I am a whistle my pocket...

Argh
Ring up another one in the loss column folks. Yes, that's right, ANOTHER friggin loss. Grrrr. Man, we won our first game and are on a 5 game losing streak...needless to say it is totally frustrating. I'm not trying to say I'm that good and that we should be winning, but some of our games haven't even been competitive. Well, all I can do is keep playing and try to get better as the season progresses...but I must let out my frustration.

On the brighter side, the Lakers won, so all is not lost.

Tomorrow is Friday, can't wait! Jenntot is comin down, beyotch on Sunday, and memorial day fun, video games, and relaxation is on the agenda...

I am a second taking a minute...

I saw Jon Lovitz yesterday at the park. He was with his family, I think they were leaving. I was just getting there so I could shoot around for a while. I love seeing celebs doing normal things, reminds me that they're human, he he he. I guess it runs in my family, although not as bad, but I get mini-star-struck. Mom and Jos get crazy star-struck,but me, not-so-much. Next time, I'll try to talk to him, if I see him again, he he he.

Work has been kinda boring today, but I had some pibil :)

I am a pair of typing hands...

The coffee at work has really been giving me stomach problems. I don't normally drink coffee at work, but the past 2 days, I've been quite tired and have been in need of it. Well yesterday, one of my coworkers and I went to get some ramen and rice over at the marketplace. I had a cup of coffee later, and I immediately needed to "take care of things" in the men's room. I thought I just had some bad ramen or rice or something. But I was talking about how I had a stomach ache yesterday to another coworker and she mentioned that it must be the coffee because it gave her stomach aches too. So I realized it must have been the coffee...and today, I needed another pick-me-upper... I keep forgetting to restock my frap drawer, so I had to have the coffee again...needless to say, it happened again. My boss probably thinks I'm just slackin around, but in actuality, I'm in the John trying to resolve my issues. I'd rather be working boss, trust me. Man, I wonder how long it'll take me to get used to this damn coffee. Hopefully I won't need it anymore, and when I do, I think I'll go for my own, or maybe a soda instead.

Funny how the smallest observations(in my case, a meeting) can help change one's perspective. I just realized something today. I don't know why today and not any other day, but at least it got realized. As most people are aware, I work at a company where most of our people are Japanese and do not have the greatest command of English. It's really hard to understand them some of the time, which can lead to a lot of communication gaps and misunderstandings. The point is simply to have patience and things will come accross sooner or later(sooner than later I usually hope). ...So I'm sitting in a meeting earlier today, falling asleep, trying to decipher what person-san is trying to get across to us, as usual, and I start to feel guilty. Why? Because I was suddenly reminded about how things are at home. How pop has trouble recalling his English and how my command of Ilocano is not very good so it's hard for us to communicate with one another. It really breaks my heart that we can't talk like we used to, and often times, I get so frustrated and I end up getting really short with him. My frustration comes mainly from the fact that I know he knows what he wants to say, but can't say it. That this is the man who raised me, the man who could never be hurt, was never sick, was always doing so much, yet never over-exerted himself. Since the day that all changed, it's been pretty tough, and through it all I thank God everyday that I still have my pop, and often times, I believe I take that for granted. I have to remember who it's tougher on... Funny how one meeting can remind me how selfish I've been....

"Our lives are not dependent on whether or not we have conflict. It is what we do with conflict that makes the difference."
-Thomas Crum

I am a finger on a string...

Walden books was having a buy 4 get the 5th free book sale...I totally missed out dammit. If the stupid couch people had arrived in the earlier part of the delivery window(btwn 1 and 4PM) and not the last 10 minutes of it, I might have had the chance to go. Oh well...gotta wait for the next sale I guess...

Couch update
I don't know if I ever mentioned this before and I'm too lazy to look at my past blogs to see if I have or not, but I never knew that the Salvation Army was a Christian organization. Pretty cool. But here's what's NOT cool, the couches got REJECTED! Can you believe that? I guess they weren't in good enough condition to be given to someone who needed them...even with a little work. So instead, they left us the number for "someone who will pick it up," which ended up being the Dept of Sanitation. We also decided to get rid of the recliner that no one ever used before and will definitely not be used with the new couches, so I was just gonna add that to the sanitation checklist, but thought better of it. So I called Salvation Army again and hopefully this one WILL be good enough to take. If not, I can always add it to the sanitation list later on... I never realized how difficult it was to get rid of stuff man...sheesh..

So out with the old and in with the new... So with that said, the new couches are, well, in one word....awesome! Sooooo comfy man, for real...come over and give 'em a try!

Had more I wanted to say...but I'd rather veg out in front of my comp until it's time to go...

