#1 On My Charts, Pt. 6

My favorite Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Radiohead tracks

So I decided to switch things up a little this time around. Normally I would concentrate on a particular genre, encompassing many artists, some obscure, others not, whatever whatever you know what I mean. In case you hadn’t noticed, I didn’t include any of these artists in any of the previous playlists. I mean, they’re just that good that they deserve their own category.

By good, I mean influential, musical, revolutionary, experimental, world renowned, etc. I really can’t find the words to describe the amount of artistry and talent that was required to create these tracks. No really, I can’t. My vocabulary isn’t that large.

So why these three artists? For one thing, on more than one occasion, I’ve been asked “What are your 3 top (Beatles)(Radiohead)(Michael Jackson) tracks?” I remember I was asked once. Figured out a list off the top of my head. Then I was asked again. That’s what I realized that it was time for me to make a post about it (hey, being asked twice is still more than one occasion). And to those of you who have read this and actually partook in that conversation, you’ll noticed that I changed my mind about some tracks being my top 3. Believe, me, if it were up to me, I would choose all the songs of these artists as my top…I mean there’s just too much good music. But I can’t. A playlist with over 500 songs wouldn’t work out, and it would probably crash your computer if you were gonna try and read my blog.

#1 On My Charts Pt. 6

The Beatles
Let’s face it. Love em or despise em, they’re still the most influential group in all modern music history. No one doesn’t know who the Beatles are. If you don’t, well, either you’re 6 or you have dementia. Wait, I take that back. My 90 year old grandma (RIP, Grandma) had dementia. Even she could sing the Beatles.
Now, I’m no expert on them, I will admit. That job’s for my friend, whose blog you can find here.
I’m simply here to appreciate and enjoy the music.

In My Life
Across the Universe
A Day in the Life

Michael Jackson
There’s been too much press coverage and too many things already said about Michael Jackson that I really have nothing else to say about him. His recent buzz and popularity about his tour in London is enough to prove that Jacko can still draw a crowd.

Billie Jean
Remember the Time
PYT

Radiohead
While not nearly as commercially successful as the previously mentioned artists, I’d have to give these guys a spot as one of my ultimate favorite bands of all time. If any group has influenced my taste on music the most, it would be these guys. Maybe this is just me, but I see a parallel in styles of Radiohead and the Beatles. While both groups may have begun as just another rock group, their sound evolved as they aged. Over the years in their respective times, both groups evolved into something more “experimental,” that while accepted by some was questioned by some. Radiohead may not be for everyone, especially in their work as of late. It’s a little too much for some to comprehend. But the same could be said for the Beatles’ later stuff, when experimentation and psychedelic-ness dominated their style. And, the fact that they just dissed Miley Cyrus just bumps up my respect even moreso.

Paranoid Android
How to Disappear Completely
Talk Show Host

2 days.

"Why the hat? You look like a beatnik."
-LT

On this day in 2004...

5 years ago on this day, I received a letter from a certain school in Southern California, stating "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted for admission to UCLA. Congratulations!" ...or something to that effect. I don't entirely remember exactly what it said. You know what I mean.

Just wanted to point that out.

5 days.

"it's all about the color. if it looks beautiful to you, it will taste beautiful to you."
-SN

The Final Countdowwwn

As my time here at that which defined my life for the past 4 and a half years whittles down, I've gotten the chance to spend time to reflect and do and experience all the things I won't be able to do and experience again once I leave. Now feel free to hold this against me in the future and I will eat my own words if I do end up contradicting myself...but let's face it. I'm not planning on living here ever again.

As a result, I've also managed to get the chance to reconnect and talk with alot of the people who have played some sort of role in my life here. Some of these people I haven't seen in years, others more often. All these people have had an impact on me in some way in the past 4 and a half years, whether they be former coworkers, old friends and floormates, fellow org members...

Though it's sad that I'll be leaving this all behind, it's still a pleasant reminder of all the companions and memories I've gained here.

It's nice.

7 days.

"I miss this."
-RI

FAQ

In the past few weeks, since I've made my official announcement to move on with my life in a completely different city, I have been inundated with inqueries as to what and who (yes, even who) I'm doing and where, why, and how I'm going. And since then, I've probably told the same answers and stories to at least 603 different people on numerous seperate occasions. And though answering the same set of questions in the same order (you'd be surpised at how similar the progession of questions is with everyone) can get tiring, I secretly enjoy flaunting my accomplishments (but who doesn't, really? I addressed this in a previous post.)

Those of you who read my blog or who talk to me on a regular basis already know all the answers to the questions that have flooded my conversations in past month. But I say it doesn't hurt to have the answers down in writing (and to use as a reference in case for whatever odd reason, I forget what it is I'm going to be doing). I guarantee you that at least over half the time I have this same conversation:

Upon mention of me leaving...

What?? You're leaving? Where to?

Chicago.

But why?

I was accepted into this grad program.

At where?

DePaul University.

Oh...what city is that in?

Um, Chicago.

Oh yeah. Wow, well congratulations! What are you going to be studying?

GIS, geographic information systems...

...uh...huh....?

...um, satellite imaging, GPS, the stuff google earth is made of.

Oh! Ha, that sounds...good, I guess...

Yeah.

So is this like a master's program?

No, it's a professional certification program.

Oooh...what's that mean?

It's a shorter program that's more hands on and less theoretical in terms of experience...so I'll be doing alot less reading about the kind of work I might be doing and will actually be doing the work I could be getting into.

(obviously stopped listening to me at "less")...oh that sounds interesting. So it's not an actual master's program?

No.

Oh. (their admiration slightly fades...) Are you going to be living alone while you're out there?

Actually I have relatives I could stay with in Chicago. They're like, 2 miles away from the campus and they're going to help me out while I get settled in.

That's nice of them.

Yup.

Yeah.

Mmhmm.

Are you going to drive out there?? What are you going to do with your car?

Actually I think I'm going to fly or take the train out there initially, since I will be staying with my family and won't need everything just yet. Then when I find my own place I'm going to fly back, pick up the car and the rest of my belongings, and make drive out to Chicago.

OMG! That's such a long drive! Are you going alone?

Possibly. Unless someone wants to come with me on the 2 and a half day drive.

Ooh I would definitely come with you, but I might have work or school **I get this same response 90% the time**

It's alright. It's only 2100 miles. It'll be like that one movie, National Lampoon's Vacation.

What movie?

Never mind.

What are you going to do about your job?

I already told them I was leaving. My last day is on the 12th.

Are you gonna work in Chicago?

Hopefully. I'll only be a part time student, so I'll have the time. If I can't find a real job while there, I'll probably just work on campus. I may be working for access control again!

Haha!

Hahaha!

When are you going to be leaving?

I'll be leaving LA on the weekend of the 21st, gonna spend a few days packing and preparing the bay, and then leave for Chicago probably on the 27th or 28th.

That's so soon! We should totally hang out before then!

Yeah we definitely should (but I guarantee if this is someone I don't talk to on a regular basis, it probably ain't gonna happen)

Dude, you should throw a party on your last night here.

