02.29.08 New Things

New Thing #5: I had an eggplant wrap from this middle eastern place at the emeryville market. really good. i love eating fresh food :) thanks michelle for introducing me to middle eastern food from that one place inside rincon center. i've still been wanting to try Ethiopian food.

Starting to feel funny cuz it's like the only things that i'm doing new is eating new food, which isn't bad cuz i've been eating well. oh, this isn't really a new thing, which it could, but i just had the baby spinach, cranberries, and walnut salad. it was one of the best salads i've had... i still like the roadhouse better. but this salad kinda reminds me of one of the salads at the gapateria.

New Thing #6: I took a new route back home. it was a little trip through oakland. it was really interesting and i was totally lost. but in a good way. i had to make sure that i didn't run into anything cuz, as usual, i'm like a little kid looking at everything i passed. Anyways, as journal reminder, i got on San Pablo, which is a block away from my work, and headed southwest! ding.

anyways, i didn't know what to eat for dinner, so i stopped by and walked up and down park street. it's been a while. there were these kids yelling because they were doing their karate stuff... yes, it was a dojo, or whatever you call those schools. but they were cute, cuz they had the meanest faces for being 3ft tall. Also, found a store that sold ALAMEDA hoodies that had the bay bridge, ALAMEDA, and 510. i thought about getting it, but know that i need the money about other things... like stuff for my play. but i digress, i didn't find anything appealing on park so i thought about getting something from applebees. but stopped by trader joes instead.

i'm so random! bye.

02.28.08 new things

New Thing #3: Today I took a short cut to work... by a block! last week, i got stuck behind a big rig while making a right turn on a main road. behind me i saw a cyclist turn right just a block away from the turn, and when i finally turned the corner, the spandex guy on the bike was a couple of hundred yards in front of me. so this morning, sans the truck, i made a quick jaunt around the block. i know that this is a little thing, but hey, it's one new thing for the day.

New Thing #4: I actually started this new thing on monday, but I've started to drive into work in silence. no radio and no talking or singing to myself, unless it was in my head. it's a commitment i've made to try and free up the realm of possibilities i picked up in a book. i'm finding myself being more alert and at peace and i come into work with an open mind instead of being stressed about anything. just a nice 30-40 minute drive through the streets of alameda, oakland, and emeryville.

One before bedtime

This is a little different.

Hi, my name is:
conrad.

but you can call me:
conrad.

Never in my life have I:
felt so optimistic about the future.

The one person who can drive me nuts is:
jwax... even though i don't work there anymore... URGH!!!

My high school is:
was... seaside high school.

When I’m nervous:
i constantly yawn and have to pee. during the opening of walls, i ran to the bathroom right before i jumped on stage!

The last song I listened to was:
'when your mind's made up' from the ONCE soundtrack.

If I were to get married right now it would be to:
no one! i'm enjoying this time without worrying about that stuff :)

My hair is:
gray, but natural.

When I was 4:
i could strut like no other. <-- this is a great answer!

Last Christmas:
I gave you my heart. The very next day, you gave it away. (couldn't help it!)

I should be:
getting to bed soon.

When I look down I see:
my white wireless keyboard

The happiest recent event was:
being with friends on my birthday :)

If I were a character on ‘Friends’ :
ross

By this time next year:
i'll hopefully be this happy and less heavy :)

My current gripe is:
that I won't be able to watch my play's opening night.

I have a hard time understanding:
DTML and Zope.

There’s these girls:
that were walking down the street singing Doo-wah-diddee Diddee-dum Diddee-do.

If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be:
raine

I want to buy:
a new car

Where do you plan to visit:
planning to visit pi, argentina, and hopefully, seattle, madison, chicago, and new york in the next 2 years.

If you spent the night at my house:
watchin America's Best Dance Crew on DVR while surfing the net.

The world could do without:
ignorance. <-- good answer

Most recent thing I’ve bought myself:
Green Tea Soy Latte with Vanilla

Most recent thing someone else bought me:
Concert tix :) woo-hoo!!!!!

My middle name is:
Almero

In the morning I:
wake up to watch Sportscenter before getting ready for work

Last night I was:
working on my script til 10pm at Nob Hill.

There’s this guy I know who:
lived in a big brown shoe that smelled like poo. The guy, not the shoe.

