The Trips is Better than the Destination

I woke up today feeling a big groggy, lazy, sleepy and cold. I would've given anything to just be able to stay in bed for a few more hours. Then again, that's me pretty much every morning! But what's not always the same is what happens after I've showered, had a little breakfast and left my house. When I'm in my car, driving to work, there are mornings where I still feel pretty damn sleepy and feel like turning that damn car around and just go back home. Today though, for whatever reason, wasn't really one of those mornings. Well ok...I would have still loved to turn the car and go back home. lol But what I mean was that I was actually feeling a bit more awake and engergized for some reason.

It was raining a bit this morning and was pretty damn cold and grey outside. I'm still feeling like a sore throat is coming on, but so far it hasn't hit full force so I'm doing my best to fight it off. But despite all that, there I was in my car, heater on, driving to work. I popped in my Lady Gaga "The Fame" and really got into the music. I was in a good mood, relaxed, travelling down the busy morning traffic and nothing was getting to me. For a few brief moments I almost forgot where this
nice feeling trip was taking me to. It was one of those times when the trip itself was way better than the destination, know what I mean? :) And now here I am, starting the brand new day at work. To which I say, "Grrrrrrrrr!"

"Christmas Really Sucks" by Jay Brannan

'Tis the season for some good ol' fashion holiday blues...

Jay Brannan, one of my favorite singer/songwriters and all around funny and cool guy, put up a little youtube video of a holiday themed song. Just thought I'd share it. Yeah it's a bit of a sad one but hey, not all Xmas songs can be all jingly bells and snowmen!



Christmas Really Sucks
music and lyrics by Jay Brannan

it's cold, but light outside
another sleepless night
and santa never made it

it's just another day
at least it feels that way
it's christmas, and i hate it

the streets are empty
and so am i
to "merry christmas" i reply

don't put your trust
in happily ever after
fall if you must
for simple things like laughter
you said you'd always be here
but then you had to go
well, christmas really sucks this year
thought you should know

i'm craving pancakes
so much my stomach aches
but there is nothing open

you're on the telephone
sounds like you're not alone
it's been so long since we've spoken

has your day been merry?
cuz mine's been blue
hey, can i stay in love with you?

don't put your trust
in happily ever after
fall if you must
for simple things like laughter
you said you'd always be here
but then you had to go
well, christmas really sucks this year
thought you should know
© 2008 great depression publishing

For more of his videos, visit his youtube page, youtube.com/jaybrannan

What is this???

Can somebody help answer something that's been bugging me for quite a while now?
What the hell is that thing for, in the picture below?

And no I don't mean the bottles of sauces. lol I'm taking about that metallic, standing thing with the white plastic upside down Y shaped thing sticking down from it. I see them often near the beverage sections at certain restaurants...but as much as I try to figure it out, I can never get what the hell it's for. I'm probably just being totally clueless here and I should know this...but then again, who knows, maybe I'm not alone on this one!? LOL First person to fill me in get's a cookie! lol

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Trailer)

Seen the new X-Men Origins: WOLVERINE trailer yet? If not, check it out!

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE HD


I'm also really excited to see another X-Men character I've always enjoyed, Gambit, coming to live action! :) Check him out...

The Face to Face Shuffle

A few posts back, I was wondering if there was a name for that feeling you get when you learn about somethign for the first time and then you suddenly feel as if you see or hear about it over and over. I was surprised, and very grateful, that I actually received an answer! It was the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon (thanks to superlative's comment)! Though, I doubt I'll be able to remember it if I'm ever asked to name it on the spot. lol

Anyhow, with that in mind, I was wondering if there's a name for another little thing that happens to me often. I'll call it the "Face to Face Shuffle" for now. lol You know...when you're walking in on direction and someone is coming toward you, then when you both are face to face you move to one side, they move to that same side, so then you move to the other side, then they do it also, until finally one person stops moving and the other is able to go around. It's like a little dance! These awkward yet kinda funny moments happen quite too often here in my office. So makes me wonder if there's an official term for these incidents. :)

Rainy Monday Morning

It's almost 6:30 AM right now, on this Monday morning. I'm at J's house, I spent the night here last night. I woke up this morning to the sound of rain outside his window, but I was so comfy snuggled up in the warm bed. I don't always get to wake up at his side each day, so when I do it's a nice treat. With this looming feeling of having to return to work this morning, plus the comfortable warm bed, plus the cold wet weather outside...I just really didn't want to get up! hehe Would've loved to spend the day just snuggled up in bed. But duty calls I guess. Damn work...always gotta ruin a perfectly good feeling.

Random Hottie

To the random hottie that I spotted today at the gym, out by the weight machines, wearing a black workout T with some super short, body tight red & black striped trunks...kudos to you! Kudos guy, for rockin' those tight workout trunks and not giving a damn! ;)

Funny Bumper Sticker

Leaving the gym today, as I was walking in the parking lot, I spotted this big pickup truck that had a bumber sticker that just made me smile. It said:

"YES, THIS IS MY TRUCK.
NO, I WON'T HELP YOU MOVE."

Last Night's HEROES: Does it Tingle?

It's no secret that I love HEROES. Despite some complaints people may have had about the show, and the rise and fall in the ratings, I've been a fan through it all. From the very first preview I ever saw for it, I knew then that this was going to be my show to watch! :) Needless to say, I loved last night's episode. So as I sometimes like to do, here are a few of my thoughts & comments. Please forgive any typos and my random jumping around on topics...I don't exactly plan these things out neatly. lol

If you're not caught up to last night's Heroes episode, then don't read on after the picture of Elle below! I'm warning ya...spoilers to be found through the rest of the post...

****SPOILERS BELOW****

First off, I just have to say...I'm gonna miss our favorite little shocker girl! I guess any and all doubts that may have been left after last week's episode, about whether or not Sylar really killed Elle or if something else was going to happen
to save her at the last minute...those are all thrown out now. Poor little Elle is really dead. And not just dead...burned to a crisp! :( There was a lot of outrage from many of the fans from what I read online, some saying they aren't going to watch the show anymore. But I ask you, were those the true fans to begin with then? LOL I'll miss having her on but if the trade off is having big bad Sylar back again, then I'm game! I love having the Sylar that we knew and feared finally coming back! As Sylar was burning Elle's body, and we got that closeup of the fire reflected in his eyes...I loved that shot. To me part of it showed some sadness he felt in what he had to do, but also that fire in his eyes kinda showed how he's been ignited again...Sylar is back!

I was one of those that felt that Elle might still be alive. We never saw him fully kill her last week. Oh and by the way, is it just me or did it seem like she never tried to fight back? She didn't try to at least throw him back using her electricity did she? I'm not sure. Either way, I was hoping she'd get out of that situation somehow. I guess because of that whole future episode earlier in the season when Sylar had a son, I figured it would be Elle's because of their little romantic interest. And from what I read on Greg Beeman's Heroe's blog, one of the people that works on the show, I was probably right. He said, "Tim Kring and Kristen had explored keeping her around longer – and I know Kristen wanted to come back. There were potential storylines about pregnancies and babies…. But the truth is she has a very busy career with a lot of feature films, pilots and much else in the works. We had no official contract with her – and she couldn’t commit to exactly when she could return. And so it was decided that this would be the most exciting way to end her character. She will be missed."

Of course, on Heroes, with a few time travellers in the bunch, no character ever truly stays dead. :) So who knows, she may make a cameo or two later on.

Before I forget, something I was discussing with a friend recently...I love the music they use for some of the characters. Such as those creepy snake sounds they play in the music for some of Mohinder's scenes, and especially the random tic-tocs of the clocks that play for some of Sylar's scenes, particularly when he's killing someone. If you've never noticed those themes, pay attention and you'll catch them, such as in the scene when Sylar kills the lie detecting birthday girl.

I love that "Cake?" line Sylar delivers when the other office people walk in on him killing the birthday girl. And then the way he tests his power on that elevator guy. Sylar is morbidly funny...I love that. lol

So let's see, what else did I have to say about this episode. Oh yeah, Mr. Petrelli! Looks like "our father" is finally dead. For real this time. At least it seems that way...cuz he did do some weird glowing vaporizing thing after he was shot. Maybe his soul transferred to someone else? Nah. Maybe some remnants of the conduit? Or perhaps it was all the powers he'd stolen from people before...being returned to their rightul owners? If that's the case, poor Maya is in for another disappointment, but super Peter will be back. Your thoughts on that thing that came out of Mr. Petrelli? You think it was just a cool random death scene effect or was there more to it?

