Me and Taz

Missing my doggies during our Thanksgiving trip, I was comforted by Wah's dog. Taz is such an amazing little pug. Just dont let him clean the floor under the dinner table and run around.

Yes, he is really smiling.

No, we are not getting a fourth dog...uhmmm...anytime soon.

Song of the Day: "Pets", Porno for Pyros.

Played this song four times in a row.

Thanksgiving Trip 2005 - Part 2

On our first night back in Dalton, Debs with help from Becky put together a wonderful Low Country Boil. Full of Shrimp, Crawfish, New Potatoes, Corn, Onions and Sausage. Just the right amount of spice. Hard to believe that this was Debs first attempt. After three helpings and a few beers, Pan and I had to take a walk. I figured this was a good practice run for the big day tomorrow.


This Thanksgiving was amazingly stress free. Everything worked out and was finished on time. My Aunt Helen, made a wonderful Salad, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Giblet Gravy & Sweet Potatoes with Marshmellows. My Dad made Roast Prime Rib and Baked Ham. My cousin Richard fried two Turkeys rubbed with peanut butter. Pan made the Asapagus and helped me and Aunt Helen with some prep work. I made Corn Bread Stuffing, Focaccia Bread Stuffing and Turkey Gravy. My cousin Eee brought a three layer Chocolate Cake topped with shaved White Chocolate and a Carrot Cake. Cindy brought Corn Bread cooked in a cast-iron skillet and Black-eye peas. Mike and Becky made a wonderful Apple Crisps. Wooooo...did I leave anything out?


It ended up to be a amazing Thanksgiving Feast. Thanks to everyone who pitched in this year. Even Wah and Si, who usually give no help and heckle everyone like the two old guys up in the balcony in the Muppets Shows, were quite and stuffing their faces.

Thanks to Yoshimi and Lee for letting us crash at their places. Thanks to Cranson and deVoest for making the time. Sorry to those friends and family we did not get to see.

Thanksgiving Trip 2005 - Part 1

Everything started out perfect. I drank a cup of decaf tea. I did stretches for 30 minutes. We boarded early. Emergency Exit row seat. Two pillows, two blankets and three seats for two people.

Insomnia...the more I tried not to think about it, I thought about it. Why is it when I try to sleep, I stay awake, and when I try to stay awake , I fall asleep?

Solution #1 : Eye mask and ear plugs. Insomnia in a dark room. Eyes wide open.

Solution #2 : Music. Sarah McLachlan usually can sing me to sleep. Nope. Not this plane ride.

Solution #3 : Bad Airplane Movie. Hillary Duff = Bad Movie. All that was accomplished , I sat zombie like and watched the whole mind numbing movie...to the ending credits.

I was left with one final option. The answer was right in front of me the whole time.


Solution #4 : Whisky. Dewer's on the rocks. Step and repeat until desired effect is achieved.

Pan will wake up to either a sleeping Rob or a drunk Rob. It is a Win Win situation for me. At least in theory, in my sleep deprived state of mind, this was the plan to end all plans.


Bottle #1 : "Walking With a Ghost", by Tegan & Sara, came on the iPod as the first Dewer's was served. "Ouch"...Single Malt this was not. I did start to feel a bit more relaxed, less tense. Nothing like some whisky to take the edge off a bad situation.

I was still not tired. Not getting any sleep is not a good way to start a holiday, but at least now I was going to crash and burn my way.


Bottle #2 : When the Flight Attendant came with round 2, I was floating. Instead of saying "Whisky" when ordering, I blurted out "Precious". Hmmm...my inner Golem was taking over. Fortunately, she understood drunken sign language (pointing at empty bottle).

"Beauty", by Tegan & Sara, off Red Demo came on. What an awesome song. I was still not tired. I was also no longer feeling guilty about it. I was not starting a new adventure. Suddenly, insomnia was not such a bad thing. I made up my mind that I will keep going and going and going...

*Bing* "The fasten seatblet light is on. Flight attendants, please prepare for arrival" *Bing* *Bing*

"Noooooo" I screamed in my head. like Golem falling into the molten lava, I drank the last of my "Precious" as my adventure comes to a end.

Slang : Blamestorming

Blamestorming - A group discussion of why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.

Terrapin Beer Company : Rye Pale Ale

My cousin Wah had been bragging about Terrapin Beers to me for months. Like all UGA alums, I assumed this was because of the Athens, Georgia location. You know how diehard fans support all things local.


I found the Rye Pale Ale (5.3% alc) to be very well balanced. There was a light hoppy nose, followed by a hoppy front that dissapates into a malt and rye smooth, almost light creamy finish. The rye is not the focus, but adds a wonderful flavor.