If I was an animal I’d be a:
eagle.

A better name for me would be:
Dreamer... but i know someone with that name for realz! He's one of BJ's friends.

Tomorrow I am:
scanning pictures and working on my play again.

Tonight I am:
going to sleep!

My birthday is:
a happy time for me. I'll be with friends aka family :)

You got this from:
raine

A little new thing for mah blog

I shoulda started this a while ago, but in order to keep this blog fresh and so clean, I'm going to TRY and post a new blog every day with something that I did, seen, been to, ate, etc... that's NEW. So, here it goes:

New Thing #1: I had a Roadhouse Salad at Buckhorn's at Bay Street in Emeryville. It was really good. From the menu: Mixed greens with crispy Roadhouse onions, string beans, tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles & sweet Mariani walnuts tossed w/ honey basil vinaigrette.

It was sooo Ono (Aloha for Mmmmmm....) I've always loved the crunch of walnuts in a salad. The honey basil vinaigrette was not too oily or watery. I had a couple of Roadhouse onion strips, but was kinda put off that it was fried, so i didn't really eat a lot of them.

New Thing #2: I had my usual Green Tea Soy Latte with a shot of Vanilla instead of Melon. It was okay. I like the Melon shot better, mostly because it reminds me of the orange dream machine flavor from Jamba Juice.

That's all for now. Bye.

interesting

i got a birthday card from michelle. it was a nice thought. dork, even sent me some $$$ for a printer that was broken, even though i never really expected it.

speaking of receiving $$$. this is the third unexpected payment i've gotten all since my bday. 1) from taxes 2) a refund from citibank 3) mk. and all for roughly the same amount. of course, all goes in the bank to pay for bills so it's not like i'm going to buy a new car or something, but it's a pleasant coincidence. trying to figure out what the significance of it is though if everything happens for a reason.

in the back of my mind too, i'm wondering if it was Karma as well since i've donated a significant amount of money to the Obama campaign - something i am behind and look forward too. hopefully it's a confirmation that he'll be president and turn this country and it's people around.

i'm also wondering if it has something to do with my new found determination to make Garden of Dreams happen. there's still so much work to be done even though we haven't even started rehearsals, but i'm so thankful for this opportunity and for the people i'm working with and whose support i couldn't live without. maybe the $$$ is to help this become a reality. time will tell.

i found a new spot to write in the most UNLIKELY of spots - a Nob Hill in my little town. i was trying to go to starbuck's last night after work after printing my latest copy of the script, but it was closed for a staff meeting. in that same "shopping center" is a java city inside the Nob Hill. i walked in and found out that section of the store was huge with a big screen, lots of tables and chairs and more importantly - plugs! it helps that there's no wi-fi so i can concentrate. but yup, i'll be there for a couple of nights to really really nail down my story and it's characters.

444-4444

here's a quick one:

Four movies I've watched at least four times:
1. Karate Kid 2
2. Across the Universe
3. Dogma
4. Grease

Four Places I have lived:
1. Sacramento, CA
2. Guam
3. Tacoma, WA
4. Vallejo, CA

Four T.V. Shows that I watch:
1. Sportscenter
2. America's Best Dance Crew
3. News
4. Family Guy

Four places I have been:
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. San Diego, CA
3. Honolulu, Hawaii
4. Reno, Nevada

Four People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. Meadows
2. 33
3. Asian-American Theater Newsletter
4. Mebby

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Filipino
2. Sushi/Sashimi
3. Mexican
4. Thai

Four Places I would like to visit:
1. THE PHILIPPINES
2. Kaula Lampur
3. Rome
4. Paris

Four Friends I think will respond:
1. Who
2. Ever
3. Wants
4. To

Four things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1. My play... even though I won't see it open
2. Writing more plays
3. Learning and teaching puppetry
4. Learning more

Free Spirit

I had this thought while driving to watch a play: why am i going alone? don't you have any friends to be with on the eve of your birthday?

as i said earlier, i'm reading deepak chopra and because my mind is open to new ideas about faith and enlightenment, i've started to let go of that kind of questioning and these kinds of worries. with this 36th year, i'm coming into this idea of living each day with new wonder.

