whoops... a belated happy holidays everyone!

I love the giant wreath :) It was a great Xmas but now I'm very much ready to move on to the new year!

A picture is worth a thousand Swedish meatballs

Somebody needs to tell the folks at IKEA that some words translate poorly into the English lexicon. I think this item can be used in conjunction with other IKEA products called HËRPES and TÖB TOPPS.

100th Post! Yippee! When do I get my gold fountain pen?

It was bound to happen sooner or later :)

Iron Chef

Okay, so I'm not quite a chef per se, nor am I made of iron or iron-like in any way (and judging by the bulge of my shirt, I'd be more of a doughy or marshmallowy chef). But I'm cooking!!! Yesiree bob! I'm in the kitchen and making delicious food for folks – in this case, mini bleu cheese bacon fennel burgers. Mmmmmmmmm.... mmmmmm... GOOD! I know making food isn't such a big dealio for many, but considering that the best thing I could cook up a few months ago was a can of chili, I'm pretty stoked :)

The porcelain bunny was trying to get an M&M all night. Maybe he was just looking at them... anyway, I wish we got more party pictures, but suffice to say it was a lot of fun! A big thanks to all who were there :D

YouTube now TheirTube

Not sure how much I like the fact that Google owns YouTube. After all, they had to pull a lot of interesting content off for fear of lawsuits. On the upside I just watched highlights from the latest Sharks game – apparently the suits have figured out that people like watching video on the internet and now they're posting "official" content. Of course, the way hockey ratings are going, they might as well save some money and just skip broadcasting and post entire games online!

Thy Xmas party cometh

So tomorrow there's a gathering of close friends at our place. And of course, with such a big occasion looming and there bound to being lots of photo taking, I've developed a zit right in the center of my giant forehead. The vastness of the real estate that surrounds it not withstanding, the zit also appears to be framed by my trademark eyebrows ("trademark" ~ "caterpillar-like"). Sigh... I guess I'll be doing lots of photoshopping soon. In the meantime, I'll notify the FAA so they can alter the flight paths of planes landing at Oakland International.

Why the world needs good designers...

I saw this strange ad that isn't for Netflix (tricky!). For some reason, someone thought it was good to show an image of a woman kissing a snowman that looks like he has a giant tumor (or another head) growing out the side of his face. Truly bizarre art direction!!

Friday night was a lot of fun - guys' night out in SF. It almost was called due to severe inclement weather, but Tony saved the day by pushing us out the door and assured us it wouldn't be raining when we got to where we were going. Shockingly (and I really was shocked) it wasn't raining by the time we got into town. Who would have thunk it? Like I said, it was a lot of fun, but here are my drinks in order of disappearance (to the best of my memory): beer, beer, white russian, black russian, irish car bomb, beer.

I think that might be a lot for an occasional drinker like myself, but I'm sure not anywhere near what many people take down in one night. That being said, I was pretty much hung over for all of Saturday, Sunday, and probably a little bit of Monday (did I mention I have a lingering cold or something as well?). Let's just say I'm not going to be wanting anything with alcohol in it for some time!

Sigh... I've looked (and felt) better...

UPDATE: So I saw the ad again and it is a Netflix ad after all! Shame on you Netflix for having such a cool look and besmirching it with such an awful photo!

Yabba Dabba Poo!*

So I've finally moved into the world of serious limb and digit chopping off power tools. The other day I used this bad boy to make a 6 inch 30˚ angled cross cut for a small support for the bracket of a new clothes rod in the closet. I was very anxious before I began, but it was all over in less than a second, and it was a big rush (which kinda reminds me of another first-time experience, but I can't quite recall what.) This particular model has a 'live' indicator, work LED, laser to blind foes with, and it even cuts wood!

*What Fred Flinstone exclaims when he steps in what Dino has left behind. (I just made that joke up and I don't know why I find it so funny - I just do. I was going to make it "Yabba Dabba Jew!" and reference Mel Gibson somehow, but that didn't work out.)

Sne Buh Nuh

I'm feeling nonsensical today.

Shhhh!!! I'm internetting...

How can it be Friday already??? That's what I want to know! I guess between being sick and playing Guitar Hero, the week just flew on by. After taking last week off for vacation for Thanksgiving and not getting any work for another week, I'm starting to freak out a little. Do they remember who I am? Am I out of favor? Was I replaced? So many neurosis, so little time. (seriously, I hope they give me more work soon!)