Eh. Too much effort.

Or get wasted.

That's probably more likely.

Or smoke out.

Nah.

10 days.

"too bad I can't hit them."
-ED

Can't you hear me knockin?

They say when opportunity knocks, you should answer. If something big or exciting or interesting is coming your way, there's no reason you shouldn't take a chance to revel in the impending awesomeness that might ensue (yeah, like remember those old honda commercials? mr. opportunity is knocking on your window).

Now I can safely say that there were times in my life in which I shouldn't have let opportunity in that door (the story of both my middle school and high school debacles comes to mind), and plenty of times when I just didn't answer when opportunity was ringing the doorbell and yelling at me to get my ass out there. Case in point: I SHOULD have accepted the offer to go to Japan with my high school my first year in college. I turned them down because I thought I would have midterms to worry about. The trip turned out to be on 2nd week. I SHOULDN'T have agreed to sell my brother's ninja stars from Tijuana to my classmates in 8th grade in 1999, when Columbine was still fresh on everyone's minds.

So let's fast forward to today, well last year, really, when I've matured and learned the dire consequences of attempting to establish a lucrative business in dangerous and exotic weapons on a Catholic school ground. It's the latter half of my senior year in college, and I'm down to my last 2 classes I'll need to finish my major. The class was Remote Sensing (studying images of surfaces through remote or external sources...or rather the stuff google earth is made of), and as a class project, we had to study a certain region of our choice. There was a special project that we could have opted to join, a team project per se. Since this was a geography class, and my professor, Tom Gillespie, was a biogeographer at heart, placed the special team project to study the region of Afghanistan. Using geographical theories, such as spatial theory, the team would try and discover the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden.

Now, originally I was a part of this group. I couldn't think of any other region I'd wanna do, and joined. A few weeks down the line, the work piled up for this project. Longer hours of research had to be done in order for this project to fly, and our professor held our hands along the way. He wanted to make this as realistic as possible, so he even contacted government agencies such as the FBI to offer some advice and some information. He always joked that we could use this project to actually find Bin Laden and collect the reward money for it....

But my laziness got the best of me. It was halfway through my last year of college, I enjoyed my free time, and I was starting to get back into making stupid parodies of commercials again.
someone on facebook told me this shit is sick. I'm validated!

So with all those factors coming into place, it was only natural for me to pull aside the professor, and tell him I wanted out of the project. Why, he asked. I told him I wanted to pursue a project in a different region...say, Dubai. And he made sure I wanted to do this, and I did, and so just like that, I was free to wallow in my lethargic sloth-ish self at home.

Fast forward a year. My friend sends me this link to a video of Rachel Maddow (on MSNBC, for those of you who are 24 hour news cycle-illiterate), and she asks if this guy was ever my professor. I watch. My jaw drops. My heart sinks.

Huh.

Turns out my professor was serious about making this official. Turns out he published the project that the team that I was formerly a part of onto a reputable science journal. And it turns out that the team that I was formerly a part of and the fruits of their labor got major mass media attention. Not only did my professor interview in the aforementioned video, the published project popped up on major news sites everywhere, including The Telegraph (a UK based publication), USA Today, the LA Times, and apparently here, here, and here.

Super. Imagine that. I could have been part of a media praised (though technically flawed) theory that would have provided accolades, national attention, and one hell of a point to put on my resume. But no. Instead, I decided to research and praise (according to my report) the "the most fantastic and fastest urbanizing and growing region on the planet," a region today that is literally stewing in its own shit.

So there you have it. I could've been part of a major university study that has caught the eyes of scientists and government agencies all over the world, but instead I decided to research a small, relatively failing country which shares the same name of a cheesy Filipino romance flick.


But my lesson is learned now...again. When opportunity knocks, check and see who it is before you open that door and let him in (unless opportunity happens to be delivering a pizza). Then let him in regardless. I'm hungry.

17 days.

"just seeing if a visit could possibly be in order and if you would have the hospitality skills to meet my…meet my…oh whatever, if I could crash at your pad…"
-CT

VH1's Worst Week Ever

So I got into a car accident the other day. Yeah yeah, I know what you're thinking, yet another collision. It seems that whenever I decide to have some sort of foray away from LA, I run into car troubles (note my post right before I took off for the Philippines)

Given that I had just finished 2 weeks straight of 12 hour work days, I figured I'd have enough of a happy paycheck to finally pay for all those repairs I needed on good ol' Markmobile (I'm not very original when it comes to naming cars). So I had the brakes and tires changed, and finally figured out why the service engine light was on for the past few weeks (and it cost me about $200 to fix). Things are looking good, I had another huge paycheck coming my way, and it was all going to go towards replenishing my savings and setting aside funds for when I make the big move.

Cue a garbage truck. Parked in front of my driveway. Now here comes me, trying to maneuver around it. Seems like an easy enough task. I'm careful, I check traffic on both sides, but what I don't realize is that I'm turning too sharply, and before I know it I'm driving into those forklifts that lift dumpsters. Luckily, it only hit the corner of my door and near my windshield, creating a huge dent, a bent door, and a shocked me.


Doesn't look too bad from the picture, but it's the nature of the damage that makes it the most painful. Had the lifts missed the door and went through the door and window only instead, it would be a simple matter of replacing the door. But take into account the huge dent on the body, and now the whole left side of the car has to be replaced. Then again, had it missed the door and went through my (open) window, my face could have been sliced off by a huge sharp piece of metal.

But at least I wouldn't have had to pay $1,900 to fix my car, right?

So yeah, there goes my next paycheck, a good chunk of my savings, and some of my sanity out the (now very dented) door.

But I try to look at things in a positive light. I've been relegated to taking the bus to and from work as of late, but in all honesty it's not that bad. There's something oddly liberating about not having a car in LA, given the fact that car culture thrives here and getting around can be a bitch without a vehicle. But being car-less, I suddenly feel free of the possibility of parking tickets, moving violations, car accidents, traffic (to some extent), and yet more repairs. I mean, you drive to and from work, you turn on your ipod, you go on autopilot and you fail to notice the world around you. Sure, I've been driving through the streets of West LA for years now, but this is the first time in years that I feel like I've really experienced them.

But that all aside, yet another expense decides to slap me in the face. So remember a couple of weeks ago how my Sansa decide to die on me, leaving me mp3 player-less? Well I decided to start using my 4th generation ipod again, and it worked fairly well, until...

Ah, damn, dude, would you look at that. Even the animation of the dead ipod is hella sad.

Man, for me it always seems like when something in my life breaks, everything else decides to break down at the same time. Reminds me of the time my girlfriend broke up with me a while ago. The next day my rice cooker stopped working.

27 days.

"Come on Mark, lie to me, tell me everything's gonna be alright after graduation"
-JCB

Seriously baby, it's me, not you

Dear Los Angeles,

Let me start off by saying that what we have shared together can never be replaced. I’ve spent the best years of my life with you, and I’ll always cherish all the memories. I mean, seriously, we’ve had some really amazing times together, and it all really means a lot to me.