And here's a little something to ponder. Peter shot his father...as in he pulled the trigger. The bullet flew out, just inches from his father's head, only to be temporarily stopped by Sylar. But then Sylar tell's Peter that he's not a killer, and decides to let the bullet go so that he (Sylar) kills Petrelli. But since it was Peter who shot the bullet to begin with...who REALLY killed him? Had Sylar not been there, the bullet would've shot him anyway. :)

And poor Hiro, trapped in time again, but this time without any powers! Maybe this is why Ando ends up getting his powers, if that really was Ando we saw killing Hiro. Or is that a future that's not gonna happen anymore? I get lost sometimes. lol

The next volume of the series is going to be called "Fugitives." I didn't know who or what the fugitives would be running from, or exactly who the fugitives would be. But hmm....maybe it's this super army that become the hunters and the good guys become the fugitives that have to run because they are outnumbered? How cool would it be to see a big fight somewhere down the series, all the good guys vs all the bad guys, fighting it all out! Can't wait!

**** END OF SPOILERS ****

Why...

Why is it that when you're just looking around in a store and want to be left alone, you get store employee after store employee asking you "Are you finding everything ok?" or "Do you need any help?" But then when you really do need help, there's not a damn employee anythere in sight?

ShamWOW!

Have you seen these commercials on TV, for the ShamWOW!?



Now, before you start thinking I've gone and sold out my oh-so-popular blog in hopes of making millions, that's not the case. Hell, if I could I would! LOL But the only reason I bring this product up is because usually when I see things on TV, things you'd then end up seeing at the stores on the "As Seen on TV" sections...I can't help but always be skeptical. The video above makes this towel look amazing! It can apparently pick up water from a carpet and even soak up a whole bowl. I could've so used this not long ago when I knocked over a glass of water on my bedroom carpet! lol

This past Saturday, we were walking around at the Block at Orange, after having done some shopping and seeing a movie (Cadillac Records...cool movie btw). Anyhow, there was a little booth set up where a guy was selling the ShamWow and doing demonstrations, the same ones the guy does in the TV spots. Wouldn't ya know...the damn thing actually works! Or at least it looked like it did. hehe I mean, I was standing right there and it really did soak up all that water. LOL But who knows...part of me still can't help but be a bit skeptical. lol

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Dec 8th

It's Monday morning, December 8th, 2008, approximately 8:30 AM. I've been up just over 2 hours so far and already I have for today...
The Good: I had a nearly empty gas tank this morning and had to go fill up. My total? It came out to about $18.50! Now those are numbers I can live with! It wasn't not that long ago that I was doing nearly $40 at times! Fortunately my car gets pretty good mileage and I don't drive crazy distances so a full tank tends to last. Hopefully the low gas prices stick around for a long while.

The Bad: The damn restroom at my job had the "Closed for Cleaning" sign up again this morning! Last week, they had that sign up all day on Thursday because they were doing some repairs to the sinks. The reason I hate this is because all the other floors that have a restroom use a key! So I'd have to stand around and wait for someone to walk in or out of the other restrooms! Our floor's restroom uses a number code so I never have to use a key. And well, sometimes when you have to go...you HAVE TO GO! Last thing you want to do is stand around in front of a restroom, grabbing at your junk, jumping around like you used to when you were five years old and couldn't hold it anymore! lol So rather than deal with all that I just went all the way downstairs to one of the restaurants and used their back entrance which leads to the restrooms. hehe Hopefully whatever work they are doing today gets done quick.

The Ugly: That bitch on the road this morning! (Pardon my moderate cursing.) I am a very patient person with regards to many things, but when it comes to driving people just really push my buttons! I don't get why so many people seem to be in a big rush to get places! I was turning at an intersection this morning and after I had already turned, about midway down the block, I merged to my right lane. At about the same time, Mrs. Bitch comes racing down the same turning route I had just gone through and then stops just behind me and starts waving her hands in the air in that angry mode that I could see from my rearview mirror. Seriously!? What is your problem? Oh I'm so sorry that I decided to merge into an empty lane, where no cars were behind it, seconds before you decide to come racing around the corner. Slow down bitch! Ok sorry...just had to let that out. I'm ok now.

Have a nice week! :)

Franco

James Franco.

Hmmm...I didn't really have anything to say here. LOL Just saw this picture online and well...just look at him! hehe

A Weekend Sort of Life

Every day should feel like a weekend day, don't you think? Being able to wake up whenever your body tells you it's ready to wake up...not when the damn annoying "beep, BEep, BEEp, BEEEEP!" of the alarm clock goes off. Knowing that the day ahead brings whatever your heart desires. Want to go shopping, take a little road trip, have lunch with friends, catch the latest movie, take a nap at the park...go right ahead! Nothing's stopping you! The day is yours! It ends whenever you want it to end. Feel like staying up late into the morning hours...go right ahead, after all...you don't have to be anywhere the next day!

Ahhh...how sweet it would be if EVERY single day was like that. I love weekends. Who doesn't, right? Well, unless you're some kind of super workaholic that gets his kicks from working. But that's not me! No sir...I love my free time more than anything! lol Some may call it being lazy, but I call it jus wanting to enjoy life! I don't have to go climb a mountain, dive to the bottom of the oceans, parachute off a plane or jump off Niagara Falls in a barrell (do people even do that? lol)....nope, don't have to do any of that. I'm perfectly happy just living a simple life, having fun in my simple ways, being with my loved one, my family, my friends and everyone I care about. Doesn't matter what we do, as long as I just get to live life with those that mean most to me. There have been many times where I'll be sitting at my desk at work, thinking back to my weekend, and I'll think of the simplest random moments...like just sitting in my bed reading a magazine, while J sits over at my computer checking some emails, both of us just having some random conversation. Simple moments like that end up meaning a lot more when I look back on them.

Ahhhh, it'd be nice if every day could feel like a weekend. Just that feeling of freedom, relaxation...stressfree sorta life. But of course those moments don't come free. That magazine I was reading, that laptop he was using...everything costs money. So there we are, day in and day out, we work work work....so that we can pay the bills, put food on the table, and use whatever we may have left for a little bit of fun. It's the only thing that gets me through a work week sometimes. Just looking forward to a nice weekend ahead. :)

Don't mind me...it's almost 9:00 PM on this Sunday night. I just hate to see another weekend slowly come to an end....can't help but start thinking about what could be... lol

PROP 8: The Musical!

This has been making the rounds already, so some of you may have seen it. But if you haven't, check it out! It's quite funny yet also pretty damn catchy songs! lol

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Holiday Gadgets Wishlist

Ah, the holiday season is in full swing. For those of you that are fresh out of ideas on what to get me for Christmas, let me help you out. Because after all, that's the kind of person I am, always trying to help others. ;) I present to you, in no particular order, my wish list of the top 5 techno gifts I wouldn't mind seeing under my (non existing) Christmas tree this year!

A Tmobile G1 Google phone.
An iPod touch.
A new digital camera (with great resolution, HD pics/vid, lots of zoom and other hi-tech features)
A new HDTV to replace my old one.
A Playstation 3 (mainly because it's one of the best Blu-Ray players)

MILK

"My name is Harvey Milk, and I'm here to recruite you!" Those are the words oten spoken by Harvey Milk, an openly gay politician & activist in San Francisco, as he spoke to people back in the 1970's. The new film by Gus Van Sant, "Milk", is his story. Sean Penn stars as Milk, along with a great supporting cast (Emile Hirsh, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Victor Garber and others). I'm not revealing much by saying that this biopic, unfortunately, has a tragic ending. Milk was assassinated on November 27, 2008. This was 30 years ago to the date that this movie was released. The movie explores the life, the courage, the determination, the faith, the love...the man that was and forever will live on...Harvey Milk.

