This is the last post of 2008!!! (In case you didn't read the title... hahaha)
Thanks for those of you who've been following my journey thru the last few weeks. This blog has been a lot of fun to maintain (and to vent on). I hope the new year will bring many new memories that I will remember for years to come: new experiences, new places traveled to, reconnecting with old friends, and cherishing the times spent with those around me.
One of the things that has helped make the end of this year so special for me is seeing the results of my "hard work" as it relates to my health and fitness.
During the holiday season of 2007, I tipped the scales at 225 (roughly... it may have been more but that's the heaviest I ever actually saw on a scale). I didn't think anything of it but I knew I was the biggest I had been in my life. I knew any change would have to be gradual and I couldn't expect to drop 25 pounds in 5 weeks. I also felt like I didn't have much time to dedicate to the gym or to working out at home.
I made small changes early in the year. I had decided (around the early Spring) to stop snacking cold turkey. Any time I had an impulse to reach for a cookie, brownie, piece of cake, etc. that was lying around the house, I'd reach for something else. Other times I'd stop and consider whether I really wanted the snack or if it was merely a reflex reaction to seeing the snack nearby. I've stopped drinking soda years ago and replaced it with water so I knew that small changes such as these would benefit me greatly.
The next thing I did, in late spring, was buy a treadmill. I was afraid that it would become an oversized coat hanger but I have been putting it to use occasionally. Even if it was just to walk, I managed to get on it frequently enough that I got used to doing some physical activity in the house (this was a HUGE mental hurdle... definitely a good thing!!). I even started dreaming of running a marathon in two years (a reasonable goal). Now that may NEVER happen but at least I felt good having goals that seemed well within my reach if I chose to go for it.
I was finishing up my graduate studies in the first half of 2008 and didn't really dedicate any serious time to working out. I only made a slight change in diet (stopped snacking). I knew this was not going to be enough and by the time I finished my thesis in August, I weighed around 216-217. By September, I had time to go back to the gym on a regular basis (and actually USE the freaking membership to Bally's that I keep paying for every year!!), I noticed a rapid change in my physique and weight.
I have been harping on my weight in this post and want you to know that I'm aware that weight isn't the end all be all to personal fitness. I weighed around 150 lbs. from junior high school through the end of high school (I grew into my body... lol). My sedentary lifestyle 'earned' me an additional 15-20 pounds (maybe more?) after graduating from high school but I stayed at that new weight for some time. I was chubby but didn't feel unhealthy. Once I started lifting weights more consistently in my early to mid 20's, I gained a lot of muscle weight. So much so, in fact, that I hit 200 lbs. (much to my shock) for the first time in my life despite being trimmer in the waist than I had been in years. I was still chubby (lol) but I felt I was definitely better off. Yet any BMI reading would have told you I was bordering on "Morbid Obesity". Clearly, I wasn't. But I also haven't been below 200 pounds since.
This is what drives my "weight loss" efforts now. Before, I used to look at going to the gym was a means to an end goal: losing weight. I now see physical fitness as a lifestyle and not simply a single season of working out hardcore. It isn't about reaching a finish line but it is more about maintaining a consistent fitness level which will allow me to be healthier for the rest of my life. I no longer see a visit to the gym as a chore. It is simply one other thing for me to do in a week. If I happen to miss a day, I don't have the guilt I used to feel because my gym days are not tied in with a finite weight loss goal. Now those goals are tied in with my overall health. It is a long term plan now and not one that is meant to produce short term results.
I currently weigh 205-206. I joked with my friend Jorge the other day that I'm officially a light heavyweight by MMA weight classes!!
My ultimate goal is to reach 185 pounds by my birthday (early May). I won't be disappointed, however, if I have a leaner body without reaching that target number. I would like to keep dropping pounds but I don't know what my actually body mass is, so I need to be realistic about my goals. For all I know, 190 might be my lower limit and I won't be able to drop below that without being unhealthy.
No matter where I end up this spring 2009, I know I will be happy with who I have become. I know that the result of the work and effort I've put in these past months (and those upcoming) will reveal itself then. This isn't a resolution. This is a change in mentality, in motivation, and in my lifestyle. It's one that is meant to help me cope with a body that is slowing down due to the aging process. By no means am I breaking down any time soon but I do notice a change in how my body works now compared to 10 years ago.
I don't want to wait until a doctor mandates me to start a fitness regimen. I don't want to be in a severe accident before I realize how out of shape I am. I am being proactive and plan to maintain this for the rest of my life.
So this new year, though I may have a finite goal for my birthday, it's all about my health and my well-being: physical and mental!
I'd like to wish you all a very Happy New Year 2009!
Until next year, faithful reader...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Playlist #5 (The Ultimate Freestyle), Road Observations + My New Job
"Maria... the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. Maria..."
"I wonder if I take you home, will you still be in love, baby..."
"Where are you tonight, my love? In the arms of another man..."
"There's no reason for you to cry, my love, 'cause I'll always be around..."
If these lyrics mean anything to you then this list is for you!!
This weekend I've got the Ultimate Freestyle playlist for your enjoyment. I'm taking you back!! My list will lay out the tracks that are the MUST HAVES for the short lived genre known as freestyle. In it's time (mid 80's thru the mid-90's), it was a musical alternative to pop, rap (it wasn't quite "hip hop" yet), rock/metal, and the sappy music that would later be labeled as "Adult Contemporary".
Freestyle was born out the confluence of R&B, "underground" house music, latin music, and rap. Most songs were produced and sung by Latinos but adopted by everyone who loved a hot beat and lyrics that shared stories of love, heartache, and good times!!!
[Special thanks to Desi, Chulo, J, Doom, Mari, and Lizbet for their feedback]
The Ultimate Freestyle playlist
Maria - TKA
Change On Me - Cynthia
Spring Love - Stevie B
Where Are You Tonight - Coro
No Reason To Cry - Judy Torres
Without You - George Lamond
Show Me - Cover Girls
Take Me In Your Arms - Lil' Suzy
Dreamboy/Dreamgirl - Cynthia and Johnny O
Wonder If I Take You Home - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Within My Heart - Voyce
Silent Morning - Noel
Yo No Sé - Pajama Party
Love Letter - Giggles
Temptation - Corina
When I Hear Music - Debbie Deb
Let The Music Play - Shannon (credited as being the first freestyle single on the wikipedia entry for "freestyle")
======
The Ultimate Freestyle Artists
Freestyle is unique in that there are a handful of artists that had tremendous success and who have many great songs the exemplify what freestyle is all about. Any songs by these artists are worth having in your freestyle collection:
- George Lamond
- Judy Torres
- Stevie B
- Cynthia
- TKA
- Cover Girls
======
Honorable Mentions
Endless Night - Cynthia
Thief of Hearts - Cynthia
Bad of the Heart - George Lamond
Come into My Arms - Judy Torres
Diamond Girl - Nice and Wild
Together Forever - Lisette Melendez
In My Eyes - Stevie B
Can You Feel the Beat? - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Crying Over You - Coro
Point of No Return - Expose
Sincerely Yours - Sweet Sensation
[All this freestyle is taking me back... =)
There were PLENTY of songs not listed here. You can begin anticipating the release of the follow up to the Ultimate Freestyle list early in the New Year]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VALIDATION OF MY THEORY::
Three examples from a busy driving day on Saturday, Dec. 27th -
(1) A driver cuts from the right lane to the left lane on the BQE only to go slower than the surrounding traffic (driving just under 40mph when the limit is 55)... in the left f*****n lane!!! The left-most lane is known to many as the PASSING lane!!! Slow vehicles to the right, passing vehicles on the left. It's not really too hard to remember. What is wrong with these people??? When I look over to the driver of this car, I see A middle aged South Asian male.
(2) Earlier in the day, again on the BQE: To enter the highway at this particular section, you must first stop at a STOP sign then merge into the right-most lane. One especially stupid person decided (a few cars ahead of me) that after waiting at the stop sign, that it was a good idea to change lanes (into the middle lane of a three-lane road) BEFORE getting up to highway speed!!! Another driver in that middle lane, traveling at a reasonable HIGHWAY speed, had to practically slam on his/her brakes and swerve to their left to avoid hitting this car. Thankfully, no one was in that left lane, otherwise, we would have had a very messy situation. Who is driving the car ahead of me, you ask??? A young Asian woman!
(3) Another slow driver in the left most lane (once again on the BQE) holding up the flow of traffic. Everyone (including me) decides that it is better to pass this car to their right (as opposed to passing on the left). Who is driving said vehicle, you ask again?? A middle aged male.
Can't win 'em all, I guess. But like I said before... these people are the aberration not the rule. It's the 1 out of 20 that I expect to find. that means my my theory has held true 95% of the time. I'll take those odds any day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The brief story of my new job
Back Story - I have a friend who is a professor at Queens College [QC]. We actually became friends after I took a few of his classes and received a recommendation from him for a job on campus. He taught several electives in Sociology and one required course: Social Statistics. For a short time, I was the stats tutor for the department and I would see some his students and some students from other stats classes. It was during that time that I began noticing that I was making a real difference with the students I helped.
I stopped tutoring when I started in the Masters Program (in Sociology) at QC. People still came looking for me based on recommendations from friends of theirs, former stats students that had been at my tutoring sessions. While I was finishing my time in the MA program this past summer, I seriously considering teaching Sociology (specifically, stats). I knew several previous MA graduates that began teaching at QC as a springboard to something a bit more permanent in the "real world". My prof friend was one of the former grads that stuck around.
I had been asked repeatedly by some faculty members, who I happen to be friendly with, whether I would consider teaching in the Fall semester. I didn't think I was ready and I was more focused on completing my thesis, first and foremost. I also wanted to try and find a full time job. The last thing I wanted was to take on some classes during day time hours only to have a job offer come my way. I'd then be forced to either drop my day classes and potentially burn bridges or turn down the offer.
But now that my friend is newly married and planning to move out of the city, he lobbied to have me take over his courses in the Spring semester. And through some arm twisting and underhanded office politics, I managed to squirm my way into the position. OK, so it wasn't really that devious but I did ask some people to speak up on my behalf and it paid off. I e-mailed the chair of the department to let him know I was interested in teaching the evening stats class and the e-mail response was "Consider it done". I never thought it would be that easy!!
Now I'm scheduled to take over my friend's evening stats class and a day section for another faculty member who the department lost due to a severe illness and subsequent surgery. I'm going to keep working in that non-profit agency in Brooklyn, for better or worse, and simply enjoy the extra income from teaching. It will allow me to travel (which I have been DYING to do!!!!) and save some more money.
I'm leading the vanguard of new Soc Stats instructors at Queens College, bitches!!! Be ready for the revolution!
OK... maybe not. But I definitely feel like we've got a movement of some sort here. Built more out of necessity than anything else. And I know I will put my heart and soul into the class early on because I want these kids to learn. I want to know that I equipped them with the knowledge needed to use what they know in other Soc courses. Also, there are changes that will be made to stats in the next year or so and I will be there involved in the decision making process! Exciting times are ahead, folks. Stay tuned!!
Until next time faithful reader....
"I wonder if I take you home, will you still be in love, baby..."
"Where are you tonight, my love? In the arms of another man..."
"There's no reason for you to cry, my love, 'cause I'll always be around..."
If these lyrics mean anything to you then this list is for you!!
This weekend I've got the Ultimate Freestyle playlist for your enjoyment. I'm taking you back!! My list will lay out the tracks that are the MUST HAVES for the short lived genre known as freestyle. In it's time (mid 80's thru the mid-90's), it was a musical alternative to pop, rap (it wasn't quite "hip hop" yet), rock/metal, and the sappy music that would later be labeled as "Adult Contemporary".
Freestyle was born out the confluence of R&B, "underground" house music, latin music, and rap. Most songs were produced and sung by Latinos but adopted by everyone who loved a hot beat and lyrics that shared stories of love, heartache, and good times!!!
[Special thanks to Desi, Chulo, J, Doom, Mari, and Lizbet for their feedback]
The Ultimate Freestyle playlist
Maria - TKA
Change On Me - Cynthia
Spring Love - Stevie B
Where Are You Tonight - Coro
No Reason To Cry - Judy Torres
Without You - George Lamond
Show Me - Cover Girls
Take Me In Your Arms - Lil' Suzy
Dreamboy/Dreamgirl - Cynthia and Johnny O
Wonder If I Take You Home - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Within My Heart - Voyce
Silent Morning - Noel
Yo No Sé - Pajama Party
Love Letter - Giggles
Temptation - Corina
When I Hear Music - Debbie Deb
Let The Music Play - Shannon (credited as being the first freestyle single on the wikipedia entry for "freestyle")
======
The Ultimate Freestyle Artists
Freestyle is unique in that there are a handful of artists that had tremendous success and who have many great songs the exemplify what freestyle is all about. Any songs by these artists are worth having in your freestyle collection:
- George Lamond
- Judy Torres
- Stevie B
- Cynthia
- TKA
- Cover Girls
======
Honorable Mentions
Endless Night - Cynthia
Thief of Hearts - Cynthia
Bad of the Heart - George Lamond
Come into My Arms - Judy Torres
Diamond Girl - Nice and Wild
Together Forever - Lisette Melendez
In My Eyes - Stevie B
Can You Feel the Beat? - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Crying Over You - Coro
Point of No Return - Expose
Sincerely Yours - Sweet Sensation
[All this freestyle is taking me back... =)
There were PLENTY of songs not listed here. You can begin anticipating the release of the follow up to the Ultimate Freestyle list early in the New Year]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VALIDATION OF MY THEORY::
Three examples from a busy driving day on Saturday, Dec. 27th -
(1) A driver cuts from the right lane to the left lane on the BQE only to go slower than the surrounding traffic (driving just under 40mph when the limit is 55)... in the left f*****n lane!!! The left-most lane is known to many as the PASSING lane!!! Slow vehicles to the right, passing vehicles on the left. It's not really too hard to remember. What is wrong with these people??? When I look over to the driver of this car, I see A middle aged South Asian male.
(2) Earlier in the day, again on the BQE: To enter the highway at this particular section, you must first stop at a STOP sign then merge into the right-most lane. One especially stupid person decided (a few cars ahead of me) that after waiting at the stop sign, that it was a good idea to change lanes (into the middle lane of a three-lane road) BEFORE getting up to highway speed!!! Another driver in that middle lane, traveling at a reasonable HIGHWAY speed, had to practically slam on his/her brakes and swerve to their left to avoid hitting this car. Thankfully, no one was in that left lane, otherwise, we would have had a very messy situation. Who is driving the car ahead of me, you ask??? A young Asian woman!
(3) Another slow driver in the left most lane (once again on the BQE) holding up the flow of traffic. Everyone (including me) decides that it is better to pass this car to their right (as opposed to passing on the left). Who is driving said vehicle, you ask again?? A middle aged male.
Can't win 'em all, I guess. But like I said before... these people are the aberration not the rule. It's the 1 out of 20 that I expect to find. that means my my theory has held true 95% of the time. I'll take those odds any day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The brief story of my new job
Back Story - I have a friend who is a professor at Queens College [QC]. We actually became friends after I took a few of his classes and received a recommendation from him for a job on campus. He taught several electives in Sociology and one required course: Social Statistics. For a short time, I was the stats tutor for the department and I would see some his students and some students from other stats classes. It was during that time that I began noticing that I was making a real difference with the students I helped.
I stopped tutoring when I started in the Masters Program (in Sociology) at QC. People still came looking for me based on recommendations from friends of theirs, former stats students that had been at my tutoring sessions. While I was finishing my time in the MA program this past summer, I seriously considering teaching Sociology (specifically, stats). I knew several previous MA graduates that began teaching at QC as a springboard to something a bit more permanent in the "real world". My prof friend was one of the former grads that stuck around.
I had been asked repeatedly by some faculty members, who I happen to be friendly with, whether I would consider teaching in the Fall semester. I didn't think I was ready and I was more focused on completing my thesis, first and foremost. I also wanted to try and find a full time job. The last thing I wanted was to take on some classes during day time hours only to have a job offer come my way. I'd then be forced to either drop my day classes and potentially burn bridges or turn down the offer.
But now that my friend is newly married and planning to move out of the city, he lobbied to have me take over his courses in the Spring semester. And through some arm twisting and underhanded office politics, I managed to squirm my way into the position. OK, so it wasn't really that devious but I did ask some people to speak up on my behalf and it paid off. I e-mailed the chair of the department to let him know I was interested in teaching the evening stats class and the e-mail response was "Consider it done". I never thought it would be that easy!!
Now I'm scheduled to take over my friend's evening stats class and a day section for another faculty member who the department lost due to a severe illness and subsequent surgery. I'm going to keep working in that non-profit agency in Brooklyn, for better or worse, and simply enjoy the extra income from teaching. It will allow me to travel (which I have been DYING to do!!!!) and save some more money.
I'm leading the vanguard of new Soc Stats instructors at Queens College, bitches!!! Be ready for the revolution!
