March 2003

Saturday, March 29, 2003
Today for about 12 hours, give or a take, I helped Peter move from his huge dope ass house, to a smaller dope ass house. He doesn't have a lot of crap when you think about how huge original the house is. However, the stuff that he DOES have weighs a ton! Solid oak this, solid mahogany that…geez. And I don't think anything of what we moved had an ounce of particle board in it.

One of the dope things that came of helping out, was he let me borrow his 2001 Corvette for a couple of hours. See Corvette/Porsche shoot in photo gallery. I will admit to all, that I am not best person at driving stick. In all of my years driving, I've probably logged 15 hours behind of manual transmission cars. Among then a 1992 Acura Vigor, 1996 300ZX, and the 2001 Vette, where most of the time was logged in. Today I was able to practice a bunch of things, and it was awesome. My start offs and shifting are getting much smoother. However with 345HP under my right foot, merging onto the freeway was effortless and fun as hell. My next car WILL be a stick…and I can't wait. Criteria: stick, good power to weight, moonroof, kick ass suspension out of the box.

Recently discovered the 2004+ Subaru WRX, a car I had tossed out summarily because I was told it didn't come with a moonroof. It has the stigma of being a little wannabe Fast and Furious rally thing. It does get props for getting the job down at a great price AND having a moonroof. Good stuff.

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Thursday, March 27, 2003
Oh my ever loving God! Today was a kick ass day. For the longest time the idea of doing a hip hop dance class was going through my head. I made every excuse in the book not to go. Contrary to popular belief I can be really shy and don't like looking stupid ALL the time. Also contrary to popular belief dance at a club and doing routines or whatever are TWO different animals. The former I have tons of experience with, whereas the latter is quite, quite new. Back in high school waaaay back in the day, friends and I would get together after school and try to duplicate whatever the latest moves were.

My gym has a class and I heard good things from people who went. Add to that, I've been chatting with a friend about doing a class. After hearing so much about my plateauing in my working out, figured it was time to shut up and do the deed. And the class was BOMB! Something struck me by the end: a lot of the old moves circa 'the running man', Paula Abdul, MC Hammer, and break dancing are back. We even did The Roger Rabbit. My rabbit is a tad rusty….mwhaha! There were a bunch of news moves too, but watch enough dance videos, and you'd be ok.

The best part of the day, was at the end of the class, the teacher asked me where I danced at. That was funky dope. I dance at home! Haha! As I write this, I can tell that I am going to be EFFIN' sore come tomorrow! And I LOVE that. Me want more!

On a final note, there is NOTHING to watch on Thursday nights. While writing this Will and Grace was on in the background, and Debra Messing who plays Grace looks really weird. She has the body of a prepubescent girl. When did seeing one's entire rib cage become en vogue for grown women? I would wager that if she were naked you could see all the ribs. So nasty.

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Tuesday, March 26, 2003
Today I got the video back from the video I did with Madelena and James a few months back. And all I can say is wow! She looked amazing! Talk about breathtaking! And the director, hooked that shiznit up! I sat there in there living room looking at this piece of footage that could be on MTV or VH1, that WILL some day soon…with my mouth totally agape. I literally had NO words and damned lost it. I'm going to get it ported to a format that can be streamed from the Treehouse. Stay tuned.

On the way to their place, I was driving on Anapamu. The car windows were down, music was kicking, the sun was out, and it was a great day to live in Santa Barbara. When this couple was crossing the street (read that as jaywalking in the middle of the street); this tall bleached blonde looking chick and this tall balding middle aged guy who was the poster child for midlife crisis. They were getting into this 20 year old white Porsche 911. She was booking it and the guy LOOKED at me and starting walking slower across the street. And I'm like, WTF? I'm a good 20 feet away from them, and they were already half way across the street. Oh, but it gets better. I get to the stop sign, and look over and they had gotten into their car and came abreast of me. When the light turned green, he guns it, cuts me off and proceeds to do about 5MPH on Anapamu. Well I was doing 5MPH, and he may have been doing a couple MPH faster. He was gesturing in the car, she was waving her hand out the window…WTF?

Why? Can someone PLEASE tell me why? If I were booking it down the street, ok I would admit that I was in the wrong. But I wasn't speeding, doing about 20MPH; go any faster between the stop lights and your suspension and undercarriage will make you pay. Morons.

Oh yea, on a final note: today on the news they said that coalition forces are "concerned" about bringing order to Iraq, because at least 3 different Kurdish factions will probably be vying for territory as soon as Iraq is liberated. Sigh.