But lately, I think there’s been something missing in my life.

You see, we’ve been going at this thing for nearly 5 years now. I remember when we first started this thing. It was something like September of 04, I think. Oh, I was so young then, so naïve. I remember in the beginning it was tough for us. I was reluctant of this whole thing at first, and even wanted to leave you. But we all go through that, don’t we? I couldn’t stand being around you, and took every opportunity to get away from you. But I stuck it out, and it was worth it. I eventually made peace with the fact that we were in it for the long haul, and gave you a shot. And I’ve turned out better for it.

But it’s not to say that we didn’t have our really dreadful, awkward, and dreadfully awkward moments. Sure, there are a few moments in the past 5 years that I would’ve done differently, you know, to make it easier on both myself and on others. But what’s done is done, and there’s no point in dwelling in what’s already happened. It would have been nice to avoid those really shitty moments, but hey, we can’t focus on the negative, right? I think we both came out of those situations understanding a little more about ourselves and what we had to offer each other.

And we’ve had our good times together too. A flurry of parties and concerts and get togethers and museum visits and restaurant hopping and club nights and even simple hang outs have left me experiences and exposure to sights and sounds I would have never known if I never met you. Remember those long nights at the dorms? I’d have to work till 5am, but that didn’t matter, cause we partied till the break of dawn anyway and didn’t care, cause we were still young and stupid and living our lives because we could. We would eat breakfast as soon as the sun rose, slept through the day and till the evening, and stated the whole process all over again. Good times, my friend, good times.

But that’s all beside the point. See, something changed after I graduated. I think it was the sudden realization that I had been doing this thing with you for a fairly long time now. I’m no stranger to people coming in and out of my life, but I don’t think anything prepared me for the mass exodus of people who had played some sort of role in what I had built with you from my life.

I figured I was lucky when I decided to stay with you for at least another year. I landed a good job, I live near my closest friends, and for a split second I almost felt like I could settle with you. But something inside me clicked. Blame facebook or other people’s blogs to give me the chance to snoop in and read about other people, but I realized something about some of those who had graduated with me. It seemed as though a lot of these people I had shared so much with moved on with their lives and were doing their own thing now. Big things or not, everyone seemed to be doing something different. Looking at people’s profiles and seeing them visit foreign countries, move to different cities and start new lives, or move back home and reunite with old friends left me thinking “me too.”

I thought it would be nice to have the best of both worlds, you know? Stay here with you, enjoy the life I had before while at the same time starting a new life in the workforce with no school to worry about. It really looked good on paper.

But it’s not enough. I feel like I could be doing so much more, could be experiencing so much more…

…and that’s why I’m leaving you, Los Angeles.

I’ve found somewhere new. You know this one, her name is Chicago.

I feel like I have so many more opportunities with Chicago than I currently have with you, Los Angeles. I mean, we’ve had good times together. Terrific times together! But right now, I feel like I haven’t moved on with my life since college ended. Day in, day out, even though I’m not in school anymore, just still being in Westwood is smothering.

But Chicago adds a whole new level of opportunity, uncertainty, and excitement to my life. I feel like there's a chance to experience something with Chicago that I just wouldn't be able to achieve with you, Los Angeles, and this something will definitely be worth it.

Maybe I just miss all the fun times I had with a lot of people who used to still be here. But it’s not like everyone I know is gone. I’m still having fun, and I love everyone who is still around, but at times I feel as if I’m still doing the same thing over and over and over, and to some people and groups I can only stay around for a cameo appearance before the uncomfortable unfamiliarity settles in.

So that’s why I must leave you, Los Angeles. Though our times together have been both memorable and fun, I must move on with my life. I feel as if I’ve outgrown you, and I will only be able to mature if I find a change of scenery. I feel as if being with Chicago will give me that chance.

In all honesty, it was me, not you, Los Angeles. Please don’t take offense in this. I simply feel like I need some time away from you.

I don’t know much about Chicago, but I hear she can be cold sometimes, especially to newcomers. I’m sure she’ll warm up to me eventually though.

"Have you ever lived on the East Coast or the Midwest? No? Ha-ha, ha-ha, you're gonna freeze, you're gonna freeze"
-AT

this worthless piece of...

So once again, I must must mourn the passing of a product of mine, this one slightly more annoying and much less expected.

As a self-proclaimed music geek, I have this penchant to always having my music around with me in portable form. When my ipod died last year, I researched and discovered the Sansa View 16gb player. It got pretty good reviews, and as a 16gb player for less than $100, it was a pretty much a steal.

But alas, "you get what you pay for-itis" decided to rear its ugly head, and much like clockwork, poor ol' sansa decided to die on me today. At first, I thought it was just the battery at first, or perhaps it was experiencing another one of its signature hiccup freezes (more on this later).

But no, turns out my sansa breathed its last song (Hung up on my baby by Isaac Hayes, fyi), and once again I was left with a dead mp3 player. The timing couldn't be any better either, especially since I'm driving 6 hours home tomorrow.

What a waste, he didn't even die for a cause.

So maybe it's because I bought it refurbished, or it's because I dropped it once on my hardwood floor, but come on. I bought my ipod refurbished, and dropped it on the sidewalk multiple times, and that thing served me for a good 2 or 3 years.

But I guess it was an inferior product to begin with. The sound quality was quieter than other models I have experience with, and along with sluggish menu navigation, sometimes the whole machine would just freeze and malfunction if you pressed the next button.

In other words, DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT.

So now I'm on the market (and I'm looking for an MP3 player too). Anyone have any suggestions where I should start? I like the physical size of the ipod nano, but 16gb just isn't enough (unless there's expandable memory), and I've since been spoiled with video playback.

In other news, since I officially made the announcement to move to Chicago, I've heard nothing but bad things about the city. It didn't worry me too much, until Yahoo came out with an article stating that Chicago is the 3rd most miserable city to live in.

Aw come on. You've gotta be kidding me. But still, I say eff it. The very thought of Chicago-style pizza (over there, they just call it pizza) being readily available is enough to nullify any survey and article put on by any reputable national news site.

36 days.

"Watch yo' back skank, or i might have to start spreading rumors... juicy juicy rumors. Have a great day =) *HIGH FIVE*"
-KI

A Retrospect

15 Years Ago: 1994
1. My favorite cartoon to come home to after school was Gargoyles (I distinctly remember this because the show would always refer to 1000 years in the past, which was incidently 994
2. I still lived in Union City
3. I was currently in 2nd grade, about to go into 3rd grade, which was also when I switched from public school to Catholic
4. My brother and I used to tie our skateboard to my bike with a rope, and we would ride around the neighborhood while he sat on the skateboard and I pulled with the bike. How no one got hurt, I have no idea.
5. My Grandma would spend the weekdays taking care of us, while we would spend the weekend at her house in San Francisco. When there, we would always watch the same tapes over and over (because they were the only ones there): A poorly dubbed version of National Lampoon's Vacation, Home Alone 1 and 2, Angels in the Outfield, and a 3 Stooges tape with 3 episodes on it.


