side of seaweed sheets and spead evenly. Add sesame seeds. (I made it a point during the demonstration that you should place the rice on the dull side. There were questions as to which side that was. The dull side is the side with ridges and has less of a shine.)
2. Flip sheet over and place ingredients inside.
3. Fold over and tuck into roll.
4. Use bamboo mat to form shape.
5. Cut into six pieces.

Muddled Conscience

On my way to work this morning, I happen to accidentally bump into someone on the street, hit his hand, which at time was holding glasses. The glassses flew through the air and hit the ground. I picked them up, apologized, and went on way. Half a block later, the person I bumped into, a 16 yr old or so African American kid taps me on my shoulder. He showed me his glasses which were now cracked in one of the lenses. My immediate reaction was apologetic. I had no money on me and I offered him my number to call me and I would gladly pay to repair his glasses.

At this point, he started to become hysterical, telling me how he couldn't afford to not have his glasses for school, how they cost a lot of money, how his mom wouldn't be able to afford to fix them. He asked me why I couldn't go to the ATM and give him money immediately. He then proceeded to play the race card and told me that if he wasn't black, I would believe him immediately and offer to pay. He wanted $147 dollars.

In that moment a number of things went through my mind including the following:

1. Was it true that his race affected my reaction?
2. Was I being scammed?
3. Should I give him money?
4. If so, how much should I give him?

I decided immediately that his race had nothing to do with my reaction. In all fairness I had no idea how much his glasses cost. I also had no idea whether or not his glasses were broken beforehand, otherwise why were they in his hand and not on his face. And I wondered to myself it if were someone else, someone more affluent, whether or not they would have had more trust in me and just taken my number.

I excused myself and called the eyeglass store that happpened to be across the street, inquired as to the average cost to replace a lens, and gave him that amount, to which he begrudging accepted. And to this, I felt like I had done the right thing. Never in my life in NY have felt like such chump doing what I clearly knew was the right thing. I bumped into him, its possible that I broke his glasses, I should pay him. Its pretty black and white. But when you added ambiguity to cause, money, and other factors in, the right thing doesn't seem so clear anymore.

I asked a number of people what they would have done and the overwhelming response was they would told him tough, and left. Did I really do the right thing by giving money or was I suckered? I don't know. My conscience is clear, but never before have I ever felt so muddled when doing the right thing. I hope that the next time my integrity is put to the test, the answer is not tainted.

Man on the street

In the early light,
walkng through the street,
streetlamps flickering white,
there sat a man beat,
face cradled in hand,
looking sullen, worn.
I asked what demand,
said life, dreams, torn.
Time and time again
coins shook in stray
I gave him a ten
walked slowly away.

Insomnia

When you have insomnia, you start to develop certain habits. This includes eating at 4am because your body thinks you haven't eaten in 8hrs, which it hasn't. I'm like a pregnant woman in her 12th week. For instance, I often raid my fridge at 4am for peanut butter and generously slather that onto a piece of whole grain bread. It is fucking amazing. If you find yourself hungry at 4am, give it a try, unless you're allergic in which case don't.

I've been an insomniac for the last month or so and the doctors can't seem to understand why. They think it might have something to do with a disruption in my daily habits, so I've been making an extra effort to put more routine into my day. Brushing my teeth at the exact same time each day seems to be helping...at the very least I'm getting very clean teeth.

Anyone's who's ever found themselves unable to sleep knows that there are two things you do when you don't sleep, watch movies or read books. No, going to the gym at 3am is not an appropriate activity although the NYSC near me is open 24hrs a day. This means I've been readying a lot of books and watching a lot of movies. There's a limit how many on-demand HBO movies you watch before "In her shoes" becomes a tempting choice, and when that happens, its time to hit the gym.

When I first wake up in the morning, I find that I often check the other side of my bed for a number of objects. This includes my glasses, cell phone, alarm clock, and on occasion girls. Yet, in almost all instances my phone is charging, my glasses on the night stand, and my alarm clock halfway across the room where I threw it between snooze 1 and 2. Maybe its some built in reflex to hunt for objects close to my heart...or like my insomnia, an unexplainable plight that threatens my sanity.

I work out at the gym anywhere from 2 - 7 times a week, every week, with plenty of exemptions. I go on different diets and try different workout routines, but at the end of the day it always comes back to one thing, Which exercise is going to make my arms look the biggest. It's chest day? Let me go do some pull ups first. Lat pulldowns? How about some bicep curls. Yes, the larger my arms are, the more attention they draw away from my love handles and flat asian nose. Grow biceps...GROW!!!Muhahahah

New Years is quickly drawing close and evil roommate has already started to get rile up. This will be my third year celebrating in NYC and like any other New Yorker, I have to decide whether or not I want to spend $100 crammed in a bar, stuffing my face with pigs in a blanket,and sipping 5 dollar champagne. The alternative is to hang out with friends equally jaded by the process, get trashed, play drinking games to Rocking New Years Eve, and be so smash on 1/1 that when I wake up, I'll look for my glasses, realize I'm not in my bed and hopefully the blonde next to me isn't my best friend. All joking aside, planning New Years is a strenuous process and for anyone who has given up on not being trendy, head to NewYears.com for a list of clubs and bars in all major cities where you can dump your hard earned money for cheap booze and avoid Dick Clark for the night. I am hoping to be in the company of good friends and having the best time of my life, bar free.