OK... maybe not. But I definitely feel like we've got a movement of some sort here. Built more out of necessity than anything else. And I know I will put my heart and soul into the class early on because I want these kids to learn. I want to know that I equipped them with the knowledge needed to use what they know in other Soc courses. Also, there are changes that will be made to stats in the next year or so and I will be there involved in the decision making process! Exciting times are ahead, folks. Stay tuned!!
Until next time faithful reader....
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Happy Holidays and Thank You's
This is a special holiday blog:
I'm not one to get caught up in the holiday spirit but I felt this needed to be said:
First, I'd like to take this time to thank all of my readers for checking out my lil' ol' blog. I never expected to get any readers outside of my home base here in Queens, NY. But I've had hits in CA, SC, HI, MN, Canada, and even Italy. To all of you, thank you! I hope you hang on tight and buckle yourselves in cuz this train ain't stoppin' any time soon! :)
Secondly, for this holiday season, I'd like to take some time to thank some people for being in my life. I won't name names - sorry to disappoint you. =)
To those of who who have had my back through the darkest of nights and the worst of storms; to those who have been fair-weather friends and those who kicked me when I was down; to those with whom I've shared my greatest triumphs and successes; to those who have broken my heart and caused me pain; to those who have shown me joy and taught me to love; to those who I have known my whole life and those who I've met recently; to those who I have lost touch with and those who I have reconnected with; to those who have offered me sage advice and those who have led me astray; to acquaintances I've known for brief moments and to those who will be in my life forever; to those who overreact to me and my ways to those who totally get me; to the wingmen and the cockblockers; to my alcoholics and my non-drinkers; and to those who I will grow apart from and those who I have yet to meet...
Thank you for being a part of my life. I do not take the time to measure how big or small your contribution has been because, ultimately, without any of you I would not be the man I am today.
My hope this Christmas (and holiday season) is that you recognize the impact that others have had in your lives and that you take some time out to appreciate them even if it's in a small way. I can't ask anyone to be anything more than who they are. And for that I appreciate you, reader. Thank you for taking time to visit my page.
During this holiday season, may your days be full of joy, hope and love, may your cups be full, and may you enjoy the time spent together with family and friends for these are the moments that create memories for a lifetime.
To you, faithful reader:
Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzah.
Until next time......
P.S. Be sure to check out the Special Xmas edition of the MCB on the right column of this page.
I'm not one to get caught up in the holiday spirit but I felt this needed to be said:
First, I'd like to take this time to thank all of my readers for checking out my lil' ol' blog. I never expected to get any readers outside of my home base here in Queens, NY. But I've had hits in CA, SC, HI, MN, Canada, and even Italy. To all of you, thank you! I hope you hang on tight and buckle yourselves in cuz this train ain't stoppin' any time soon! :)
Secondly, for this holiday season, I'd like to take some time to thank some people for being in my life. I won't name names - sorry to disappoint you. =)
To those of who who have had my back through the darkest of nights and the worst of storms; to those who have been fair-weather friends and those who kicked me when I was down; to those with whom I've shared my greatest triumphs and successes; to those who have broken my heart and caused me pain; to those who have shown me joy and taught me to love; to those who I have known my whole life and those who I've met recently; to those who I have lost touch with and those who I have reconnected with; to those who have offered me sage advice and those who have led me astray; to acquaintances I've known for brief moments and to those who will be in my life forever; to those who overreact to me and my ways to those who totally get me; to the wingmen and the cockblockers; to my alcoholics and my non-drinkers; and to those who I will grow apart from and those who I have yet to meet...
Thank you for being a part of my life. I do not take the time to measure how big or small your contribution has been because, ultimately, without any of you I would not be the man I am today.
My hope this Christmas (and holiday season) is that you recognize the impact that others have had in your lives and that you take some time out to appreciate them even if it's in a small way. I can't ask anyone to be anything more than who they are. And for that I appreciate you, reader. Thank you for taking time to visit my page.
During this holiday season, may your days be full of joy, hope and love, may your cups be full, and may you enjoy the time spent together with family and friends for these are the moments that create memories for a lifetime.
To you, faithful reader:
Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzah.
Until next time......
P.S. Be sure to check out the Special Xmas edition of the MCB on the right column of this page.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Playlist #4 + A Week in My "New" Life
Hi again and welcome back,
This will most likely be my last entry before Xmas so milk it for all it's worth. =)
This week's playlist includes songs I'd LOVE to karaoke to but don't have the vocal range to do them justice (there are also a few that I can sing but would probably chicken out on... can you find them?). hehehe:
Hotel California - Eagles
Smooth - Santana (feat. Rob Thomas)
Hello - Lionel Richie
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Sueños - Juanes
Little Sister - Queens of the Stone Age
Home - Daughtry
You Sang To Me - Marc Anthony
Anytime - Brian McKnight
Save Room - John Legend
Open Arms - Journey
A Song For You - Donny Hathaway
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
I Believe - Blessid Union of Souls
Praying for Time - George Michael
There are plenty of others but these are the ones that come to mind now.
"Quick" recap of the week
I had a blast this week between seeing old friends, seeing old old friends, and making new friends. I'm sure all the drinking I did helped cloud my judgment but I certainly have fond memories of this week.
Tuesday - I had drinks with Alexis (I've known this man since the 2nd grade!!) who I had to bring up to speed regarding the recent changes in my life.
Now, we always had this tradition (between him, myself, and our ragtag childhood crew) to meet at the same Dunkin Donuts and just talk and talk and talk for hours about anything and everything. It was part therapy session, part catch-up, and always fun for us all. The location of this Dunkin Donuts will not be disclosed for the sake of our privacy (and also b/c it's not the same since they've redecorated it a few years back). But since many of us have moved on, the only ones left in NYC from the old crew are me, 'Lex, and Matt.
As we were waiting on line to get coffee and snacks, we looked at each other and realized we didn't really want anything off of the menu. Rather than sit there empty-handed, and technically trespassing, we decided to hit up a bar instead. This was the first time we have EVER drank together. After nearly 25 years of friendship, and countless memories (I perhaps have forgotten more memories than I can actually remember), it took us this moment, this place, this time, to find ourselves driving to a bar. It was great. To just kick back and relax. Explain how things went down with my ex. Talk about what the future holds for me (and him).
On a side note... I hadn't drank in so long (beers, liquor, or wine) that I got really really "nice" off of 3 gin and tonics. Looking back on how I used to drink, if the old me were there he'd call me a "lightweight" and a "pussy" (not necessarily in that order... lol)
Wednesday - Went out to Brazil Brazil. I kept teasing that I had a horrible time that night but it was only because my friend Noe (who was hosting) made it seem like it would be this big party. In the end, it was basically a handful of his co-workers and two outsiders (myself and another mutual friend). If I knew it would turn out to be more like Noe's office party, I would've declined from the get-go.
The caipirinhas were pretty good. Def not the best I've had but by far not the worst. For anyone that goes there, a word of advice, don't drink the flavored caipirinhas. It's more of a gimmick to get people to drink the traditional Brazilian beverage. Though I am very much a purist with drinks (and food), the flavored drinks were over-powered with the addition of the fruit juice (which seemed to be from concentrate). If you go there and order a caipirinha, stick to the basics.
Friday - Plans to meet an old friend fizzled as the bad weather rolled into town. By the end of the night, when the weather seemed to let up a little, I tried recruiting some people to head out but to no avail. In the end, decided it was better to stay home and give my liver a break.
Saturday - Sofia has completed her first year of life today! And I was there for the festivities hosted by the Amaya family. If you've befriended me on facebook, check out the album. Had a great time with my fave lil lady!!
Then it was a rush to my house (after dropping two people off) to make my "infamous" sangria: what I like to call my BFS (Best F'n Sangria). Then, left to pick up two more people before heading in to God's Armpit (a.k.a. Staten Island).
Now, now... To be fair... I think I'm going to refrain from disparaging the borough further until I give it a fair chance. So, if any of you can give me good reason to go to SI (other than to visit friends on their b-day or to go to the Botanical Gardens), forward them my way.
Had an awesome time at Mari's house. Got to see some people for the first time in years and saw others for the second time in the day. lol. Good times, good times. I had planned to stay until maybe 11-ish so I could get home before the next bit of snowfall. I ended up leaving at almost 4:30 in the morning. Everyone liked the sangria. And I got home safe and sound despite the icy roadways. I also found a parking spot pretty quickly so I was very happy about that as well. =)
Sunday - Slept off the night before and watch the Jets lay an egg and the Giants win a big game.
Which reminds me... I have no major allegiance to either NY football team. But at the start of the season, I decided to place a bet on who I thought would win the Super Bowl this season. Last year I won a decent amount with the Giants (who weren't given much a chance in the preseason, which made it worth putting a little $$ on them).
This year, the Cowboys and Patriots were the odds on favorites to make it all the way. The Giants were listed as 25-1 to win it all. And, for as much experts argue that it is impossible to repeat as champs in this day and age, I felt the Giants were a better team this year. So I put $20 on them to win it all this year (and to give me a payout of $500 for my efforts). I also noticed that the Jets were listed at 30-1 so I put down $10 on them. A bit of a long shot I know... but it didn't seem unreasonable that Brett Favre would give the Jets a lift and who knows what can happen in the playoffs.
A few weeks ago, I looked like a freaking genius as it seemed like both NY teams would lock down their division titles. Today, I shake my head as the Jets let some games get away from them. I now have my hopes (and potential gambling earnings) in the Giants basket as they clinch home field throughout the postseason. It will be interesting to see if they can make it to the Super Bowl under completely opposite circumstances to last season (where they had to win all their playoff games on the road).
We'll what comes of this. It would be nice to have a NY v NY Super Bowl though it seems more and more unlikely by the week.
Anyway... I'm off to take care of last minute Christmas shopping, planning the next "week in the life of", and enjoying the waning days of my vacay.
Until next time faithful reader, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!...
This will most likely be my last entry before Xmas so milk it for all it's worth. =)
This week's playlist includes songs I'd LOVE to karaoke to but don't have the vocal range to do them justice (there are also a few that I can sing but would probably chicken out on... can you find them?). hehehe:
Hotel California - Eagles
Smooth - Santana (feat. Rob Thomas)
Hello - Lionel Richie
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Sueños - Juanes
Little Sister - Queens of the Stone Age
Home - Daughtry
You Sang To Me - Marc Anthony
Anytime - Brian McKnight
Save Room - John Legend
Open Arms - Journey
A Song For You - Donny Hathaway
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
I Believe - Blessid Union of Souls
Praying for Time - George Michael
There are plenty of others but these are the ones that come to mind now.
"Quick" recap of the week
I had a blast this week between seeing old friends, seeing old old friends, and making new friends. I'm sure all the drinking I did helped cloud my judgment but I certainly have fond memories of this week.
Tuesday - I had drinks with Alexis (I've known this man since the 2nd grade!!) who I had to bring up to speed regarding the recent changes in my life.
Now, we always had this tradition (between him, myself, and our ragtag childhood crew) to meet at the same Dunkin Donuts and just talk and talk and talk for hours about anything and everything. It was part therapy session, part catch-up, and always fun for us all. The location of this Dunkin Donuts will not be disclosed for the sake of our privacy (and also b/c it's not the same since they've redecorated it a few years back). But since many of us have moved on, the only ones left in NYC from the old crew are me, 'Lex, and Matt.
As we were waiting on line to get coffee and snacks, we looked at each other and realized we didn't really want anything off of the menu. Rather than sit there empty-handed, and technically trespassing, we decided to hit up a bar instead. This was the first time we have EVER drank together. After nearly 25 years of friendship, and countless memories (I perhaps have forgotten more memories than I can actually remember), it took us this moment, this place, this time, to find ourselves driving to a bar. It was great. To just kick back and relax. Explain how things went down with my ex. Talk about what the future holds for me (and him).
On a side note... I hadn't drank in so long (beers, liquor, or wine) that I got really really "nice" off of 3 gin and tonics. Looking back on how I used to drink, if the old me were there he'd call me a "lightweight" and a "pussy" (not necessarily in that order... lol)
Wednesday - Went out to Brazil Brazil. I kept teasing that I had a horrible time that night but it was only because my friend Noe (who was hosting) made it seem like it would be this big party. In the end, it was basically a handful of his co-workers and two outsiders (myself and another mutual friend). If I knew it would turn out to be more like Noe's office party, I would've declined from the get-go.
The caipirinhas were pretty good. Def not the best I've had but by far not the worst. For anyone that goes there, a word of advice, don't drink the flavored caipirinhas. It's more of a gimmick to get people to drink the traditional Brazilian beverage. Though I am very much a purist with drinks (and food), the flavored drinks were over-powered with the addition of the fruit juice (which seemed to be from concentrate). If you go there and order a caipirinha, stick to the basics.
Friday - Plans to meet an old friend fizzled as the bad weather rolled into town. By the end of the night, when the weather seemed to let up a little, I tried recruiting some people to head out but to no avail. In the end, decided it was better to stay home and give my liver a break.
Saturday - Sofia has completed her first year of life today! And I was there for the festivities hosted by the Amaya family. If you've befriended me on facebook, check out the album. Had a great time with my fave lil lady!!
Then it was a rush to my house (after dropping two people off) to make my "infamous" sangria: what I like to call my BFS (Best F'n Sangria). Then, left to pick up two more people before heading in to God's Armpit (a.k.a. Staten Island).
Now, now... To be fair... I think I'm going to refrain from disparaging the borough further until I give it a fair chance. So, if any of you can give me good reason to go to SI (other than to visit friends on their b-day or to go to the Botanical Gardens), forward them my way.
Had an awesome time at Mari's house. Got to see some people for the first time in years and saw others for the second time in the day. lol. Good times, good times. I had planned to stay until maybe 11-ish so I could get home before the next bit of snowfall. I ended up leaving at almost 4:30 in the morning. Everyone liked the sangria. And I got home safe and sound despite the icy roadways. I also found a parking spot pretty quickly so I was very happy about that as well. =)
Sunday - Slept off the night before and watch the Jets lay an egg and the Giants win a big game.
Which reminds me... I have no major allegiance to either NY football team. But at the start of the season, I decided to place a bet on who I thought would win the Super Bowl this season. Last year I won a decent amount with the Giants (who weren't given much a chance in the preseason, which made it worth putting a little $$ on them).
This year, the Cowboys and Patriots were the odds on favorites to make it all the way. The Giants were listed as 25-1 to win it all. And, for as much experts argue that it is impossible to repeat as champs in this day and age, I felt the Giants were a better team this year. So I put $20 on them to win it all this year (and to give me a payout of $500 for my efforts). I also noticed that the Jets were listed at 30-1 so I put down $10 on them. A bit of a long shot I know... but it didn't seem unreasonable that Brett Favre would give the Jets a lift and who knows what can happen in the playoffs.
A few weeks ago, I looked like a freaking genius as it seemed like both NY teams would lock down their division titles. Today, I shake my head as the Jets let some games get away from them. I now have my hopes (and potential gambling earnings) in the Giants basket as they clinch home field throughout the postseason. It will be interesting to see if they can make it to the Super Bowl under completely opposite circumstances to last season (where they had to win all their playoff games on the road).
We'll what comes of this. It would be nice to have a NY v NY Super Bowl though it seems more and more unlikely by the week.
Anyway... I'm off to take care of last minute Christmas shopping, planning the next "week in the life of", and enjoying the waning days of my vacay.
Until next time faithful reader, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!...
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The past week's MCB's and some random rants
Howdy!!
A brand-spanking new Musical Coffee Break (MCB 12-20) is up for your weekend enjoyment!
Below is a recap of the Musical Coffee Breaks for this week (12/13 - 12/19):
Musical Coffee Break 12/12:
What Happened To Us – Hoobastank
More Than Words – Extreme
Waiting on the World to Change – John Mayer
MCB 12/15
Heart – Alone
Make it Mine – Jason Mraz
In Too Deep – Genesis
Sober – Pink
I’ll Be – Edwin McCain
MCB 12-18
Me Enamora – Juanes
Tu Me Vuelves Loco – Frankie Ruiz
Nadie Como Ella – Marc Anthony
Listen To Your Heart – Roxette
Angel Eyes – The Jeff Healey Band
To Be With You – Mr. Big
~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~
Random Rants:
-- Why is it that more people are willing to take greater risks crossing the street as the weather gets worse?? Does it have anything to do with the driver not being able to BLAME the weather if they ACTUALLY get hit? Seems like a death wish to me!
-- You know if someone is ever interested in you (and you're not), it'd be nice for you to at least offer an explanation when you turn them down, no matter how flimsy theexcuse explanation. I'm just saying... some people actually would like to know why it didn't (or couldn't) work out. Otherwise the "what if"s kick in and some people don't deal with them very well.
-- I hate to say it this way but... there are many many ugly people in the world. I don't mean just in the face, or physically. There are some nasty people and it makes me wonder if it was always like this or if this is something that I'm only acutely aware of due to my being single again.
~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~
Well friend, I've got a busy day ahead of me today (a lil lady to celebrate a b-day with, sangria to make, and a drive to SI - yes, you read correctly - for a dinner party). All that and a busier than usual week to recap for you (or for me... who knows if anyone actually reads this thing).
