The Plaid Alternative

I've become re-obsessed with plaid. While having an extended lunch with my oldest friend yesterday, I confessed my re-obsession. We both laughed because this new wave of plaid fashion was probably the last thing either of us could have predicted.

I grew up in the 90s (now I'm really aging myself) where plaid was rampant. It  was the grunge era and fashion was all about comfort. I was a teenager through the 90s, so nostalgia probably colors my perspective. I fondly remember baby doll dresses (I owned many!), Doc Martens (I never owned a pair of those), and the perseverance of plaid. I'll probably never again wear baby doll dresses (even though they were so comfortable) or buy a pair of Doc Martens (which are also in style again?!?), but I'm all in with this new plaid era. Back in the 90s, plaid meant "grunge." These days plaid means "hipster." I wouldn't call myself a hipster, but I do like the hipster adherence to plaid. Both "grunge" and "hipster" lifestyles could be called "alternative."

What does alternative mean? I tend to think of it as "against the grain" more than anything. Sort of a rebelling against the collective consciousness. So, why is plaid leading the way? What does plaid signify, if anything? Am I thinking about this too strongly? Sometimes that is the problem when you do research for a living. Small pieces of data can lead to something grand, but more often than not, it doesn't lead to anything significant beyond noise.

However, I do think the re-emergence of plaid means something. Though I freely admit to not having a single piece of datum to back me up. The fact a fabric tend to skirt the outside of convention suggests it might always be associated that way. Perhaps because plaid is such a traditional fabric, people who embrace "alternative" seek a solid foundation. Maybe plaid signifies the strength of tartans worn by Scottish clans. I always associate the delicate nature of lace with the whimsical wonder of Venice. Does the origin of a fabric permeate through centuries? Though maybe only I connect fabric to their origins due to my sewing hobby? These are things to ponder....while wearing plaid shirts.

On Opening Night

When one thinks of Opening Night, it is often associated with a play. One might imagine getting dressed up, being excited, and most of all, being entertained. Opening Night is magical. If the Major Baseball league had its way, Opening Night would also describe the first day of baseball. From last night's game (the first on US soil for the 2014 season), I wouldn't disagree.

Opening Night consisted of a Dodgers vs. Padres game in San Diego. My sister and I debated why the first nationally broadcast baseball game was the Dodgers vs. Padres. We ended up deciding the weather was the determining factor. And you only had to watch the game to agree. We both grew up in San Diego and we both agreed San Diego looked so pretty on tv. For people who don't grow up watching baseball, it can be a really boring game to watch. Last night's game, wasn't boring at all. Initially, it was really frustrating for a Padres fan to follow on tv. There was the fact the Padres left men on base in the first and second innings. I personally believed the first base umpire should have been fired by the 5th inning. My sister thought the ESPN announcers were horribly biased towards the Dodgers. Case in point: when the Padres made a comeback in the 8th inning, the announcers had no idea who hit the home run. Granted he was a pinch-hitter and it was the first day of the season. We eventually had to look up who hit the home run on-line. Then we watched the Dodgers defense collapse, the Padres hold onto a win by a great outing by their closer, and the end result was the Padres in first place after Opening Night. It was a great night for baseball if you ask me.

Of course, I'm too much of a sports realist to get completely carried away. I haven't read too much (or anything at all) into the fact the Padres are a trendy sleeper pick. My only hope is for the analogy of a play's run to baseball season holds up: that closing night be as memorable as opening night. The excitement of a play's finale is dependent on the play's success. The same reasoning could be applied to baseball. A team's final game is only exciting if the season was victorious. Baseball season is upon us. May the best team (as evidenced by Opening Night! sorry, I couldn't help myself) be the one standing on top in October.

Let It Go because Everything is AWESOME!!!

Obviously, I recently watched two movies with catchy songs. I watched them in reverse order of release date because legos > princess movie with snowman. However, I have to admit: I might like Frozen more than The Lego Movie.

Whenever I attend a 1-3 year old's birthday party, I usually get the celebrant Legos. They have super cool Legos these days. Everything from Star Wars to cupcakes. You really can't go wrong with giving a kid Legos. The Lego Movie is visually stunning and true to Lego capabilities. Lego people in the movie "walk" just the way they do in real life. I was mostly interested in The Lego Movie because I read the screenplay was written by the guys who created Clone High. Hardly anybody watched Clone High but I remember it as a truly funny/clever show. I had high expectations for The Lego Movie and it mostly didn't disappoint. I remember thinking during the movie "Only a kid could come up with this story-line" which is absolutely the truth. The one thing I didn't like about The Lego Movie was it tried too hard to convey its message. I think it could have been more subtle. However, I forgive that aspect because it has a super awesome music video.