I must admit, despite being a gay man myself, I wasn't actually aware of who Milk really was. So this film really opened my eyes to the life of a person that I never really knew about. I've never been a big activist, never studied up too much on the gay movements and our histories. Which yeah, I know it's kinda bad of me. But I guess a movie like this means even more to someone like me that otherwise probably wouldn't have known more about this extraordinary person. Someone whose actions would affect my life, even if I didnt realize it. Seeing this movie reminded me so much of all the protests and community actions that have taken place in the recent weeks after prop 8 passed (the ban on gay marriages). It reminded me of how fortunate we are now, compared to the past, in that so many things have changed. We've gotten more equality...but not yet completely. We still have a ways to go, for us to finally be able to open up the eyes of those that refuse to accept us.

I'm not good at really doing a movie justice in my reviews. Especially when it's one that has such a historical and important topic as this film did. All I can say is that it really moved me. Seeing the scenes of all the people coming together to fight back, it gave me chills...a rush of pride, excitement and other feelings came over me. If that's what it felt like sitting in a theater watching recreations, I can only imagine what it must've felt like for people that were actually there. People that knew Milk personally or even just through his public appearances.

The movie was a mix of news footage (some seemed genuinely real, others probably slight recreations) along with regular movie footage. So I enjoyed the way it was put together, and I thought all the cast was great. I admit, it did take a bit of getting used to the crazy hairstyles and whatnot. hehe But that's the 70's for you!

The film, from what I read online, was only playing in 36 theaters here in the U.S., yet it managed to make the top 10 films of the weekend, at #10! It grossed over $1.9 million since it came out last Wednesday. Pretty damn impressive for a limited engagment film!

I loved how our theater was pretty much full of gay people. hehe I felt so at home. lol But of course this isn't just a movie for gay people...it's something that I feel everyone should see. Especially with all that's been going on lately.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

It's a sensational opening," Focus distribution topper Jack Foley said. "It's a record opening for a film opening in this many theaters, and there were lots of sellouts wherever it was playing."

The "Milk" debut represented the best per-venue average of any film opened with 30-40 engagements, Foley said. Its bow outpaced the December 2007 opening for "Atonement," which Focus unspooled with $784,145 from 32 playdates or a then-record $24,505 per engagement.

"Milk" pours into 60 theaters in 32 markets on Friday. Foley said he believes Focus' marketing campaign has dovetailed well with nationwide publicity over California's Proposition 8, the recently passed anti-gay marriage ballot initiative.

"Milk" will likely remain one of the awards season's most closely watched releases, with Sean Penn's performance in the title role generating early plaudits. James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch and Diego Luna are also featured in supporting roles.

For more information on the film, check out the official site at http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/milk/

Also, be sure to show your support for the film. Leave your name, age and state over at http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/milk/mosaic/supportMilk.php. I already did.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2008

Where does the (holiday) weekend go!? It just flew by too fast! But oh well, I had a VERY nice time over the Thanksgiving weekend, so I'm happy! hehe What exactly did I do, you ask? Well, let's reeeeeeewwwiiiinnnddddd...

I got off work early on Wednesday, at 1:00, so that was definitely a great way to start the holidays! We had planned to go see a movie, Australia, so we went to a gym that was near the theater, then had a nice meal at Rubio's. But then I found out that the movie wasn't playing at that theater! lol So we ended up just staying in that night. Normally we'd have gone to the Thanksgiving pre-party over at Circus (my local favorite gay latino club for you out-of-towners), but we wanted to save our energy and money for Saturday night, when we were going to a new gay night, Piel Canela, put together by a friend of mine.

Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, we went to the gym (yes, again) and just hung out together a while, until it was time for me to head back home to join my family for dinner at my uncle's house. I tend to get a bit...well...bored...when we head over to my uncle's. Only cause I pretty much just end up sitting on the couch watching a TV I have no control over, only getting up to eat. lol But hey, it's family, it's the holidays...gotta get into the spirit, right?

Friday morning I just cut my hair, gave my mom a ride to a store, and then headed back to Juan's to join him and his family for his sister's son's first birthday buffet! It was nice, he's the cutest little kid! He's my "nephew"! hehe So of course I had to get him a gift. I bought him a cute little "learning puppy" (a stuffed dog that he can press and it teaches him words and songs). After the buffet, in the evening we went to the gym again (had to burn off the turkey dinner and buffet plates!) and then at night just hit up a couple stores, to browse the leftover Black Friday stuff. We didn't buy anything though.

Saturday morning...guess where we went? Did you say the gym? Ding ding ding! lol You're right! By now it's probably looking like we're some hard core gym bunnies. But we're not, I swear. When we go together, we'll do about 30 mins of cardio (threadmill or other machines) and then about 30 mins of the weight machines (haven't gotten to the big boy's play area yet...the free weights). Nothing too strenous, but enough to keep us active and feeling healthier. It's been about 5 months now since I started going and I've definitely noticed an improvement in my overall physical and emotional shape. I feel better and it even helps boost self esteem. So gotta love that, right?

Anyhow, after that I headed back home 'cause Juan was going to visit me that night. Our original plans were to go to my friend's club party, but it unfortunatel had to be cancelled/postponed. We ended up going to another gay club in North Hollywood, club Cobra, along with a small group of friends. So it was nice, we had a nice time, I always love seeing my friends. Doesn't really matter where we go to be honest, just love being able to hang out with them.

So finally, it was Sunday morning. We slept in a bit that day, then headed out to the gym again. lol I'd never been to the gym for so many days in a row at an hour a day! Normally, since I go on my own after work, I only go for 30 mins or so. So by this point I was starting to finally feel burned out. (Today, Monday, is my recovery night...no gym. lol) After the gym, which was in the Hollywood area, we went to the Grove out on 3rd & Fairfax and had a nice filling lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, in honor of our seven year anniversary! Yep, we met seven years ago for the very first time, on December 1st of 2001! Seems like so much has happened since then! There've been tough times, as with any life...any relationship...but fortunately it's all worked out for the best and now I couldn't possibly be happier! Not a day goes by where I don't realize how fortunate I am to have found a person I can share my life with so intimately. It's like we were made for each other...all part of a master plan. hehe So we ate our dinner, and celebrated. Afterward we went to the movies and saw Milk...about the openly gay politician in San Francisco in the 1970's....a really great movie! I'll probably post a seperate entry on that.

We ended the night by just going to the Target in West Hollywood (I love seeing all the gay people/couples doing their shopping there). We bought some stuff we needed for the week, and then it was time for us to each go home.

So aside from the movies and the club, we didn't really go out too much this weekend. But I still had a great time! hehe

You've Got Porn!

I know I work at a laid back company when I get pornographic pictures in my official work inbox, and it's ok because it's work related! LOL A couple of our stores do sell porn, so every now and then I'll get emails from one particular vendor regarding some of their upcoming new releases, which often include stills from the films or just their DVD covers. lol As soon as I see the senders name, I always make sure nobody is around before I open it. Don't want to start giving the wrong idea if someone catches me opening them! And by the "wrong idea" I mean that I don't want people to think I'd be looking at naked women (since that company's titles are all straight videos). LOL

BOLT

If you know me pretty well, you'll know that I've always been a kid at heart. I still enjoy some milk with Quik, I still like to catch some Saturday morning cartoons (though they just aren't as good as they used to be, in my opinion), and I even still get excited over little free random toys in the cereals. LOL So it's no surprise that I still get excited to go see the newest Disney animated movies, such as this past weekend's "Bolt". I grew up watching them, over and over, as well as the animated tv shows (loved the "Disney Afternoon"!) and the classic Disney shorts featuring Mickey & the gang.

"Bolt", in a nutshell, is the story about a dog that stars in his own tv show as a super powered canine, but he doesn't realize it's all just a show. He thinks it's real and that he really does have superdog powers. So when his "human"...his owner, Penny...gets kidnapped on the show, he breaks out of his trailer and sets out to find her.

