Corruption

Right now I feel that Sacramento is the shadiest place on earth (and it's not because Reggie Theus got fired, contrary to popular belief). Sure, pull money away from education, healthcare, and other social programs--they're not important anyway...

Republicans=TOOLS

The Commish on Flax Seed

mark: cleansing power its the cool alternative to prunes

Played Out

The great Owen once taught us that "that's what she said" is completely over-used.  In that same spirit, B-Wan has been complaining over the last several days about how "douchebag" is getting way too mainstream.  Her solution--"asshat." While I think "douchebag" is more played out than MySpace, I don't feel that "asshat" is as catchy or strong as "douchebag".  

So here's my pitch:

When you find yourself wanting to say or call someone a "douchebag" over the next week or so, refrain.  Instead, try my suggestion: TOOL.  Short, sweet, and funny. 

Let me know how that treats you...

Oracle

Where eleven dollar beers happen...

Spice It Up!

I imagine the challenges I face finding variety in my cardio routine will be similar to those I'll face finding variety in my sex life when I'm married.

(I'm totally kidding...for some reason the thought crossed my mind for a split second during minute 39 on the eliptical tonight which led to this post)

Got My Mind On My Money And I'm Not Goin' Nowhere

One of the programs I supervise is getting partial grant funding based on a proposal I wrote. I know what you're thinking: "Who the "fui" gets excited about partial funding?!"  The answer: ME! To understand my excitement, you have to know the circumstance.

Times are tough right now in the state of California (not to be confused with the state of Lunafornia, as you well know).  This means you've gotta be crafty when it comes to funding programs.  You can't rely solely on what your department or institution has traditionally gotten.  The damn state is bankrupt for crying out soft.  Basically my boss (who is really sharp and savvy at raising funds) had asked me to think about writing a proposal for money from our district's trustee's fund.  The rough part was we started these talks about a week before it was due. I had no idea prior to the conversation that this money was available. If you know me, you know I'm ALWAYS busy at work and am hardly in the office.  My job requires that I be a man of the people--out and about in the community.  What this meant was that I wasn't able to start writing 'til the day it was due: Halloween. That day I was supposed to be off at 1 pm so that I could celebrate with friends and imitate Chuck Norris.  Obviously that didn't happen.  I managed to get the proposal done in time and got to participate in the costume contest/scholarship fundraiser at work. I'm pretty damn good at multi-tasking. It feels really good, all things considered that the program will be getting  a little extra dough. We're so short staffed yet the demand for our services is extremely high.  This will do a lot to help us get through... 

Editor's Note: Why didn't I post this on the greatest blog ever?

Relief

I can't wait to get back to work and it's great to be back in the city! Feels weird to say, especially at one in the morning. As much as I love my job, I often find myself eagerly anticipating the weekend.  I also really look forward to those one or two days a week I get to visit my folks in P-Town (usually Sundays to watch Entourage since I don't have HBO). My how the tables have turned. For the last 10 days I've been on vacation from work and have pretty much hung with family the whole time since Thanksgiving just passed.  

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I'm really lucky to have a great family that I love and that loves me. At the same time, these last few days reminded me of how valuable and empowering it is to be independent.

 Editor's Note: Forgive me for being emo, I just really missed my Tempurpedic bed and pillow.

Can't Keep Runnin' Away

Things often get complicated in life.  When things are rough it's really easy to avoid the uncomfortable.  It's time for me to take on life head on. I've been doing a lot of reflecting lately.  I realize there's a lot I can do to be a better person. There are steps I need to take and I understand that I won't be the man who I want to be overnight--it's a long road but I'm ready for it.

Editor's Note: More clichés...an episode of Full House or this post?   

Fridays Off

In the spirit of 366...

Johnnie Walker

There's no better time than now to open the bottle Dan and Lisa gave me for my birthday.

Good Folks

Beth and Grant are awesome!

Beautiful Girls

If you want to get with them, you must have phenomenal Jon and Kate Plus 8 knowledge. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Video Chat Thoughts

Technology is fabulous.  I love the fact that I can talk face to face with friends down the street or halfway around the world thanks to gchat's new video feature.  My qualm is with my friends and it has to do with etiquette.  I know it's late at night, but c'mon.  If you're gonna be on camera and people can see you, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER! Some of ya'll looked really battered on video chat last night. I know it was late but that's no excuse.  Comb your hair. Put on some makeup. Wipe your nose.  Don't wear that Transformer t-shirt from middle school. You know who you are!  This should be common knowledge, people.  

Oh No!

As if you didn't already know: Facebook is the new MySpace.

Ride or Die

I'm blessed to have great friends. With as crazy and as busy as life gets it can be challenging to maintain even good friendships. Over the last several months I've had the opportunity to hang out with my friends a lot more. It seems like there was a time in my life that I neglected the importance of friendships--always putting other things first. If these last several months have taught me anything it is that I will never let that happen again.

