A Week of 10s Day 7: Life Aspirations

Better late than never. I knew this post would probably take a while and originally I thought it wouldn't even be done today, since I had been working on a paper, going to the gym, and some friends wanted to go out tonight. Given that however, the usually oh so perfect Danish rail system had an off day as some tracks, mainly my friends' tracks, weren't running. So now, dinner is done, I'm taking a break, and hey, let's finish this Week of 10s thing up. So here, awesome readers, are my 10 life aspirations and dreams.

1. A Solid Job: One thing I definitely want/need in my life is to have a stable, well paying job which can afford me to live comfortably and also give me time to vacation, have fun, and time with family (which I will discuss later). I don't know where I want to go in my life really, it feels like I'm walking through dense fog, trying and hoping I eventually run into something great, but I have some ideas. I would love to have a job working with Europe-East Asia relations when it comes to business/consulting/marketing. Given I am Asian and can speak English, French, and hopefully by the end of senior year, German fluently, this could be a good niche to carve out for myself. But for now, this is just a dream.

2. A Home: My mom achieved her American dream when she bought her/our house. She made good money, lives a comfortable life, and moved way up from when she first arrived on these shores. For me, I also want to achieve my American dream, and one of those things, is a nice home. I don't want anything huge, yeah I want probably around 4 bedrooms and a 3 car garage, but not one of those massive monstrosities you see in the suburbs near where I live - ones with massive porticoes and empty rooms for the hell of it. I would rather have a house that has everything I need, but have those things be nice. I'm a bit of a sucker for classic interiors - so even if the world has moved on from granite, warm woods, and stuff like that, I will probably include those in my house. Top of the line? Hopefully. And a decent sized yard? - yeah.

3. A Husband/Family: Have I been in a relationship yet? nope. Have I had guys chase after me? Yes, but they were not for the reasons I wanted (at least for the long term). Will I hopefully be in one before I graduate? I sure as hell hope so. By the time I'm 30-35, I want to be settling down with someone I can love and appreciate. Someone fun, romantic, good looking, and family oriented would be ideal. I do want a family, and as of now, I would prefer to have the child be one of our own rather than adopted. I know adoption is the good thing to do, but if I'm raising someone, I would want them to have some of me as part of who they are, as awkwardly worded as that sounds. Two kids I think is my ideal number. An Older brother for sure, not picky about the younger, but I think a daughter would be nice to balance things out.

4. To provide my mom a nice retirement: When I was little, I promised my mom two things - The Empire State Building (which for the longest time called the Eiffel Tower. fail), and a Mercedes. Now the former will probably never happen, but the second, among other things, could and hopefully will be. My mom is in her late 50s now and will be retiring in the next few years. By the time I graduate I hope to have a job, and a few years after that be making enough money for myself and also for a nice gift. I think my mom wants to sell the house and move to a nice condo nearby after I move out and find my own place, so housing is fine, but for her 65th birthday, I think an E-class might be in order.

5. Travel: I've been lucky in that I have seen much of the world, but if I can, I would love to be able to spend plenty of time traveling, whether it be for work or for vacation. Australia and New Zealand are at the top of my list right now.

6. Own my own restaurant: I love to cook, and if I make enough money, I would love to open my own restaurant one day. It would be a pet project type thing, one where I could work at and be a part of when I retire or if my work allows for it. It would probably have a rotating menu, by reservation only type thing. I love experimenting and I could never stick with only one type of cuisine which is part of the reason why for the concept.

7. Philanthropy: If everything does go absolutely swimmingly and I have enough disposable income that I am willing to part with, I have a few things I would definitely give back to. Most things would be related to something important in my life, and specifically, my childhood. Libraries would definitely get some, as would probably my old HS crew team that you guys are probably tired of me reminiscing about. Animal shelters would also be something I would definitely give back to. Max, my now 11 year old Jack Russell that I adopted 8 years ago is doing well. Still a lazy bum and sweet when he wants to be, there is nothing in the world I would trade him for.

8. Go into outer space: Very likely, given commercial space flights have already sorta begun. I don't want to just go to the edge of the atmosphere though, I want to be in true, free float, International Space Station type space.

9. To still be a kid on the inside: I don't understand why people want to grow up so much. Sure you can earn money, but adulthood is stressful, your metabolism slows, you only get shorter, and the simple thing in life don't get you as easily excited as they used to. Heck, if I could stay a kid forever I totally would. That said, my inner 5 year old is going to stay alive and well when I grow up. I'm still going to go on swings, binge on ice cream, play with clay, and maybe even break a few useless old things just for the heck of it (because making things go boom makes me all giggly on the inside). Indulge that little kid inside you, he or she is still there, trust me. Go swing on some swings, eat too many Twinkies, or just do something stupid and silly; as Amy Poehler said, "No one looks stupid when they're having fun."

10. To stay close with my friends: You know the whole "friends for life" promises you made in school? How many of those still exist? I have at least a solid dozen people who basically shaped me into who I am today. These people grew up with me; we laughed together, cried together, shared secrets, and did stupid things together, and that I think deserves more than "falling out of contact". I will put in the effort to stay close with them, no matter if we are across the country from each other or even next door neighbors. I love them more than they could probably ever know.

Alright folks, that concludes this More-than-a-week of Tens! I hope you enjoyed the ride. If you do decide there is something you would like for me talk about, you know how to get in contact. I have a few things I want to talk about in my mind so back to regular programing soon.

All the best,

JP

Also - I'm going home in 5 days. Whaaaaaaaaa!?

A Week of 10s Day 6: Feel Good Songs

So I had a request to do my top ten "feel good" songs. Songs that make me smile. My music tastes change constantly, but there are a few songs which I always enjoy going back to and listening because they're fun, upbeat, or just too catchy. Here are my top 10 "feel good" songs.


