Name:
Legal name on birth certificate: Ernest Shih-Yih
Hsiung
Nickname(s)
/ Web Name: Ernie. Everyone calls me that,
even the 91 year old grandmother with no grasp of English.
Age:
24
Date of birth:
11/17/1976
Place of
birth: Hayward CA
Western Horoscope
Sign: Scorpio.
Asian Horoscope:
Dragon. (Oooh. Scorpions and Dragons.
Hella fierce.)
Education:
Bachelors of Science, Computer Science and
Engineering Major, UC Davis
Asian decent?
Which Generation? American
born. My parents were born in Mainland China, but immigrated to
the United States from Taiwan. My grandfather fought against the
Communists under Chiang Kai-Shek.
Languages
Spoken / Fluency level? Mandarin.
Since my mother doesn't speak English, I speak Chinese to her. But
alas, my grammar is horrible, my vocabulary non-existant and I have
the worlds worst American accent. So I basically use a mix of Chinese
and English to her -- that's right folks, I speak Chinglish.
Occupation
/ Career: Laid-off dotcom guy, recently
laid off from an anti-virus company. I'll start the job search again
in a couple of days, either freelancing, starting my own webcompany
or finding a job on craigslist.org . Who knows.
Why I do
what I do: Besides the fact that I'm not
bright enough to get an engineering job? Because I love the web.
Current
Project(s) / Next Project(s) / Goal(s):
Projects? Gaaah. I need a break right now. As I type this, I'm wrapping
up my latest weblog-based game show (PuppetMaster)
and god knows I need the mental break. But there's some talk with
a friend about doing some moonlighting web work. And I still update
the weblog
religiously. Waaaay too religiously. Goals?
To get a boyfriend. What? Stop laughing. No, really.
My Site
URL(s): Oh lord, here we go:
Purpose
/ Mission Statement of your site: Fawk,
who needs a mission statement? Did I mention I was looking for a
boyfriend?
People
should visit my site if: Visit LYD
if you want a laugh. And you want to find fucked up places to surf
the web. If you're looking for socially biting commentary, shouldn't
you be at AsianAvenue? Like, seriously yo.
First time
on the Internet: Before the Internet and
the World Wide Web, there were BBSes -- bulletin board systems.
That was all the way back in 1992, when I was a l33t h4x0r. (If
you have no idea what that means, just walk away and don't look
back. Trust me.)
Current
average time spent on-line: Ohmysweetbabyjesus,
you do NOT wanna know. Let me put it to you this way: I work as
a webmaster at work. And I work as a webmaster for fun. It's amazing
that I don't get lynched in any type of social setting.
Two non-personal
websites you must read each day:
(Missed
connections for a laugh, the job classifieds for a, well, job.)
Two personal
websites you must click on:
Name three shows you currently like watching on a regular basis
everyday or every week? Big Brother 2,
The Weakest Link, Fear Factor.
What were
three of your favorite shows growing up? Press
Your Luck, although I was petrified of that fucking whammy Tic-Tac-Dough
(ditto with Press Your Luck, but replace the whammy with that dragon)
Golden Girls (Shut up. I loved that show. Shut up.)
What
are three of your favorite magazines to read? Electronic
Gaming. Monthly Maxim. HERO.
What's the
last three musical Album/CD/Tape you bought? S.E.S.
"S.E.S.3 Love", Craig David "Fill Me In", Mondo Grosso "MG4"
Your last
concert attended? Dido. Yeah, I know --
DIDO RAWKS DA MUTHAFUCKIN HOUSE! No, not really. But it was an okay
concert.
Three Artist's
whose work you enjoy or recognize: Hikaru
Utada, Artful Dodger, Amy Grant (stop laughing. I was her biggest
fan in the 90's. You don't even know.)
Three of
your favorite Food Preferences: Thai
Mexican Sushi
State you
would like to visit: Florida. Voting practices
and illegal immigrants aside, I'd probably want to check out Orlando
and/or Miami once.
Country you
would like to visit: It's
a toss-up between the UK and Japan.
Favorite
clothing store: I usually end up at Aeropostale
or Structure if I'm at the mall. And even then, I never spend more
than 20 minutes in the store.
Which would
you rather lose: television connection or internet connection? email
access or postal access? Is there even
a doubt? I get the shakes if my cable modem goes out for even an
evening.
