I am my tired tired feet...

Happy b-day Joe!!! I forgot to post this yesterday. It was fun, hope you had a blast son! Happy belated to Rochelle too, sorry I can't make your b-day girlfriend!


Also went to see Les Mis at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend. Thanks Gen for the invite yo! I'm SO glad I went. It's my fav musical of all time, and even though they cut off some parts that I really wanted to see, it was still awesome. 2 bottles of wine and les mis make for great way to end the weekend(save that we missed the bus, ha ha ha. But I'm glad we drove). That set might actually be a little confusing because we went to Ja's b-day at the Griffin after.

I leave for the NYC on Wednesday next week, which means I have a ton of stuff to do before i go, and yet I am so unwilling to do it right now. I hate when I get in these modes. But oh well, it's Friday, ha ha ha. I'd rather not have to answer any calls while I'm on vacation, so I better bust my butt next week and be on top of my ish. I also need to work on the NY trip and set at least a semi - itin. I don't want to be completely running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.

Speaking of chickens with heads cut off...did I ever mention that I saw exactly that way back when I was in the PI? I was still a little kid, but it is one of the more vivid memories I have of my childhood stint over there. My lola Ruth(who is now my only surviving grandparent), was making dinner and I guess chicken was on the menu. She cut off the head right as I was on my way to the kitchen and the chicken ran right past me....w/ no head! It was quite the traumatic experience. I am now deathly afraid of headless chickens. :) Funny how you can remember various things like that.

Partyin up in Montrose tonight...for Matt, Rochelle and Chris' b-days. Gonna be a fun night full of hot dogs, bowling, and of course...BEER! Mmmmm, Beer! Happy b-day kids. Can't wait to shoot you all...with my camera.

55 small things you can always do
26. Skip one meal a week; use the money to buy dinner for a homeless person.
This is actually a pretty good one. I've never thought about it really, but doing this is definitely a small action that goes a long long way. I remember one time I bought dinner for a homeless guy while I was in San Jose. He was very appreciative when I gave it to him, but it was really funny cuz when I first asked him what he wanted, he said, "a quarter pounder, but please please, no pickles!" I just thought it was funny. I wasn't thinkin beggars couldn't be choosers or anything, it was just enlightening to me. That was probably the last time I bought a meal for...wait, I remember buying a guy some food at the gas station a few months ago. Gotta do it more often. I eat enough...

"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow."
- Orison Marden

I am my own worst enemy...

Look at how much fun he's having. How often do we as adults get to go back to the playground and play on the swings? If only there were 10 more hours in the day, right? Yeah right, we'd just find more things to do to fill up those 10 hours with busy work. There's a reason childhood only comes around once...it's just about impossible to go back to it. Not a worry in the world as a kid...as adults, even if we do get that rare opportunity to be a kid again, will eventually have to come back to ground reality. But it's all good. Get out on those swings! Be like Joe!!!

Dude, check this out. Who ever knew that Tom Green had micky fricky emcee icky skill!?!? People never cease to amaze me. I mean, I wasn't much of a Tom Green Show fan back in the day, but when people show multi-facetedness, I can't help but be impressed. Only for the better though, I mean, if someone I knew all of the sudden showed how much of an a-hole he/she was, then I would be far less enthused.

I postedthis entry into the health challenge blog with the roomies and a couple of other friends. For those of you who don't know, I've decided to take another stab at quitting smoking. I will no longer say I quit...because to quit, is to do exactly that...quit; as in never do it again. I'm not gonna be naive enough to think that from this day forth, I will never take one puff of another cigarette, take a hit of hookah, or any of that again. But I will say this, my goal is to kick myself of the habitual aspect of my smoking. Yeah, I started all over again because I gave in during a period of my life where I was feeling very weak, but I really should take charge in being a healthier person. Hell, I'm only 30, and I want to live a long time to see a lot of things - granted I don't get hit by a bus or something on my way home...but the things that ARE in my control...I will try to seize by the horns. Won't be easy, but I know in the end, it'll be worth it.

Sometimes you just need a good swift kick in the butt to get yourself into gear and out the door to your future. I first mentioned in my NY resolutions that I wanted to make some changes in my life, possibly something even towards a career change. Well, most of these past 8, 9 months...I had barely been doing the minimum, if that. It took a little nudge to really make me think about it a lot more and to ask myself if, "I really want it." Because yes, I'm definitely afraid, but if my fear is greater than my want, then I have my answer. But I realize that my answer is, yes, I DO want this. I won't let fear block my way. And it's time to move along and get into it. Weird that when I first started thinking about this...it was Oct 03, 2005...look up the post. 3 almost 4 years later, still nothing. Other than the public speaking practice, nothin more than that. I have since made contact w/ the people I was supposed to start talking to a while back. So let's see where road goes. Here's to taking risks!!!