I can not lie, this may well be my favorite Pale Ale of all time. Thanks a lot Wah. You have introduced me to a wonderful beer...a beer that is not available on the West Coast...you bastard guy you.

Monday Morning Meeting Doodle: 11-28-05

"Coffee Fix"

You know you do it too. Send me a link or your drawings and I will post it here.

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Doggie Picture : Dogs & Flowers

"Dogs & Flowers"

Weekend Dog Blogging #11: Check out all the great doggie pictures over at Sweetnicks.

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Quick Fix : Pizza

Toppings are sometime dictated by what we have to use up. In this case, I had a tomato, avocado & spicy salami. Pizza dough is very simple and easy to make, but sometimes we have to cook and eat on the fly. For $1.09, you can buy pre-made dough from Trader Joe's.

1 Package of Trader Joe's Garlic Pizza Dough
1 Jar Trader Joes Bolognese Sauce
8 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Fresh Tomamto
1 Avocado
5 Slices of Spicy Salami

Directions:
1.Prep dough.


Take dough from package and place in a floured bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let sit in a warm area for 30 minutes, up to 1.5 hours. This is to let the dough get room temp and rise one more time.

2.Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3.Grease pizza pan.
4.Stretch dough to desired size and thickness, top with a thin layer of sauce and then a layer of cheese.


5.Bake for 5-8 minutes. Check the bottom of pizza to make sure it has set.


6.Place toppings and place pizza back in oven directly on the oven rack. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

*If the bottom is not set or too thin, pizza will fall through the rack. In these instances, cook pizza on the pizza pan



I used the rest of the leftover topping for a antipasta. Drizzle a little buttery extra virgin olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.

Slang : Shark

Shark - A good strong player taking a lot of money from poorer players.

I'm coming to GA to milk you fishes dry! LOL.

Monday Morning Meeting Doodle: 11-21-05

"Too Much Coffee + Empty Stomach = Broken"

You know you do it too. Send me a link or your drawings and I will post it here.

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Doggie Picture : Mocha, Buddy & Choco

(Front to Back: Mocha, Buddy & Choco)

Weekend Dog Blogging #10: Check out all the great doggie pictures over at Sweetnicks.

Recycle...Its Good For Your Soul!

When Pan and I first moved here, we used to put bags of aluminum cans and glass bottles outside of our building, next to the public trash can. You see, our building does not offer recycling, so it was either that or the trash. With the abundance of homeless looking through the trash anyway, I thought they would just grab our bags and take it with them.

Nope...I came down and found that some would pick out the aluminum and leave the glass and a mess. Anyhoo, that is how Pan and I got in routine of going out to the recycling center.


In Japan, all trash is to be in clear plastic bags, separated...kitchen waste, clear plastic, bottles, aluminum cans, etc. It is inspiring to see a whole country doing what they can in terms of recycling.


No, we are not turning into tree hugging environmental fanatics. Once we started getting in a routine of recycling, it was sad to see how much we where throwing away all these years.


I can only hope that some of you reading this will take the time and do what you can.

Allan Company
5165 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111
Mon-Fri 7am-4:30pm
Sat-Sun 7:30am-4:30pm

*Note: Recommend to go before 10am. Less people, less time in line=less time in the sun.

Pan at 21 weeks

Momma is mostly normal with bouts of crazy. Felt the baby kick last night...amazing.


Song of the Day: "Sweet Troubled Soul", Stellastarr.

The Great Outdoors

Me: Its a beautiful day. Its the end of November and 80 degrees. We should go do something.
Pan: Mall?
Me: Mmmm...I was thinking something outside.
Pan: Outdoor Mall?
Me: Mmmm...

Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill

Tonight for dinner we wanted seafood. Something simple and light. We had not been getting enough fish in our diet the past two weeks. Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill has been recommended to me by a co-worker for months. You walk in and order from the counter. They take your name, then hand you your drinks and at that point you have to find a table.

The girl taking our order was overkill with the "up-selling", it reminded me of shopping at the GAP. No explaination for the upgrade to the higher priced items. I wanted to try the fish, she tried to "upgrade" me to Spiny Lobster ($22.95). I found it Comical. All in all, the people there seemed genuinely friendly and the restaurant had a laid back vibe.


Pan started off with the homemade cup of Clam Chowder ($2.95). At first site, the chowder looked a bit off. I think it was the color that caught my attention. Was this a roux based chowder? There was a good amount of clams and potatoes. The flavor was...ok...a little on the starchy side.


