﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>JeLLiBeaNz's Xanga</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/</link><description>Latest Xanga weblog from JeLLiBeaNz</description><language>en-us</language><ttl>60</ttl><image><title>The Weblog Community</title><url>http://s.xanga.com/images/xangalogobutton.gif</url><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/</link></image><item><title>Boombox</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/693175728/boombox/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/693175728/boombox/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:49:29 GMT</pubDate><description>i LOVE to dance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;i LOVE music.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I was young, I would go to every middle school dance... and just watch people because I was scared to dance... I didn't know "how" and I was afraid of what people thought.  I only went on the dance floor for 3 reasons... Kris Kross'll make ya "jump jump!", YMCA.... and slow dances.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then I went on a cruise to Mexico with my cousin Khanh and her family and friends back in High School... and there was a dance.  I looked around... realized I would NEVER see these people again... and just started shaking my hips... and it felt GOOD.  and suddenly I could care less about what other people thought.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... and I haven't stopped dancing since.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This guy, Ely, reminds me of that joy...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;object width="400" height="300"&gt;&lt;param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /&gt;&lt;param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3237836&amp;amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;amp;show_title=1&amp;amp;show_byline=1&amp;amp;show_portrait=0&amp;amp;color=&amp;amp;fullscreen=1" /&gt;&lt;embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3237836&amp;amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;amp;show_title=1&amp;amp;show_byline=1&amp;amp;show_portrait=0&amp;amp;color=&amp;amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://vimeo.com/3237836"&gt;BOOMBOX&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href="http://vimeo.com/user1308851"&gt;Ely Kim&lt;/a&gt; on &lt;a href="http://vimeo.com"&gt;Vimeo&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/693175728/boombox/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>Life ACCORDing to my Honda...</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/692919489/life-according-to-my-honda/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/692919489/life-according-to-my-honda/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:54:29 GMT</pubDate><description>Hello, my name is Jenni Trang Le and I have major separation anxiety &amp; an unhealthy sentimental attachment to things. *deep breath*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Needless to say, packing/moving/losing things affects me greatly and this morning I got a phone call from the 76 repair shop in Long Beach... "I have bad news... you busted your rod and your engine is a goner.  Would you like me to replace it?" ... to put a used engine in would be $1200... roughly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://x34.xanga.com/291f25e163d35233689952/b184434194.jpg" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x34.xanga.com/291f25e163d35233689952/z184434194.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="IMG_5403" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The logical side of me and the objective voice of everyone's reason says to sell the car for a couple hundred bucks, cut my losses... I'll be in Saigon for a year... maybe it's the universe telling me to "let go"... I've had a lot of good use out of the car.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And that's just it.  I've had a LOT of good times in that car.  It was my high school senior graduation gift from my mama... '95 Honda Accord.  V6 engine.  White.  I hated the color at the time, but my daddy picked it out for me... says "this car will last you a long time..."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There was no CD player, but a tape deck and my friends would make me mix tapes- Janelli's bomb ass mixes, Thang's "freakishly fabulous &amp; fabulously freaky" DiFranco compilations, Duc Uy's "Backstreet Boys live in concert"... and I'd be content.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That was 11 years ago.  It's my baby!  My longest relationship.  And it has been there throughout all my relationships... I've laughed, sang, cried, crashed, and been struck by lyrical inspiration in it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've been in 2 major accidents (Thomas came to my rescue in #1, Daniel came to my rescue in #2) and 2 minor accidents with it.  No one was hurt in any of the times, but the body took a beating.  In 2005 a random Vietnamese man I met at one of my Club O' Noodles performances told me to take it to his shop.  I think he was half in love with me because he fixed my car (bumper, side door, the works)... told me I could take as long as I wanted to pay him back... and basically kept my car for 4 1/2 months while I went to Viet Nam to film "The Rebel"... and we never went on a single date.  Love?  ... or perhaps he was just very Catholic?  heh.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've paid a zillion and one dollars in parking tickets, speeding tickets (2), and other mishaps along the way... btw, I once went into a bank and left Thai Lan in the car waiting in a blue zone... and she fell asleep and I got ticketed.  