Queens

Recently, I found myself lost in queens at 5am, futilely trying to get a friend home. My thoughts at that moment - besides wishing that I had a heavier coat � was that I shouldn�t have taken so many shots at the bar. Although, it�s not often the case that I go out for the evening and have shots bought for me, continuously. It was a nice change of pace. And thank you to Harmony, wherever you are, for keeping the liquor flowing. My liver and wallet owes you one.

Trudging through the dark streets, barely able to read the streets signs, everything started to spin. It was at the moment that I knew for sure that I would never move to queens.

No one cares about crime

I recently had the opportunity to listen to �This American Life� Episode 178 titled �Superpowers�.

Have you even been asked if you could choose between the powers of flight or invisibility, which would you choose? And if you had those powers what would you do with them? John Hodgman wondered this question and decided to conduct an informal survey. To sum it up, here were his findings.

�Typically this is how it goes, people who were invisible snuck into movies or airplanes. People who could fly stopped taking the bus. Here�s one thing that pretty much no one ever says, �I would use my powers to fight crime�. No one really cares about crime.�

The episode continues to psychoanalyze the choice between flight and invisibility. Give it a listen. It�s worth 15 minutes of your time.

Loving on the ACE Train

Last Saturday, I went out to meet some old friends from High School downtown. As I stood on the platform, waiting for the ACE train, an elderly balding gentleman starting playing his guitar, guitar case open, looking for donations. He was dressed very nicely with a fairly expensive guitar, so it was clear that unlike most street performers, he was doing this for fun as oppose to trying to make ends meet. Like any other New Yorker, I stood there waiting for the train and let the noise blend into the background. That is, until he suddenly broke into a rendition of Marvin Gaye�s �Let�s get it on� and proceeded to yell �everybody sing with me�. Before I knew it, skater boy in a goatee holding a notebook on the corner proceeded to start belting out �And if you feel, like I feel baby, cmon�. Guitar guy then seamlessly transitioned to �Sexual Healing�, and three more people joined in the song. It took 45 minutes for the train to arrive and during that time, the ACE platform transformed into one big NYC party of singing happy people. I�ve lived in New York City for more than a year. Now I think I�ve finally seen it all.

kenlau.net reloaded

Where does the time go? I never really gave a reason why I stopped updating.

In 2005, I wrote a piece where I gave my opinion of china after a brief visit. It was a sweeping look at my country of origin and everything about it I disliked. That entry was posted to an asian message board and within days, my site was bombarded by hate messages from people who felt my accusations were general and racists. One particular person felt it necessary to post comments to my site every day, despite me apologizing for being insensitive. I finally had to turn off my comment system. That contributed to my decision to leave the site.

2006 has been a rocky year. Most everything in my life has been good, but my girlfriend and I split. I don�t have a whole lot to say about it, other than to say that there could be worst places I could be while adjusting to being single.

Either way, I�m back.

In the past, I�ve pretty much posted whatever comes to mind that I find interesting. I�ll still continue to do that but in a more organized fashion.

Stay in School, be cool?

Do you know anyone who's dropped out of school? It's not something you hear about or think about very much growing up in the suburbs on NY. When your high school has some ridiculous 99.9% rate off to college rate and everyone you know shares the same dreams and ambitions as you for the most part, I think you become very jaded about what the rest of the world is doing.

I have a very strong attitude when it comes to doing things the right and efficient way. Some people think that's a bit on the controlling side but the way I like to think abotu it is that I consider all alternatives and weigh the consequences before making a decision. I'm not sure every one does. Take for example that there are two roads to take to a given destination. I make a decision on which road to take based on a number of factors. Traffic, distance, surface quality..etc. So ultimately when I pick the road to take, I know its the best choice. I know some people who will tell me that they need to get somewhere fast and then take the road with the most traffic? Why would you do that?

What does my logical and anal approach to problem solving have to do with dropping out of school? In a society that covets knowledge and education, where your place is often defined by your intelligence and abilities, it makes no sense to drop out of school. It also makes no sense to hold yourself back.

Yes, there are circumstances and not everyone chooses to drop out of school by choice. I realize this. And yes, there are tons of rich people out there who are filthy rich who don't have a diploma from harvard on their wall. But the reality is this I believe. When was the last time you talked to someone successful on their own merit who was a dumbass. They may not be educated, but they sure well better be intelligent. Intelligence is something you're born with. So yeah, some people can get away without schooling, but most need it to hone their intelligence.

It angers me when I see people with potential who end up wasting it because they have no ambition. It angers me to see people I care about make the wrong choice (as I believe) because they haven't yet taken the time to evaluate the bigger picture.

One of my cousins is very smart, very intelligent, and a high school senior. I found out very recently that she may not have any ambition to strive for the best college. I know some of the reasons for this are family, fear, and a general sense of what will make her happy. But ultimately this makes no sense to me. Because it is one thing to have your life stunted because things just didn't go your way and circumstances were beyond your control, but it is entirely a different thing to have the opportunity and thrown it away.

Unfortunately, I have no influence over her and to tell someone they are making the wrong choice simply because you think you know what's right is a very bigot thing to do. But I just hope that she doesn't end up throwing her opportunities away because she's afraid.