Pan decided on the Wild King Salmon Plate ($16.95). This fresh wild caught salmon was brushed with lemon butter and grilled. Served on top of buttered cilantro streamed rice and salad. The salmon was a bit over charred, but otherwise cooked perfectly in terms of doneness. The Wild King Salmon was very flavorful as expected. Pan and I both agreed that the portion for the price was really disappointing.


I got the Seared Ahi Tuna Sandwich ($6.95). The Ahi was lightly grilled to a rare temp, sliced and served on a sandwich roll, with a bottom layer of mayo and diced raw red onion and topped with lettuce, slice tomato and anthor layer of mayo. I really enjoyed this "sammich". I thought that the diced red onions really match well with the cool flavor of the Seared Ahi.

Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill
3667 India Street
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 497-0914

Pan Says: Thats It!? Fresh and good but not enough to remember what it taste like. Hmmm...next time I get sammich too.
Baby Says: Hey Momma san, you are feeding two, was that it?

Doggie Picture : Mocha

"Immaculate Reception"

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Duffy Street Gang

(From Left to Right: Jackie, Lukas and Beck)

Jackie and Lukas with Choco, Mocha & Buddy were the Duffy Street Gang. 5 dogs, 1500 square foot house, small backyard. My part time job was picking up poo. Good Times.

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Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake loves golf. Pan loves Justin Timberlake. I love the fact that Pan loves Justin and Justin loves golf...uhmmm...not really.


Pan said that Justin was very nice and courteous. He even congratulated Pan on being pregnant. Pan can't believe that Justin Timerlake was in her office, I can't believe I am posting this on my blog.

Googling Self

I decided to Google myself today. OH...MY...GAWD. I come to find out that I am a Speaker, Trainer, Corporate Magician.

Hold on...I just puked in my mouth.


Woohoo (wipe away tear), this is the Robert Wong I will strive to be...especially the Corporate Magician. I always wanted to be like the character GOB on Arrested Development.

Slang : Migitating

Migitating - To make smaller. The act of shrinking.

Hand Update : 11-17-05

Here is the before and after X-Rays. Its been six weeks since I broke my hand. Still when I look at the X-Rays, it seems very surreal. The doctor said that it would be six months before the bone is completely healed.

On a lighter note, I tested with magnets, the results were disappointing, wouldn't stick. Maybe I just need a stronger one. Can't wait to see what happens at the metal detector at the airport.

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Quick Fix : Baked Ziti with Turkey Meatballs

This is a quick meal for those on the go. The sauce and cheese was leftover from making pizza on Sunday. We always have a package of pasta on hand as well as the turkey meatballs in the freezer.

1 Jar Trader Joes Bolognese Sauce
8 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 Frozen Trader Joes Turkey Meatballs
1/4 lb Asparagus, chopped into 1/2 in pieces
8 oz Ziti Pasta

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a bit of salt to season the water. Cook pasta till right before al dente about 8 minutes (package called for 9 minutes).
3.As pasta is cooking, empty pasta sauce and add frozen turkey meatballs in a pan with a metal handle (will go into oven). Bring to a simmer 5 minutes. Chop turkey meatballs into quarters (optional) and continue to simmer.
4.Right before you drain pasta, add the asparagus to the sauce, mix. Drain pasta (reserve 1/4 cup pasta water), add pasta to the sauce, mix. If the mixture is too thick add a bit of the pasta water to thin out.
5.Turn off heat to burner. Add a hand-full of mozzeralla, mix. Do not over mix, its just to incorporate the cheese throughout.
6.Top the dish with the rest of the cheese evenly and bake 10 minutes. At this point if the cheese is not golden, set oven to broil and cook till top is golden.


Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

*Note: Try with other vegetables, whatever you have on hand. I sometime add other spices like fennel seed or fresh basil. This dish also freezes well. After topping with cheese do not bake, let cool, cover and freeze. No need to thaw, pop in a 375 degree oven and bake 30 minutes, uncover, bake till bubbly and golden.

Doggie Picture : Taz-oh

This is a great picture of Wah's dog, Taz. Notice the Georgia Bulldog jersey.

Too bad about the Georgia Bulldogs college football team being knocked out of the Top 10.

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Two Fingers of Happiness

After a long week at work (its Tuesday...OH...MY...GAWD...its only Tuesday), I needed some tunes, "Ooh La La", by The Faces and 2 fingers of Whiskey (Wiser's 18), on the rocks, with a splash of water. Ooh la la! Sometimes there is nothing better than a glass of this sweet, smokey, nutty, smooth, nectar of the gods to make things right.

With each sip the stress from my day slips away, shoulders relax, teeth unclench. If only Single Malt Whiskey was acceptable in the work place, I would be employee of the month.

I sit and savor this brief moment of zen-like happiness and take another sip.