1. The Killers - Mr. Brightside

This song came out when I was still in middle school and I can still remember rocking out to it today. It's just a great song and the fact it has had such lasting power for me must mean a good thing.

2. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now

My ultimate feel good song and also driving song. If I do well on an exam, do something epic, or and just in a great mood, I always play this song. It's a really upbeat and happy song.

3. Nicki Minaj - Superbass

Freshman year of college, this was one of the first songs I really danced and had fun to with what would become my core groups of friends today. Basically, whenever this song plays, I gotta dance. Great memories with this song.

4. John Denver - Country Roads

While I might be a state over, this song makes me miss home too. They played a remix of this at the club I was at last night. I don't know if Danes even know where West Virginia is on a map but everyone was singing along. It's one of those songs which makes me all fuzzy inside.

5. Frank Sinatra - Come Fly with Me

I love oldies and classics, and this is definitely one of my favorites. I feel classier just listening to this song. But Frank, he's a musical god.

6. Cartel - Let's Go

I love Cartel. They're definitely one of my favorite bands and one of the few I actually follow. Let's Go is one of those really loud, hard, and fast songs which I love. It's one of my pump-up songs when I'm preparing for something big.

7. Tina Turner - Proud Mary

So I didn't know much about Tina Turner until I did a project on her with Miss X during junior year of HS as part of a AP US History class. Since then, I've fallen in love with Tina and especially this song. She's the original diva, and you can't be the original.

8. Kap Slap - Guetta's Calling Solveig Up

This song was one of the songs which spurred the growth of my love of mashups. This is freaking epic. It's a staple of my workout playlist, my rage playlist, and I also play it whenever I just want to celebrate.

9. Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

My favorite Christmas song. One thing I look forward to every year before Christmas is Darlene's performance on Letterman. Actually, it's the only time of the year I actually watch Letterman.

10. Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas is You

Because Christmas.

Hope you found something that you like too among my picks.

All the best,

JP

A Week of 10s Day 4: Favorite qualities in a guy

I've talked about this before in the past but seeing as how my tastes have changed and evolved over time, I think it's time for a new one. Here, in no particular order, are ten qualities in a guy that make me all hot and bothered.

1. A Sense of humour: I have a pretty dry sense of humour. I do laugh easily and often, but if I do make a joke, it's usually pretty snarky, logic based, or situational. All things considered though, someone who can make me laugh scores major bonus points in attractiveness, as is the ability to make the occasional dry humour joke.

2. Height: I'm a bit of a height whore, I admit it. If you have hit 6ft or more, your hotness is like immediately doubled. Nothing against shorter guys, but I would say my absolute minimum for a guy is 5'8".

3. He's fit: I take care of my body, so should you. You don't have to look like you just walked off an Abercrombie and Fitch photo shoot (though that doesn't hurt) but please go to the gym regularly or at least look like you do. I like guys with a little bit of bulk, but not too much. A swimmer build is ideal but soccer players (skinnier but still hella fit) really also are damn hot. Ripped is not necessary, but toned is awesome. I don't mind skinny guys, but if you look like I can break you with my hand, then things probably won't work out either. I sound really picky and like a bit of a dick but if I put work into making myself look good, I feel I deserve a little in return from my partner.

4. Intelligence: There are many kinds of intelligence out there. Book smarts, street smarts, they are all valid and useful. While I love silly conversation as much as the next guy, I do eventually intend to have deeper more complex conversation and debates. Here is where I hope to have someone I can debate with for long periods of time and hopefully gain new perspectives on things that I never would have considered otherwise. I want a guy who I can learn from. It should be noted though that I would prefer to be the smarter one in the relationship. Dunno why, just would.

5. We're not carbon copies of each other: I want a guy different from who I am. I tend to be attracted to guys who are from different social circles and have different interests and passions than I do. Despite having been an athlete before, I don't consider it a key aspect of my identity today. Despite this however, beyond just the physical reasons, I find athletes attractive because they're different than me. Same goes for bros and country guys. While I do want shared interests, I don't want to be doing everything he does, some independence is essential.

6. A dude's dude: I posted this photo a while ago. I made it during my freshman year for a sort of post-secret type thing at my school. It still rings true today.

7. Multilingual: Knowing and speaking multiple languages indicates a few things for me. 1. They are dedicated to what they do. Learning a language takes time, effort, and lots of struggling before you're eventually good at it. I admire anyone who is willing to put in the effort. 2. They are curious and open to new things, and given I'm one to adventure and am willing to try almost anything once, that is also a plus in a guy. So multilingualism is something I find quite sexy, especially German and French...but I'm biased haha.

8. My age or older: While I won't rule out dating a guy younger than me, someone my grade or slightly older is my preference. Basically anyone in university is fair game right now though.

9. Messy Blond Hair: Something I've always found really, really attractive is slightly longish tousled blond hair on a guy. I think it takes a certain kind of guy to pull it off, but if they can, it's really hot. I have a thing for blonds in general though.

10. Well Dressed: Someone who takes pride in their appearance appears so much more confident and attractive to me. A well groomed and well dressed guy is a total plus in my eyes. He doesn't have to be wearing the latest designer stuff or look like he just robbed a J Crew or Brooks Brothers, but two things should be present: fit and coordination. Guys who wear baggy jeans, gym wear, or sweat pants all the time come across as lazy to me. Probably one of the most stereotypical "gay" things I do is that I am pretty picky when I do shop for clothes. I gotta try everything on and will not settle until I find exactly what I was looking for.

There are more things but then again I could probably blabber on forever about this kind of stuff. My internet was down last night so I couldn't post anything, but I'll try and get something down tonight, I promise. Also, to anonymous, your question shall be answered, no worries :)

Music Bonus:
I'm a huge fan of mashups and this one is pretty sick. Basically take 50+ top hits of the year and put them together. Very well done.