I ended up watching Frozen in the theatres a week before its DVD release. At that point, some of my friends had watched it twice (there is also a sing-a-long version) and it had won an Oscar for best animated movie. I grew up on Disney movies (The Little Mermaid is my favorite) so my lagging to watch Frozen has nothing to do against Disney films. I also really like Tangled, so I like recent Disney movies. I guess watching Frozen wasn't on my list of things to do. However, all my friends told me I had to watch it and I loved it. I'm not familiar with the Han Christian Andersen version of The Snow Queen, but I'm sure Disney has modified the story to its strength. I mentioned I was impressed by The Lego Movie's animation. However, Frozen's animation, especially in comparison to previous Disney movies, is astonishing. I'm perfectly aware my adoration for Frozen stems from the fact it revolves around two sisters. This is why I'm biased, but it really isn't my fault I have a younger sister. Frozen also won the Oscar for best song. Let it Go is sung by the always amazing Idina Menzel.

Isn't the animation amazing?!?! I do apologize if Let It Go is in your head for the rest of the day. It has been in mine for days. Then Everything is AWESOME!!! finds into way into my brain for hour before Let It Go takes its rightful place. It has been an interesting two weeks. So it is a good thing The Incredibles 2 (recently announced) won't have any music. At least, it shouldn't right?

I watched an entire 60 minutes episode. I am as surprised as you.

I found myself watching 60 minutes last Sunday. This was completely by accident: I was doing a mindless task and needed to watch/listen to something. What's on at 7pm on Sunday? Well, 60 minutes has been running at that particular time for 38 years.

My dad was a huge 60 minutes watcher, so I grew up watching 60 minutes. With its prominent newscasters Mike Wallace and Dan Rather, 60 minutes was entertaining, informative, and sometimes filled with intrigue. Pre-internet, it was hard to find unusual stories. More often than not, they were brought to you. 60 minutes built its reputation on aggressive journalism and sensational stories. It was also anchored by a cantankerous old man: Andy Rooney. I grew up without grandparents (I had none by the time I was 7), so I felt Andy was my own personal grandparent telling me how things were better in olden times and how present society/culture was just confusing. He had the bushiest eyebrows.

I haven't watched 60 minutes in years. With the advent of the internet, finding news stories is easy. As I grew older, I realized what I unconsciously liked most about 60 minutes in my early years. I prefer my news brought by a certain perspective: a grizzled, hardened, and truth-seeking perspective. With any type of journalism, it is hard for a journalist to withhold their own notions while reporting. The good know when to hold back their opinion. However, the best are those who slightly impart their knowledge while simultaneously drawing out their interviewee. When I have caught 60 minutes over the years, I've been disappointed with the stories, the journalists, and the reporting. They focused on too many stories in 60 minutes. The interviews were subpar. After hearing about the Benghazi debacle, my disappointment with 60 minutes just increased. The childhood luster of 60 minutes was definitely nonexistent.

So imagine my surprise when I was intrigued by an entire 60 minutes episode last Sunday. There were only 3 stories and each appealed to me. The first was a story about a shooting at a high school. Children should feel safe at school, but that is never the case these days. As was pointed out by this story, there are so many school shootings that perhaps this one didn't nationally register. I didn't remember it. The story revolves around the high school football coach who literally chases the shooter outside the school grounds. However, he is so traumatized by the deaths he wasn't able to prevent that he eventually has to the leave the high school he kept safe. The second story is about the best living art forger. I had never even heard of the guy! As a person who makes it a point to wander through museums, I found this story fascinating. The art forger, Wolfgang Beltracchi, claims some of his paintings still hang in prominent museums. Finally, the third story was an interview with Liam Neeson. This is the first interview which he discusses his wife's, the actress Natasha Richardson, accidental death. These days Liam Neeson is a preeminent action star, but he fully admits to keeping busy as a coping mechanism. It made my heart ache and I am grateful to him for sharing his story.

I watched the entire hour of 60 minutes and didn't once think to change the channel. The stories kept me intrigued with emotions ranging from sadness, complete disbelief, and empathy.  It was close to the 60 minutes I remember from my youth. Perhaps nostalgia will encourage me to watch another episode sometime soon.

Some thoughts about Bob Costas' eye

When I tuned into the Olympics Sunday night, I almost laughed when I saw Bob Costas' eye. Of course I had heard about it, but I hadn't seen it in action. Mostly I just couldn't believe he was valiantly trying to host the Olympics because his eyes were only going to get worse.

As a person who once had pinkeye and who knows quite a bit about vision, I can divulge some things about Costas' eye infection. He probably has a viral infection because I assume he has tried every type of antibiotic possible. The fact his pinkeye was only spread to one eye was temporary, it is pretty impossible to contain viral pinkeye to one eye. It was only a matter of time before it spread to both eyes. The worst thing about viral pinkeye...it takes a long time to recover from it. I'm talking about at least 5 days, probably a week. Also viral pinkeye, though not painful, does require you to rest your eyes. This is the hardest part. You don't realize how much you rely on your eyes until you can't use them. When I had pinkeye, I just sat on the couch, closed my eyes, and listened to the tv. It was beyond boring.

