I ASK YOU TALK: The Stuff We Can't Live Without

A recent study came out claiming 71% of respondents "could not live without Facebook." C'mon, really? I love me some Facebook, but I can stalk ex-boyfriends in other ways on the internet. (just kidding!)

There are quite a few things I can't live without - chapstick and potato chips being tops on the list. No one wants to see me go through chapstick/potato chip withdrawal. I surveyed some happy people, all of whom have spent double digit years in Dallas, to find out the stuff they can't live without, and whether Facebook is one of them.

Name: Mauricio
Years in Dallas: 10 years
What is the one thing you can't live without? TV - The History Channel! OK, the news. I have to know what is going on in the world. I'll watch it on any channel.
Do you have a Facebook account? No, I don't.

Name: Christina
Years in Dallas: 32 years
What is the one thing you can't live without? A navigational device. I've lived in Dallas all my life but I am directionally (and vertically!) challenged.

Do you have a Facebook account? Yes.

How many friends do you have? Sub-200 friends.

Name: John (left)

Years in Dallas: 50 years

What is the one thing you can't live without? Music - I like classical and jazz.

Do you have a Facebook account? Yes.
How often do you go on Facebook? Twice a day.

Name: Mary (right)

Years in Dallas: 26 years

What is the one thing you can't live without? Films, especially ones that take you all over the world. I love international movies!

Do you have a Facebook account? You bet!
How often do you go on Facebook? Every 20 minutes! I'm a concierge and I read the status updates for stuff to do in Dallas.

Name: Kern

Years in Dallas: 20 years
What is the one thing you can't live without? Food. I think about it a lot. I'm not a material person. [ed: What is your favorite food?] I love fruit. And crawfish etoufee.

Do you have a Facebook account? Yes.

How often do you go on Facebook? Once a day.

Name: Joel
Years in Dallas: 28 years

What is the one thing you can't live without? The underground music scene. Through the years, I've been into the Butthole Surfers, but right now I'm into Japanese bands, like Melt Banana.

Do you have a Facebook account? I'm not on Facebook. I'm too old! I had a CB radio in high school!

Name: Phillip
Years in Dallas: 39 years

What is the one thing you can't live without? A proper martini. Gin stirred with cocktail onions. I make my own cocktail onions. It's not that hard.

Do you have a Facebook account? Yes.
How often do you go on Facebook? Almost never. Every living human I like, I see.

Is there anything you absolutely cannot live without? Post it here. Don't be shy!

**Thanks to Tony for taking all these photos for me!

I ASK YOU TALK: Looking Sexy When It's 105 Degrees Out

Having grown up with the nickname *Sweaty Betty*, I desperately fear summers in Dallas because of the frequency of 100+ degree days. Between the months of May and September, it's not uncommon to see me wearing a big ol' sweat mustache.

How does a girl (or anyone, for that matter) stay even remotely cute when it's 105 degrees out?! I asked the advice of some moviegoers/workers/organizers at the Magnolia Theater, where I volunteered for the Asian Film Festival of Dallas this weekend.



Name: Josh
Years in Dallas: 24 years
On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 7 or 8 - I'm above average sweaty.
How do you stay sexy when sweaty? To stay refreshed, I take showers. I love wearing dark clothes, which isn't good for the summer, so it's tough.
What is your favorite icy treat? Bubble tea!

Name: Nguyen
Years in Dallas: 4 hours (visiting from the Bay Area- holla!)
On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 7 - heavy, but not a 10.

How do you stay sexy when sweaty? I just work the glisten! It's 2009 so matte is out, glow is in.

What is your favorite icy treat? Frozen yogurt from the Pinkberry in Soho. It's the original and has the best customer service, bar none.

Name: Alicia

Years in Dallas: 23 years

On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 6. I'm fairly sweaty, especially when I play tennis.

How do you stay sexy when sweaty? [laughs] Multiple wardrobe changes, showers and good deoderant.
What is your favorite icy treat? Bubble tea.

Name: David

Years in Dallas: 10 years

On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 10! I'm a big guy and I work out a lot, so I get very sweaty. My clothes are always drenched. I can't stand it.

How do you stay sexy when sweaty? I strategically plan my wardrobe - you don't want to wear long sleeves when it's this hot. I minimize my time outdoors.

What is your favorite icy treat? Vodka tonic, with extra lime (ed. note: a man after my own heart!)

Name: Shawn

Years in Dallas: 24 years

On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 10! I get so hot I could cook an egg on my chest.

How do you stay sexy when sweaty? I try to find an air vent and stand on top of it, a la Marilyn Monroe. I also carry a hankerchief.

What is your favorite icy treat? Natsumi's sorbet [plug for a sponsor of the AFFD]. I'm a vegan and sorbet is strictly fruit.

Name: Angie
Years in Dallas: 38 years
On a scale from 1-10 (10 being the max), how sweaty do you get? 7. I'm moderately sweaty.

How do you stay sexy when sweaty? A lot of blotting. Also, wearing things that are cool and catch the breeze. No black because it soaks up heat.

What is your favorite icy treat? Grande green tea lemonade with mango from Starbucks.

When it's 105 degrees out, I don't think any amount of wardrobe preparation will keep me from looking like sweaty pile of poop! But I definitely say yes to the vodka tonic.