What?!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I named my Accord "Lemonjello" after a funny story I heard...  pronounced leMONjello... but really, it's "lemon jello".  In my senior year, I went to many a car show... put a red pochacco "racing" sticker on the gas cap, a "Wild 94.9 Racing" sticker in the back windshield... and I was a super wannabe racer.... who never went over the speed limit.  hahaha.  I had South Park characters outlined on the glove compartment... funnily enough, "Kenny" was the first to start peeling off...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was the car where I had my first "french" kiss (and hey man, it ended there... I was so innocent! heh).  I was 18.  He was 20 something, pilipino, and dangerously charming.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;During my UCLA Undergrad years, I was one of the few freshmen who had a car... and mind you, I had NO parking (you Bruins can understand my pain)... and so I spent half my time finding parking, paying for parking tickets, and paying ridiculous daily rates at on campus parking lots when I was desperate.  But I would always give rides to all functions for VSU, ACA, Samahang... etc etc events.  I can't tell you how many times I drove to Monterey Park for late nite boba runs or chinese fast food...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was also the "Love Mobile". I lent my car to a lot of my friends... cuz you know me, I'm a hopeless romantic... an Aquarian out to save the world... I'm about Love &amp; Peace and if I can do a small part for a loving couple -- I'll do it!  Some cupid connections... Bao &amp; Anna - I think it was my car that Bao borrowed on his first date with Anna!!  How crazy is that?  They're still together by the way... going on... what, 5 or 6 years?  Tutram - she would borrow my car to drive up to Northern California to visit her boyfriend at the time... Keiko &amp; Jeff - Valentine's day dates... (I still have the winnie-the-pooh you guys gave me in return, hehehe)... Thai Lan - when her out-of-state boyfriend would come into town... Sarah Ahn &amp; Dean - another first date success... they're married now!  I'm sure I'm forgetting other couples, but just to name a few...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was the car that I slept in when I got tired...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was the car that I slept in when I was dating a guy in the OC and didn't have the energy to drive home...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was the car that I drove my dad around to buy Eastern medicine (thu&amp;#7889;c b&amp;#7855;c), get acupuncture, see the doctor's, eat pho... during his last months in this Life... I grew up in Texas, without him... so when I came to Cali to live in his area code for high school, we didn't know how to really talk to one another.  So instead of telling me he's proud of me, he'd push me into his dry cleaning store and tell all the Mexican workers, "This my daughter!  She speak Spanish!" ... instead of telling me he was sorry for a fight we had, he would buy me McDonald's breakfast the next morning &amp; we'd eat in silence... instead of telling me he loved me &amp; cared about me, he would tune up my car, change my oil, check tire pressure, fix my busted radio antenna, fix my heater, fix my lighter charger thingy... I miss him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And I'm going to miss my car.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And it was my own damn fault.  Just too busy to take care of my Honda.  It was leaking oil and I kept adding a whole bottle of oil daily, but on the last day... that fateful Saturday (IRONICALLY on Valentine's Day!!) I thought I could make it down to the OC and to the mechanic in time... but alas, there it sits, broken, alone in Long Beach while I'm in Denver.  I don't even have a picture of it to post on this blog... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe the lesson is to take care/notice of the things most dear to you... sometimes you get caught up in the craziness of life and you neglect the one that is always there, is always reliable, that gives without receiving... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I wanted Lemonjello to be there when I come back in a year.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And now I have a choice to make.  As you get older, we get confronted with more and more choices... more and more decisions to make... adult life is poopy sometimes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The air conditioner didn't work, the radio didn't work (from when Theary &amp; I tried to install another radio ourselves, kekeke), the passenger door didn't open from the inside, the window got stuck when you rolled it down too much, the trunk didn't open or close, the bumper was held up with zip ties, the wipers didn't wipe properly and I was always afraid to take long trips with it, the lighter charger thingy was broken again... but it was mine.  And I loved it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... and I think it may be time to let go.  *exhale*&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://xd4.xanga.com/debf32e257033233689740/b184434045.jpg" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://xd4.xanga.com/debf32e257033233689740/z184434045.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="400" alt="IMG_0262" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;... took this last week while being stuck in major traffic... