Just My Type.

I'm not going to sugarcoat, I'm pretty damn bitter. One of the reasons that I haven't been posting that much lately is that quite frankly, I don't think anybody gives a damn. Why should they? While I'm getting things done and trying not to slip, the world continues to turn, regardless of whether I turn with it or not. I've lost my senses. I don't even know what day of the week it is. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to get out of bed at all.

I'm a hypocrite. Then again, aren't we all? I turn my nose at those who raise glasses, but truthfully, a tiny part of me wants to be in that picture with one arm raising a glass and the other wrapped around a shoulder or two, reaching out for social acceptance. Yet by nature, I am the antimatter. Whatever goes, I go against it. Whatever is "in" is "out" to me. My eyes are overindulged while my mind craves stimulation. The Golden Mean has yet to be found.

That's the problem with people my age: We're far too wrapped-up in the physical form and being of things that it's difficult to discern who's got a little flavor and depth underneath it all and who's just running for the thrill of it. That leather jacket will only take you so far before it begins to wear out.

They say that hindsight is 20/20, but foresight is just as important. I want someone who can take a step back and see the big picture rather than acting on impulse alone. And at this point in the cycle, reality comes into view and slaps me in the face, and I begin to understand that not only must she possess intelligence and restraint and wit and all of these desirable, mature characteristics, but she has to look stunning as well.






I ask for too much.

Roadtrippin',

It's 8:23 A.M. and I'm wide awake.


Let's get this show on the road.

Until the next time,

Lion.

They say that how long you're with someone is how long it takes to get over them.
If that's the case, then this month will be my darkest...

there she goes

Fuck it, I'm wearing red tomorrow.

It's 3am and I'm not tired,

I lie awake, I'm so inspired.

Oh, whadddddddup!

Whatup bloggy. Seems like I never have time to write here anymore. School and work are killin' me, but hey, I'm one step closer to my dreams. Everyday I'm hustlin'! Hahah, kidding. Seriously though, nothing feels better than putting in work.

Speaking of work, I got a surprise visit today from my siblings. T'was nice. I've got a midterm in about twelve and a half hours and I'm totally stoked and ready to ace it. I can't believe it's Thursday already. Just one more day, just one more day. This entire week will be amazing, I can feel it in my bones.




I'll brb, gonna go paint my Mona Lisa now.

Rocketeer.

Right now, I'm trying to decide if I should get Panda Express or Burrito Azteca for lunch. I haven't had either of them in awhile.

Good things come in green.

At least that's what I thought until I saw that beautiful red F360 Spyder earlier. Soooo nice.

Anyway, good things really do come in green. A Packers win, my first paycheck, and Christmas trees beginning to line the streets of Santana Row made this weekend a spectacular one. I saw a kid (that's the term that I use now for anyone still in high school, haha) at the mall earlier wearing a Marion Barber jersey, strutting around like some kind of wannabe thug, and it just made me burst into laughter thinking about how badly my team beat his team's ass the other night. Sorry, I'm pretty passionate when it comes to football, and anyone who knows me already knows how blunt I can be, haha. Man, though, with the way we're playing, I'm predicting a playoff run this year. The defense looks fantastic!

I'm sitting outside Starbucks right now because all the seats inside are taken. It was raining earlier; its stopped now, but the seats and tables are still wet and it's freezing cold out here. I think I should go home now.



In a few.

up, up, here we go.

What can I say? People change.

I've never felt like this before. It's a funny feeling, sort of like the tingly, heart-pumping sensation that you get when you're about to enter a class for the very first time, completely unaware of who you'll meet inside. It's not bad, though; no, not at all. White is the new brown, at least for me.

It's been a busy couple of weeks, but I'm definitely in the zone now. This is by far the highest high I've ever felt, both physically and in my personality. I can see the horizons more clearly now, bursts of vibrant color exploding onto a canvas of sky, soon to be encompassed by a sea of stars. Night turns into day and slowly, time invested is beginning to pay dividends.

I keep my life on a heavy rotation, and as the wheels keep spinning, so does my mind. I'm seeing between the cracks now, squeezing out every last drop yet maintaining a proper balance of things. Time is everything. Careful and steady, with a flash of passion. Not too much at a time, though, and on that note, I think I shall go and make it mine now.




S’il vous plaît,

Hi.

Yes, I'm alive. It's not often that I go for more than a week without blogging! School and work has been pretty hectic this week, but at least I'm making grades and getting paid. Thankfully, next week's schedule looks to be much easier.

Anyway, nothing new. Words don't come easy without a melody. Maybe soon, though!



In a few.

"And they say when you're looking for gold, simply start by putting yourself in the place where gold is."

It's a start.

Different Stars.

I'm not tall, dark, and handsome. My chest isn't chiseled and the only six-pack I'll ever get in my life will probably be a six-pack of beer. I express myself in prose rather than posture and symphonies instead of sex appeal, because everyone knows that sex sells but only a handful of people are capable of looking through my outer walls and seeing the splendor that is swelling up within my soul. I see young women, pretty faces blessed with charm and beauty and grace but clueless as to how to properly use them, and I think to myself, "What a shame". If only some knight in shining armor would come and sweep them all off their feet. But the truth is, this knight would only be labeled as one of two things: a player or a bore and no matter what name he would be given, his chances would be shot. And in this hasty, foolish, impractical chase for perfection is where we as romantic beings forever linger, not even once giving a thought to the wonders that lay right before our feet.

We all have the power to change. The irony lies in the fact that we choose not to. For now, I'll keep on chasing.

"Hi, welcome to Pinkberry!"

So a group of 4 people came into the store tonight and the "leader of the pack", so-to-speak, asked for a sample of each flavor for each person. That's 24 samples total. Halfway through filling up all the sample cups that they asked for (Richard was helping me, too), I turned around to see them laughing amongst each other.

"I really have to hand it to you guys, you guys have a great sense of humor! I was just kidding about the samples, but you guys actually thought we were serious and went to go get them for us!"




I really hatelove my job sometimes, hahah.

You're It.

The sweetest.

The whole concept of "starting over" scares me to death, no lie. I envy anyone who is fortunate and blessed enough to still be with their childhood loves today, or even just their high school sweethearts. I feel really old right now, haha. But seriously, cherish it if you've got it.

On one hand, there are people out there who would call me out for this and who can't grasp that just because there were never any labels attached doesn't mean that it wasn't real. On the other hand, there are people out there who would say that I'm too good for it and that I should just be done with it already. I believe that, trust me; just half an hour on Friday evening was proof enough.

I don't know, though. It just doesn't quite feel right, being almost a month into college and not having much to look back at and smile upon. What am I saying? This is such a "glass is empty" approach to life. I've got years and years ahead of me to climb all the mountains and go on all the picnics. Maybe I'm scared of falling. Or running out of food. Damn, it'd be terrible to run out of food!

Well, I'm hungry now, and it's 4:54 A.M. I have no idea why I'm still awake, but the Packers game is in 5 hours, so I suppose I should rest now. That big pile of math homework can wait, I need mah sleep. Night.

Chasing.

I done goofed. Once. Okay, twice. Alright, maybe more times than I can count, but you know what they say: slow and steady wins the race, or at least I hope so.

My hands grasp. My stomach churns. My lips part, but no words come out, and its only long after the moment that my nerves finally start to calm. What a waste of energy! I try to channel this aggression into something else for the time being, but its not nearly as effective as it would have been if I had used it properly.

There's always next time, right? I can't help but feel as if I'm limited by some imaginary time constraint. It's a learning process, though, and I'm learning every day. Hi, I'm Mikey, and I like friendly people and eating eggs. I sneeze like a horse and I'm superstitious about picking which pair of boxers I should wear. There, that wasn't so difficult.

But no, I done goofed, and instead of smiling eyes and sweet nothings, my weekend will be consumed by this report that I have to write on the origins and use and misuse of the word 'sodomy'. Well, it's not all bad; the meet and greet for work is tomorrow night. Unfortunately, that also means that I'll miss homecoming, but maybe I'll make it up by going to the dance. Maybe.

For now, today is just another typical Thursday...for now. Goodnight!