I'm typing this entry with my new fangled keyboard from Logitech. It's been a long time coming I guess, but I finally got around to wanting to replace my 4+ year old mouse and ended up getting a combo set from Logitech's "Laser" series (soon to be followed by a "Blazer" and "Taser" series I'm sure). I had serious input device envy after Cathryn got hers!

It's super flat and has all sorts of dohickey buttons that I can customize (I have a one-touch button to launch Bejeweled 2 – yes, it's a sickness). The mouse can control volume and to and fro in the browser on top of its normal mousely duties. Best of all, they're both wireless! Which doesn't really mean anything for me since I'm usually chained to the desk, but at least I feel more like a bona fide professional now because I've heard that anything wireless is cool.

Lastly but certainly not least – I often enjoy a wonderful gift Haydee got for me a while back in the form of a nodding Sunshine Buddie. By chance my parents came over and my mom got to finally see it during the day when it works. It made her so happy in the simple way that it works for me, that it was an easy call to know what I'm going to get her for Xmas (I got a green little guy off of eBay – the green one is for health). Now if I can only figure out what to get my dad. Parents are so hard to buy for!

Obessessed!

I have no idea WHY I want this game so much. I'm sure it wont even be that fun after a week. So I'm holding back on purchasing it – which of course makes me want it even more!

The act or feeling of wanting is sometimes so strange to me. I know want only brings about either suffering or more want, neither which are very good for the soul. But alas, I want to live out an air guitar dream I didn't even know I had!

Change is enevitable. Hmmmm...

Almost 8 years ago, when I just couldn't stand it anymore at my parent's house (I'm sure I was insufferable as well), I finally moved out. Our relationship has vastly improved since then and a lot of things have changed for me personally. I know it may seem odd, but the whole reason I started thinking back is because I just helped my parents replace their kitchen faucet, which was approximately the same age (I bought it for them when I bought mine).

Recently, I've been looking around the house at various fixtures and appliances and realized how much has changed from my mindset when I first purchased them to now. I know it's stupid, but the notion of wanting to replace it all or needing to replace it all feels very unsettling to me. I still remember growing up with the same awful pink bathroom tiles, squeaky chairs, and various other fixtures. It's weird what you remember as a kid.

I guess maybe I'm just feeling old lately. I want to have the time and energy to simply run around pointlessly in a gopher infested field again.

All of this being said though, I am very grateful for many, many things. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It's perfectly cromulent

It's finally here! Friday at last! I can't wait to start my vacation as soon as possible. My head is tired of thinking of too many things and my heart is heavy from dealing with too many things. I'll soon be happily organizing closets, working on electrical in the garage, and wandering around the aisles of Target :)

Recently purchased at Target®
Holiday storage container ~ $5.88 on sale! Red and green mark this plastic storage container as Xmas holiday central (I dumped all my Halloween gear in it, shhhh....don't tell Cathryn!)
Spongebob Squarepants Monopoly ~ $24.99 on sale! A fun gift we got for my newphews. The playing pieces are seriously fun!
Panasonic Inverter Microwave ~ $88.88 on sale! This beauty has replaced my 10+ year old microwave and has such modern amenities as: turntable dish inside, digital timer, 1.2 cu ft of interior space (seriously, do you remember my old microwave? it took 2 minutes to make water go from room temp to lukewarm!)

If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.

After reading Julienne's blog about GTA, I just had to make my own top 10 lists of things I like to do in the game... (drum roll...)

10. Stop my car on the freeway and cause a HUGE pileup. Then throw a grenade in the middle of the pile and watch the chain reaction of explosions.

9. Mow down a group of rival gang members and gather their weapons and cash afterwards.

8. Take the slowest, biggest vehicle I can find on a jump ramp.

7. Drive on the freeway and streets on a motorcycle as fast as possible in the wrong direction for as long as possible.

6. Hit a pedestrian so they go straight up in the air, then look in the rear view to see them land.

5. Try to open a police car door, then when the cop steps out, let him chase you once around his car and then steal it.

4. Find a nice elevated spot with overhead cover and only one entrance, do rocket launcher cheat and shoot anything that moves.

3. Making CJ as fat as possible with constant trips to fast food restaurants, then watch him try to run.

2. Perform an end around on a police blockade, and then mow everyone down in a straight line.

1. Steal car. Cause mayhem. Repeat.

In other news, if you're a user of ear plugs or need a recommendation for one - I found a fantastic brand that was recommended by a Slate article. Hearos Ultimate Soft Series earplugs are pretty much like their name. Super soft and very effective!