10 Years Ago: 1999

1. I was in 7th grade, wore schoo uniforms, and had the reputation as the loud mouth in the back of the class; my teacher did not like me
2. I got braces - it also gave me something in common with my crush
3. I also experienced my first rejection from said crush
4. I would hustle Super Nintendo games from Blockbuster and Wherehouse by renting games and changing the labels of more expensive games with cheaper games, and return the cheaper ones with the labels of the more expensive games
5. I also used to hustle my classmates. My brother would buy cheap/fake stuff from Mexico like "Rolex" watches and ninja stars. That practice would eventually get me expelled from Catholic school.


5 Years Ago: 2004

1. I graduated from high school and moved to Los Angeles for college
2. I joined a student group that serviced high school students (PREP); this particular group would consume my life for the next four years
3. I first experienced living away from home, and even got homesick
4. I met new friends from all over the world, and lost touch with others. Reality hit me when I realized that there were people I would probably never see again in my life.
5. I had my first drink, my first drunken rant, and my first blacking out. All three were with my parents.


3 Years Ago: 2006

1. My Grandpa died, and my Grandma starting having major health problems. She moved out of our house for the first time in 6 years.
2. I traveled to Japan with my high school jazz band. I also performed my last piano solo ever with them, since I don't think we'll ever all be playing together again.
3. I arguably had the best summer of my life, which lasted until November 18. We had partied every weekend since the summer up until that point, which was my 20th birthday. I blacked out at 11:45 that night. The party lasted till 4am.
4. I had four different living situations in a span of four months.
5. I still thought hyphy was a legitimate genre of music (I'm not hatin', my style has just matured)


2 Years Ago: 2007

1. I first experienced living alone.
2. For a quarter, my days consisted of class straight from 11am-5pm, meetings from 5-8, and work from 9pm-5am.
3. I first moved to BMV Properties, where I still am today.
4. I finally turned 21, and celebrated thusly.
5. My parents moved away from Hayward, where I had spent most of my days. Home began to feel less and less familiar to me, and I made fewer trips back north.


1 Year Ago: 2008

1. After a long fought battle from dimensia, and being bedridden for 7 months, my grandmother passed away at 90. It was the first time I had cried in years.
2. I went through that obligatory college senior year panic, not sure of what I was going to do after I was released from the confines and comforts of university life.
3. I was the first of my brother and sister and cousins to graduate from college.
4. Started working full time for the first time, and quelled all my post-college jitters. I even missed it for a while.
5. I went to the Philippines for the first time. Had a hell of an experience.


This Year: 2009

1. I officially got sick of intellectual pretention.
2. I found myself to be the one telling "those kids" to "keep it down" because I have to go to work in the morning
3. I bought the Ronco Rotisserie (set it and forget it) and have already cooked some form of ever domesticated animal already
4. As of today, I still haven't seen any of my family members in 2009
5. Reality hit me again when I once again realized that there are alot of people I knew and met in college that I may never see again

Yesterday:

1. I made a southwestern pork loin, roasted potatoes with rosemary, sangria, and lemon garlic vegetables for dinner
2. I got to "sleep in" till 7am
3. I wrote the address of my cousin in Spain on a postcard I was going to send to her. I've been meaning to send her something for the past 5 months. I'm such a procrastinator.
4. I discovered that all the clubs in Los Angeles are overrun with guys. When will I learn my lesson? I'm really not into clubbing.
5. I told my friends about my decision to go to DePaul University for a grad program in Geographic Information Systems, in Chicago. I'll be leaving Los Angeles in 6 weeks.


Today:

1. I had to go back to Ralph's because I planned on making spinach dip and had bought every ingredient yesterday but spinach.
2. I began what would be the first of many sessions of packing up my belongings to bring home. The moving my life out of LA is going to be a logistical nightmare.
3. Had a potluck dinner with my roommate and floormate from first year.
4. I started playing my DS again, mostly because I have scoured the internet for interesting articles enough for the past week.
5. I discovered how to sync non-ipod mp3 players with itunes. I hate the Apple Corporation, but damn, they do make good products.


Tomorrow:

1. I Will be going to work at 8...whooo I get to sleep in
2. I will probably drop my car off at the shop, now that I can afford all the repairs.
3. I will be eating leftover bbq chicken for lunch!
4. I will watch I Love Money on VH1 at 9
5. I will am probably going to continue packing up my life into easy to move boxes.


If you could go back 10 years in time and meet yourself back then, but only get 5 minutes to speak to yourself, what would you say?
"Dude, she's not worth it. And by the way, here's a recipe for some kick-ass spinach dip. You'll win many hearts with this."


Maybe I'll try and post this up on facebook and make it the new "25 things" thing that everyone seems to be tagged in nowadays.


Also, yeah, make this my official announcement: I'm leaving LA in 6 weeks.

"don't wanna end up pulling my hair out...even though I don't got no hair"
-WP

Professionally Doing It Live

People blow up all the time, going off on tirades spewing curse words left and right, mostly left. It's normal and it happens.

But when celebrities do it, with the help of creative editing, hilarity ensues (NSFW):

(look for Christian Bale's original rant yourself).

Sure, most clips online are taken out of context, twisted, laughed at, then later remixed, and laughed at some more. It seems that no celebrity caught on tape is immune to this, including this guy (also NSFW):

Barack Obama is tired of your motherfucking shit.

These little snips of the president with his, not so presidential language are excerpts from his audiobook. I'm not sure what the context is, but when taken out of said unknown context, more hilarity ensues.

"keep eating burritos, you're gonna start looking like a burrito"
-MG

#1 On My Charts Part 5

Classical Overtures
Classical Music. That which defines musicality, composed by those whose last names you probably couldn’t pronounce or spell, and the basis of much of our music today. Now, I’m no classical music snob who will sneer at the thought of anything that was composed in the past couple of decades, but I would say that 12 years of piano lessons and enrollment in the high school band and orchestra has allowed me to develop some sort of appreciation for this music. So I’ll admit, that I was one of those kids who didn’t listen to anything but classical music for a while, and even in high school, the majority of the CDs I would put in danger of playing out were those of the orchestral nature.
What’s also great about classical orchestral music (and instrumental music in general) is that it requires solely on the music itself to convey feeling and emotion. For many songs in which the singer is featured, the background music becomes a footnote, there to fill the gap while the singer takes a breath or sip of water. In classical orchestral music, the music is the melody and there ain’t no stopping to catch your breath (except in opera. But unfortunately I dislike opera – sorry.)
I know not many people can really appreciate the sheer artistic effort that is exuded in these pieces. In many ways, classical music is an acquired taste that grows better with age, not unllike wine, cheese, or even old comedy routines.
Would I call this my favorite genre? Hard to say. I think string quartet tributes to popular groups such as Radiohead or Incubus are crap, and there only a few “orchestral” renditions of more modern music that are actually pulled off fairly well (refer to the orchestral version of ‘Fountain of Dreams’ or the rendition of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ for an example of decent renditions that were translated well onto the 80 strings format).
Collaborations are cool too:

(That’s Cypress Hill, supposedly. And apparently there’s no youtube link to the English version of this scene, sorry. That’s illegal. The scary part for me is that I know exactly what they’re saying without having to translate it at all)

#1 On My Charts Pt. 5 - Classical Overtures

Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto 2: Moderato Allegro
Man, Rachmaninoff had huge hands. If you’ve ever listened to any of his works, you’ll hear chords that are even bigger than 12ths. How the man managed to play what he wrote, I have no idea.