Congrats to Tuffryu on his new position at Amazon.

Update : Attack of Akamushi 11-15-05

The cup count for Akamushi (aka Cranson) is at 201!

Check out rantd and follow Akamushi's quest to get free airplane tickets utilizing the current promotion offered by AirTran and Wendy's.

Working at Work

You ever get so bored at work that you work? Today I had one of those days. Don't get me wrong, I work when I'm at work, just with mini breaks inbetween. Check my email, water cooler talk, check stock prices, update my fantasy sports teams, update my blog...(cough)...usually any distraction will do. I was so bored today that I hit play on my iTunes™, put my head down and churned out the work. Man, I got so much work done that I don't have much to do the rest of the week...hmmm...I'm bored.

Dirt Monkey™ T-Shirts

The Dirt Monkey™ shirt was designed and produced by JoeyS, a Graphic Artist friend of mine. Pan and I were lucky enough to get one of these limited run, screen printed shirts.

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Beer...Good For You

Drinking a glass of beer every day can lower your risk of heart disease and cataracts by 50 percent, according to a new Canadian study. The reason: Polyphenols, the potent antioxidants found in both wine and beer, protect the body from hardened arteries and stress to the eye lens. For maximum benefit, drink darker beer, such as stout and ale, which are brewed with higher concentrations of barley malt and have more than twice as many antioxidants as light beers do. -Marissa Lippert

"Good For You" -Jimmy's Restaurant, Dalton, Georgia.

Slang : Fish

Fish - A poor poker player, who throws their money away at the tables.

Can you say Siu Fai? Just Kidding.

Monday Morning Meeting Doodle: 11-14-05

"...blah...blah...blah..."

You know you do it too. Send me a link or your drawings and I will post it here.

*All work shown is copyrighted. Duplication of this photo is not authorized without the written permission from Robwonton™ or its owners.

Doggie Picture: Buddy, Choco & Mocha

Weekend Dog Blogging #9: Check out all the great doggie pictures over at Dispensing Happiness blog.

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Pan at 20 weeks

Still no crazy cravings. Still crazy. No more crazier than usual...hmmm...I know crazy is coming.

Song of the Day: "The Future Freaks Me Out", Motion City Soundtrack.

Waaah Hooooo for Wahoo's

Today was a perfect Southern California day. The sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky. Pan and I planned to walk by the beach in PB, so on our way we decided to stop in at Wahoo's in Point Loma for lunch. Wahoo's has an Mexican, Brazilian & Asian influenced menu. The prices are very reasonable for what you get.


Pan ordered her favorite item "not" on the menu. The California Burrito ($6.50). What makes a California Burrito different is that instead of beans and/or rice as the base, French Fries are used...mmmm...deep fried potatoes. Pan also ordered the burrito with Carnitas, braised and shredded lean pork. I must admit, this was a pretty tasty burrito. Along with the Carnitas (which was juicey) and French Fries, there was sour cream, guacamole, mild fresh salsa, cilantro and cheese. Pan also got a side of Wahoo's wonderful Green Sauce (fat-free roasted pepper cilantro sauce) to dip her buritto in. I thought that it was a bit heavy on the sour cream, but then Pan likes sour cream.


I was wanting something a little on the lighter side. I ordered the Combinaton Platter #1, Enchilada with Polynesian Style Shrimp and Green Sauce. I also got the choice of Black Beans or Cajun White Beans and Wahoo's Ahi rice. I squeezed a lime wedge over the Enchilada, a dash of soy sauce over the Ahi rice and I was set. The combination of the flavors of the Green Sauce and Polynesian Style Shrimp were amazing. Overall I found the dish to be simple and light, yet tasty and filling.

Wahoo's in Point Loma, is definitely one of my favorite affordable eateries. They have $1.50 bottled beer of the month, Thursdays they have Pints for $3.50, you keep the glass, and the service is always friendly. The food is delivered with a smile, and even though Wahoo's is not a full service restaurant, someone always stops by to check on you.

Wahoo's Point Loma
3944 West Point Loma Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
(619)222-0020
Pan Says: "Burrrp"...mmm SO GOOD. Half-way through the burrito, I was thinking to order another.
Baby Says: Green Sauce...GOOD!

Back Dormitory Boys

There are more Asian Backstreet Boys videos. Some interesting background on the Back Dormitory Boys. "What Tian Has Learned..." has some pretty entertaining videos on his blog. Thanks to Debs for link.

Ice Cream in November

The East Coast has the beautiful changing of the leaves, the smells of the fire places and the nip in the air that comes with the Fall season. None of which we get here in SoCal, but we do have Ice Cream in November...at the beach.