For those wondering, I AM enjoying my vacay... wish it could be just a tad bit longer but I'm not complaining!!
Until next time faithful reader....
A brand-spanking new Musical Coffee Break (MCB 12-20) is up for your weekend enjoyment!
Below is a recap of the Musical Coffee Breaks for this week (12/13 - 12/19):
Musical Coffee Break 12/12:
What Happened To Us – Hoobastank
More Than Words – Extreme
Waiting on the World to Change – John Mayer
MCB 12/15
Heart – Alone
Make it Mine – Jason Mraz
In Too Deep – Genesis
Sober – Pink
I’ll Be – Edwin McCain
MCB 12-18
Me Enamora – Juanes
Tu Me Vuelves Loco – Frankie Ruiz
Nadie Como Ella – Marc Anthony
Listen To Your Heart – Roxette
Angel Eyes – The Jeff Healey Band
To Be With You – Mr. Big
~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~
Random Rants:
-- Why is it that more people are willing to take greater risks crossing the street as the weather gets worse?? Does it have anything to do with the driver not being able to BLAME the weather if they ACTUALLY get hit? Seems like a death wish to me!
-- You know if someone is ever interested in you (and you're not), it'd be nice for you to at least offer an explanation when you turn them down, no matter how flimsy the
-- I hate to say it this way but... there are many many ugly people in the world. I don't mean just in the face, or physically. There are some nasty people and it makes me wonder if it was always like this or if this is something that I'm only acutely aware of due to my being single again.
~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~`~~~~~~~~~~
Well friend, I've got a busy day ahead of me today (a lil lady to celebrate a b-day with, sangria to make, and a drive to SI - yes, you read correctly - for a dinner party). All that and a busier than usual week to recap for you (or for me... who knows if anyone actually reads this thing).
For those wondering, I AM enjoying my vacay... wish it could be just a tad bit longer but I'm not complaining!!
Until next time faithful reader....
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Bad Driver Theory: Learning to Profile Dangerous Drivers
Hello once again! Welcome back,
Today, I present to you my theory on bad drivers. FYI, those of you who have known me for a while may have heard this already.
There is no part of the world where you can avoid bad driving behavior. It could be a lack of courtesy for others on the road, a lack of proper judgment, not knowing the basic rules of the road, or some combination of the three. It could be a driver who is going very slow in the passing lane. Other times, it is the idiot who speeds up to keep you from changing into their lane. Sometimes, it's the moron who "forgets" to signal before changing lanes repeatedly in the span of a few short minutes (the driver I like to call the "Frogger"). The list goes on and on.
In my time as a driver, I've tried to take a quick look at the offending driver to see if a pattern would emerge. Lo and behold!!! After a few weeks, it became apparent that there were, in fact, three specific groups that continued to appear in my informal observations.
Before I give you the three groups (and an explanation as to why each group produces such bad drivers), I need to briefly address some concerns about my theory. [If you are a sensible person, that is not easily offended by observations about the world around us, you can skip the next five points and jump straight to the theory] I have heard a handful of complaints from the people I target in this theory, so I feel now would be a good time to include some caveats before I proceed:
(1) The "data" gathered as I formulated this theory were not collected using any formal empirical methods. They are, simply, random observations made in my travels.
(2) These observations were made only while driving in NYC (not the entire 5 boroughs, mainly in Queens and parts of Brooklyn). This is important because it would be hard for me to say this theory applies universally. Although, I would love to hear other people's experiences to see if it holds any water outside of my local area.
(3) Most theories are attempts at defining universal truths. As such, any test of the theory must also hold up. Though I call it a theory, what I present to you below is not meant to be a conclusive list of factors that influence bad driving behaviors but simply serves as a roadmap (plz forgive the pun) for anyone looking to avoid potentially bad drivers.
(4) As a theory that attempts to label human behavior into easily identifiable categories, one must accept that human behavior is highly malleable due to changes in social norms and customs. This means that the theory must also change with the times. The theory (in its current form) only represents the behavior of bad drivers at the present time. It is likely that the "danger" groups may still apply for years or even decades to come. But, it is reasonable to assume that reinforcing the stereotypes of these three groups would allow this theory to survive longer than it should.
(5) Though I highlight select groups for my theory, I want you to understand that I am a big believer that there are exceptions to everything in life. That is no different in this theory. Not everyone who belongs in any of the three groups are necessarily bad drivers though someone in any of the groups are more likely to be a bad driver.
Now that I'veappeased the whiny bitches who complained about my theory addressed the concerns in my legal disclaimer... ON TO THE THEORY!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Bad Driver Theory
I feel that the worst drivers on the road are the elderly, women, and Asians. Here's why:
Group 1 - The Elderly
Now I don't mean to target the elderly but...
I once worked at a car rental agency in the Upper East Side. There were many times when we would have older customers rent a car for one day or sometimes for a weekend. I will admit that most of our elderly customers did not fit the stereotypical profile of the helpless old folks. Yet there were always more "close calls" outside of our doors when these drivers were leaving when compared with younger drivers. There was one really scary moment when one of the old drivers was so concerned about pulling out of the parking lot once there was not a single car coming down the road that they forgot to look AHEAD and nearly hit a young woman crossing the street.
The elderly are a driving hazard because of their age. I've always felt that once a person is eligible for retirement they should be required to take a road test when renewing their driver's license. This, of course, will never happen because the elderly are deemed by many to be "helpless" and are such a powerful lobbying group (because they ACTUALLY VOTE!! Let this be a lesson to the young folks reading this: the squeaky wheel gets the oil).
As I was saying... the elderly, by virtue of simply getting older, experience many physiological changes that hamper their ability to drive a vehicle: loss of vision, slowed reflexes, and reduced mental acuity that impacts reaction time. They are also more likely to suffer from physically and mentally debilitating diseases and ailments (e.g. Alzheimer's Disease, aftereffects of a stroke, etc) which affect a person's ability to drive as well.
Group 2 - Women
I'm expecting a bit of a backlash on this one. Nevertheless, there have been studies conducted proving that women perform worse than men when it comes to depth perception and spacial recognition (two critical components in driving).
If you cannot gauge the distance between you and other drivers around you, you pose a danger to the other drivers around you. Also, misinterpreting distance can cause the female driver to react in a manner that is difficult to anticipate for other drivers (males and females alike).
I've provided you with a link to a study that specifically looked at driving ability for men and women (http://www.waset.org/pwaset/v25/v25-53.pdf)
Group 3 - Asians
I know what you're probably thinking... Why is Alan picking on the Chinese!? (or maybe you're thinking "Yeah! Damn right, freaking Asians!") When I speak of the Asians, I'm not limiting this to only the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans that most of us consider when we think of Asians. I also include those from southeast Asia (Indonesians, Malaysians, Thai, etc) as well as South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, etc).
I haven't come up with a definitive explanation that I am 100% comfortable with. However, what seems to be the commonality for these people (other than geography) is the fact that they come from densely populated regions and/or impoverished areas. This results in folks that are constantly on the move, hustling their way from Point A to Point B because of the need to do things before others (as a survival mechanism) or as a tactic to avoid the hustle and bustle of daily life.
If I can think of a more rational or appropriate explanation I will include it here but truly, there are A LOT of Asians that have now been documented as bad drivers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One final note: Each of these groups, individually, pose a danger to us young, non-Asian male drivers and as such we should also recognize that any combination of these groups poses and even greater hazard. I'd rather be stuck behind a middle-aged
Asian man than an elderly female driver. I'm not picking favorites, just playing the odds. If I could, I'd avoid them both like the freaking plague.
So the next time you find yourself in traffic and you see some erratic behaviors on the road, try and take some time to look into that car. And, please, tell me if my theory holds up in your informal "data collection". I can tell you that, in my experience now, roughly 19 out of every 20 times, my theory is validated. I will take a 95% success rate any day!
Until next time faithful reader...
Today, I present to you my theory on bad drivers. FYI, those of you who have known me for a while may have heard this already.
There is no part of the world where you can avoid bad driving behavior. It could be a lack of courtesy for others on the road, a lack of proper judgment, not knowing the basic rules of the road, or some combination of the three. It could be a driver who is going very slow in the passing lane. Other times, it is the idiot who speeds up to keep you from changing into their lane. Sometimes, it's the moron who "forgets" to signal before changing lanes repeatedly in the span of a few short minutes (the driver I like to call the "Frogger"). The list goes on and on.
In my time as a driver, I've tried to take a quick look at the offending driver to see if a pattern would emerge. Lo and behold!!! After a few weeks, it became apparent that there were, in fact, three specific groups that continued to appear in my informal observations.
Before I give you the three groups (and an explanation as to why each group produces such bad drivers), I need to briefly address some concerns about my theory. [If you are a sensible person, that is not easily offended by observations about the world around us, you can skip the next five points and jump straight to the theory] I have heard a handful of complaints from the people I target in this theory, so I feel now would be a good time to include some caveats before I proceed:
(1) The "data" gathered as I formulated this theory were not collected using any formal empirical methods. They are, simply, random observations made in my travels.
(2) These observations were made only while driving in NYC (not the entire 5 boroughs, mainly in Queens and parts of Brooklyn). This is important because it would be hard for me to say this theory applies universally. Although, I would love to hear other people's experiences to see if it holds any water outside of my local area.
(3) Most theories are attempts at defining universal truths. As such, any test of the theory must also hold up. Though I call it a theory, what I present to you below is not meant to be a conclusive list of factors that influence bad driving behaviors but simply serves as a roadmap (plz forgive the pun) for anyone looking to avoid potentially bad drivers.
(4) As a theory that attempts to label human behavior into easily identifiable categories, one must accept that human behavior is highly malleable due to changes in social norms and customs. This means that the theory must also change with the times. The theory (in its current form) only represents the behavior of bad drivers at the present time. It is likely that the "danger" groups may still apply for years or even decades to come. But, it is reasonable to assume that reinforcing the stereotypes of these three groups would allow this theory to survive longer than it should.
(5) Though I highlight select groups for my theory, I want you to understand that I am a big believer that there are exceptions to everything in life. That is no different in this theory. Not everyone who belongs in any of the three groups are necessarily bad drivers though someone in any of the groups are more likely to be a bad driver.
Now that I've
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Bad Driver Theory
I feel that the worst drivers on the road are the elderly, women, and Asians. Here's why:
Group 1 - The Elderly
Now I don't mean to target the elderly but...
I once worked at a car rental agency in the Upper East Side. There were many times when we would have older customers rent a car for one day or sometimes for a weekend. I will admit that most of our elderly customers did not fit the stereotypical profile of the helpless old folks. Yet there were always more "close calls" outside of our doors when these drivers were leaving when compared with younger drivers. There was one really scary moment when one of the old drivers was so concerned about pulling out of the parking lot once there was not a single car coming down the road that they forgot to look AHEAD and nearly hit a young woman crossing the street.
The elderly are a driving hazard because of their age. I've always felt that once a person is eligible for retirement they should be required to take a road test when renewing their driver's license. This, of course, will never happen because the elderly are deemed by many to be "helpless" and are such a powerful lobbying group (because they ACTUALLY VOTE!! Let this be a lesson to the young folks reading this: the squeaky wheel gets the oil).
As I was saying... the elderly, by virtue of simply getting older, experience many physiological changes that hamper their ability to drive a vehicle: loss of vision, slowed reflexes, and reduced mental acuity that impacts reaction time. They are also more likely to suffer from physically and mentally debilitating diseases and ailments (e.g. Alzheimer's Disease, aftereffects of a stroke, etc) which affect a person's ability to drive as well.
Group 2 - Women
I'm expecting a bit of a backlash on this one. Nevertheless, there have been studies conducted proving that women perform worse than men when it comes to depth perception and spacial recognition (two critical components in driving).
If you cannot gauge the distance between you and other drivers around you, you pose a danger to the other drivers around you. Also, misinterpreting distance can cause the female driver to react in a manner that is difficult to anticipate for other drivers (males and females alike).
I've provided you with a link to a study that specifically looked at driving ability for men and women (http://www.waset.org/pwaset/v25/v25-53.pdf)
Group 3 - Asians
I know what you're probably thinking... Why is Alan picking on the Chinese!? (or maybe you're thinking "Yeah! Damn right, freaking Asians!") When I speak of the Asians, I'm not limiting this to only the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans that most of us consider when we think of Asians. I also include those from southeast Asia (Indonesians, Malaysians, Thai, etc) as well as South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, etc).
I haven't come up with a definitive explanation that I am 100% comfortable with. However, what seems to be the commonality for these people (other than geography) is the fact that they come from densely populated regions and/or impoverished areas. This results in folks that are constantly on the move, hustling their way from Point A to Point B because of the need to do things before others (as a survival mechanism) or as a tactic to avoid the hustle and bustle of daily life.
If I can think of a more rational or appropriate explanation I will include it here but truly, there are A LOT of Asians that have now been documented as bad drivers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One final note: Each of these groups, individually, pose a danger to us young, non-Asian male drivers and as such we should also recognize that any combination of these groups poses and even greater hazard. I'd rather be stuck behind a middle-aged
Asian man than an elderly female driver. I'm not picking favorites, just playing the odds. If I could, I'd avoid them both like the freaking plague.
So the next time you find yourself in traffic and you see some erratic behaviors on the road, try and take some time to look into that car. And, please, tell me if my theory holds up in your informal "data collection". I can tell you that, in my experience now, roughly 19 out of every 20 times, my theory is validated. I will take a 95% success rate any day!
Until next time faithful reader...
Monday, December 15, 2008
The anxiety of dating (and rediscovering myself)
Hello friend,
I'm single again (I'm sorry if this comes as news to you... call me and we'll talk... lol) and now I find myself trying to figure out exactly how to proceed.
My break-up was a clean one. Essentially, it was one that was as amicable and stress-free as one could ever dream up in a best case scenario. I am ready to move on and I realized I am ill-equipped for the next phase of my life.
I've always had a high degree of self-doubt, wrestled with self-confidence issues, and had a low self-image. Needless to say, trying to establish some semblance of positive self-esteem was something that was always a work in progress. I just didn't know how to actually work on it. And yet here I am after the longest relationship of my life and, though most people would expect this to be a low period in my life, I find that I am the most confident I've ever been in myself in my entire adult life. I think a lot of it comes from knowing who I am, understanding what my needs are, and having a sense of what to expect out of life (while at the same time not trying to anticipate anything).
I still have a lot of growing (and learning) to do. There are things that are yet to be discovered about me, and about my life in general. Yet the difference today is that I'm ready to face the challenges that will open those doors.
Which then leads me to the dreaded "next phase": dating.
Let me explain:
I've never really "dated" per se. I've always had this illusion that if two people are going to be together they should be committed to each other blah blah blah blah... (this was also connected to my belief that one shouldn't have sex with someone unless they're in love... boy was I wrong!! It's good either way). This is not to say that I was against casual dating, it just wasn't something I couldn't bring myself to do. I didn't really understand it much.
I always felt getting to know someone was a necessary precursor to going out with them. This line of thinking manifested itself as a self-perpetuated cycle of disappointment and heartache. I would want to get to know someone and I would end up entering the dreaded "friend" zone when I wanted to know was if there was a spark... some connection between me and the girl I was getting to know. Needless to say, I would get caught up emotionally in someone that didn't see me "that way" any more (if they even did in the first place... I was also never good at determining if there was mutual interest, which is why I probably always ended up in the friendship stage when getting to know someone). The rejection (or worse yet, disappointment of a lost opportunity) was always debilitating. It would often take me weeks, sometimes months, to stop beating myself up over "being such a loser" and to get over my own self-defeating attitude.
I suspect that now I'm better equipped to handle the whole dating thing once and for all. The problem I face now is that I'm a fish out of water. Other guys my age have years of dating experience that I presently lack. All the mistakes and pitfalls that those in their teens and 20's experience are what I will be going through now. Just about everyone I've gone out with in my life have been girls/women who I knew for some time (one exception was someone I met at work). And the one thing that they all pretty much had in common was I didn't get more aggressive in pursuing them (beyond the getting to know them phase) until I knew they liked me. This was usually initiated after receiving "reliable" information given to me by friends of mine who heard from the source or from friends of the girl I was talking to.
This was my M.O. for my whole life. I realize now that it was very limiting and I may have lost several opportunities playing it safe.
Which leaves me now with the man in the mirror. This man is not the same one that lived through the forgettable music produced in the 90's. This man is not a reflection of the awkward teen with issues at home that he was in high school. This man is now one who can hold his head up high. He doesn't worry himself with what others think like he used to but rather worries about what HE thinks about who he is. He no longer relies on the charity or support of others but has learned to stand on his own two feet (even if they're both left feet... lol).
My hope is that this rediscovery of myself doesn't vanish with the first rejection. I hope that this man can now be a better friend to those who I cherish and value having in my life. I hope to be a better lover for those who decide to take a chance on the new "me". I hope to be a better person simply because I now know that loving and caring for myself first is paramount to caring and loving others. I hope this bravado carries on and I can grow from my experiences, good and bad.