all this started with the serendipitous flick of a button when the tv channel landed on the sundance network's Iconoclasts. this show features a person in the entertainment industry with someone they admire. in example, they have a show with sean penn with john krakaur, and renee zellweger with christiane amanpour. on this specific episode, it featured mike meyers and deepak chopra. usually i flip the channels after a couple of minutes, but something kept me on this program as mike meyers was in research for his upcoming movie, the love guru. after the death of his father, he was seeking a way to cope and found the books of deepak chopra. as part of this research, they got together and explored how spirituality and comedy are related. but one specific part of the program has taken me on this path that i am now on, and it was a clip of deepak on his radio show talking to this 12 year old who asked him what religion should he believe in. deepak's simple answer was love. all, which i consider, true faiths are based on this IDEA.

on the subject of this journal's headline, Free Spirit. it's my hope that with this new chapter, i can remember to live life as a free spirit. to not worry that i'm doing something alone or to perceive other's conceptions of me doing something by myself, as such. alone. but in taking this personal journey into experiencing as much of what life has to offer in this time i have left will be something i can leave behind for my self.

enough with words... for now.

A scene from Dogma

on the IDEA that all things happen for a reason, yesterday morning, the flipping of the channels fell on the indie station where kevin smith's movie, Dogma, was on. i've watched it maybe 3 or 4 times before, but something told me to keep watching. cool, a good study on dialogue never hurts. but then these lines came out of chris rock's, who plays the 13th apostle rufus, mouth:

BETHANY
(beat)
What was He like?

RUFUS
Jesus? Black.

BETHANY
Besides that.

RUFUS
The brother was centered. I mean, He was God, right? But I think He felt left out because He was more than human, you know? We used to sit around the fire - me and the other guys - and we'd be talking about what ass-holes the Romans were or getting laid...

BETHANY
Some things never change.

RUFUS
...and He'd just sit there listening and smiling. We'd ask Him why He never joined in the convo, but He said He just liked to hear us talk; about anything. Said it was like music. I think He just wished He had unimportant shit to talk about himself.

BETHANY
How does He feel now?

RUFUS
He still digs humanity, but it bothers Him to see the shit that gets carried out in His name - wars, bigotry, but especially the factioning of all thereligions. He said humanity took a good idea and, like always, built a belief structure on it.

BETHANY
Having beliefs isn't good?

RUFUS
I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. Life should malleable and progressive; working from idea to idea permits that. Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth; new ideas can't generate. Life becomes stagnant. That was one thing the Man hated - still life. He wanted everyone to be as enthralled with living as He was. Maybe it had something to do with knowing when He was going to die. but Christ had this vitality that I've never encountered in another person since. You know what I'm saying?

BETHANY
He was big on life?

RUFUS
It was more than that. He was the only person I ever knew who never engaged in that most ancient of life-affirming activities.

BETHANY
Sex.

RUFUS
Debate. That's the only way people know how to reaffirm that they're alive - by debating. In all it's forms. People spend their whole lives debating: we fight about who's right and who's wrong, we fight ourselves, we fight each other, we fight death, we fight over beliefs, we fight over fights. We believe that to stop debating - in any fashion -is to stop living and give up. People say that life's a struggle, but it's not. Life is living. I'm even guilty of it myself, the way I go on about Christ's ethnicity, fighting for the truth to come out. And I'm dead. Even in death, the only way I know how to live is through debate. That's sad, isn't it?

BETHANY
Not if you believe it's important for people to know.

RUFUS
A belief's a dangerous thing, Bethany. People die for it. People kill for it. The whole of existence is in jeopardy right now because of the Catholic Belief structure regarding this plenary indulgence bullshit. And whether they know it or not, Bartleby and Loki are exploiting that belief, and if they're successful, you, me. all of this... ends in a heartbeat.
(beat)
All over a belief.

Thank You!