And finally, here's some spam that I was recently sent. I can't decide if it's completely lame or if it's genius!

When the going gets tough, he's really rough, with a Hong Kong Phooey chop (Hi-Ya!). Thunder, thunder, thundercats, Ho! Thundercats are on the move, Thundercats are loose. Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down, Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on. Straight'nin' the curve, flat'nin' the hills. One for all and all for one, it's a pretty story. wishing for The Cities of Gold. This is my boss, Jonathan Hart, a self-made millionaire, he's quite a guy. Hong Kong Phooey, number one super guy. Down the road, that's where I'll always be. Do-do-do-do, Cities of Gold. Ulysses - no-one else can

Love that irony...

Paper or plastic? Disposable or cotton? Ceramic mug or Styrofoam cup? These questions and more plague our tryin' to be green everyday existence. Wired recently had an interesting article with some surprising answers. I scanned the page so you can read it here for your pleasure (click on the small image and a big one should show up).

The one about hand washing dishes really surprised me. Since I don't have a dishwasher, I have to admit I'm the guy who washes dishes with the water running. I had assumed I still did better than a dishwasher, but decided to do a test – I hand washed some dishes and plugged the sink to see how quickly it would fill up. To my surprise, I only got a quarter of the way through a set of dishes before the sink was full!

So I did another test and only ran the faucet when I rinsed and only a little shot to make whatever I was washing wet (or none at all if it was already wet). The result was less than half a sink full for the rest of the dishes. It was easy to get used to washing dishes that way, and I'm very glad to know that I'm wasting that much less water. Thanks Wired :)

Next big thing?

New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream

I can't wait for the remix versions of this song. This band is seriously awesome in the most 80s-ish way you can think of!

When in doubt, pinky out!

I don't think I ever posted this shot of me waiting to eat my food. I was on my best behavior at Sean and Melissa's reception :) I'm using the photo for my profile at Sushimonsters.com. If they don't go out of business, the website is another great tool for finding sushi locally.


And as for this guy... well, I think a punching cat is self explanatory. If you can't get enough of him (like me) go here.

In response to a seriously rough past 10 days, I'm writing a comedy...

Bird flies overhead.
Hair feels wet.

SBUX

Now that I have my easy button, all my problems will be solved with a press of this big, shiny, red button! Bonus: it's a charitable product sold at Staples for five bucks.

Speaking of charitable, it's that time of year again! My favorite charity, Toys 4 Tots is now being backed up by Toy's R Us. From now until November 22, bring in any unwrapped toy to any Toy's (or Baby's) R Us store and they will match the donation! (up to one million toys). Kids may need a lot of things that might be more of a necessity than toys, but I think having something to play with can help beyond measure in intangible ways with the tough stuff every kid goes through growing up (I absorbed myself in Legos).

You may have wondered, nay, had a burning desire to find out why I have two logos below this post's picture. Have I gone mad? Have I gotten sponsorship? Neither! I just wanted to push again different ways you can save or invest your money. Too many people think they can't save or that they don't have enough money to save or invest.

I just discovered Sharebuilder.com, a GREAT way to get into stocks, because you don't have to think about buying shares. Google at $450 per share and you only have $40? No problem! You tell Sharebuilder to buy $40 worth of Google and you end up buying a partial share. Each non realtime trade is $4 and there are no set up fees, minimums to fund, or inactivity penalties. The stock market on average returns 10% on long-term investments (5-10+ years).

Do you have a savings account at your bank that's drawing 2% or trapped in a CD for months or years? Put your money in an ING Orange account. It's currently at 4.4% for an annual return and is semi-liquid. That is, all funds are transferred electronically to or from your checking account. Either way takes 3-5 business days to complete. There are no minimums and no fees. The best part is that you can set up an automatic savings plan to take cash from your checking! Schedule it to transfer $40 a month – chances are you wont miss it, and by the end of the year, you'll have $480. If you sign up, tell 'em I sent you and we both get promo cash added to our accounts.

Sorry for all the directives, but all this stuff I really believe in (and take part in) and I definitely want to share the knowledge that I've gained through lots of research and poking around. If you have any advice about charities, saving money, or investing money, (especially if you think I've got it wrong!) I'd love to hear about it!