Gonna Get This.

After a pretty epic weekend, I've come to realize two things:

1.) Never wear nice shoes to work.
2.) I still got it.

P.S. It's Monday!

Not-So-Bad.

Three out of four days of the school week, I sit in the same wooden chair at the same wooden table facing the same direction: towards the window. Wobbly at its feet, the chair still serves its purpose well; covered with scratches, the table does the same. I sip my drink of choice and stop to look around for a while before returning to my work, but not before taking note of who is around me and what they are doing.

I will admit that I've grown rather envious of these lovely couples that enter my sphere of contact on a daily basis. How do they do it? I could have sworn that chivalry died a long time ago. Perhaps its not manifesting itself in the right way. Perhaps its not manifesting in me at all. Maybe it's something I'm doing, or something I'm not doing. I can't afford to be an Eleanor Rigby, but I also can't afford to become too distracted.

Let's see what tomorrow brings. I think I should bring a sweater this time; it sure does get cold.





In a few.

11:31 a.m.

Apparently, alarm clocks and phone calls don't work on me.







Other than that, life has been swell! It's almost sweater weather/Starbucks season :)

oi lienda,

bella che fas?

Even I think that it's a little odd for me to be listening to this quintessential summer jam right at this very moment, a little more than a day after the official start of autumn with the chill of night creeping through my bedroom window. I hear tomorrow will be somewhat of a scorcher, though, so perhaps this is just a sign of things to come. Summer may be gone, but its aura lingers on. Come to think of it, this is perhaps one of the smoothest seasonal transitions I've ever experienced.

I'm a mess, I'm a wreck, and while I realize that I used to say that phrase quite often, this is actually the first time in a long time that something has hit me this hard. I never thought you'd be ingrained in my system so quickly, yet surely enough, you're there. You're there, and you're not there, and what eats away at me the most is knowing that you're too busy for me, anyway. You've got your own things to take care of, and that's fine. So do I. I was hoping that perhaps you'd give me a little bit of your time as I have done so for you, but I guess not. Oh well. In a week or so, I'll probably have forgotten all about you, anyway. Just energy invested in someone I saw potential in.

My first week of college life has been exceptionally fantastic. I love walking onto campus and seeing a familiar face or two on the way out. Sometimes I wish I could stick around and chat for a bit, but I've got class to go to, and I'm sure they've got places to be, as well. It's the little things, though, that puts me at ease and lifts my spirits. Every bit counts.

Anyway, its way past my bedtime, hahaha. Goodnight folks. Have a good one!

Mom's home!

After two long weeks, my mother has finally returned home! She brought me back a really cool shirt. I would describe it, but I think it's best if I show you guys, instead, so I'll be sure to take a picture of it the next time I eat pho. You'll see why, haha.

Sorry to anyone who caught me on my bad side today. I've been very irritable the entire day, despite getting off to a good start. School didn't help at all; class today was a snoozefest and the drive home was even worse. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better.

I still don't know what to do, or how to feel. Looking at the situation objectively, the best thing to do would probably be to just give up. On the other hand, I still have some hope left in me, but not much. If you fall, then I'll catch you. If you don't, then I won't get in the way. I don't know what else to say, really.

Anyway, I'm off to go work out a bit and then finish up some reading for tomorrow's classes. Have a nice night, everyone!

but you see, the thing is,

I just want you =)

Well, I'm feeling very inspired right now! Today was my first day of school. College life has officially begun, and although I'm still getting lost around campus, something about just being at school feels so familiar. My classes are pretty chill, and I ran into a lot of people today who I haven't seen for quite awhile! A trash can caught on fire as I was walking to my car, haha. Luckily, the drive home wasn't too bad, either.

Anyway, I don't really know what else to say right now. I consider myself incredibly blessed for all the opportunities I've been granted and for all the people in my life. I'm in such a good mood right now! I guess Gabe Bondoc is a big part of the reason why, as well as the moon. I think I have some sort of mystical, spiritual connection with it. I know, sounds stupid, right?! It may not look like a toenail right now, but it's bright and shining and beautiful nonetheless. In a couple of days, it'll be full, and perhaps in time, my life will begin to fill up again as well. I'm definitely loving it right now, though. There's just one thing that would make things feel li- ah, why should I spoil the fun? I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself.



Goodnight!

we could happen

For some reason, all of my lyrics and chords end up being written down on either napkins or receipts from food joints. I guess I just love to eat.

I'm sitting here again on yet another boring and lonesome Saturday night, just jamming to this song as I contemplate on the mysteries of human nature. There's not much to update about the past week or so. It's been pretty chill, and I like the way things are going for me right now, but I must admit that I'm a little uneasy and unsure of how long it'll last.

My sister IM'd me last week and asked if I could play piano at her wedding! I said yes, of course, but now it's dawned upon me that I have no idea what to play. I've been practicing for something else for the past couple of weeks, but I still have no covers to show for it. Sadlife, man. Hopefully by the end of next week, though. I need to get a haircut first, and put in a bit more work. I love my piano, so, so much.

I have to pee. I know nobody ever reads my blog anyway, so I might as well just blurt out whatever's on my mind, hahah. If only it were that easy. Well, off to enjoy the rest of my last Saturday night before school starts!

Hello Mr. Handsome and Ms. Real Beautiful,

Gooooood morning =)

Opportunities Abound.

Picture of the day right here. +1 for using the G1 versions!

And so, the opening weekend of the 2010-2011 NFL season has finally come to a close! The first week of games is always wacky, and this year was no exception. What happened, Colts?! Although there were some blunders and mishaps during yesterday's game, my beloved Packers came out with the W over the Eagles yesterday and are off to a 1-0 start. There won't be much time for celebrating, though, because there's still tons of work to be done, but I've got a good feeling about this season. There's a reason why everyone is placing the Packers atop their list of Super Bowl-bound teams, and excitement is definitely in the air. I can't help but smile as I think about the next sixteen (and hopefully more!) Sundays of nothing but football. GO PACK GO!

All this optimism may be getting to my head, though. I decided to take Quiatchon's advice and just go for it, breaking any personal rules and boundaries that I may have had before in hopes of finding something worthwhile. I took a gamble again last week and came out empty-handed, and although I've pretty much let it go at this point, a small part of me tells me that I'm giving up way too early. How much longer can I go on without making any process before this becomes nothing more than just energy invested in someone I saw potential in?

Last but not least, I woke up to a couple of texts today that definitely gave my spirits a much-needed lift, and although our plans didn't go through, I had a lovely day nonetheless. Thanks for the reminder that I don't need another July, and that I certainly don't need a repeat of what happened between * and I. I love y'all, hope you guys know that.

It's my last week of "summer" before school starts again, and I intend to enjoy every damn second of it. Looks like we're getting a bit of sweater weather, too! I can't wait until it's "Starbucks Season" again. More on that later; for now, it's back to working out.





In a few...or now, if you want. Up to you.

take a guess

Don't you hate it when something's slipped your mind and you know that you have it somewhere in there, but you just can't remember?

Not that it's happening to me right now or anything (I think), but I was watching Camp Rock 2 earlier (I'm late, I know), which made me think about High School Musical, which made me reminisce about the last week of school before summer vacation started. All the seniors took their finals a week earlier than everybody else and didn't have to go to school during the final week, but I had to go back anyway to turn in some book fines, so I decided to drop in on my third period psychology class after I took care of my business. My teacher was like, "Hey, what are you doing here! No seniors allowed!", hahah.

Anyway, Kelli and I somehow ended up talking about High School Musical and for some damn reason we just couldn't remember the name of Corbin Bleu's character! I knew it was "Chad", but as much as we strained our brains, we simply just couldn't remember what his last name was. I even thought that it was "Black" for awhile, because of, well, obvious reasons. I'm stupid. But hey, "Chad Black" sounds like a pretty legit name, right?!