It is rumored that this piece would be impossible to play with only two hands, so the above method is the only way you can actually hear the song as it was written. If you ever see someone play it live, then they’re most likely dropping some notes for the sake of the actual reach of their hands.
But this wasn’t the track that’s on my favorites list. Though the one I featured up in the playlist is still pretty awesome.

Prokofiev – March from ‘The Love for Three Oranges'
Marches are fun to play and to listen to. Alongside with Pomp and Circumstance, this has to be one of my favorite marches.

Vitali – Chaconne
When this piece was written, it changed keys more liberally than most other music of its time (Baroque). And that’s what makes this piece wild for both its time, and ours.

Smetana – The Moldau
A friend of mine once said this sounded like something John Williams would compose. I’d say that was an insult to Bedřich Smetana.

Kozhevnikov – Slavyanskaya
Now here’s a fun track. I first heard this piece while playing for the UCLA Symphonic Band. And for the record, it does sound 10 times better in person.

Grand Russian Fantasia – Carnaval – Wynton Marsalis
I still haven’t figured out who originally composed this piece, but once again, I must feature Mr. Wynton Marsalis (he was on my jazz list too). Either way, this piece, which features the coronet, definitely showcases the talents of this man, proving that he can do more than jazz.

Shostakovich – Jazz Suite No. 2
I’m not normally a fan of waltz (and I sure as hell suck at dancing it), but there’s just something about this piece that really tugs at my heartstrings. That and it reminds me of something you’d hear while riding a Merry-Go-Round.

Ravel – Bolero
Anyone who knows this song will either love it for its dramatic and momentous buildup, or hate it because it is 13 minutes of the same line played over and over again, only louder. I rather enjoy the ever so slight crescendo.

Tchaikovsky – Waltz of the Flowers
Who doesn’t enjoy or know the Nutcracker Suite? My particular favorite part of this song is the call and response line with the strings and the winds.

Verdi – Grand March from Aida
I’m sure you’ve heard this song at some point in the past. The perfect piece for any pops orchestra.

Brahms – Hungarian Dance No. 5
Yes, Brahms also wrote the Lullaby too.

You wouldn’t expect any less from one of the three B’s. (Beethoven, Bach, Brahms)

Tchaikovsky – Slavonic March
Another score for Tchaikovsky on the list! Can you tell I enjoy the Slavic-influenced pieces?

Mussorgsky – Night on Bald Mountain
Thanks to Fantasia, this piece is almost always associated with the deepest, darkest, most evil, immoral, wicked, disgusting, loathsome, despicable, vile…
What was I describing again?

Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20
This particular recording features Itzhak Perlman, the world renowned violinist who played that second rate piece by John Williams at the inauguration. Oh wait! He didn’t play! That was a recording of him, while he pretended to play! This is still a good piece though.

Chopin – Prelude No. 15 in D Flat major (raindrop prelude)
Chopin has so many good pieces, and it’s difficult to choose only one. I first heard this song on the “Chopin and Champagne” CD, and it’s stuck with me ever since. And yes, I do realize this was the piece that was played on that Halo commercial.


Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue
One of the most popular pieces of contemporary times, and really, who doesn’t enjoy this song? Integrating jazz influences, this piece is especially exciting when heard live at the Hollywood Bowl (great show, by the way). Much popularity can be attributed to Fantasia 2000, or even those Southwest Airlines commercials.

Schubert - Symphony No. 8 in B minor ('Unfinished'), D. 759: Allegro Moderato
I’ve always wondered what else Schubert planned on adding to this piece. There were only two movements (most pieces have at least 3), and it wasn’t like he died or anything. He lived 6 years longer after he deemed this piece ‘unfinished.’

Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody
Again with the Slavic-influenced musical themes here. I think I enjoy this song because it reminds me of Tiny Toons. You know those sequences in which they would play instrumental music over Tiny Toon animations? Yeah, I think they used this piece once.

Yup, they did.

Grieg – The Death of Ase
Grieg is mostly known for his ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King,’ but this piece, also in the same suite, I think I enjoy more. The mountain king may be fierce, but this piece has heart.

Dvorak – From the New World
Doesn’t the first few bars of this song sound like Jaws? This is one of those really majestic pieces I really enjoy.

Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, 1st movement
The intro of the song is still my favorite. The way the pianist covers the whole keyboard in three chords is still amazing to me because I know I’m way too lazy to ever put up the effort to ever learn how to do that.

Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5
I once read that Shostakovich was commissioned by Lenin to compose music that would reflect the greatness of the Russian Revolution. People, I present to you the original Communist theme song.

Shostakovich – Galop
The best part of this song comes at 2:46, but lemme tell you, this piece is just as fun to play as it is to listen to.

Grieg - Concerto in A minor - allegro molto moderato
Would it be weird if I admitted I get shivers when I hear the first 26 seconds of the song?

Berlitz – Two Guitars
There have been many different variations of this Russian Gypsy folk song, some of them more cheesy than others (the Paul Mariat version? Bleh.)

Next time: My all time favorite Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Radiohead tracks

"Pomegranate juice? You are old."
-JC

Machine operated voice recognition is still a whiles away

Calling to pay my credit card bill
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Scene: I’m outside of the building at work, which is in front of the bus yard (i.e.
lots of buses present)

Automated voice: Hello, please enter or say your card number
*enters card number*
Automated voice: Thank you. According to our records, this phone number you’re calling from is a number that is registered as you. Thank you for calling! If you would like to pay your balance, please say pay.
Me: Pay
Automated voice: Sorry I didn’t get that, could you say that again?
Me: Pay
AV: Your current balance is XXX. If you would like to pay by your bank card, please say bank card. If you would like to speak to a representative, please say representative. If you would like to hear your balance, please say balance.
Me: Bank card
AV: Your current balance is XXX. If you would like to pay by your bank card, please say bank card. If you would like to speak to a representative, please say representative. If you would like to hear your balance, please say balance.
Me: Bank card!
AV: Please say the amount you would like to pay, or say minimum balance to pay the minimum balance
Me: Minimum balance
AV: Sorry, I didn’t get that, could you say that again?
Me: Minimum balance
AV: Sorry, I didn’t get that again, could you repeat that again?
Me: Minimum balance!
AV: Sorry, I didn’t get that again, could you repeat that again? Or press 1.
*presses 1*
AV: Thank you. Your payment has been received. Your confirmation number is 5434. If you would like me to repeat this, please say re-
*bus honks*
AV: Thank you. Your payment has been received. Your confirmation number is 5434. If-
*bus honks*
AV: your confirmation number is 543-
*bus honks*
AV: your confirmation numb-
*bus honks*
AV: your conf-
*bus honks*
AV: your conf-
*bus honks*
AV: your conf-
Me: augh!
Call ended.