Press El Numero Dos Para Español

My chin is cold. Why you ask? Because I promised myself that I would shave off the goatee after Halloween. I can't say I miss it much though. It was always snagging on things, moving around when it was windy (which gave the strangest tugging sensation on my chin), and towards the end when it was longer, every now and again it would end up in my mouth (YUCK).

The photos are from this Saturday at Cleve's. I really like the quality of the image the camera phone produces (excellent shots taken by Cathryn). I think I missed out on the casting call for the break dancin' DJ villain from Zoolander.

In continuation of my assault on literature with six word stories, Cathryn wanted me to pen a mystery...

None shall prevail.
The perfect crime.

If I read "spooktacular savings" ONE more time...

Sadly, I'm not so much in the Halloween spirit this year. But I do feel something a comin' on. Maybe it was the windstorm that swept through this afternoon that flooded the streets with fall leaves. Or maybe it was putting up Cathryn's paper bats for work, but I think it's starting to finally feel more like autumn to me (ah, the beautifully temperate Bay Area). And tonight I even figured out a great idea for a costume!

If you haven't yet, you should check out Merima's pumpkins.

For some reason, I'm SO jonesing for a snack right now. Like Cheetos or Cheez-its (that Cheez-it craving isn't going away). Mmmm.... something crunchy and salty. I wonder how Bugles are doing these days. I swear they must put amphetamines in that stuff.

Anyway, here's another six word story :) This time, a bodice-ripper...

Innocent embrace
developed into
fiery passion.

Shake the disease

I just previewed my previous blog entry in explorer and it sucks! Not funny at all. So my apologies to everyone who looked at that and were using a browser other than Firefox (in which, the words are HUGE and I still find it amusing because I'm juvenille that way).

So after days of feeling much better, I'm still feverish! What the fuck??? I got sick last week, got better by the end of the week, no sore throat, runny nose, or aches left to speak of. Yet I'm still illin'. Sigh. I guess I'll prescribe myself plenty of fluids and rest - probably what the doc will say anyway.

For lunch today I wanted to roast some pine nuts to add to my pasta. I got distracted and burned them all! Disgusted with myself, I dumped them into the trash, where they immediately began melting through the plastic bag. Sigh, I wonder how many trash bags I'll have to melt through with hot garbage before learning my lesson. (melted bags: 4, walt:0)

Just fucking around. What else?

Ahh.. 'twas fun messing around with the giant text, but since I think few saw it and since on my browser it's interfering with my other entries, I've decided to replace this entry with a six word short story - inspired by the short story section of the latest Wired featuring six word stories by famed authors.

God failed him,
Vengeance was nigh.

I'm shocked, cotton.

Hmmm.... blogger has been slow lately. What's up with that? Anywho, I just got back from a sortie to the new giant Target. I randomly wandered down the aisle looking for a mirror when this guy asked for my opinion on a painting he was considering. I responded, "You asked the right person, I'm a graphic designer!" Which made him happy and I answered all sorts of questions and in the end, it was decided that the art at Target wasn't for him.

I then got to thinking, ha, I just pulled the "designer" card. It was fun to think that my opinion mattered so much to a stranger (the guy by the way is an expert in his own right - he's a bridge inspector and currently works on the new bay bridge). I have more random converstations at Target it seems than anywhere else (I once met a recruiter who tried to get me to work for him while his pregnant wife rolled her eyes at his workaholism).

Speaking of random shopping stuff, last week we were walking out of Orchard Supply and this dude walked out behind us and he was a no joke cowboy. Now I know what you're thinking, "he was probably wearing a cowboy hat which doesn't necessarily qualify him to be a cowboy". Which is true. But he was also wearing cowboy boots and spurs. Yes, spurs. It was the spurs that got my attention. I could hear them behind us as we walked out (ching, clomp, ching, clomp...) It was like I was in a really weird Western set in residential San Lorenzo and instead of horses, we drove cars. And we were buying fungicide instead of whiskey. Like I said - weird!

The top photo shows us at Lanesplitters enjoying a giant pizza. MMmmmmmm.... and the other photo is mine and Cathryn's newest addiction. It's Bejewelled 2 and I made 4 hypercubes. Aw yeah! Seriously. The game is really addicting. You've been warned!!!