I'm not gonna say that the story was something amazing, moving or award worthy. It didn't make me "feel" too much like I did watching Wall-E. Damn lil robot nearly made me cry at some points. lol If I have to be honest, I thought Bolt was just a good story. Something nice that the kids and grown ups will enjoy. It was fun, often fast paced (especially the cool opening sequence), had some cute and funny characters and moments (my favorite was the trailer begging park scene). It probably won't get as much attention as I think it deserves due to the whole "Twilight" craziness going on....but if you get a chance, and you like good, fun animated movies, go check this one out. If you have a theater near you playing the 3D version, definitely see it there! They may charge an extra couple of bucks, but I really think it's worth it. The picture, with the 3D glasses on, is pretty crystal clear and looks amazing! And they don't overdo it with the "wow look at this hand popping out of the screen about to grab you" type of scenes. lol

If you see it, or saw it already, feel free to share your thoughts. :) There was a trailer for the new Ice Age movie (also in 3D) that was funny too, staring the little creature Scrat that's always in the teaser trailers. The other 3D trailers I saw were for Pixar's new flick, "Up" and for the movie "Coraline". They all looked great in 3D and I can't wait to check them out.

Oh, Canada!

Good news everyone! And by "good news" I mean "good news for me that you could probably care less about." And by "everyone" I mean the one or two people, aside from me, that might actually still read this blog. hehe Anyhow...turns out I'll be taking a trip to visit our neighbors...or should I say neighbours...up north, in the land o' hockey, Canada! :) I love traveling, as I'm sure most people do. But of course there's always the common money and time issues that get in the way. Actually, I had the time, just kinda needed to save up some money. hehe But because I have the sweetest bf ever...not to mention one that didn't want to wait much longer lol...he's getting me an early X-Mas gift...this trip to Vancouver, Canada. :)

We'll be visiting Vancouver, British Columbia, which is just north of Seattle, Washington, for a whole week! The good thing is that we're in the same time zone and the flight is relatively short, so we get more actual time there than if we were to travel to Europe or Australia or other places where you spend a good chunk of your trip on the plane and then trying to adjust to jet lag.

We literally booked the trip just last Thursday! So we'll be planning and planning for the next month. I know Canadian culture is similar to ours in many ways, so it should be easy to adjust. Just gotta plan out where we want to go and what we want to do. I've even been trying to hit up a few chat rooms from there for some tips on the gay scene, so we can have some fun night activities, but of course most of 'em just wanna hook up in those chats. lol Still, I did get a few tips already though.

If any of you that drop by have ever been there, hit me up! Would love to pick your brain for some ideas and hear about your experience. :)

R.I.P. Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton was always one of my favorite authors, if not THE favorite. As much as I loved Jurassic Park the movie, it was the books that truly captivated me. I still remember reading the Jurassic Park sequel novel, The Lost World, laying down on my stomach on my hard living room floor, not the most comfortable position, while my family talked around me and watched TV, yet I was so lost in the book that all of that just became invisible to me. I was in my own little world...one that only he could capture. So I was very sad to hear about his passing away today. :(


From Hollywood Reporter:

'Jurassic Park' author, 'ER' creator was 66

Michael Crichton -- whose books were made into films including "Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain" -- died Tuesday. He was 66.

The author died "after a courageous and private battle against cancer," according to his Web site. A statement on MichaelCrichton.net said Crichton died "unexpectedly" in Los Angeles.

Crichton was a brand-name author, known for his stories of disaster and systematic breakdown, such as the rampant microbe of "Andromeda" or dinosaurs running amok in "Jurassic Park," one of his many books that spawned major Hollywood movies.

Crichton also was a screenwriter and filmmaker, earning producing and writing credits for the film versions of many of his titles. He also created the NBC hospital drama "ER" in 1994.

In recent years, he was the rare writer to get on well with President Bush, perhaps because of his skepticism about global warming, which Crichton addressed in the 2004 novel "State of Favor." Crichton's views were strongly condemned by environmentalists, who alleged that he was hurting efforts to pass legislation to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide.

A new novel by Crichton had been tentatively scheduled to come next month, but publisher HarperCollins said the book was postponed indefinitely because of his illness.

An "in memoriam" posting on his Web site read, "While the world knew him as a great storyteller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us -- and entertained us all while doing so -- his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes. He did this with a wry sense of humor that those who were privileged to know him personally will never forget.

"Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand.

A private funeral service is expected.




"Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of JURASSIC PARK. He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the earth. In the early days, Michael had just sold the ANDROMEDA STRAIN to Robert Wise at Universal and I had recently signed on as a contract TV director there. My first assignment was to show Michael Crichton around the Universal lot. We became friends and professionally JURASSIC PARK, ER, and TWISTER followed. Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."
-Steven Spielberg

Congrats Obama!

Another election day has come and gone. Some questions/predictions have been answered, while a few still remain to be determined. Despite Prop 8 (which aims to ban California's gay marriages) looking more and more like it's going to pass...I've still gotta say...

There's a new hope & a new changes coming. And the fight, our fight for marriage equality, here in California...is far from over!

Halloweenie

I ask you... if a sexy vampire offers to give you a BJ...should you accept it? I mean, it's like a blood buffet for them "down there"! lol And on that note, if a zombie eats your brains, does that mean you've "given him head"?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

$FREE.99

Us humans, we are interesting creatures. I can't help but wonder why we do some of the things we do. And I'm not even talking about the crazy, horrible, unbelievable, insane and tragic things you hear about. I'm talking about the simpler things, such as the mini-mobs that flock to "free" promotions at restaurants.

Taco Bell had some "get a free Taco" promotion going on yesterday. It was connected to the baseball World Series I believe. Basically, they were offering one free taco per person as long as you're in line before 6pm. So of course, a bunch of people rush to Taco Bells and, not surprisingly, it even makes the ten o'clock news! 'Cause nothing is more newsworthy than people in line for free tacos, right? lol But what I really don't get is why people would want to deal with the crowds and waiting in line and all the commotion just for a simple free taco that normally probably will only set you back about a dollar! I get that part of it is probably just the excitement of it being connected to the big game and whatnot....but come on! I'd much rather drive over to another taco place, get a taco that tastes just as good, if not better, and fork over a dollar.

But hey, that's just me. Still, offer up a free pizza slice and I'll knock you and your momma out of the line to get to it! ;)

My "Thing"

It's kinda funny... I'll be at a store, and see some nice shoes I like. At any given time, I usually own just one decent pair of dressy shoes and one pair of sneakers (as well as an older pair for working out). But when I spot a pair of shoes I like, I'm usually turned off by the prices. "75 bucks!? WTF! Are you crazy!?" Ahhh...but then a few minutes later I can be at the enertainment store and spot some DVDs I want. Without even thinking much about it, I shell out several 20's for 'em. lol Just goes to show ya what an addiction can do. hehe I'll spend some good money on something I'll watch a few times then will lay dormant most of the time, whereas I get very picky on spending money on something I can use over and over, every day if I wanted. But hey, my collections make me happy for some reason. It's my "thing." LOL To each their own, right? What's your "thing" that you love to shop for, putting all other needs aside?

Deja Nouveau

Is there a word for when you learn something new, something you didn't know about before, and then all of a sudden you start to notice it all around you? It's always been there, around you, but it didn't stand out before. And so once you learned about that person, place or thing, you suddenly start to notice it all over and it feels like it's just popped into this world. You kind of get that feeling of "wow, this thing is suddenly all over the place!". In reality, it's always been there, but since you didn't know what it was, it just blended into the background and to your mind...your brain...it was pretty much invisible. You know what I mean?

I'm sure this is a common thing, as it happens to me so often. I just got curious if there was a word for this. Kind of like 'deja vu' is used to describe the feeling of having done/seen something before. If there's no official word to describe this, then I'll suggest "deja nouveau" ("already new") just because it sounds like it fits. :)

Remember Baby Jessica?

I have a pretty bad memory when it comes to my childhood. Hell, most of the time I can barely remember what I did just days ago! :) But there are a few things that I can always remember quite clearly. One of them was the rescue of little "Baby Jessica" from that Texas well. I remember watching the live coverage on TV, hoping that she'd be rescued and would be ok, and then being happy when they did get her out. So it's kind of wild to think that all this happened 21 years ago! I was just 7 years old at the time. Baby Jessica is now 22-year-old Jessica with a husband and baby of her own, from what I've read. Do you remember when all this happened too?

I know something similar happens in a Simpsons episode, where Bart falls down a well (though he's faking it) and the community gathers for his rescue. Wheter it was a direct reference, who knows...