Keep the questions coming please.

All the best,

JP

A Week of 10s Day 3: Things I can't live without

Day 3 of the series has arrived and today I'll be talking about things I can't live without. I'm not talking about air, food, and stuff like that, but actual things that would make me feel really uncomfortable if they weren't a part of my life.

1. A Watch: I started wearing a watch back in high school and today I can't leave the house without one. I feel naked without it and actually have a permanent watch tan which dates back to my crew days and is maintained by being outside a ton in the summer. I currently have 5 watches which I rotate between. I have one casual everyday watch, an orange and grey Timex Weekender, one sport watch, one semi-formal watch (my favorite because it has a blue face with analog arms and a digital background), and two formal watches, one metal and one leather. This is my most recent purchase which I bought for my birthday.

courtesy of Amazon

The face is a bit darker indoors but in the light it has a nice charcoal colour and sundial detailing.

 

2. My crew ring: Yeah, I still can't escape those crew days. For me, my ring has sentimental value since I bought it at my very last regatta (Stotesbury Cup 2010) along with almost all the guys in my boat. It's something that is very special to me and I hope to keep it for as long as I live. Plus, I also have a ring tan from wearing it every day for almost three years now.

 

It's silver and has crossed oars going all around it

 

3. My laptop: Yeah, I'm part of the tech generation. My life basically revolves around my laptop: school, organizing social events with friends, porn, wasting time. Since buying myself a tablet last Christmas, some of the duties of the laptop have been removed, but still, I love it, I need it, and I can't live without it.

 

4. My family and friends: I'm very thankful to have such a strong network of family and friends, especially an exceptionally strong inner circle of people who I know I can always rely on. They keep me sane, we keep each other in check, and all work to each others mutual benefit. What's not to love?

 

5. Coffee: I know some people can't wake up or do anything before they have had their first cup of coffee; thankfully I'm not one of those people. I still love the stuff though. If I need to get work done and need to prepare for a long night ahead, nothing does it better than a simple black coffee with a splash of milk and a little sugar or some sugar free flavoured syrup (I'm partial to vanilla and hazelnut). I have coffee probably at least every other day and is probably my favorite drink after water.

 

6. The Internet: Honestly, I don't know how people survived before the internet. Plus, I wouldn't be writing on this dandy little corner of the digital world without it now would I? Nuff Said.

 

7. My car: I'm a huge car guy and living without a car is an awful nightmare I would rather not have to ponder. The only reason I haven't gone insane in Denmark is because I know I will be returning home to a car which I can drive. My current car, the ever so wonderful yet temperamental Heindrik Konrad, a dark blue 2006 VW Passat 2.0T, has been a great first car though I question the long term durability of the thing. I'm looking to move on to a "new" (see: probably a few years used) car soon. I would love a Volvo C30 but for a student paying for his own gas, a current-gen Mazda 3 would probably be a better choice. I also like SUVs though... What will I end up with? I don't know, and honestly, it will likely come down to what can I get at a reasonable price and will cause me the least hassle down the line. My current dream car that's reasonably attainable? A 2013 Volvo S60 T5 AWD.

 

8. My phone: You can't be without a phone nowadays, for convenience and for safety. I don't have a smart phone, and quite honestly, I have no need for one. I can avoid having to pay for a data plan and considering I just text a hella lot, my good ol LG Chocolate Touch I got during junior year of HS does the job just fine. In addition, I prefer not to be attached at the hip to Facebook and Twitter all the time. Also, can your phone go a week without having to charge? Yeah, thought so.

 

9. Pho: Yeah. If there is one thing that will get me through a bad day, make me even happier on a good day, or just keep me warm on a cold day, it would be a nice bowl of pho. It's pretty much already confirmed with myself that lunch the day after I get back will be a big bowl of #1 with jalapenos and extra hoisin and sriracha sauce. Mmmmmm.

 

10. A good chef's knife: Most of y'all probably know I cook a lot. It's one of those things I do as a means to relax and also because it's just fun to experiment. The most basic tool of the trade then is a good knife, and a high quality chef's knife will get you through 80% of whatever you come across. My mom bought a JA Henkles chef's knife over 20 years ago and it's still in great condition and is used basically every day today. I bought myself one this past summer which I use and will bring with me when I move back on campus this winter.

 

11. My iPod: Yeah yeah, I know this is more than 10 but I realized I couldn't do this list without including it. I listen to music all the time: in the car, at the gym, when doing homework, on the train...well you get the idea. So basically my iPods are wonderful little things of magic that get me through my day. Before that, I had a CD walkman where I also had to carry a CD book of mix tapes I burned for myself and over ear headphones. I honestly don't know how I got through middle school with all that in my backpack.

 

Keep the suggestions coming. We still have four posts to go and I'll try to get to as many as possible. Comment below or shoot me an email.

 

Tschuss,

 

JP

A Week of 10s Day 2: Best Memories

Choosing my top ten memories is kind of difficult, mostly because sometimes I have trouble differentiating between simply very memorable things that were good versus actually great memories that may be more subtle, simple, and less dramatic. I have tons of really good memories to choose from, but in no particular order, here are my top ten memories:

1. When I got accepted to the GT middle school: Some time in Spring 2003 I believe, I got accepted into the GT (gifted and talented) program at one of my local middle schools. Me, along with maybe a dozen or so people from my elementary school got accepted into this program and were divided up among 3 or so middle schools in my county that had such a program. Maria, Christine, and a few other of my best friends then, and happily also today, were all put in the same school. However, it wasn't the actual going to the school that excited me; it was finding out. I remember clearly me, my mom, and my dad were at my dad's Manhattan condo when my aunt called my mom to tell her about the letter we had received which said I got in. I was so elated that I was screaming, jumping up and down, and making such a ruckus I'm surprised the neighbors didn't file a complaint. Nevertheless, I will always remember that day because that was one of the earliest moments of pure unfiltered joy I can recall.

