About to start playing Starcraft, 2v3 with the "House of Wang" against three entrepeneur friends. While we're waiting for Starcraft to finish installing, Ash came over to chat with Tom and me.
Ash: "What's your strategy?"
Tom: "To win!"
Ash: [walking back to his starcraft laptop]
Tom: "Barring that, the strategy is to lose. Gracefully."
Me: [lol]
Tom: "You clear on the strategies?"
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
virtual humor
A while back, I conversed with an interesting person who works on a virtual world. Later, talking to my friend:
Me: "I asked him how he feels about the furry sex in his product. He said he's happy with it. Though he added that he hasn't had furry sex, in virtual life or real life."
Y: "He made sure to clarify that?" [smiling]
Me: "He also defined furry sex for me. Obviously by asking the question, I know what it is!"
Y: "Maybe he defined it in such a way so that he could say he hasn't had furry sex."
Me: "I asked him how he feels about the furry sex in his product. He said he's happy with it. Though he added that he hasn't had furry sex, in virtual life or real life."
Y: "He made sure to clarify that?" [smiling]
Me: "He also defined furry sex for me. Obviously by asking the question, I know what it is!"
Y: "Maybe he defined it in such a way so that he could say he hasn't had furry sex."
Sunday, July 26, 2009
the purple eyebrows are a nice touch
I just saw this photo flash by on the front page of RottenTomatoes.com, and thought confusedly for a second that it was me.
If only it were a Tyler Durden-esque scenario where my sleeping alter-ego goes out about town in costume.
If only it were a Tyler Durden-esque scenario where my sleeping alter-ego goes out about town in costume.
a conversation from long ago
An IM convo from long ago. I stumbled across it just now and was amused:
A: I wish I could get over this crush already.
R: Just make out with him and move on.
A: How can I do that? Should I freakin' call him up and say, "I'm coming over to kiss you." ???
R: lol
A: I'll say, 'Wait for me. Oh, but I have to get gas first. Also where you live?'
R: That would be awesome. Please have that conversation.
A: I wish I could get over this crush already.
R: Just make out with him and move on.
A: How can I do that? Should I freakin' call him up and say, "I'm coming over to kiss you." ???
R: lol
A: I'll say, 'Wait for me. Oh, but I have to get gas first. Also where you live?'
R: That would be awesome. Please have that conversation.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
sex and the city
Earlier this month, I went to a bridal shower weekend that involved renting a house in Sonoma. I watched "Sex and the City" with seven other women, while working from my laptop.
Den, where we watched movies and SatC.
"Sex and the City" while working turns out to be really enjoyable. I've gotten through seasons 2 and 3 since getting back.
The characters are very believable. There is one part I don't understand though.
=== spoiler! ===
I don't understand why Big is emotionally unavailable to Carrie (won't give her a key or introduce her to his mother or say that he loves her back), but then he gets engaged to Natasha within five months. Maybe he also did those things to Natasha, but she didn't mind?
Also, Carrie is very selfish to cheat on Aidan, then pursue him to get back together until he relents, only to leave him again later. I haven't gotten to the part where she leaves him again, but I watched the movie so I know the eventual ending.
=== end spoiler ===
One of the women made this salad during the bridal weekend. It was amazing! I photographed all the ingredients so that I can attempt to reproduce it.
Wine tasting in Sonoma. $10 for four tastings of wine.
Den, where we watched movies and SatC.
"Sex and the City" while working turns out to be really enjoyable. I've gotten through seasons 2 and 3 since getting back.
The characters are very believable. There is one part I don't understand though.
=== spoiler! ===
I don't understand why Big is emotionally unavailable to Carrie (won't give her a key or introduce her to his mother or say that he loves her back), but then he gets engaged to Natasha within five months. Maybe he also did those things to Natasha, but she didn't mind?
Also, Carrie is very selfish to cheat on Aidan, then pursue him to get back together until he relents, only to leave him again later. I haven't gotten to the part where she leaves him again, but I watched the movie so I know the eventual ending.
=== end spoiler ===
One of the women made this salad during the bridal weekend. It was amazing! I photographed all the ingredients so that I can attempt to reproduce it.
Wine tasting in Sonoma. $10 for four tastings of wine.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
no one reads the terms and conditions
Last night, talking about the Harry Potter books at Omst's house.
Phillip: "What do you think makes the Harry Potter books so popular?"
"Lindsey": "They help me paint a mental picture. I can imagine their robes, quidditch, the hallways..."
Me: "The author is very good at authoritative details."
Phillip: "Do you think if a group of us got together and focused for a weekend, we could reverse engineer what makes a children's book captivating, and then write one that's just as good?"
Me: "No."
