Gus RARELY forwards silly e-mails to me, but he knew I'd like this one!
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars; see if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom; don't disguise your voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask them "Do you want fries with that?"
4. Put decaf in the coffeemaker for 3 weeks; once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
5. In the memo field of all your checks, write "For marijuana".
6. Skip down the hall rather rather than walk; see how many looks you get.
7. Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
8. Specify that your drive-thru order is "to go".
9. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you have a headache.
10. When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I won! I won!"
11 . Tell your children over dinner, "Due to the economy, we're going to have to let one of you go.
And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity...
12. Pick up a box of condoms at the Pharmacy, go to the counter, and ask where the fitting room is.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Facebook & Karma
My Westlake Family
Mountain View Friends (elementary/junior/high school)
UC Davis Buddies
Recently, an old friend suffered the tragic loss of one of his best friends. Although death is an incredibly difficult subject to deal with - especially when the person is so young - he is using the tragedy to reflect upon and appreciate his own life. One thing he did to cope was to reach out to old friends from his past in an attempt to reconnect and find out how they are doing these days.
All of this really got me thinking about my life and how I've become the person I am now. Of course, my family - especially my incredible parents - has always been the primary influence in my life, but it goes beyond that.
Upon hearing about it from a friend, I joined the website "Facebook" last year. At first it just seemed silly - filling out interest forms, posting photos, and playing on-line games. However, over time, old old friends started coming out of the woodwork. Friends from old jobs, church and sports programs, my 2 years living in Japan, college, high school, middle school, and even elementary school were discovered. It's fascinating to find out where they are today - family, location, careers - many taking a more traditional path and some making my jaw drop! I feel "connected" to those that post personal info about themselves - family vacations, photos of their kids, job frustrations, even mundane things like what they had for breakfast. Whether or not I run into them now, I love to know that they are happy (most of the time!) and doing well in the world.
In Buddhism, the word "karma" is thrown around a lot. Many people think of it as a very black or white thing - if you steal something, "bad" karma comes along causing your car to break down; if you help an old lady cross the street, "good" karma helps you win $20 in the lottery the next day. In my opinion, karma is a culmination of everything - both bad and good - you have experienced in the past that has made you the person you are today. I look at the 200+ Facebook friends I have today - people from different stages of my life - and I am grateful for how they have affected my karma and helped me reach my current stage in life.
Back to my awesome family...my little sister Rina offered to once again "switch lives" with me for a few days before she goes back to work again. She came out to Elk Grove to play full-time Mommy to my kids, while I went out to the Bay Area for some R & R. When I did this earlier in the year, I spent my time running through San Francisco - eating out, getting a haircut, shopping, and visiting museums. This time, however, I decided to have just one "me" day (reading and movies). For Days 2 and 3, I used the time to catch up with people - friends from college and high school (I hadn't seen them in close to 10 years) and teachers from Westlake School (I left 5 years ago) - all of whom are the same warm, loving, interesting and beautiful people I remembered so fondly. It was as if we were all in time capsules that were just opened and we started right back where we left off. I look forward to seeing all of them again, and hope to visit more friends in the near future.
If you're reading this, I hope you're inspired to do the same.
All of this really got me thinking about my life and how I've become the person I am now. Of course, my family - especially my incredible parents - has always been the primary influence in my life, but it goes beyond that.
Upon hearing about it from a friend, I joined the website "Facebook" last year. At first it just seemed silly - filling out interest forms, posting photos, and playing on-line games. However, over time, old old friends started coming out of the woodwork. Friends from old jobs, church and sports programs, my 2 years living in Japan, college, high school, middle school, and even elementary school were discovered. It's fascinating to find out where they are today - family, location, careers - many taking a more traditional path and some making my jaw drop! I feel "connected" to those that post personal info about themselves - family vacations, photos of their kids, job frustrations, even mundane things like what they had for breakfast. Whether or not I run into them now, I love to know that they are happy (most of the time!) and doing well in the world.