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Monday, March 24, 2003
I royally eff'd up on a final today. Really, really royally eff'd up. This quarter is not ending the way I had planned it. Both of my technology classes were completed successfully. I secured an internship which allows me to get my feet wet with web programming. And as for my regular academic classes…don't even want to think about it. Currently, I'll done 7/11/03 and that day won't come soon enough.

Tonight I went for a run, and I started getting a dull headache behind my right eyeball. Then I made a smoothie (bananas, peanut butter, ice, protein powder and a bit of vanilla extract; bad assness) and I don't know if it's a brain freeze or what, but my head is THROBBING! One of my chat buddies went through that yesterday. Bleh.

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Saturday, March 22, 2003
Today I went back to the gym for the first time after I jacked up my foot. Thought it prudent to do upper body and abs, rather stress out my foot. For awhile I could feel some pain, but then it got ok. The really interesting thing about today's workout was that I invited to a party in SD today, and guess who I should see across the gym hours before this party is supposed to happen? Gee it's a good I wasn't going after all. I was told the party started at 8, but the person invited me was at the gym at 5:30. Where the party was going to be would take at least 5 hours to get there. Feel me? I was supposed to be down there this weekend, but no

I came THIS close to shaving off my mustache and goatee. Literally clippers in hand, looking in the mirror and about to do it! To do it right, I'd need razor, lotion, etc. which I don't have. I usually use clippers which are pretty sharp, but for that smooth look, razor is best. Damned skinned is really sensitive though. I've had it for as long as I could remember. Back in high school, I'd be like "look, look, you can see something coming in!!" Pulease right! Haha! Think I will do it and soon. The worse that could happen is I hate it, and leave it alone for a couple of weeks and it'll grow back.

This is actually old news, but I'm going to mention it anyway: President Bush at Camp David while people are fighting and dying on his behalf. He's there under the pretense of not wanting to micromanage the war. And also to show that he won't be moved from his regular routine. Am I the only person who has a problem with this? You are the Commander in Chief of the US Armed forces, run you campaign from your headquarters from you office, not your damned living room of Camp David. Yea, yea, he can do everything from Camp David, as he could from the White House. All the American media is beating that death, whenever they mention he's at Camp David.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Today was a rather eventful day to say the least. First I went to my chiropractor to get my back adjusted. It's a beautiful thing when I leave because it's da bomb. Afterwards, I went to my internship, but couldn't focus worth crap. So I left early and went saw Tears of the Sun. That was a kick ass movie. Not because there were cool scenes of people blowing stuff up. Not at all. It showed how war is not clean and neat and there is nothing romantic about it.

After the movie, I came home to learn we were at war with Iraq. It has begun then.

Through other mediums I have objected to the process of how we got here. The "diplomatic" solutions had broken down. I contend the process that was in place was insufficient. Diplomatic relations were built collapse upon themselves and invariably lead to war. The war is intended to JUST oust Sadaam, yet there are hundreds of thousands of troop and billions of dollars committed to get this one man and his powerbase. Doesn't this sound familiar?

My problem with THIS war is thus: we are using an axe where a scalpel is more appropriate. The President and NATO have other means available to them for such things. Oh yea, we don't stuff like assassinate heads of state, send SEALS or other Special Forces to do any dirty work anymore. Bullshit.

On another site, I voiced my opinions about this war. I called it American Jihad, because President Bush, Baby Bush as I like to call him used God or some sort of Holy justification for our actions. Let's be real: we aren't going for Sadaam because he isn't Christian. We're going after him because he has committed atrocities against him people and will likely continue to do so. One of the fellows started giving me crap because I oppose this war. Calling me anti-war and a liberal. Why would anyone want war? Is caring about the wanton destruction of innocents and a country makes me a liberal so be it.

Click on the Damaged Link in my links section, in the upper right hand corner of this page and scroll to see you see the Bush picture. There are about 16 comments, that's where you can see all this.

He totally dismissed my point about this war being excessive for its goal. Being more intent on focusing on "liberal" views. I am not pro-death, but will concede that war is indeed necessary. He speaks of Tomahawk missiles "lighting up the night sky over Iraq", with no consideration to the people on the receiving end. With Sadaam reportedly placing military assets among civilian population, this is even a bigger issue. This same ass says that Bush is courageous to do what he's doing. What's to be courageous about? He's not personally doing any fighting.