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://x8d.xanga.com/5abf37e260232233689851/b184434124.jpg" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x8d.xanga.com/5abf37e260232233689851/z184434124.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="400" alt="IMG_0259" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;... a full rainbow... so breathtaking...</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/692919489/life-according-to-my-honda/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>Are you there God?  It's me, Jenni</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/690973907/are-you-there-god--its-me-jenni/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/690973907/are-you-there-god--its-me-jenni/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:28:55 GMT</pubDate><description>&lt;a href="http://x4f.xanga.com/8b9f13f372130231394521/b182432677.jpg" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x4f.xanga.com/8b9f13f372130231394521/z182432677.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="IMG_0020" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;The shot above I stole while at the Indonesian Cafe around the corner from my apt... a couple was simultaneously holding hands and eating... he was using his left hand to eat and she was using her right hand. It was quite cute. And they were older... luckily with my new iphone I can be sneaky!!! ;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I think this entry is about faith and love.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was born in Houston, TX and grew up Catholic... (my mom's side is very Catholic) then when I moved to California at the age of 14 and lived with my Gramma &amp; Auntie on my dad's side, they were very Buddhist and for the first time no one was pressuring me to attend Sunday mass.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I started studying other religions, reflecting on my own religion, and I posed the question - is there just One right "path"? It's not so much that I turned my back on God... it was more that I started questioning the institution &amp; rigidity and instead just did my best to be good to people... to listen to world, to open my heart and mind to the God that I see in everyday life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've always thought of myself as a spiritual person. I believe my father has been reincarnated into a new life of love and understanding. I believe my maternal grandfather, &amp;#244;ng ngo&amp;#7841;i, is up in heaven smiling down on the legacy he has left behind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Maybe it's because I'm turning 29 in 3 weeks, moving to Saigon in 4 weeks, loved and lost and loved and lost again and again, trying to find strength to understand a community that both warms me and slaps me... that the urge to find divine strength has intensified.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And then just when I started thinking about Him again... I run into Brian Calimlim RANDOMLY at the Indonesian Cafe &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://x5c.xanga.com/0c5f33e066132231394295/b182432479.jpg" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x5c.xanga.com/0c5f33e066132231394295/z182432479.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="IMG_5056" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;...and what is he doing? Working on his next Bible Study lesson!! On the Book of Daniel. and THEN afterwards as I was talking to my roomie Jeff while we walked thru the alley back to our apt, I brought up the subject and right when I did, I stepped into a HUGE puddle and got my shoes &amp; pants wet. COINCIDENCE?! haaaard to say.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My mom is engaged for the 3rd time... and while planning the wedding... she wanted a big church wedding. And for those of you familiar with the Catholic religion, divorce is a big no-no. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So a few months ago my aunt calls me to ask for my dad's death certificate. Which I found a strange request, but she explained that we needed it in order to be allowed to have a Church wedding... my mom's 2nd wedding was not in a church - only through city hall... so it "doesn't count"... never mind that the marriage lasted 15 years... and it finally ended (to my relief) when my stepdad called for it and then 6 mths later brought his new young wife from Viet Nam ... already pregnant and ready to pop. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My parents divorced when I was 3 and I do remember that fateful day... but they were always friendly after. I just had 2 homes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I remember being very young and knowing that my mom and stepdad were not in love... and just pretending for us kids. They'd fight all the time. I was just too young to articulate it, but I felt it... and it still colors me subconsciously... When I got older, I asked my mom why she was with such a man for so long and she said she wanted to make sure us kids were provided for... to which I reminded her that I went through UCLA all on loans and grants. She changed the subject.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I feel God's presence during enormous challenges and tiny miracles in my life. I learn from Buddha's silence.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am ready to pray... and meditate... and just breathe.</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/690973907/are-you-there-god--its-me-jenni/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>delayed, delayed, delayed...