Recently purchased at Target®
Inova Micro Light ~ $6.29 on sale! Great keychain light that comes in handy :)
Cottonelle 12 pack with Aloe and Vitamin E ~ $6.00 on sale! Why your ass would ever need vitamin E, I have no idea, but after Northern disappointed me, Cottonelle TP has saved the day.
Progresso soups ~ $1.67 Amazing regular price!
3M Duct Tape ~ 3.99 on sale! For taping up... things.
Palmolive dishsoap ~ $2.99 Can't wait to try the new foaming oxygenating action.

It's rhetoric season!

Here's some snaps from a weekend past. We were on Angel Island and I finally got to try out my new football with Rajan. Here's a haiku of what happened:

Glorious football,
So fun on a sunny day,
Bounced into water.

And also, here's the forementioned shot of me and C dressed up a notch or two (or five for me). In seeing this photo, I can't help but to think how badly my parents need to repaint their living room. I also like how my shoulder blends into the background. I look like the widest person ever!

No more pink, please.

It's an epidemic of guys wearing pink out there! One other thing that I don't miss about going into the office is walking to work from BART and having to pass by guys strutting around in their stupid pink shirts. What the hell??? I know I'm in the minority, but white guys + pink shirts just makes me think of them as idiots who look at a J. Crew catalog and does whatever they say. The next think you know, they'll be walking around with their collars flipped up.

I will also never be convinced about flat shoes for women being "in". Flat shoes will never be in for me - nothing ends a hot pair of stems better than some high-heeled boots or stillettos in my opinion.

Yes, the 80's was a very tough time for me fashion-wise. God help me, I even wanted a Member's Only jacket.

Help! I can't tell where I am. It's dark and I can hear laughing.

Ah Jenga, where have you been my entire life? I've only played this game one other time and always wanted to get it. However, the guilt of buying all that wood from clear cut forest was just too much. That is until there was a great sale at Target. Jenga and several other very popular MB games were all on sale for 8 bucks and I couldn't pass up such a good price! (I talk about this sale a lot - if you donate to Toys 4 Tots, now's the time to stock up). Cathryn and I played a very rousing game of nerve-racking Jenga. I think we only got 6 or 8 more stories after the shot you see of the magnificent and very unstable 28 levels of Jenga blocks. After everything fell, we put together the tower. Yes, 'twas another riveting Friday evening at Casa Del Campo.

In other news, I keep getting spam for some guy named Walter Eichmann. Which is really weird since my secret alias is Swedish/Norweigian and decidedly NOT German. What the hell? And I guess no one needs a bigger cock or breasts anymore either because all my spam these days are about mortgages. Even the Nigerians have enough money. I say, if you haven't realized how absolutely fucked you are now if you still have an open ARM, you'll figure it out soon enough.

You know something else? I've probably taken hundreds, nay, THOUSANDS of showers, so I would expect to be rather proficient at the task. Yet every now and again, I can't remember if I've washed my feet already. Then I wash them again right at the end of my shower and subsequently recall that it's the third time I've washed them. Weird.

Giving the ol' Double Deuce!

Ever notice how your tongue is a good indicator of you health? Eastern doctors have been using tongue reading techniques for years. Since I am of Eastern ancestry, I feel that I am qualified to give out a handy tongue guide.

Your Tongue Color is:
Red, like a nice juicy piece of fruit = You're pretty healthy or you drink enough water. My tongue is now like this pretty often since I started taking multi-vitamins from Costco.

White, kinda pasty red = This is how my tongue always used to be. I always had dry mouth from downing too much Sudafed for my sinus condition. Breathing in searing hot steam on a semi-regular basis freed me from the tyranny of Sudafed. This could also mean that you might be getting sick if your tongue is usually red. You probably need to drink more water and get some rest.

White, kinda creamy = That's probably just morning tongue. You know. The tongue you get in the morning. If your tongue is like this after you've brushed your teeth, you should probably drink lots more water and write apology notes to anyone sitting next to you on the bus.

White, kinda greenish = This is just the worst! You're probably sick, have severe halitosis, or both. Drink Listerine or Scope stat. People nearby, your houseplants, and the greenhouse effect will thank you. I've met people with this color tongue, whenever they spoke, it was like ghosts of the undead were escaping or something.

Bonus: If you bought that plastic tongue scraper I've seen on infomercials, please let me know so that I can try to sell you other useless things and take your money.

It's iocane powder, I bet my life on it!

Ahhhh... it's late and it's quiet and I'm blogging once again. So much has happened this past week it's insane! Work has been relentless, I'm getting new insurance, and the whole weekend was dedicated to Melissa and Sean's wedding activities (pics to come).