Our conversation started in the classroom (well, we were actually in the library that day) and went on well into lunchtime. So, after about half an hour of having to live with the excruciating pain of not knowing Chad's last name and asking over a dozen or so people if they knew, I decided to give up on it and go home. And at that very moment, RIGHT when I said bye to everyone and was about to give Kelli a hug, it popped into my head. "I GOT IT!!! IT'S DANFORTH!!!". Everybody looked at me as if I were mental, but man, I was pretty stoked that I finally remembered! We all burst into uncontrollable laughter at how it took us almost three-quarters of an hour just to remember a stupid last name.

Man, I'm so forgetful at times. I actually consider myself to have very good memory, especially when it comes to peoples' names, but there are also times when I have a brain fart for no apparent reason, which is so incredibly frustrating, but also very exhilarating and relieving once I finally remember what I needed to. I think that I think too much. Little passing thoughts always occupy my brain, random blurbs and musings about the most irrelevant things, like avocados, or guitars, or why my refrigerator calls them "ice cubes" when they come out looking more like ice wedges. I decided to delete my Twitter account a few months ago because I thought it was distracting, but look at me now! And it's not as if there's someone I could tell all this random stuff to, now, is there? Hahah, gg.


Oh look, an invitation for my little cousin's third birthday came in the mail just now. Looks like I'll be in Socal again from September 24th - 27th!

All for you.

This little light will go away if I won't be real,
This little light will run away if I don't tell you how I feel.

Please stay, don't stray, help me to tolerate myself.

Gate 101.

Another smooth track by my man Jeff Bernat.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about chances, or fate, as some people call it. I don't think that most people realize how much potential there is, all around us, in so many different forms, shapes, and sizes. Many of us are too busy or perhaps just too damn oblivious to see this. Have you ever sat down and wondered to yourself, "What if I had talked to her instead?", or "How would things be today if I had given this person a chance, rather than that one?". It's these little questions that bug me the most, knowing that whatever has happened is all in the past now, and there's no rewinding of the clock. No do-overs, no second chances, just time lost.

Jeff's song is so incredibly simple in both structure and content, but it's something that I go through almost every day, each and every single time that I go out, whether it's a quick stop at Starbucks or spending an entire day catching up with an old friend. Everywhere I turn, I see possibilities all around me, more and more opportunities to expand my horizons. Yet for somebody so easily captivated, I unfortunately happen to also be just a bit too decisive, and before I know it, I'm a man on a mission again. I know what I want. I'm looking right at you, but you're not looking back. So now what?



In a few.

the ruggedness, lyrical terrorist

rock, rock on.

Hi world, meet my sister-in-law! It's been a little more than two years since she and my brother got married, but I swear it feels like they're just as young as ever. She's Filipina, but whenever we go out to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant, all the waiters and waitresses think that she's Vietnamese, too. It's pretty funny when they start speaking Vietnamese to her and in the end, she just stares at them like, "What?!" Hahaha.

This picture was taken exactly a week ago at the Frank151 x The Seventh Letter celebration event at Suru LA. You know what they say: time flies when you're having fun, and it feels as if it's been a month rather than just a week. A taco in one hand, a drink in the other, and the DJ spinnin' throughout the night are just some of the key elements that come together to create that summertime vibe, and although it's already September, summer is definitely still in the air. Well, for me, at least.

Despite the perfect setting, though, things have unfortunately slowed down to a near-standstill. Whatever I'm doing, it ain't workin'. The good news is that school is starting in less than three weeks. I've got mixed feelings about this, but something tells me that it'll all work out just fine in the end. For now, I'll just sit back and enjoy the rest of my summer. Feel free to join me. I love me some good company.




In a few.

for your perusing.

I love the sound of violins, and making someone smile.

ah, what a chill day! So apparently when I wrote up yesterday's blog entry, I totally forgot that August has 31 days in it and not 30, so, here I am again, saying my final farewells to this atrocious eighth month of the year. Ironically, despite all of my complaining about how much I despise August, today was actually a very nice day. I had a chance to hang out and catch up with a lot of people who I haven't seen for a very long time, and even a couple of new friends. But, until Kenn gets those pictures up, here's a scene from Camp Rock 2! There's something about Disney movies that always gets to me, especially the songs, and this one is no exception. Pardon my French, but I think this is fucking cute, and I don't give a damn who judges me for saying that, hahaha. Plus, I think the girl is kinda pretty. I have weird taste in girls, I know.

Anyway, back to playing this video on repeat for the rest of the night. Take it easy, folks. Happy September!

"It's in the way she walks, it's in the way she smiles."

After spending a well-deserved weekend in LA, I've come to realize a few things:

1. My brother and I are much more alike than I thought.
2. It's time to get away from my parents the next time I go.
3. I really love the beach. Damn, I miss it.

I also realized that despite our small conversations, I don't know a damn thing about you, but I'd very much like to get to know you on a deeper level than just "What's up", "What are you doing?". Nothing serious, just someone who'll be there for me, and vice versa.

Anyway, goodbye, August. You were terrible. Where's December at?! I'm gonna make you one of the best months, ever. Trust.

#270

3A.M. and I'm wide awake and super excited for this event tonight. LA, here I come!

Catch of the Day.

ONE DAY. I missed this by ONE DAY.

Oh, how I would have loved to be able to come out to this event tonight. It's been far too long since I've visited Downtown Disney, and unfortunately, it doesn't look as if I'll be able to go before my summer ends. However, I'm making it a personal goal to go to Disneyland at least once before the year ends. Hopefully through hard work, persistence, and a little luck, that dream of mine will finally come true.

My friend Donn John told the other week that one day he'd walk into House of Blues and see me up there, working my magic for all to see. That sounds wonderful, but it also makes me think: How can someone have so much faith in me when I don't even have faith in myself? And it's not just DJ, but others as well, plenty of others who think that I've got the stuff to make my greatest aspirations come alive with harmony. Wherever they are drawing this unwavering belief from, it must be pretty wonderful, but since I haven't found it yet, all I can do is keep my fingers on the keys and my heart in the clouds as I search onward and upward.

Fame is a lot like love; nearly identical, in fact. Trust me, I've had a taste of both. You can dream of it for days, yearn for it with great passion, envy those who have it, wishing that they would share just a piece. You can hold it tightly on those cold nights, embracing it as you fall asleep, only to wake up and see that it's gone, nowhere to be found. And while both fame and love share some common elements, there is one fundamental difference that sets the two apart: love can sustain where fame cannot.

What's truly ironic, though, is that I do have it in me. Yet I lack conviction. An apology to those who feel that my talents are going to waste as I sit here and do nothing but type out long, metaphor-laden blogs that nobody really reads, because for as much as I want to get myself out there, a man simply cannot carry on for long without a source of inspiration...and the best source of inspiration is the human heart.

Tomorrow, I'll be embarking on a journey both physically and spiritually. With any luck, it'll be one step closer to just what I've been looking for.


In a few.

Confidante.

"You've always been seen as chatty, friendly and outgoing. You're never afraid to say just what's on your mind, and you're great at saying it in the sweetest fashion. What's locked deep in your heart is another story -- but that's what friends are for. You need someone close to talk to. Though you're more than happy to speak up to almost anyone for the next few days, what you really want is a confidante."





I usually don't read my horoscope, but today's was spot-on.

"Ma Chère Amie"

A simple plaid shirt and a pair of black leggings adorned the apple of my eye last Thursday night as we exchanged furtive glances and playful smiles from across the dinner table. But I soon discovered that a couple of bowls and plates weren't all that stood between us, and while the thought of it was very pleasant indeed, I'm afraid that the long distance and a language barrier won in the end. I'm not quite sure if I've ever told this to anybody, but I've always wanted to learn French. What better language to learn than that of love, right? But alas, it was just another night that came and went, a stranger from the other side of the train tracks passing by, giving me the pleasure of a nice meal and good company before we went our separate ways. It was a nice night.

Wherever you may be, I hope that there is someone with you tonight, treating you like the gem that you are. And as for me? Well, I think I've struck gold, somewhere much closer to home. She just doesn't know it yet. But time and space is what she needs, so time and space is what she'll get.

I'll meet you on the moon.

"Let's kick it sometime."

They always say it, but it never happens. I think I expect too much from people in general.

"Now thank you for your silence, and let's appreciate all the beauty in this life 'cause one minute you are risin', next minute you declinin', if a bitch lyin' then you can be a tiger."