</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/675476634/delayed-delayed-delayed/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/675476634/delayed-delayed-delayed/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:37:13 GMT</pubDate><description>&lt;P&gt;*warning, no pics cuz i don't have my new camera with me... but future posts will be loaded!&amp;nbsp; woohoo.&amp;nbsp; that's right, ladies n gents, jellibeanz' a-bloggin' again!*&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;I always tell myself that I'm not going to smoosh projects RIGHT up against each other... but then I realize that many times... you just can't help it!!&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;After 5 days in St. Petersburg, Florida, working on the VanSon concert.. I flew back at 7am Florida time and arrived in LA at 10am. &lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;I was SO sleepy getting on that 7am flight that I actually FELL ASLEEP while standing in line to board the plane!!!! - NO jokes. My head actually fell forward and bumped the back of the guy in front of me!&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;ahahhaha... the visual you're having is just as funny as the experience (granted at the time I was more mortified than entertained). "Sorry..." I mumbled when the guy turned around, confused.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;I managed to make my way onto the plane to sleep for 3 solid hours until landing in LA.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;So then I spent the day PACKING and buy last minute things - tampons (they're a rarity in SE Asia), facewash, returning items I got at Office Depot, portable Hard Drive, digital camera (blue Canon 1100IS)... and also readying my room for a subletter (which I haven't found, but in CASE someone pops up while I'm gone, I wanna make sure they have room for their schtuff!)&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;... I felt bad because Daniel I was supposed to spend some quality time but instead he had to endure me being at half-speed (due to lack of sleep) and stressed that I forgot something.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;We finally rushed our asses to his house in Whittier to drop off my car (I wanted to spare my roomies from moving my car for street cleaning every wk) and then raced back to LAX....&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;... only to find out that my 1:45am flight was DELAYED until 4:00am!! shieeeet. But you know what was cool? on the LAX intercom, they freakin' had an announcement about the delayed flight/changed gate number ... in VIETNAMESE - holy mother of Pho - we have arrived. I was so shocked. When did they start doing this? Soooo awesome!!!&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;While in line for baggage security, Daniel and I met this cool lady named Ivy who was going to Hong Kong on business... for MATTEL!!!! She's a toy designer at Mattel!!! OMG. How dopelicious is that?!?! We got separated and then Daniel and I were hanging out before I had to leave him and go thru security....&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;... but when I got to the gate, Ivy was no where to be seen.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;... and I looked and looked... and as I was falling asleep again waiting to board the plane (this time in the chairs, less embarrassing)... I still couldn't find her. The film BIG with Tom Hanks kept replaying thru my head. I've never met a toy designer before. SO cool. I wanna talk with her. She seemed super nice...&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;... so here I am, in Hong Kong Airport... there are no more direct flights to Cebu, Philippines, so now I gotta be here for 4 hrs then fly to Manila, and THEN fly to Cebu - arriving around 8pm (instead of 11am originally)...&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;While waiting in line to get new boarding passes, I met a cool guy, Rolin, who works for a cruise ship to Alaska - been on the job for 14 months!!! He has a new baby boy, John Benedict, to come home to - only 2 months old!! So it'll be his first time meeting his 1st son...&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;I think Rolin started talking to me because I look Pilipino. Needless to say, I blend in very well. *wink*&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;Well, at least I have someone to hang out with!! Although, I caught Daniel online so we've been videochatting until I put him on hold to write this blog... Thank goodness for technology. Btw, the photo on this note is from Daniel's 2006 trip to Hong Kong. beautiful, huh? The only view I have though is a foggy day in HK... and I just see airplanes... and nice restaurants....&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;So here is a little look into the window of my personality - part of me wants to go into the Mattel office in El Segundo and look for her! But - as Daniel points out - that would be "psycho."&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;ok, true.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;My first boyfriend, Nader, once told me, "You always want to know people's stories, huh? That's your thing."&lt;BR&gt;&lt;BR&gt;It sure is.&lt;/P&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/675476634/delayed-delayed-delayed/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>Lion Dance... not to be confused with "Dragon" Dance</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673893713/lion-dance-not-to-be-confused-with-dragon-dance/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673893713/lion-dance-not-to-be-confused-with-dragon-dance/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:12:34 GMT</pubDate><description>On one of my trips to VN last year, Daniel and I were talking on the phone... long-distance is hard!  