It started Friday night with a trip to Ireland's 32. 'twas and okay time there and it was fun to see who's related to people you know and also to order drinks from a surly Irish bartender. On Saturday, we ate at the Orchard Hotel (Vignette) where the amazing food was only surpassed by their excellent staff. I got to take my new suit out for a spin and Cathryn looked ravishing in a polka dotty dress (small dots, not huge 80's style ones). The next day we dragged ourselves out to Angel Island where we were greeted by beautiful weather and friendly park rangers.

Oh yeah, getting back to the whole switching insurance thing, my new potential insurer required that I get an automatic shutoff valve for my gas main. Yes, I can hear everyone's eyes glazing over right about now, but if you or someone you know owns a home in California, I would say spread the word about giving it serious consideration. Many people don't even know how to shut off their gas main and getting this little dohickey installed is supposed to do the trick all on its own. Installation is $250 for most homes, up to $400 for larger homes or for homes with more intensive gas needs. It's hard to put a price on safety, but it's usually less costly than having your place explode (the only upside being if some squirrels are caught in the explosion). Call 1.866.723.8178 for more info.

p.s. All the casks were from a company wine tour in Napa and the table shot is from Triple Rock. I love taking those table shots!

a shameless plug for Matt

I almost forgot to do this... Matt Lindgren, fiance to one of my favorite people in my life and all around great guy, is now practicing as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern in San Francisco, Livermore, and Concord. I cannot speak to his professional qualifications as he has not treated me, but I can speak about his kindness, integrity, and high character (and goofiness).

If you or someone you know could find use of his expertise, please visit http://www.matthewlindgren.com to find out more info.

fun at Chevy's

Phonecam shots from a recent b-day dinner for my sister at Chevy's. She really, really, didn't want to wear the hat, so I got it :) We're eating some fried ice cream desert thing. It was really good, but I'm sure qualifies as a weapon of some sort because of its caloric deadliness.

I think my parents are happier these days now that they've settled into retirement. There are definitely more photos of them happy now than I ever remember while growing up. Our parents sacrafice so much for us! Love to my moms and my pops :) :) :)

the trouble with trivial

Photos from a nice dinner at Bocca Di Beppo's. There's nothing like a nice BART car to yourself and a virgin mary-like figurine to watch over you whilst you consume mass quantities of carbohydrates (so... goood....) We also drank some sort of weird shots that tasted like kerosene mixed with propane mixed with gasoline mixed with mint and lime. It was yukky, but STRONG like bull and hit harder than G Bush looking for invisible weapons in a sovereign nation.

In random internet news, I found this really cool conceptual clip on YouTube that shows a guy named Noah Kolina who takes a photo of himself everyday for 6 years (he's a photographer, natch). The clip besides being very conceptually intersting is scored by an amazing piano performance by Carly Comando (yes, that's her name). I found her profile on MySpace and you can download her song there if you like.

my yam really IS this big

I just couldn't resist posting this additional shot from our Salt Point trip. Thanks to Laquel for providing most excellent photography services :)

captain taggart has SAVED us!!!

It's been interesting times lately... work has been great (knock on wood) so now I'm able to spend a bit of cash on home improvement. Rajan and Amit helped me pick up a shitload of lumber and supplies from Home Depot - who knew 2x12s were so freakin' heavy? Also, soon to be online is my long awaited uh... wait, for low voltage lighting in the landscaping area.

I just got back from camping at Salt Point SP. It never ceases to amaze me when I witness the sheer multitudes of beautiful things California has to offer at only a few (car sickening) hours away. The tidepools were fun to look into, the rock formations were unique, and I don't ever seem to tire of being near the vastness of oceans. (click on the image above for a treat)

Guess what's in the bowl? Mmmmmm.... crack snack.

For those of you are cool and know how to use the internet, here are some links for you to check out at your leisure.

Office
Wound Up (iTunes link)

OK Go
Treadmill Video (You Tube link)
Backyard Video (You Tube link)

grateful for many things

I really wanted to blog about a recent experience, but I'm unsure how, so I guess I'll just write a stream of conciousness and you can ask questions later if you like.

Every time that I go onsite in SF for work, I'm required to walk up and down Sansome to and from BART. So of course, like many of you I'm sure, I often find myself being asked for spare change by homeless. I've gotten pretty jaded by it all, but this one woman would always ask for change and would always smile and be friendly regardless of the response. It struck me because I could easilly imagine how difficult it would be to show positivity from being in such a tough place. I found myself looking forward to being able to give her a dollar and a hello, but I would always try to keep our interactions short.