"Wait, that was an inside joke. You're not supposed to know what I'm talking about."
-JG

And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

It's only been a week since Obama spent his first full day as the most powerful man in the world, and I am almost disgusted (okay not so much disgusted as mildly annoyed) at the seemingly public outcry over how much change has actually come to our country.

I mean, give the guy a break. He already said that we were gonna be looking forward to some shitty times ahead in his inaugural speech, so could at least wait at least a month or two before we start complaining?

But when the headlines on hyper-metro-male-version-of-cosmo magazine Details (don't ask me why I know this...I think my roommate has a subscription) read "Is the Economy Pissing You Off?" and "Can You Still Afford Your Girlfriend?" and "Growing The Perfct Layoff Beard," I suppose everyone's really starting to feel the pinch.



"i remember you said you were gonna throw up and we totally didn't take you seriously and you totally did and we were bewildered."
-PV

I have not seen the sun in two days...

...because being scheduled for work from 6am to 6pm sucks. Don't worry, I won't go into the details of why I am working these extra hours so not to bore you with the mundane-ness of the nature of what I'm doing. I mean, unless you really want to hear about it (believe me, it's not that exciting and there's 93% chance of disappointment upon hearing it).

On the bright side, I'll have a very very happy paycheck. On the downside...it's 12 hours a day! Everyday (except Sunday) until Saturday, February 7th!

But beyond that, I just wanted to share with the world (in case you hadn't already discovered it) an addition to the evergrowing list of mashups of Jay-Z and everyone else.

Jaydiohead. Minty Fresh Beats. A mashup of one of my favorite groups and a rapper who I'll admit I did not listen much to as a child.

This is one of the better mashup albums I've heard, and there doesn't seem to be any weak tracks or mashups that didn't make sense. It's worth a listen.


"I've had 6 wives, and currently on my 7th. But I know I've lived my life, and I have no regrets. Well, except for all the money I lost."
-AR

#1 On My Charts Part 4

It's been a while since I've done a music post, and as I struggle to find subjects worth writing on now that I've gotten over the post graduation blues/panics and the elections are over. So today, I will foray into the realm of Rock 1990 to Today, and R&B and Slow Jams.

First up - Rock 1990 to Today

#1 on My Charts Pt. 4 - Rock 1990-Today
VH1’s been showing “The 100 Greatest Rock Songs” a lot lately. I figure I better get in on this while the subject is still hot. That, and I particularly like this stuff because a lot of it is just so timeless. There are countless numbers of sub-genres within rock, and years down the line, a lot of it will still sound fresh to me. So why did I choose pre-1990? Well that’s the decade from which I get a lot of the music I enjoy, and the 90s was a big decade for rock. The popularity of 80s punk was beginning to wane, the grunge era was beginning to enjoy mainstream success, nu metal was born, and the sound of synthesizers was suddenly not that cool. But I digress. Onto the music.

Keane – Sunshine
There’s just some dreamy character to this track. It’s a nice lighthearted tune that’ll make you feel like gliding across the horizon.

Death Cab for Cutie – Tiny Vessels
Not a huge fan of this particular group, but its somber feel underlying the storytelling of the track gives me something to relate to.

Something Corporate – Good News
I think it was the piano backing of this track that initially attracted me to it. One of the few modern punk tracks I can tolerate.

Elliot Smith – Shooting Star
Rest In Peace, Elliot Smith. You still shred a mean guitar, posthumously.

Sublime – Summertime
Another song on this ever-growing list of my favorites that has been influenced by the musical “Porgy and Bess.”

Bloodhound Gang – I Hope You Die
I’m convinced that if the Bloodhound Gang had followed up by making a music video for this song instead of that really crappy song “Mope” right after the success and popularity of “The Bad Touch,” they would have enjoyed more mainstream success.

Metallica – No Leaf Clover
A collaboration of this iconic group and the London Symphony Orchestra? Amazing.

Nirvana – Lithium
Nirvana pretty much brought the grunge to the mainstream, and though “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is often praised as their greatest contribution to music, I like this track a lot more.

Foo Fighters – Times Like These
Still my favorite Foo Fighters track (and there are a lot of them that I do like).

Nine Inch Nails – We’re In This Together Now
In terms of how the rest of Nine Inch Nails’ stuff sounds like, this is relatively tame. Still a good track though.

Korn – Thoughtless
Say what you will, Korn is still the king of the nu-metal genre. How much more angsty can you get?

The Mars Volta – The Widow
These guys take concept based albums to a new level. Dream Theater’s still my favorite prog-rock group, but these guys hold their own fairly well too.

Slipknot – Wait and Bleed
A relic from my teenage angst stage in life, I put this song on the list mostly for sentimental reasons.

Weezer – Pink Triangle
Ooh, it was tough to choose a single favorite Weezer track. But after careful deliberation, this is the track I’ll never get tired of (but I’d put all of Pinkerton on the list if I could).

Dream Theater – As I Am
These Berklee educated musicians take progressive rock to a new level. My absolute favorite band for a few years, their work has given me a benchmark to base musicality on.

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R&B and Slow Jams

# 1 on My Charts - Pt. 4 - Slow Jams and R&B
If there was one genre I grew up with and like just as much as the previously mentioned, its R&B and Slow Jams. Whenever I need a good love song, or if I need tracks that are a little more chilled out, I turn here. I mean, I can’t always be hippin and hoppin or rockin out. A lot of this stuff I’ve been listening to ever since I became musically aware, and I can always find the right song that’ll tug on your heartstrings just the right way. It doesn’t have to always be about love, breakups, and sex, (but it helps). Bonus for being a soulful track with a cool beat.

Musiq – Half Crazy
Musiq is one of my favorite R&B artists. Formerly Musiq Soulchild, he dropped the second part of his name because he felt he “hadn’t mastered his craft yet.” Musiq embodies everything I enjoy about slow jams: that it doesn’t have to be about love and sex, we can just kick it, and I miss what we had as friends before.

The Roots – You Got Me
Yeah the Roots are a hip hop group, but this is more of an R&B track than anything and I’ve seen em live; these guys are the epitome of what a music group should encompass. The Roots are legit, and whenever they do this track live, it’s truly art.

Maxwell – Softly
Who doesn’t like a little bit of Maxwell to just chill to? If I could somehow someday learn to sing, I’d want my voice to be just like Maxwell’s. On this track.

Blackstreet – No Diggety
Another classic track produced by none other than the great Dr. Dre

John Legend – It Don’t Have to Change
I like a lot of John Legend tracks. But of all of them, I think this one has the most heart.

Robin Thicke – Complicated
I remember seeing Robin Thicke open up for John Legend a few years back. I’ll admit, I didn’t know who the hell he was at the time, but after a few listen-thrus of his albums, I think I’ve grown to like this guy’s work. This is arguably his best track. Who doesn’t wish they could be less complicated?

