1/31/10

Day 31: I left my heart


Lots of cities maintain unconventional sculptures whose purpose is to add to the dynamic of the urban landscape (yeah urban sociology!). These structures aren't necessarily the most widely known landmarks (come on, did anyone of you who actually read my blog really know about the Chicago Bean till I blogged about it), and their purpose or interpretation fairly ambiguous.

Someone's particular interpretation of this sculpture I found on yelp went like this:
It could be a comment on the human condition of relationships, where the arrows of our intent end up going awry or just never getting launched.

Deep.

1/30/10

Day 30: the best incentive to buy a house in this market


Remind me if I ever decide to invest in real estate to go through this guy. Who can turn down the appeal of a free pizza with every house purchase?

1/29/10

Day 29: home is just a place to put your stuff down


Since moving back with my parents, I've had to move most of my possessions into a storage unit, leaving my important belongings (my poor dogs playing poker poster) away from regular access to me.

Hard to imagine I managed to fit the past 23 years, 2 months and 13 days of my life into a narrow 5' x 2' storage room.

1/28/10

Day 28: every rose has its thorn

San Jose State's Tower Hall

Every big name university has a signature building on campus that is there for the sheer purpose of adding character to its otherwise uncharacteristic structures. This is the building that will show up on every ad, every webpage, every ID card. Why? Because all academics or sports aside, this is the defining characteristic of your university's environment. UCLA has its Royce Hall, Berkeley has its Sather Tower, Cal State Hayward has Warren Hall and Chabot College has that one big building in the middle, I guess:

The same could be said of city skylines. Every major city has at least one or two buildings that define the character of a city since you won't find it anywhere else. New York? Empire State Building. Chicago? Sears Tower. San Francisco? Golden Gate Bridge or TransAmerica Pyramid. Hayward? Uh...the Hayward Shoreline Building?

1/27/10

Day 27: too legit to quit


Finally put that wine making kit to work, since if it's gonna be a whole month (and possibly years after that!) before my wine is completely ready, I've gotta start now!

In the meantime, I think I'm going to invest in the beer making kit...

but I'm not finished

Ever heard of formspring.me? If you've been a facebook user for at least over 3 years now, you may remember an old app named "honesty box" in which a user can anonymously post something on your wall without their identity being revealed. This led to compliments, insults, and professions of love to be communicated in the most passive aggressive manner possible (online...on facebook...anonymously? wimp.)

Never used it? Well I already explained half the program anyway. Moving on, this version allows users to anonymously (if they'd like) to ask you questions, at which point you may respond and post the answers on twitter or facebook or what have you. This is mostly just another thing for me to check while I whittle away in a cubicle at work, but I do insist, please ask me something...anything!

To start it off, here's the first canned question I had to answer:

What TV show do you wish would go off the air for good?

I hate to admit it, but I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I wish someone would just put The Simpsons out of its misery. Those who know me (and those who have seen my car, thanks to the little Homer I have in the back) know that I'm an ardent fan of everything about the show...from everything before 1998.

Up until then, the show was comedy cold. It was subtle, sarcastic, made intelligent references to historical, religious, and pop culture...and was still hilarious nonetheless. I say Simpsons references out loud in applicable situations around people, to see if anyone catches it...and normally I'm disappointed (fun fact @letiziat, @joanrose..."well, we'll see about that!" was a Simpsons reference). Hell, even most of the titles of my posts on my blog are a Simpsons reference.

But everything beyond August of 1998? A slow decline towards a family-friendly and genuinely unfunny and tired concept that relies on celebrity cameos for the sake of appearing fresh, and only stays on the air for its cultural legacy (SNL, anyone?)

So I must implore the executives at Fox to please put this show away, before new generations are only aware of the Simpsons we have today and are left with a sour taste in their mouth when Matt Groening (http://www.avclub.com/articles/matt-groening,13984/) finally decides to stop living in denial and actually puts this show to rest.

That, or the Big Bang Theory. God, I hate that show.

"but I'm not finished!" "oh yes you are!"