After a while though, I would ask her how she was doing. Invariably, she told me she was doing very badly. It just killed me to hear, from such an obviously good and gentle soul, that she was suffering. But I had already given her my dollar, was tired from work, and very much wanted to get home, so I exchanged a parting pleasantry and left her there on the corner where she often stands.

Most of the time, I would simply move on. But this time was different. I found myself unable to stop silently tearing up while waiting for the BART train. It just didn't seem right that I would go to a comfortable home while she would not. The more time passed, the more terrible I felt for leaving her there. I kept trying to think of her as some junkie, alcoholic, crazy person, or someone who was just lazy so I could rationalize her station in life. But I could not. I knew in my heart then as I do now, that for whatever reason, she in particular somehow did not deserve the hand she was dealt.

Maybe it's because she's an elderly Asian woman and reminds me of my mom. Maybe she just seemed truly helpless because of her age and slight build. But I kept thinking, what if I was supposed to help just one person in my life and that was it, and I just walked away? I know I'm probably being silly or stupid or obssesive something, but I can't help it. Just this one time, I want to do something personally, rather than through an organization or donation of money.

So after consulting with Amit (who worked at a homeless organization for several years), it was decided that I could do something. Something small, but meaningful. I packed a roll of toilet paper from home and went to Walgreens and picked up a fleece blanket, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lip balm, and some lotion.

I have been very anxious to give her this care package of sorts in hopes of making small difference. But alas, I have not seen her in two days and will not be onsite until next Monday. I hope that she is doing okay and that I'll be able to make my delivery to her soon.

Thankfully, a past coworker of mine left a bunch of audio files on her workstation. One of things I found was and audio book by the Dalai Lama called, The Art of Happiness. That, along with comfort from friends, has been a much needed source of emotional support. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Who you trying to get crazy with, ese? Don't you know I'm loco?

I finally did a photo dump (I said 'dump' - heh heh) onto my computer from my phone and found these fun images. I like the first one because the bottle looks giant in front of me and also like my head is attached to it. The second one is from waaayyyy back all the way to July 4 (well, only like 3 weeks ago). You can't see her, but Julienne is playing with a sparkler while Matt looks on, completely enthralled by the action. The most recent photo is from a local Chinese supermercado. We couldn't figure out if it was candy for people or snacks for your doggy, but I loved the packaging! Ah... whimsy that can seemingly only eminate from Japan. If anyone out there can read Japanese (I'm pretty sure it's Japanese, anyway) please let me know what the packaging says!

I recently re-watched Snatch and I'm still amazed how much I love that movie. I know it has it's detractors, but I think it's well put together with lots of energy and has a cleverly written script with a large and varied group of interesting characters. The soundtrack also reflects my high opinion of the movie. Do yourself a favor and lookup Mirwas - Disco Science, off the Snatch soundtrack.

gossamer

The concept of gardening for food isn't new to me, but this is the first thing that I ever planted and eventually ate (thanks to Cathryn for knowing when to pick it!). Holy shit this tomato was good! Now I know why some people are so fanatical about growing their own vegetables. I hope to one day grow an entire salad. It would be nice to eat something that I'm sure wasn't sprayed with yummy chemicals.

But you know what's really great? I switched auto insurance. I'm saving almost 9% a year with Allstate Auto Insurance. What can I say, the advertising with the ex-president of the United States from 24 worked on me! Plus, after being a 21st Century customer for 17 years, they agreed to cancel my policy without so much as a thank you or "here's what we can offer you if you stayed with us". Feh. Slowly but surely I'm starting to learn the lesson of not everyone cares or appreciates if you give them business.

And now to reveal something SHOCKING AND SCANDALOUS!!! I watch Oprah from time to time and while I wouldn't classify myself as a fan, I would definitely tell anyone who asked that her show can often be worthwhile. Why I bring this up you ask? She did a whole series of shows on something called the "Debt Diet". It was really fascinating to hear the various stories people had, how much in debt they were (!), and how doable it was for them to get out of it (which they eventually did in an often surprising small amount of time).