This debate no doubt going on all over the country. There are those espousing patriotism and humanitarian aid. Then there are those who say the war is evil, and we should be concentrating on own issues, rather than trying to solve another nations' issues. May be I'm generalizing, but I hope this debate isn't going down like how that thread was. People attacking others personally because their political ideologies differ. I still maintain this war is being executed poorly. The path we got here was flawed, because our President and Commander in Chief is an ass, personally and politically. To Baby Bush I say: this isn't Texas. Bigger isn't necessarily better. To everyone who thinks its best to go in guns blazing and the rockets red glare, in the name of democracy and apple pie: grow up. I love this country, the WHOLE thing. Along with its atrocities against its own citizens.

The days of fighting wars conventionally are over. Gone are the days of WWII and Korea and even Vietnam. This war on terrorism is not going to be won by bombing our enemies into submission with smart bombs and sea launched Tomahawk missiles. Hopefully the American public will accept this reality when the blood starts to flow, because if Sadaam does not acquiesce soon a protracted conflict will cost many lives.

Sadaam needs to go. He and his ilk are evil and a waste of oxygen. Let's remedy that as soon as possible, with extreme predjudice.

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Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Today two things I came across disturbed me greatly. The first was as I was leaving my internship, an older woman (50s or 60s) was driving a truck, with a young girl in the passenger seat. The sight was unremarkable save for one thing: the old woman was smoking! WTF?! Fine if you want to eff with your lungs, but why drag an innocent with you for your own selfish reasons??

The other thing was about 5 minutes from home, this fellow was riding his motorcycle in the middle of the freeway, with a kid on his back. Both of them were just wearing helmet and jeans. Should they had spilled, both of them would have FUBAR (look it up). My original question stands: if you want to put yourself at risk, fine, but why drag a kid into such a dangerous situation. If you're gonna do it, why not at least get armour (leather, Kevlar, whatever) for the kid rather than have them doing 65 on the back of your bike in their jeans and sneakers.

As I write this, I am listening to Vas. They are kick ass. Peep them if you can.

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Sunday, March 16, 2003
Chores. That was Sunday is most of the time. Chores. Today was about a little laundry and shopping. A whole mess of grocery shopping. Think there's enough food to feed me for a month.

Afterwards I went to Kiwanis park for a run around sunset. The park closes at sunset so on the way I booked it to beat a ticket or worse yet, locked in. Did I mention that the sun is setting? Did I mention ambient light is consequently diminishing? And I'm running. Despite my best efforts to spot rocks, my foot hits on just so and my foot buckles under knee and does a complete 90 degree turn. As it hits and turns I hear a POP! And I'm thinking this is FUBAR! Not only may I be looking at a ticket, but my ankle is effed. Got back to the car and no ticket, but my ankle is freaking throbbing! Sucks to be me right now!

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Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Russian lesbian rocker chicks invade US pop culture, better known as T.A.T.U. I wonder if there is any connection, phonetically at least, to the little guy on Fantasy Island. Also have to wonder if they're popular because they make out during their performances? Well let's see their song has a catchy hook. Most of the words unintelligible, save for the hook. Oh, yea they rock the slutty catholic school girl look. Do I care that they're Russian or lesbian or rocker chicks for that matter? Nope. But come on people, making out on stage! Then again they get to live a fantasy, few can: making out in front of millions of people…haha! Does anyone know if that would fly overseas?

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Monday, March 10, 2003
There must be about 30 different reality shows on TV at the moment. You have your dating, surviving, celebrity crap and now recently the marriage crap. Why?! First off, why are these shows so damned popular? MTV has spun off all kinds of shows from the original Real World. One of their latest, Fraternity Life, is freaking hilarious!! Why? Because if you compare how the guys operate on that show and how the girls operate on Sorority Life, you would think that the guys are these civic minded, academic savants, striving to balance school and work. The girls? Well they're just catty, petty chicks who are more interested in looking cute, backstabbing and getting hot boys. Gee I wonder who is doing the editing on these shows? Lately my saddest/favorite show is Shipmates. A 3 day date…bleh!!

Check out my rant about reality shows.

Earlier I the day I had lunch with Alana. at Mimi's. Good impromptu lunch, that was groovy as usual. Think the line of the day was when I handed Alana flowers, and she asked what were they for. Couldn't believe I said this, but I replied out loud, "they're for last night, you were really good." Can I be anymore of an ass!! Haha! They were for her DANCE PERFORMANCE, but anyone listening wouldn't have known…Hahaha! I can be very un-smooth.