And after some frustrations, I told him, "Well, maybe you should get a hobby... something to occupy the free time that you now have with me gone..."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... and so he joined a LION DANCE TROUPE!!!  The &lt;a href="http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=groups.groupProfile&amp;groupID=104464204&amp;MyToken=341ac0e2-b5cc-420d-878f-5901c07c01bb"&gt;Chinatown Kung Fu &amp; Lion Dance Troupe&lt;/a&gt; to be exact &lt;IMG height=15 src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/smiley1.gif" width=15&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/9cd15210485122/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x9c.xanga.com/d1582706054b9210485122/z164105405.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="l_f3f41ed1760d6606b28ec9b04fd2a35f" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;this Sunday, is the 6th Annual Children's Moon Festival Art Contest by &lt;a href="http://www.vaala.org"&gt;VAALA&lt;/a&gt;!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/bbb8a210485011/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://xbb.xanga.com/b8a8313a05516210485011/z164105310.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="240" alt="2808681393_e06a46dea5_m" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I was a Co-Director a couple years back with Nguyen Cao Hiep&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/f6434210488817/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://xf6.xanga.com/434c9b62c0733210488817/z164108063.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="DSC01233" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;and it was gooooood times.  300 cutie patootie kids who paint?!  egads.  What more can you ask for??&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This little guy was in the Lion Dance that year (2006).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/fa457210488032/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://xfa.xanga.com/457c656a11030210488032/z164107997.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="DSC01228" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;me and Hammie Tran (judge) by one of our fave painting:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/3960b210488917/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x39.xanga.com/60bf116207c32210488917/z164108786.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="DSC01236" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;Uudam (judge) reppin' his fave painting:  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/769e9210489001/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x76.xanga.com/9e98570109138210489001/z164108863.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="400" alt="DSC01237" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This year I'm going to be MCing the Awards Ceremony... and Daniel's Lion Dance Troupe is performing!  It's exciting... it'll be our first time "on stage" together.  &lt;IMG height=15 src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/heart.gif" width=15&gt;  I've never seen his troupe in action so it'll be goooood times.  They're very progressive - very multi-ethnic (Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian, Latino) -- AND there are several females in the group! All ages.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/050d3210485083/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x05.xanga.com/0d3c626559531210485083/z164105373.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="l_d9aba595655bd40d965babc16231dc33" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;the above pic was taken by Dstar at an anti-war rally.  Who woulda thunk it?  A lion dance at an anti-war rally. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dstar on the right with two fellow Lion Dancers...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/451b7210485079/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x45.xanga.com/1b7c836215d33210485079/z164105369.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="l_baffde582ba397f5db7930b16599dc73" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Awesome.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/70d4e210485076/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x70.xanga.com/d4ec6b63d5d30210485076/z164105366.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" width="400" alt="l_289d5cffcd588e9c13ad48b39660a870" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This cutie patootie is only 8 years old.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/f6d59210485012/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://xf6.xanga.com/d598350205519210485012/z164105311.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="400" alt="21047906_l" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Dstar took this photo with his new SLR ... I really like this one....&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://photo.xanga.com/jellibeanz/5f4aa210485073/photo.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://x5f.xanga.com/4aac7b6b58d31210485073/z164105365.jpg" style=" border-width: 0px;" height="400" alt="l_7cc3d497fff5fdf6cb39d75866ca4169" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When I think of Lion Dance, I think of my old roomie Tutram - she used to do the drums!  