I am the photographs and still frames in my mind...

Happy belated B-day to Mina! Welcome to the 10th anniversary! ha ha ha. Speaking of b-days, I am SO thankful for my wonderful family and many friends that greeted me on my b-day. The celebration was a blast. And although I got wasted as usual, it was a ton of fun and I love it when all my friends come out to have fun. Let's do a bigger one next year!!!

Of changes both good and bad
So six days into being 31; and I already feel like I'm 62,w...t....f; he he he. I've been having a lower back problem for the past several weeks. When I get up in the morning, it's pretty sore, or after long periods of sitting, it hurts when I straighten up. When it gets warm, like when I run or play ball, it doesn't bother me so much, but just when it's inactive for a while or something. Anyhow, it's not debilitating, but sometimes, it gets pretty sharp. So I went to my doc and my GPR checked me out and said I should see a specialist(read chiro or PT), so I went yesterday, when it got to a point where it was getting really really annoying. It was pretty hard to get out of bed, so I had to call in sick. COS (change of subject), the doc ended up being my old friend Mike, who I used to play ball with in a league a few years back. Weird, cuz I just picked him out from a list of providers in a general area. It's really great to see someone you already know, and are comfortable with. It made conversation a LOT easier and a lot easier to describe my issues to him; you know, my other doctor in the past seemed like they just wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible - sheesh. So back to the original topic at hand, he prescribed some stretches, did a little treatment, and said to see how I feel and come back in next week. The stretches are helping, but seemingly only temporarily. I'ma definitely have to get some xrays done and see what's up.

I'm currently looking at myself in the mirror(figuratively, not literally) and trying to establish the most accurate and not-overly critical assessment of myself, for we often are our own worst critics. Anyway, I have several goals set for this year and I really hope to accomplish them. I am keeping them to myself and tracking them on my personal journal, just for privacy sake, and not to avoid accountability by writing them publicly. I would rather be accountable to myself and see how well I can do on my own - I am a HUGE proponent of having everyone around me to help me accomplish my goals and to succeed, but one of my resolutions is also not to put things off all the time and quit being so lazy.

of old and new addictions
Old Addiction - Video games. I was totally addicted to video games when I was a kid. I would have birthday parties and not talk to anyone because I was glued to the Nintendo the entire time. It was pretty funny, yet sad.

New Addiction - Video games. Thanks to several friends of mine. I now am the proud owner of an XBOX 360 and GOW2! Much of my time is spent playing that game. Good thing I don't need much sleep! THANKS GUYS!!!!

55 small things you can always do
46. Look for opportunities to make people feel important.
The only thing I would change about this is to look for opportunities to make people KNOW how important they are. We are all important; we all do good things, and we all should be recognized and praised for those good things. Don't let the good things you see others do slip by unnoticed. Life is about affirmation and positivity, esp in our communities, regardless of what that community may be!

I am memories flashing and fading around me...

Totally forgot to post these over the summer. Guess who's gettin hitched in Sept! That's right, Cat and Joe are getting maui'd! Can't wait guys...

Not much goin on in this lil brain 'o mine today...I'm gettin old.

Of orignals and covers
I've constantly griped about how music generally has lost it's creativity and identity over the years(hence all the covers and remakes...and of course that's my personal opinion. I just think it's not as good as it was in the 80's and 90's. Even the old standards that I really love to listen to. Anyway, the same goes for movies. Everything's a re-make or a comic book(which is pretty much a remake. But dude, a Karate Kid remake? Not the classic flicks man! I swear, do they have zero ideas left anymore? Why not re-make star wars while you're at it?

Anyone know how to create an equipment database on excel? he he he.

55 small things you can always do
45. Don't miss the magic of the moment by focusing on what's to come.
People get lost and miss moments when they forget to enjoy the ride. The ride is worth just a much as arriving where you need to be or as much as the culmination of events leading up to the final one. I try to remember this a lot of the time, especially, when I'm waiting anxiously for somethin to happen...

I am the light at the end of the tunnel...