Just wanted to take this time to send my heart-felt Thank You to everyone who i dined with, called, texted, commented, and wrote on my wall to wish me a happy birthday. i'm really shy when it comes to my birthday. Mostly because i don't like it when attention is on me. actually, at work, we have this thing called the birthday club where we have a cake for the birthday person. anyways, they got my birthdate wrong. they have it for the 27th. at first i didn't correct anyone, cuz, well, i'm shy about my birthday. but after some thinking, i had to say something because it's just free food for everyone. so we'll get some cake on monday :) being shy about getting attention should be weird for an artist to say when i do what i do to get the attention of others. but thanks! keeping everything in perspective, and letting go of ego, it feels good to know that people cared enough to take the time to remember me.

i don't have much time left

i don't know what it is, but i hope that i'm wrong. something's telling me that i don't have much time left. PLEASE don't take this as a way to look for attention nor that this is a plea for help! I'm fine. I guess it's because of my birthday or some mid-age thing, but i don't want to take whatever time i have left for granted. i'm planning more trips. i don't want to be "live" at work. i want to tell my friends how much i appreciate them. sometimes, i feel like i'm being too much, but shoot, i don't want to let a moment go by to not give a present or a compliment to someone, because it might be too late. i'm just... trying to love life and the people close to me as much as possible. the problem with this is trying to love myself just as much as i love everything else.

my birthday

don't have much to say, but there are a lot of things on my mind. i am i think 36 today. i don't know cuz i 1) i'm not in the mood to think to add/subtract 2) not sure. then again, it's 6am and i'm awake for no reason. it's quiet.

last night i saw a play called Satellites by Diana Son. It had it's good and bad points. i didn't like the beginning and the ending but loved the middle. great acting, set, direction, and lighting. the script was pretty well thought out. i guess what annoys me were at the beginning of the play, a rock is thrown though a window, and one of the characters says something to the effect of, "maybe it was supposed to be a sign of something to come." that sounded a little forced, even if it was a signpost. and then the ending felt forced too... like it just ended. it had a put a cute bow on it and call it a night. i'll go into more detail on my play blog, but overall, it was pretty good.

other things... work is going alright. i've been there for about a month and there have been times when i felt like the stupidest person on earth. i had a group of people sitting at my computer trying to figure out how to do something. that's not a good thing. the saving grace in all this distress is my boss. he's really good, and when i told him about this he said that it was okay. he knew that all this is new to me, cuz honestly, there's not a lot of people out there doing what we do. whole brand new language i'm trying to learn and i'm mad at myself for not being fast enough to learn it... but i'm always hard on myself. oh and a couple of days ago, i was there til 10:30pm. wish i was somewhere else supporting someone close.

the play... i'm trying to keep positive about everything. i still don't have a complete cast. luckily it's still early in the game to find them. it was good watching a play last night cuz i got some ideas, like how to do the transitions between scenes. can't wait to see how that works out.

now about turning 36 (i think that's how old i am). 1) i'm old 2) i don't feel like it 3) what do i have to show for it? so, after work last night, i was just thinking to myself that i didn't want to be alone on my birthday. the last time i felt this bad was, wow, a long time ago. and i had to call up a friend to see if she wanted to go out to dinner. this was way back, but she came through. wonder what she doin' now. anyways, back to last night, i knew that i wanted to see some theater to get me in the mood and perhaps strike some karma - if i support a play, hopefully, people will come out to see mine. the play was in berkeley, so it was a short backroad drive, but enough time to think. being honest, i had a quick kawawa thought, but then something inside made me think, i'm lucky to be alive and i don't want to waste any time feeling like this. i have to do what makes me happy. experiencing new things makes me happy, like this. at the end of the day, as long as i can make myself happy, then all's good. no one else will do it for me.

alright, i'll step off my philosophical soapbox, although, i've been reading some deepak chopra right now.

Spiraling Inspiration Upwards

I just went to one of my "acquaintance"'s myspace page. She's a beautiful person who seems to know what life is about. She's a storyteller model sumo fighter sex goddess rock climber. I've worked with her in a workshop and was immediately swept up in the world she made up. I'm no longer in jealousy of this person, as I would have been at a younger age. Admiration is more the word. Last year, I was in another workshop with her until she stopped showing up. However, when her name was brought up regarding her presence, others who know her commented that she must be out free falling diving or out on a secret mission to save the earth from greedy war mongers also known as republicans. Even though I don't know you personally, you are an inspiration.

Unique Questions

Thanks for the survey ;)

*** Unique Questions Section 1 ***
1. Who is the most annoying male celebrity right now?
Billy Bush... if he can be called a celebrity.