So hardcore.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Happy Moon Festival!  Eat mooncakes!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673893713/lion-dance-not-to-be-confused-with-dragon-dance/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>the last few days...</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673783209/the-last-few-days/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673783209/the-last-few-days/</guid><pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 01:49:53 GMT</pubDate><description>... i started to miss my babe more.  There are so many things to do before I leave!!!!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's my schedule - &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tuesday, 9/16 leave for Tampa, Florida at 11am.&lt;br /&gt;Saturday, 9/20 VAN SON IN FLORIDA Concert!  I'm stage managing, as usual.  &lt;br /&gt;Sunday, 9/21 fly back to LA by 11am.  THEN that night which is Sunday Night/Monday morning, I fly to Cebu, Philippines at 1am to start prep work for my 1st Assistant Directing gig on TEARS FROM AFAR, a feature film by Michael Gleissner of Bigfoot Entertainment (www.bigfootentertainment.com) about a Vietnamese mail order bride...&lt;br /&gt;Shoot starts on 10/20.&lt;br /&gt;Then we travel to Viet Nam on 11/18 to prep for 1 week and then shoot for 2 weeks.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We should be done by Dec 8th and the plan is to direct/shoot my OWN SHORT!!! I KNOW... so long overdue.  I already chose locations, have ideas on casting, a crew semi-locked... a budget in the works (basically my paycheck from TEARS FROM AFAR)... I'm excited.  There's just one small hump - I gotta write it.  &lt;IMG height=15 src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/smiley3.gif" width=15&gt;  Stephane's loaning me some screenwriting books.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Should be an interesting adventure, working with all new cast/crew/production company.... my first time working with them!  It's always nice to go outside the familiar, ya know?  He owns a huge film compound in Cebu -- complete with office buildings, apartments, film school, dorms, underwater tank, studios... crazy.  GINORMOUS.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's behind-the-scenes from the last Bigfoot project &lt;br /&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IFH9asLKiLI&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IFH9asLKiLI&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My TO DO list before I leave....&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- spend time with Dstar&lt;br /&gt;- spend time with friends&lt;br /&gt;- finish Wedding Documentary (SO overdue - CuzCuz production)&lt;br /&gt;- finish short this weekend "The Fort" - written by Lee Buckley &amp; Chris Nguyen (my old roomie), starring Chris and Jeremy Shranko (my roomie!)&lt;br /&gt;- MC Moon Festival Children's Art Contest on Sunday for VAALA&lt;br /&gt;- finish FOB II documentary on a Bolsa protestor (one more shoot date left and then gotta edit!)&lt;br /&gt;- clean my room/make room in da closet for my new subletter - Brock Honma!  yay, welcome to the family.&lt;br /&gt;- clean the apartment THOROUGHLY before my other new roomie, Jeff Liang, aka DJ Soulspeak, moves in....&lt;br /&gt;- oil change for my car... and figure out if I can get away with not starting the car for 3 months....&lt;br /&gt;- squeeze in a creative meeting on a possible new Thomas' Apt animation video with T'apt boys, Nadine, and Theary&lt;br /&gt;- Buy hard drive - digitize Lam Fam Documentary (another CuzCuz project in the works)&lt;br /&gt;- Buy 2 digital cameras (one for me, one for Dstar)&lt;br /&gt;- Talk to my old Silver Lake roomies regarding my upright piano and my deposit mula!&lt;br /&gt;- sign up for Frequent Flyer miles (can you believe I haven't at all?  it's ridiculous)&lt;br /&gt;- cook all the food in my fridge&lt;br /&gt;- do laundry&lt;br /&gt;- pack&lt;br /&gt;- write Poets &amp; Writers grant for the FOB II art show coming up in January - to get funding for the performance aspect....&lt;br /&gt;- make sure all my payments are in order in terms of Credit Card, etc... set up for Nade to come in and check my mail (THANK YOU NADE!!!!!!)  &lt;IMG height=15 src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/heart.gif" width=15&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- upload photos...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;All this in less than a week?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Can I do it?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What do you guys think?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wish me luck!  And now that I'll be traveling again... I suppose that means I'll actually start blogging again!  Oh Xanga.... oh but by the by, I've been very consumed with Facebook....&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Huggies to all!&lt;br /&gt;jenni/trang/jelli/chi/em</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/673783209/the-last-few-days/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>curious....</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/664067764/curious/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/664067764/curious/</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:05:06 GMT</pubDate><description>i know, i am SO overdue with journal entries... and i log on and apologize every few months.  so lame.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;but you know what else is lame?