In Buddhism, the word "karma" is thrown around a lot. Many people think of it as a very black or white thing - if you steal something, "bad" karma comes along causing your car to break down; if you help an old lady cross the street, "good" karma helps you win $20 in the lottery the next day. In my opinion, karma is a culmination of everything - both bad and good - you have experienced in the past that has made you the person you are today. I look at the 200+ Facebook friends I have today - people from different stages of my life - and I am grateful for how they have affected my karma and helped me reach my current stage in life.
Back to my awesome family...my little sister Rina offered to once again "switch lives" with me for a few days before she goes back to work again. She came out to Elk Grove to play full-time Mommy to my kids, while I went out to the Bay Area for some R & R. When I did this earlier in the year, I spent my time running through San Francisco - eating out, getting a haircut, shopping, and visiting museums. This time, however, I decided to have just one "me" day (reading and movies). For Days 2 and 3, I used the time to catch up with people - friends from college and high school (I hadn't seen them in close to 10 years) and teachers from Westlake School (I left 5 years ago) - all of whom are the same warm, loving, interesting and beautiful people I remembered so fondly. It was as if we were all in time capsules that were just opened and we started right back where we left off. I look forward to seeing all of them again, and hope to visit more friends in the near future.
If you're reading this, I hope you're inspired to do the same.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
And now, for a "Mitchism"...
Molly and I were chatting over lunch about an occurence that happened while I was still pregnant with Mitchell. She asked, "You mean when Mitchie was in your tummy?" and I said, "Yup!"
Mitchell, who was listening to our converastion, started to whine and stated, "Noooo! Mommy didn't eat me!"
Mitchell, who was listening to our converastion, started to whine and stated, "Noooo! Mommy didn't eat me!"
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Our Busy Busy Summer!
Oh my. I haven't updated this blog since April?! It's bad enough that I don't make fancy schmancy scrapbooks (or even develop any photos, for that matter!), but I'd like to have something concrete (is a website concrete?) to look back upon once in a while. So here are some spring/summer highlights:
May 2009 - Joined Daddy on one of his So Cal business trips. While he was out doing doing his sales/marketing thing, the kids and I went out for a "hike" (more like a flat bike path in the mountains). Their favorite part was finding and taking this photo of "flower on a poop".
May 2009 - Joined Daddy on one of his So Cal business trips. While he was out doing doing his sales/marketing thing, the kids and I went out for a "hike" (more like a flat bike path in the mountains). Their favorite part was finding and taking this photo of "flower on a poop".
Another notable event in May - I turned 40! Stupidly (VERY stupidly), Gus and I decided to attempt the Lemonade Cleanse diet during this time. The SuperCleanse is a crazy 10-day liquid diet (lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper) during which you eat NO solid food. How and why we chose to do this, I'll never know! While the kids celebrated my 40th with cookies and ice cream, all I did was drink the horrible stuff and bitch more than usual. Needless to say, I won't be doing that again.
The kids' Mommy's Birthday treats...
I am blessed to have 2 fabulous sisters, 2 incredible sisters-in-law, and 1 wonderful Mama. We all share the same love for travel, food and fun, so every year we try to find an excuse to go on a Girls Only trip. So far, we've done Santa Barbara, New York, Portland, and this June - VEGAS, baby!
We loved "LOVE"
After Vegas. Rina and I flew out to Montreal to check out wedding vendors and attempt to find the yummiest poutine in the city.
Lindsey "scored" in more ways than one at the Fresno Basketball tournament in June - I think $1 per point is what we signed in blood.
In July, I taught and the girls attended Jan Ken Po Gakko again. Here are some of the cuties...
We had our first real hospital scare this summer. We are incredibly fortunate to have healhty and strong children. In 9 years, none of the kids had ever stepped foot into a hospital, until Emily's pediatrician was alarmed from some bloodwork results. Although it turned out to be nothing more than iron-deficient anemia, the experience made us truly appreciate the health we normally take for granted.