"his name was 'Amer' or something like that. I was like, couldn't you be named Joe or Paul or something?"
-TT

1/26/10

Day 26: this little light of wine...I'm gonna let it shine


It's always been on my bucket list to make my own wine, and tonight, I got a little bit closer to doing so. Thanks to a $60 kit (I shopped around, believe me), I've got everything I need to make a legit merlot in as little as 31 days. Of course, I'd have to age it for a few years after that to really let it mature, but all the more reason to start as soon as possible.

So what to name this vintage 2010 red blend, aged in the bedroom of a 4th floor condo in South San Francisco? In celebration of the times, I was thinking maybe "Recession Red," and when I get to making a pinot grigio, possibly "Working Class White." Thoughts?

1/25/10

Day 25: maybe on a librarian’s salary…


Since my local library decided to close for 4 months without warning, I've been on sort of a hunt for other not as close but still pretty local places to feed my desire for free books (and sometimes, cds). This is the 3rd different library I've been to in the past few weeks and what did I decide to check out this time? The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick, which takes place in an alternate reality in which FDR was assassinated in 1932 and the United States lost the war and was split into warring factions between the Germans and the Japanese, and The Gospel according to the Simpsons : The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family, which, I guess, is pretty self-explanatory.

1/24/10

Day 24: something with this picture isn't right


Hey man! Those are bushes on the side of a freeway exit! Not a parking space!

1/23/10

Day 23: captains of obviousness


Restaurants have a thing for putting up signs that state the clearly obvious...for usually, not so obvious reasons.

I'm guessing this was kind of a liability kinda thing. Patron opens bathroom door, patron #2 is walking in front swinging open door, said swinging open door breaks patron #2's nose. Patron #2 sues restaurant for building a bathroom door that swings open and suddenly, Burma Superstar no longer exists and future generations would no longer be able to enjoy their rainbow salad.

BONUS: this picture wasn't taken the same day or at the same restaurant, but I guess I'm just trying to drive a point:

1/22/10

Day 22: pictures of the sky are so cliche


On my commute home, I saw that San Francisco was on fire tonight. Anyone else notice this?

Baby Eli part 2 (w/ pics!)

Baby Eli Emmanuel Solomon was born December 6th, 2009, at 2:30pm, somewhere in Cebu, Philippines. He was 7 pounds, 14 ounces.

I am now officially "Uncle Mark." Or, since the baby was born in the Philippines, does that make me "Tito Mark?"

I know, I posted that information already on a previous post, but as promised, I'm finally posting up pictures of said nephew. These are the first pics we've seen of him since he was born, some, 6 or 7 weeks ago, and it looks like he's turning out to be a very healthy and fat baby. He even has his uncle's beer belly.






"For the first time ever, I finally saw the pictures of my nephew. I think that made my week..."
-MVS

1/21/10

Day 21: "I like the hot artichoke spinach dip."


Visited the Elephant Bar for dinner tonight, since my dad was so intent on going for some reason. I hadn't been since March of 2007 (yes I remember...cause it was a spring break outing). It was exactly as I remembered: cheesy "exotic" decorations, foreign-sounding-but-not-foreign-enough-to-scare-off-the-general-public dishes, and servers decked out to look like they're attending some safari-themed party.

The food was mostly forgettable and I think in their attempt to have a dish from all the "exotic" (non-Westernized) places of the world (you can anything get anything from Shanghai Cashew Chicken to JamaicaMojo Grilled Shrimp Salad), their chefs have not perfected anything enough to have it really stand out.

But perchance I'm being too harsh. After all, when it comes to big chain restaurants (like P.F. Changs, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster and the like) that pop up in places that lack character (i.e. anywhere but a big city, I suppose), you're paying less for the food and moreso for the experience of going out.

Reminds me of a scene I saw in "Weeds", where one of the main characters laments the closing of an independently owned Indian restaurant:

Doug: I tried to spread the word. I eat here every day - invited people. Oh, it's too ethnic. Oh, it's it's it's too spicy. Oh, those people don't wash their hands. What the fuck is wrong with these morons who'll go to... wait an hour to in line for some fuckin' crappy Olive Garden and let a treasure like this go out of business? I can't take it.
Nancy: Doug, why are we here?
Doug: Did you taste the Saag Aloo? It's to die for and then be re-incarnated and then die again. Why aren't you eating?
Nancy: I told you I ate already.
Doug: Where?
Nancy: The Olive Garden
Doug: I wouldn't take a dump in the Olive Garden.
Nancy: I like the hot artichoke spinach dip.
Doug: I can't even look at you.
Nancy: OK, enough, enough. I'm sure the Saag Aloo is is is delicious. (takes a taste of it with her finger) Wow, that's incredible.
Doug: Tell me that doesn't kick your artichoke dips ass!