2a. Driving for the first time: This is kind of a two part favorite memory because I have 2 driving memories. My first takes place when I was maybe still 12 or 13 and I was at Kings Dominion which is an amusement part in Virginia. They had a "ride" there where you could drive some old Ford's (like a simplified Model-T with just a push-to-go throttle and steering) around an enclosed track at maybe walking pace. While it may be kind of lame now, to my little pre-teen self, this was the coolest thing ever and I remember going on that ride so many times every time I went there. My love of cars definitely has some roots here.

2b. Driving for the first time(2): The second driving related memory is of me actually driving for the first time. I was now a junior in high school and I just qualified for my driver's permit. My uncle, who had taught basically all three of my cousins how to drive for the first time too, took me for my first experience at a local office park. The car was a piece of crap. It was a 1990 burgundy Toyota Corolla DX with over 250,000 miles on it and a terribly worn front left shock absorber that made an awful noise going over bumps, but, the thing had charm. Really, if there was any car that I wish could talk and hear the story of, it would be that one. My first real drive was a pretty good one I must say. I've never had a problem with going out of lanes, turning enough, etc. I guess video games did help with that. The only thing that took some practice was parking since I did sometimes end up too close to the lines or wasn't perfectly straight. Even though it was a lesson and maybe not the most exciting thing ever, I loved driving that thing. The car is unfortunately no longer with us. It was donated, still in working order I might add, to the Red Cross and hopefully someone is still using it today.

4. That Regatta: I had plenty of exciting regattas during my crew years, but two regattas and two races truly stand out. One was the Stotesbury Cup regatta in Philadelphia during my senior year. Rowing on the Schuylkill was a blast; it was hella fast, and seeing nearly 200 schools and thousands of fellow rower compete was truly magical. My boat didn't place but it was still a great experience. But while Stotes was great, for me, there will always be one specific race that I will always remember. During my first year rowing, my coach put me in a varsity boat to fill a spot since one of the guys couldn't make it to the regatta. That heat was literally one of the closest groups of 5 boats I've raced in. We were in lane 4 between two other boats and I remember we were never more than maybe 2/3 of a boat length from each other during the whole race. At the end though, during the last 250 meter sprint, we pulled away from both of our neighbors. First the boat on the left started drifting back and then we "walked" ahead from the boat to my right. I remember catching out of the corner of my eye the coxswain of the right boat doing a double take as we pulled away from them, a moment made even better as they were ahead of us by half a length up until that point. I still get chills from remembering that moment. We ended up placing second in that heat, .07 seconds behind the first boat which basically put us in a dead heat. Today when I erg, I still picture the end of that race and imagine I'm back on the water during the final sprint of my workout.

5. Scholar Athlete: More crew related memories...during my senior year, I was awarded the Scholar Athlete award for men's crew at my high school. Two athletes, one guy and one girl, from each sports team from my school were awarded "scholar athlete". It was up to the coaches to nominate who they believed best deserved the award. It was a great honour to be given this recognition and the sports banquet held at the end of the Spring 2010 season was also amazing. Hundreds of athletes were all there for a number of awards to be handed out that night and the spirit of the place, with everyone cheering each other no matter which sport you did, was truly inspiring.

6. High School Graduation/All Night Grad: Unlike many people, I actually had a wonderful high school experience. Sure, it was awkward as hell at times, but as a whole, I think high school was one of the happiest periods of my life. In the end however, graduation was the cherry on top of my experience. Graduation wasn't horribly exciting until the hat toss, but walking across that stage just really made it clear that I was done with compulsory education. It was bittersweet, but still very positive in my mind. The All-Night Grad Party that followed a few nights after was also epic. Vegas/Casino themed, it was a full night of table games, laser tag, food, carnival games, and free professional massages with my best friends which ended with a trip to a local diner for pumpkin spice pancakes at 5:30 in the morning. It was great.

7. 2nd semester Sophomore year grades: My first semester of sophomore year wasn't very good. My grades took a dive compared to what I was used to and I wasn't pleased with my own performance, so second semester, I worked my ass off to make sure I would do better. The classes I took weren't easy though. I remember clearly writing about how much I hated International Trade specifically and all the work I had to do for all my classes combined. After finals finished, I didn't know how I would fare. The exams were really difficult and since they each made up at least 35% of each class' grade, I didn't know where I would end up. However, all that work paid off. I ended up pulling off a 3.7 that semester, essentially balancing out first semester and maintaining my GPA where it was as a whole after freshman year. Seeing my final grade results, especially the A- I pulled off in I-Trade and Marketing (more due to the crap business school curve than it being an actual hard class) shocked me so much I almost cried.

8. Prom: Prom was simply too much fun. The limo, the dinner, my wonderful friends, my lovely date Maddie, everything was just amazing. It was a truly carefree night, which since they rarely come around ever, made it a night I would never forget. No need to say more than that.

9. That night with Brandon: About two weeks before I left for Denmark, I spent the night at Brandon's place. I told my mom I was staying a friend's for the night which wasn't too far from the truth but I digress. We basically just chilled on his balcony drinking beer, having simple conversation, and whispering sweet nothings until one of his roommates came back and we talked all three of us, well, three of us and her dog Allie, way deep into the night. That night was special however since that was the first night both of us admitted that we liked each other and were considering pursuing something more. Drunk words are true words I think and that night many words were shared. I really could have spent all night on that balcony, just laying in each other's arms in the cool summer air and talking about stupid things all night. Falling asleep in his arms and waking up to that warmth and secure comfort was something amazing. I really wished I didn't have to leave so soon after that. Today I wonder what will happen when I get back. If he would still be interested in seeing me, if he had moved on. I guess I'll find out in two weeks.