Famous
femme you wouldn't mind having as a bed buddy? bloke? Lessee...
in the chick department? Lil Kim. Damn girl is sexy. As for famous
blokes? Oh god, I don't know. Joey from N'Sync. There ya go.
Blonde or
brunette? Brunette.
Have you
ever been in love? Yes.
Are you in
love now? No.
What was
it like growing up of Asian descent? You've
been through it, you know how it is. Although in elementary school,
I just assumed everyone in my 4th grade class got screamed at by
their parents for getting B's and C's.
Does your
race signify an essential part of your self-image? Why or Why not?
As much as the sexual identity does. If it
comes up in conversation, then I bring it up. Otherwise, I let it
lay low.
Religious
/ Agnostic / Atheist? I grew up Presbyterian.
I'm no agnostic.
Are you
Patriotic? Patriotic as in being a nationalist?
Not really. Patriotic as to being proud of my heritage? Sure.
Democrat
/ Republican / Other? Socially liberal,
financially conservative. What does this make me, libertarian? Gaaah.
I vote democrat.
What are
you doing with your refund from Bush? I
wish I used the $300 I received towards a rock-and-roll lifestyle,
but alas, it all went to a savings account. Sorry.
Do you have
a healthy lifestyle? How would you quantify / qualify? As
much as you think a steady diet of coffee and cigarettes is a healthy
style. I did lose thirty pounds recently, thanks to the Slim Fast
and meth diet. (Just kidding. About the Slim Fast.)
How
would you know if you were headed toward burning out? What do you
do to relax? I worry too much. I'm excellent
at stressing out. To de-stress, I've been known to jump in my car
and drive around the bay area with CD's playing at full blast. If
that's not a viable option, going online or playing video games
work just as well. I'm a master at escapism.
Do you argue
constructively? No. I'm quick to get mad,
I get too defensive, there are a million things to say and when
I vocalize them, it makes me sound like a bumbling fool. It's easier
arguing via e-mail, where I have time to think about what to say
and how to write it out.
Who do you
argue with most often? My dad.
From what
perspective do you usually find yourself forming a take on the world?
Or, how do you normally categorize yourself in society? (ex. As
a man, as a woman, as an Asian, as a minority, as a majority) Oh
jeezus. I usually end up being the token EVERYTHING. In college,
I hung out with a bunch of straight Filipino folk.
Your strengths
(physically / mentally): I always have
a witty thing to say. I dance better than your better white boy.
Your weaknesses
(physically / mentally): Too fat. Can't
grow facial hair to save my life.
How smart
do you consider yourself to be? Book smart,
I'm okay. Street smart, no.
Do you stand
up more for your opinions or what you believe to be fact? What
I believe to be fact.
Do you become
jealous easily? Yes.
Are you
a born salesperson? I'm good at convincing,
not good at selling.
What is your
personality orientation? I usually gage
a situation, and if I feel comfortable enough, I'll be very outgoing
and cracking jokes and such. But the second I feel uncomfortable
about my situation I'm the observant.
Do you believe
in yourself? No. I use the humor to compensate
for my insecurities. I'll be the first person to tell you this.
Do you have
any Phobias? I can't stand heights. I
get uneasy if I was in an elevator and the power goes out.
When
I see a woman, the first thing I notice is:
HER SHOES! Just kidding.
When I see
a man, the first thing I notice is: HER
SHOES! (What did you expect? I'm gay.)
You find
a genie, your Three wishes are (no wishing for more wishes):
1. Eliminate all unnecessary drama in the
world. 2. Take away my alcohol intolerance. 3. Bring back "Facts
of Life!" When Edna was still on. That sitcom was TIGHT, yo.
Seinfeld
Character I most identify with: Elaine,
just because that "Elaine dance" is *tight*.
What songs
would you most likely be caught singing alone to? Bootylicious,
by Destiny's Child. Yeah, shut up.
What was
the last movie you enjoyed watching? The most recent movie that
I enjoyed? The Score. Surpringly good,
when you're not expecting out of it.
Favorite
Drink: Venti
white mocha. Or a V8. No, not at the same time. Eew.
Favorite
Colors: Navy blue.
Pets?
My roommates evil cat, Maya.
I'm a dog/cat/fish/bird
person: Gaah.
I'm not too much of an animal person, but living with a cat isn't
as bad as I thought, once I got used to cat pollen. (Or whatever
makes a person allergic to a cat.)
Idiosyncrasies
/ Habits? I worry too much.
Some of
my Talents or Hobbies are: I can harmonize
like nobody's business. Seriously.