2. What bill do you hate to pay the most?
at at&t universal card bill that i had since college and still paying off! but used for good times.

3. Name a song that reminds you of 5th grade.
don't remember...

4. Who was your very first enemy?
this one kid i gave a bloody nose to when i lived in Washington.

5. What is the name of the closest main thoroughfare to your home?
Mecartney Road

6. What town did you live in when you were 13?
Marina, CA

7. In retrospect, name a friend who was never really a friend at all.
hmmm... Ken P.

8. What is the name of the cemetery closest to your home?
Skyview?

9. Carrie Underwood or Faith Hill?
faith. there's something "cold" about Carrie. don't know what it is, but felt it when she was on AI.

10. Who was your favorite teacher ever and why?
Andonia Cakouros. The most inspiring and genuine soul alive. She's the reason why I've stuck with my major. She believes in me and has helped me emphasize my strengths as well as strengthen my weaknesses. (hehe. i agree with xLe. Great teacher who somehow got me to bare my SOUL to strangers.)

11. If you had to erase one year out of your life, which one would it be?
2005

12. Do you think Michael Jackson will ever make a comeback?
i wish... but don't know how.

13. Was 9/11 planned by the US government?
i wouldn't say planned, but knew about... hmmm. nah, i can't believe that. hmmm...

14. Name someone you know who is a vegetarian.
yup

15. What is the name of the closest chain restaurant to your home?
Applebees

16. Name a famous landmark that is near your home.
Bay Bridge

17. What is the last big city you were in?
SF

18. Walt Disney World or Disneyland?
The land of Disney

*** Unique Questions Section 2 ***
19. Have you ever been to Asia?
yes

20. What’s the last thing you ate?
spaghetti

21. What is the name of the grocery store you shop at most often?
Safeway

22. What will you do with your tax refund if you get one?
BILLS

23. Name a person from your past that you often wonder about.
Laura

24. Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?
nope

25. Name a really bad TV show.
the gauntlet

26. Name a song that reminds you of 10th grade.
"Push It" - salt n peppa. Oh yeah, I'm old!

27. What was something you used to do in the summer when you were a child?
watch those shows on channel 9. darn forgot the name, but it was start off with an EW&F song. grr... loved that show.