Watched Obama's inauguration today...so incredible. I wasn't as awed as I was on election day, and floored by that speech, but I was still filled with hope and excitement. Change has come, and change WILL come. But what will WE do to perpetuate that change? To help our president carry that torch? Yes, WE can folks...WE. Obama is OUR president, and this is OUR country. So what are you gonna do? What are YOU gonna do?

of parking and meters
Words of wisdom...always, ALWAYS look at posted signs when parking. I had to go this meeting on MLK and parked at a meter. Since it was a holiday, I thought that you didn't have to pay for the meter. Lo and behold, when I get outside to my car...there's a ticket there! I looked at the meter and there it was in writing clear as day, that the meter was enforced DAILY including weekends and holidays. Dangit...who would've thunk. So don't be a moron like me....check the signs. Now you might not be like me and already do that...but hey, lesson learned.

of training and getting old
The training for the half hasn't gone quite as well as I had hoped...yet, not quite as bad as I thought. I ran a 7 miler and an 8.1 miler last week...yet I still didn't meet my total weekly expected miles. At least the long runs I can kinda do. This week is the whopping 9 miler...eeks. Hopefully I'm not too hungover to do that run... I'm lookin forward tho, albeit with a tad of trepidation. 13.1 miles...that's quite a distance. My feet are getting sore again(I think it's the heel spurs)...and the back is still trippin. Ugh, the physical breaking down is definitely one of the downsides to getting old. Aging like fine wine comes with some consequences =p Here's to further training and the HB half!!! two more weeks!!!

And on to a little Laker news...

Real Experts Say Kobe Is The Best! from Chase Sagum on Vimeo.

"Everything that you can imagine is real."
-Pablo Picasso

I am one plus ...almost one...

A big congratulations to Janet and Aldrich on tieing the knot this weekend. So happy for you guys, and we had a blast at your wedding!

Of silver linings and such...
I write about the following events, not in the spirit of negativity or pessimism, but merely to make a point. Happy New Year, btw...he he he. One of my goals this year is to be as positive as possible, and 15 days into it, I have had several experiences that could easily make me say, eff 2009 already, ha ha ha. The most current issue is that I'm sick...I've gotten sick more times this season than I have in the past 2 years. It sucks. I had to leave early from work yesterday(which wasn't too bad), but I felt miserable. It kept me from doing my planned long run for my half-training...so that was number two. I have several major payments due for stuff I purchased a year ago(I did the 0% down, zero payments for 15 month thing...) Finally, after the UFFNOS reunion on Sat, we were hit by a stupid-arse drunk driver on the way home from SD. Thank God we were all okay and no major damage to mom & pop's car, but it could be easy to let these things ruin the new year pour moi. But, I'm not letting them...as none of us should. I don't understand negativity...this may be a repeat thought, but that's how little I understand it. As if there weren't enough going on to try to bring you down, why let it take the top step on the podium? However big or small the problem is, it is important to take it and look at it from a positive point of view. Otherwise, we'd just wanna hole up and never show our faces again, because the negative would just outweigh the positive and it would be too overwhelming. Anyway...

of randomness and LA
Only in LA...so I was on a test drive and I was on the 105 West around Downey today. All of the sudden cars start slamming on breaks and kinda swerving a bit. I'm all the way on the right lane so I don't have to stop as suddenly as there is no one in front of me. So when I get past all of the cars that were stopped...I see a guy walking down the freeway. I'm thinking, "Where on earth is this guy walking to?" I could see his car on the left shoulder off of the carpool lane...all cars are stopped at this point, so I guess it's pretty safe. And then, in front of me off to my left, I see what he was running, or rather, walking after. A little black hotdog dog!!!!! Ummm, a...dachshund, right? ..is that the right spelling? Anyway, that's what he was chasing after! I couldn't believe it. And I thught to myself..."Man, only in LA." I wonder if he ever got his dog...

7 mile run yesterday...and my legs are quite tired. Not sore...tired. I wonder if i can handle a run today...probably not. Me thinks I will rest. Still need to see a back specialist, I'll call them later...

55 small things you can always do
44. When you are in another country or state, do these three things: eat the local food, listen to the local music, learn at least 30 words of the language or colloquialism.
Simply said, when you're in another culture, immerse yourself in it. Do the little things it takes to become more acclimated. Open your mind, your ears, your tastebuds and your heart to new and different experiences. The world is so diverse, and throughout our entire lives, we'll never fully appreciate just how great that diversity is...

I am the big countdown...

So comes to the end another year. I haven't really done this in the past, in fact...I don't think I ever have. But I think it's a good exercise to do. Especially with respect to moving forward and learning and what not...