Omst: "I think by reading Harry Potter, you implicitly agree to terms that you will not try to reverse engineer the book."
Phillip: "What do you think makes the Harry Potter books so popular?"
"Lindsey": "They help me paint a mental picture. I can imagine their robes, quidditch, the hallways..."
Me: "The author is very good at authoritative details."
Phillip: "Do you think if a group of us got together and focused for a weekend, we could reverse engineer what makes a children's book captivating, and then write one that's just as good?"
Me: "No."
Omst: "I think by reading Harry Potter, you implicitly agree to terms that you will not try to reverse engineer the book."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
costume wig
Last night I had so much fun going out in a wig. I'm looking at more online wigs to purchase. Which one do people like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A.
B.
C.
D.
vive la france
Happy Bastille Day!
French bistro. That's me in the purple wig.
Dancing in the street, in downtown San Francisco. You can see a big French flag just under the leftmost light. People were waving the flag all night.
French bistro. That's me in the purple wig.
Dancing in the street, in downtown San Francisco. You can see a big French flag just under the leftmost light. People were waving the flag all night.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
stats ~ love
Discussing the long-term potential of a romantic partner:
Betsy: "I think it's 0.5% chance it would work out long-term."
Randolf: "If it's below 1%, then just consider whether it would be enjoyable in the short term."
Betsy: "Well, maybe it's more like 2%."
Randolf: "Ah, that makes all the difference. Now you can expect to be married by 80, instead of past 200."
Betsy: "I think it's 0.5% chance it would work out long-term."
Randolf: "If it's below 1%, then just consider whether it would be enjoyable in the short term."
Betsy: "Well, maybe it's more like 2%."
Randolf: "Ah, that makes all the difference. Now you can expect to be married by 80, instead of past 200."
Friday, July 10, 2009
fried chicken contest (cooking, not eating)
I went to a fried chicken contest yesterday, held at a cookbook store in Noe Valley.
Eaters pay $5 to sample six types of fried chicken. They vote for the best, and that chef collects the pot of money. There were 50+ eaters, so the pool is at least $250.
The contest started at 6:00pm, and the chicken ran out at 6:10pm. More people poured into the bookstore, but the chicken was already gone.
Here is entry #6.
The bookstore is so smart! They didn't have to actually cook chicken. They only had to advertise the contest and set up tables and beverages, but they got all the publicity. They probably paid less than $50, in exchange for luring a hundred people to the bookstore.
More storefront owners should hold smart contests like this!
Eaters pay $5 to sample six types of fried chicken. They vote for the best, and that chef collects the pot of money. There were 50+ eaters, so the pool is at least $250.
The contest started at 6:00pm, and the chicken ran out at 6:10pm. More people poured into the bookstore, but the chicken was already gone.
Here is entry #6.
The bookstore is so smart! They didn't have to actually cook chicken. They only had to advertise the contest and set up tables and beverages, but they got all the publicity. They probably paid less than $50, in exchange for luring a hundred people to the bookstore.
More storefront owners should hold smart contests like this!
Thursday, July 09, 2009
"The Birds" was set in Bodega Bay
Last weekend, I went to Bodega Bay with friends. On July 4, four of us went on a hike. As we set off down the road:
Susan: "We're setting off on our epic adventure."
LG (my former intern): "Epic anything sounds pretty exciting."
Me: "What about Epic FAIL?"
LG: "Oh, epic fail not so much."
...
Susan: "What happens if it's an epic fail and we get stranded with no way to get back?"
Me: "We'll have to eat the intern."
LG: "What?"
Photo at the beach. LG was very good-natured about our plans to eat him in case of contingency.
Susan: "We're setting off on our epic adventure."
LG (my former intern): "Epic anything sounds pretty exciting."
Me: "What about Epic FAIL?"
LG: "Oh, epic fail not so much."
...
Susan: "What happens if it's an epic fail and we get stranded with no way to get back?"
Me: "We'll have to eat the intern."
LG: "What?"
Photo at the beach. LG was very good-natured about our plans to eat him in case of contingency.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
happy independence day
The July 4th eating contest occurred this morning.
My brother claims to be the biggest fan of Joey Chestnut, the American eating contest chmapion.
Tom: "Experts said the 60 hot dog barrier couldn't be broken by humans! It was like the four-minute mile. Joey Chestnut proved them wrong. He's really a symbol of human achievement."
The Japanese champion, shown here after eating almost six pounds of pizza to win a Pizza Hut eating contest.
My brother claims to be the biggest fan of Joey Chestnut, the American eating contest chmapion.
Tom: "Experts said the 60 hot dog barrier couldn't be broken by humans! It was like the four-minute mile. Joey Chestnut proved them wrong. He's really a symbol of human achievement."