28. Name a toy that reminds you of your childhood.
a rolling popper.

29. Who was the neighborhood bully when you were young?
the kid i gave the bloody nose to.

30. Do you remember life before CD’s?
yup yup

31. Name a cheesy entertainer.
Verse. (HAHA!)

32. What is the name of the bar you were in last?
well... BJ's has a bar.

33. Have you ever been to the top of the Empire State Building?
no.

34. Do you own any Crocs?
nope

35. Who is the best rap star ever?
Tupac

36. Who is the best guitarist ever?
Eric Johnson

37. Have you ever been inside a mosque?
no

38. Cher or Madonna?
madonna

39. What is the best reality show?
Amazing race

*** Unique Questions Section 3 ***
40. Is Titanic a good movie? Why or why not?
eh...

41. If you had to give up one electronic gadget, what would it be?
my cell

42. Do you know anyone who lives in Illinois?
no... but i know someone in Wisconsin. close enough?

43. Have you ever been to Los Angeles?
yup

44. What is the best hotel in Vegas?
venitian or bellagio

45. What is the last body of water you crossed over?
sf bay from alameda to sf

46. Do you have a fireplace?
yes

47. Who is your favorite cousin?
Karen

48. What is the first alcohol you consumed and got sick from?
tequila. nuff said.

49. What is the closest big city to your home?
sf

50. What is the second closest big city to your home?
oakland

51. Name a suburb of New York City.
brooklyn

52. What NHL team would you support if your current favorite team disbanded?
i don't know hockey

53. Have you ever been a victim of a crime?
yes

54. What color are the police cars in your city/town?
black and white

55. What is the name of the convenience store closest to your home?
longs

56. Name a relative who is or has been employed in the education field.
don't know

57. What is the name of the park closest to your home?
don't know the name of it.

58. Have you ever been to Dallas, Texas?
want to!

59. Name a Canadian city that you would like to visit and never have.
Toronto

60. Who is the least attractive female celebrity right now?
britney

61. Do you have any neighbors named Bob?
nope

62. What is the last hospital you were in (as a patient or a visitor)?
don't remember

63. What is your favorite Disney movie?
beauty and the beast

64. Archie Bunker or George Jefferson?
mr. jefferson

65. Name a band that you saw in concert as a teenager.
spanish fly!

66. Name a personal hygiene product in your bathroom right now.
colgate

67. Geico gecko or cavemen?
caveman, especially the one when he's in the airport cuz i love that song

68. KFC or Boston Market?
KFC

69. Lord of The Rings or Harry Potter?
LOTR just cuz i haven't read and watched only 1 HP movie

*** Unique Questions Section 4 ***
70. Have you ever read the phone book because you were bored?
yup

71. Would you want your cell phone published in a phone directory?
no!

72. Who was the President when you were born?
johnson

73. Name a state that you have never been to.
texas

74. Name the last state you were in besides your own.
hawaii

75. When I say Miami, what do you think of first?
vice

76. Who is the most horrible serial killer ever?
the night stalker

77. Name one of the most crime-ridden streets in your city.
east oakland... alameda is pretty crime free

78. Name one of the most exclusive streets in your city.
prolly... grand avenue

79. Have you ever been to Radio City Music Hall?
outside of it :)

80. What band do you really hate?
i like all bands

81. Name one local radio station you listen to:
680 or 1050 knbr sports station. i don't listen to fm that much anymore.

82. What TV station is your TV tuned to right now?
none.

83. Turn on your TV, if it’s off and tell me what pops on right away.
i don't have a tv near me.

84. Name a song that makes you think of your significant other.
i don't have one :(

85. If you could get married anywhere on Earth, where would it be (even if you’re already married)?
don't feel like going there.

86. If you died today, would your affairs be in order?
nope!

87. What is your house number?
332

88. What was your house number when you were 8?
???

89. Have you ever rode on the Maid of the Mist?
huh?

90. Little House On The Prairie or The Waltons?
LHOTP all the way!

91. South Park or Family Guy?
family guy

92. If you could demolish one structure in your town, what would it be?
i don't know a lot of the structures in my town

93. If you could build one structure in your town, what would it be?
a theater

94. What mall do you shop at most?
i haven't been to a mall in a long time.

95. What mall store do you NEVER go in?
5, 7, 9... is that what it's called?

96. What mall store do you ALWAYS go in?
Gap, Old Navy, TeaJava

97. Is Christmas too commercialized?
heck yeah.

98. What do you think of global warming?
it's gonna get worse if people aren't more earth friendly. shake hands with the earth and call it buddy!

*** Unique Questions Section 5 ***
99. Do you own a Blue Ray DVD player?
uh-uh

100. Were you alive in 1969?
nope

101. What is your dentist’s first name?
dr. hibbert

102. Do you like black licorice?
yuck

103. What month would you remove from the calendar year if you could?
hmmm... i don't know.

104. Do you know anyone who has a birthday on June 22nd?
not off the top of mah head.

105. Who is the best talk show host on TV?
Craig Ferguson!

106. Have you ever been to Rockefeller Center?
yup!

107. Where were you when the shuttle Challenger blew up?
i was in middle school watching it on tv.

108. Do you think Princess Diana’s accident was a conspiracy?
stupid papparazzi

109. Which prince is more handsome? William or Harry?
eh... none.

110. What would the name of your autobiography be?
the randomness of tropa23

111. Name three Beatles songs off the top of your head.
yesterday, help, can't buy me love

112. If a celebrity moved next door to you, would you immediately call someone and tell them?
honestly, depend. if they were cool and we hung out, then i'd ask him or her. but if they were booty, i'd tell hella peeps.

113. What is the worst household chore?
cleaning.

114. Do you think people who own purse dogs are shallow?
no... dogs are cool!

115. Are purse dogs cute?
sure.

116. Why are kittens so cute?
sorry, i'm not a cat person. mostly cuz i'm allergic to 'em.

117. What card game bores you?
i like most games

118. What is the best party game?
hehe. GUESSTURES! good times, good times :) tou-pee!!! HAHAHA! sorry, inside joke ;)

119. Do you drink alcohol on New Year’s Eve?
don't remember.

120. What is the very best mixed drink?
chocolate cake!

121. What is the best beer?
Root beer. Yum! (i agree!)

122. What is the best soda?
barqs.

123. What is the name of your favorite local restaurant?
Sushi house

124. Have you ever driven on the New York State Thruway?
not yet.

125. When I say “Pennsylvania”, what city do you think of first?
Penn State

126. Would you ever live in Malibu, California?
nah. i'm a northern cali guy

127. What is the best rollercoaster ever?
i love the giant dipper at santa cruz! it doesn't have any loops or anything, but the drops are cool. plus, it just has the old school type of feel.