I ASK YOU TALK: The Asian Edition

They exist! I met some DFW Asians this weekend! In honor of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas coming up this weekend, I decided to feature an Asian themed edition. It turns out DFW area Asians (and friends of) are kind of over Hello Kitty, which makes me a little sad, and they sing a lot more than the average American.

Name: Eunice (right)
Years in Dallas: 22 years
Asian Languages spoken: Korean
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? There are just some questions to which there are no good answers, and I def think this is one of them. Hello Kitty wears no bottoms, Dragonball Z has crazy hair, and does Anoop even count?
How often do you karaoke? Once in awhile, when we can get a good group together to karaoke in K-Town. (and yes, it’s Agnes’s favorite napping spot)

Name: Agnes (left)
Years in Dallas: 23 years
Asian Languages spoken: Mandarin Chinese
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? What she said.
How often do you karaoke? Too often. Friends love to karaoke, I see karaoke as a place to nap and eat great late night food.

Name: Lindsay
Years in Dallas: 1 year
Asian Languages spoken: None
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? Anoop Desai, just to see what it's like behind the scenes at American Idol. To see what Paula is like in person, and if there is any interaction between the contestants and the judges.
How often do you karaoke? Not often. Pre-child, at least once a month. Post-child, never.


Name: Kenn
Years in Dallas: 19 years
Asian Languages spoken: Laotian
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? Dragonball Z, because his hair turns blond when he gets mad. If people could tell when I was mad, they wouldn't talk to me.
How often do you karaoke? Every other week. I just started with friends.


Name: Tony
Years in Dallas: 20 years
Asian Languages spoken: Vietnamese
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? Hello Kitty because I'm cuddly and friendly!
How often do you karaoke? Every two weeks. I like to sing the blues.


Name: Juan
Years in Dallas: 7 years
Asian Languages spoken: None
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? Dragonball Z becuase my brother and I grew up on the cartoons. It would be cool to fly around and do acrobatics!
How often do you karaoke? I haven't in a few years, although I used to do a summer program in Arkansas, and karaoke was the only thing to do there.


Name: Khemarak
Years in Dallas: 26 years
Asian Languages spoken: Khmer
Who would you rather be: Dragonball Z, Hello Kitty, or Anoop Desai from American Idol? Dragonball Z because he eats the same foods I do - riceballs and fish.
How often do you karaoke? I sing, but I don't karaoke.


Viva los Asians!!

I ASK YOU TALK: Older Cowboys are Mean

Last Wednesday, I went TWO-STEPPING. No, really!! It was Ladies Night at Cowboys Arlington, and a co-worker invited me to go out with her and her friend. All I can say is WOW.

A few observations:

1. Older cowboys are mean. I asked a couple of older cowboy-types if I could interview them for my acclaimed Dallas blog. They said "Hell no!" I don't know if this was because they didn't read blogs, or if they were just camera shy. Younger cowboys, however, are very sweet - see "Allen" below for proof!

2. Cowboys are gentlemen. Despite #1, in general, men were very polite and asked girls to dance. They didn't just grind up against them and assume the girls would be ok about it (which is what I'm used to).

3. Ladies Night = Balloon Drop. This is possibly the coolest thing ever. At midnight, all the women get called to the dance floor. They all congregate underneath a huge net with hundreds of balloons (see photo above). The net is released and the women madly fight for the balloons. My balloon had a free drink ticket in it! My friend's balloon had two 1 dollar bills. Another friend's balloon had nothing.

I met some wholesome red-blooded Americans my night out with the ladies, and here's what they had to tell me about their 4th of July plans.

Name: Heather
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 20 years
4th of July plans? Cookout, watch fireworks off the lake, and go to the movies
Do you drive an American car? Yes, a Chevy!
Would you wear a stars and stripes bikini? Maybe if I were paid lots of money! But I used to have a stars and stripes leotard for gymnastics.



Name: Steve
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 4 years
4th of July plans? Going home to Harlem!
Do you drive an American car? Yes I do. A Lincoln.
Would you wear a stars and stripes speedo? I mean, yeah. I've worn speedos before.



Name: Aaron
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 6 years
4th of July plans? Sitting at the house. Don't have no plans.
Do you drive an American car? Yes, a Ford.
Would you wear a stars and stripes speedo? I don't know. It's going to be an instant reaction if I do or not.



Name: Brian [ed. note: he gave me a two step lesson!]
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 31 years
4th of July plans? Going to the lake, watch fireworks or something like that. Maybe go to a bar.
Do you drive an American car? No, I drive a Honda Accord.
Would you wear a stars and stripes Speedo? Not really into speedos. Maybe a stars & stripes bodysuit for surfing. I was in the Marine Corp Infantry. Our dress blues were very patriotic.

Name: Shawn
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 3 years
4th of July plans? Probably working. I work at IHOP.
Do you drive an American car? No, a BMW.
Would you wear a stars and stripes Speedo? No, I don't wear speedos. Also, I wear stripes, not stars.



Name: Allen
Years in Dallas/Fort Worth: 8 years
4th of July plans? Going to team roping and bull riding [ed. note: he's a real life cowboy, certified and everything!!]
Do you drive an American car? Yes, an American truck - Dodge Ram 1500.
Would you wear a stars and stripes Speedo? For girls as pretty as you, yes.

Awwwwww...needless to say, Allen totally made my night.