The Japanese champion, shown here after eating almost six pounds of pizza to win a Pizza Hut eating contest.
Friday, July 03, 2009
i thought that was the opposite of liberty
I'm on a weekend trip with friends. Last night, talking in the hot tub:
Dan: [after a long discussion about love] "Okay, now shouldn't we discuss computers or startups, to counter-balance all the talk about girls?"
Omst: "Computers aren't the opposite of girls."
Dan: "What's the opposite of girls?"
Omst: "Death."
Dan: [after a long discussion about love] "Okay, now shouldn't we discuss computers or startups, to counter-balance all the talk about girls?"
Omst: "Computers aren't the opposite of girls."
Dan: "What's the opposite of girls?"
Omst: "Death."
Monday, June 29, 2009
30
I turned 30 over the weekend. On Saturday, my brother took me to afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton.
Tom, looking earnest.
Finger sandwiches, and little cakes. I like the warm scones with clotted cream.
Relaxed with tea.
They brought out a little cupcake for me.
Tom: "When I called, they asked me to spell your name over and over. I spent five minutes correcting them laboriously, and they ended up just writing 'Happy Birthday N'."
Me: "Is there an N? I think it's an exclamation point."
Tom: "You know the pastry chef probably got a notecard from the phone person, with misspellings of your name crossed out six times, and then 'Niniane' with a question mark at the end."
Sunday morning, a few friends went hiking in South San Francisco. BaHiker.com is a great web site for finding hikes.
Picnic breakfast. I am so impressed that Meghana actually packed fried eggs and individual cups of sliced fruit.
Later in the day, I wanted to go hiking again. I requested a place with trees and water. Dan picked Land's End in northwest San Francisco.
Dan called out with relish how the hike contains both trees (pointing at trees) and water (pointing at ocean). I like how you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background of this photo.
Good job, Dan! I am surprised the hiking trail was not overrun by tourists. It was actually pretty empty.
The trail ends on the beach.
Then we went to Sushi Bistro, where I ate a lettuce wrap with unagi and sashimi. It's the first time I've seen a lettuce wrap in a sushi place. It was great.
Tom, looking earnest.
Finger sandwiches, and little cakes. I like the warm scones with clotted cream.
Relaxed with tea.
They brought out a little cupcake for me.
Tom: "When I called, they asked me to spell your name over and over. I spent five minutes correcting them laboriously, and they ended up just writing 'Happy Birthday N'."
Me: "Is there an N? I think it's an exclamation point."
Tom: "You know the pastry chef probably got a notecard from the phone person, with misspellings of your name crossed out six times, and then 'Niniane' with a question mark at the end."
Sunday morning, a few friends went hiking in South San Francisco. BaHiker.com is a great web site for finding hikes.
Picnic breakfast. I am so impressed that Meghana actually packed fried eggs and individual cups of sliced fruit.
Later in the day, I wanted to go hiking again. I requested a place with trees and water. Dan picked Land's End in northwest San Francisco.
Dan called out with relish how the hike contains both trees (pointing at trees) and water (pointing at ocean). I like how you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the background of this photo.
Good job, Dan! I am surprised the hiking trail was not overrun by tourists. It was actually pretty empty.
The trail ends on the beach.
Then we went to Sushi Bistro, where I ate a lettuce wrap with unagi and sashimi. It's the first time I've seen a lettuce wrap in a sushi place. It was great.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
eating contest!
My brother and I have been invited to an eating contest!
In high school, Tom ate a pound of chocolate in 22 minutes to win a bet. Last month, his Sims 3 team held a contest to eat 30 chicken mcnuggets within an hour. He came in second place, finishing in half the allotted time.
The contest is in August, in Mountain View! Discussing the contest with my brother, over tea:
Me: "I'll make a war banner that says WANG in chinese."
Tom: "And I'll bring mustard and ketchup, and use them as war paint." [mimes streaking paint onto his cheeks]
Me: "Okay. I'll pick a theme song too."
Tom: "This is so much setup. What if I eat one hot dog and I'm done? You'll still be trying to extend the war banner, and the song won't even be playing yet."
...
Later, chatting over IM with the eating contest host:
y.w.: say hi to your awesome-sounding brother for me.
niniane: ok
niniane: my brother says hi back, in an awesome-sounding voice
y.w.: cool. i imagined guitar riffs playing as he said hi.
In high school, Tom ate a pound of chocolate in 22 minutes to win a bet. Last month, his Sims 3 team held a contest to eat 30 chicken mcnuggets within an hour. He came in second place, finishing in half the allotted time.
The contest is in August, in Mountain View! Discussing the contest with my brother, over tea:
Me: "I'll make a war banner that says WANG in chinese."