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;now, for those of you who know Jonathan Phan... he's a cool dude, i met him when he was still with Lac Hong dancers and they were still dancing for Van Son Entertainment, where I have been stage managing the live concerts for the last 3-4 years or so...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;he's very talented... used to be part of EMC - something about monkeys and stunts....&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;well, i just got an invitation to be a part of the "I LOVE JONATHAN PHAN FAN CLUB" on facebook... but you know who sent the invite?  Jonathan Phan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Call me crazy, but... I'm trying hard not to judge right now.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I would join that "Jonathan Phan Fan Club" -- but something about sticking the word "Love" in there doesn't sit well with me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;... If it was a "I LOVE WANG LEE HOM FAN CLUB" page, well, that's an entirely different story.  kekeke.  &lt;IMG height=15 src="http://www.xanga.com/Images/smiley3.gif" width=15&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;By the way, new pics of my almost fully healed war wound on my leg!  Thanks for all your concerns!  I'm ok... just some discolourization.... I realized I haven't posted in a while when I started getting facebook messages and random emails asking me about my leg... which happened about 4 months ago.   YIKES!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;miss you guys!  I've just been so swamped with production work lately (which is a good thing) I have been lousy at posting.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But it's all a-brewin' in this noggin' o' mine!  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I7pcHr1XobY&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I7pcHr1XobY&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/664067764/curious/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>hai-yah!</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/661309461/hai-yah/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/661309461/hai-yah/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:46:20 GMT</pubDate><description>&lt;P&gt;i haven't actually endorsed any films on my blog in a loooooong time....&amp;nbsp; prolly because i work in film and talk about film all the time... why write more about film?&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;BUT.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;i saw "Kungfu Panda" on a whim a few days ago down in the OC with Tram and AnThu (she's in town visiting) and freakin' LOVED IT!!!&amp;nbsp; the trailer was aiiiiight and so i wasn't really planning on seeing it.&amp;nbsp; but we decided to check it out and OMG.&amp;nbsp; the animation is amazing, the humor is spot on, and just all around endearing.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;P&gt;warm fuzzies.&amp;nbsp; and ass kickin'.&amp;nbsp; what a great combo.&lt;/P&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RhbpZIxyBcM&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RhbpZIxyBcM&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/661309461/hai-yah/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>Nostalgia and inspiration...</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650441327/nostalgia-and-inspiration/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650441327/nostalgia-and-inspiration/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:22:40 GMT</pubDate><description>I should go to bed.  it's 11pm Cali time, but 2am Boston time!!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;but ONE last entry before I go to bed... and anyway, in preparation for writing my new piece for Saturday's VASCON Closing Gala, I feel like I need to get more journal postings in, more thoughts translated into text...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I missed my early flight (of course! troi oi) and ended up leaving from Long Beach around 9am.  Then I was to have a 1 hour layover in New York, but it became a 3 hour layover (1 of those hours we were already on board just sitting there)... and FINALLY got to Boston at 10pm.  Phew.  Needless to say I wasn't feeling too creative.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It has been a looooong time since I've been to Boston.  I spent a summer in Cambridge with my cousin Khanh and the RYSE (Refugee Youth Summer Enrichment) program over at Harvard University back in 2000.  Good times!  Where I had my first love, my first Dunkin' Donut, and had my first taste of affecting change on a global scale...  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't even know anyone here anymore. Most people I was close to either moved away or I don't have their contact anymore.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hung Le, the co-president (with Ashley Tran) of VSA at Tufts University picks me up from the airport.  He's a cute kid, really nice and has that feel goodness that is so familiar to me, even though I'm on a different coast -- when I meet the rest of the "E Board" (executive board), I realize what that feeling is .... it's that VSU essence... that innocence... that feeling that the world is their oyster... and that creative energy of putting together a show because they believe in it, as a celebration of what they grew up with but maybe never knew what it meant 100%.  I love that most of them are Econ majors and pre-meds, and most will not grow up to pursue the arts.