"On this day in 1987, 18-month-old Jessica McClure was pulled from a well in MIdland, Texas, where she had been trapped for three days. People from all over the United States had been watching the rescue efforts on television, as 400 emergency workers and volunteers worked to extricate "Baby Jessica" from the 8-inch wide space, 22 feet below the surface. After her rescue, Jessica had several surgeries, and she was able to make a full recovery.


The story gained worldwide attention (leading to some criticism as a media circus), and later became the subject of a 1989 ABC TV movie, "Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure," starring Patty Duke and Beau Bridges. As presented in the movie, a vital part of the rescue was the use of the then relatively new technology of waterjet cutting."

Jay Watch: Quarantine

I saw the new horror movie, Quarantine, last night. Aside from the trailers, I hadn't really read much on it. I knew it was about some scary shit going on inside some apartment building in L.A., and people are apparently trapped inside it, not being let out. Overall it was a pretty cool movie, definitely something fun to go see during the scariest month of the year. It's all shot through the lens of a TV reporter's camera though...so if you're not into the whole shakey-cam look and feel of movies such as Blair With and Cloverfield, then this one might not be for you. My biggest surprise in the movie was the presence of one of my celeb-crushes...Mr. Jay Hernandez! He played Jake, a fireman who is called to the scene. Gotta love a man in uniform! :)

Is she for real?

I was driving to work this morning, stopped at a red light just around the corner from my building. To my right, on the sidewalk, I noticed this young blond girl, dressed in her dark pants and bright yellow top. On her left hand she was holding a capuccino, on her right hand she had her cell phone, pressed against her ear, yaking away about God knows what. She looked as if she was trying to cross the street. I was stopped at the red light and so her light was green. But she didn't move. Then the lights switch. My lanes get the green light so cars in both directions start to move, while her light is now red. And of course, that's when she decides to cross the street!!! And it wasn't like she was frantically rushing across because she noticed that the light was red, nor did she ever try to back up and return to the sidewalk. Nope, she just casually strolled across the pedestrian lane as if she didn't have a care in the world. Cars speeding by in front of her had to stop and she looked like she never even noticed! She never looked at the cars to make sure they were stopping. Did she really not notice that she was pretty much in the crossfire? Was her drink that intoxicating or her conversation that provoking that everything else around her just became a total blank? And she wasn't some little kid or some old lady...she was a young woman, probably in her 20's. I was just shocked at this. lol It was like something out of the movies...where someone just crosses across a street completely oblivious to all the speeding cars around them and makes it through without a scratch!

HEROES: Villains (Ep 1 & 2)

It's 11:02 as I start to write this. I just finished watching the third season premiere of Heroes. Finally! It'd been way too long since the last episode, which I believe was over 9 months ago! So I was definitely excited to watch two new hours tonight. Even the one hour premiere party/special that aired before was fun to watch. If you haven't seen the new episodes yet and want no spoilers, then definitely stop reading now. These are just my quick reactions right after the episode. I'll probably forget to mention some things, but feel free to comment and add your own inputs.



****SPOILERS BELOW****

Where do I begin? I guess I could start by saying that I really loved the episode. Then again, when haven't I? Despite some negative things that some people may have said about the last season, I still enjoyed that one. But so far, I think this season's already off to a great start. In just the first two hours they've already answered some of the "questions" as well as brought about so many new and exciting possibilities and futures.

We finally know the answer to the big question that was posed at the end of season 2. Who was that mysterious man in the cap that shot Nathan at the press conference? I would've put my money down on Noah Bennett. But then again, that seemed like the easy answer. I'm never good at guessing these things. hehe But I figured there'd have to be some sort of twist. The three people I never would've guessed were the three men up at the podium (Peter, Nathan and Matt). Ah, but then again I didn't think about the whole "futures" people. Scar-face Peter travels back in time to stop Nathan from revealing his...THEIR...secrets to the world, in hopes of changing the future for the better. But as with any tweaks in time, there are always consequences, changes, different outcomes and new futures set in motion. That dream-vision that Angela Petrelli has, in which the Heroes are all scattered, dead, and then poor Claire loses her head. Damn!

Which brings us to another big answer. Finally we know Angela's power! Then again, I know the hints were always there. Peter had to have gotten his dream-visions from somebody, after all. For some reason though, I don't think that's the only power Angela has. I still think she's keeping something back, maybe something bigger? Hmmmm.


And speaking of bigger, let's go to everybody's favorite smarty-pants, Mohinder Suresh. Have I not been paying that close attention before? Was he always that...beefcakey!? lol Or was it all a part of the Maya-power-juice he injected himself with? Did they make him literally bulk up and become muscle-man instantly? And what was with his milk cravings. I guess milk really does a body good, or at least Mohinder's! But if the fine print in that injection included "may cause sudden gruesome skin infections and peeling"....hmmm....I think I'd have to pass.

What was up with Nicky...or wait, was it Jessica? Actually, I think this ice princess may be someone new after all. Tracy Strauss, she called herself. And her power was definitely not one Nicky or Jessica had before. Exactly how many Nicky doppelgangers are there? I guess we'll have to wait to find that out.

I think my favorite little funny scene was when Parkman was talking to the tortoise. At first I figured there was someone standing above him. But then the tortoise kept "talking" so I thought...hmmmm....maybe his power has gone to the next level and he can communicate with the animal kingdom now! That would actually be pretty damn cool! But nope, my first thought was right. There was that mysterious African man, who apparently works for Sprint's outsourcing department, too. LOL

And what would Heroes be without the further adventures of Hiro! I know some people didn't care for his ancient Japan adventures, but his new ones with his speedster "nemesis" are already looking like a lot more fun. And now he's got the financial backings to help him on his journeys, such as his little GPS gizmo. He's like Batman and Ando is his Robin, which was actually made pretty clear in the episode. lol

Finally, there's the whole Level 5 deal, where they keep the best of the best worst. Sylar finally got what he's been wanting from the cheerleader for so long! (And no Mrs. Bennett, it wasn't what you think!) And while helping himself to some Claire knowledge, he grabbed some revealing documents from Noah's office. That scene when Claire was trapped in the closet and Sylar was just outside the door reminded me a lot of the original Halloween. I almost expected Sylar to bust his hand through the door. Oh and when he is checking out Claire's brain, she asks him "Are you gonna eat my brain?"...a question that we've been wondering so long. I loved Sylar's answer, "That's disgusting." lol And then off to Level 5 he goes, kills Elle's dad, but ultimately ends up being captured after being shocked unconscious by Elle. Unfortunately, that same little electrical outburst ends up freeing twelve of the worst superpowered people from Level 5. The dirty dozen are now on the loose, and it's up to Noah to stop them. But is he gonna let Claire join him? She apparently feels no pain anymore and can't die, so what's the worse that can happen....right? Father-Daughter quality time. It's the American way!

Quick side note....for Veronica Mars fans...as Elle was laying there beaten up and sees Jesse (actually Peter trapped inside Jesse...still not sure how Scar-face Peter pulled that one off)...but I almost expected to hear Elle say..."Weevil...is that you?" lol

I guess this ended up being more of a recap than a review. But how many more ways can I say how much I love the show, and especially the start of this new season! I wasn't disappointed one bit, and I really felt like the story is a lot more action and fast paced than ever. I love that! And it's cool that there are actually more villains out there, the dirty dozen as I was calling them earlier. I look forward to seeing how they hunt them down one by one, and what kinda damage the villains can bring to the Heroes.

Edit 9/23/08: Forgot to mention, regarding that online Create Your Hero voting contest where you get to pick your favorite new hero, who might then make his/her way onto the show...my vote went to the Peruvian soccer player, Santiago! With Isaac Mendez gone, we could use some more Latino heroics. As of now, he's got 65% of the votes, going up against French girl Audrey.


****SPOILERS ABOVE****

9/11 Seven Years Later

Today is September 17. It's been almost a week now since the 7 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I meant to write a little something last week, but didn't get time. It almost feels like it was so long ago, yet at the same time it's an event that is still constantly on many people's mind. An event that was unimaginable to many. I can still remember where I was, what I was doing and how I found out that day. Without even having to think back, I know that the date fell on a Tuesday. Tuesday is when new music usually gets released at the stores. At the time, I was still on Summer break from UCLA. Our break was about to end in a few days, since we usually went back to school in mid to late September, a bit later than other universities. On that day, one of my favorite bands, Ozomatli, was set to release a new album. Ironically, the CD was called "Embrace the Chaos". So I woke up excited that day, looking forward to getting the new CD. As I woke up, I turned on the TV. And that's when I saw it. All the chaos that was striking our country that day. That was the moment when so many things changed.

