Windows on a train...

"It felt like just a moment
The way they never last
Where were you goin’ that you had to leave so fast"

A memory triggered a slideshow of moments I've long forgotten ... 

I was driving home from work. I slowed down to make a right turn and switched into 2nd gear. All of the sudden it was 2002, I had just bought my first stick-shift car. My old roommate was schooling me on how much easier it was to shift into 2nd to make a turn instead of putting the car into neutral. I still have that car. My roommate however... he's gone. Where he is today I have no clue, but thanks to him whenever I hear a Rob Zombie song I think of Vegas.

Then my thoughts bounced to 1997 when my high school boyfriend taught me how to drive his beloved car. He never taught me how to reverse... that might've helped when I tried to pick up a friend from her overly strict parents house while my bf was lying down in the backseat hiding from view!

I pictured the Irvine Center Drive exit off the 405 frwy when it took me 3 green lights to get my car going due to the incline. Everytime I let off the clutch my car would roll back and freak me out! I knew I was supposed to gas it but I was so darn scared! Thank goodness there were no cars behind me!

The smell of the beach came next. I remembered leaving Huntington Beach after parking down at the lot closest to the sand. The driveway to leave was a steep hill. I was so frantic when the light turned red that I FROZE! Foot on the brakes, hands breaking into a sweat on the wheel... my cousin was in the car and she pulled the e-brake and calmly told me to gas it as soon as the light turned green.

All those thoughts flashed through my mind in the whole 2 seconds it took me to complete that turn.

Driving a manual car is second nature to me now. I don't think about the motions anymore than I think about all the moments that led up to my mastering a manual transmission. Once in a while something will trigger a memory, and every once in a while I'll wonder when it became so distant.

Heels vs. Flip Flops

I work for one of the top electrical contracting companies in America.

I'm a manager.

Yet...

I wear flip flops to work on a daily basis.

Once in while when there's a corporate meeting, or when the Big-Wigs are in town I throw on a pair of heels.

My flip flops are tucked safely under my desk waiting for the meetings to be over.

I HATE HEELS. I have never met a pair of heels that I could get along with. I was never a girly-girl. I never liked to dress up. My favorite outfit is a pair of jeans, a tank top, and of course my flip flops.

I absolutely understand how unprofessional it is to wear flip flops. Once in a while I'll even try to throw in cute sandals, or sling backs. Either way I flip it though, my choice of footwear is definitely not suitable for an office environment.

I have wide feet.  Yet when I look for wide heels they're always WAY TOO WIDE! Someone needs to create a shoe that's "Somewhat Wide" or "Kinda Wide". =)

I've pleaded my case with my boss (not that he ever minded, but I always felt like I should explain...) and he agrees that he'd rather have me be comfortable  and productive, rather than being uncomfortable and miserable.

My "Kinda-Wide" feet hasn't stopped me from owning about a dozen pairs of heels... I like to walk around in them at home.. on the carpet...for about 2 minutes. Then I take them off, put them back on the shelf, and wonder why on earth women put themselves through that kind of torture.

For the ladies who do wear heels on a daily basis, I applaud you. You should all go work in the circus because I'm sure you'd have no problem walking on stilts!

Name Change

Hi! I just changed my username. So, from now on you won't see me as "mylinhtran" anymore. My new name is now "MykesLinh" =) Thought it was time for a change!

When I first started using Xanga I had no clue (duh) that the username I was choosing would be what everyone saw, so that's why I used my full name... idiot.. Not that I really care if everyone knows my name, I just wished I had been more creative!

So, there you have it...

The space of time between this post and the last one reveals just how lazy I am. I hate coming back after a long absence because there's so many things that I know I'll forget to blog about.

In order to remember everything I'll start from the most current stuff and work my way backwards (as I remember things..).

My dad's 55th birthday was Tuesday and us kids went home to celebrate with him. I ordered an arrangement from Edible Arrangements and had it delivered to his store. He was so blown away by it that he didn't even bother opening up the celophane paper that the fruit bouquet was wrapped in!!! Instead, it sat on his store counter for all his customers to see and then it sat in a car for the hour drive home in the sweltering Inland Empire heat. By the time he got home, my nearly $100 bouquet of chocolate dipped fruit was ruined!! Thank God we were able to salvage a few strawberries here and there. The fruit bouquet was a mess so I'm posting a picture of the gorgeous Tiramisu cake instead...

We couldn't remember if he was turning 54 or 55 so to be safe (and to not set the hosue on fire from all the candles!) we got him a "?".

Last weekend I went to the Temcula Valley (Hot Air) Balloon & Wine Festival to see one of my favorite country singers, Blake Shelton rock out on the main stage. We paid a bit extra to sit up front because it was a festival-like setting so there weren't any seats, just the open field for us to set up our picnic chairs and blankets at. Look at how close we ended up getting to him!

My friend Elaine even got to shake his hand!!! It was a great set, and a great night!

The week before that we went to see my main man (hahaa..), Mr. Kenny Chesney at the Staples Center. I can't even begin to tell you how great this concert was! The stage was amazing, the sound, the vibe, everything was perfect! If anyone knows how meticulous KC is with the design of the stage, lighting, and sound of each of his shows, you'd be able to appreciate the A++++ job!

A few weeks before the KC show, my friend Van & I caught Michael Buble at the Honda Center. We had floor seats and they let us go all the way up to stand right at the end of the stage!!

As you can tell by now, it's been a busy concert season!

Onto other items....

Mr. Fiance & I went on a long weekend up to Sequoia, rented a cabin, and hiked the National Forest. We saw a deer, a fox, and chipmunks!!!!! We also visited General Sherman, which is supposed to be the oldest tree in the world. It was HUGE!

Finally, back in April Mr. Fiance and I had our Engagement Party at my parents house. We had a Vietnamese traditional ceremony, followed by lots of food, with lots of good friends & family.

With my MOH Mr. Fiance & I stealing a kiss...

And that my friends is what I've been up to...  

What a weekend!

   The "Soup-Tasting" brunch was a success!

Here's a pic of my homemade bannana nut bread...

Special Surprise Chocolate Cupcakes (the surprise is an oreo cookie baked right into the cake)

Spinach Dip & Roasted Garlic Hummus w/Jalepeno & Sun Dried Tomato Bread Crisps       

Chicken Noodle Soup  

   Irish Beef Stew           

Vietnamese Bun Rieu (Shrimp/Crab/Tofu Noodle Soup)

Then on Sunday Mr. Fiance & I went out to our wedding day spot to have brunch & to take the "walk" down the aisle .. =)