128. Have you ever been to Paramus, New Jersey?
no. but i like the name.

129. What’s the best country band?
i guess dixie chicks.

130. Do you watch American Chopper? If yes, who is your favorite character?
i like the brother with the long hair.

131. What was/is your paternal grandmother’s first name?
oh... i suck. i don't remember. i remember meeting her when i was really young in the philippines. what i remember most was her rolling her own cigarettes and smoking it.

*** Unique Questions Section 6 ***
132. What airline did you last fly on?
hawaiian airlines

133. What airport were you last inside?
sfo

134. Where will you go after you get off the computer?
prolly starbucks to write and get ORGANIZED!

135. Who is the next person you will speak with?
my sister

136. What is your deepest darkest desire?
darkest... i'll leave that to me.

137. Do you think you’ll be remembered for years to come after you pass away?
not really. i'm just here.

138. Have you made your mark on the world?
working on it.

139. What street did your maternal grandmother live on when you were a child?
kumintang alaya

140. In one word, how was this survey?
LONG!

The quest for perfection

Normally, I would be ecstatic that an underdog won the superbowl. But, I'm finding it hard to believe that I'm sad that the Patriots lost. My favorite team in the world is the San Francisco 49ers! I've been a fan since 1982 when Joe Montana called Sprint Roll Right and instead of finding Freddie Soloman open, he threw a ball 9 ft into the air only to come down in the fingers of Dwight Clark. Right there began my relationship with my favorite sports team of all time. Through the Good and the current Bad, I'm a fan. Watching the Patriots play kinda reminds me of how the 49ers of old play. I guess in my warped sense of a parallel universe, the likeness of that 49ers manifests itself in the dominant Patriot team of this 2007 season. Perfect west coast offense. Amazing use of every player on the offense. Dink the ball here. Dink the ball there. And methodically move the ball down field to win the American Football World Championship, which they did with 2:24 left to play in the game. What I didn't count on was for the Giants to do exactly the same thing.

What even surprised me was that I wanted a blow out! 42-14 was my predicted score. Not even close. But if they did win by that margin, it would have validated that a team still had that killer instinct to prepare for the ultimate game to the point that no matter what team was in front of them, they would have played to Perfection. That's what I miss with the 49ers - much the same way they won the Superbowls against the Broncos and the Chargers. Total domination. *sigh*

Oh well... this is a blog entry out of left field, but something that rattled around that needed to get out.

Welcome Baby Diorel!

After 9 months of waiting, Diorel Ahmed Yusuf David is here! Congrats to LeRoid and Fatima on the family expansion :) thanks to Yasmin and Diorel's Auntie xLe for sending the cute pict!

A long survey

From DMega7:

Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
nope. don't even know where she is anymore.

What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?
beer at 19 or 20. i'm a late bloomer to that, but i got hecka faded.

What was your FIRST job?
selling fruit and vegetables for my neighbor, Mr. Trevenia, at the Ft. Ord PX.

What was your FIRST car?
1977 Ford Thunderbird

Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
My Sonora Brother :)

Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
my Dad. I was watching a movie about a father/son relationship, and yeah...

Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
sorry... don't have a memory like SOME PEOPLE! hehe.

Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
i guess it'd have to be on a plane to the PI, but I don't remember it.

Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them?
it was this kid named Aaron, or something like that, cuz we had the same birthday in elementary school in Washington

Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
my sister

Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
my ex's sister's wedding. the groom was a hell of a great guy. Ernie was his name. Sadly they're not together anymore, but that's life.

What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
watch a free movie on the sundance channel. i've been watching A LOT of indies lately. and getting inspired.

What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
I'd say Janet on the Velvet Rope tour at Arco. Me and my friends slept in the Wherehouse's (sorry i don't know how to spell it) parking lot. And I remember having to pee behind a dumpster in the middle of the night and it was fricken 20 degrees outside. great concert!