This is a new chapter in my life. One that I hope leads to bigger and better things. I have no complaints about my life thus far and have very few regrets (which I have come to terms with since I cannot do anything about them any more). Everything that has happened to me have shaped the man that appears before you today. For better or worse, my time has come to go out into the world and truly live my life... alone. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Until next time faithful reader...
I'm single again (I'm sorry if this comes as news to you... call me and we'll talk... lol) and now I find myself trying to figure out exactly how to proceed.
My break-up was a clean one. Essentially, it was one that was as amicable and stress-free as one could ever dream up in a best case scenario. I am ready to move on and I realized I am ill-equipped for the next phase of my life.
I've always had a high degree of self-doubt, wrestled with self-confidence issues, and had a low self-image. Needless to say, trying to establish some semblance of positive self-esteem was something that was always a work in progress. I just didn't know how to actually work on it. And yet here I am after the longest relationship of my life and, though most people would expect this to be a low period in my life, I find that I am the most confident I've ever been in myself in my entire adult life. I think a lot of it comes from knowing who I am, understanding what my needs are, and having a sense of what to expect out of life (while at the same time not trying to anticipate anything).
I still have a lot of growing (and learning) to do. There are things that are yet to be discovered about me, and about my life in general. Yet the difference today is that I'm ready to face the challenges that will open those doors.
Which then leads me to the dreaded "next phase": dating.
Let me explain:
I've never really "dated" per se. I've always had this illusion that if two people are going to be together they should be committed to each other blah blah blah blah... (this was also connected to my belief that one shouldn't have sex with someone unless they're in love... boy was I wrong!! It's good either way). This is not to say that I was against casual dating, it just wasn't something I couldn't bring myself to do. I didn't really understand it much.
I always felt getting to know someone was a necessary precursor to going out with them. This line of thinking manifested itself as a self-perpetuated cycle of disappointment and heartache. I would want to get to know someone and I would end up entering the dreaded "friend" zone when I wanted to know was if there was a spark... some connection between me and the girl I was getting to know. Needless to say, I would get caught up emotionally in someone that didn't see me "that way" any more (if they even did in the first place... I was also never good at determining if there was mutual interest, which is why I probably always ended up in the friendship stage when getting to know someone). The rejection (or worse yet, disappointment of a lost opportunity) was always debilitating. It would often take me weeks, sometimes months, to stop beating myself up over "being such a loser" and to get over my own self-defeating attitude.
I suspect that now I'm better equipped to handle the whole dating thing once and for all. The problem I face now is that I'm a fish out of water. Other guys my age have years of dating experience that I presently lack. All the mistakes and pitfalls that those in their teens and 20's experience are what I will be going through now. Just about everyone I've gone out with in my life have been girls/women who I knew for some time (one exception was someone I met at work). And the one thing that they all pretty much had in common was I didn't get more aggressive in pursuing them (beyond the getting to know them phase) until I knew they liked me. This was usually initiated after receiving "reliable" information given to me by friends of mine who heard from the source or from friends of the girl I was talking to.
This was my M.O. for my whole life. I realize now that it was very limiting and I may have lost several opportunities playing it safe.
Which leaves me now with the man in the mirror. This man is not the same one that lived through the forgettable music produced in the 90's. This man is not a reflection of the awkward teen with issues at home that he was in high school. This man is now one who can hold his head up high. He doesn't worry himself with what others think like he used to but rather worries about what HE thinks about who he is. He no longer relies on the charity or support of others but has learned to stand on his own two feet (even if they're both left feet... lol).
My hope is that this rediscovery of myself doesn't vanish with the first rejection. I hope that this man can now be a better friend to those who I cherish and value having in my life. I hope to be a better lover for those who decide to take a chance on the new "me". I hope to be a better person simply because I now know that loving and caring for myself first is paramount to caring and loving others. I hope this bravado carries on and I can grow from my experiences, good and bad.
This is a new chapter in my life. One that I hope leads to bigger and better things. I have no complaints about my life thus far and have very few regrets (which I have come to terms with since I cannot do anything about them any more). Everything that has happened to me have shaped the man that appears before you today. For better or worse, my time has come to go out into the world and truly live my life... alone. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Until next time faithful reader...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Playlist 3 (The Ultimate Bachata) + a brief update
Hello friend,
This entry is more of an update to life on Blogger as opposed to a unique, quirky, and mildly humorous post (that I often try to use).
As some of you may (or may not) have noticed, there is a new feature to my blog. Blogger has allowed users to include a music playlist powered by iLike. So every few days I will update the player with 3 songs. I call it the "Musical Coffee Break". You can find the MCB on the right column of the main page of the blog. There are no arcane messages hidden in the lyrics or the song choices. They just happen to be a few songs that you can listen to whenever you have a few minutes to spare. I thinking that every 2 weeks or so, I will post the list of MCB's that have been featured in case you missed it or want to DL the songs. Suggestions are welcome.
For a long time, I had some unresolved daddy issues. The holiday season usually would bring out some of the demons that I've felt were contained inside. Now that I've learned to deal with his "legacy", I've been able to look back at some of my writing from years ago that were inspired by him. In an upcoming entry, I will post some of the work and allow you to reflect on it and hope that none of you have had any similar experiences.
As for the end of this weekend, I have compiled the Ultimate Bachata list. With the emergence of "Urban Bachata" in the past year, I felt it was necessary to look back at the roots of Bachata when it became a popular music genre. I could have dug deeper and found some truly classic bachata but no one would recognize any of them... So, if you're not familiar with any of these songs, I'd recommend downloading them because I'm pretty sure you've heard them. And if it turns out you don't know them, then consider that your bachata music lesson. =)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Ultimate Bachata playlist:
Raulin Rodriguez - Medicina de Amor
Frank Reyes - Quien Eres Tu
Antony Santos - Voy Pa Ya
Luis Vargas - Volvio El Dolor
Aventura - Obsecion
Raulin Rodriguez - Arrancame La Vida
Frank Reyes - Nada de Nada
Monchy y Alexandra - Dos Locos
Hector Acosta - Me Voy
Alex Bueno - Que Vuelva
Yoskar Sarante - Llora Alma Mia
Kiko Rodriguez - Ella Se Fue
Zacarias Ferreira - Si Tu Me Dices Ven
Joe Veras - Que Se Mueran De Envidia
Honorable Mentions:
Kiko Rodriguez - El Verde de Tus Ojos
Raulin Rodriguez - Nereida
Raulin Rodriguez - Mujer Infiel
Yoskar Sarante - No Tengo Suerte en el Amor
Yoskar Sarante - Guitarra
Zacarias Ferreira - Amiga Veneno
Zacarias Ferreira - Dame Un Beso
Aventura - Mi Corazoncito
Aventura - La Guerra
Frank Reyes - Te Regalo El Mar
Monchy y Alexandra - Perdidos
Junior y Jorge - Piensa En Mi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite having ripped it off of Stephen King (thanks for blowing up my spot, you-know-who-you-are), I will continue to thank you for your loyalty with my regular sign-off...
Until next time faithful reader...
This entry is more of an update to life on Blogger as opposed to a unique, quirky, and mildly humorous post (that I often try to use).
As some of you may (or may not) have noticed, there is a new feature to my blog. Blogger has allowed users to include a music playlist powered by iLike. So every few days I will update the player with 3 songs. I call it the "Musical Coffee Break". You can find the MCB on the right column of the main page of the blog. There are no arcane messages hidden in the lyrics or the song choices. They just happen to be a few songs that you can listen to whenever you have a few minutes to spare. I thinking that every 2 weeks or so, I will post the list of MCB's that have been featured in case you missed it or want to DL the songs. Suggestions are welcome.
For a long time, I had some unresolved daddy issues. The holiday season usually would bring out some of the demons that I've felt were contained inside. Now that I've learned to deal with his "legacy", I've been able to look back at some of my writing from years ago that were inspired by him. In an upcoming entry, I will post some of the work and allow you to reflect on it and hope that none of you have had any similar experiences.
As for the end of this weekend, I have compiled the Ultimate Bachata list. With the emergence of "Urban Bachata" in the past year, I felt it was necessary to look back at the roots of Bachata when it became a popular music genre. I could have dug deeper and found some truly classic bachata but no one would recognize any of them... So, if you're not familiar with any of these songs, I'd recommend downloading them because I'm pretty sure you've heard them. And if it turns out you don't know them, then consider that your bachata music lesson. =)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Ultimate Bachata playlist:
Raulin Rodriguez - Medicina de Amor
Frank Reyes - Quien Eres Tu
Antony Santos - Voy Pa Ya
Luis Vargas - Volvio El Dolor
Aventura - Obsecion
Raulin Rodriguez - Arrancame La Vida
Frank Reyes - Nada de Nada
Monchy y Alexandra - Dos Locos
Hector Acosta - Me Voy
Alex Bueno - Que Vuelva
Yoskar Sarante - Llora Alma Mia
Kiko Rodriguez - Ella Se Fue
Zacarias Ferreira - Si Tu Me Dices Ven
Joe Veras - Que Se Mueran De Envidia
Honorable Mentions:
Kiko Rodriguez - El Verde de Tus Ojos
Raulin Rodriguez - Nereida
Raulin Rodriguez - Mujer Infiel
Yoskar Sarante - No Tengo Suerte en el Amor
Yoskar Sarante - Guitarra
Zacarias Ferreira - Amiga Veneno
Zacarias Ferreira - Dame Un Beso
Aventura - Mi Corazoncito
Aventura - La Guerra
Frank Reyes - Te Regalo El Mar
Monchy y Alexandra - Perdidos
Junior y Jorge - Piensa En Mi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Despite having ripped it off of Stephen King (thanks for blowing up my spot, you-know-who-you-are), I will continue to thank you for your loyalty with my regular sign-off...
Until next time faithful reader...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The meaning of life... (on the blogosphere)
The other day I was talking with a friend about blogging and what it has meant to me. Despite only writing for 5 weeks now, this blog has come to be a source of comfort and has given me an outlet for my thoughts that I never imagined I could have.
I came to realize that blogging is much more personal that I first realized. It is also very cathartic. Yet, due to the very personal nature of the words, the author of any blog leaves themselves exposed, in way. It is a double-sided sword as the vulnerability can be very liberating and at the same time it can cause trepidation in future postings.
I can only speak for myself when it comes to blogging. Nevertheless, I think it can apply to others who decide to walk this path as well.
The conversation I mentioned previously came about as a result of a request for suggestions for this person's own blog. I felt this would be disingenuous to his audience as it wouldn't be HIS blog but rather a reproduction of someone else's idea.
Below are some of my observations from that very chat:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*sigh* never mind
if i think of anything that you can do weekly...
then it wont really be YOUR blog...
blogs have to be more... organic...
a reflection of who YOU are...
you know?
YOU need to create a uniqueness to your blog
it needs to be for (and from) your brain...
and don't fear experimentation
try something out and if it doesn't work for you... then move on to something else
if you work too hard to try and make a poignant statement... it usually falls flat
NO
you DON'T need a concept...
that's what I'm trying to say...
the "concept" should just be the natural evolution and maturation of the blog itself
otherwise, the novelty wears off and what was deemed cute and innovative simply becomes a gimmick
the blog needs to have an identity...
but it also needs to be "born" out of the writing effort
not something a friend suggested... or b/c you have a weekly deadline to post...
I established a self-designated weekly deadline b/c for me it's cathartic
not b/c I'm trying to FORCE myself to write
even tho I may bitch about writing and trying to get something in weekly... it's more b/c I have so much to say and don't feel everything I want to say needs to be out there for everyone to read
so the stress is in how to limit myself but stay true to the nature of the blog...
THAT is my struggle
but, again, your blog has to be a reflection of you
cuz otherwise... it's just work
and I don't volunteer my time for bullshit
you see how you WANTED to write...
that's how it should be
the desire to write should come naturally.. and it should be something you WANT to do
(it also shouldn't be a DIARY unless you're a masochist and WANT to bare your soul to everyone)
for me... the general theme (and purpose) of my blog is to have a repository for random thoughts that occur to me...
I chose that specifically b/c I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into one topic...
I wanted to have the freedom to write about goddamn near anything
but with a purpose... to get things off my chest or to simply put my thoughts to paper (digital shapeless paper... lol)
I try and put my best foot forward
in terms of my writing style... not necessarily in content... lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And ladies and gents, in many ways, this... this is the essence of what I am doing here. If you want to continue on this wild ride with me, then stay tuned as there are several things I am working on for me (and I suppose in some ways for you as well). Expect a handful of entries between now and the new year.
With that, I shall leave you for now, until next time faithful reader...
I came to realize that blogging is much more personal that I first realized. It is also very cathartic. Yet, due to the very personal nature of the words, the author of any blog leaves themselves exposed, in way. It is a double-sided sword as the vulnerability can be very liberating and at the same time it can cause trepidation in future postings.
I can only speak for myself when it comes to blogging. Nevertheless, I think it can apply to others who decide to walk this path as well.
The conversation I mentioned previously came about as a result of a request for suggestions for this person's own blog. I felt this would be disingenuous to his audience as it wouldn't be HIS blog but rather a reproduction of someone else's idea.
Below are some of my observations from that very chat:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*sigh* never mind
if i think of anything that you can do weekly...
then it wont really be YOUR blog...
blogs have to be more... organic...
a reflection of who YOU are...
you know?
YOU need to create a uniqueness to your blog
it needs to be for (and from) your brain...
and don't fear experimentation
try something out and if it doesn't work for you... then move on to something else
if you work too hard to try and make a poignant statement... it usually falls flat
NO
you DON'T need a concept...
that's what I'm trying to say...
the "concept" should just be the natural evolution and maturation of the blog itself
otherwise, the novelty wears off and what was deemed cute and innovative simply becomes a gimmick
the blog needs to have an identity...
but it also needs to be "born" out of the writing effort
not something a friend suggested... or b/c you have a weekly deadline to post...
I established a self-designated weekly deadline b/c for me it's cathartic
not b/c I'm trying to FORCE myself to write
even tho I may bitch about writing and trying to get something in weekly... it's more b/c I have so much to say and don't feel everything I want to say needs to be out there for everyone to read
so the stress is in how to limit myself but stay true to the nature of the blog...
THAT is my struggle
but, again, your blog has to be a reflection of you
cuz otherwise... it's just work
and I don't volunteer my time for bullshit
you see how you WANTED to write...
that's how it should be
the desire to write should come naturally.. and it should be something you WANT to do
(it also shouldn't be a DIARY unless you're a masochist and WANT to bare your soul to everyone)
for me... the general theme (and purpose) of my blog is to have a repository for random thoughts that occur to me...
I chose that specifically b/c I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into one topic...
I wanted to have the freedom to write about goddamn near anything
but with a purpose... to get things off my chest or to simply put my thoughts to paper (digital shapeless paper... lol)
I try and put my best foot forward
in terms of my writing style... not necessarily in content... lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And ladies and gents, in many ways, this... this is the essence of what I am doing here. If you want to continue on this wild ride with me, then stay tuned as there are several things I am working on for me (and I suppose in some ways for you as well). Expect a handful of entries between now and the new year.
With that, I shall leave you for now, until next time faithful reader...
Monday, December 8, 2008
Playlist #2 (The Ultimate Salsa) + your comments/suggestions are welcome
This week's playlist is my attempt at creating the quintessential Salsa playlist. The "Ultimate Salsa" list, if you will. The idea came from a thought I had recently: What songs would I play for someone who is listening to Salsa for the first time? This list attempts to answer that very question.
There are plenty of GREAT songs that can be cited... but there are a select few that truly define the genre. The songs that are universally known, immediately recognizable. Some get people off their butts whether it's at a club, a bar, or a house party while others are lyrical masterpieces paired with magical music set to the rhythm of the clave. Feel free to comment and add other selections to the list.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimate SALSA playlist:
(Updated 12/9/08 - 1:10PM)
Oscar De Leon - Lloraras
Joe Arroyo - Rebelion
Fruko y Sus Tesos - El Preso
Gran Combo - Brujeria
Frankie Ruiz - Mirandote
Hector Lavoe - El Cantante
Willie Colon - El Gran Varon
Africando - Yay Boy
Adolescent's Orquesta - Anhelo
Grupo Niche - Una Aventura
Marc Anthony & La India - Vivir Lo Nuestro
Johnny Rivera & Rey Sepulveda - No Vale La Pena
Tito Gomez & Tito Rojas - Dejala
Sonora Carruseles - Micaela
Justo Betancourt - Pa' Bravo Yo
Eddie Santiago - Lluvia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honorable mentions:
Frankie Ruiz - La Rueda
Willie Colon - Gitana
Orquesta Guayacan - Cali Pachanguero
Larry Harlow - Se Me Perdio La Cartera
Puerto Rican Power - Paginas De Amor
Hector Tricoche - Un Lobo Domesticado
Grupo Niche - Sin Sentimientos
Grupo Niche - Buenaventura y Caney
Tito Rojas - Lo Que Te Queda
Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - La Murga
Adolescent's Orquesta - Arrepentida
Adolescent's Orquesta - Persona Ideal
Angel Canales - Lejos De Ti
Mickey Taveras - Quiereme
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a side note::
I'm suffering from a case of writer's block... and though I have a lot to write about... I want to take some time before I get into what's been happening lately. Not that *I* need the time as much as others seem to need it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then the info will come as big news. If know then... well, you know. hahahah.