I am a blemish that won't go away...

slip-slidin
I ran outdoors for the first time in about 2 weeks last night. The previous weeks have been spent pretty much playing basketball or hitting the treadmill at the gym. Man, how 2 weeks can set you back. I got so tired last night when I ran after going to the gym...I thought I ran so far, but when I drove the course, I only ran a smidge over 1.5 miles. I did run the last 1/4 mile or so at a faster pace than usual, but still. I gotta get running outside more often, esp if I'm trying to increase the distance. Good news though, my running shoes were quite comfy and I didn't get shin splints like I have the past few times I've gone on a run. I'm supposed to increase my time and distance this month...we'll just have to see about that, he he he.

Woohoo! I got salvation army to pick up our couches!!! Well, they haven't picked them up yet, but they're going to tomorrow. Instead of telling them it was an incomplete sectional, I just told them it was 2 sofas. "It is still up to the discretion of the driver on final pick-up," meaning they can still reject it. I'm crossing my fingers that they don't...cuz it's still a good couch. We're just getting a new one and I'd hate to throw it away when someone else could be using it.

Triznoy
I forgot to mention that I saw Troy this weekend, and I thought it was pretty good. I've accustomed myself to not expecting too much from a movie, especially when it's getting crazy publicity, cuz that's when one falls into position of being extremely disappointed. I took it for what it was, Hollywood trying to make a blockbuster out of a story most people already know about...and it was entertaining. As usual, I always like movies to be longer so that there can be more character development and just more stuff...but alas, I think most of America is too impatient for that type of thing. When I was studying mythology back in school, I was always more fascinated with the the Gods more than the humans. I see humans everyday, he he he...I'd rather see fantastical things onscreen when it comes to mythology. But that's just my take...

Lesser of two evils?
NBA playoffs...I dont' mention this much. But late, I find myself in a dilemna when thinking about who I want the Lakers to face in the Western Conference FInals. Not that it really matters because the Lakers are going to win the championship anyway, but still. I would like to face Minn because I think they're a better team than Sac, and then crush Minnesota's hopes of succeeding after they FINALLY got past the 1st Round. But Sac....so much history...so much animosity and bad blood...I would like to just totally stomp on their necks and just crush any last hope they have of winning a championship...but Sac is a bunch of haters, who even when we win, will find some sorry excuse to say we're not real champs... I think I'm leaning towards sac because of the home court AND because I wanna make them all cry. Just gonna have to watch the game...I can't believe I have to root for either of these two teams...BLECH.

Had Jamba juice for lunch today, which was a good thing, cuz I didn't have to pick it up..and the girl that got it for us came back pretty late and so I just got stuck here doin this work, which is due at the end of the day today. Strawberries Wild with protein boost is the bomb, but I hate the strawberry seeds though, they get stuck inbetween my teeth.

Speaking of teeth, I gotta set up a dentist appt, now that I can. It's been a while, and I'm pretty nervous about goin...they're gonna tell me I'm in really bad shape...aaargh. I hate the dentist, I really do.

You know you're living in 2004 when...
...contractors outnumber permanent staff and are more likely to get long-service awards.

I am a moment out of the norm...

The weather over the past two days has been quite enjoyable, moreso yesterday than today though. Not sunny and a little breezy. I like these lil breaks in our streams of hotness(I can take a nap easier in my car in this type of weather). But alas, I know all to well it is only short-lived...

Just take it already
I'm trying to find a place that will pick up my parents' old couch, before the new one comes in. I contacted Salvation Army and Goodwill so far. Btw-I didn't know that both of those organizations were Christian. Kinda weird, cuz I didn't know that YMCA was Christian for a long time either. I just thought it was a like a youth place with activities and stuff. Anyway, it's pretty difficult, because 1) Salvation Army doesn't accept incomplete sectionals(the curved part got messed up and pop decided to thrash and trash it) and 2) The goodwill pickup people are too far from my house(Hmmm, maybe I should call from my house at home). I'm beginning to run out of options, short of just leaving it down the street like all the other freakin people in our neighborhood do(I hate that). I never thought it would be hard to donate something like a couch. Those things are freakin expensive, and for them to turn it down kinda bites.

"I don't think so. This was the Finals."
— San Antonio's Parker, asked if Minnesota or Sacramento or the Eastern Conference champion can deny the Lakers a championship.

I am a late meal at work...

Long days suck...

Pibil!!!
I forgot to mention yesterday that I finally got some Pibil!!! It wasn't the "Puerco Pibil," like in Once upon a Time in Mexico, it was Conchinita Pibil, and after conversating w/ boboy about it for a while, it pretty much means the same thing (Pork, pig, whatever). Anyway, it was pretty good...and I was so happy I finally found a place that actually ahd it. I think there are better ones out there though, so the search begins.

It's nice to have coworkers who look out for you. I blogged the other day how I have this mountain of work to do, so I've been trying to come in earlier and work through lunch and leave later. A few of the guys went out to lunch(to the same spot we went yesterday) and asked me if I wanted to go. I told them I had to stuff to do, so the left me to be. About 15 minutes later, they called me and asked me what I wanted so they could bring it back for me...of course I asked for the pibil...mmmmmm so good. But yeah, that was pretty cool of them. It's these lil things that make me feel good about where I am...occupationally speaking.