I can't really express the feelings that were going through me that day. Needless to say, I never left my house that day. The CD I wanted suddenly didn't seem important anymore. I did go out and get it later that week. Then a few days later I returned to the Fall quarter at UCLA. Life had to go on as normal, despite the fear and anxiety that was going on. Every plane that would fly over a bit too loudly would have me looking up. Everytime my bus drove between the tall Downtown L.A. buildings, I couldn't help but think back to the images on TV. It was all a new feeling. I was never one to be naive and believe that life in the U.S. is 100% safe from attacks. But I also never imagined I would witness something this tragic, albeit through images on TV. Still, it was a scary time. I can't imagine what it must've felt for the people in/around NY. Ground zero, especially. To know that it was their own city that faced the major impact of the attacks. I don't know how I would've coped with that. Would I have been as strong as so many people I saw in the news?

It's a bit strange to know that there are actually people that really don't know about 9/11. Little people. The kids that were still very young around that time. J, who's a teacher, was telling me about how many of his students had honestly never seen the images of what had happened that day. I guess it must be different, seeing something that happened either in the past or when you were to young to remember, compared to seeing something that happened in your lifetime and you remember that exact day.

So my heart goes out to all the people that were personally affected by this tragedy. I know that with time, many emotional wounds will heal, but of course the people and the heroes of that day will never be forgotten.

This Life, This World

I was reading up on some older entries from a friend's blog this morning. There was one post in particular that caught my attention and left me thinking. He was talking about the idea of a "perfect world." One in which there was no hurt, no suffering, no hopelesness. The idea of a world where the future was bright and things were nice and calm, everything in it's place.

This is what I responded:

I just read this specific post right now for the first time. Your descriptions about this "perfect world" really got me thinking about it and at first, my initial answer was just going to be "no thanks". As "perfect" as that would would seem, sometimes it's the tiny imperfections in the world, the random differences in people, the varied emotions we experience, the ups and downs, and the unexpected that really make a life worth living. Of course, with all those things will come a good part of the "good" variety but also the "bad." Nobody likes the bad, but that's just how it is. Not to get all Buffy-geeky now, but like she said, "The hardest thing in this world...is to live in it." So I'll rather have this imperfect world...and hope for the best.

Still...I can't help but wonder, what if I'd read this post at another time, like say...around 2005...a time when I was going through tough times? I probably would've wanted that "perfect" world in a heartbeat.

There have been at least two speicif points in my life where I almost felt like giving up. The first time I was feeling lost in life. Didn't know where I was headed. The second time I was feeling brokenhearted and didn't know how to cope. In both instances, being in this body, in this world, feeling what this heart and soul felt were just hurting so much. I felt lost, confused, scared, lonely and so much more. At those points...I think I would've asked for that perfect world. I would've wanted all these feelings to go away and in their place be given nothing but the best life had to offer. But that's just being greedy and lazy isn't it? To want the good things in life, to just expect them, and not work toward them. A good relationship, a nice job/career, great friends, loving family, happy life...all those things take lots of work. Day in and day out. We need to deal with life's everyday challenges, and do our best to learn and grow. The world will never be perfect, but we can do our best to make it as best as can be.

I feel like I've learned so much in the past several years. Not just about myself, but about other people. I have seen the good (and the bad) that there is in others. I've learned how to appreciate the good, and how to protect mysel from the bad. I've always tried to be the best person I can be, but even I can't be perfect. I'll have moments when I forget who I am, who I want to be, and may become a different person for a bit. A person I never want to be. I've seen it happen before. And I hope I don't become that person again. I've got plenty of love to give, to my family, my soul mate and my friends. That's one thing I feel brings that feeling of "perfectness" to the world. Love.

FRINGE

The first of the two big new shows I'm looking forward premiered last night, Fringe (the other being Dollhouse coming in early 2009). I think the first time I ever heard about this show, it kinda just surprised me. Joss Whedon, being the creator of my all time favorite show, Buffy, is someone I follow very closely. So from the very first instant any news about his new show Dollhouse started to appear, I was right there online reading it. J.J. Abrams I don't always tend to follow as closely, but I still really love his shows. Felicity, Alias and Lost are all from him and have been some of my favorite shows. So just knowing his name was behind Fringe, I knew I'd definitely be checking it out.

The first trailer that came out for the show looked pretty damn good. It didn't even feel like it was a trailer for a show! It looked like a movie! It felt intense...I was excited about it. So last night, I finally got to see the premiere. And I must say, I wasn't let down. :)

I don't like spoilers, and I don't plan to give any. So I'll just mention a few things I loved about the show. First up, the cast. There's Joshua Jackson. He was always my favorite Dawson's Creek'er. :) He plays a smart (and smart-alecky) guy, Peter Bishop, who's running from some troubles, but is brought back to help on a creepy case that his father might be able to help out on. It's nice to see him back on TV. I think he did a good job in this episode and am looking forward to seeing him more. The leading actress, Anna Torv, who plays the FBI agent, Olivia Dunham, I don't know much about, but she was also cool. So I love those two as the main characters. And the man who plays the dad, Dr. Walter Bishop, the scientist, was great as well. I was also surprised to see Kirk Acevedo, who played Miguel Alvarez on Oz. I'm not sure if he's gonna be a regular, but I hope he is. :)

The show itself would probably fall under the "Thriller-Mystery-Horror-SciFi-Drama" category. Which of course, are usually my favorite categories! lol So there are times when it's a lot of talking and mystery solving, and then there are others when it's fast paced action or scary moments. So a great mix. And of course there are a few funny lines thrown in through it all, especially by Jackson's character.

Oh and I haven't even mentioned what it's about. In case you don't know. Basically, Agent Dunham, Dr Bishop and his son work together to try to solve a mysterious case in which another agent has been infected with some type of virus or disease which is literally making his skin transparent...killing him slowly. This all falls under the category of "Fringe Science"...the strange mysterious scientific phenomena such as mind reading, reanimation, etc. There seems to be some big company that's behind all this. Hush hush, top secret of course. I guess the series will revolve around these mysterious events, trying to solve them and see whose behind them, and ultimately finding a way to stop them. Yeah, my description's not the best. lol But just to give you a general idea.

Although I really did like the show and will definitely continue to watch...I must say it didn't exactly blow me away. I didn't feel that initial excitement I first felt when I saw the Lost and Alias pilots. But nonetheless, I still enjoyed it very much. I also loved that they had limited commercials! For the most part it was just 60 or 90 second breaks! The two hour premiere took just 90 mins of air time. :) The only drawback is that I don't have TiVo so I can't pause it during those very short breaks when I needed to make a run to the kitchen or restroom. lol

Oh and I do have one little bone to pick. Some of the teasers for the show had "real life" people that had seen the pilot giving us their reactions. They focused those ads on a specific comment that several people had made regarding those "last two words" that they say at the end of the episode. So that really had my interest peaked to find out what they were! And yeah, they were pretty interesting...a nice way to end the episode. But they weren't really anything to get THAT excited over. lol Or maybe the little hype from the ads just had me expecting something way more major than what it really was? Sometimes I hate that in ads/marketing. Making me get all hyped up and then just giving me a bit less than I was anticipating. hehe

But no worries, I'll continue to watch. The season previews already look interesting. :)

It's so hard to say goodbye

I'm a very caring person. I'm friendly, considerate, well-mannered, sensitive and an all around nice guy. I always try to see the best in people, be a good friend, and do my best to be a good person.

Yet, for some reason, I tend to have trouble with goodbyes. They always seem so awkward to me. I don't look forward to when it's someone's last day at work, for example, or if it's my last day. I always feel awkward when I have to say goodbye to someone that's leaving. And if it's me leaving, sometimes I just feel like sneaking out and not being noticed. In fact, that's usually what I do at the end of each work day. I literally just leave. lol I don't know why. I'm not trying to be rude or anything. That's just how I am.