Y'all far too kind. I must admit, though, I'm pretty damn excited. In a bit.

My mind is running wild,

and I know it seems like I'm rushin', but I've got all the time in the world. So I'll let my mind levitate and my feet gravitate as I try to master these concepts of time and space that a woman requires away from the remnants of what used to be her solar system. And pardon my advances, but I'm just trying to get ahead of the curve that set me back because I was cursed with beginner's luck, two left feet, and the status of being a late bloomer trying to play catch-up equipped with nothing more than a goofy smile and a simple "How was your day?". And though I appear under-qualified and overly ambitious, it's only with absolute certainty, or more like wishful thinking that I say I truly believe whatever we can set forth into motion will be greater and more indulgent than your wildest dreams. And here I am again, rambling about something that I have no say in and no right to make decisions for, midnight snackin' on brownies and milk as I await the opening of the gateway leading into your heart to a place of pure, indescribable, blissful companionship.

Time to Shine.

This week is shaping up to be every bit as wild and rampant as last week was, and truthfully, I'm ready to let all of my inhibitions go and just roll with it.

I met a very interesting man at the family dinner party I attended on Saturday night. Through his graying hair, uneven glasses and crooked teeth, I could tell that he was not a man of particularly eloquent status, yet the words he spoke ran deep through my veins like a surge of fresh water.

He first wandered over to our table in a goofy and rather aloof manner about half an hour into the party and started to speak to some of the other people sitting with us. I wasn't quite sure who he was, or whether or not he was related to me, as I had never seen him before in my entire life. I managed to pick up a few things as he chattered on and on, and immediately I knew that he was the joker type. BIG kidder. Probably cracks more jokes in an hour than my uncle Viet does in a year - and Uncle Viet is pretty damn funny!

A couple of drinks and dozens of jokes later, the man finally made his way over to my dad, where they spoke and laughed for a bit before he proposed a toast. "To a fresh start!", he exclaimed, as everyone around us took sips of their red wine. Not a bad thing to toast to...not a bad thing at all. Already I was feeling alive and anew, despite not clinking my cup with the others. I can't drink red wine, so Coke was my beverage of choice for the evening.

About fifteen minutes later, the man came back, and hilarity ensued once more. The man was a non-stop chatterbox. Where does this guy get all of these jokes?! It must be the alcohol. Always blame it on the alcohol, hah. As our table erupted in laughter, he proposed yet another toast: "To new beginnings!". It seemed odd, at least to me, that he would toast to the same thing twice. I wondered if he was trying to repent for a past action of his or whether he was simply too drunk to know what he was saying. At any rate, everyone was having a great time, and so was I, so I sat back in my seat, grabbed another shrimp ball, and let the good times roll.

It wasn't over. Oh no. Not by a long shot. Before I knew it, he was back again! Just great. What was it this time? The usual routine carried out: a few drinks, some more jokes and anecdotes, bursts of laughter, and another toast. Of course. Who could forget the toast?! This time, he yelled out, "To a wonderful tomorrow!". Clink, clink went the cups, and my mind went into a frenzy. My curiosity had risen to the point where I simply had to know what this guy's story was, but before I had a chance to ask him myself, my dad popped the question that I had been dying to discover the answer to: "Why do you keep toasting to these same things, over and over again?" And let me just say this right now...what the man answered with was amazing.

"Why not?", he questioned back to my father. "Why worry about the past? There's nothing that's worth dwelling on. Let's face it: we're not children anymore. Sure, we're not OLD, and we've still got plenty of days ahead of us to do all the things that we want to. But why waste time? Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. All that we have is now. And for that reason and that reason alone, I am constantly reinventing myself. Each and every day, I have a chance to make something amazing with this life of mine. Each and every day, I am a clean slate, waiting to be inscribed upon. Each and every day, I am a brand new person, making the best with what I've got and living my life to the fullest. That's why."

From just one little speech, I have taken, learned, and realized so much. I don't know what the future has in store for me, or what this week's challenges will be. Hell, I don't even fully know what I'm doing today! All I can do, from now until I figure something out, is just roll with it. Let it happen. Go with the flow. Where that takes me is still a mystery, but I'd be a two-faced liar if I were to tell you that I'm not totally stoked to find out. Let's do this thing. Are you ready? Because I sure am.

Milestones.

Oh man, I'm too tired to put my best effort into writing right now, but this past week has been pretty damn crazy. Tons of frustration, which led to even more productivity. Let's just say that I got a lot done, even if it wasn't completed through the most efficient of methods. Oh, and for the first milestone, I'd like to announce: Ding, 80.

I've started to realize and appreciate the beauty in my culture, more and more as each day passes. For the longest time, I've considered myself very in-tune with my roots; and I still believe that I am, but now I see that there's still so much more that I have yet to discover. My cousin turned 25 last weekend, and as with any birthday in the family, a small get-together gave us the bonding time that I had been missing for so long. On the menu for this occasion? Roasted and sauteed pork tongue. Sounds gross, right? I usually don't eat these kinds of things, but I was feeling especially adventurous and decided to take a bite anyway. Half an hour later I had cleaned off the entire plate, chili sauce and all. By the way, my sister got engaged! Hahaha, so awesome. I'm happy for her.

Most of my time this week was spent in the garage, toiling away as I cleaned, polished, and waxed every nook and cranny of my car. People think I'm crazy for spending so much time on my ride, but I have to say that it's quite relaxing. Not only does it give me something to do, it's also a great workout, and I can't count the number of times somebody has complimented me on what a shiny and clean-looking car I have. I guess hard work really does pay off in the long run, after all! Finally broke 60,000 miles today, and I'm mastering hill driving, slowly but surely.

As the week came to a close, my heart was a rollercoaster of emotions. Throughout the past two days alone, I underwent pretty much every emotion in the book. I swear, it felt like Kababayan Fest 2009, all over again. After hanging out with a couple of friends who I haven't seen since school ended, it finally hit me how much they've changed. Or perhaps, how much I've changed. It's as if my mind is on a whole 'nother level than theirs. Don't get me wrong, though; I still value their friendship as much as ever, and I love hearing from other perspectives once in awhile, even if I don't necessarily agree with what they have to say.

I wore my Military Blue IVs last night to the dinner party, the pair that started it all for me. My shoe collection is almost entirely gone now, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of these. They're my favorite pair of Jordans ever, without a doubt. That said, I've also realized that I don't look so hot in Jordans, and that Nikes fit me better. Anyway, my parents said that it wasn't formal and that I didn't have to dress up, but I have to admit that I felt really under-dressed. I didn't realize that I had so many cousins, though! And finally, someone around my age at a family event! Mayflower is...well, not very good. I'm extremely picky with my food (just like with my women. ha ha!), and after having eaten at so many fantastic restaurants in SoCal, nothing that we have up here can compare. It saddens me to say this, but it's true. Oh boy, am I craving some Porto's right now. Note to self: Load up on cheese rolls next time I go.

As much as I want to let off some steam, I have to remember to keep calm and carry on. The past is the past, but I also can't put too much weight into the future; thinking about tomorrow isn't going to change how I feel today. My mom is going out of town in 7 hours and I'll have nothing to do for the next two days. Sounds like a perfect time to start that workout routine my brother sent me last night, which incorporates 5 minutes of meditation a day. I'm not very good at meditating, but now's as good a time to learn as ever.


See ya soon.

Teenage Dream.

Oh, nothing, just some wishful thinking.

Eclectic.

This constellation of frustration looms over my head now more than ever, evoking both emotional and moral turmoil inside of me as I try to make some sense of the situations surrounding me. It's been a rough week, although also a very productive one. Today is the last day that I'll be spending inside of the garage, as my baby is back and looking better than ever. Yep, you heard me. It feels nice to be back on the road again.

Tomorrow, I'm hanging out with a close friend of mine who I haven't seen for quite some time, which should help to ease some of the stress that's been clouding my mind as of late. I'm not even sure what our plans are, but I'm sure it'll be fun. Still, that doesn't solve any of the problems about Saturday that I have, the biggest one being, "What am I going to do?!". Maybe the answers will come in time.