10. Camping: I've only gone camping once, and despite the bugs, the heat, and the nastiness of waking up all sticky, smelling of bug repellent, and dirt, it was fantastic. That trip, me and four of my friends went all out the summer before freshman year of college. We went to a camp ground in the woods, put up a giant tent, made hot dogs over an open fire using old coat hanger wire, toasted marshmallows, had a glow stick rave in the dark, and did everything else one does while being a camping n00b and had a great time doing so. I also remember the conversation as we just laid in the tent at 3AM looking through the tree tops at the stars. We were discussing what we thought college would be like, our favorite names, why Nutella was the best thing in the world, and more before eventually falling asleep. We were all at the edge between one era of our lives and another but had no worries, no obligations, and just the taste of freedom in our mouths. After getting home the next day and taking the best shower of my life, that camping trip claimed a spot as one of the best memories and experiences I've had.

Stay tuned for another round of Top 10 tomorrow. If you have any suggestions about what you want me to write about, put them in the comments or email me at the address on the sidebar.

All the best,

JP

Who Am I?

I am the guy who will stay up until 3AM for no particular reason

I am the guy who gets a thrill from discovering the scooter he had from when he was 12 six years later.

I am the guy who will be nice to you but won't be afraid of defending his beliefs, even if things have to get nasty.

I am the guy who doesn't get angry easily but can summon lightning and thunder and make you quiver with fear if need be.

I am the guy who geeks out about the silliest things

I am the guy who isn't afraid to try something at least once

I am the guy who finds Mario Kart Double Dash, Super Smash Bros Melee and other old GameCube games very entertaining

I am the guy who assigned his car a gender and gave it a name. (Male, Heindrik Conrad)

I am the guy who wishes it were late Autumn all year round

Je suis le garçon qui espère qu'il n'oubliera pas trop de français à l'avenir

I am the guy who has done many disagreeable things even close friends wouldn't even think of me doing

I am the guy who you think is straight until I tell you otherwise

I am the guy who can eat a dozen donuts in one sitting

I am the guy who will never stop posing questions about the world around us

I am the guy who thinks a SUV without 4WD or AWD makes no sense

I am the guy who will fall for someone hard and then feel distraught for an eternity before he gets knocked back to his senses

I am the guy who will not stop working on something until it's perfect in his eyes

I am the guy who actually liked his vegetables as a child

I am the guy who you don't want to get into an argument with about cars

I am the guy who knows how to manipulate your emotions and make you feel great or like absolute shit, and I am the guy who takes pride in this ability even if it seems wrong.

I am the guy who refuses to spend more than $50 for a pair of jeans

I am the guy who will refer to himself in the third person in a blog post :P

I am the guy who is genuinely pretty satisfied with his life

I am the guy who thinks station wagons are actually pretty cool

I am the guy who get's pissed off at people who think the world is constantly scheming against them

I am the guy who believes that his generation is bound to do great things

I am the guy who will always want to row again one day

I am the guy who can and will cook you a four-star three course meal on your birthday "just because"

I am the guy who finds super flamboyant guys annoying and believes they are probably hiding some set of insecurities

I am the guy who thinks the smile is the most attractive feature on a guy

I am the guy who enjoys watching the Food Network, Travel Channel and The History Channel on a regular basis

I am the guy who gets a chill down his spine when I hear the noise of a V8 muscle car accelerating

I am the guy who will stand by his true friends until the end of time

I am the guy who wants to do great things in life

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

I am...me.

All the best,

JP

Weirdo

Yes, I'm kinda really weird at times, and I have my quirks when it comes to things I like, dislike and occasionally get really obsessed about. I also have some things about myself that I just don't really share with others for one reason or another. Maybe it's time for y'all to learn a little more about my cooky side. Don't judge.

1. I'm more of a Southern boy on the inside than I'm willing to admit. I use "Y'all" in everyday conversation and could live off fried chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes. Plus, I find a light southern twang of an accent really attractive.

2. I will eat almost anything with hot sauce. I've doused entire breakfasts with hot sauce, put it on sanwiches and even straight onto bread. It's delicious. I do have a high spice tolerance which probably helps but what can I say, I like it hot.

3. Nerdy things excite me, like, a lot. I recently found someone who makes periodic table of elements cufflinks. and I'm seriously considering getting a set. I've also considered getting beakers to use as pencil holders and in my sophomore year of high school I made a Pi Day shirt with the first 20 digits painted in yellow on the back of a black t-shirt. Yeah, I was that cool.

Zachary Quinto: one hot ass nerd



4. If I could change one thing about me it would be either to get rid of my allergies or my lactose intolerance. Currently all the pollen in the air is making me miserable; I'm sneezing, my eyes itch like none other and my nose is stuffed, but the fact that I can't have more than a glass of milk a day sucks year 'round. I know soy and other random kinds of milk exist but it's not the same, no matter how much you can try and convince me. Lactose free milk also just tastes off to me, so no.

5. For the longest time a few years ago I thought Tory Belleci from the Mythbusters was pretty hot; come to think of it, I still do.

Tory Belleci, also a hot (science-y) nerd

6. I will take any excuse to dress up. Why else did I go to the IRC formal? Well, maybe not only to dress up, but it did play a role. Suits look good on guys and sometimes it's just fun to wear a suit just to mak eyourself feel good. Nothing wrong with that.

7. I secretly want to own a truck one day. A V8 and four wheel drive are a must.

8. If I learned one thing from modeling in the Spring Fashion show, it would be that looking "moderately displeased" has a very wide and rather hilarious range of intepretations.