Relationship
status? Bastard.

1) When you
first started littleyellowdifferent.com,
did you envision that it would become what it is now?
No. NO. NOT AT ALL. Because if you've ever met me in person, you'd
know that I have this knack for exaggerating, talking shit, making
people laugh and this weird talent for being able to transcribe
the way I speak on paper. I don't even think that's much of a talent.
I think littleyellowdifferent got pretty big because weblogs are
a relatively new phenomemon, and I was at the right places at the
right times.
2) What's
it like to be an internet rockstar? To be recognized by fans in
real life? Dude, there's like groupies
and free cocaine and everything. Haha, no. The "fans" thing is cool,
and I always get a kick out of the RANDOM people that read my site
(ghetto Asians, flaming homosexuals, Linux nerds.) But am I an internet
rockstar? If I am, being an Internet rockster is a self-esteem boost
and nothing else. I can just imagine being at a bar with a couple
of my friends, when a good-looking guy comes up to me and says "HEY!
You're the guy that runs littleyellowdifferent! LOVE your site!"
Well, cool. But what good will THAT do when he's making out with
my friends mintes later on the dance floor and I'm on the patio,
smoking by myself? Uhmmm, not like that's ever happened, of course.
3)
What prompted you to create the suvivorblogs and puppetmaster??
Weblogging was the biggest thing a year or
two ago. And wouldn't you know, Survivor came out about the same
time as well. What? No one has combined the two? All you have to
do is vote each other hard, why hadn't anyone thought of it before?
And there ya go.
4) When do
you get your best ideas?? What else is in the works?? Give us a
sneak peek, ernie! What else is in the works? How
about me FINDING A DAMN JOB? :) We'll see. Usually the ideas I have
(SURVIVORblog 1, PuppetMaster) are very spur of the moment ideas.
Just you wait, my pretty.
5) What is
the major lesson learned from running these games? Plan
as much as you can beforehand. Expect things to go wrong. Expect
to burn out at least ONCE during the game. Don't believe it when
you swear to yourself that you will NEVER run a web game again after
the previous game is over.
6)
Between the three, which group of folks created the most drama?
Are you amused or afraid?? /heh/ SURVIVORblog
2. That's what you get when all the contestants are the same
age. A girl had gotten voted off in the game, and a fan of the girl
found personal information of the guy who "did her wrong" and published
it on the Internet. That was stepping over the lines of good taste.
Other than that, all the drama in the games are contained drama,
and it probably amuses me more than anyone else.
7) Tell us
the highlights of your Weakest Link audition? If you are called,
will you be the weakest link, g'bye? Actually
being CALLED in the second round, that was my highlight of the audition.
The fact that once I got there, I was the youngest guy, and one
of a handful of people that wasn't a teacher or an attorney. As
to whether they'll call me on the show, a couple of episodes back
there was an Asian comedian named Woogie who was the token humourous
Asian guy, thus ruining my "edge" to get on the show forever. Damn
you Woogie, damn you.
8) Most
readers who can buy a clue know that you are gay. From your personal
perspective, what is it like being gay and Asian in America? Do
stereotypes exist for gay Asian-Americans?
(Word of warning -- I'm ONLY speaking for myself.) You really want
to know? It sucks. It sucks because this society already has a certain
image of Asians and a certain image regarding homosexuals, and if
you're a gay asian you get to deal with the shit-slinging from BOTH
of those communities. There's already an image of the emasculated
Asian male that the Asian community is trying to combat, and I feel
like the mainstream/straight Asian community just seems to look
at us [gay Asians] and think, "Oh God, they're hurting our cause."
A lot of other Asians believe the stereotype as well, only going
for white guys because it's what they're attracted to -- the image
of masculinity.
9) From
speaking with my own lgbt friends, some have indicated that perhaps
it is more difficult for Asian-Americans to come out to their families--what
with filial piety and the importance of marriage, family, and procreation.
What are your thoughts on this? I believe
it, yo. With my family right now, they know. My dad actually reads
the weblog, so they'd be stupid if they didn't know. But if one
party was to bring it up, the other would get uncomfortable dealing
with it. I think there's a lot of guilt on both parties. Maybe things
will get better eventually, maybe they won't. I don't know.
10) /morbid
question/ If you had to shuffle from this mortal coil today, what
would you most like to be remembered by? Honestly?
I don't know. I just want to be remembered somehow, that's all.
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