Your silence worries me - just a little bit, although it shouldn't worry me at all. After all, I'm still "young" (relatively speaking), and college is coming up, which means I'll be meeting tons of new people. That's a good thing, right? Well, as good as it may be, that doesn't cure this mounting desire that's steadily growing inside of me. My heart tells me to pursue. My mind tells me way too many things. Everyone tells me to chill. But you'll have to pardon my eagerness for a little bit, because I'm still new to this. It's been so long since I've gone after something more than a "fling", and I guess I'm still getting accustomed to this higher level of attention and intricacy that must be paid if I'm ever to succeed. I'll get the hang of it soon enough. Bear with me, will you?

All in all, this week has been one beautiful day after the next, and it's with high hopes and a positive mental attitude that I rush headlong into the weekend and see what it has in store to me. We're running of time, now. Let's make the most of it.

Diamond Tiffany.

I must admit, I really miss these.

See, all I wanna do is be relevant.
Just tell me that I ever meant anything, or that you could ever see me and you in another light, but it's like the dark woman indoors in the darkest nights by the wrong man, and see, mostly all of them have made you incapable of a first impression. What I do is I channel my aggression with no cable or antenna, just intentions to impress you, if capable, hoping that the material possessions can materialize into a better you, if capable. Cars? Nothing I drive can ever drive you out of this frame of mind with such an ugly picture in it. Money? Nothing I buy can buy me more time for your ears to tell your heart to listen to it. Diamonds? A girl's best friend is what they say, but, believe me, with the right allegiance, shorty, you gon' shine anyways. And every day that goes by is a couple more lines in your diary, the day before better than the present, so anyone presented in her presence endures these life...sentences. No key for release, no reason to be around. Her mind's in the clouds. She writes it all down, in her diary.

I'm picky.

Maybe a little too picky. They say that beggars can't be choosers. Sheesh, no kidding.










Or maybe I'm just overly ambitious.

Let's Get Right

Oh, August, what happened to you?

As I slip deeper and deeper into last July's mindset, I certainly do miss last August, and I can't help but wonder whether it was a case of serendipity or just pure coincidence that the eighth month of last year was so grand to me, and while I've made a full recovery those deep wounds, I must admit that I do miss it. Keyword: it. Not her. It. They say that absence makes the heart fonder, but fonder of what? It's the pursuit of something so beautiful and illustrious that has defined my very being for so long, and the desire for something much more than a single night of lust that sets me apart from the pack. And perhaps it's ironic that I've passed on so many chances in the past, knowing that I would simply be settling for something lesser, not chasing a dream come true. But, see, the problem is that it's one thing to chase someone, but an entirely different thing to chase someone who won't let you chase them. Pardon the slur in my words, for I can't really seem to find a better way to put this, but as I jam to this track in my seat, a smile breaks out across my face, surely but slowly as I the beats caress my ears and these foolish thoughts of you and I underneath a starry Saturday night enter my mind. And just as quickly, I snap myself back to reality, reminding myself that it'll probably never happen, anyway. But hey; a guy can dream, can't he?

Now, if you'll excuse me, miss, I've got a car to polish. But just for now, don't let my champagne spill on you, as you make your move.

Out of Order.

I'll miss you, baby. See you in a week.

Well, it's been a rough day for me so far already, so I'll cut to the chase. Long-story short, my car is still uninsured. My dad's carelessness has once again cost me a potentially-fun night with some friends. I really do hate to point fingers and play the blame-game, though, and I understand why he made the mistake that he did; anyone could have made that mistake, honestly, and I won't waste any energy being upset at him for it. All I can do now is wait it out and hope that things get resolved soon. Until then, my car is out-of-commission for a bit, and it's back to driving the mommymobile for a little while longer. I'll keep you guys posted, and hopefully I'll be back on the road with my baby soon. For now, I'll just chill. See y'all in a bit.


P.S. You know, I just realized...my couch kinda looks like a hot dog. Haha.

MACAPUNO.

So I hung out with Kristina and Michelle De Leon last night. Oh, and from now on, every time I mention a 'Michelle' in one of my posts, I'm going to have to put the entire name down, just because I know about nine or ten of them. I'm not even kidding! Anyway, I had to pass on the Treatbot when I went to get Mogo's with Kelli the other night since we were both absolutely stuffed and also had two cups of Yogurtland with us, but I finally got to try some last night! Gotta admit that I felt pretty bad for the guy working, though: his coworker had to leave as soon as they finished setting up, so the poor guy was stuck taking AND making all the orders. Luckily, we were one of the first ones in line, so we didn't have to wait too long. I got a chocolate chip cookie sandwich with some MACAPUNO ice cream inside (by the way, when I said it the way that you told me to, the guy looked at me as if I were crazy, and then he said it back to me the "American" way. hahaha.) while the girls got...uh, some Mexican flavors. Mexican Chocolate and Eastside Horchata! We chilled for a bit, listened to some terrible karaoke, and then I dropped them off, taking the chance to see how fast my baby can go. I'm too paranoid to REALLY push her, though, especially at night when all the cops are out. Maybe on the freeway!

Anyway, y'all are at your conference for the weekend. Hope you guys are having fun! Damn, I want ice cream now. I think I'm gonna go get some and enjoy my beautiful Friday evening.



Late!

With the Thickeness.

Today was such a bo$$ day. Hahaha, sorry. I had to.

Started my day by waking up around 11:45 or so. It's nice to wake up with some peace and quiet for once, although it would have been nice to have been woken up by a text or two. A few people flaked on me today; in fact, they didn't even bother to get back to me at all. It's all good, though! The best laid plans are unplanned. Ended up heading to Eastridge at around 4 to meet up with friends, some of whom I haven't seen for quite awhile, as well as re-stock on Hi-chew. Headed to Sports Chalet for a bit and then over to Yuri for some Japanese food. The waitress there was so nice to us!

After taking a break for a bit back at my place, we headed out again and tried to chase down the Mogo truck, and after about 25 minutes, we finally found it! "Near the library" my ass, Steve. Thanks a lot! Haha, I'm kidding. Thanks for letting us know that it was in the area though, and thank goodness we didn't head all the way down to Santa Teresa. I have to say that when comparing Kogi and Mogo, Kogi wins in every single way possible, no contest; after all, Kogi was THE original Korean BBQ taco truck. Cooled off after with some Yogurtland, and called it a night. I didn't get home until around 11:30, but surprisingly my parents were in such great moods that they didn't even mind! It probably helped that I brought home some yogurt for my dad, too.

Bummer that laser tag/bowling didn't go through, buuuuuut tomorrow should be nice. Santa Monica?! Hahah, just kidding. The mall sounds fun, though. I'm not usually too excited to go to Great Mall, but for some reason, I can't wait. I think it's because I'm finally going to get to take my baby out on the freeway. Time to see what she can do! But for now, I need sleep. Man, am I beat.




See y'all in the A.M. Leave me something if you're down.

CHICKEN PATTY.

Hi, it's your birthday today!

So, thanks again for the Hello Kitty key cover. My old rainbow panda one was getting pretty janky. Guess it's a good thing that I decided to double back and pick it up off the ground after you left the last time we went to Yogurtland, huh! Well, anyway, I have a secret to tell you: I've been totally envious of you and Marvin ever since I saw you two together because you guys are probably the cutest couple that I know. Everything that you guys do is so lovey-dovey Seriously, it's disgusting. Stop it. Find me a girl that I can be romantic with too, please?! Hahah, jokes. Thanks for being such a great friend though, and for always listening to me rant on and on about people that piss me off and how I always have to pee, I really appreciate it. Anyway, I'm running on Filipino time today; it's almost 8 and I'm still sitting here at home! I should probably leave soon. Alright, have a great birthday! I'll see you in a bit, hah.

Productivity.

I just realized that this will be my third post in a row without any pictures or videos to share. Dammit! I really dislike it when my blog gets bland, but I'll try to have something up tomorrow.

