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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to get mobbed by a million people in the dead of winter? Well I always have!
So this past week I headed down to Washington DC for the 56th Presidential Inauguration.

The trip from my friend’s place to the mall took about 3 hrs, walking about 3 miles in a giant loop around the mall so as to no cross the parade route. I felt like a cow being herded to the slaughterhouse.

We got only as far as the washington monument. (red star)

Interestingly, according to satellite photography, I was probably only able to see about 100,000 – 200,000 people.
And yet it still seemed like a vast ocean of people!

I came back the next day to visit the same sites; getting up closer to the places where the action was taking place.

Enjoy the panoramics!

So awhile ago, Mazie was able to get her hands on a Wii Fit for us. I must say that Nintendo did a pretty good job coming up with the idea for the Fit. What better way to market to a completely different crowd than to use exercise as a selling point.

Anyways, among the categories included on the game where one can train in are: Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics, and Balance. The balance games tend to be the most fun as they’re more “game” oriented than they are exercise oriented. What the Wii Fit showed me though, was how bad my balance was.

There’s one game on the Fit that requires the person to stand on the board and shift their weight back and forth as if they were skiing down a slope. With how clumsy I am, and how terrible my balance is, I find myself unable to complete the game without stepping off the board. Ideally, you should be able to easily shift your weight to the left and to the right to guide your Mii down the slope without losing balance and having to step off. However, it doesn’t seem to be possible for me. It’s actually pretty humorous to watch me attempt to keep my balance as I always fall off within 5-10 seconds of shifting my weight back and forth.

I guess that’s one bad thing about being tall… your center of balance isn’t as low as someone who’s shorter, causing you to lose your balance more easily. Despite that though, I think I’d still rather be tall. If I ever get around to it, maybe I’ll post a video of me attempting to play so that you can all get a laugh out of it.

So about a month ago it was announced that the Federal government will advance a 2008 tax credit to taxpayers in the form of a rebate check. For the average person, this rebate will be $600.

While there are many things to do with $600, like save it or pay of debt, Uncle Sam would like you to spend it instead.
Here are some suggestions for squandering spending your hard-earned free check.

The main trick is to spend the money on things that don’t have a continued cost (i.e. which don’t make you spend more after the initial purchase). This eliminates purchases such as phones, pets, down payments on a car, or a new mail order spouse.

1) Electronics - Not only are these quite expensive, they bring with them a certain charm of being avant garde if you purchase the most expensive/newest thing. Acceptable purchases can range from a shiny new 80 GB PS3 to two (yes two) ipods. Flat Screen TVs are also a good idea, although only if you already have cable. For more frivolous fun, purchase a pet robot (no upkeep costs!) or a pet robot-vacuum cleaner!

2) Jewelry - Nothing says “I’m wasting my money, but I’m doing it for America” than fancy new shiny objects adorning your body. Necklaces, Rings, Earrings, (Tattoos!), anything that you can show off, to your friends and everyone else you meet in public. Remember, Diamonds last forever.

3) Fine Dining - I like this suggestion a lot. While you’re helping to feed the US economy, why not use the money to feed yourself! $600 can go a long way in terms of eating out. I would suggest spending a week eating at the fanciest restaurants in your area each night. That way you can live the high life and help the unemployed! For you married couples, you’ll have double the rebate, which translates to twice as much food!

4) Stocks - While this is not exactly encouraged by the government (as its a form of savings), buying stocks can help put money back into Wall Street. As all those i-bankers are running for their lives away from the market, you can run head-first into the fray with your free money. Heck you could even afford one stock of Google at this point!

5) Gamble - Gambling is all about taking risks. But why do you have to take a risk with your own money when you can use the government’s (albeit indirectly your) money! Just like how we all like to go “all in” for every hand when we’re not playing for real money, how much funner will it be when your playing with seed money from Bernanke’s pocket? Heck, you might even win and get even more (see 1-4). WARNING: remember to cap your gambling to $600 or you might get in trouble with some loan sharks later on!

Hopefully these suggestions will help guide you in your decision making when your rebate check comes in the mail. Remember: If you don’t spend your rebate, the terrorists have already won.

oh and you hate America and babies too .

Some things to do while Mazie and I visit Boston this upcoming weekend:

- Visit Mitchell
- Visit with friends
- Ruth Chris Steakhouse
- Boston Celtic’s vs Utah Jazz Basketball Game
- Natasha Bedingfield Concert
- New England Clam Chowder
- Drink Green Beer for Saint Patty’s day – Didn’t get around to doing this one. Oh well

Feel free to leave a comment with anything else we should do this weekend!

March 2nd, 2008 will be remembered as a day of solemnity and introspection. The seemingly inevitable has finally arrived, and all that can be done is to accept ones fate and move forward.

Now I have to find out how to activate my warranty…

About once every 1 or 2 years, I whip out a small green disc case from my collection and watch some very old memories. This disc is a DVD of my senior recital, and those memories are of the days when I played violin.
Its always fun to watch the DVD for two reasons:

1) Watching something that you participate in allows you to remember and know all the ‘behind-the-scenes’ experiences involved. I chuckle everytime the DVD gets to the part where my G-string snaps ( ) in the middle of the recital. Its funny because I remember totally freaking out in my head while remaining calm and cool on the outside: “Uh.. technical difficulties people, one second.” Having intimate knowledge of everything involved lets you really appreciate all the aspects of it and connect with it more. Its kind of like how you tend to like bands more if you’ve been to one of their concerts (because, you were there when they sang that song!).

2) This reminds me of a YG retreat where the speaker warned us about “peaking too early.” For him, he was talking about peaking at basketball in 8th grade where he banked a game-winning buzzer-beater shot, but subsequently sucking thereafter (asians tend to stop growing around that time, you get the idea). Well for me, my violin recital DVD is a snapshot of my peak. I watch myself play and I think, “I will never, ever be that good ever again, forever.” I wasn’t even that good, but I was definitely at the level where you could consider it as a peak.

This brings me to my actual point. Sometimes nostalgia is good, remembering old times and feeling that bitter sweetness of not being able to do those things anymore from your youth. But sometimes, you should try it again, for old times sake. Thats why I bought an electric violin. Its cheap, and definitely not nearly as good as my actual violin at home, but its convenient. I can practice it in my room without disturbing the neighbors and i dont have to worry about it breaking if I drop it. Pics of the neat design below: