MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Walnut Creek, CA

Brentwood, CA

Carmel Valley, CA

Hilton Garden Inn, HI

Royal Hawaiian Center, HI

The Royal Hawaiian, HI

Waikiki Aquarium, HI

Love Actually (2003)

Originally published on 09 December 2024:  I watch this every Christmas. I don't know how many times I have watched it, but this year, the video colors started to fade. Not sure if it'll survive next year 😢

My favorite parts:

• Billy Mack singing at the beginning – him cursing was hilarious.
• Juliet finding out Mark's crush on her in his loft – the split second when his heart broke, my heart broke.
• Jamie jumping into the lake with Aurelia – the camera scanning down to reveal the tattoo on her back and Jamie swallowing hard was too sexy!
• Harry buying a gold necklace at the department store – I was aghast at the efforts that British put into gift wrapping. 😂
• The Prime Minister dancing in 40 Downing Street – priceless!
• Sam running through the airport – too adorable!
• Airline staff being distracted by Billy Mack singing stark naked on TV to allow Sam to slip by – great writing because it was promised earlier in the plot and completely paid off!
• Aurelia walking down the stairs at the restaurant to meet Jamie – every princess needs to walk down a spiral staircase!

Every time I watch it, I cry at different parts. I used to cry at Juliet finding out Mark's crush. This year, however, I got misty eyes when Joanna kissed Sam on the cheek. Wonder which part I'll cry at next year.

Math Teacher could not stomach the mushy lovey-dovey story. Honest Trailer did a hysterical video on this movie. It pointed out all the other parts that the actors had played before or after this movie.

That was how I could get Math Teacher to watch bits and pieces of it. For example,

• Hans Gruber vs. Mr. Bean!
• Ra's al Ghul (Batman Begins) crying over his dead wife.
• Davy Jones (Pirates of Caribbean: At World's End) singing naked!
• The Kingsman (2014 & 2017) being cheated on and being clumsy.
• Dr. Watson (Sherlock BBC) naked and doing sex! (Math Teacher disliked this one so much! 🤣)
• Xerxes from 300 (2006 & 2014) was the most shocking!  He should be an underwear model!

See you next Christmas!

Updated on 24 December 2025:  this year I got misty eyes when Karen found out that Harry emotionally cheated on her 😢

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

I finally watched this famous Christmas movie.  Some funny physical comedy, some funny dialogues.  It bothered me that it wasn’t really a “vacation.”  They stayed home the entire movie.

⭐⭐⭐

Love Hurts (2025)

This movie gave horrible life lessons.  Person A could mess up Person B's life in the name of love, even though person B was happy with his new life.

Also, the only people that died were the two innocent bystanders, that happened to be at the wrong spots at the wrong time.  They were also trying to help the supposedly "good" guys but then got killed.  Everyone else, the good guys or the bad guys, barely got any scratches.

I still believe Ke Huy Quan is the perfect next Indiana Jones.  Mr. Quan was in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) as a little boy back then.  The storyline could be him all grown up, taken the mantle of an adventurous archaeologist.  He had the experience because he followed Indiana Jones around; he was inspired to continue the saga.  Harrison Ford could come in to be the wise old man dishing out advice, for about five to ten minutes.  The story makes complete sense.  Harrison Ford maintains his legacy.  Mr. Quan makes so much money.

Additionally, Mr. Quan already proved he could be a dashing and action star.  He could fight; he could run; he could be charming.

Hollywood, call me!

Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Lasagna

Surprisingly, this was not bad.  I could taste a little bit of butternut squash flavor in the bechamel sauce.  I really liked the pumpkin seeds on top.

On the other hand, this was two servings?!  This was smaller than my face!  Product of Italy.  Was this really for two Italians?  Or am I just fat?

Front

Back

Frozen

Microwaved

The Sixth Day (2000)

This was a philosophy packaged in an action, sci-fi movie.  Is it ok to clone humans?  Is it ok for the original and the clone to coexist? What happens when the clones die?  I was surprised that this movie got me thinking the deep questions while enjoying Arnold kicking ass.

This movie also predicted a lot of things:

• Refrigerator telling us we’re out of milk.
• We touch one button to reorder milk.
• Self driving cars
• Remote control helicopter (think drones)
• Zoom call
• Virtual lawyer and psychologist
• Effing annoying phone trees

If I watched the movie in 2000, I probably didn’t feel as much.  Now I have had 25 years(!) to experience these things, they are actually very scary.

I’m pretty sure someone somewhere is cloning humans.

Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Risotto

I swear; it tasted better than it looked.  Chunks of butternut squash.  The rice was microwaved nicely considering it was frozen food.

Front

Back

Frozen

Microwaved

Bad Boys (1995), Bad Boys II (2003), Bad Boys for Life (2020), Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Originally posted 01 July 2024:  I'm surprised to learn that all three movies were made so far apart, but the bromance between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence did not fade over time.  They both had great charisma and chemistry.  Their bantering was enjoyable.

While Fast & Furious franchise defied physics, Bad Boys franchise defied biology.  Will Smith got shot three times in his chest and completely healed in six months.  Armando was shot in the heart, but he immediately was able to stand and help Will Smith.  On the other hand, some people got shot once through the neck and shoulder and died.  Plot armor!  I still love this franchise.

Updated 26 November 2025:  big love to this franchise.  It didn’t disappoint.  The plot was the same in every movie, somehow they made it work.  This spoke volumes to the star powers.  This might be one of the few movies that I would continue watching the sequels.

COMING SOON 2026 - The Second Smile

My next book title reveal!  Drum roll please!

The Second Smile: Book of Golden Dragon

Song to listen to and be inspired by while writing this book: Broken Heart Poetry, by Jody Chiang 江蕙「斷腸詩」.

Set about 200 years before Heartless. This was the love story of the last Princess of Bhaliq Empire, referenced by Count Covasna in 'Til Death Do Us Part.

I'm not universe-building. I'm simply too lazy to come up with brand new empire names, location names, all kinds of other names. Basically I'm using Krenn Empire as a stand-in for China's Tang Dynasty but lasted a lot longer, like Rome. I could pick and choose different centuries to write a story.

Book Title: The First Smile will Topple a City. The Second Smile will Topple a Nation.
書名：一笑傾城，再笑傾國
Tagline: Even the Brave will fall for the Fair.
內容：英雄難過美人關

"Even the Brave will fall for the Fair" is way too long. So I changed the book title to "The First Smile will Topple a City. The Second Smile will Topple a Nation". But! This name is even longer!! Thank Heavens this name could be shortened as "The Second Smile".

「英雄難過美人關」好難翻譯，找到最好的是"Even the Brave will fall for the Fair".可是這名字太長，所以就改為"The First Smile will Topple a City. The Second Smile will Topple a Nation"。可是這名字更長！好在這名字可以縮短為The Second Smile.

Here's my horrible translation of my favorite lines in this song.

昨夜殘風傷心雨 / Last night it was raining heartbreak.
今日愁眉割心槽 / Today the sorrow cut into my heart.
踏上迢迢感情路 / I started this long road of loving you.
何必越頭問歸途 / There was no need to ask for a return path.

三分醉 / Three parts drunk.
七分痴 / Seven parts insane.
十分相思啊夢中見 / Ten parts of Missing You sigh Ssee You in the Dreams.

Trader Joe's Mesquite Smoked Seasoned Almonds

These almonds were deliciously smoky!  Very little sugar, too.  However, sodium clocked in at 170mg per 1/4 cup.  I couldn't have too much of these because it was too salty.  So maybe the serving size of 1/4 cup was actually reasonable.