Yesterday was a very productive day for me; even I'm surprised at how much I got done! Originally, I had intended to wash, vacuum, claybar, detail, polish, and wax (basically the "special treatment") my car on Saturday morning, but because we were having guests over that night, my dad insisted that I do it on Sunday morning, instead. However, being the heavy sleeper that I am, I didn't even roll out of bed until around 12:30. My parents were both at an event with their friend, so I poured myself a bowl of Cheerios and then took a quick shower.

One of my favorite movies, Rush Hour, was playing after I had finished, so I decided to take that time to sit in front of the TV and finally put together my new PC after nearly a month of stacking boxes upon boxes of computer parts in my second room. It was my first time building one from scratch, but after about an hour and a half - plus a little extra if you count the time I spent on cable management - I was done! I have to admit, I spent A LOT of money on this (well, maybe not to some people, but it was a lot for me), but it's well worth it in the end. I don't think I've ever been on a PC this fast! I can't wait to play some games on this thing.

After my computer was all finished, I drove (with my dad) to go get a haircut. I've been going to the same place for almost two years now, but I have to say that I'm beginning to feel pretty uncomfortable there; the new people that they're hiring seem pretty wild and 'out there', if you know what I mean. The fact that I knew that the guy who's been cutting my hair was gay since I first saw him doesn't help either, but hey, he gives a good, clean cut, and that's what I'm paying for. I gotta hand it to him, he's been doing a much better job lately, although today's cut wasn't as great as the one I got last month.

Took a shower again when I got home and ate a huge bowl of baby clams and rice that my mom made for me. She has this ridiculous notion that I hate eating now, so she's been shoving food into my face every time I enter the kitchen. Following dinner, my dad and I FINALLY washed my car, but it wasn't a total success: the previous owner parked it on the street a lot and it would get sprayed with sprinkler water, so now I have hard-water buildup on my car that's gonna take A LOT of work to get off. I've got some interesting ideas to test out about how to get rid of it. We'll see how far I get tomorrow morning. Speaking of tomorrow morning, I also have to go to the DMV to register my car. How fun! Naaahhht.

Working out has become almost second nature to me now. I don't even think as I go through the motions, and before I know it, I'm done and feeling as fantastic as ever. I ended up taking a third shower today, because I just can't stand going to bed all sweaty and sticky. My mom told me to eat a banana (I was born in the year of the monkey, hah) before I go to sleep, so I suppose I'll go do that right now...with some Nutella on the side, of course.

Well, that's my day. Doesn't sound like much, I know, but considering the fact that I didn't even get out of bed until half past noon and I was flying solo for most of these things that I got done, I'd have to say that I'm pretty beat. Sorry to whoever I didn't get a chance to get back to! I'm usually very diligent about replying to IMs/texts/FB comments, but these past couple of days have made me just a little bit forgetful.

Anyway, this week should be great, and this banana looks delicious. Goodnight.

Chapter 26.

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

-Holden Caulfield

Dwelling has always been one of my greatest weaknesses, and I've never quite been able to accept that fact that there are just some things that I simply can't change, no matter how much I wish that I could. But I have to admit, I'm pretty surprised at myself lately. It's as if the anger, frustration, spite, and all the other negative emotions have been almost completely flushed out of my body, and as much as I want to get upset about things, I can never seem to do so for more than a couple of minutes at most. Where this sudden change of character came from is still a mystery to me, but good job, self. Keep it up.

R.I.P. J.D. Salinger.

Cosmic Whoppers.

Boy, those horoscopes weren't kidding when they said that the last two days of July would be pretty hectic.




Here's to an awesome August.

Rock Ya Body.

Haha, no, just kidding. But, I did get a lot of body work done to my car yesterday! Much thanks to my friends Pat and Cindy coming over to help me out and keep me company. The entire process was long and grueling; add that to the fact that it was my first time really working with a car, and you have a recipe for greasy hands, and sweaty bodies. After about six hours, a couple of trips to Kragen, and a little bit of goofing off, we were exhausted, but totally satisfied. I had to remove the headlights to clear up some condensation and reseal them, as well as re-seat the bumper - Not exactly the easiest thing in the world to do, but she definitely looks and feels a lot better now than she did when I first picked her up. Just another step in truly making her my own.

Anyway, I haven't done this in awhile, but, here you go:

WDYWT - 07.28.10
-Hair (lol.)
-Old Navy v-neck
-H&M Drains (Raw)
-Nike SB "SF Trolley" Dunks

Uncomparable.

Today is such a beautiful day.

Well, every day is a beautiful day, but today especially. The sun is out, I've got a big bowl of Cheerios right next to me, there's a gorgeous set of wheels in my driveway, and your stuff is all in a bag in my trash bin right now, just waiting to be taken away by those huge, obnoxious trucks that come every Wednesday morning. It's taken me quite a long time to work up the strength to throw out all of these memorable and once-loved things, but it's finally been done, and I'm glad. Day by day, I miss you less, and day by day the sun shines ever brighter, illuminating the dark spots that you left in your wake. It's come to the point where, simply put, I don't need you anymore. Whatever may happen from now 'til infinity, I'm positive that I can handle it without you. Trust.

Anyway, today is INC day! As much as I would love to go, whether or not I will is going to be a last-minute decision. In the meantime, I'm going to shower and then head out to Wal-mart and Kragen and pick up some parts. My car needs a bit of TLC right now, but hopefully by Saturday, she'll be ready for me to take her out for a spin and really see what she can do. Weekend plans, anybody? Let me know.



In a bit.

"Let's not waste no time."

Another day, another dollar. We signed our names, shook hands, and went our separate ways. Rest assured that I'll take care of this baby for as long as I may own her.

Following a small pit-stop, we made our way to the open road. It was the home stretch now, nothing but smooth asphalt for as far as my eyes could see. My eyelids grew heavier as the sun sank in the night sky and a full, golden moon came up over the hills. I awoke in the cockpit of a monster waiting to be unleashed. Its roar sent shivers up my spine and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end; some would have described it as weak, but to me, it was easily one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. I think the fact that it's mine had a lot to do with it.

Summer is drawing to a close. I've got nearly a whole two months before it's time to go back to the grind, but that's not to say that I should take it for granted. Through the help of my friends, family, and loved ones, as well as the beauty of the flora and fauna that surrounds me and a lovely gift from my parents, this once-empty summer has suddenly become teeming with life again.

But like I said: there's less than two months left. Two months to enjoy life to its fullest. Two months to live it up. Let's not waste no time.

Legend(ary).

In times like these, I am eternally grateful
for all that is wondrous and blessed in this life of mine.

My eyes are brimming with tears of joy as the chords caress my ears and soothe my soul, my body releasing its inhibitions. I simply cannot contain myself from rolling around ecstatically on this bed of mine as the Man of Legend works his magic, acoustically touching a part of me that has been left untampered and unattended for far too long. A smile creeps across my face, slowly but surely, and before I know it, I am lost, swimming - no, drowning - in a sea of beauty. The sound comes and goes, but the amazement remains within me, something that will not be soon forgotten.







Only two things in the world can make a guy like me feel this way.
Only two.

"I don't really mind, just know that you got me."

One of the best things about dogs is that once they get to know you, they'll love you no matter what kind of person you are.

And one of the worst things about me is that I can be rather judgmental at times. Just look at my previous post and you'll see exactly what I mean. It's this mindset and attitude of mine that lands me in hot water time after time, and just one of the many reasons that my last...well, left me. You should know the story by now.

As much as it may seem like it, I'm really not a bad person; at least, I don't think that I am. The reason that I become annoyed and even infuriated at times by the actions and lifestyles of others can be attributed to the fact that I hate to see people sell themselves short. I believe that in each and every person, there is a beautiful soul with so, so much potential to blossom into something greater than most of us even imagine. Yet somewhere down the road, many fall and succumb to their darkest, most primal instincts, giving in to temptation and desperation until they are transformed into something else entirely, and I think to myself: "What a shame."

I've always been a stout supporter of individuality. I enjoy people who are different, and adore those who are comfortable enough to be themselves, even if it means that those around them tend to shy away and look the other direction. It would seem, however, that I have also lost a part of myself by becoming so concerned with the lives of others that, subconsciously, I've also started to change. Ironic, isn't it? That my enthusiastic and adventurous risqué behavior, one of my greatest strengths, has also become one of my greatest weaknesses.