Is that weird? :)

Prison Break & 90210 Return

Wow, I'd almost forgotten what new TV episodes felt like! LOL Seems like so long ago since I enjoyed one. :)

Last night Prison Break returned for it's 4th season. They had a two hour season opener that pretty much reinvented the show. It's no longer about running and hiding...well, ok it still has some of that. But it's also about revenge now. Michael & company are finally starting to fight back, trying to bring down all the people that have had a part in making their lives a living hell. So what did I think of the episode? Well, as a fan of the show I definitel enjoyed it. I did feel that it kinda moved way fast and so many things happened already. And some pretty damn major things, too! But I guess they just wanted to get that all out of the way in order to set things up for the season, which I believe might be the last. The previews for the upcoming episodes look cool. So I can't wait. It may not be the best show in terms of stories, writing, etc. But it's a fun ride nonetheless.

And then tonight, 90210...the revamped 2008 edition...premiered, also with a two hour episode. Aside from the same zip code, high school and a few familiar faces...the show is pretty different from the original, yet kinda similar at the same time...if that makes any sense. lol I watched the episode but after the first hour and a half I was kinda getting distracted and went back online. I would NEVER do that for my other shows. hehe I'll have to wait and see if I continue watching this show. It's just one of those "guilty pleasure" type of shows that I really shouldn't care much about at my age, but I can't quite turn it off. The original will still live on in my heart as my favorite, of course. :)

I can't wait for my other returning favorites, as they come back one by one! :)

. . .

I was gonna write something that I think was supossed to be funny...

but now I can't remember what it was. LOL

Oh well.

Some of them Days

You know what's the only thing worse than when you're having a bad day..."one of them days"? How about when you're having more than one bad day? "Some of them days."

Last Friday, I'm out having a nice time at the club, then get to my car and take off a couple of flyers that were on it. And oh, what do I find? Yep, a little white envelope from the city of L.A., which a nice little $50 parking ticket! WTF!? Apparently it looks like it was a permit parking section??? I've parked on that same street many times...never had a problem. But then again, this time my usual side of the street was full, so I parked on the opposite side. I didn't really think to read the signs there, I just checked that it wasn't red or green or any other color on the curb. So perhaps it was my bad. I'll have to read it next time I'm there. So yeah, a ticket sucks. But I paid it and just going to forget about it now. Can't dwell now can we? At least I didn't get towed.

Then on Saturday I'm out having a nice lunch/dinner with J, when my cell phone screen starts to act up. At first it was flickering to a white screen, and then just completely died on me. The screen died...the rest of the phone was still working. I just couldn't read my texts or see who calls. I could only receive calls and make calls if I knew the number (or speed dial number). Long story short, I ended up borrowing one of J's old cells for now. I already sent my cell off to Samsung to get it fixed. Fortunately, it was still under warranty and I don't have to pay anything. Again, could've been worse but it wasn't.

And then there was today. After a long, dull day at work, I decide to drive straight to the gym. I get there, find parking quick (which is always a plus in the busy evening gym hours), and then head to the locker room. I change into my workout clothes, put everything inside the locker and then put my lock in place. And JUST as I had pressed on the lock to "lock" it, I immediately noticed that it felt different. I tried to reopen it, but it was stuck. The combination dial kept getting stuck. Upon closer observation, I noticed that it looked like it may have been tampered with. Part of the bottom looked a bit bent and the top a bit scratched. The only thing I could think of was that maybe it had been messed with at another gym? Someone trying to get into it but failing? Who knows. I just don't remember ever dropping it hard or banging it. In the end I had to ask one of the personal trainers to cut the lock for me. He then verified it was my stuff with my gym ID that was inside. At that point I didn't even feel like staying, so instead I just went to Target and bought a new lock (two actually...they came in a pair lol).

So yeah, hopefully that's the worse of the week. I want no more drama! lol These things are mild in comparison to some of the crazy stuff that goes on in this world...so I guess we just gotta see it as the glass being half full, sorta.

Edit: Ok, seriously! Did I suddenly become "random bad luck clumsy guy"!? Just a few minutes ago I knocked over a glass of water in my room! It broke into pieces of course, spilling water on my carpet. I soaked up as much as I could and picked out as many glass pieces as I could find. It's too late in the night now to be making too much noise, but tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna pass the vacuum to try and pick up any last pieces of glass. Grrrrr!

Isn't it ironic?

There's some graffiti on the wall of one of our work's restroom stalls. Next to the graffiti, somebody wrote "stop putting graffiti, it's dumb", with an arrow pointing to the original writing on the wall. Now, would Alanis Morissette consider this second writing ironic? Oh, the things I ponder while I'm sitting on the John! lol

Pigeon St.

So you're driving down a street, music playing, having a nice ride and minding your own business...when all of a sudden you see a pigeon (or group of pigeons) standing in the middle of the street just up ahead. Half a block away...the pigeons are still there. A quarter of a block away...yep, still there. You're getting closer and closer...in just a second or two you'll be right on them. At this point, what do you do? Do you slow down and give them time to fly off? Honk the horn to scare them away maybe? Or do you just keep going at your normal speed, telling yourself "They'll fly away just in the nick of time...they always do"?

Personally, I HAVE TO stop. Maybe it's the animal lover in me, or maybe it's that I don't like the thought of a living creature being squished and splattered all over the street because of me. I seriously believe that had I not stopped all those times, I would've run over a few pigeons by now. I'm not a fast driver, I don't like to speed, so I usually approach them at a decent speed. Still, they just stand there, pecking at the floor, not budging until the very last second. Crazy little feathered bastards! As I get closer and closer and see that they haven't moved...I literally get a nasty feeling in my stomach. You know...that feeling you get just before you hurl, after seeing something you find disgusting? Yep...I get that exact physical feeling in my stomach. It forces me to slow down. Anyone else ever get that? Or are most people just able to keep on driving, no regrets, and let the birds decide if they want to fly out in time?

Side note: this all reminds me of that Seinfeld episode, too. When some girl George was seeing was upset that he hit some pigeons with his car. George explains the incident by saying that he believes they have a deal. That pigeons are suppossed to move out of the way and in return we'll forgive them for pooing all over our statues. lol

I Could've Been...

There are times when I can't help but wonder if at some point in my young life I just stopped believing. I used to dream of being a teacher, an artist, an animator, a graphic designer, a computer programmer, a web developer, a photographer, a magazine writer and a few other random interests that came into my head at any given point. Some of them were mostly just dreams. I probably didn't have much (if any) experience or skills. Others were a bit more possible (such as teaching or art fields). I think my problem was that I could never really decide on one main thing I wanted to focus on. So all through college I just took many classes that interested me, got my degree and then just hit the working world. A regular ol' 40-hour-week office job. Sure, it's for a company that's in a field I was interested in. But the job itself didn't exactly turn out to be what I had in mind back when I used to think about my future jobs.

So I don't know. They say it's never too late to go back to school and whatnot. But honestly, I don't think I have it in me anymore. I can barely get enough energy to get myself to work! lol I don't want to have to worry about night classes and all that again. Maybe it makes me look lazy, but that's just me. I enjoy my off time. I love being with my family, friends, partner or just myself, taking in my hobbies. In the end, being able to do all those things is what really gets me through each working day.

I know I'm not exactly at retirement age yet, so anything can still happen. Who knows, next new job I get might end up being something I love and probably never imagined. (Cross your fingers!) Still, I just can't help but wonder if at some point I lost a step toward a promising creative/artistic type career that I'd always imagined. Maybe I should've gone to an arts college? There was a point where I was even looking at the brochures. But oh well, can't dwell too much on the past can we? I just gotta be grateful for what I do have now. And hopefully the future will offer a bit more. :)

Five Days of Summer Vacay

No matter how many days you might take for a vacation, it just never seems like it's enough, does it? The days just fly by and before you know it, that morning you dreaded has arrived, the one where you have to wake up early again, no more sleeping in, and head back to work. For me, that morning arrived today! Grrrrr.

I took three days off this week, to have a little 5 day extended weekend vacation. I wasn't planning to head out of the country again this time, like back in January, and definitely wasn't planning to have to serve on jury duty again. lol This time it was just to relax and enjoy a few days of the summer, work and worry free.