While I was at the shopping center, went over to my favorite camera store to gripe about the Canon 75-300MM I bought almost 2 years ago from them. In comparison to my original Canon 35-105MM, the quality really does suck. It only occurred to me when shooting a single roll, but swapping lenses. You can tell the difference.

Something else I've noticed on TV…hmmm…may be I watch too much TV. The History Channel, one of my favorites has had an increase in military/war programming. It's probably a response to this whole war thing? Ploy to drum up some patriotism? Something else annoyed me on that show. On Mail Call, they were talking about how the Sherman tank when it debuted in 1942 was "state of the art for the time". Bull. The German Tiger Panzer was faster, better armor, and a bigger gun. We stopped them by sheer numbers and the Shermans were faster. When the Sherman first appeared on the battlefield, our men were torn to shreds. Ok, enough history! lol

Addendum: Right as I was about to upload this entry, a commercial for Valtrex came on. Oh my-ever-loving-god!! Have you seen it? It's the one where the guy is on his motorcycle riding cross-country with some chick on the back. WTF?! Hmmm, I wonder how that would look on that actor's resume, "2003 - Herpes guy" mwhahaha!!

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Sunday, March 09, 2003
Ate something today that messed with my stomach today and I can't figure out what the hell it was. So I'm sitting here sipping Sprite to calm it a bit. Drinking soda sucks; too damned sweet and makes me break out. Grr Don't really feel up to writing much tonight…bleh…we'll see if that actually happens…

Went to Lake Los Carneros for about an hour and ran and walked. It was incredible as it was around sunset. Then I went to the Lobero Theater to see BASSH; a dance performance featuring dancers from the worlds of Swing, Tango, Salsa, Hip Hop, Lindy. One of Alana's dancers (she is co-owner of a studio and teaches dance) sprained her ankle and guess who had to step in? I was going to BASSH anyway, now this was the topper! Woohaaa! I've known she dances from Day 1. Even ran into her at Q's about a week or 2 after we first met. STILL haven't seen her dance! She's invited me to her studio, but for whatever reason I could never make it. A year and a half later, voila. And she rocks. All of her girls rocked. Yea, that is a pic of Alana over yonder. Her legs don't end. Mwhahah!

Finals are here. Woohoo. Yea right.

One of my little life goals is to learn a few styles of dance. Salsa, swing, tango and would totally dig a hip hop dance class. May be even taking a ballroom dancing class too. Can't go wrong with being able to dance at many different functions. Dottie and one of her friends was there for part of it. She commented favorably on my fitness progress. : I'm happy either way cause a) when I was at the gym yesterday, I saw a lot more separation and definition in my arms and shoulders and b) today I put on a sweater tonight that I haven't worn in over a year. Very, very happy camper over here.

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Saturday, March 7, 2003
There are times like this when I wish I had a blog so people could just post comments. There have been a couple of people who have asked about that…bleh on me. If you feel inclined to email me about this, would love to hear what any of you have to say:

This person I used to talk to, has pics that I took on their web site. Should I make a big whoop about it or not? At the time we were friends, and it was understood that if pics I took appeared on their site, I would be credited with taking them. A link, copyright, something. Now the site has been resurrected, and there are the pics I took, with no mention. We're more associates than friends, but the original agreement still stands. Thoughts anyone?

Today I was reminded of something that annoys the hell out of: cell phones at the gym. Do you really need to be on your cell phone at the gym, talking all loud and messing with other people's workouts? The first time it happened, was on Thursday, this meathead was his cell on the treadmill a couple over. Even though I had my headphones I could hear the f-ktard talking to god knows who. How annoying is that shiznit? This other chick today was on her cell on the other side of the gym. Looking cute, but not THAT cute! Put the phone down people, and take some time to yourself!

So anyway, back to ACTUALLY working out. One of my goals is to get up at the crack of dawn and run Magen's Bay Beach back home. If you can get to Magen's Bay before the crowds show it is really awesome. It's also great to get there after everyone leaves. Some of my fondest memories are at Magen's Bay before and after beach parties and chilling. When I need someplace peaceful to go in my head, that's where I go. The water becomes really calm and almost lake-like. The attached pic is of Magen's Bay that I took back in X-mas of 1995. It's 2 pictures crudely spliced together…Hahaha! To right is the actual beach. Yes there ARE houses in the fore and background. One of my good friend's Cara parents' house is there. How dope is THAT?!