But fine, I guess I shouldn't complain though. Elephant Bar had a pretty good hot artichoke dip too.

1/20/10

Day 20: the truth shall make you free

The entrance of CCSF...slightly daunting, isn't it?

2nd day as a born again student. Same class, different school (I'm now a student of both the College of San Mateo and City College of San Francisco!)

The only thing that I'm not really enjoying about this (besides class after class of big burly construction workers leaving much to be desired in terms of classmates...) is that with a full-time job and 3 hours of class afterwards, I don't have enough time at home at night to do the important stuff, like relax, or sleep, or talk to people, or post pictures up to my blog...

1/19/10

Day 19: and just like that, I'm a student again


 it's a drafting table, fyi...I've never sat behind one of these with a serious purpose ever before


This is no offense to any of my good friends who went the community college route, but after experiencing the scrutiny of the University of California admissions office and all the tests and applications and essays and financial aid and whatnot, it sure is refreshing knowing that to become a student again is a simple as a few clicks on the computer and a few dollars per unit. 

That said, yay, I'm a student again(?) I decided to fill in my mostly empty nights with a class on computer aided drafting (CAD), something that will go along with my certificate in geographic information systems (GIS), which will eventually tie in when I start pursuing my master's in urban planning (MUP).

MLIA (my life is an acronym).


1/18/10

Day 18: uh...huh.


Visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) today. Haven't been there since it first re-opened in 1995. As a young 3rd grader at 8 years old, whose exposure to art was minimal, it didn't make sense to me back then.

15 years later, there are still some concepts of modern art that escape me.

1/17/10

Day 17: Boo!!


Nothing says appetizing like a giant fried face of pig. Mmmmmm.

1/16/10

Day 16:"I don't get it...does that mean you and Barbara are two bad neighbors?"


Helped some friends move into their new place today. Their compensation? Beer and a sandwich. They sure do know how to satisfy a man.

And a second picture, to boot, just to add some context. This coffee table was currently the only piece of furniture in the place, besides the beds, and as such, was our default dinner table.
While bulding the aforementioned coffee table to the sound of a friend's constant reminding (yelling) of "no scratches! I'm particular about scratches on my furniture and I don't have touch-up paint!" I had a realization.

I really need to get off my parents' couch (or my sister's bedroom really...when she's gone for school, but still).

1/15/10

Day 15: the streets of San Francisco


Some kid in the Mission district is missing some toys tonight...

1/14/10

Day 14: this is for all you so-cal kids


"omg it's 68 degrees...it's so cold it's FREEZING"

shut up.

1/13/10

Day 13: this seems to be a theme this week


Today I visited the other Oakland branch of our $10 billion, 45,000 employee company, just down the street from us.

I mean, knew corporate America can be cold and lifeless, but come on.

1/12/10

Day 12: guess it kinda does look like the titanic


The ice in the ice tray was still in watery form. Not wanting to wait whatever amount of time it takes for ice cubes to freeze at 0 degrees, I just broke off a piece of the ice that was already forming on the sides of the freezer.

What? I was thirsty and impatient, dammit.

1/11/10

Day 11: the extent of my knowledge of philosophy


If someone sneezed in the middle of a sea of cubicles, and no one was around to hear it...does it make a sound?

1/10/10

Day 10: vacuus pardus


Today's picture brings us to the 9th Annual "No-Pants" BART Ride. What basically happens is a semi-coordinated event in which everyone rides BART for the day in no pants. People meet at the Embarcadero station in downtown San Francisco at a certain time, at which point "the adventure begins." The fun part about the whole thing is to act as if riding downtown sans slacks is something normal, thoroughly confusing or scaring tourists and visitors, or those who don't keep up to date with all the hip happenings. Only in San Francisco, right?

omg.