I'm glad Costas has finally stepped down from his Olympic hosting duties. The next couple of days will probably be super frustrating for him and he has my sympathy. But perhaps with all things that shock us into realizing our vulnerability, he will never take his eyes for granted again. My wish is for everyone (at least those who tuned into Olympics and watched Costas' deteriorating eyes) to take better care of their own eyes. Wear sunglasses whenever you are in direct sunlight. Consume beta-carotene any way possible. And (I'm venturing a guess here) don't open your eyes while showering in foreign countries.

For the love of hockey

The 2014 Olympics are upon us. It was 4 years ago my hockey obsession began and looking back, it has been at best a very whimsical relationship. I'll start at the beginning.

Growing up in San Diego, there are only professional football and baseball teams which means a dearth of a winter sport. You can actually survive on just football and baseball. The football season starts with preseason in August and ends with SuperBowl in February. Baseball season begins with spring training in March and ends with the World Series (a really arrogant name btw) in October. I never watched basketball growing up and when I tried to get into it later on in life, I realized how much it just annoyed me. Why? There are three main reasons. First, there are way too many points. You can reach up to 100 points in a game! Second, it really isn't a team sport. Superstar athletes are integral to winning. There is no "sum is greater than the parts" thread in basketball which to me is key to sports watching. Third, referees have way too much control/power over the game. These three reasons would only matter to a football/baseball sports fan. Because there are three specific reasons, I just can't get over them to enjoy watching basketball. I do watch some March Madness, but other than those magical weeks (which now include Warren Buffet's 1 billion offer on the perfect bracket), I just avoid basketball.

So what is the perfect winter sport to watch? It is, beyond a doubt, hockey. I used to work in a lab with a Canuck fan and a Avalanche fan. So when the 2010 Olympics came upon us, it was on. Everyday, there were hockey debates and as a sports fan, listening to them was a revelation.  There were discussions about line changes, shootouts, hot/cold goaltenders, and everything inbetween. Since it was the Olympics, the games were broadcast everyday and I found myself immersed in all things hockey. There a couple of things to really love about hockey. The first, it is sport made for HD television. It looks amazing on tv. Second, the games are only an hour and half long with two timeouts. Nothing against football or baseball, but the minimal three hour effort to watch those games can be time-consuming. Third, mostly personal reason, there is a honor code about hockey. The players and fans hate when referees interfere with the game. The players regulate the game themselves which sometimes leads to game drama and fights (hockey really is two sports in one). Hockey is the antithesis of basketball which really is one more reason for me to like it.

After the 2010 Olympics, I tried to get into hockey more. As a new hockey fan, I set out to find myself a team. Of course, the easiest thing to do was to become a Kings fan. However, I didn't like their uniforms because they were too "Raiders-like." I just couldn't. Also, when can you ever pick a team without any predisposition? I also needed to pick a winning team to cheer for because trust me, as a Chargers and Padres fan, I deserved it. I mildly followed hockey (not easy in SoCal) and tried to pick a team I wouldn't regret. So of course what happens next? The Kings win the 2012 Stanley Cup (which really is the best sports trophy). Not to mention, they had the best entrance song. I guess when I say my relationship with hockey has been whimsical it is because I haven't really committed to a team. I'm an outside looking-in hockey fan which is all my fault. Though, I do give the Chargers and Padres their due.

So this makes me super excited for Olympic hockey. I have a clear-cut team which is really necessary if you are a sports fan. I'll probably watch most of the games and just immerse myself in hockey. I'll even watch women's hockey which apparently is the best hockey rivalry. Who knew? After the Olympics, we will all know.

The really big question: Can I become a vegetarian?

There hardly has been any rain this month. It is predicted to rain a bit tonight, but definitely not enough to appease anyone in California. It is so crazy California has a water shortage while some of the US is experiencing a second polar vortex. The lack of rain always worries me. Mostly because during the fires of 2007 my childhood home almost burned to the ground. Presently, the news cycle revolves around water shortages and how to conserve water. As a person who likes to be a minimalist in everything but my wardrobe, I already use the smallest volume of water possible. However, I still wrestle with the fact that I could do one more thing: I could become a vegetarian.

Whether or not it is an urban legend, the idea that it takes 3 bathtubs of water to produce one filet mignon makes me cringe. While eating a filet mignon. I grew up in carnivore culture and all of my favorite dishes have meat in them. I really don't even like vegetables. It is only in the past few years and LA living (where there is a tremendous amount of peer pressure to eat healthy) that I've even found a couple of vegetables which are tolerable. That's right, tolerable. So the way I worded the question in the title of this post is telling: I'm actually not sure if I could be a vegetarian.

But I do dream about becoming one. I live in the best place in the US to become a vegetarian. I have cut my meat intake significantly in the past few years. I eat salads. If I could learn how to cook Indian or Thai food, maybe I could reduce the amount of meat in my life even more. Perhaps the dream is closer than ever, but I have to admit just writing this post made me think of beef panang curry (sound delicious!). So yeah, small steps to even smaller steps. At least, I'm heading towards the right direction.