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Thursday, March 6, 2003
Full tank of gas: $32.66

WTF?! How the hell could a full tank cost THAT much?!? And I KNOW it's much worse in other parts of California. Melon farmers!! (My favorite substitute for a word used on cable TV to sub another word. Think about it…hehe) How the hell can gas get this high??

That is a nice segue to President Bush's speech tonight. Is it me or did he seem giddy about the prospect of going to war with Iraq, trying to finish the work his father started? Can someone please explain to me in a coherent fashion WHY we're going to war NOW? He's killed his own people. Well, he has done that before and we didn't do anything. He amassed biological weapons, and we knew about it, yet we didn't do anything THEN either. So what's different now? If Sadaam is such an ass and we don't like him so much, why can't we kill the s.o.b. and call it a day? Don't hand me that crap about him using doubles, irregular schedules and the like. For cripes sake, just how big is Baghdad?? He's a government official who must do government related functions, do those buildings, roads, neighborhoods, streets, et al change daily? Iraq must have one helluva public works system. Also don't hand me the crap that the our government doesn't assassinate heads of state anymore.

And where the f--- is Bin Laden? I'm sick of it. The intelligence community can't find him, but his tapes and propaganda sure have a way of ending up on CNN.

I love my country. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. At the same time, our actions are not without reproach. We are not the yardstick from which to measure human rights and decency, care of its homeless and child populous in need, equal rights and opportunity, and 'just' foreign or domestic policy. In our history and in our present we have glaring atrocities of our own, that we commit daily in the name of freedom, democracy, and liberty. I hope and pray the lives of the men and women in the armed forces are not being used in some paltry international, poorly played and executed chess game. And I hope that Baby Bush, doesn't start something Sadaam will finish in a statement punctuated with mushroom cloud.

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Wednesday, March 5, 2003
The geek in me roams freely once again!!! Mwhahaha!! Today was the first of my internship at the web development company! And it was the shiznit!! Part of the day was spent just getting acclimated, and the other part of the day was spent making a web page that emailed the values to me. I am so stoked it's not even funny!! What's the big whoop? Tomorrow, I will learn how to make that page interact with a database, and it'll just keep on getting more intense than that!! It's on!

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Monday, March 03, 2003
There has been a buttload of talk about Mardi Gras, and although I know what it is: when the hell is it?? Images of woman flashing for beeds, people staggering through the streets blitzed out of their mind (occasionally emptying the contents of their stomachs on the sidewalk mwhahaha!!), and Cops exposes. Nice. Haha! I have to do it once in my life! Save for the upchucking and drinking part…haha! I sifted through some of my pics and here are a couple of 'festive' ones…haha!

For 2003, I need to work on getting my assignments done sooner! One more quarter to go, and I still do crap last minute! Nothing like waking up with a half hopped up on caffeine and dragging ass after only 2 hours asleep.

Notice for internship came in and I start Wednesday!! Woohaa! I'm stoked like no other! It will be a baptism in web development fire!

Bad Boys II? Are we serious?? They made a sequel!?! Now THAT'S what I'm talking bout!!! I LOVED that movie!! Big Willy is driving a Ferrari 360 Modena, instead of the Porsche 911 Turbo he did in the first. Nuff said.

Oh yea, my calves are freaking killing me!!

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Sunday, March 2, 2003
Tonight I spent an hour at the gym running on the treadmill. It's weird, because at first I was like, not gonna push myself too hard, because I haven't been in the gym regular for a few weeks. First, told myself just 20 minutes…then just 2 miles, however long it took…then I was up to 10 laps…what the hell, let's go for an even 12 laps/3 miles. 55 minutes and 3.25 miles later, I'm riding an endorphin high!! It was good to be back.

I do have one comment about something: WHY the f--- do people grunt and puff, like they're shagging like minks! This one guy was bent over some back exercise grunting with each rep like I dunno what. Some chick was working her triceps and doing the same; sounded like she was doing some extreme tennis. Since when did working out turn into a spectator sport? Then again there are the auditory show offs…and the visual show offs. Thank god the days of wearing thongs on the outside are gone!! Haha!! They've been replaced by the ultra-low and small Abercrombie & Fitch shorts, 2nd skin spandex thingies et al. Truth be told the A&F shorts are hotness and friggin' distracting!! Mwhahaha!!!

Oh yea, been writing more essays in French. Before, I was writing and thinking of them in English first and then translate to French. Well, it's been going the other way around lately. It's been hard to restrain myself and write in English first. Funky dope, n'est pas? Woohaaa!

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