I got out of work early last Friday (part of our summertime schedule at work) and just hit the gym and packed up some stuff at night. At the time, we were planning to head out of town to either San Diego or the Santa Barbara area on Saturday. But due to Comic Con, San Diego hotels were probably too booked. And for some reason, so were the Santa Barbara ones. Maybe we should've planned it more sooner. hehe But oh well, instead we just took a drive down to a beach in northern San Diego and spent the day just relaxing, enjoying our Subway sandwiches for lunch on the sand. hehe We came back that same evening and the next day, Sunday, we just relaxed at J's house. Then on Monday we hit another beach, this time a bit closer to home, Seal Beach. Since it was Monday it wasn't too packed, so it was nice to have a pick of where we wanted to sit at the beach. The sun was nice and bright, the water was warm and the sand was soft. It was a nice beach, very relaxing, not too many people to get in your way. We relaxed a while, took in some sun and water, then took a walk on the pier and through the shops on the main street. The shops were kinda quiet though. Although we were only a few mins drive from J's house, it felt like we'd gone further away from the city. hehe So it was nice.

Come Tuesday, we just headed over to my house and spent some time there, after first experiencing the earthquake over at J's place while getting ready to leave to my house. He lives on a second floor condo so at first he thought it was me shaking the room by jumping, as I do sometimes. So he tells me, "Stop shaking the room!" And I just stare at him and say, "I'm not doing anything!" It then took a split second for us to realize what was going on, and we just kinda looked at each other. lol We just felt the room swaying back and forth, it wasn't rough or shakey...just felt almost like being on a ship. Nothing really fell there, but when I got back home later that day I found a bunch of my little toy figures I have in my room had tipped over. But no major damage. We hadn't felt a relatively big shake here in a while! So Tuesday night we spent at my house, just hit the gym, had dinner and watched some TV. Wednesday we then ran some errands (J's car got an oil change, hit the gym, hit Target, etc.) and at the end of the day chilled back at J's house. It was more of a normal day, but hey anything definitely beats working, especially when I'm with the one I love. :)

Overall, it was a five day weekend spent mostly in town, a lot of sleeping in, relaxing, having lunches and dinners, some gym time and beach time thrown in. And I loved every single minute of it! It took every bit of strength I had to get myself out of bed this morning. I wanted to sleep in so bad. I almost felt like calling in and saying I won't make it today. lol But I toughed it out. It's only one full day of work and part of tomorrow (I get off early). I can do it! Before I know it, another weekend will be here!

Batman For My Bday?

So who wants to be the sweet generous person to buy this for me? lol It's out on November 4th, just a few days before my birthday. Coincidence? I think not! And for what it's worth, the price below is just the SUGGESTED retail price. I'm sure it'll be a bit cheaper on the weeek it's released.

I'm just sayin'!

Night Job

I've noticed something over the past few years that I've been working at my current job. Being an entertainment related company, several of my co-workers are in bands, make movies, play instruments, sing, act, dance, etc. I see them posting flyers all over the office for their gigs, movie releases, art shows, etc. Now why don't I have a night job? So that I can then go to that night job and say how much my day job sucks and that my true passion is what I do after I clock out at 5. LOL Maybe it's time I dust off that old Casio Keyboard from the 80's that's been forever under my bed. ;)

Just Smell It!

Three random things that I usually like how they smell, but I don't like to drink/eat:

1. Coffee Drinks. In particular, those with a hint of vanilla, hazelnut or other similar type of scents. I usually do find the smell coming from a warm cup of coffee quite delightful. But I've never been a coffee drinker, not even the Starbucks variety cold/hot types. I'm more of a smoothie guy, or at least just a regular ol' cup of hot chocolate on a cold night. Still, at times I do wish I was into coffee, especially when I'm dozing off at work. lol

2. Menudo. And no I'm not talking about Ricky Martin's old band. I'm talking about that warm dish that is served in many Latino homes. Wikipedia describes it as "a traditional Mexican dish; a frequently spicy soup made with tripe. It is often thought of as a cure for a hangover, and is traditionally served on special occasions or with family." I've always liked the smell of Menudo in the morning, but I've never actually liked the dish itself. I'm more of a posole person! hehe (Side note: The smell from when the tripe is being cooked the night before....now THAT is a nasty one! lol)


3. Fried Chicken. I've passed by Popeyes Chicken before and found the aroma of greasy deep fried chicken emanating from their restaurants to be quite tempting. lol But I don't like fried chicken that much. I hate all that greasy gunk and that nasty feeling in my tummy after I eat that. I'd much rather just have flame grilled white chicken breast meat. :)

Lost . . .

Don't you just hate it when you lose something and you can't find it, so it ends up driving you crazy looking for it and wondering where the hell you could've left it? Earlier today I put something into my pocket, nothing really important, and then when I reached in to get it later I had lost it. So I was going around the house retracing all my steps in the last hour when I'd last seen it, but to no avail. So it drove me crazy just wondering where the hell it was! And of course, as always, I'll end up finding it when I'm not even looking for it anymore in the most random place! Uggh.

Cents and Sensibility

What goes up, must come down...right? Apparently that works with my bank account as well! lol The past couple of months I've kind of been spending a bit too much. Some things were necessary (paying bills and people I owe)...others were not fully necessary, but at least were good investments (the gym membership). Then there were some things that were from the kindness and generousity of my heart (several birthday presents). And finally, there were the stuff I really didn't NEED at all, but WANTED enough to not be able to resist (mostly my comics, music and DVDs). hehe But all in all, what good is working my ass off day in and day out if I can't indulge in a few pleasures, right? At least it's not drugs. lol Still, now that I got all those things done with I really need to try and focus on saving up a bit. My bank account's frightenly low! And pretty soon my car's lease is up so I either have to return it and get a new one, or try and see how much more I'd have to pay (if it's worth it). Then again I could always go back to the bus. I did it for many years and I know it'd save me money! BUT...I've gotten so used to my car and being self-relient and on my own schedule. I don't think I could go back. Hell, I don't even love driving much. I only do it when I have to. If I can avoid it, I will. lol The only good thing in all this...tomorrow is Pay Day! Woohoo!!!

Active Me - Week 3

Almost three weeks ago, on June 21st, the first day of summer, I began my new gym routine. I'd never been to a gym in my life...at all! Not even for a day trial or anything. So needless to say, I was in pretty bad physical shape. I knew I had to go, but like many other things I just kept putting it off. Finally, Juan came to me with a deal I couldn't resist. The price was right, so to speak. "Sign me up," I said.

Three weeks later, I've been going almost every day! I've only missed three days so far, usually because I didn't have time those days. But each other day that I do have time, I've gone. During the week I go bright and early in the mornings, and on weekends I just go at whatever time is convenient. Weekdays I don't get to work out as long as I'd like, but I try to get more done on the weekends. Overall, I've been enjoying it. I don't see it as a hassle like I thought I would. I've worked it into my routine, made it a part of my daily to-do's, right up there with eating, breathing and sleeping. hehe

It's still a bit early for me to see any physical changes in my body. But hopefully it happens! hehe To be honest, even if it didn't change too much, just getting some physical activity on a daily basis has helped me feel better. It's a great feeling. Actually, I did already lose a few lbs. Not a huge amount, but it's working at least. Maybe over time I'll try more of the other equipment, and maybe even hit some of the weights. I'm still a bit self-conscious about doing weights, because I seriously have no muscle and can barely lift anything. But that'll be later on, if I decide to try it out. For now I'm sticking to my cardio. :)

There He Was Just Walking Down The Street

Driving home yesterday evening, I saw a guy walking down the street. He was a young black guy, probably in his 20's, wearing tennis shoes, shorts, and a backpack...no tshirt...nicely toned body. So naturally I was doing a bit of rubbernecking. I'm human, after all. lol But as I got closer, I noticed they weren't shorts he was wearing. They were boxer briefs. lol Why he was walking around the streets in just his boxer briefs, I have no idea. But just another one of those little reasons I must say... I Love L.A.! LOL

No Money, Mo' Problems

Holy Crap! Why do I keep spending? LOL I just saw that my checking account is getting dangerously low. I've made some big payments and purchases in the past month or so that really took a toll, since it all happened at once. I always have my savings as back up but I don't like to dig into it unless I REALLY have to. But good thing is that I get paid this week, and early too since it's a holiday on Friday! Still, I really need to restrict my spending more...at least for a while.