Until next time, faithful reader...
There are plenty of GREAT songs that can be cited... but there are a select few that truly define the genre. The songs that are universally known, immediately recognizable. Some get people off their butts whether it's at a club, a bar, or a house party while others are lyrical masterpieces paired with magical music set to the rhythm of the clave. Feel free to comment and add other selections to the list.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ultimate SALSA playlist:
(Updated 12/9/08 - 1:10PM)
Oscar De Leon - Lloraras
Joe Arroyo - Rebelion
Fruko y Sus Tesos - El Preso
Gran Combo - Brujeria
Frankie Ruiz - Mirandote
Hector Lavoe - El Cantante
Willie Colon - El Gran Varon
Africando - Yay Boy
Adolescent's Orquesta - Anhelo
Grupo Niche - Una Aventura
Marc Anthony & La India - Vivir Lo Nuestro
Johnny Rivera & Rey Sepulveda - No Vale La Pena
Tito Gomez & Tito Rojas - Dejala
Sonora Carruseles - Micaela
Justo Betancourt - Pa' Bravo Yo
Eddie Santiago - Lluvia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Honorable mentions:
Frankie Ruiz - La Rueda
Willie Colon - Gitana
Orquesta Guayacan - Cali Pachanguero
Larry Harlow - Se Me Perdio La Cartera
Puerto Rican Power - Paginas De Amor
Hector Tricoche - Un Lobo Domesticado
Grupo Niche - Sin Sentimientos
Grupo Niche - Buenaventura y Caney
Tito Rojas - Lo Que Te Queda
Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - La Murga
Adolescent's Orquesta - Arrepentida
Adolescent's Orquesta - Persona Ideal
Angel Canales - Lejos De Ti
Mickey Taveras - Quiereme
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On a side note::
I'm suffering from a case of writer's block... and though I have a lot to write about... I want to take some time before I get into what's been happening lately. Not that *I* need the time as much as others seem to need it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then the info will come as big news. If know then... well, you know. hahahah.
Until next time, faithful reader...
Monday, December 1, 2008
Playlist #1 + Ikea is evil (or I'm in love with Ikea)
Hello again,
I'm going to use a tactic to trick myself into posting at least once a week by introducing [insert drumroll here] a weekly music playlist. Essentially, it'll be a look inside my iPod, in a manner of speaking. It'll be music that'll fit my mood for the week, or just random songs that I'm in the mood to hear. It will be updated weekly and, on a personal note, will be interesting to revisit in the future to see where my head was at a week ago, a month ago, or maybe even a year ago.
With that said, here is this week's playlist featuring two songs for every artist that appears (always played in shuffle mode to surprise myself):
John Legend - Green Light (w/Andre 3000)
John Legend - Save Room
Jason Mraz - Geek in the Pink
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Rihanna - Rehab
Rihanna - Disturbia
Reik - Inolvidable
Reik - Vivo en Sueños
Pink - So What
Pink - Sober
If you are not familiar with any of these songs, I strongly encourage you to download them (as I shake my head and stare at you indignantly). Then again... it may not be your cup of tea so do what you will with the list.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My new-found love affair with Ikea:
I had lunch at a quaint Vietnamese restaurant with my favorite little lady on Sunday - Sofia - and her parents. Jorge and Dana were telling me about their visit to Ikea this past weekend and commenting about the cute things they found for Sofia. Jorge, in his very Jorge-like way, raved about the food court there. Needless to say, I was compelled to visit Ikea myself. (For those who are wondering... NO... it wasn't the food court that sold me... lol)
Quite impulsively, I decided today was a good day to go. I drove down to Red Hook, Brooklyn to finally check out the furniture emporium. With Google Maps in hand (via my awesome Centro!), I made it to Ikea. Though even if I had basic directions, I would have made it. Every 200 feet there is a small green traffic sign leading you to "Ikea Plaza".
DUUUUUUDE!!! I do not believe this place. It is amazing! I now see what all the fuss is about. I was hardcore against the idea of Ikea back when they first invaded the U.S. But daaaaamn they know what they're doing. The layout is perfect for those who want to wander through. I went with the thought of making this a personal recon mission for my apartment. Instead, I came back with a catalog and thoughts of buying something every two weeks when my paycheck clears. LOL!
The place is evil! Evil I tell you.... and I LOVE it!! I can see myself becoming an Ikea-holic! If any of you know any Ikea Anonymous groups (or an equivalent Ikea-addiction recovery program), please let me know now so I know where to turn to when things start getting out of hand.
As Swedish names swimmed in my consciousness, I decided to follow the hunter instincts ingrained in my DNA to get me back to the Belt Parkway. Surprisingly, I inadvertently ended up on the left lane of a 3-lane road that led me directly to the Verrazano Bridge. I hadn't realize that this roadway was neither the Belt nor the BQE until I saw a sign indicating that the exit that I JUST frea-king passed (aaarrrggghhh) was the last one before the tolls. Ikea is EVIL!!! Plenty of signs leading you there and none leading you back to major roadways! *sigh*
And so, I ended up in Staten Island. Not for long, though, as I didn't want to get caught up in afternoon rush hour traffic. But damn it I paid to get into the forgotten borough, I could at least sight-see from the comfort of my car (and accompanied by a certain playlist that may have been mentioned above... ahem). There really is nothing special IMO but I might go back with my camera in hand to take pictures along the waterfront (which I didn't get to actually see... but I suspect I would be able to get some nice shots from that side of the city). Not wanting to be stuck in that part of the city for longer than necessary, I used Google Maps to get back to the Verrazano and I was back to home base in no time.
Anywho... these are my misadventures for today. Hopefully there'll be more as my wanderlust has not been satiated... I may need a trip before the new year... how many vacation days do I have left at work?? hmmm...
Until next time, faithful reader. . . . .
I'm going to use a tactic to trick myself into posting at least once a week by introducing [insert drumroll here] a weekly music playlist. Essentially, it'll be a look inside my iPod, in a manner of speaking. It'll be music that'll fit my mood for the week, or just random songs that I'm in the mood to hear. It will be updated weekly and, on a personal note, will be interesting to revisit in the future to see where my head was at a week ago, a month ago, or maybe even a year ago.
With that said, here is this week's playlist featuring two songs for every artist that appears (always played in shuffle mode to surprise myself):
John Legend - Green Light (w/Andre 3000)
John Legend - Save Room
Jason Mraz - Geek in the Pink
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Rihanna - Rehab
Rihanna - Disturbia
Reik - Inolvidable
Reik - Vivo en Sueños
Pink - So What
Pink - Sober
If you are not familiar with any of these songs, I strongly encourage you to download them (as I shake my head and stare at you indignantly). Then again... it may not be your cup of tea so do what you will with the list.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My new-found love affair with Ikea:
I had lunch at a quaint Vietnamese restaurant with my favorite little lady on Sunday - Sofia - and her parents. Jorge and Dana were telling me about their visit to Ikea this past weekend and commenting about the cute things they found for Sofia. Jorge, in his very Jorge-like way, raved about the food court there. Needless to say, I was compelled to visit Ikea myself. (For those who are wondering... NO... it wasn't the food court that sold me... lol)
Quite impulsively, I decided today was a good day to go. I drove down to Red Hook, Brooklyn to finally check out the furniture emporium. With Google Maps in hand (via my awesome Centro!), I made it to Ikea. Though even if I had basic directions, I would have made it. Every 200 feet there is a small green traffic sign leading you to "Ikea Plaza".
DUUUUUUDE!!! I do not believe this place. It is amazing! I now see what all the fuss is about. I was hardcore against the idea of Ikea back when they first invaded the U.S. But daaaaamn they know what they're doing. The layout is perfect for those who want to wander through. I went with the thought of making this a personal recon mission for my apartment. Instead, I came back with a catalog and thoughts of buying something every two weeks when my paycheck clears. LOL!
The place is evil! Evil I tell you.... and I LOVE it!! I can see myself becoming an Ikea-holic! If any of you know any Ikea Anonymous groups (or an equivalent Ikea-addiction recovery program), please let me know now so I know where to turn to when things start getting out of hand.
As Swedish names swimmed in my consciousness, I decided to follow the hunter instincts ingrained in my DNA to get me back to the Belt Parkway. Surprisingly, I inadvertently ended up on the left lane of a 3-lane road that led me directly to the Verrazano Bridge. I hadn't realize that this roadway was neither the Belt nor the BQE until I saw a sign indicating that the exit that I JUST frea-king passed (aaarrrggghhh) was the last one before the tolls. Ikea is EVIL!!! Plenty of signs leading you there and none leading you back to major roadways! *sigh*
And so, I ended up in Staten Island. Not for long, though, as I didn't want to get caught up in afternoon rush hour traffic. But damn it I paid to get into the forgotten borough, I could at least sight-see from the comfort of my car (and accompanied by a certain playlist that may have been mentioned above... ahem). There really is nothing special IMO but I might go back with my camera in hand to take pictures along the waterfront (which I didn't get to actually see... but I suspect I would be able to get some nice shots from that side of the city). Not wanting to be stuck in that part of the city for longer than necessary, I used Google Maps to get back to the Verrazano and I was back to home base in no time.
Anywho... these are my misadventures for today. Hopefully there'll be more as my wanderlust has not been satiated... I may need a trip before the new year... how many vacation days do I have left at work?? hmmm...
Until next time, faithful reader. . . . .
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Believer
I was rummaging through some old papers I had stored away and I came across some old poems I had written over the past 10 years or so. But the one interesting item I found is actually not poetry at all but the recollection of a dream.
I recall writing this passage immediately after waking up one morning. Rather than writing out the details of the dream... it was as if I was doing automatic writing. The words just flowed and I put pen to paper. It's still surreal and dream-like (to me, at least... but only because I remember the dream... lol)
Hope you enjoy it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Believer
"I believe that was a Chinese proverb." she exclaimed after yet another nonsensical statement. "She" was a middle aged black woman with a weathered countenance giving her almost an elderly look. Her hair was tied back so tight that her hair opened up resembling a mini afro about half the size of her head. Despite the age on her face, her afro-puff showed few signs of age as only a few gray hairs were visible.
"Those Jehovah's Witnesses don't know a thing, but they good in my book because at least they believe in God and the Good Book." She tilted her head back partly in laughter but also to keep her horn-rimmed glasses from falling off her nose. The sunlight peeking through the bus window gleamed off of the silver house key dangling from the hoop earring on her right ear.
"Oh, Judge Brennan B. Oh, the biggest mistake you made was when you took my baby girl from me." Shaking her head, she raised her hand to her mouth. With a delighted sigh, she savored what was left of the glazed donut she held in her hand. "Oprah can keep her chicken wings in her trailer. Maya is the one I want to meet. Oh sista Angelou. You are my hero."
That last sweet bite of donut was washed down with water. She wiped her mouth with a flimsy piece of wax paper. "I believe I wouldn't be here were it not for my holy water" she proclaimed with donut crumbs flying in awkward arcs from her mouth. "Not like that Renee Washington! Everyone loved her. Never minding the fact that she was a PROSTITUTE. The whore had it coming to her."
She turned around and stared me in the eye. "You know what I mean, sonny?" There was a flash of momentary sanity in her gaze that compelled me to reply with a nod. She let out a laugh that woke me from my hypnotized state.
"I know YOU know what I mean, Mr. Bus Driver Man!" she yelled as she turned back around in her seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And then I woke up.
I probably could add some more details to this and touch it up a bit but this was what I had on paper and I wanted to stay true to the original work. Maybe one day when I'm feeling... inspired.. I'll fix it up and maybe add to the story.
I hope to see you back here soon. Until next time, faithful reader....
I recall writing this passage immediately after waking up one morning. Rather than writing out the details of the dream... it was as if I was doing automatic writing. The words just flowed and I put pen to paper. It's still surreal and dream-like (to me, at least... but only because I remember the dream... lol)
Hope you enjoy it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Believer
"I believe that was a Chinese proverb." she exclaimed after yet another nonsensical statement. "She" was a middle aged black woman with a weathered countenance giving her almost an elderly look. Her hair was tied back so tight that her hair opened up resembling a mini afro about half the size of her head. Despite the age on her face, her afro-puff showed few signs of age as only a few gray hairs were visible.
"Those Jehovah's Witnesses don't know a thing, but they good in my book because at least they believe in God and the Good Book." She tilted her head back partly in laughter but also to keep her horn-rimmed glasses from falling off her nose. The sunlight peeking through the bus window gleamed off of the silver house key dangling from the hoop earring on her right ear.
"Oh, Judge Brennan B. Oh, the biggest mistake you made was when you took my baby girl from me." Shaking her head, she raised her hand to her mouth. With a delighted sigh, she savored what was left of the glazed donut she held in her hand. "Oprah can keep her chicken wings in her trailer. Maya is the one I want to meet. Oh sista Angelou. You are my hero."
That last sweet bite of donut was washed down with water. She wiped her mouth with a flimsy piece of wax paper. "I believe I wouldn't be here were it not for my holy water" she proclaimed with donut crumbs flying in awkward arcs from her mouth. "Not like that Renee Washington! Everyone loved her. Never minding the fact that she was a PROSTITUTE. The whore had it coming to her."
She turned around and stared me in the eye. "You know what I mean, sonny?" There was a flash of momentary sanity in her gaze that compelled me to reply with a nod. She let out a laugh that woke me from my hypnotized state.
"I know YOU know what I mean, Mr. Bus Driver Man!" she yelled as she turned back around in her seat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And then I woke up.
I probably could add some more details to this and touch it up a bit but this was what I had on paper and I wanted to stay true to the original work. Maybe one day when I'm feeling... inspired.. I'll fix it up and maybe add to the story.
I hope to see you back here soon. Until next time, faithful reader....
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Crazy text
Hey all,
So a few days ago, I received what has to be one of the strangest text messages I ever had the pleasure of reading (and responding to). Below is the transcript with excess and, at times, unnecessary commentary:
----------------------------------------------------
Unknown # (6:17 PM): Are u paying the daycare or I am being left paying it. It's the bitch bitchin
[Clearly, I was taken aback as I have no children - that I'm aware of - so I clearly had to diffuse the situation quickly without seeming like the idiot that didn't care about paying for the daycare expense of his kids. Either that or just ignore it... but I couldn't do that. This woman needs to know that I'm not the guy she thinks I am. Then again, why am I assuming it's a girl texting? How sexist of me.]
Me (6:23 PM): I don't know who u are and I don't know this #. I suspect your msg was not meant for me.
[This seemed like the best option for a reply. But I wish I had been able to come up with such a 'clever' and thoughtful response in less than 6 minutes. I'm losing my touch.]
Unknown # (6:27 PM): I am the mother of your kids. Don't worry we don't know you either.
[AW CRAP!!! Exactly what I was trying to avoid. I could see the venom oozing off the phone as I read this reply. I had tried to make her realize that she sent the message to the wrong person without having her interpret it as her man trying to skirt his responsibility - and thus upsetting her further. Instead, I got the EXACT reaction I was hoping to avoid. *sigh* What to do now? Let her cool off or reply immediately?]
Unknown # (6:29 PM): Sorry so sorry you're right wrong number truly sorry.
[THANK GOD!!! She figured it out without me replying and making her even more upset. *WHEW* wow... I hope she can get in touch with her baby daddy and get her $$]
Me (6:30 PM): No problem. I completely understand. Good luck.
[Eh... I figured I should reply and let her know it was no big deal... for me that is. It's still a big deal to her.]
Unknown # (6:37 PM): Thanks I need it. :)
['Nuff said]
----------------------------------------------------
Lesson learned:
The next time you find yourself with a random text message from an unknown number, it may not hurt to reply and give some encouragement to those in need.
'til next time faithful reader...
So a few days ago, I received what has to be one of the strangest text messages I ever had the pleasure of reading (and responding to). Below is the transcript with excess and, at times, unnecessary commentary:
----------------------------------------------------
Unknown # (6:17 PM): Are u paying the daycare or I am being left paying it. It's the bitch bitchin
[Clearly, I was taken aback as I have no children - that I'm aware of - so I clearly had to diffuse the situation quickly without seeming like the idiot that didn't care about paying for the daycare expense of his kids. Either that or just ignore it... but I couldn't do that. This woman needs to know that I'm not the guy she thinks I am. Then again, why am I assuming it's a girl texting? How sexist of me.]
Me (6:23 PM): I don't know who u are and I don't know this #. I suspect your msg was not meant for me.
[This seemed like the best option for a reply. But I wish I had been able to come up with such a 'clever' and thoughtful response in less than 6 minutes. I'm losing my touch.]
Unknown # (6:27 PM): I am the mother of your kids. Don't worry we don't know you either.
[AW CRAP!!! Exactly what I was trying to avoid. I could see the venom oozing off the phone as I read this reply. I had tried to make her realize that she sent the message to the wrong person without having her interpret it as her man trying to skirt his responsibility - and thus upsetting her further. Instead, I got the EXACT reaction I was hoping to avoid. *sigh* What to do now? Let her cool off or reply immediately?]
