Kobe Bryant: 81 points on 61% from the field.

I wish I had a picture that captures this, but I don't.  And, yes, this is absolutely worth a Xanga post.

Married in Seattle: Miranda and Henry Lu

Well, wedding season marches on...  Although it's probably a bit inaccurate to call it merely a "season."  Lately, it seems like it's the Bull Market of engagements and marriages.

Anyhow, the wedding this past weekend was intimate (approximately 120-130 guests), beautiful (outdoors at Robinswood House, on a lawn surrounded by lush landscaping), and sentimental (bride and groom both shed tears while reciting vows, along with a handful of witnesses).  Congratulations again to the happy couple!

Some pictures from our weekend in Seattle to follow...

*Our traditional F.O.B. pose outside the original Starbucks.*

*If you look closely, you'll see why Starbucks had to revamp their logo once they went national / international.  It's not exactly kid-friendly.*

*Outside the building donated by Bill Gates at the University of Washington.  A random picture?  Yes.  Frankly, this was one of the few pictures that turned out okay.*

*The Bride making her big entrance.*

*Ah, the traditional Chinese "qi pao."*

*The result of much clanging of silverware on plates and glasses.  C'mon guys!  Get a room!*

*Wedding games.  I hereby officially outlaw them at my wedding.*

*Not to be outdone by his sister on her wedding day, Justin "Original Swai Guh" Tsai strikes a pose and hopes to make GQ's Top 10 Looks for August Wedding Groomsmen."*

Tagged: 5 Weird Habits and 5 Pet Peeves

Well I was caught with my hand in the proverbial cookie jar as I was reading w76's latest post.  So, having been properly "tagged," I'll gladly oblige--especially since I've got nothing better to write about.

Weird Habits

1. All items on my desk must be laid out at 90° angles.  The only exception is the PC monitor.  It can be placed on the corner of the desk, but must be at a 45° angle from my seating position.

2. I must sleep with the television on, even though I take off my glasses and have the volume at the level of a light whisper.  There's something soothing about the flickering images on the screen that lulls me into a deep slumber.

3. I must change into shorts and a t-shirt immediately after I get home and my card holder, money clip, cell phone, and watch must be put away.

4. I always double check to see if my car doors are locked.  I wait for the little red LED (that indicates when the alarm is engaged) to blink exactly 3 times before I turn my back and walk away.

5. I eat a LOT of ice cream and fruit popsicles.

Pet Peeves

1. I hate it when people leave the caps off pens.  I also hate it when drawers and cupboard doors are left open.

2. I can't stand guys at the gym that give the "stare down."  I feel like saying, "Why do you care if I'm lifting more or less than you?  If you want, I'll just rep the bar if it makes you feel more secure about yourself."

3. I don't understand why some people have A/C in their cars, but, even on swelteringly hot summer days, decide to roll down the windows instead.  For God's sake, I'm melting over here!

4. It drives me crazy when I go to a new theater (usually to accommodate the person I'm watching a movie with...) and, after paying $10 for admission, find that they do not offer ICEEs of any kind.  To me, going to the movies is 65% about the film and 35% about the ICEE.

5. For the life of me, I cannot understand why women speak in code.  Specifically, I hate it when they use the word "fine" in a conversation as a short, pithy response bordering on being curt.  When I say that things are "fine."  That means that all is right in the world.  It means that things are "swell"--the grass is green and the birds are chirping.  90% of the time, if a woman says she's "fine" or that she's "fine with it," it means the polar opposite.  Of course, if you (being just a man...) assume the polar opposite during the other 10% of the time, you're still in a bind.  "How dare you just assume!?!?"  Remember kids, as Samuel L Jackson so eloquently put it, "If you make an assumption, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "-mption."

Ending on that note, I hereby tag: graceyc, imdiesel, and sbmwu.  No tag-backs.

Q: What happens when one of your best friends falls off the face of the planet?

A: He transforms from a mild-mannered private equity associate (soon to matriculate to HBS):

...into the lead guitarist for Silent Life by day and Unabomber wannabe by night:

Note that his twinkling eyes have been replaced with dark, emotionless pools, subtly hinting at the unfeeling vacuum that lies within...

My advice, should you run into Tim Liu, is to avoid direct eye contact and sudden movements, as they may be perceived as acts of aggression.  There's no telling what he may be capable of and let's not forget the fact that he is currently a Level 6 Master of Jeet Kune Do.  And yes, you guessed right, Bruce Lee was a Level 10 Master.  Relatively speaking, this means that Tim Liu possesses 6/10ths the destructive power of Bruce Lee.

Please exercise extreme caution.

Men do have trouble hearing women, scientists find

Good Monday to all you Xanga-philes out there!  I came across an article on Yahoo! News this morning that is, well, striking, to say the least.  Apparently a recent study discovered that the human brain responds differently to male and female voices.  Please find an excerpt below:

Men deciphered female voices using the auditory part of the brain that processes music, while male voices engaged a simpler mechanism, it said.  The Mail quoted researcher Michael Hunter as saying, "The female voice is actually more complex than the male voice, due to differences in the size and shape of the vocal cords and larynx between men and women, and also due to women having greater natural 'melody' in their voices."

I started to process these findings and here's what I came up with:

1. I am not at all surprised that a more complex mechanism is required to decipher the female voice.  After all, gents, I think we can admit that (on average, of course) women are far more complex creatures on nearly every level. 

2. Frankly, I am shocked that this study found that a woman's voice possessed "greater natural melody."  Usually when a conversation with a woman requires her to ask whether or not I hear / understand what she's trying to say, the tone of voice is far from musical or melodic.  I can think of far more suitable descriptors, but discretion prevents me from commenting further at this time.

3. I am relieved beyond measure that there is a physiological reason behind the fact that men have such a difficult time understanding women.  Whew!  What a weight off the proverbial shoulders!  You can bet I'll be printing out pocket-sized leaflets (containing the major talking points of this notable research publication) to distribute on the spot should the need arise during the course of a conversation.

4. Mere moments after being relieved by the advent of these test results, I am struck with the sudden, stark reality that I will never be able to successfully employ this bit of trivia.  Any attempt to do so within the context of a heated discussion would no doubt transform said discussion into an argument of epic, if not catastrophic, proportions.