One of the most comforting things for me to know is that I have a "ride or die" crew--friends who go above and beyond time after time after time. It means the world that I can count on these people in my life. They inspire me to be a better friend and a better person. If I could make others feel half as good as my "ride or die" pals make me feel, I would have lived a fulfilling life. I just want to let the "ride or die" folks know that I see you and I appreciate everything.

Thank you!

Balls

I admire people who aren't afraid to put themselves out there.

Love Thy Neighbor

Being a nice person is extremely underrated. It's so easy to be good to people who are good to you. After all we live in a tit-for-tat world. I'm extremely blessed to have great people in my life. As the start of another year in my life begins I know that I need to continue to appreciate and affirm those who have been good to me. I also know it has got to go beyond that. The hardest people to love are those who are difficult; those who aren't always good to you. It's my goal starting now do make more of an effort with these individuals. A wise man once said: "It's easier to be nice than to be a jerk." So why not, right?

Halloween

I'm going to take Owen's advice and blog about whatever the hell I feel like.  With that said, Halloween is only a couple of weeks away.  I've always wanted to be Erik Estrada from CHiPs but never had the patience to grow my hair that long or find the costume.  This year I've narrowed it down to either Lil' Wayne or Frida Kahlo. Any input or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Keep To Yourself

I was talking with a buddy on a drive back from the East Bay last week and blogging came up. Somehow we got around to talking about how difficult it is to find time to post. We also discussed the fact that it's hard not to get too personal on blogs (which often times holds us back from writing). I'm torn on this. I realize that for most personal things people post, "nobody cares". At the same time, I subscribe to the Frida Kahlo school of thought. She painted what she felt like when she wanted to. Should people do the same with their blogs or is it better to keep things to yourself in a personal journal? Your thoughts...

Fast Times

Each month I have a dilemma.  As a person with a car who lives in the city, I ask myself: should I invest in a fast pass? My roommate says that if I ride public transit four times a week then it's a no brainer.  I'm right on the borderline (thank you, Madonna) of riding that much but I figure I WILL ride more since I invested $45 in the pass.  I'm more of a cheapskate than an environmentalist but I figure getting this pass is a way I can make a small contribution to the green movement.  When it comes down to it, a month long pass costs less than I pay to fill up my tank every week--plus those cab rides add up.  With all of this said, I'm glad I don't have to worry about getting the stink eye from my sister this month for not being sustainable.

I Can't Believe It

Being endorsed by a second rate newspaper, your thoughts?

Stating The Obvious

I'm happy for Clay. In a recent statement, Simon Cowell said: "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him. ... I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?" Simon brings up a good point but the sad thing is that we live in a society where people make a "big deal" about someone in the limelight coming out of the closet. On the flip side, when public figures like Clay "come out" it seems to inspire and give the general public the courage to do so as well.

In closing, I don't think anyone was surprised by Clay's announcement earlier this week. It's like me saying that Michael Pelayo likes wine or that Sarah Palin is hot.

Girl Put Your Records On?

Is this Corinne Bailey Rae in a Sara Lee ad?

Condiments

I was at Costco for lunch today just trying to get in and get out only to find a little comic relief from one of the food court employees:

Me: Do you guys have sauerkraut?

Lady: No…we only have sweet kraut.

Me: (pounding table) HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I love people who “get it” and think it’s phenomenal when folks have a sense of humor. That totally made my day.

Leftovers

One of the perks of having an office in a major public radio/television station is that there's always leftover food, especially during pledge week. They know how to do it right!

City Love

Today I'll steal material from BW's fabulous blog...these things (and Noah) saved my life last weekend:

Reason #100
24 hour Naan-N-Curry

Reason #99
24 hour access to Zipcars

Priorities

I really should have gone grocery shopping tonight. Trader Joe's was calling my name. Right now I'm down to a half a box of Grape Nuts and a carton of fat-free, cholesterol-free egg substitute. For some reason I felt more compelled to watch the rest of season four of The Wire. Maybe tomorrow...

Fall Into The Gap

Damn geniuses over at the Gap Outlet.

I Love What You Do For Me

Name five decent people you know that drive a Toyota Prius. Pretty tough, right? It seems like 9 out of 10 reckless drivers I see out there are behind the wheel of one of those bad boys. I rarely see Civic Hybrid drivers act so maliciously. Your thoughts?

Disclaimer: Mr. Carolino is an exception to the rule.

Long Weekend

Taking days off to run errands...a sign that I'm getting older.

How I Met the Wire

I’ve been a Ted most of my life. I feel I’m entitled to some Barney moments every now and then. Right now I’m where Barney meets Jimmy McNulty. I’m OK with that. F*ck what people think.

Talkin' Sh*t

I'm starting to realize that this is one of the few things I'm actually pretty good at.  I do it all in good fun but not everyone seems to find the material funny. Total moral dilemma, man.

Wishful Thinking

I'm an optimistic guy--hence me going with a queen size mattress over the full...

Burma Superstar

Myanmar is the artist formerly known as Burma...thank you, Bob Costas.

Revolution

Things are on the up. We're going to have a black president and people of color are camping (fist in the air).

Pursuit of Happiness

Is this possible at a place that charges hourly rates?