Not necessarily. For those of you from UCLA, you may remember a certain, quarterly event named Undie Run (though this version is less about the drunken college students and more about keeping a straight face). And for those of you who know Improv Everywhere, guess you can say it's kinda like that, but not as, ya know, official and shit.

BONUS: a second picture of the day, cause I really want you to experience the moment.

1/9/10

Day 9: "...all we have to do is go down to the pound and get a new jazzman."


Every year a week or two after Christmas, here at my parent's condo, they block off a parking space or two for residents to un-decorate their tree, haul it down the elevator, and drop off. They'll dispose of them in about a week.

When I first saw this, I couldn't help but think about how we seem to be quarantining these remnants of a holiday season past, as if interacting with them would certainly guarantee the contraction of some sort of deadly disease, like swine flu or maybe, holiday spirit.

And if not that, then it seems like this little barricade makes me imagine some sort of pound for old Christmas trees that no one wants anymore. And in proper form, whichever of these trees aren't claimed and given a new home (and I highly doubt any of them will) will, in a sense, be put to sleep.

1/8/10

Day 8: the view I don't get everyday


I don't get to see this. I stare at a cubicle wall everyday. This is from my boss's window, taken an hour before he even gets to work. Creepy? No way.

View must be nice from the top.

1/7/10

Day 7: people sometimes forget...


...that there are, surprisingly enough, some legitimately nice places in Oakland.

1/6/10

day 6: shameless plug alert!


In case you haven't read each of my shameless plugs on my blogs and twitter and even facebook, I work for a company that maintains the 511.org, website, a portal that consolidates all the traffic and transit data for all the bus or rail agencies serving the San Francisco Bay Area.

Tomorrow, we're putting up a mobile version of our website live, so these past few weeks, I've had the liberty of tinkering around with every kind of smartphone on every network available. Really, all this means is that now I can speak with authority on who makes the best phone on what network.

1/5/10

Day 5: scenes from my desk


Is it funny or just downright sacrilegious that I keep my crucifixes in a shot glass?

1/4/10

Day 4: Christmas time is (no longer) here


The first and the last of the decorations still up in my office, as provided by yours truly.

Now what do I do with this thing?

1/3/10

Day 3: I get it, I drive a hoopty


Some weeks ago, the cover to my gas tank suddenly decided to snap and has been hanging for dear life by a tiny piece of plastic. Luckily, it hasn't caused too much of a problem, and I'm no stranger to car trouble. But today the poor thing finally decided to give up and fall off (fortunately not while driving, something that could've been potentially destructive). My solution? A double sided adhesive (is there anything that stuff won't do?) at the cost of only $2 at Orchard Supply Hardware. So in essence, as of today, my car is now literally being held together by tape.

1/2/10

Day 2: haven't seen this in a while


Since I've moved back home, I've found myself on BART pretty much every single day. But tonight was the first time I've actually made my way back "home."

(side note: end of the post quotables will now be saved for non-365project posts)

1/1/10

Day 1: obligatory inaugural post

It's a new year, a new decade, I got new hours at work, I got plenty of new sweaters for Christmas and I got new underwear, so naturally, the next step would be to do something new with my blog.

I'm sometimes plagued with the whole "I-never-have-anything-of-any-importance-to-blog-about" syndrome (if you saw my last post, you'll notice I like long hyphenated phrases), so often I can go for weeks or even months without posting anything substantial. To remedy that, I'm borrowing an idea from a friend's blog, the 365 photo project.

Here are the rules:
-take a picture of something that happened to you today.
-post it up.
-ta-da.

I guess the biggest challenge of this project would be actually finding something interesting enough to take a picture of before I realize that my life is routine and mundane (last year would have been a much more interesting 365 photo project year). But I'll try, oh I will try.

So, let's get on with this. Day 1!!



Happy New Year 2010 from San Francisco! Large crowds, confiscated alcohol, the inherent smell of burned chronic, fireworks...last night had it all...

...except for a countdown!! What the...who hosts a new year's eve party without a countdown to the new year/decade? The clock just struck 11:58 (it was 2 minutes behind, by the way) and suddenly there were fireworks. Anticlimactic indeed.

"Let's face it. We're not Filipino, we're straight up Americanized."
-BS