9. I get easily annoyed if others overlook details and have to scramble last second to fix something, same goes with last minute changes of plans.

10. I fully intend to buy a 1993-1994 Volvo 940 when I have the money (hopefully by the end of summer?). I have no idea why I love those old brick shaped cars, let alone something so associated with early 90's suburban soccer mom culture. Neverthless, I think they're charming and attractive in an unexplainable way. Plus, they're durable as hell, reliable, and easy to work on which I intend to take advantage on and learn more about how engines work and maintaining one.

Boxy, but good

So yeah, some little known facts about me. I have plenty more things that are kind of out there but I'll save those for another day. Easter break has finally started and I leave for New York tomorrow so I hope to put on some pictures as soon as I can. Enjoy your week guys.

All the best,

JP

A Reintroduction

It’s officially a new year, and for many of us that means a fresh start. I want to take this opportunity to reintroduce myself. Lots has changed since the last time I did one of these reintroductions but now is probably one of the better times to do so. In the five or so months I’ve reached the 50 follower mark, started school and embarked on a journey into new, uncharted waters, namely leaving home and going to college. I’ve matured, met many new people and have done things I never had previously ever imagined I would be doing. So please, come get to know this enigma of a teenager through his eyes and then hopefully you shall form your own views of him on your own as well.

Hi, my name’s JP. I’m a 20 year old student currently attending university in the Washington DC area. A little about myself, I was born in DC way back in the early 90s and lived there for the first 4 or so years of my life before moving into the suburbs. I attended school in some of the top public schools in the US where I made friendships and memories that will hopefully last a lifetime. High School saw the biggest change for me developmentally and emotionally; it was during these years that I came to recognize and more importantly accept myself.

I did a lot of things during my high school years; I joined crew and rowed for two years, something I miss doing today though hopefully will change come spring. I had my first crush; I took challenging courses that pushed me to the limits of my sanity, and I graduated near the top of my class and as a scholar athlete for the 09-10 season. Most importantly though, it was during high school that I came out to myself, a select group of friends, and my mom. My coming out to my mom probably wasn’t the best in the world, but you can dig around the archives if you want to learn more about that. She deserved to know sooner to later, it probably should have been later in retrospect.

As for my family, I’m an only child in an Asian household apart from our adopted Jack Russell Terrier “Max”. He is a lazy bum most of the time but that just makes him even more adorable. I have a good relationship with my mom; we do many things together and like to talk about a lot of things with each other. Sure, we argue from time to time as is mandated in all teenager-parent relationship contracts but in the end we’re still very good friends. My relationship with my dad has always been more distant. For the most part I only saw him 3-4 days a week and now that I’m in college that has shrunk to maybe once or twice a month. We’re close, but more of a silently recognized close rather than one expressed through throwing a football on the lawn (never happened) or building things in the garage (also never happened).

So, who am I, the boy whose scribbling on life you’re reading about? I’m admittedly hard to describe. Something that hasn’t changed in the past 5 months since I last did a reintroduction post is how I view myself and I think I best summed it up last August – “Personality wise I’m a bit of a mish mosh of southern hospitality, northern wit and attitude with a dash of courtesy seemingly pulled from a time of yore. Some would say this hospitality is anachronistic in this day and age, but hey, it’ll never go out of fashion as far as I’m concerned. I respect all as long as you respect me. I’m a generally quiet person, in fact, you might even go as far as call me shy if you were just meeting me but get past this stage and you’ll find me to be actually pretty engaging. While hardly a party animal, I can, will, and do let loose when the time is right. "Work hard, play harder" is my motto. I love to laugh and make other people laugh, anything to brighten the day of someone who needs some brightening.” Brilliant use of copy-paste, eh? Haha

An edit I would make to that though is that I feel that I have become more open and social since entering college. I’ve been exposed to so many new people and views that being more direct and holding back less on my opinions is pretty much mandatory now.

As for who I am physically, well that shall remain a mystery apart from a few details I’m willing to share. I’m around 5’9”-5’10” (I still don’t know which to be honest) and am slim to a moderately athletic build. I’m hoping to be more towards the second by spring. Considering my mom is only 5’1”, I’m quite glad I turned out as tall as I did haha. I have short to medium black hair and am rather tan than due to many years of being outdoors and for the last two years, crew. I’m a bit of a night owl (lies, I’m a total night owl, it’s 2:32 AM right now) and I do my best work after 10PM at night. Sure, it isn’t very healthy but whatever.

I don’t know what I would classify myself as in the social groupings of teenage or collegiate society. Am I a nerd? Am I a prep? Am I a jock? Well, none of the above. I’m a mix of many things I guess, despite how clichéd that sounds. I don’t limit myself by classifying myself into a group since I’m not exclusively anything. I’m friends with people from multiple clusters of society since I befriend people for who they are rather than what they represent. In the days of yore (aka elementary, middle, and early high school) I was more heavily a nerd than anything, and I think, or rather I know that I still am at heart.

So what are some of my interests? The two main things that get me the most excited would have to be cars and cooking. I still don’t know when my love for these two began but whether I like it or not they both play a large role in my life. I find cooking to be especially important to me as not only does it allow me to de-stress, but it’s also something I can continually cultivate and grow. There’s an entire globe with billions of people whose cultures can be seen through their food and that’s something I’m really in to. I like cooking as much as I do because not only does it provide a window into the lives of those who prepare it, but also because I get such a sense of accomplishment from seeing piles of raw ingredients almost magically transform through meticulous cutting, mixing, sprinkling and cooking into some finished product that I can look at and say, “wow, I made that”. It’s those moments of accomplishment found in cooking, school or whatever that get me through life and make it worth living.

As for my love of cars and all things automotive, the connection between man and machine that driving provides is exhilarating to me. I’m not sure why but I just love it. Some of my other interests include music, reading, going to the gym, and business, which is also what I’m studying in school.