Emily's best boy buddy Tyler was the only person who made her laugh out loud at the hospital
She still (2 months later!) proudly wears this hospital bracelet
Mitchell's favorite day of his life (I think!) - A Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine! He didn't stop smiling the entire day.
August - Montreal, Quebec for Rina and Eric's Wedding!! We spent our first 4 days sightseeing our way through the beautiful city.
Paddleboat rides at Mount Royal
A rare family photo at the Botanical Gardens
An even rarer all-grandchild photo at the Chinois Garden
Heat sensor camera at the Montreal Science Center
Strolling through Old Montreal
Notre Dame Cathedral
11 Sasaki grandkids in gorgeous Quebec City!
Sasaki grandboyz
Their whirlwind engagement gave them only 6 months to plan the entire wedding and it went off beautifully and without a hitch! Rina was gorgeous and radiant in her wedding dress (I'm glad she went for "classic" instead of "hoochy"!), Eric beamed, and the lucky 8 nieces made perfect little flower girls in the incredible setting.
11 Sasaki grandkids in gorgeous Quebec City!
Sasaki grandboyz
Their whirlwind engagement gave them only 6 months to plan the entire wedding and it went off beautifully and without a hitch! Rina was gorgeous and radiant in her wedding dress (I'm glad she went for "classic" instead of "hoochy"!), Eric beamed, and the lucky 8 nieces made perfect little flower girls in the incredible setting.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Blowing Off Steam
When the entire family goes out, I often have to "remove" a couple of the kids if they're forced to sit quietly too long.
We went to an end-of-the season basketball dinner and the younger kiddos were getting antsy. I was outside for a mere 15 minutes and this is how much steam they blew off!
First, Molly tried to control a game of "Red Light, Green Light" but THAT didn't work...
Unfortunately for "Little Miss Bossy", Mitchell usually gets the last laugh...
We went to an end-of-the season basketball dinner and the younger kiddos were getting antsy. I was outside for a mere 15 minutes and this is how much steam they blew off!
First, Molly tried to control a game of "Red Light, Green Light" but THAT didn't work...
Next, to chill them out, I encouraged them to meditate under a tree. Below is what happened. I don't think the Dalai Lama would be impressed...
Unfortunately for "Little Miss Bossy", Mitchell usually gets the last laugh...
and the last kick...
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Life's Simple Pleasures...
Jello,
popcorn and hot cocoa,
a steaming bowl of pho,
riding on Jichan's shoulders,
a walk along the Cosumnes Wildlife Preserve,
and being "dressed-up" by your big sisters.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Celebrating the Holidays - Maseba Style
As you all know, we have 4 young kids that are full of the 3 "E's"- energy, eagerness and enthusiasm! As each holiday comes around, I have a tendency to celebrate much the way I was brought up:
2003
2003
2008
New Year's Day: Very Japanese-y. We make mochi for ozoni, toast with sake, and eat traditional foods that are supposed to bring happiness, a long life, and fertility (I ate too much of that in the past, I guess!)
Valentine's Day: Cute little cheap Valentines in little cheap envelopes to pass out into our friends' (and non-friends') decorated Kleenex boxes
St. Patrick's Day: The girls still continue to pinch me if I forget to wear green that day
2003
2006 
2008 
Easter: Dye eggs - most of which are left uneaten -and stain the kitchen table even worse each year
4th of July: Pyro-Daddy puts on a "show" while Mommy and Lindsey often hide in the car
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Halloween: "2 candies a day" rule until it is confiscated by Mommy when she finds all the wrappers shoved behind their beds. One of these days, they'll move up to the big leagues when they carry pillowcases instead of plastic pumpkins
Thanksgiving: Traditional fare - along with sushi - and if we're lucky someone will make some turkey jook!
2003
2004
2008
2008
When new friends find out that I'm not only Buddhist, but the daughter of a retired Buddhist minister, I'm sure they wonder why I celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter. Well, I guess it's because in my mind, we celebrate them as part of the American culture as opposed to something religious - special days to show kindness, love, and gratitude for everything we have.
Happy Holidays!!!
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