Wyclef Jean – 911
Somone please call 911, The alleged assalaint, Is my lover, And she shot me through my soul – classic lines

Shai – If I Ever Fall In Love
As a middle schooler, this was everyone’s favorite track to play on their CD players at lunchtime.

Lauryn Hill – Everything Is Everything
Say what you will about Lauryn Hill’s ability to sing, I still think this track is cool. And did anyone else notice I featured another member of The Fugees on this list?

Faith Evans – Can’t Believe
When I wasn’t wallowing in teenage angst, I was wallowing in petty middle school romance, augmented by tracks like this. Still a favorite of mine, this used to be my anthem.

Boyz 2 Men – Thank You
Boyz 2 Men has the accolade of being one of the few boy bands who have substance and talent. Nobody harmonizes like Motown Philly, and this track exemplifies their talents, without getting lost in the background instrumentals.

Carl Thomas – Wish I Never Met Her
In addition to having one of the smoothest beats ever to grace a slow jam (which is even more awesome when you learn it on piano), this song is really inexplicably sad.

Brian McKnight – Love of My Life
This track has often been deemed the song in which it sounds like someone has a hold of Brian McKnight’s balls. I say, you try and sing a whole song falsetto.

BellBivDevoe – Poison
With one of the sickest beats out there, I knew this song became timeless when it was featured on Scrubs:


Next time: Classical Overtures

"will someone sign me off please? I wanna get out of here!"
-as heard over the loud speaker at Ralph's

well that took longer than I thought it would

After 3 nights of searching for the right blogger template that would suit my taste (and believe me, there are alot of sites) , I have finally decided upon this minimalist template you see here. I also decided to go in a different direction in term of the logo this time around (it doesn't involve pumpkins and/or beer!)

That's all I wanted to draw your attention to.

"This is Riverside? This sucks."
-KV

ps...(the post title - that's what she said )

In celebration of this momentous day

...Sgt. Obama's Hopeful Heart Club Band

"black people arent the only-people who have crazy sex you know "
-YK

16 things you probably didn't know about me

recently posted on facebook as well...
---
And I quote:
"Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 16 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 16 people to be tagged . You have to tag the person who tagged you."
Since I've received both the "16" and "25" variations of this note, I figured I'll mix it up. 25 people have been tagged, 16 things have been said.

1)I really dislike chain letters and the fact that I have to limit tagging 25 people in these notes makes me feel as if I'm playing favorites, which makes me feel uncomfortable.But everyone's favorite subject is themselves, and I'm really no different.

2)My prized posessions are my external hard drives which contain all my pictures and my music.

3)In relation to #2, I have been carrying around a camera around with me in my pocket wherever I go for the past 8 years. As such, I've been able to capture most of the more important events and people in my life on camera. Besides, you never know what you'll run into that you'll want to take a picture of.

4)Also in relation to #2, I take music seriously. Whenever people ask me what kind of music I like, I usually give an answer like "pretty much everything." As lame as an answer that is, it's actually true. Look through my music collection and you'll find everything from Franz Schubert to Radiohead to Chuck Mangione to Billy Joel to Souls of Mischief to Luna Sea to Muse to NWA to Rachmaninoff to Foo Fighters to Tower of Power to Beastie Boys to Enigma to Nas to Fatboy Slim to Screaming Jay Hawkins...

5)I wrote the book on hosting and throwing parties in college. Seriously. Here it is: http://markwidaq.blogspot.com/2008/04/art-of-throwing-party.html

6)I can quote the Simpsons verbatim from Seasons 1-10. And sometimes it really annoys my friends.

7)I took piano lessons for 12 years, practiced jazz for 4 years, and traveled to Japan with my band. But I never said I was any good.

8)I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a wine and beer aficionado.

9)My nicknames have actual backgrounds:
1-"Mark with a Q" originated at some student group function my first year in college. People were filling out nametags for us, and when asked if my name was spelled with a "K" or a "C," I said "Q! My parents wanted me to be unique." Ever since then, when given a chance to introduce myself via nametag, it's always "Mark with a Q." It thoroughly confuses people.
2-"Solo" originated from a situation at Access Control. After I responded to a fire alarm, my boss wanted to clarify who it was that did so. Not sure of the name that was given to him, he assumed first it was my coworker Mara. She told him it wasn't her, and that it was Mark who responded. Problem was, there were two Marks who worked, Mark Solomon and Mark Hipol. Someone told him it was probably the Mark that worked in Hedrick. Problem was, both Marks worked in Hedrick. So someone suggested it was Mark who was Filipino. Problem was, we were both Filipino. So after emailing us both, and we clarifying the confusion, my boss told us this: "Yeah...your nickname will now be 'solo' and other Mark is now known as 'nipple' to keep things straight." And it's stuck ever since then.
3-"Markie," sometimes spelled "Marky": its origins are really unknown, but apparently it's popular to use when it's used as a term of endearment or if you're trying to make fun of me.

10)I have a collection of original short film works (read: stupid videos) such as "The Marktrix," "Humble Pi," and various parodies of commercials. I plan to release it all on DVD soon. Or whenever I'm not feeling lazy.

11)I've been described as a 'serial monogamist.' ...Whatever the hell that means.

12)I don't get mad often, and I try to avoid it normally. So if you ever see me pissed, I'm pissed.

13)Sarcasm and puns are second nature, so don't take me too seriously and please laugh at my crappy jokes

14)Like many others, I can control my burps and burp the ABC's. Unlike many others, I can also burp Earth Wind and Fire's "Reasons"

15)I can pass the whole getting rich and successful thing in life as long as I'm remembered for something. Preferably something positive.

16)Apparently I bake a mean banana bread.

"I am in respectful awe of #14"
-CK

I appreciate the creativity of others, but...

I mean, imagine how hard it would be to try and write songs with words that rhyme with "Clinton" or "McCain."

In the words of Jon Stewart, he's like that bike wrapped in wrapping paper under the Christmas tree. You know what it is...why can't we just open it now? Can he just be our president already?


"once during truth or dare, we had someone make out with herself in the mirror. that was awesome."
-FS

My Annual Strange News Post

When I can't find anything of any particular significance to write about, I usually just scour the news for whatever interesting topic pops up. Today...



Mr. Lennon here would like to remind everyone to donate to the cause of One Laptop Per Child. Though I understand that John Lennon was a firm believer of the imagination's ability to change the world, I hardly believe that he ever said the word "laptop," let alone know what a laptop is. You may be a non-profit organization with a commendable cause, but this falls under the sick notion of exploiting the spirit of a dead entertainer to further a fundraising effort or business enterprise. Shame on you, One Laptop Per Child.

Worst part? Yoko Ono approves of this.

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According to an American academic, rap battles originated in medieval Scottish pubs.

Say what?

Yes, Professor Ferenc Szasz's research has established a theory that the first "rap battles" occurred in medieval pubs in the form of "flyting," in which two performers entertain the audience by trading elaborate insults in verse and form. Scottish slave owners took the tradition to the United States, where it was adopted by slaves and eventually evolved into the form we know and love today.