There are several main things you're supposed to do to help alleviate your debt, but I forgot them (check on her site, buy the DVD, etc. - however I do remember one of the easy ones was to simply ask for a raise). The other thing I remember was the pie chart of your budget, which I can share with you, my loyal and very interested readers: 35% housing, 15% transportation, 20% debt (meaning use 20% of your income to manage and pay down debt), 10% savings (pay yourself), and 20% everything else (food, haircuts, movies, etc.)

Well there you have it. Plant tomatoes to eat, save on car insurance, and get rid of your debt by watching Oprah.

Best blog entry EVER!

ERRATA
I got the pie chart info wrong! Sorry about that. 'Debt' is 15% and the 'Everything Else' part of the pie is 25%.

Less smog, more blog

Yep, it's a slow blog day when you're posting pictures of garbage. But it's just not ANY garbage, it's my bulky waste pick up. The garbage that says, "there's been a lot of work done in order to make this pile". Construction debris was piled waist high, the doors that I've kept all these years never found a use, likewise for the vanity stand, and the flourescent tube holder was sent off, too. I always feel bad for creating so much refuse, but this really needed to be done! Hopefully, only one more bulky waste pick up will clear out the rest of the crap.

Have you ever passed by that candyland looking house in Oakland and wondered if they were cooking children there? That place is called TJ's Gingerbread House and they serve Cajun style food. Apart from having the nagging susupicion that we were all going to end up buried in the backyard, the restaurant is actually really interesting and looks great once you get inside. All the food is VERY good and the service is, um... eccentric (the main hostess has quite the personality!).

I've been working a lot lately, and if you stay at work long enough, you get to see fun stuff. Like a pile of toilet paper rolls in the corner of the elevator. Speaking of elevators, I read that you can turn some elevators into express mode by pressing the floor you want plus the close door button. Steve said he'd try this out at his work and I can't wait to hear the report. If anyone else knows this works or have heard about it, please tell me!

Finally, a word about safety. No matter how lazy you are (like me), always, always, always, choose a safe and stable platform from which to climb up on and dismount from. I used a living room chair to pull down the screen and wasn't so careful about how I placed it. The result was my shifting weight causing the chair back to sharply snap up and dig into my hip/ribs as I stepped off the chair. Did it hurt? YOU BETCHA!!!

It's a bird! it's a plane! Awww... it's just another fucking blog.

So hear are some snaps from our trip to Chicagoland. It was hot, humid, windy, and fun! We went to the Field Museum to catch the Tut exhibit, but were only allowed to take photos of less known artifacts (hence the 3 legged um... toad for luck and the freaky cool mask). The reflective bean thing was fascinatingly beautiful and we also had an amazing meal on the Navy Pier and then watched Memorial Day fireworks.

Let's see... that was about a month ago. After that, Rajan and Amit helped me tear down the drywall in the separating wall in the garage to help make room for the new laundry units and bring more light. Hooray for LG and my loving parents who footed the bill!! Why you ask, do I need laundry units? Cathryn of course! :) Many folks know already, but setting up cohabitation takes a looooonnnnggg ass time. Who knew you needed stuff like closets and storage cabinets? And I just know Cathryn is waiting... patiently waiting... always waiting... for the next opportunity to make a 'runner' for our dining room table. Sooner or later, I'll find out what this 'runner' thing is, and I'll know her true plans!

Speaking of Cathryn, the other day she asked me whether or not I liked cereal. I then realized that I hadn't had cereal in many years. Of course after that, I could not think of ANYTHING else. What kind of cereal would I like? Does cereal still taste good? How expensive is cereal these days? Am I still a touch lactose intolerant? Is cereal still cereal? Cereal cereal in my cereal? I should cereal the cereal now so I can cereal. AUGGGHHH!! Short story long, I found a box of Honey Bunches of Oates - one of my old favorites - on sale for $2 and by sheer luck purchased lactose intolerant milk for Cathryn's tea (I was only looking for the 2% thing). So last night at about 1:30am, we were eating a cereal snack and I just had some cereal for lunch. Mmmmmm...

So how much can I write about cereal? Read on! A long time ago, I had a discussion with a friend of mine about milk first or cereal first. She swore that of course you'd pour the milk first, so you could see how much milk you were drinking. No way! It's always been cereal first for me and cereal first it will stay. Who gives a shit about milk??? I need to know how much cereal I'm going to be eating and can always add milk as I go. She was really nice, but that always bothered me about her from that point on. No doubt my strong opinions about this matter will draw lines in the sand, but I'm okay with that. Goddamn milk firsters...