Sweet! Check this out! It's a die-hard Lakers quiz. I got 17/20, not too shabby I think. But read the article and the one he links you to on this page...what a hater man. I mean, I know there ARE some bandwagonners, but who cares, real fans shouldn't concern themselves with them...only when they steal our playoff tickets!!!

You know you're living in 2004 when...
...you've sat at the same desk for four years and worked for three different companies.

I am the mountain in front of me...

beanstalks
I have a big one to climb man. I just got put in charge of a really daunting and seemingly insurmountable task at work, and it has to be done by Friday. So far, throughout my past almost year here, I have not had much to really stress about. Well I think all that is about to change. I foresee myself staying quite late over the next few days... Now I'll know what busy season feels like for Cic. I'm gonna be the one needing a Spa day when this week is over.

Lesson of the day
Never try to teach a pig to sing...It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

I am a bucket of ibuprofen...

I've been wanting to blog, but there just hasn't been very much time. I've been out of the office on field tests mostly and then too tired to get on my computer when I get home cuz my back is still pretty sore and I'd rather lay down than sit down and stare at a computer, much like I am now.

So long, farewell
Well, the era has officially ended. Friends aired its final episode last week, and said farewell to Must See TV. Amazingly, I didn't get to see it that night(I had a league game last night at 8 and didn't get home til like 10 something), but cic recorded it and I finally got to see it on Friday, before I left to hang out w/ the boys. I can't believe it's over, 10 years. I remember watching the first season when I was in highschool, and when I had the biggest crush on Rachel(back then, now, not-so-much), and then college, always setting aside time to watch and record friends, having so far almost every episode on tape, and all the way up to this season, buying the DVD's(the Best of AND each complete season up to 7, so some episodes I have 2x), getting the Friends Trivia Game as a gift, friends friends friends....and now, it's over. How crazy. I think I'm gonna have to watch it alone, cuz I'ma get all emotio...I mean, cuz everyone already watched it, he he he. Man, I'm as old as they are now when the show first started...sheesh. Boy, talk about things that make you feel old.

Happy belated
Happy Belated Mother's day, to all the mothers of course. My mom is the best, I love her to death. It's strange, becuase it's kindof difficult to show peopel in my family how much they are appreciated and loved, esp my parents, becuase they are not very emotional or affectionate people(probably why I am much more affectionate with my friends, which I think I've mentioned before). Anyway, aside from the usual "thanks mom" and traditional Mom's day card, my sister and I decided to chip in on the sectional she recently purchased(can't wait to take a pic of it when it arrives and post it up!!!), which really made her day. Indeed it was a nice mother's day indeed yesterday. Woke up, went to church w/ the fam, got to see my cousin and wish her a happy b-day and got to see lil Michayla, talked my other cousin about trying to get into Sierra for her dorm(which reminds me, I gotta make a few phone calls), watched the Lakers win(HELLZ YEAH), watched "Bourne Identity," and had a nice dinner w/ the cic and the fam in Glendale(B and I split the bill, which was an unexpected relief!). But happy mother's day to all!!!

Limits of Spontanaiety
So me and the boys tried to spontaneously go on a camping getaway this weekend, only for like 2 days, so it couldn't be too far. So we decided on a place and figured it all out. When we all talked about it, it was Thursday, so we got all hyped up about it, and got everything we needed. On friday, we find out that you need to reserve at least 48 hrs prior to your camping trip....DAMN. So much for spontanaeity. So we ended up just hangin out, gettin a few drinks, meeting up w/ old friends, and chillin for most of the weekend. It was good, not as good as it could've been had we had the chance to go campin, but hangin w/ my boys, is always fun.

Pushing Buttons
Funny how certain people can really push your buttons. You intentionally avoid interaction with these people so you don't get all frazzled up. I do that at work all the time. I don't ask questions to particular individuals simply for the reason I know the type of answer I'm gonna get; either I'm gonna get some half-assed answer, bs'ed answer, or an answer that takes so long to explain and goes breaks off into tangents that I forgot what my question was in the first place. But it sucks when I have no other options, man...I hate that.

Come home soon
I found out recently that one of our senior mgrs is being sent to the Middle East to support our troops over there for the next year. Crazy. I mean, I have my stance on the whole war against terrorism thing but that's not what I want to go into. This is definitely the first person I actually know to be shipped out on active duty. It's kinda scary and sad at the same time. I talked to that guy all the time, we'd tell stupid jokes and bitch or praise the Lakers, depending on which they deserved(which, currently, we are bitching...). One year, and then I hear about all the people over there dying, and that kinda hits home. Well, I pray for him and all the troops over there, and send my consolation to those who have lost a loved one in the war, and I hope they are returned to us safely.

You know you're living in 2004 when...
...you make phone calls from home, you accidentally dial "9" to get an outside line.