FIRST tattoo and piercing?
no tattoos... yet.

FIRST foreign country you went to?
guam. my dad was stationed there.

First movie you remember seeing in the theater?
i remember seeing King Kong at a Drive-In... but since that's not considered "in" then maybe Empire Strikes Back.

When was your FIRST detention?
4th grade for some unknown reason.

What was the FIRST state you lived in?
California since I was born here

Who was the FIRST person to really break your heart?
Jennifer O'Hara!

Who was your FIRST roommate?
My Cousin, Jesse

Who will be the FIRST to repost this?
eh...

back-to-back
———————————————————-

If your doctor told you TODAY that you were pregnant, what would you say?
THANK GOD! Now my mom can STOP BOTHERING ME!!!

Do you trust all of your friends?
No. However, I trust the friends whom I consider my Family.

Would you move to another state or country to be with the one you love?
yes

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?
yes!

Can you make a dollar in change right now?
yuppers

Which one of your friends do you think would make the best teacher?
all of em... well, most of them :)

Are you afraid of falling in love?
NO. Can't wait... but not forcing anything.

Is there someone who pops into your mind at random times?
everybody, and every thing, pops randomly in my mind!

Whats your most favorite scar?
my left elbow caused by me sliding into home plate during kickball in the 4th grade! oh... it was on concrete!

When was the last time you flew in a plane?
to hawaii... but will be on another one on FRIDAY!

What did the last text message you sent say?
Pls tel Fatima dat I said Congrats 2!

Fill in the blank.
I love: life.

What is a goal you would like to accomplish in the near future?
write another short play to produce.

If you were to wake up from being in a coma for an extended time who would you call?
my mom

How many kids do you want to have?
3

Would you make a good parent?
heck yeah!

Where was your default picture taken?
at my elk grove casa

Whats your middle name?
Almero.

Honestly, whats on your mind right now?
wonder what's on the sundance channel now.

If you could go back in time and change something, what would it be?
i would have fought to keep Michelle, but hey. things happen for a reason and at that specific moment in time, i needed to go on my own journey in life.

Who was or will be the maid of honor/ best man in your wedding?
thought about it a long time before...

What are you wearing right now?
hoodie, jeans, socks

Righty or Lefty?
righty.

Best place to eat?
indoors

Favorite jeans?
my GAP jeans

Favorite animal?
DOGS!

Favorite juice?
orange

Have you had the chicken pox?
yup.

Have you had a sore throat?
2 weeks ago, but i'm MUCH better now :)

Ever had a bar fight?
no

Who knows you the best?
Michelle. even though we haven't even talked in maybe 2 years, she still does.

Shoe size?
10

Do you wear contact lenses or glasses?
nope... but definitely need to get them checked.

Ever been in a fight with your pet?
:( don't have one.

Been to Mexico?
nope.

Did you buy something today?
yes.

Did you get sick today?
nope.

Do you miss someone today?
always

Did you get in a fight with someone today?
uh-uh.

When is the last time you had a massage?
don't remember

Last person to lay in your bed:
me

Last person to see you cry?
maybe lyn. very unexpectedly too.

Who last made you cry?
a movie called, "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints"

What was the last TV show you watched?
ufc 81 on ppv

What are your plans for the weekend?
superbowl weekend!!!! maybe do a couple of visits.

Who do you think will repost this?
eh...

Who was the last person you hung out with?
prolly lyn.

The Letter W

I was driving into work listening to our local sports radio station, KNBR, with Gary Radnich and they were talking about Chris Webber coming back and possibly playing tonight with the Warriors. Then I started to think about the Warriors nickname, The Dubs. Then I started to think about, where did the letter W get that name – double-U? In cursive, the W would look like Two U’s joined together, hence, double-U. But then I went through the alphabet and pronounce each letter as how it is called AND used. For instance, A – Ah, B – Ba, C – Ca (but sometimes it could be S as in receive), and so on…. Until I came to the letter, W. Shouldn’t it be – Wouble-U? When have you ever heard the W word start off with at Duh sound? What isn’t pronounced, Duht?... but maybe it could and be a new language… hmmm.