Sometimes I really don't understand traffic.

Today it took me 50 minutes to get to work-- it usually takes me half that time. I was bumper-to-bumper for about 30 minutes trying to get onto the Richmond Bridge. About 1000 feet after I got onto the bridge everyone went from 5 mph to about 50 mph, with no explanation why. There were no cars off to the side of the bridge, no construction people, nothing...

But I can't really complain about my commute... usually I can go as fast as I want on my way to work.

I apologize-- this will be my 4th consecutive work-related post. It figures, since I usually write these posts at work.

Anyway, I used Windows Messenger for the first time for a work-related conversation. It's very useful because it allows you to multi-task while having a conversation.

But I'm still banning it outside of work. I don't have a good reason to, but I guess I'm just stubborn like that.

I'm enrolled in my company's stock purchase plan that allows me to purchase my company's shares at a 15% discount on June 30. I can buy shares for 15% off the lowest price of either January 1 or June 30.

The maximum I could've contributed to this account is 10% of my salary, and I put in 4%. But our stock has gone up over 20% in the past month!

Dang, I wish I would've contributed the maximum. At this point, it's a 40% return on my investment in one month...

Something very strange is going on right now... it's 5:30 and I'm actually enjoying being at work. This has been one of the few days that I've been busy throughout the day, without being stressed out. My work has been interesting, and I didn't mind the meetings that I had to go to (OK, there was one that was a bit difficult because it was after lunch.)

I've gotta savor this moment while it lasts...

It's amazing how much paper I recycle at work. Today, for example, I had to print out about 200 pages to check something, and I didn't need to look at 150 of them. But the way our software works, it would've been an unbelievable pain to only print out the pages I needed.

I'm at the point now that if I have to scroll down more than a couple pages, I just print it out.

Bottom 10 Texas Hold'Em starting hands (none are suited):

10) 10-3
9) 7-3
8) 10-2
7) 6-2
6) 9-4
5) 9-3
4) 9-2
3) 8-3
2) 8-2
1) 7-2

You might be thinking, "Why is 7-2 offsuit the worst possible starting hand? Isn't 6-2 offsuit worse?"

Today's poker lesson: Cards with a difference of 4 or less (like 6-2) can be played together for a straight, but cards with a difference of 5 or greater cannot.

Magazines that we receive at our apartment:

-Business Week
-Consumer Reports
-ESPN The Magazine
-Men's Health
-Sporting News
-Sports Illustrated
-Time
-US News

Consumer Reports cellular carrier ratings:

SF
Verizon: 73
AT&T: 64
Sprint: 61
Cingular: 60

LA
Verizon: 72
Nextel: 67
Sprint: 64
T-Mobile: 63
Cingular: 63
AT&T: 58

I got Crest Whitestrips for Christmas, and I'm finally done using them twice a day for 2 weeks. My teeth are a bit whiter, but I don't think anyone would notice if I didn't mention it.

I'm fortunate that I made it through the process without sleeping with them on. Jason Park slept with them on once and his teeth were sore the next day.

I need a new commenting system... KlinkFamily always has so many bugs. Enetation does too...

I'll give KlinkFamily a little more time to fix itself, but I think I'm gonna try something else pretty soon.

One of my co-workers mentioned that the best prize he's ever received from a company raffle is a day off from work.

But I guess people working on MLK day will just have to dream on... and yes, I am bitter at the working people who got today off...

Updates to my blog:

-Removed the checkbox that allows users to decide if they want to open links in new windows.
-Updated links so that all links on the left column will open in a new window.

I'm not sure how this will affect my comments, since my commenting system isn't working right now.

I had dinner with Basile (my old housemate), Mike Yoo (Basile's current roommate), and MiJin (Mike's sister) yesterday at Durant Square. I hadn't been there in awhile, so I actually looked forward to eating there.

Our conversation got around to some of the worst foods to eat with chocolate. I said potato chips and then also realized that everything on Basile's plate would be pretty bad.

He got the BBQ pork at Steve's BBQ, which includes:

-Rice
-BBQ Pork
-Kimchi
-Soy bean sprouts
-Jahp-cheh

Then we went to Parker House and played Hearts with 3 people (MiJin went home). I wanted to play because I spent my last hour at work playing Hearts on my computer.

I found out about a month ago how my company rates people after they've interviewed them.

At the beginning of the meeting, the interviewers all put their heads down and put up their thumb if they liked the candidate. Then after they count, they discuss the candidates' strengths and weaknesses, and make a decision.

I wonder if any of these meetings have turned into a game of "Heads Up, 7 Up"...

Click here for pictures of John O's son, Nathaniel.
(Allen Lee mentioned this during Sunday's announcements at KCPC.)

Today's alliterative haiku for Vladimir Guerrero:

Anaheim Angel,
an awesome acquisition,
accomplished all-star.

Today at work I was in charge of organizing a team-building activity for about 25 people. I had people get into groups of 3 and try to build the tallest possible structure using only gummy bears and toothpicks. Then I measured the height of each group's structure after 10 minutes.

I was worried about how the activity would turn out, but it ended up going pretty well. Of course, the best part about organizing the activity was not having to actually do the activity.

Top 10 songs of 2003, according to 102.7 KIIS FM:

1) Rock Your Body- Justin Timberlake
2) Fighter- Christina Aguilera
3) Where is the Love- Black Eyed Peas
4) If You’re not the One- Daniel Bedingfield
5) In Da Club- 50 Cent
6) Cry Me A River- Justin Timberlake
7) Addicted- Simple Plan
8) Crazy In Love- Beyonce
9) Running- No Doubt
10) Miss Independent- Kelly Clarkson

Back at work after a 1.5 week break... I tried going to sleep at midnight yesterday, but that didn't work since I've been going to sleep late the past week. So I ended up going to sleep at 2.

I'm not sleepy quite yet, but I bet I will be after lunch.

Things in my bathroom:

-2 blue bath rugs
-4 blue towels
-1 blue soap dish
-1 blue electric toothbrush
-1 blue wastebasket
-1 blue box that holds reading material

The only visible additions to my bathroom that aren't blue are the soap and the toothbrush charger.