What can be learned from this self-evaluation is something that I've known all along, but is also something that I tend to forget quite easily, I suppose. Rather than being so preoccupied with the way that others live their lives, I should enjoy my life, while I still have the luxury of being able to. You do you, and I'll do me. That's more like it. That wasn't so hard, now, was it Mikey?





Cheers.

Turtle Wax.

eric 2:26 am: no moar good girls because its too hard being a good girl

Some words of wisdom from my good friend Eric Or. As sad as it is, it's also true; most girls these days give in to temptation simply because it's what most guys want them to do.

The thing is, I'm not like most guys. I could give less of a damn whether a girl smokes, or drinks, or does drugs, or goes to all the parties that she's invited to. In fact, that's a pretty huge turn-off to me. A lot of guys out there are ridiculous, including most of the ones that I know. They follow go to all the functions, talk about the most meaningless things, and follow all the trends, devoting all or most of their time and interest into relatively trivial things such as clothes, cameras, and cars; and then they slam others for being a "hypebeast", claiming that they were into these things first!

As names such as "Supreme", "Illest", "Stussy", and "Hellaflush" become popular, they also begin to catch on with the girls, and they, too, start sporting these labels all over their shirts, bags, blogs, hats - you name it. I know quite a few females who are genuinely into the things that are generally associated with guys, but let's be honest: most of them only do it for the attention. What better way to catch a guy's eye than to show him that you share a common interest?

That doesn't work on me. I'm an entirely different breed altogether. I don't go to parties every weekend. The smell of cigarettes and weed is disgusting. I seldom drink, except when I'm with my family. My closet is filled with mostly black and whites. I wear the same couple of V-neck t-shirts on a weekly rotation. Streetwear doesn't catch my eye at all. Cameras are nice, but I don't see the need to carry them with you 24/7. And why-oh-why would I want to "slam" my car? So I can scrape my front bumper every time I turn into a parking lot? Function > form and mind > matter is the motto that I live by, and my mind is much too brilliant to be desecrated by a life of alcohol, drugs, and idiocy.

In a world of trends, one can only hope to remain true to oneself, even if it means being the odd-man-out most of the time, and trust me when I say that I'm not going to settle for just anybody. As cocky as this sounds, this is a message to all the ladies out there: Y'all gotta step it up and show me something different if you want to get me to notice you.














My goal before school starts: Introduce myself to you.

IDLCRZ

"We adore those who ignore us and ignore who adores us. I constantly ask myself why. The pursuit of something we can maybe have takes precedence over that which is easily obtained. Subconsciously, most of us enjoy the challenge of the chase more than actually being chased. Many of us (who aren’t afraid to wear the proverbial I’ve-been-rejected badge of honor) can attest to the fact that pursuit often leads to constant checking of the cell phone you left by a window in order to get perfect service in case they call, or forcing yourself to go out with your friends just to stop thinking about them — which usually doesn’t work because you’re still checking your damn phone! Nine times out of 10, that person just isn’t feeling the same way."

-Wale (via playdirty)

Even though my Tumblr days are long gone, I still enjoy checking up on a few interesting blogs from time to time. There aren't many of them, but they're all always worth reading. My life, expressed through the words of a stranger. There is a special kind of relief and an indescribable sense of belonging to be found in knowing that somewhere out there, someone else is feeling exactly the way that I am.

Hiatus.

I'm going on a hiatus. This can be as long as I want or as short as I want. Basically, for as long as I feel like.

I have great friends. No, seriously, the best. They're the kind of people who you can't really depend on, the types of people who apparently are too busy to text you back, but will come to you without hesitation whenever they need something. Awesome, right? I mean, who doesn't want friends like these?! Well, that's alright. I have so many of them that I'd be more than happy to share with y'all. Go ahead, take some of these fools off my hands for me. Please.

I'm off to a wonderful, amazing place for the weekend. Yes, my weekends start on Wednesday now. It's a five-hour trip, but one that's easily worth the effort. Not like I'm going to do anything if I were to stay here in this cesspool that is San Jose, anyway. That's okay. Enjoy not seeing me around school next year.

Keep your eyes peeled. My room is steadily filling up with more and more boxes. You know what that means: Worklog inc.!









Lupe is the maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.

I Wonder:

Is it possible to go to a party/kickback/BBQ/etc. where the goal isn't to get "totally fucked up"? Not trying to diss anybody or their lifestyle, but this is the reason I don't go out much anymore. I can't even remember the last time I got buzzed. These days, I only drink with my family, and only in moderation; maybe a beer or two, some hot sake if we've got some. Vodka, are you kidding me? It doesn't taste good (in my opinion), and everyone always chases it with Coke or fruit punch, which isn't even the correct way to drink it. But then again, what can I expect from people who are still stuck in that high school mentality and focus solely on going out every night, having a "good time"? I think my definition of fun is much too different from that of most kids my age for me to fit in with anybody. For once, can I meet a girl who doesn't want to drink up, isn't preoccupied with her image, and just wants to go out, chat over a cup of coffee, maybe dinner and a movie? Or maybe I'm too caught up, and perhaps I'm too much of an old-fashioned kind of guy to fit in with you young folks. That's alright, though. I've got room for two, if anyone's interested. If not? That's okay. More for me.

"When I be home, I resist it like it's ohms, I was there, now I'm gone - Shalom."

"Red is dead, green with envy."

My new toy came in the other day. Ohhhh man.

Yup, that's right. More to come in the next week or two. Can't wait to try this baby out.

Passport.

"If you ain't got one, get yourself a passport, so you can see the world."

This is a rather clever and accurate representation of how Aang and the crew would have felt if they had the chance (or misfortune) of watching their real-life counterparts in that horrendous movie that came out exactly one week ago. Kind of like part two of The Ember Island Players for them. Yes, it was that bad. I wonder how the Book Two movie will turn out. I can't wait! /sarcasm.

Nonexistant Fireworks.

Boom, boom, boom. There's nothing quite like the sound of explosions in the air to commemorate the day our nation gained its independence some two-hundred thirty-four years ago. Each and every Fourth of July is a cause for good food and great company, and each and every year I make sure to set aside whatever commitments and curfews I've made and just sit outside, wherever I may be, just to get a glimpse of those magnificent miniature balls of fire exploding in the night sky, each with its own story to tell as stars become obscured by smoke and hearts began to slow. Each and every year, we all gather to celebrate...only this year, I was nowhere to be found. Although a bit dismayed and disheveled from missing out on another one of the great joys of life, I simply can't help but be enamored by the prospect of having my own Independence Day someday, a day when I will find the strength to break free from these chains that restrain me so and finally be able to offer myself fully and wholly to another beautiful human being again; And in that blissful moment that our eyes meet, our fingers interlock, our lips graze each other as the air around us begins to swirl, our hearts will beat together as one, one pulsating beat resonating deep within us with the power to touch our souls as if a million fireworks were instantly set off, illuminating our skies and our lives for as long as we may exist.

"The word's on the street, and it's on the news."

The REAL Last Airbender.

I'm not usually into American cartoons unless they're comedies, but I am a pretty big fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon. Unfortunately, a wackjob and so-called "visionary" just had to ruin the show for me by turning it into a horrible live-action movie. How does one take a series that had so much potential to be the next big summer blockbuster and turn it into a steaming pile of crap that could only muster a measly rating of 8% on Rotten Tomatoes? Ask M. Night Shyamalan. That is, if Dante Basco and a mob of angry fans and Firebenders haven't already killed him. Flamey-o, fellow hotman! Flamey-o.

Somebody to Love.

Check out this sweet cover of Justin Bieber's Somebody to Love by Matt Cab.

I don't need too much, just somebody, somebody to love.
I promise, girl, I swear, I just need somebody to love.

Like a needle on a vinyl.

Check out this sick dino I got at the mall last week.

I live a "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" lifestyle, but after much discussion with my mother, it looks like I'll be staying in San Jose while she heads off to Southern California again tomorrow to take care of some family business, and while I'll miss her, there's one thing that I'm really looking forward to: having the car to myself for the next few days.