Of my life in general
2008 was without question, for me, the YEAR OF THE WEDDING. 11 weddings I attended this year...the most I have ever been to in a single calendar year. Not bragging or anything...just stating the facts - that pretty much everyone got married this year. So a big congratulations to all of the newlyweds for 2008, for those whose weddings I attended and for those whose I didn't...here's to your new lives together and to your ongoing journeys. 2007 seemed to be the year of the breakup...and it only seems fitting that 2008 would be the year of the joining together, he he he. 2009 seems to be quite the year as far as weddings are concerned...I just think everyone's just at that age.

As usual, I did my bit of travelling this year. I went to NYC on 3 separate trips...two for work and one for pure vacation. So that was fun. I also spent about 8 days in Hawaii this year. Visited Kels and John and met up w/ Cat and Ronnie...but I wanted to go and just enjoy the scenery on my own for a bit. Didn't take as many vegas trips as I wanted to, he he he, but I went about 4 or 5 times I think. I also got to go on a cruise for Jem's birthday. Surprisingly, it was the same cruise and ship as the one I went on a while back with the Irvine crew...funny how things work out like that. I guess there aren't that many ships to begin with. And just recently, I came back from a vacay to the Philippines. Got to see my lola, who at 92 years old, is still very strong; my new inaanak, Miggy...my cousin's newborn son. Got to see a lot of the fam too. I loved the trip out and it was definitely too short. Hopefully I can go more often...

I learned how to swim in 2008. Well, I kinda knew how already...but only underwater, and I was very scared to swim. So I decided to take lessons. I was really embarassed about telling people that I, a 30-year old, was taking swim lessons at the Torrance Rec center, so I covered it up. After 11 weeks, I was able to become very comfortable in the water and practiced swimming as often as I could. Can't wait for it to warm up again so I can hit our pool a few times a week. My next goal is to become a much stronger swimmer and participate in a mini-triathalon.

I aimed to read one book a month, and I was able to get through 8 of them. Not too shabby I think. I definitely need to keep reading...a lot. There are a lot of books I want to get through this coming year.

Mom retired at the end of '08, just before we left for the PI. It's nice to know that she has done her service to the world and can now take it easy. I only hope to be able to shore up my debt and to be able to help them out much more and give them more peace of mind. So now that they're both retired. Maybe mom's blood pressure will go down, and they'll get to do more travelling. Congratulations mom, you deserve your retirement!

Of sports and activity
The Lakers went to the NBA finals...and got embarassed in 6 games. It was a huge step because no one predicted them to even be IN the playoffs, let alone a title contender. We showed them...and hopefully for 09, we'll show them the trophy! Good sign, we beat them on Christmas! Take that celts!

The Lions are now the not-so-proud owners of the NFL's worst record in it's long history...a pathetic 0-16 record. If only we can follow in the footsteps of last year's Miami Dolphin's. NFC North Champs.....here we come!

The 2008 Beijing Olympics....what can I say. Team USA returned to the top of the basketball world, coming close to the domination of the dream team back in the day. Michael Phelps....WOW. And everything else. I love the Olympics.

of the rest of the world
This year wasn't the greatest year financially, we are in a recession, housing is down, and just the general economic outlook is grim. However, in 2008, we elected our first black president, probably one of the biggest changes I have ever been witness to in my short life thus far. I never thought I'd see the day, but change has come and yes...ANYTHING is possible. Don't ever think that you can't amount to anything, because as Obama proved...you can do it. It was an emotional night for me that election night...because I realized how great of a country we do live in. Yes, there are a lot of things that suck here, but I know how much we DO have, how much freedom we get that in many places...can be your death. I am proud to be an American, now more than ever.

55 small things you can always do
43. Respond promptly to RSVP's.
In the spirit of weddings and all things related...it sure is stressing when the hosts have not received the RSVP for the invitation they sent to you. You usually know right away whether or not you can attend, so just send it right away. It'll save you a lot of stress looking for it when it comes time to actually send it in(when the happy couple is asking whether or not you've sent it yet), and save them a whole lot of stress in knowing that you're attending/not attending right away. In the case you cannot attend, then it helps them move along to other people that they wanted to invite but couldn't.

Happy New Year everyone! I have a good feeling about '09. A really good one. Let this be the year you learn new lessons, make new friends, have another year of memories, of laugher, of tears, and good company. Let 2009 be the time you pursue something you've dreamt of and always wanted to do, no matter how big or how small. And lastly, make sure you "...shine in oh nine!"