One thing that hasn’t changed in the past five months is that I still haven’t been in a relationship. I’m still not out to everyone though I have become more open about my sexuality since going to college. I’ve met a few guys, had my crushes, and had my heartaches, but in the end, you just have to push through them no matter how much it hurts or how badly you want to cling to the past. I still would love to be in a relationship though; it’s something I’ve always wanted and still do. I like guys who are slightly taller than me (5’10” to about 6’1” give or take a few inches) and are slim or athletic in body type (again, flexible to a point). I like someone who has a sense of humour, is smart, can carry on a conversation, and most importantly has a sense of being their own person and not feel that they have to conform to the demands of society that tell him who he has to be. I also have a thing for slightly dorky guys, someone who is in touch with their nerdy intellectual side. Glasses are also hot if they suit the him well. Someone who shares some of my interests also would be nice but I think that someone who has a good amount of differing interests is good since that can open up many new things and ideas for both of us.

Wow, this is getting to be quite a lengthy post. Well, whether you’re a long term follower or a brand new reader, I hope that reading this has helped you get a better idea as to who I am. I started this blog back in 2009 as a way of expressing in writing things that I wouldn’t tell to anyone in real life. It was an outlet for me and it remains so to this day. I don’t want this post to be how you see me exclusively though. It’s best for you to create your own view as to who I am through my writings and things I share over time. I’m like a kaleidoscope that way in a sense. I’m a different person to different people, and with each slight movement or rotation the beads of who I am rearrange themselves into a new intriguing pattern. In the end however, I’m still those beads no matter which way they fall and how they are reflected. View me from whatever angle you would like, the multiple facets to my personality and who I am as a person are what makes me unique, and hopefully in your mind makes my blog worth reading.

So once again, welcome to my blog, or if you’re a returning reader, welcome back. I hope you will enjoy going on this voyage with me into uncharted waters as we discover whatever surprises lie waiting up ahead. I look forward to sharing with you my life experiences and views on this extraordinary world as I hope you will with me as well.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you hear more from you in the future.

All the best,

JP

My Life in Grayscale

I’ve always wondered if I’m actually gay. I mean, I know I’m gay, but like most things in life, there is a middle ground, a gray space where an infinite number of combinations could exist. I’ve wondered if I’m in that space, that I’m not gay, straight or even 50/50 bi. Alfred Kinsey developed a scale where people were ranked from zero to six, six being fully gay and zero being fully straight but even that scale couldn’t fully explain just how complex I think human sexuality is.

Back in middle school, I asked a girl out to the 8th grade dance. The weeks prior, I would buy her cookies at lunch and bring them to her at her table. This went on for almost two weeks before the week of the dance, I approached her one last time, this time with a bouquet of roses (such a romantic, I know). When I entered English 7th period, the class stood with applause and cheering while I stood there mortified and blushing brighter red than a Hot Tamale. At that time, I knew that I had been attracted to guys, but I fully believed that I loved her. Granted, it might have been forced slightly on my part, I was in my denial stage at the time so that faux-love could have just been some way of myself trying to convince myself that no, I’m actually straight while the little gay boy in my head shouted at the top of his lungs “YOU’RE GAY, G-A-Y.”

Despite that though, I still don’t know if I really was attracted to her. I’m still friends with this girl today, we don’t talk too often as we ended up going to different high schools though.

When I was in denial, I went through a series of phases, first came the “No, I’m not gay” phase, followed by my “Well, maybe I just have a man-crush on him” phase, fostered due to some desperate search on Urban Dictionary of all places to figure myself out. Following that came the “Fuck, maybe I am gay” phase and finally the “Okay, I’m gay” phase where I am today. I still consider myself to be gay today, I mean, I like guys, physically and sexually, but I still wonder if maybe I could actually be bi.

Some might see this as just another piece of denial, I mean, it is known that many gays have a grudge against bisexuals, thinking they are just in denial or are too scared to actually just admit they’re gay. I believe that bisexuality is real, I mean, in my mind, I think only a very small number of people are truly 100% gay. But who am I to make such claims? I mean, I’m only 17, I’ve barely gotten through one fifth of my life, and with medicine improving, heck, it could be even be less than that. I haven’t experienced so many things in life, I’ve never been in a relationship and I’m still a virgin and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m almost scared that over time, that new parts of me that I never knew existed will surface. Maybe there is some straight in me. Can I picture myself in a relationship with a woman? At the moment, no, but in the future, who knows.

Sexuality, I think, like many things in life is fluid, the way you see yourself can change within a certain range. Sexuality is also not clear cut, it’s two ends of a long rope, straight at one end, gay on the other with so many levels of bi in between. Granted, I know I’m definitely not straight, at least not 100%, I’m at the other end of that long rope but I’m not sure if it’s the very end either. I identify as gay because I very much more heavily favour men over women, but there is still an inkling in me that thinks maybe I could be closer to the middle, maybe 90% gay/10% straight, or 95%/5%, or 80%/20% who knows.

One thing I’m sure of is that no matter how fluid human sexuality is, you can’t jump from one end to the other. You can’t change from being all gay to all straight or vice versa. If anything, this sudden attraction was always built in, you just never knew it was there. Most people who identify as straight probably have some gay in them, it either lies dormant or is simply ignored, just like most gay guys have some straight in them.

No matter how cheesy and elementary school sounding it is, I love myself; I’m not in denial, just curious about the mind and body I have and inhabit respectively. Whether I actually am 100% gay or possibly bi, that doesn’t change who I am and how I view myself, and those who judge have much to learn.