55 small things you can always do
25. Learn to listen. Opportunity often knocks softly.
Survey says? DING DING DING! This is definitely one of those lil life "truisms." Opportunity doesn't always make a gran, "Shazzam! I'm here!!!" appearance...often, you have to have your eyes and ears peeled, and essentially, "see the signs." You have to pay attention to the little things, because that's often where the signs that you're looking for lie.

"Sometimes God doesn't tell us His plan because we wouldn't believe it anyway."
-Carlton Pearson

I am first contact...

"Better" by Jason Mraz. I need to get a copy of this song...it's pretty bad arse yo. Did I mention I'm going to the Mraz concert on the 1st?

WHOO HOO! If you look at the first pre-season game, they WON! That's right...a W! Against the defending WORLD CHAMPS! BAM! BADA! BOOM! Right there! Hell yeah baby, I'm gettin excited. I almost want to cancel our Time Warner cable package and get Direct TV just so I can get the NFL package so I can watch the Lions games. I'm gonna have to go somewhere on Sundays to find out where they have DTV so I can watch them. Hopefully Shipmates has it! I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I have season tix to the Chargers...well, split w/ Roo, but season tix nonetheless. NFL games are frickin exciting man, esp the tailgating part, ha ha ha! Here's to a my first Chargers season!!!

compliments of banana...
August 12, 2008
Integrating Your Inner Reflections
Aquarius Daily Horoscope

You may be looking within to gain a greater peace of mind today, which might put you in a more reflective mood. Being deep in reverie could provide you with a wonderful opportunity not only for self-reflection but also to gain a more profound awareness of how you tend to operate in the world. Perhaps today you can set aside some time to meditate on your relationships. You might begin with the people closest to you, simply placing them in your consciousness as you breathe softly and rhythmically. As you simply observe the feelings that come up with each person, gently watch them flow through your mind without trying to hold onto them. While it may seem paradoxical, looking within you could help you become more aware of what goes on outside of you.

Our life is often a reflection of what lies within. When we feel stressed by something outside of us, our reactions are usually a mirror of what is happening in our minds. It is no different with our relationships—whatever we do, say, or even think is a reaction based on our own inner dialogue. Integrating our worlds through meditation, however, allows us to connect these seemingly disparate realities, which will calm our minds and make it easier to see just how our meditations can influence our actions. Using the peace of mind you find during your contemplations to help you with your interactions today will make every aspect of your life more serene.

I read in The Secret by Rhonda Byrne about like attracting like. For example, when you think positive thoughts, those positive thoughts will just come to you, like a magnet. When you do the opposite, the same occurs...negative thoughts come your way. Although I don't completely buy into the whole secret thang, I will give it up that thinking positive is the only way to go. When you do think in the negative, you're just looking at the world through negatory-shaded glasses, and you spot negatives in everything. In fact, the negatory glasses block OUT the positive and you don't see them at all! Anyway, I'm digressing... So just like with positive thinking, the same goes for positive DOING. When you DO good things, good things come your way. Just like how my last post mentioned that thing about smiling...it's really contagious...infectious might even be a better word. You hear people who have that infectious smile - I just think the same holds true for positivity in general. I guess it's all about Kharma. So let's all get on the Kharma train!

Of fitness and health
Your resting metabolism - the rate at which your body burns calories throughout the day - is a major factor in how well you lose or maintain weight. True, there are some aspects of metabolism that are beyond your control. But contrary to popular perception, you need not be stuck with slow metabolism, since there are many things you can do to increase it.

WHAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE: These factors influence metabolism, and there's little we can do about it:
GENES: Chances are your parents or their parents had metabolisms similar to yours.
GENDER: In general, men have higher metabolisms than women.
AGE: Metabolism tends to become a bit slower with age.

WHAT YOU CAN CHANGE: These habits can increase your metabolism:

EATING BREAKFAST. Eating soon after you arise in the morning gets your metabolism going. If you skip breakfast, you miss out on several hours of higher calorie-burning. In fact, research studies suggest that people who eat breakfast are better able to manage their weight.