A Hypothetical

More painful: food poisoning or listening to JT Snow broadcast a Giants game?

Seacrest Out

At one point this month, I worked 13 straight days. Sadly, that's nowhere close to my all-time record of 22. It made me wonder: who works more...me or Ryan Seacrest? Your thoughts?

Chicken Crawl 2008

crawl 

verb

*to move at an unusually slow pace

My thoughts:

Unusual? Yes. Slow? Hardly. 

Your Thoughts...

Fro-yo is the new boba.

Schmuck

For whatever reason, the term "douchebag" has grown in popularity. This is totally understandable as it's funny and often times fitting in certain situations. Another term I enjoy using is "schmuck"--it's short and to the point. When you say it, everyone knows what it means. Imagine a world without "schmucks" and "douchebags". Sure, they're a pain in the ass, but what the hell else would we have to talk about with out 'em?

This post was inspired by my very public and "douche"/"schmucklike" comment on iPhones:

"Love people, not iPhones." Sorry if I offended you in any way--it's just a bit.

12 Hour Parking

It's nice to know that you can go to brunch without worrying about getting a parking ticket.

Fear The Beard

I want to start off by saying that I love Baron Davis and everything he’s done for the Warriors franchise and the Bay Area. He made people care about Bay Area basketball again (with all due respect to St. Mary’s, Stanford, and Cal). Unfortunately for us, it looks like the Clippers are willing to spend big money for the man. Why else would he walk away from $17.8 million? It just seems like a perfect fit. He grew up in LA and his movie career is a top priority in his life.

With that said, this scenario is highly unlikely (I haven’t done the salary math either) but it would be pretty awesome for Warrior fans:

The Warriors sign or trade for Elton Brand. They then proceed to sign Gil Arenas and extend contracts to Monta and Andris. So here’s your starting lineup:

Gilbert Arenas, PG
Monta Ellis, SG
Steven Jackson, SF
Elton Brand, PF
Andris Biedrins, C

It’s a winner if they keep Al in a supporting role and utilize their young talent (this obviously includes Marco, Wright, and re-signing Azubuike). What are the chances of this happening? Probably the same as me hooking up with the Olson twins at the same time.

Bluetooth

So we're on the eve of the "hands-free" revolution--at least from a driver's perspective. Remember, starting tomorrow, you can't hold your cell phone up to your ear while driving. A wise person once told me, "There's nothing wrong with being safe." Said person wasn't necessarily talking about driving with a cell phone but I definitely think it applies here. I mean, no one wants to be behind the person ruining the flow of traffic because he or she is on the mobile. For those of us without bluetooth standard in our vehicles, we know we have a choice between the good 'ol earpiece and hands-free speakerphone. Despite inferior sound quality, I'm all for the speakerphone--it's good stuff. The earpieces aren't bad but my problem is with folks who walk the streets with them when they're not driving. What the hell are you doing that's so important that you have to be hands-free? I truly believe this has become an epidemic that needs to stop. I literally see 'em everywhere: people at school, work, concerts, church, clubs, and bars...what the hell?! Are you trying to impress someone?! Newsflash: people will not be attracted to you if you're wearing a bluetooth headset. Do yourself a favor, when not driving, take the damn earpiece off. I just want to throw water balloons at those people. The day someone tells me, "Damn, boy, that Jawbone (bluetooth headset) is sexy" is the day I change my mind about this.

On Top Of Spaghetti

I can't sleep tonight. No, it has nothing to do with work, or girls, or money. For some reason, all I can think about is spaghetti (thanks in part to Rod Benson's song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG96h0BSAO8).   Spaghetti is great for a lot of reasons. First off, it's really hard to mess up spaghetti (unless you throw hot dogs in there--sorry Pin@ys). Secondly, it's so much fun to eat--I thoroughly enjoy twirling noodles and sauce with a fork into a spoon. Lastly, good spaghetti is worth its weight in gold--you can enjoy it in your mom's kitchen or a fancy restaurant.

As a kid, I always looked forward to spaghetti for dinner (and breakfast and lunch for that matter).  I had this special apron I wore just for the occasion--it was green and had an Italian chef with a curly mustache (a la Rollie Fingers) carrying a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs.  I fondly recall piling on the parmesan cheese and even making sandwiches with whatever bread was available (I know at least half of my food ended up on the apron or my face). I've decided that as an adult, I should be able to enjoy spaghetti the way I did when I was a kid (perhaps not in such a messy manner for those dining with me). As low-carb fad diets come and go, a good bowl or plate of spaghetti will always be king in my eyes (and stomach).

I'm Looking For A Cougar?

The term cougar has become cliche. For those not in the know, cougar is a term of endearment (similar to MILF) used to describe attractive middle aged women (i.e. Diane Lane).  After a couple of glasses of wine last night, I thought to myself, "Is there an equivalent term for men?"  Any ideas out there?   Polar bears, perhaps? I don't know...

Beer Breakthrough

Because sometimes we don't want to wait for our beer to get cold...


patent pending.

Anything's Possible!!!

Quote of the day:

KG: "Michelle, you look good tonight."