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Because in the end, the kind of unique experience they get -- building something together, rehearsing together, bonding, working as a unit... it's that essence that will stay with them as they build their careers, their families... their community... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I come in as a stranger, but with my love for my VSU history, I feel like I know them.  Because while the definitions change, the student body changes, the geography changes... that purity of life -- that college time when everyone is just so full of hope and idealism -- stays the same.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even though it's been over 4 years since I've graduated and life has been an emotional, wild, inspiring ride, I appreciate the opportunity to be here and to tap back into that youth.  (ok ok i know i'm still young, but trust me, right now -- feelin' kinda old)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am also tapping into the humor.  When we got on campus, Hung took me to the Commons to get some grub (no more feeding on domestic flights! ah!) when one person walked by and told us there were free burritos.  We were there!  hahaha.  Some things never change.  I'm still trying to find free food where I can!  It was Salsa Night and there were plenty leftover!  yuuuum.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm staying at the "I-house" aka the "International House" where I suppose most of the Int'l kids dorm.... and the wifi password is:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"India beats Pakistan"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Comedy, right?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Good night, Beantown.</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650441327/nostalgia-and-inspiration/#firstcomment</comments></item><item><title>EAST COAST, baby!</title><link>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650439878/east-coast-baby/</link><guid>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650439878/east-coast-baby/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:08:43 GMT</pubDate><description>Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For once I am not posting you all a casting notice, VAALA event, Club O' Noodles show, funny tidbit, or the latest in Vietnamese diasporic news...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;but I am emailing you all to let you know about ME, Jenni Trang Le, comin' to da East Coast (and other JTL updates).  Yup.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Catherine Park once told me, "I know it's hard to promote yourself sometimes, but you gotta do it!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;and Daniel is always telling me to do more of my own stuff.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So here's me: (if anyone is in Boston/DC/New York(?) this weekend, gimme a hollah!)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;FRIDAY, April 4th at TUFTS UNIVERSITY in Boston, MA, I'll be performing my spoken word for the VSA Culture Night.  I know, random, right?  I was invited by their president from a recommendation of someone I don't even know!  Pretty coooooool feeling.  mmmhm.  Beantown, here I come!  (by the way, for those of you in Boston, I'll be arriving Thursday afternoon if you wanna say hello! My number is at the bottom of the email).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;SATURDAY, April 5th I'll be flying into Washington DC for this year's VASCON4: Planting Seeds, where "Oh Mommy! (Me Oi!)", my claymation short and "Chopsticks" a short I produced and Nadine Truong directed will be playing both Friday and Saturday.  I will also be on a Filmmakers' Panel at 11:00am on Saturday along with Stephane Gauger (OWL AND THE SPARROW), Le-Van Kiet (DUST OF LIFE), and Doan Le (OH SAIGON!).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;SUNDAY, April 6th I'll still be in DC and set to perform an ORIGINAL (written especially for the VASCON folks) spoken word piece for the Closing Gala.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;MONDAY &amp; TUESDAY I'll be kickin' it in cafes and working on my next creative masterpiece and just taking a vacation.... with myself (I've been neglecting Jenni).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;then the following SUNDAY, April 13th I'll be at UCLA for VAALA &amp; VNLC's Cinema Symposium featuring 9 panelists!!  (flyer to come)  I'm not on the panel, but my short, "Oh Mommy! (Me Oi!)" is playing!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;and look out for the next issue of BN Magazine where, believe it or not (I'm still in shock) I'll be featured on their cover!  But it won't be glam version of me... nope, just good ole Jenni Trang Le version of me.  ;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For those of you who are in KOREA... I just got published!!!  for the BOL periodical on Viet Nam-US, thanks to Viet Le (co-editor for that issue) and Thu-Huong Nguyen-Vo (contributor)... and the trippiest thing is that they actually translated my bilingual poem, "Artboy" into KOREAN!  yowza.  I don't know how to get it in the U.S., but I'll keep you updated.  In the meantime, I have a copy if you just wanna take a look and be as fascinated as I am.  Poetry has no borders.... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thanks to all of you for always believin' in me, inspirin' me, and keepin' me on mah toes!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Peace outside,&lt;br /&gt;jenni trang le&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;</description><comments>http://jellibeanz.xanga.com/650439878/east-coast-baby/#firstcomment</comments></item></channel></rss>