Unknown # (6:29 PM): Sorry so sorry you're right wrong number truly sorry.
[THANK GOD!!! She figured it out without me replying and making her even more upset. *WHEW* wow... I hope she can get in touch with her baby daddy and get her $$]
Me (6:30 PM): No problem. I completely understand. Good luck.
[Eh... I figured I should reply and let her know it was no big deal... for me that is. It's still a big deal to her.]
Unknown # (6:37 PM): Thanks I need it. :)
['Nuff said]
----------------------------------------------------
Lesson learned:
The next time you find yourself with a random text message from an unknown number, it may not hurt to reply and give some encouragement to those in need.
'til next time faithful reader...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Calling all Facebook addicts
I thought some of you may enjoy this one... Consider this a stall tactic until my next post. ENJOY!
Why we’re no longer friends on Facebook.
Hi. This is awkward. Well, awkward for you anyhow. You might have noticed that I recently terminated our friendship on Facebook. Please try not to be too upset. This decision is by no means a reflection on you or on the validity of your thoughts, feelings, and posted items. I’m just really, really tired of hearing about them. The reasons for your termination include the following:
* Status updates that could apply to every single person on Facebook. Really, you hate Monday? You’re glad it’s Friday? You’re looking forward to the long weekend? Well somebody alert the goddam media.
* Using your status updates solely as a vehicle to promote your website, consulting company or crocheted cat sweater store on Etsy. Violation will be considered particularly flagrant if accompanied by a sleazy headshot and words like “Deals” or “Opportunity.”
* Gratuitous banality.
* Overuse of exclamation points and/or emoticons. If you need them to tell me how! happy! you are!!!!!! you should probably just work on becoming a more effective writer :) !!!
* Missing the irony
* The sincere belief that song lyrics express your unique emotions
* Repeatedly harassing me about your lil green patch. I do not want to know about the size and/or color of your patch.
* Posting things everyone has already seen, fifteen times, more than a week after we saw it. What? Sarah Palin made an ass of herself with Katie Couric? Well let me get right on THAT.
* I never actually liked you anyway.
Please note that the above list of Facebook Friend Violations (FFV) is not intended to be exhaustive and that we reserve the right to terminate friendships for any reason and without prior notice. Kthx.
[The above entry was "Borrowed" from http://urbzen.com/]
Why we’re no longer friends on Facebook.
Hi. This is awkward. Well, awkward for you anyhow. You might have noticed that I recently terminated our friendship on Facebook. Please try not to be too upset. This decision is by no means a reflection on you or on the validity of your thoughts, feelings, and posted items. I’m just really, really tired of hearing about them. The reasons for your termination include the following:
* Status updates that could apply to every single person on Facebook. Really, you hate Monday? You’re glad it’s Friday? You’re looking forward to the long weekend? Well somebody alert the goddam media.
* Using your status updates solely as a vehicle to promote your website, consulting company or crocheted cat sweater store on Etsy. Violation will be considered particularly flagrant if accompanied by a sleazy headshot and words like “Deals” or “Opportunity.”
* Gratuitous banality.
* Overuse of exclamation points and/or emoticons. If you need them to tell me how! happy! you are!!!!!! you should probably just work on becoming a more effective writer :) !!!
* Missing the irony
* The sincere belief that song lyrics express your unique emotions
* Repeatedly harassing me about your lil green patch. I do not want to know about the size and/or color of your patch.
* Posting things everyone has already seen, fifteen times, more than a week after we saw it. What? Sarah Palin made an ass of herself with Katie Couric? Well let me get right on THAT.
* I never actually liked you anyway.
Please note that the above list of Facebook Friend Violations (FFV) is not intended to be exhaustive and that we reserve the right to terminate friendships for any reason and without prior notice. Kthx.
[The above entry was "Borrowed" from http://urbzen.com/]
Saturday, November 15, 2008
UFC 91 Preview (and why YOU should care)
Welcome Ladies and Gentleman,
UFC 91 is scheduled for tonight at 10PM (EST) on PPV. The main event of the evening will feature the return of Randy "The Natural" Couture v Brock Lesnar for Couture's Heavyweight championship belt.
(My apologies to any hardcore MMA fans who will be reading this post as most of this is old news to you. But scroll down if you're only here for the predictions.)
I won't bore you with the details of the past year's developments so I will give you the abridged recap of the past year or so in the UFC's heavyweight division: Randy Couture was the UFC champion last year. During a contract dispute between he and the UFC, the promotion crowns an interim champ while things with Randy got sorted out (for better or worse). The interim champ, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ("Big Nog") was scheduled to defend his belt against Frank Mir after the conclusion of this season's The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV. During the taping of TUF, Randy and the UFC settled their differences which did not allow for the scheduling of a title unification bout between Big Nog and Randy. The opponent chosen by the UFC for Randy's belt was Brock Lesnar.
Why Brock?
(1) $ - This is a big money match up between two recognizable names. There are so many ways this bout can be promoted (and analyzed): wrestler v. wrestler (not to be confused with pro wrestler); experience v. youth; small heavyweight v huge heavyweight; champ with a year long layoff v challenger who has recently competed. No matter how you slice it, this main event has the making of a blockbuster.
(2) Vendetta - Many have said that Dana White (UFC President) saw this as a "punishment" match for Randy after what he put the company through. Though vindictive, it is reasonable to say that they lose nothing if Randy loses the belt to Brock. It would reinvigorate the heavyweight division which has been somewhat neglected the past few years. The UFC would also be able to expect good returns of future Randy Couture main events because people live "The Natural".
(3) No one else? - There are several heavyweights in the division now but the ones that have been in the UFC for a while have not had impressive performances while those heavyweights that joined over the past several months have made huge strides towards what will eventually be a title shot (if they continue to win). But NONE of them have the physique and instant recognition that Lesnar does.
Though an Mixed Martial Arts (MMA, for short) neophyte, Lesnar has a lot of crossover appeal from his days in the WWE. Let's not forget that he does have a legitimate base for MMA with his background as as NCAA wrestling champ. Make no mistake. Brock Lesnar, according to many, does not deserve a title shot after only being 2-1 in his short MMA career. This is still a business and the UFC is striking while the iron is hot.
This PPV event has the potential to be a transcendental moment for MMA. It could put MMA firmly in the American sports landscape and people will start seeing it as another combat sport on par with boxing (if not better than boxing). Tonight could be the start of a new way of thinking about MMA. The American consciousness could begin to shift away from seeing MMA as simply a modern version of the Bloodsport movies and underground (and illegal) MMA groups that existed in the 80's and early 90's. This change in paradigm is critical for mainstream acceptance of MMA. And though the UFC is the leader of the MMA movement, we cannot forget that it is simply the big fish in the pond. Much like MLB dominates professional baseball while the minor league system and independent baseball leagues still manage to survive. Other promotions like Affliction, Strikeforce, and WEC will aid the UFC in this movement but it won't be easy and acceptance of the sport will not take place overnight... but tonight's event will come close to being an overnight coup.
With all that said... time for predictions. Many thanks to Jorge who has taken the time to provide his insight on tonight's card. My comments and prediction will follow his:
UNDERCARD--
Matt Brown v. Ryan Thomas -
Well, At this point I'll have to go for Brown. He definitely showed he had determination and skill during the show. His bout with Sadollah was a true war and there's no shame in losing the the guy that won the whole thing. I don't really know much about Thomas except that he has been in a winning streak in smaller mid-west organizations. Although Brown just lost to Kim via decision, I think he will "welcome" Thomas into the UFC and show him the difference between the farm leagues and the big time show.
[I agree with J on this one. A rude welcoming is in store for Thomas. Though I don't think he'll be a pushover. I expect a decision for Brown]
Mark Bocek v. Alvin Robinson -
Bocek is great on the ground, but Robinson is sick in the ground. He has great transitions and I think he will overwhelm Bocek. Bocek is coming off two loses to [Frankie] Edgar and [Mac] Danzig, while Robinson has a loss against KenFlo. They both have something to prove, but I think Robinson will pull it off.
[Again I concur with J, but I suspect it'll be more due to experience edge Robinson has. However, expect Bocek to get some chances to finish the fight. Robinson by TKO - a little G'n'P in the 2nd round]
Jeremy Stephens v. Rafael Dos Anjos -
Stephens has been around and he had a nice winning streak until he faced Spencer Fisher. Although I think this will be a good match, Dos Anjos has better BJJ. He also has more high profile fights, albeit in Japan without a cage. I say Dos Anjos.
[My gut is telling me to go with Stephens even though my brain is screaming dos Anjos. Cage experience trumps impact debut once again tonight. Unanimous decision for Stephens despite a good showing for Gracie Fusion's dos Anjos]
Jorge Gurgel v. Aaron Riley -
Riley is virtual unknown that has been in a lot of fights but never wins against any B class or above fighter. Gurgel is a guy that in my opinion should stick to coaching because with his skills he should be finishing dudes instead of eating a lot of punches and losing decisions. I go with Riley on principle, although Gurgel will most likely submit him in the 2nd.
[I told J earlier, I want to root for Gurgel and I'm all for the "make the fight exciting by trading punches with your opponent" but he just doesn't have the striking chops to keep standing. If Gurgel can mix in some takedowns and sub attempts then MAYBE he can grind out a decision victory but I suspect his ego and misplaced pride will get in the way of a proper gameplan. Riley is 3-3 in his last 6 fights but the losses came to Ryan Shultz, Eddie Alvarez, and Spencer Fisher. Not a bad list. Gurgel wouldn't fare much better against those 3. Riley by decision - Gurgel's too good to be subbed and something tells me Riley won't be able to finish it with his striking.]
MAIN CARD--
Dustin Hazelett v. Tamdan McCroy - Tamdam who? Hazelett is still a C level, maybe B level fighter, but he's way better that a guy that gets along with his size. I McLovin via Sub.
[HAHA McCrory who? Yeah yeah he may get no love but McLovin may have his hands full. If it was a battle of nicknames Hazelett's got it hands down-McLovin' vs. The Barn Cat?? No contest, folks!!!- but Hazelett has faced better competition which should give him the edge. Could be a sleeper fight of the night if other major bouts end quickly. McLovin by a super-sweet RNC in the 3rd.]
Demian Maia v. Nate Quarry -
I respect Maia a lot. I think his BJJ is first class and he can definitely scrap. However, Quarry is the man, and he's always improving. Maia has not been dominant in any of the fights I've seen and I think Quarry is going to inflict too much damage even on the ground. I think Quarry has enough sub defense to keep Maia at bay and continue to inflict damage. The rock via TKO strikes.
[Maia has 3 consecutive Submission of the Night honors. And we had to wait nearly 7 months to see Quarry after the embarrassing showing by Starnes. I think this may make Quarry vulnerable in the early going but once he settles in I think he'll be tough to beat. If Maia can slap a sub on early then it may be lights out for Nate but I'm giving this to Quarry as Maia hasn't faced anyone that has as good standup as Quarry. Quarry by KO in the 2nd]
Gabriel Gonzaga v. Josh Hendricks - GG wins via anything he wants to do. Hendricks is in his twilight and this should be a walk in the park for GG. Now Hendricks does hit hard and is a solid wrestler so GG does need to avoid showing off and he has to watch his cardio specially if this goes to the later rounds. I say GG via.. duh... sub.
[I agree that this is a walk in the park for Napao. This is just a set-up for one of the better heavyweights to regain some recognition and maybe work his way up to a title shot. Napao by sub early 2nd -- possibly late in the first round.]
Kenny Florian v. Joe Stevenson -
Now this can be a really good fight, or a bore fest. Given the way KenFlo handled himself against Huerta we may see him bicycle around and picking shots from a distance. The worst thing Stevenson can do is engage in a stand-up battle. I think Kenflo can win this because he has better cardio and his way to slick for Stevenson to submit. I fear it may be a decision as KenFLo "evades" a la Machida and earns the judges votes on points. I hope I'm wrong and Stevenson pushes KenFlo to the cage takes him down and makes this a fight!
[I think the gameplan Jorge mentioned is correct but I think Stevenson's frustration will force Kenny to engage a little and that's where the fight will be won. Neither one has a major advantage on the ground and both have good cardio. I suspect this bout could have a quick end if one of these guys can get a couple of good shots in. Neither one has knockout power IMO and neither one has a glass jaw... but the one who can get the better of the mini-flurries will win this bout... by decision. Agree on possible fight of the night honors.]
Randy Couture v. Brock Lesnar -
Experience v Youth, Strategy v power, Skill v raw strength... we could go on all night. I'm worried about Lesnar's size, strength and explosiveness. I'm worried about Lesnar's hulking size and ability to hold people on the mat. I'm worried because this mastodon actually has footwork and will not be as easy a target to punch in the face. Finally I'm worried because Couture's greco clinch and dirty boxing may be simply shrugged off and nullified. I think Lesnar's main weakness is submission defense, unfortunately for Couure that means he has to tangle with Lesnar and possibly go to the ground. I think Couture can do it, I think he can frustrate Lesnar with strikes and leg kicks and get him on the mat, work a good mount and rain strikes on him. But in the end I'm worried about Lesnar doing what we all know he can do and put an exclamation point on Randy's career. I'll say Couture, because he has a real shot, but also because I'm hoping against hope.
[I don't want to repeat a lot of what has already been said but this is by far one of the toughest fights I've ever had to predict. There are just so many unknowns and what-ifs. Will Lesnar's size be a non-factor since Couture had large heavyweights in training camp? Will Randy's experience trump Lesnar's hunger to be champion? Will there be ring rust for "The Natural"? Will the "big game jitters" affect Brock? Ultimately, I think the fight is Brock's to lose. He runs on adrenaline and works well at feeding off of the crowd (probably picked up from his WWE days). If the fans back Randy, he'll play the "bad guy" role. If they root for him - unlikely - he'll get super pumped. If he lets the crowd get to him, his amplified adrenaline rush could cause him to break his gameplan or get a little too excited and make mistakes... which Randy could capitalize on. Couture is a master strategist and I am sure Randy will have a great gameplan. The question is whether he will be able to implement it. I feel that, for Lesnar, a loss at this stage of his career would do more for his development as an MMA fighter. But I've worked out all possibilities I could think of and I honestly cannot see Randy do anything to really beat Lesnar. If Couture loses, we could see him next against either dos Santos (who looked really good against Werdum last month) or Gonzaga if he wins tonight. There is the chance that Randy grinds out a decision victory. In the end, I think his layoff hurts him and Brock gets the win. I honestly don't know how. He won't be able to sub Randy, though I think he maybe able to overwhelm him with his size and wild striking. Ladies and gents, we will have a new heavyweight champion tonight... I think. lol.]
This should indeed be a good night for MMA.
I'll see you all back here tomorrow as I review how we did in our predictions.
- AG
UFC 91 is scheduled for tonight at 10PM (EST) on PPV. The main event of the evening will feature the return of Randy "The Natural" Couture v Brock Lesnar for Couture's Heavyweight championship belt.
(My apologies to any hardcore MMA fans who will be reading this post as most of this is old news to you. But scroll down if you're only here for the predictions.)
I won't bore you with the details of the past year's developments so I will give you the abridged recap of the past year or so in the UFC's heavyweight division: Randy Couture was the UFC champion last year. During a contract dispute between he and the UFC, the promotion crowns an interim champ while things with Randy got sorted out (for better or worse). The interim champ, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ("Big Nog") was scheduled to defend his belt against Frank Mir after the conclusion of this season's The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV. During the taping of TUF, Randy and the UFC settled their differences which did not allow for the scheduling of a title unification bout between Big Nog and Randy. The opponent chosen by the UFC for Randy's belt was Brock Lesnar.
Why Brock?
(1) $ - This is a big money match up between two recognizable names. There are so many ways this bout can be promoted (and analyzed): wrestler v. wrestler (not to be confused with pro wrestler); experience v. youth; small heavyweight v huge heavyweight; champ with a year long layoff v challenger who has recently competed. No matter how you slice it, this main event has the making of a blockbuster.
(2) Vendetta - Many have said that Dana White (UFC President) saw this as a "punishment" match for Randy after what he put the company through. Though vindictive, it is reasonable to say that they lose nothing if Randy loses the belt to Brock. It would reinvigorate the heavyweight division which has been somewhat neglected the past few years. The UFC would also be able to expect good returns of future Randy Couture main events because people live "The Natural".
(3) No one else? - There are several heavyweights in the division now but the ones that have been in the UFC for a while have not had impressive performances while those heavyweights that joined over the past several months have made huge strides towards what will eventually be a title shot (if they continue to win). But NONE of them have the physique and instant recognition that Lesnar does.
Though an Mixed Martial Arts (MMA, for short) neophyte, Lesnar has a lot of crossover appeal from his days in the WWE. Let's not forget that he does have a legitimate base for MMA with his background as as NCAA wrestling champ. Make no mistake. Brock Lesnar, according to many, does not deserve a title shot after only being 2-1 in his short MMA career. This is still a business and the UFC is striking while the iron is hot.
