negative wear

omg, that's me

thanx john

http://www.despair.com/

i am big hypocrite. who knew?

i am a 공주.  honesty=best policy, esp. dealing with yourself.  i like valentines, it turns out.  i guess i never got that kind of personalized attention before so i decided to just hate the whole thing, flowers, chocolates, barf barf barf.  and of course the swedes sealed the deal for me by hating the fake holiday. and i always try to emulate the swedes.  but... if someone knows you hate the CHEEZE but somehow they also know you really do like someone being genuine and thoughtful (genuinely thoughtful, i guess i mean) even if you yourself don't even know that (brilliant huh) it is then SUPER DUPER cool.  valentine's day can be done subtly, i have just learned.  it's genius, especially here in the midwest where cheeze rulez.  (provel: ewww)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this wholly new experience! whoa, sincerity, qu'est-ce que c'est?  we are ALL too cool for that!  wait, why is this sooooo cool?  oh someone with a really cool genius brain behind it... ahh so.  what a diff a brain makes.  seriously. wow.
(ok, i'm still a hypocrite.  i told you, i know.  honesty, good policy.)  but check it!:

ORCHIDS WHEN IT'S SNOWING ??  QUOI?!  with eucalpytus and subtle minimalist greenery? what? no!! oh but 'tis true.  Y E S:

i separated all of the diff elements so the orchids could BREATHE

CHOCOLATES THAT ARE UNPRETENTIOUSLY AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS AND LOCALLY GROWN???  IMPOSSIBLE, you say?  MAIS NON!

made in st louie; believe it.   and they're so good i cannot inhale. believe it!

[i just tried a bit of the above.  it has a really stimulating and fascinating ko-ju-jang (i'm serious.. seriously!) delayed-SPICE that just made me cough. (not cuz i'm a wuss, but because it caught me by surprise)  and i only had a tiny corner.  must be korean cowboy candy.  oh and--

i was going to include pic of the thrilling (incroyable) sea salt caramels but they're GONE!  wha' hap'nd?]

most over-looked/BEST dinner (understated, nonsalty, delicious) in st. louis is at MAYA'S in maplewood.

you MUST go there.  everything is fresh and amazing.  the people there are super nice and smart and funny.  and musically-inclined!  they are starting as a live music venue soon-- a real stage and green room and everything!  since i am starved for responsibility i volunteered to be in charge of the classical music. yes moi.

also, margaritas are "best in st. louis"--says so on their website! but also i tried--very good.

i had never even heard of this place or seen it, nothin.  the decor is also understatedly witty-cool.

we sat by this:

 

this work was done esp. for Maya's by the unofficial official interior decor genius

 at Maya's, who originally was...a sign designer.  neat-o, eh?

(his name is Bill Christman.  here is an excellent blurb i found about him.  he apparently really is a genius.  did the sculptures at the singularly cool --not just st. louis, but really just VERY COOL--City Museum. (it's like a mini late-nite amusement park, with a bar. i'm not kidding.))

the surprise "valentines" dessert was a delicious un-cheeze perfect fresh single jumbo-sized STRAWBERRY which tasted better than anything in the whole world on this snowy cold day. better. than. ANYTHING.  (not hyperbole. in this case.) 

whew: took picture before completely devouring:

this was actually strawberry #2, since my companion is selflessly generous and gave me his. 

(i ate both with several utencils, it seems.)

i am still marveling at it all.  i even got to talk continuously through three episodes of the BEST SHOW ever, my companion completely unfazed.  if that isn't sincere kindness...  (continuously, seriously)

i will officially start my (MY) year of the tiger tomorrow.  no sugar (less headache), better sleep habits, no more hideous flakiness.  it is MY year.  MY YEAR!!  

(OMG that sounds SO george constanza, e.g.-- "it's the SUMMER OF GEORGE!")

my hats don't fit anymore now

ARIGATO MUCHO MUCHO!!
thank you to JOHN who to my knowledge is not a relative, friend, nigerian prince, or even acquaintance for giving me huge boost of confidence and validation of my questionable blogging skillz.  you are SO nice to write me.  and now i will blatantly show off what you wrote because i'm trying to develop a healthy yet non-interfering ego.  (i know, shameless front-door bragging):

Received: 11:24 PM CST, 11/22/2009

From: John D
To: lisa.chong@stanfordalumni.org
Subject: the absolute best STL blog


Greetings,
My name is John and I have been most intrigued by your blog. I have been a
secret admirer for more than a couple of months now.

I believe you might just be the most interesting Saint Louis based blogger
I've discovered. I have had the opportunity to read many web logs, mostly
political in nature, but your writing is hilarious, smart & nonchalant. I
totally dig it.


Cheers!


John D

WHAT THE WHAT?  maybe Leos do live off flattery like oxygen? i think i'm taller too, now.
oh, john, i hope u don't mind that i posted this...whoops is this faux-pas de blogging?  now i'm really asking too much, but can you be an official follower so i feel like i gots more readers?  god i'm greedy.

since i actually have at least 3-4 readers who don't know me, and now that i'm completely wrapped up in myself, i will share some completely random personal details:
1.  i'm 5'10"
2.  i had previous career as actress/model
3.  i'm blonde, 22" waist, 32........................hahahahahaha, i can't keep this up
honestly, i'm such a big liar.  no, HONESTLY, i'm really an honest person (wink)--no REALLY i am.  i am constantly thinking how do i really really truthful pursue truth? i think about it like hourly some days.  and these days i'm disagreeing with the krishnamurti stuff--"you must see the false, to see the truth"  i find that sorta negative.  hahaha. sorry, this is an excellent way to segue into my flaws:
1.  i tend to laugh at my own accidental humor (and intentional attempts at humor, also, to be honest.)
2.  in the last 3 days i have had about...let's see, 3+4+3... rounding up, around 10 hrs of sleep.
3.  i cannot drink more than a 1¾ alcoholic drinks (i was going to say "generally", but it's kinda accurate)
4.  BUT, if i am having a really really good 'conversation' (ok, euphemism, sort of) then i can have 2+ depending on level of into-ness. ( i'm sure there's a scientific reasoning behind this.  does anyone know?  cuz i also realized that i always lose at scrabble to a guy that i'm also uh drawn to and it's become like a predictable test of how much i like someone.  do u get dumber and drunker when you are attracted to someone?  someone told me it's hormones or something. vague explanation that i didn't really buy at the time. please let me know.  am i the only one?  seriously, the scrabble-test --embarrasssingly telling.  can't focus. can't get a bingo.  and the harder i try, the worse it is)
5.  recently i've gathered from a variety of sources that i need to put duct tape over my mouth so i can stop interjecting and interrupting---it's become a real chronic problem.  i just get all revvvvved up and 5 things pop up in my head and i want to tell you sooo bad!!  it's not that i'm not interested in what you have to say! the more i interrupt is an indicator of my rising enthusiasm.  please understand that i'm REALLY into what you are saying.  but i'm working on it.  i've been subtly putting my fist in my mouth and carrying a pen/paper to scribble down little hints of what i'm thinking so i can politely express them later.
6.  i have tendency to over-share, i think.

THE END

[figuratively i am applying the duct tape now]

your turn! i'm listening