All the best,

JP

A Reintroduction

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these posts, in fact, it’s been almost a year now. When I wrote my last introductory post, I had less than 20 followers and was still trying to repair the fallout after the discovery of my blog by someone I’d rather not have know about it. Today I can proudly say that things have changed, and for the better too. I just hit the 35 follower mark and I’ve become much more open about myself and my life since that time. So if you’re new, may I first extend a warm “Welcome” and also hopefully answer a few questions you might have about this pokey 18 y/o from the land known around here as the DMV.

I was born in Washington D.C. and having lived there for the first four or so years of my life. I am the youngest member of my entire family and am an only child. When I was almost five, my family moved to the suburbs surrounding D.C. and I have lived there ever since. I recently graduated from high school and will be a freshman in college this fall to study business. I plan to continue to chronicle my adventures as I enter this strange new world.

Personality wise I’m a bit of a mish mosh of southern hospitality, northern wit and attitude with a dash of courtesy seemingly pulled from a time of yore. Some would say this hospitality is anachronistic in this day and age, but hey, it’ll never go out of fashion as far as I’m concerned. I respect all as long as you respect me. I’m a generally quiet person, in fact, you might even go as far as call me shy if you were just meeting me but get past this stage and you’ll find me to be actually pretty engaging. While hardly a party animal, I can, will, and do let loose when the time is right. "Work hard, play harder" is my motto. I love to laugh and make other people laugh, anything to brighten the day of someone who needs some brightening.

As for what I look like I will not reveal too much (no pictures, sorry) but I can tell you this. I’m 6’2”, athletic build, 36” chest… Okay, well maybe not. Actually, it’s closer to 5’9”, only mildly athletic build and with black hair. Not bad for being Asian I gotta say considering my mom barely breaks the 5’ mark. I’m quite tan (courtesy of crew!) for an east Asian. I consider myself to be slightly above average looks wise. I do have two sides, my nerdy appearance with my glasses and my “other” side without them. I love both sides but I'm a giant nerd at heart.

I have a bunch of interests, many of which I developed when I was still little. One of my main passions has always been cooking; not only is the precision aspect of it appealing, but rather seeing how a pile of raw ingredients can transform into a completed dish is astonishing to me. I also rowed for two years on my schools crew team, getting me into much better shape than I was before, and while I probably will not touch another racing shell or oar again for a while, rowing will always have a place in my heart. Some of my other interests include cars, music and reading good books.

So far I’ve never been in a relationship. There have been a few guys I’ve liked (all likely straight and most of them being runners), and I never really went anywhere with a few guys who’ve expressed interest in me (not my type). I would love to be in a relationship, it’s actually towards the top of my to-do list but I’ll take things as they flow by. For the record, I’m not out quite yet. While I am out to about 15 people plus my mom, I haven’t publicly come out as gay yet, though this might change come this fall. I like guys who are slightly taller than me though that’s hardly a requirement. The first things I look for is a nice smile and also a good personality. I need someone who is friendly, sharp witted and can carry on a conversation. **know someone like that? send them over will ya? ;)**

Once again, welcome to my blog, or if you’re a long term follower, welcome back. I hope you’ll find my ramblings about my life and this crazy world around us to be as entertaining for you as it is for me, I really do appreciate you embarking on this ongoing journey with me.

All the best,

JP

A Reintroduction

I've realized that since I first created a blog back in May, I've gained 19 followers, come out to so many more people and have evolved as person. One of my first posts was an introduction to me as a person of sorts and I feel that it's worth it to do one again.

Let me begin,

Hi everyone, my name (well nickname) is JP and I am 17 years old, I was born in Washington DC back in 1992 and lived there for the first 4 or so years of my life. I am an only child. When I was almost 5, my family moved out of Washington DC and into the suburbs surrounding the area. I am currently a senior in high school trying to simply do my best and work my hardest in order to pave the best road towards the future that I possibly can. At school, my favorite subject has traditionally been math but recently it has also delved deeper into history. I plan to go onto college and study business management or something in the business field but nothing is set in stone at the moment. My dream school would be UPenn's Wharton School but that would be a lifetime achievement if I ever get in.

I am not the most athletic individual in the world but I am a rower on my school's crew team. I started during my junior year after much prodding by my friends and have loved it ever since, I will be rowing for the second year in a row this year. Some of my other passions and hobbies include cooking and cars. Cooking has long had it's roots in how it provided me an escape from the busy world. The precision, preparation and feeling of fulfillment when you see a pile of ingredients end up as a finished dish has always been something I enjoyed. Cars have been a key part of my life for quite some time as well.

As a person, I believe that I am a generally quiet individual, especially to people I don't know, but this can rapidly change if I'm with a bunch of close friends. In order for someone to become one of my close friends, they must first gain my trust which is easier said than done. It's not that I'm suspicious but I will only trust people with things such as my deepest secrets only if they have earned it. I do have a sharp sense of humour and love to laugh and have a good time with friends. So, what about relationships? Well, I've never had a boyfriend despite wanting on for quite some time (did I never mention that I was gay? whoops, silly me). This is mostly my fault as I'm not exactly all the way out at my school. For the longest time I tried to fight my homosexuality but a few years I ago, I realized that it was never something that could, or would change and that I needed to love myself for the person I was. Since then, I have come out to over a dozen people and my mom.

I look for many things in a guy but some key things he must possess include a friendly demeanor, a sense of humour, a sharp mind and a willingness to nerd-out from time to time. I also tend to like guys who are slightly taller than me (Though that's hardly a requirement, I'm 5'9.5") and I've had a trend for falling for runners. I currently do like someone but I have a strong feeling that it is mostly one sided *sigh*.

Once again, my name is JP and welcome to my blog. I hope to get to know you that much better and hope you will enjoy reading my scribblings and thoughts about this very complex world around us.

All the best,

JP


P.S. - my favorite colours are blue and silver, just in case you were wondering lol