This PPV event has the potential to be a transcendental moment for MMA. It could put MMA firmly in the American sports landscape and people will start seeing it as another combat sport on par with boxing (if not better than boxing). Tonight could be the start of a new way of thinking about MMA. The American consciousness could begin to shift away from seeing MMA as simply a modern version of the Bloodsport movies and underground (and illegal) MMA groups that existed in the 80's and early 90's. This change in paradigm is critical for mainstream acceptance of MMA. And though the UFC is the leader of the MMA movement, we cannot forget that it is simply the big fish in the pond. Much like MLB dominates professional baseball while the minor league system and independent baseball leagues still manage to survive. Other promotions like Affliction, Strikeforce, and WEC will aid the UFC in this movement but it won't be easy and acceptance of the sport will not take place overnight... but tonight's event will come close to being an overnight coup.
With all that said... time for predictions. Many thanks to Jorge who has taken the time to provide his insight on tonight's card. My comments and prediction will follow his:
UNDERCARD--
Matt Brown v. Ryan Thomas -
Well, At this point I'll have to go for Brown. He definitely showed he had determination and skill during the show. His bout with Sadollah was a true war and there's no shame in losing the the guy that won the whole thing. I don't really know much about Thomas except that he has been in a winning streak in smaller mid-west organizations. Although Brown just lost to Kim via decision, I think he will "welcome" Thomas into the UFC and show him the difference between the farm leagues and the big time show.
[I agree with J on this one. A rude welcoming is in store for Thomas. Though I don't think he'll be a pushover. I expect a decision for Brown]
Mark Bocek v. Alvin Robinson -
Bocek is great on the ground, but Robinson is sick in the ground. He has great transitions and I think he will overwhelm Bocek. Bocek is coming off two loses to [Frankie] Edgar and [Mac] Danzig, while Robinson has a loss against KenFlo. They both have something to prove, but I think Robinson will pull it off.
[Again I concur with J, but I suspect it'll be more due to experience edge Robinson has. However, expect Bocek to get some chances to finish the fight. Robinson by TKO - a little G'n'P in the 2nd round]
Jeremy Stephens v. Rafael Dos Anjos -
Stephens has been around and he had a nice winning streak until he faced Spencer Fisher. Although I think this will be a good match, Dos Anjos has better BJJ. He also has more high profile fights, albeit in Japan without a cage. I say Dos Anjos.
[My gut is telling me to go with Stephens even though my brain is screaming dos Anjos. Cage experience trumps impact debut once again tonight. Unanimous decision for Stephens despite a good showing for Gracie Fusion's dos Anjos]
Jorge Gurgel v. Aaron Riley -
Riley is virtual unknown that has been in a lot of fights but never wins against any B class or above fighter. Gurgel is a guy that in my opinion should stick to coaching because with his skills he should be finishing dudes instead of eating a lot of punches and losing decisions. I go with Riley on principle, although Gurgel will most likely submit him in the 2nd.
[I told J earlier, I want to root for Gurgel and I'm all for the "make the fight exciting by trading punches with your opponent" but he just doesn't have the striking chops to keep standing. If Gurgel can mix in some takedowns and sub attempts then MAYBE he can grind out a decision victory but I suspect his ego and misplaced pride will get in the way of a proper gameplan. Riley is 3-3 in his last 6 fights but the losses came to Ryan Shultz, Eddie Alvarez, and Spencer Fisher. Not a bad list. Gurgel wouldn't fare much better against those 3. Riley by decision - Gurgel's too good to be subbed and something tells me Riley won't be able to finish it with his striking.]
MAIN CARD--
Dustin Hazelett v. Tamdan McCroy - Tamdam who? Hazelett is still a C level, maybe B level fighter, but he's way better that a guy that gets along with his size. I McLovin via Sub.
[HAHA McCrory who? Yeah yeah he may get no love but McLovin may have his hands full. If it was a battle of nicknames Hazelett's got it hands down-McLovin' vs. The Barn Cat?? No contest, folks!!!- but Hazelett has faced better competition which should give him the edge. Could be a sleeper fight of the night if other major bouts end quickly. McLovin by a super-sweet RNC in the 3rd.]
Demian Maia v. Nate Quarry -
I respect Maia a lot. I think his BJJ is first class and he can definitely scrap. However, Quarry is the man, and he's always improving. Maia has not been dominant in any of the fights I've seen and I think Quarry is going to inflict too much damage even on the ground. I think Quarry has enough sub defense to keep Maia at bay and continue to inflict damage. The rock via TKO strikes.
[Maia has 3 consecutive Submission of the Night honors. And we had to wait nearly 7 months to see Quarry after the embarrassing showing by Starnes. I think this may make Quarry vulnerable in the early going but once he settles in I think he'll be tough to beat. If Maia can slap a sub on early then it may be lights out for Nate but I'm giving this to Quarry as Maia hasn't faced anyone that has as good standup as Quarry. Quarry by KO in the 2nd]
Gabriel Gonzaga v. Josh Hendricks - GG wins via anything he wants to do. Hendricks is in his twilight and this should be a walk in the park for GG. Now Hendricks does hit hard and is a solid wrestler so GG does need to avoid showing off and he has to watch his cardio specially if this goes to the later rounds. I say GG via.. duh... sub.
[I agree that this is a walk in the park for Napao. This is just a set-up for one of the better heavyweights to regain some recognition and maybe work his way up to a title shot. Napao by sub early 2nd -- possibly late in the first round.]
Kenny Florian v. Joe Stevenson -
Now this can be a really good fight, or a bore fest. Given the way KenFlo handled himself against Huerta we may see him bicycle around and picking shots from a distance. The worst thing Stevenson can do is engage in a stand-up battle. I think Kenflo can win this because he has better cardio and his way to slick for Stevenson to submit. I fear it may be a decision as KenFLo "evades" a la Machida and earns the judges votes on points. I hope I'm wrong and Stevenson pushes KenFlo to the cage takes him down and makes this a fight!
[I think the gameplan Jorge mentioned is correct but I think Stevenson's frustration will force Kenny to engage a little and that's where the fight will be won. Neither one has a major advantage on the ground and both have good cardio. I suspect this bout could have a quick end if one of these guys can get a couple of good shots in. Neither one has knockout power IMO and neither one has a glass jaw... but the one who can get the better of the mini-flurries will win this bout... by decision. Agree on possible fight of the night honors.]
Randy Couture v. Brock Lesnar -
Experience v Youth, Strategy v power, Skill v raw strength... we could go on all night. I'm worried about Lesnar's size, strength and explosiveness. I'm worried about Lesnar's hulking size and ability to hold people on the mat. I'm worried because this mastodon actually has footwork and will not be as easy a target to punch in the face. Finally I'm worried because Couture's greco clinch and dirty boxing may be simply shrugged off and nullified. I think Lesnar's main weakness is submission defense, unfortunately for Couure that means he has to tangle with Lesnar and possibly go to the ground. I think Couture can do it, I think he can frustrate Lesnar with strikes and leg kicks and get him on the mat, work a good mount and rain strikes on him. But in the end I'm worried about Lesnar doing what we all know he can do and put an exclamation point on Randy's career. I'll say Couture, because he has a real shot, but also because I'm hoping against hope.
[I don't want to repeat a lot of what has already been said but this is by far one of the toughest fights I've ever had to predict. There are just so many unknowns and what-ifs. Will Lesnar's size be a non-factor since Couture had large heavyweights in training camp? Will Randy's experience trump Lesnar's hunger to be champion? Will there be ring rust for "The Natural"? Will the "big game jitters" affect Brock? Ultimately, I think the fight is Brock's to lose. He runs on adrenaline and works well at feeding off of the crowd (probably picked up from his WWE days). If the fans back Randy, he'll play the "bad guy" role. If they root for him - unlikely - he'll get super pumped. If he lets the crowd get to him, his amplified adrenaline rush could cause him to break his gameplan or get a little too excited and make mistakes... which Randy could capitalize on. Couture is a master strategist and I am sure Randy will have a great gameplan. The question is whether he will be able to implement it. I feel that, for Lesnar, a loss at this stage of his career would do more for his development as an MMA fighter. But I've worked out all possibilities I could think of and I honestly cannot see Randy do anything to really beat Lesnar. If Couture loses, we could see him next against either dos Santos (who looked really good against Werdum last month) or Gonzaga if he wins tonight. There is the chance that Randy grinds out a decision victory. In the end, I think his layoff hurts him and Brock gets the win. I honestly don't know how. He won't be able to sub Randy, though I think he maybe able to overwhelm him with his size and wild striking. Ladies and gents, we will have a new heavyweight champion tonight... I think. lol.]
This should indeed be a good night for MMA.
I'll see you all back here tomorrow as I review how we did in our predictions.
- AG
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I shaved my beard and WTF!...
Hello once again as I usher you through the inner workings of my scrambled brain.
I've had some people asking me about my beard lately. During finals week, when I was in college, I would get superstitious and once classes ended for the semester I would not shave until I took all my finals. But I'm not in school any more and for some odd reason I decided to grow my hair out a little (on the top of my head AND on my face)... for no legitimate reason. I didn't even know when I would end up shaving again.
I figured the timing was right for it to serve as an Evan Tanner tribute beard (oh, just Google it if you don't know who or what I'm talking about) but that wasn't it. Maybe I could use the election as my cover story. For a while I even vowed that if John McCain were to win, I would continue growing my hair - including facial hair - for 4 more years until the next presidential election. But the election came and went and I didn't shave. Eventually, I just got tired of it (as I often am when it comes to my facial hair). I find myself cycling through facial "looks": sporting the goatee, being clean shaven, growing the beard... and other variations in between (except the stand-alone mustache... looks funny on me).
So I shaved my beard. I took pictures of the carnage in my bathroom sink but decided to spare you all the details so there will be no posting of the evidence here. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lets just say if there was a "Locks of Love" for facial hair, I would have TOTALLY donated it... but it was just trashcan-bound.
But you know... all this talk of waste and useless things reminds me of something I've heard lately. It's gotten so deep under my skin... I can't keep it inside any more!!
Through all the political coverage for days after Election Day all I kept hearing was how Barack Obama's win was historically significant. I am not disagree with that (how can one dispute that??). What I am hating is the mangling of the English language in the process!!! This is a historic event in American history NOT "an historic" event. WTF is 'anistoric' anyway!?!??!! Anistoric isn't proper use of the article "a/an"!! Oh, I'm sorry... is this a new dialect of English? I didn't realize the 'h' in historic (or historical) was silent!!
I mean with the world wide inter-web nets available to us, can't an editor or assistant producer look up the grammar rules??? I was able to find 2 reputable resources after 35 seconds of searching online: (1) http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/articlestext.htm and (2) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/
Folks, this misuse and blatant disregard of the English language is ridiculous. It also happens to be one of my many pet peeves. (For a wonderful list of other modernbutchering "modifications" of the English language, click here. Definitely worth a look.)
*sigh*
Sadly, that's all I have for you today but....
SPOILER ALERT:: Tomorrow's SPECIAL weekend entry will be a preview of UFC 91 (along with guest commentary and predictions) and why it matters EVEN to those of you who don't know - or care - about MMA.
I've had some people asking me about my beard lately. During finals week, when I was in college, I would get superstitious and once classes ended for the semester I would not shave until I took all my finals. But I'm not in school any more and for some odd reason I decided to grow my hair out a little (on the top of my head AND on my face)... for no legitimate reason. I didn't even know when I would end up shaving again.
I figured the timing was right for it to serve as an Evan Tanner tribute beard (oh, just Google it if you don't know who or what I'm talking about) but that wasn't it. Maybe I could use the election as my cover story. For a while I even vowed that if John McCain were to win, I would continue growing my hair - including facial hair - for 4 more years until the next presidential election. But the election came and went and I didn't shave. Eventually, I just got tired of it (as I often am when it comes to my facial hair). I find myself cycling through facial "looks": sporting the goatee, being clean shaven, growing the beard... and other variations in between (except the stand-alone mustache... looks funny on me).
So I shaved my beard. I took pictures of the carnage in my bathroom sink but decided to spare you all the details so there will be no posting of the evidence here. You'll just have to take my word for it. Lets just say if there was a "Locks of Love" for facial hair, I would have TOTALLY donated it... but it was just trashcan-bound.
But you know... all this talk of waste and useless things reminds me of something I've heard lately. It's gotten so deep under my skin... I can't keep it inside any more!!
Through all the political coverage for days after Election Day all I kept hearing was how Barack Obama's win was historically significant. I am not disagree with that (how can one dispute that??). What I am hating is the mangling of the English language in the process!!! This is a historic event in American history NOT "an historic" event. WTF is 'anistoric' anyway!?!??!! Anistoric isn't proper use of the article "a/an"!! Oh, I'm sorry... is this a new dialect of English? I didn't realize the 'h' in historic (or historical) was silent!!
I mean with the world wide inter-web nets available to us, can't an editor or assistant producer look up the grammar rules??? I was able to find 2 reputable resources after 35 seconds of searching online: (1) http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/articlestext.htm and (2) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/
Folks, this misuse and blatant disregard of the English language is ridiculous. It also happens to be one of my many pet peeves. (For a wonderful list of other modern
*sigh*
Sadly, that's all I have for you today but....
SPOILER ALERT:: Tomorrow's SPECIAL weekend entry will be a preview of UFC 91 (along with guest commentary and predictions) and why it matters EVEN to those of you who don't know - or care - about MMA.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
My weekend
Hi again everyone,
Well, I had a busy weekend and I'm sure many of you could care less about what I did (or did not) do but, nevertheless, here is my recap of my weekend.
My friend Jorge was competing in a grappling competition in Newark this past weekend (nagafighter.com for those of you who might be interested to learn more). I agreed to take him to Newark for the weigh-ins on Friday evening (and to the competition on Saturday). After work on Friday afternoon, I had the pleasure of driving from Brooklyn to Manhattan (FUN!) then navigating through Manhattan rush-hour traffic (FUN FUN!!!) trying to make it to the News Corp building at a reasonable hour to pick up Jorge. The weigh-ins were from 5pm-8pm (unlike last year when I think they were available until 9pm for the weigh-ins). So with the convergence of not finding a spot where I can idle outside News Corp, Jorge getting out late (after 6:30pm), the usual Friday crowd leaving the city through the West Side tunnels, and the 8pm deadline, I was extremely stressed out.
Did I forget to mention that I had virtually no gas in the tank and was hoping the drops of gas that WERE in the tank could get us to NJ? Every 5 minutes I announced to Jorge how far I thought we could make it with what little gas was left: "I'm pretty sure we can make it to the venue with what we've got left"; "If we can make it through the tunnel, I think we can make it all the way to the weigh-ins"; "There's a chance we can make it through the tunnel but we might have to hit one of the gas stations on the other side"; "Is there a gas station that we can hit up before we get onto the Holland Tunnel??"; "Hey Jorge, I might need you to push us through the tunnel. I know you haven't eaten all day but, how tired are you exactly??"
The only thing that eased my mind a bit was my familiarity with the route to Essex Community College since my aunt's house is a few minutes from there. We made it with enough time (and gas) to take care of business. If he had not made his desired weight - light heavyweight - he would have had to go into the cruiserweight competition since there was no time to stop by the gym for an emergency "sweat session". [For those who are curious, we did NOT get gas in Jersey and STILL had enough gas to get Jorge back to Brooklyn!!! But I was sweating bullets on the BQE constantly shifting between "N" and "D" whenever I could.]
The next morning, Jorge and I (accompanied by the Ebola monkey: Anthony) made our way to Newark once again. I knew that he wouldn't be competing early so I wasn't worried about our lateness but I didn't know if Jorge's weight cut would affect his performance. For the most part, I'm merely the cameraman on these adventures. As long as I have my angle to tape his bouts, film in the video camera, and enough battery life for my recordings, I'm good.
Long story short, Jorge was 0-for-2. Others competing that day from his school didn't fare much better as we think only one of them managed to win a bout (out of 4 competitors in two different divisions each). The ride home was tough since I always feel like dead-weight at these events. I'm an MMA fan but I can't give Jorge any technical advice during his bouts. The majority of guys who compete here have coaches in their corner: sometimes it's a fellow "classmate" at their school while others have their school's instructor directing them. It's unfair but it is what it is. Almost makes me want to join Tiger Schulmann's adult grappling classes in Rego Park . Who knows...
But the event wasn't a total loss. We got to meet former UFC welterweight champ, Matt Serra and IMO this year's favorite to win the lightweight competition in the Ultimate Fighter, Brooklyn's own Phillipe Nover. Serra's great but Nover is part of the new guard of up-and-coming fighters out of the Northeast who will take the MMA world by storm. And I'm a huge mark for Nover!