BECOMING MORE ACTIVE IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE. Even if you have a sedentary job, you can introduce small bursts of activity into your routine-taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking instead of driving-that burn extra calories. BUILDING LEAN MUSCLE THROUGH EXERCISE. Muscle tissue burns calories at a faster rate than fat does. By strength training (working out with weights) regularly, you can increase your body's amount of muscle and increase your metabolism.
-courtesy of Bally Fitness

Man, I'm just spitting out non-original content after non-original content today, aren't I?
55 small things you can always do
24. Learn CPR.
I need to get on this one already. A one-day class can help you really be prepared in the case of an emergency. You really don't know when you're gonna need to use it, probably never, but it's like insurance. It can only help to have it with you. Same goes for the CPR knowledge. You never know when a similar incident might occur like when Cherry hid in the refridgerator when the kids were playing hide-and-seek, and Allen didn't know how to administer CPR, but luckily, Margeaux and Punky did. You just never know. So get to a class...and let me know when you sign up so I can sign up with you!

"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools.
-Spanish Proverb

I am the middle ground...

Not in the writing mood today, yet not in the working mood either...I've been trying to read through this 18 page contract and it is really just driving me into a coma. So given the choice between reading or writing for the next few minutes...for sanity's sake...I choose the latter.

For the Kobe-hater in you... Vindication...I love it. :) :)
"This was the oddity of the night. Behind the Chinese president and the entire national team, the one athlete who appeared to get the loudest ovation was none other than Kobe Bean Bryant. The moment was so odd that even U.S. journalists were looking at each other in puzzlement. The Russian, Chinese and American presidents were here, but Kobe was the head of state tonight."
-Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports

Happy 8 8 8! I remember when it was August 08, 1988 it was a big thing. 4 8's in a row...8 8 88. Wow, that was 20 years ago....man, I just felt a little older.

55 small things you can always do
23. Smile a lot; it costs nothing and may mean the world to someone else.
A cheery disposition is contagious. And you really can make someone's day by giving them a smile. The world could use more of them.

yeah, I can't write right now.... :( Oh yeah, but I DO know what I want for Christmas!!!! :) I posted the following Link the other day. If you know me, you know what I want...for Christmas.

"The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear."
-Ralph W Emerson

I am the space between...

Ja...Happy B-day kid! I can't believe you're still so young.


Went camping for Averell's b-day this past weekend. It was a blast. It was awesome to hang w/ everyone and just do "nothing," but even moreso, one of the things I enjoy about camping is that I can do a little self-reflection. I remember on the second night, everyone went to bed(we drank a lot this weekend and we'd knock out early). Anyway, it wasn't so early, somewhere around 1 or 2, and I was able to just sit under the stars and stare up and think about life. I was able to just relax, meditate, and realize how blessed my life is. Yeah, I've been through the ringer, but hey, it really could be worse. I could be bereft of the greatest thing God has given me; the people I love in my life. I could be utterly alone and in despair, tormented and completely lost. But I'm not. I have people I can depend on, that care about me, that look out for me, that are there for me to lean on, and that help me the way when I'm in my dark moments. There I sat, relaxing, appreciating nature and the world above me. I was able to take it all in and say to myself, "I am truly lucky to be here and I have so much to be thankful for". I know a lot of the times, I complain, and I grumble about things, but this is exactly what these moments are for; to give you a chance to reflect and think about life.

Lakers 08/09 sched is out! Whoo Hoo! (Thanks Banana!) Damn I miss the Lakers. I realized I barely watch any TV when the Lakers aren't on, or basketball season for that matter. So summer kinda is dead when it comes to TV. They don't even have anything on really, nothing new that is. It's all syndicated shows. I'll watch baseball, but I mostly listen to the games on the rhadgio - or get updates or read up on it. So many games...I tend ot watch more towards the end of the season more closely. And coincidentally, that's when the new season for shows usually takes off.

Of seasons changing and changing
Allergies are acting up a bit. I have to keep clearing my throat. Blah! I hate when the allergies wake up...but one good thing is that I know it means it's summer time, and that means, sunshine and swimming and beach time. It lets me know what season it is, in its own weird way; through itchy eyes and throat, sneezing, and runny noses. Luckily there's meds for that type of stuff. But when I think about summer, I think about fall, and then winter and spring. Just how the seasons come round and round and round again. Life is so cyclic(sp? - too lazy to check right now, sounds and looks right though)....anyway, I digress. Life is definitely cyclic, and when I say that, I mean it in a good and positive way; along the lines of saying, everything will be okay. Cycle - "From dust thou was created and to dust thou shall return." After a fire burns through, plantlife finds a way to recover and grows again not so long after the fire has been extinguished. After the rain? - The rainbow and the sun of course, not to mention the airy freshness you can practically taste. Even when it comes to the seasons - Winter is bitter cold, but then is relieved by the coming of spring, and eventually summer, where it's effin hot as heck, which is then relieved by the fall, and followed by the winter. They balance each other out, and just help maintain order. It just depends on how you want to look at it. Life is the same way...when the winters or summers are taking over our lives...just bear in mind that the spring or fall are on their way to provide relief. That things will always get better, that it just takes time.

