An End of June Two 'fer...

Last weekend (6/20) I went to Santa Barbara and I have to say that it was one of the best places I've been in California by far. Although the drive (5ish hours) is not the best, you do get to see what the Central Coast looks like and some towns like Pismo Beach. If I was going to move anywhere else, I'd have to say it would be there though.

These are the massive nachos from Freebirds in Santa Barbara. I understand why they are famous.

Rachel and I stayed with her friends, Peter and Pieter, who were the first same-sex couple to be married in Santa Barbara (and luckily their marriage is still legit under CA law). Their house is amazing, total price tag with land has got to be something like +$6 million, and they are two of the nicest people I've met.

This is the view from Peter and Pieter's house. Its foggy here, but there is a view of the ocean.

In the mean time, I've been trying to keep busy with work and a lot of things at home, but in the wake of some friend's careers taking turns for the better and mine still not going anywhere, I've decided to take on 12 personal goals and complete them all in 12 months. Ever see 'The 10 Tasks of Asterix"? It's going to be like that...except 12. I'm going to be completing these in no particular order.

1.) Run a marathon
2.) Abalone dive
3.) Go surfing 25 times
4.) Maintain fitness goal (TBD)
5.) Read 12 books
6.) Learn to cook 10 new dishes (you'll get the recipes)
7.) Travel to 2 new countries
8.) Relearn Arabic
9.) Maintain healthy diet
10.) Visit LA and San Diego
11.) Try 12 new restaurants (you'll get the review too!)
12.) Go to the all the major museums in San Francisco.

The great part about these goals is that some of them feed into others. Like hitting the fitness goal will help with, and also be helped, the training for the marathon (which I'm shooting to run Dec. 6th in Santa Barbara). Also, it will help me get better at surfing, and I'm also going to be taking a few lessons to work out some bad habits I've acquired which affect form, etc. I'm really excited about taking these things on because they're going to be fun and/or personally rewarding.

That's all I have for now. I hope everyone has great plans for the 4th!

Enjoy.

Welcome to the DC Shitshow!

Everytime I'm in DC I get reminded of how awesome it is. Not just because of all the cool government stuff, or the museums, or the insane traffic.

A pic of me and most of the crew from college. In this pic is (from LtoR): Stankus, Me, Ellis, Tesh, Greg "Sizzlechest" Chesterson, Katie (soon to be) Chesterson, Lori, Reuter, Kenzie and Alex (on the floor).

My trip to DC was a suprise for Alex's (my brotha from anotha motha) graduation from the DC Fire Academy and I got into town Thursday night and only 2 people knew I was there. After getting to town I saw Ellis's improv group perform. It was a good show and the first time that I'd seen improv done and it was pretty hilarious. That night I went to Jen's (my sista from another mista) and crashed there. Obviously she was suprised by my arrival too, but in a good way ;).

Friday morning we all gathered at Jen's to head over to the graduation. Kenize had been in the door and talking to people for a minute or so before she realized I was sitting on the couch. It was really great to see her since we hung out a ton in college and I hadn't seen her for more than 15 minutes since my sister got married.

The graduation itself was very cool. You could definitely tell that the entire 358 Class had grown really close through all the hell (fire pun not intended) that they went through for months. Alex hadn't noticed I was there until he had come off stage from recieving an award and it was pretty hilarious to note his reaction, which you'd have to have been there for.

Afterwards, we went to Gordon Biersch with the Fam (my other Fam), before meeting up with everyone in the picture, and I had no idea that any of them were going to be there either. So it was a suprise all around...

Saturday, we all went out to Manassas, VA (aka Bull Run if you're from the North) to Tesh's apartment were some lame assed DJ played music for a pool party full of white trash. It was fun to drink beer in a pool though.

Overall it was a great weekend to see old friends and catch up. Congrats Alex!

Enjoy.

Home is where the psychos are...

A friend of mine from the west coast recieved this email from her grandfather as a response to her sending one asking how he was doing, saying she was thinking of him, and that she loves him. This friend happens to have a successful job in a great city (not here), and she lives with her boyfriend. All of this seems normal, right? Observe...

Dearest [Friend's name]:
I wrote you a long letter and I guess Satan didn't want me to send it, as my computer locked up, has never done that before. Now I am late to work so will have to send it later if you would like to hear what I am doing here in Reno that is, as a result of what I see from those who have been to college. I have done my home work on this one. I sometime wished your parents saved their money. There were a lot of sacrifices made so you could do that, that you may never know about. I am glad that Grandma doesn't have to see what has happened to her two grand daughters who went to college. I am sad to still be here to see it. I pray that you will someday return to the Lord and His Word, and I can be a spiritual grand dad to you again. We had something special didn't we?

Love Grand Dad


I really don't know what to say about this one except for this is the kind of crap fanatical religion does for you.

Enjoy.

Upgrade!

After a short, and completely unnoticed absence, I have returned with an update...

Things have been shifting around a lot here recently. Our new roommate, Nick, moved in over the weekend. He's a pretty cool guy, went to UCSB, surfs/boards, etc., and is a bro. We're (Ben, Ericka, and myself) are all happy with the choice of roommate's and I'm pretty sure it will work out well.

Next weekend Rachel and I going to Santa Barbara and I am stoked. It's my first time there and I know a few people who went there. Judging by their descriptions of the place, it promises to be an awesome time. Notable activities include going to Freebirds (awesome Mexican food), surfing, Summer Solstice festival, and a BBQ. I'll be there Friday and Saturday nights, so I'll try to snap some photos of the action.

In other news, if anyone was following the Prop 8 hearing to repeal the decision, I'm pretty shocked we got past that day without mass arrests, protests, and right wing Mormon craziness. That being said, I am miffed to see that it wasn't overturned. I've got a few friends who are personally invested in its outcome and, in perfect honesty, I am kind of shocked that it didn't pass the first time around and twice as surprised it didn't get overturned.

Finally, on my way to work this morning, I saw an omen of the destruction of pleasant childhood memories. There, in the streets, discarded like a Trabuco Hills prom night pregnancy, was the install CD of Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun. This game, along with a myriad of other strategy games, consumed the opportunities I had as a youth to do important things like make friends, attend keggers, and experience all the teenage angst I could handle. I glanced at its broken state, weeping on the inside, for the child who will be missing all the important moral lessons learned by blowing up Nod terrorists and cut scenes with James Earl Jones and Michael Biehn.

Enjoy.