He says:"The Scots have a lengthy tradition of flyting - intense verbal jousting, often laced with vulgarity, that is similar to the dozens that one finds among contemporary inner-city African-American youth. Both cultures accord high marks to satire. The skilled use of satire takes this verbal jousting to its ultimate level - one step short of a fist fight."

Interesting point, Professor. I decided to put my own research into this, and have excerpted a modern rap battle, and a popular flyting contest from medieval times. The similarities are all there, including a form, a rhyming scheme, and references to popular culture (of their times, of course.)

First, take an excerpt from one of the battles as portrayed by Eminem in the popular 2002 movie, 8 Mile:

[Lotto]
...I feel bad I gotta murder that dude from leave it to beaver.
I used to like that show now you got me in fight back mode.
But oh well if you gotta go ... then you gotta go.
I hate to do this. I would love for this shit to last.
So I’ll take pictures of my rear end so you won’t forget my ass.
And all is well that ends ok.
So I’ll this shit with a ... fuck you but have a nice day!

[B-Rabbit]
Ward I think you were a little hard on the Beaver.
So was Eddie Haskel, Wally and Ms. Cleaver.
This guy keeps screamin hes paranoid.
Quick someone get his ass another steroid!
Blah-de-bee-bee, blah blah blah-be-dee-, blooh-blah.
I didn’t hear a word you said ... hippity-hoo blah.
Is that a tank top or a new bra?
Look Snoop Dogg has got a fucking boob job!...

And here, I take an excerpt from The Flyting of Dumbar and Kennedie, a popular and well documented flyte, circa some time in the 1300s:

[Quod Dunbar to Kennedy]
Bot wondir laith wer I to be ane baird,
Flyting to use richt gritly I eschame;
For it is nowthir wynning nor rewaird,
Bot tinsale baith of honour and of fame,
Incres of sorrow, sklander, and evill name;
Yit mycht thay be sa bald, in thair bakbytting,
To gar me ryme and rais the feynd with flytting,
And throw all cuntreis and kinrikis thame proclame.

[Quod Kennedy to Dumbar]
Dirtin Dumbar, quhome on blawis thow thy boist?
Pretendand the to wryte sic skaldit skrowis;
Ramowd rebald, thow fall doun att the roist,
My laureat lettres at the and I lowis;
Mandrag, mymmerkin, maid maister bot in mows,
Thrys scheild trumpir with ane threid bait goun,
Say _Deo mercy_, or I cry the doun,
And leif thy ryming, rebald, and thy rowis.

We sure have come a long way since then.

---
This article is a bit old, but I am proud to have my hometown be featured on an article on a news network that is featured and read all around the world. In October, BBC Science and Environment News declared the Hayward Fault to be the 'world's most dangerous fault.'

And might I clarify that 'most dangerous fault' indicates that the fault is considered dangerous because of the fact that the probability of the Hayward fault producing a large earthquake in the next 30 years is high coupled with the fault running through a major urban area, not the crime rate associated with the city, is what makes it the most 'dangerous,' as my friend originally thought.

Anyways...Would you look at that? They've got a picture of our City Hall on the page.

I'm almost proud to have my humble town be featured on a major news network, and even more proud that I found the article through digg.

"I totally thought that was a penis on my McDonald's bag, but it was really a chess piece"
-KE

More Sopaipillas Please!

The end of my 2008 brought me on yet another trip, this time into the heart of Mexico to one of its finest dining experiences.
By that, I mean the heart of Denver, and by finest dining experiences, I mean Casa Bonita.
For those of you unfamiliar with Casa Bonita and our inspiration for driving 2200 miles through 5 states to get there, please go to http://www.southparkstudios.com/ and find the full episode on season 7, “Casa Bonita.” Then you’ll understand.

So what is Casa Bonita? It’s been described as the “Disneyland of all Mexican Restaurants.” And it really was. Not only can you get fed there, you’ll get entertained. There were 3 floors of excitement, chock full of cliff divers, mariachi bands, arcades, caricature artists, and best of all, all you can eat sopaipillas!

Actually, I think if anybody could describe the euphoric feeling that results from a visit to Casa Bonita, it would probably be these paid actors whose video was on repeat while we waited 45 minutes in line to get in:

So as you can see, that alone was enough to encourage us to go on a pilgrimage to see a Mexican restaurant three states over. We had actually been planning for weeks, and calculated routes, driving times, and costs plenty of times over. We rented a car, booked the motels, and before we knew it, we were on our way:

Of course it wasn’t going to be a short and easy drive. The first half of the trip took us through the great states of Nevada, Arizona (briefly), and Utah, where the majority of landscape looked like something from Fargo:



Along the way, we discovered that gas is considerably cheaper in other states, even if towns are in the middle of nowhere, Mormons are the nicest people in the world, you probably shouldn’t drive faster than 50mph on black ice, and they sure like their Arby’s out in the mountain west and southwestern states. 1,028 miles and 31 hours later, we finally reached that beloved restaurant. Smack dab in the middle of a suburban shopping center, nudged between a Wal-Mart, a Hollywood Video, and a Dollar Tree, we found the establishment to be the tallest building for miles (downtown Denver was only about 5 miles away, but that’s still miles). It stood out as the largest and most decorative building in the area, it was lit up by spotlights, and there seemed to be an aura emanating from structure itself. And best of all, it was exactly like they animated it on South Park:

Actually, a lot of things were exactly as the show described. Listen as Cartman sings his praises of Casa Bonita, and watch as we experience the same:

The restaurant was so much like the show, it was almost scary. It was as if Matt Stone and Trey Parker had actually been the restaurant. Several times. As promised, there were cliff divers, mariachi bands, and the infamous Black Bart’s Cave.



I of course ordered the all you can eat deluxe beef dinner, which seemed to consist of microwave enchiladas and cheap tacos. But it was damn good. But I suppose anything is damn good if the only meals we had prior was McDonald’s and the chips and brownies we brought along in the car with us.

You raise the flag up when you want more food!

And what’s an experience at any Mexican restaurant without a mariachi band singing happy birthday to you?

With the rental car place demanding the Mazda back in a couple of days, we unfortunately had to end our tenure in Denver after a short 15 hours. Deciding to take a different route back to avoid the New Year’s Eve traffic heading into Las Vegas, we instead decided to drive 1200 miles through New Mexico and more of Arizona, rightfully deciding after some fireworks purchases and crappy pizza that there is absolutely no reason to ever visit Albuquerque. Well, except for maybe, Las Vegas, NM:

After countless hours on the road, hundreds of dollars spent on gas and food, and only a fraction of time spent at our actual destination, would I say it was worth it? In the words of Eric Cartman: Totally.

But really, what really made this trip worthwhile was while on our way out of Denver, we picked up the Ronco Rotisserie. The moment we got back to LA, we picked up some Cornish game hens and set it and forget it:


Happy 2009, everyone!

“could you get me a crappy souvenir from every state you stop by?”
-BM