(Jorge flexing with Matt Serra)
(Me chillin' with Phillipe Nover)
I planned Sunday to be a rest day. After all, getting up early on a Saturday is a big no-no for me. As a border-line narcoleptic, I enjoy my sleep, especially on the weekends. I flaked on family plans for Sunday so that I could rest (my uncle had invited the family over for lunch). But when I found out that my friend Asqui had led his Hillcrest H.S. boys' soccer to the PSAL 'B' league finals, there was no way I was going to miss that game. I had tried to find ways to get out of work to see the team's final few games in the regular season to no avail. I had honestly forgotten about the team until I received a text message from him mid-week about their game on Sunday. He failed to mention in his text that it was the freaking finals and I didn't put two-and-two together until that morning when I realized that they were playing the game at LIU's Brooklyn campus which was unusual.
So once again I got up early on Sunday and drove out with my video camera in hand. I still had Jorge's tripod in my possession so I figured I'd go record the soccer game and then stop by Jorge's apartment (also in Brooklyn) to drop off the tripod. Hillcrest scored first and fell behind 2-1 as the first half ended but a penalty shot for the Hillcrest team allowed them to even the score at 2 by halftime. The second half started fairly even but Jamaica took advantage of Hillcrest's inability to defend the counter-attack off of the long ball and fell behind 4-2 and were unable to score losing 5-2.
I felt bad for Asqui and his boys but they've been getting better every season and I have no doubt that I'll be back at the LIU campus next November watching his Hillcrest Hawks dominate their opponent in the PSAL 'B' league soccer finals! I'm proud of Asqui and hope that he doesn't let this loss get him down. There is only so much one can do with limited talent and he was able to take his kids to the finals. Simply amazing!
OK... that's enough for today... I've chewed your ears off (figuratively) and thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings.
Until next time, faithful reader...
Well, I had a busy weekend and I'm sure many of you could care less about what I did (or did not) do but, nevertheless, here is my recap of my weekend.
My friend Jorge was competing in a grappling competition in Newark this past weekend (nagafighter.com for those of you who might be interested to learn more). I agreed to take him to Newark for the weigh-ins on Friday evening (and to the competition on Saturday). After work on Friday afternoon, I had the pleasure of driving from Brooklyn to Manhattan (FUN!) then navigating through Manhattan rush-hour traffic (FUN FUN!!!) trying to make it to the News Corp building at a reasonable hour to pick up Jorge. The weigh-ins were from 5pm-8pm (unlike last year when I think they were available until 9pm for the weigh-ins). So with the convergence of not finding a spot where I can idle outside News Corp, Jorge getting out late (after 6:30pm), the usual Friday crowd leaving the city through the West Side tunnels, and the 8pm deadline, I was extremely stressed out.
Did I forget to mention that I had virtually no gas in the tank and was hoping the drops of gas that WERE in the tank could get us to NJ? Every 5 minutes I announced to Jorge how far I thought we could make it with what little gas was left: "I'm pretty sure we can make it to the venue with what we've got left"; "If we can make it through the tunnel, I think we can make it all the way to the weigh-ins"; "There's a chance we can make it through the tunnel but we might have to hit one of the gas stations on the other side"; "Is there a gas station that we can hit up before we get onto the Holland Tunnel??"; "Hey Jorge, I might need you to push us through the tunnel. I know you haven't eaten all day but, how tired are you exactly??"
The only thing that eased my mind a bit was my familiarity with the route to Essex Community College since my aunt's house is a few minutes from there. We made it with enough time (and gas) to take care of business. If he had not made his desired weight - light heavyweight - he would have had to go into the cruiserweight competition since there was no time to stop by the gym for an emergency "sweat session". [For those who are curious, we did NOT get gas in Jersey and STILL had enough gas to get Jorge back to Brooklyn!!! But I was sweating bullets on the BQE constantly shifting between "N" and "D" whenever I could.]
The next morning, Jorge and I (accompanied by the Ebola monkey: Anthony) made our way to Newark once again. I knew that he wouldn't be competing early so I wasn't worried about our lateness but I didn't know if Jorge's weight cut would affect his performance. For the most part, I'm merely the cameraman on these adventures. As long as I have my angle to tape his bouts, film in the video camera, and enough battery life for my recordings, I'm good.
Long story short, Jorge was 0-for-2. Others competing that day from his school didn't fare much better as we think only one of them managed to win a bout (out of 4 competitors in two different divisions each). The ride home was tough since I always feel like dead-weight at these events. I'm an MMA fan but I can't give Jorge any technical advice during his bouts. The majority of guys who compete here have coaches in their corner: sometimes it's a fellow "classmate" at their school while others have their school's instructor directing them. It's unfair but it is what it is. Almost makes me want to join Tiger Schulmann's adult grappling classes in Rego Park . Who knows...
But the event wasn't a total loss. We got to meet former UFC welterweight champ, Matt Serra and IMO this year's favorite to win the lightweight competition in the Ultimate Fighter, Brooklyn's own Phillipe Nover. Serra's great but Nover is part of the new guard of up-and-coming fighters out of the Northeast who will take the MMA world by storm. And I'm a huge mark for Nover!
(Jorge flexing with Matt Serra)
(Me chillin' with Phillipe Nover)I planned Sunday to be a rest day. After all, getting up early on a Saturday is a big no-no for me. As a border-line narcoleptic, I enjoy my sleep, especially on the weekends. I flaked on family plans for Sunday so that I could rest (my uncle had invited the family over for lunch). But when I found out that my friend Asqui had led his Hillcrest H.S. boys' soccer to the PSAL 'B' league finals, there was no way I was going to miss that game. I had tried to find ways to get out of work to see the team's final few games in the regular season to no avail. I had honestly forgotten about the team until I received a text message from him mid-week about their game on Sunday. He failed to mention in his text that it was the freaking finals and I didn't put two-and-two together until that morning when I realized that they were playing the game at LIU's Brooklyn campus which was unusual.
So once again I got up early on Sunday and drove out with my video camera in hand. I still had Jorge's tripod in my possession so I figured I'd go record the soccer game and then stop by Jorge's apartment (also in Brooklyn) to drop off the tripod. Hillcrest scored first and fell behind 2-1 as the first half ended but a penalty shot for the Hillcrest team allowed them to even the score at 2 by halftime. The second half started fairly even but Jamaica took advantage of Hillcrest's inability to defend the counter-attack off of the long ball and fell behind 4-2 and were unable to score losing 5-2.
I felt bad for Asqui and his boys but they've been getting better every season and I have no doubt that I'll be back at the LIU campus next November watching his Hillcrest Hawks dominate their opponent in the PSAL 'B' league soccer finals! I'm proud of Asqui and hope that he doesn't let this loss get him down. There is only so much one can do with limited talent and he was able to take his kids to the finals. Simply amazing!
OK... that's enough for today... I've chewed your ears off (figuratively) and thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings.
Until next time, faithful reader...
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Five Stages of Grief (2008 Mets fan version)
Dear reader,
As you may know, the past two seasons have not been good times to be a Mets fan. Granted, it isn't the 1990's (what I refer to as the 'Dark Years'), but it's been difficult to see so much money and talent going to waste. As the 2008 season came to a close, a possible sequel to the "Collapse of 2007" loomed. The end of this season was a nail-biter. My playoffs tickets had been purchased and sent via e-mail (permanently available in PDF format on my laptop) before the end of the season. Needless to say, the season did not end well as our hated rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, not only made the playoffs but won the NL East.
This entry will chronicle my personal path through the Five Stages of Grief for the NY Mets 2008 season.
1. Denial and Isolation: At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer.
This pic was taken after the last game I attended at Shea Stadium (during the last week of the season). The writing was on the wall even at this stage. I witnessed yet another loss which brings the Mets to a record of 1-7 when I attended during the 2008 season. When will the pain end? Will they be able to come back? Who am I kidding!! I know they will and we're going to the playoffs!! No one can tell me otherwise... I have the tickets to prove it!! LET'S GO METS!!!
2. Anger: The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if s/he's dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with himself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.
How the hell could the Mets win so dominantly with Johan on Saturday and NOT carry that momentum over to Sunday's game. And Ollie was pitching a good game (especially since he's pitched some stinkers this season!!). WTF!?!? I had these f'n tickets in my hand!! I was going to visit Shea one more time in a playoff game!!! AARRRRGGGHHH!!!!! Why did I have to bring them such bad luck this season!!?? I should have missed a few games and they would have won AT LEAST ONE of those games!!! No-o-ooooo!!!!
3. Bargaining: Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?
Maybe the baseball gods will be kind to us and modify the qualifying rules for the postseason. They could find a way to add one more wild card team to the mix. Bud Selig could force MLB to pass the rule and put it into effect immediately. I mean, the NHL added a new rule in the middle of the playoffs last season... MLB can do it to right?? Please, oh great pantheon of baseball legends, give the Mets a chance to show that they are a good team and let us play this postseason... please... pretty please... I'm on my knees... Maybe the new rule can get the Yanks in too... (then again, maybe not... lol)
4. Depression: The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.
My visits to the Brooklyn Brewery became more frequent after the season (and my baseball loving life) ended. I even managed to sneak in to the distillery and tried to drown my sorrow straight from the fermenting tanks. It tasted awful but it took my mind off of the Mets for a few minutes. Moments later, while in the ambulance, I was told by friends that I was asked to never return again... especially since they found out I jynxed the team during 7 games. I opened the door and jumped out before we made it to the hospital so I think I managed to avoid a hefty bill. Who cares... it still won't change what the Mets did to me. I didn't even get a picture of the spot where Tommie Agee hit the HR in the Upper Deck at Shea. That place is gone forever... except in my memories... *sniff*
5. Acceptance: This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss.
Yesterday, I finally realized that there would be no Mets appearance in the postseason. I realized that the tickets I had in my possession wouldn't allow me to actually enter the stadium since the games were never formally scheduled. I also found out that the playoffs did actually take place without the Mets and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays made it to the World Series against... some NL team.. I forget. At least there was one good story to talk about this postseason! So if the tickets are worthless, then I might as well get rid of them. Here you go Mr. Shredder. Enjoy them. I know I wasn't able to.
Here's to another postseason of wondering, waiting, uncertainty, hope, anticipation, and preparation. Spring Training can't come fast enough. I'll be watching this March as I do every season since my childhood. I plan to make my way to CitiField in April 2009 (yes, in person... inside... not just staring at it from the GCP).
This is still my team. And I still love them, win or lose. Let's go Mets!!
Faithful Mets fan til the end (despite the heartache, heartbreak, and heart attacks),
Alan G.
P.S. Can we have a winning record when I attend in 2009, plz? Do you hear me Mr. Ruth?
As you may know, the past two seasons have not been good times to be a Mets fan. Granted, it isn't the 1990's (what I refer to as the 'Dark Years'), but it's been difficult to see so much money and talent going to waste. As the 2008 season came to a close, a possible sequel to the "Collapse of 2007" loomed. The end of this season was a nail-biter. My playoffs tickets had been purchased and sent via e-mail (permanently available in PDF format on my laptop) before the end of the season. Needless to say, the season did not end well as our hated rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, not only made the playoffs but won the NL East.
This entry will chronicle my personal path through the Five Stages of Grief for the NY Mets 2008 season.
1. Denial and Isolation: At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer.
This pic was taken after the last game I attended at Shea Stadium (during the last week of the season). The writing was on the wall even at this stage. I witnessed yet another loss which brings the Mets to a record of 1-7 when I attended during the 2008 season. When will the pain end? Will they be able to come back? Who am I kidding!! I know they will and we're going to the playoffs!! No one can tell me otherwise... I have the tickets to prove it!! LET'S GO METS!!!2. Anger: The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if s/he's dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with himself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.
How the hell could the Mets win so dominantly with Johan on Saturday and NOT carry that momentum over to Sunday's game. And Ollie was pitching a good game (especially since he's pitched some stinkers this season!!). WTF!?!? I had these f'n tickets in my hand!! I was going to visit Shea one more time in a playoff game!!! AARRRRGGGHHH!!!!! Why did I have to bring them such bad luck this season!!?? I should have missed a few games and they would have won AT LEAST ONE of those games!!! No-o-ooooo!!!!3. Bargaining: Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?
Maybe the baseball gods will be kind to us and modify the qualifying rules for the postseason. They could find a way to add one more wild card team to the mix. Bud Selig could force MLB to pass the rule and put it into effect immediately. I mean, the NHL added a new rule in the middle of the playoffs last season... MLB can do it to right?? Please, oh great pantheon of baseball legends, give the Mets a chance to show that they are a good team and let us play this postseason... please... pretty please... I'm on my knees... Maybe the new rule can get the Yanks in too... (then again, maybe not... lol)4. Depression: The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.
My visits to the Brooklyn Brewery became more frequent after the season (and my baseball loving life) ended. I even managed to sneak in to the distillery and tried to drown my sorrow straight from the fermenting tanks. It tasted awful but it took my mind off of the Mets for a few minutes. Moments later, while in the ambulance, I was told by friends that I was asked to never return again... especially since they found out I jynxed the team during 7 games. I opened the door and jumped out before we made it to the hospital so I think I managed to avoid a hefty bill. Who cares... it still won't change what the Mets did to me. I didn't even get a picture of the spot where Tommie Agee hit the HR in the Upper Deck at Shea. That place is gone forever... except in my memories... *sniff*5. Acceptance: This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss.
Yesterday, I finally realized that there would be no Mets appearance in the postseason. I realized that the tickets I had in my possession wouldn't allow me to actually enter the stadium since the games were never formally scheduled. I also found out that the playoffs did actually take place without the Mets and the Tampa Bay Here's to another postseason of wondering, waiting, uncertainty, hope, anticipation, and preparation. Spring Training can't come fast enough. I'll be watching this March as I do every season since my childhood. I plan to make my way to CitiField in April 2009 (yes, in person... inside... not just staring at it from the GCP).
This is still my team. And I still love them, win or lose. Let's go Mets!!
Faithful Mets fan til the end (despite the heartache, heartbreak, and heart attacks),
Alan G.
P.S. Can we have a winning record when I attend in 2009, plz? Do you hear me Mr. Ruth?
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Remember, remember the 5th of November
Now we have a reason to truly remember and reflect on this 5th of November, 2008.
Today is the first full day without any campaigning (finally!). The votes have been tallied and the American people have spoken. Barack Obama is our president-elect.
This day is not marked, so much, by his victory as it is by two major developments. We will no longer have the daily tit-for-tat campaign updates that divided our country in unprecedented ways over the past several months ("real" America? seriously?!?). The most important election of my lifetime is finally over. It is time to accept that Mr. Obama is our nation's next president and not merely the "North's president" or the "Coastal president". Republicans will have to swallow their pride and accept that they will have as little say in national government as the Democrats did during the majority of Dubya's 8 yearreign ... ahem, presidency. Likewise, Democrats need to realize that, although proud of the achievement of the Obama campaign and his supporters nationwide, they will need to reach out to Republicans in the same way they reached out to the "undecided" voters. This needs to happen if we are to solve the problems that plague our nation.
The next development is the need to focus on the future. Not simply the future of Obama's political career but our future and that of our country. There are many problems that will be left in the White House (like the mess left by vengeful tenants that trash their co-ops after receiving an eviction notice) that need to be cleaned up before we can reasonably expect true change to happen. Heck, the clean-up will be a major change in and of itself. But there will be much work still left to be done.
Domestically, we have a damaged economy, families are losing their homes, tens of (if not hundreds of) thousands are currently without adequate healthcare, not to mention the HIV/AIDS epidemic still causing havok nationwide, and so on and so on. Internationally, we have a reputation that needs to be rebuilt, friendships that need to be mended, wars that need to end, and legitimate efforts to control terrorism need to be put into place (and not with actions based on faulty intel).
There is a lot of work to be done by Obama and the citizens of the U.S. But, today... today I rejoice. I celebrate the fact that a change is a-comin'. And for the rest of my life I will forever remember, remember the 5th of November, 2008.
Today is the first full day without any campaigning (finally!). The votes have been tallied and the American people have spoken. Barack Obama is our president-elect.
This day is not marked, so much, by his victory as it is by two major developments. We will no longer have the daily tit-for-tat campaign updates that divided our country in unprecedented ways over the past several months ("real" America? seriously?!?). The most important election of my lifetime is finally over. It is time to accept that Mr. Obama is our nation's next president and not merely the "North's president" or the "Coastal president". Republicans will have to swallow their pride and accept that they will have as little say in national government as the Democrats did during the majority of Dubya's 8 year
The next development is the need to focus on the future. Not simply the future of Obama's political career but our future and that of our country. There are many problems that will be left in the White House (like the mess left by vengeful tenants that trash their co-ops after receiving an eviction notice) that need to be cleaned up before we can reasonably expect true change to happen. Heck, the clean-up will be a major change in and of itself. But there will be much work still left to be done.
Domestically, we have a damaged economy, families are losing their homes, tens of (if not hundreds of) thousands are currently without adequate healthcare, not to mention the HIV/AIDS epidemic still causing havok nationwide, and so on and so on. Internationally, we have a reputation that needs to be rebuilt, friendships that need to be mended, wars that need to end, and legitimate efforts to control terrorism need to be put into place (and not with actions based on faulty intel).
There is a lot of work to be done by Obama and the citizens of the U.S. But, today... today I rejoice. I celebrate the fact that a change is a-comin'. And for the rest of my life I will forever remember, remember the 5th of November, 2008.
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