Tom: "And I'll bring mustard and ketchup, and use them as war paint." [mimes streaking paint onto his cheeks]
Me: "Okay. I'll pick a theme song too."
Tom: "This is so much setup. What if I eat one hot dog and I'm done? You'll still be trying to extend the war banner, and the song won't even be playing yet."
...
Later, chatting over IM with the eating contest host:
y.w.: say hi to your awesome-sounding brother for me.
niniane: ok
niniane: my brother says hi back, in an awesome-sounding voice
y.w.: cool. i imagined guitar riffs playing as he said hi.
Friday, June 26, 2009
show him the hand, jenny
I would like to hereby show my support for Governor Sanford's wife. Finally there is a politician wife who is not standing idly in support through her husband's infidelity.
Photo from previous times. She was a Wall Street executive before marrying him.
You go, Jenny Sanford!
(My previous thoughts on this matter)
"His career is not a concern of mine," she told reporters as she departed the family's vacation home in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina. "He's going to have to worry about that. I'm worried about my family and the character of my children."
She added that she would be fine, with or without her husband.
"I have great faith and great friends and great family. We have a good Lord in this world and I know that I'm going to be fine and not only will I survive, I'll thrive," she said.
... Jenny Sanford would not reveal whether she was headed back to the family's home in Columbia. "Right now we're taking it a day at a time. Right now we're going out on a boat."
Photo from previous times. She was a Wall Street executive before marrying him.
You go, Jenny Sanford!
(My previous thoughts on this matter)
bagel
Dinner at Chez Panisse last night with David and Nina, who are here for a wedding. They live in New York City.
David told a story of his friend visiting recently from Berlin. He took the friend around Manhattan. They stopped at a bagel shop.
Friend: "This bagel is amazing."
David: "Yup."
Friend: "I wish we could have bagels this good in Germany."
David: "Well, whose fault is that??"
O_o
David told a story of his friend visiting recently from Berlin. He took the friend around Manhattan. They stopped at a bagel shop.
Friend: "This bagel is amazing."
David: "Yup."
Friend: "I wish we could have bagels this good in Germany."
David: "Well, whose fault is that??"
O_o
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Aziz Ansari
Last night, I watched a live standup comedy routine by Aziz Ansari. It was a one-night performance at the Punchline club in San Francisco.
It is hard to believe that a single human can be so funny.
He joked about how he's addicted to using his phone at stoplights. One day his parents will get a call that their son died in an automobile accident while googling his own name in quotes.
I hope next time he googles "aziz ansari", this blog post shows up in the results! And that he leaves a comment on this post. Because he is the funniest person that I have seen in person.
Partway through the show, Aziz took out his cell phone and said he was dialing Kanye West. He asked Kanye for permission to tell a story involving him. (My companion said he attended this same show two months ago, and the material was similar but there was no phone call.)
One audience member asked him to put Kanye on speaker phone and have him sing. Aziz said into the phone, laughing, "Did you hear that? No auto-tune!" Then he put the phone into speaker phone, and the person at the other end sang a verse from "Heartless".
I was very excited at the thought that maybe it really was Kanye. But Kanye doesn't have a Twitter account to update the world on his every movement, so I cannot verify.
It is hard to believe that a single human can be so funny.
He joked about how he's addicted to using his phone at stoplights. One day his parents will get a call that their son died in an automobile accident while googling his own name in quotes.
I hope next time he googles "aziz ansari", this blog post shows up in the results! And that he leaves a comment on this post. Because he is the funniest person that I have seen in person.
Partway through the show, Aziz took out his cell phone and said he was dialing Kanye West. He asked Kanye for permission to tell a story involving him. (My companion said he attended this same show two months ago, and the material was similar but there was no phone call.)
One audience member asked him to put Kanye on speaker phone and have him sing. Aziz said into the phone, laughing, "Did you hear that? No auto-tune!" Then he put the phone into speaker phone, and the person at the other end sang a verse from "Heartless".
I was very excited at the thought that maybe it really was Kanye. But Kanye doesn't have a Twitter account to update the world on his every movement, so I cannot verify.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
nom nom singularity
Eating with my brother Tom and another companion YY.
Me: [to YY] "Tom used to eat so much. I called him the Vortex."
Tom: "Yup, that's me."
Me: "You know that scene in Star Trek where a singularity opens up, and starts sucking in all the ships and planets around it? It was like that."
Tom: "That was my cameo."
(Image from James Clyne)
Me: [to YY] "Tom used to eat so much. I called him the Vortex."
Tom: "Yup, that's me."
Me: "You know that scene in Star Trek where a singularity opens up, and starts sucking in all the ships and planets around it? It was like that."
Tom: "That was my cameo."
(Image from James Clyne)
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