Darnit, I forgot to post one of these during the last entry...oh well.
55 small things you can always do
22. Make a habit of doing nice things for folks who won't know it was you.
A truly good deed need not be recognized by anyone. You shouldn't be doing them to get recognized in the first place, and just doing the deed(not that deed) is often times all the reward you need. There's a lot of things you can do. Pick up those plastic bottles and place them in the recycle bin. Do habitat for humanity, participate in an activity in someone's name; donate to charity anonymously, help sponsor a reading camp - so many things you can do, just gotta think of which is the right one for you.

"The healthy, the strong individual, is the one who asks for help when he needs it. Whether he has an abscess on his knee or in his soul."
-Rona Barrett

I am "that" look...

What I'd rather be doing right now...

For sure Ry and Lou are in that pic, but the other two...I'm not so sure, maybe joes and ex-roomie? Anywho, I'd rather be in the water right now...

Of spontaneity and flying by the seat of your pants
There's something that really intrigues me about completely-live-day-by-day types. That's a total made-up word. The people that don't have a regular every day schedule for a fixed amount of time. It amazes me that there are people I know that can just do this and that, and go here and there, and pick up and go whenever they're ready to go again. One of my closest friends is this type of person - V. He comes and goes and people can barely keep up with what's goin on with him most of the time, cuz he's usually not here. Ver has done so many different things. From Archeo, to workin at the theater, to a talent agency, to doing small Filipino films, and is currently setting up a touring business in the PI. I think he's here for 4 or 5 mos max and then he's off again. It's a totally random lifestyle...almost non-committal to a point, yet free at the same time. I've dreamed about just leaving everything behind for a year and just travelling around the world(Had I the $$$ to do so, of course), but I look at my own life, and deep down, I know I'm not that kind of person. I need stability and a sense of "normalcy," and that's just a personal preference of mine. I like seeing my family, and friends on a regular basis, I like doing every day things. However, I do enjoy the random spontaneous and unplanned things, such as taking off for the weekend on my own(which I need to do again sometime soon), or just little random things. Spontaneity is a good way to spice things up sometimes. But to you "roamers of the earth," continue to be the adventurers you are and share with us each new experience when you come around again...

Man - Mondays are tough days. Probably my last favorite day in the week. I always have something to look forward for the other days. But Mondays, I know it's work...unless there's a holiday on Monday, then it's okay. But Mondays...bleech! I'm gettin into a groove at work, and knockin stuff off of my to do list...but for every one item I'm taking off, it seems like another one or two pop up to take it's place. That's how work tasks get though, it's like a big giant Hydra. Well, here's to trying to eliminate as many heads as possible.

This is a forward I got from Jos a few weeks ago...I found it to be quite entertaining.
Why Men Die First...

Why do men die first? This is a question that has gone unanswered for centuries, but, now we know. It requires a bit of explanation!!

If you put a woman on a pedestal and try to protect her from the rat race ... you're a male chauvinist. If you stay home and do the housework... you're a pansy. If you work too hard ... there's never any time for her. If you don't work enough ... you're a good-for-nothing bum. If she has a boring repetitive job with low pay ... this is exploitation. If you have a boring repetitive job with low pay ... you should get off your lazy behind and find something better. If you get a promotion ahead of her ... that is favouritism. If she gets a job ahead of you ... its equal opportunity.

If you mention how nice she looks ... its sexual harassment. If you keep quiet ... its male indifference. If you cry ... you're a wimp. If you don't .... you're an insensitive bastard. I f you make a decision without consulting her ... you're a chauvinist.

If she makes a decision without consulting you ... she's a liberated woman. If you ask her to do something she doesn't enjoy ... that's domination. If SHE asks you ... it's a favour. If you appreciate the female form and frilly underwear ... you're a pervert. If you don't ... you're gay.

If you like a woman to shave her legs and keep in shape ... you're sexist. If you don't ... you're unromantic. If you try to keep yourself in shape ... you're vain. If you don't ... you're a slob. If you buy her flowers ... you're after something. If you don't ... you're not thoughtful. If you're proud of your achievements ... you're full of yourself. If you don't ... you're not ambitious. If she has a headache... she's tired. If you have a headache ... you don't love her anymore.

If you want it too often ... you're oversexed.. If you don't ... there must be someone else.

So why do men die first ?
Because they WANT to

Check it HP fans!!!!

“A natural 9 beats a perfect 10 any day.”
-anon