Unfortunately for me, I've got nothing to do! I can't believe June is nearly over. It seems as if it were yesterday that the month was just getting started, my birthday and my graduation being the main attractions this particular June, but those days are long gone, and with them went any sense of regularity I once had. With summer comes open schedules and open hearts, and its up to me to make the best of them what I will. I've got nothing planned these next couple of days, but I wouldn't mind having someplace to be, not at all. Let's go somewhere, yeah?

Like Jhene said, "I can't stand the rain in July". I can relate, but even through the rain, there's always a patch of sun that makes it a little bit easier to bear, and this July, I've got two very, very exciting things planned. First up is my trip to Southern California from July 2nd until July 5th at the earliest, and possibly as late as July 7th. It's been awhile since I've been there, and even longer since I've had some time for just my siblings and myself, but it looks like I'll finally have my chances in a couple of weeks. The second big event? The release of Avatar! As in, The Last Airbender, not James Cameron's Avatar, which was still a brilliant movie. For an Avatar fan as big as I am, this is one movie I absolutely cannot miss, and will definitely be camping out for. Expect to see my friend Eric Or and I waiting in line for the midnight release at Eastridge mall, all while reciting lines from the series, especially from "The Ember Island Players". "It's about your hair...IT'S GONE TOO FAR!!!"

Although I've only got two things planned as of right now, there are so many things that I truly can't wait to do this summer. Among those things: buying a new car, building my new PC, getting my wisdom teeth pulled (all four, ouch!), watching more World Cup soccer, late-night trips to In-n-Out, eating tons of yogurt, splurging on new clothes and kicks, seeing some progress on this new pair of denim I've just started, registering for college classes, finally getting a job, going hiking, a much-needed and well-deserved trip to the beach, and quite simply, just buggin' out and having an amazing time with my friends and family. Anyone else down? Let's do something.



And before I go: Happy summer solstice and first day of summer!

Insomniacs Anonymous

What a week it's been!

When you're an insomniac such as I am, one finds that sunsets turn into sunrises as seconds blend together into a mixture so lucid that it becomes difficult, nearly impossible, even, to recollect any information which, under normal circumstances, would be held in great accessibility. So, for that reason and that reason alone, several details will be left out of this week-long recap, but here's my best shot, anyway.

Although my siblings returned to their lovely homes in Southern California the day following my graduation two Thursdays ago, the weekend still brought promising prospects of enjoyment for me: the barbecue. What began as a usual celebratory family get-together erupted into a miniature kickback of sorts, bringing together a host of people, some of whom I haven't seen in quite awhile. Such a grand occasion called for a selection of a more festive palette of dishes rather than a traditional one, and boy, was it festive. Spare ribs, fried rice, papaya salad, fish congee, thai tea; need I go on? A special thanks to all of my friends and family who came through. Although it was a last-minute event, it was definitely one to remember.

Some people enjoy an "on to the next one" lifestyle, but I prefer to take a day or two off after every party, so I decided to get some R&R on Monday and catch up on a few things. First and foremost, the house was a train wreck! Well, it wasn't that bad, but a couple of hours was dedicated that day just to cleaning. While not spotless, I think I did a pretty neat job, if I must say so. I also took the liberty of soaking my Levi 514s, which have been begging for a nice body of water to enjoy for the longest time. Although it's a bit unorthodox to soak non-raw denim, these babies have seen more in the past year or so of wear than most other pairs of 514s see in their entire lifespan. Personally, I think the fades I've acquired on them are very nice for a pair of Levi's, as well as the amount of shrinkage I got out of them. Who says denim needs to be raw to look good?

Tuesday granted me the privilege of having the car to myself for the afternoon, as well as the luxury of not having to pick my mom up from work, so I spent the day with Thomas, Ajphizzles, and the twins at the mall. Our first stop was Chili's, which was my pick, but probably a bad choice for the health-conscious, something I've aspired to be for the past few months or so. An hour later, we crossed the street to Eastridge, where a few new unexpected faces showed up. After about an hour and a half or so, I decided to cut out, so I made my rounds to Daiso, picked up a new bag of Hi-Chew, and drove off to Yogurtland with the twins before dropping them off at home, as well as dropping in to say wassup to Kuya Don. As soon as my parents and I arrived home, which was around the same exact time, it was on: Lakers and Celtics, game 6! Too bad I fell asleep for most of it.

Quiatchon passed his driving test on Wednesday! Congrats, Carbon Copy. And the first thing he did? Stopped by my house, of course. We hung out, played some piano, talked clothes and tech, and then off we went to his house, where we did...well, pretty much more of the same. My mother picked me up around 9ish, and the rest of the night was nothing out of the ordinary for me. Thursday...well, I just stayed home all day.

Friday morning, up bright and early at 7AM to watch the World Cup! This time, it was the U.S. against Slovenia, a topic so controversial that it deserves its own blog post. That'll have to wait a bit. Boredom struck me hard that afternoon, and Daniel, too, apparently. Fortunately, the car was mine for the day again, so I swung by and picked him up to head to a coffeeshop. Much nicer than the one I went to last week with David and Paul, I must admit. The Plant was next on our list of places to go, so we stopped by, browsed Best Buy for a bit, and picked up applications from Five Guys. Dammit, Boiling Crab, why must you tease me so? I'll be the first in line to turn in an application once the new location opens, trust. We stopped by Starbucks before heading home, but unfortunately, the cutie patootie that works every Saturday doesn't work Fridays, or at least not that particular Friday, so we just got our gift cards for our pops and left in a hurry.

Some rather terrible news came to my mom that morning, unfortunately, and we had to make a trip to my cousin's house so that she could talk with my aunt (her sister) about some family matters. My mom and her two sisters left this morning on the bus to head to Southern California this morning, leaving my dad and I behind to watch the house and do whatever. It wasn't until 2 in the afternoon that I finally woke up. Dad and I went to the bank so I could deposit a few checks I received for my birthday and my graduation, and what do I find in the mail when I get home? More checks. Guess I'll come back another day. We picked up my uncle at around 6 to go and get some dinner. On the way to Grand Century, we stopped by Costco to fill up the tank (sweet!), and while waiting, my dad and uncle had plenty of time to crack jokes about my "girlfriend" and I. There's nothing new about everyone in my family speculating whether or not I have a special someone that I go out with all the time when I take the car for the day, but at least now I know my dad expects it, which gave me mixed feelings; it's great that my family allows and even wants me to have a girlfriend, but it's terrible that they don't know what terrible luck I have with the ladies. Cut me some slack here, guys!

Hu tieu was our choice for dinner that night. We met up with my cousin and his girlfriend at the restaurant (the name eludes me right now...), and I decided it was time for me to try a few new things. This time around, I ordered a bowl of hu tieu nam vang, kho, which is just about the complete opposite of what I ordered last time in terms of the way the noodles and broth are prepared, but it was delicious nonetheless. It was also my first time actually eating everything in the bowl, including the heart and the liver, as well as adding jalepenos to it, which gave it a nice kick. After dinner, my uncle and cousins went their way and dad and I went ours. The path we chose? Cleaning the garage for two hours that night. I put my small latex gloves on, slipped into some sandals, and got to work. Mom is going to be so pleased when she gets home! During the cleaning process, I stumbled across quite a few items which I've been looking for, mainly for nostalgia purposes, and they now rest safely in my other bedroom.

After a night of tough and tiring work, all we wanted to do was relax, which was exactly what we did. Before I could unwind, though, I had to get in my 30 minutes of daily exercise, courtesy of the elliptical. Following my post-workout shower and my post-shower nail-clipping, I finally decided to open up the netbook my brother gave me as a graduation gift and put it to good use. It took some time to get used to, but it's pretty sweet. In fact, I'm typing on it from my bed right now! So that's it, really; dad and I watched TV and browsed the web for a couple of hours after cleaning the garage. He went to sleep first, obviously, so I took the liberty of washing all the dishes, which went back all the way to Thursday night. Hope you guys don't mind. Happy Father's Day!

And finally, I'm finished, and I'm sleepy. Goodnight, and goodmorning! :)