Thursday, July 31, 2008

Homemade 30th Birthday Wrapping paper for KDilla
The wrapping paper consisted of images that reflect "30"

1. 30 inch rims
2. 30th anniversary apple
3. 30 cats collage
4. 30th anniversary star wars
5. 30th anniversary superman
6. 30 story building
7. 30 watt amp
8. happy 30th birthday sign
9. $20 and $10
10. 30 degrees – heat
11. 30 degrees – angle
12. 30 cent stamp – german (cats)
13. 30 cent stamp – us (ben franklin)
14. Dane Eveland: Current #30 on the A’s
15. 1930 World Series Champions – Philadelphia Athletics
16. 30th anniversary Space Invaders
17. Calvin Coolidge Portrait Photo
18. Wisconsin – Smell the Dairy Air T-shirt Design
19. Pearl Jam Rolling Stones Cover
20. “over 30” mpg GM cars ad
21. Beatles – the White Album record cover
22. Elv1s CD – 30 #1 hits CD
23. Speed Limit 30 Sign
24. 30th Anniversary Cosmic Ray Convention
25. UN 30 Articles - #30
26. 30 Rock
27. 30 Stockton Muni bus picture
28. US Flag with 30 Stars
29. 30th Ave and Grand Station Sign
30. Ken Griffey Jr #30 Cincinnati Reds

Some are a bit more subtle than others.

Ulam cooked @ 5:09 PM

 1 of the headscratch variety

Sunday, July 27, 2008

10 Years Ago...
10 years ago... any night of the week was laser tag night.

Any night was - "hey, let's go to sleep early so we can go fishing at the butt crack of dawn" night - and we'd end up not sleeping early, but still getting up in time to see the fog roll off the surface of Lake Berryesa, to see the fish jump, and to finish with no bites but enough time to hit up IHOP for breakfast with lots of ketchup and tobasco.

10 years ago... any afternoon was perfectly meant for a painting session.

10 years ago... stats class in the summer was all good because there were at least 2 cute girls in it. And it was easier than the original stats class that I sorta took but definitely failed.

10 years ago... jumping off trees, crawling through high weeds, crawling under trees, crawling on an open field, crawling on anything, climbing apartment buildings, and all that was just the norm - and it wasn't dangerous - not THAT dangerous.

10 years ago... I was pretty much broke, but it was cool. It was easy to have fun with the folks.

10 years ago... I was developing some lifelong friendships that have given me lots of good times and memories.

That was what the weekend camping trip celebrated. Well, sorta celebrated. When Dar mentioned, before they left, that this trip "was planned for something", it really didn't hit me. It me when I got home after driving from San Jose when I re-realized that the camping trip WAS about something. It was about the 10 Year Anniversary of the BEST SUMMER EVER. I mean,I knew that. I planned the darn thing and that was what was at the root of planning it. But as the days went on with planning, and being busy with numerous things like work, life, softball, AIDS Walk, family visiting from the Philippines, partying, beer, and all that stuff, I sort of forgot. The technical part of the weekend became my main concern: having enough food, having enough equipment, making sure who was going and who wasn't, and all that. In them midst of that, I lost sight of the soul of the trip.

It didn't help that our guestlist started to dwindle as life started getting in the way of the fleeting nostalgia. Seeing as how busy everyone is nowadays, this trip really began to feel more like a chore for people to attend than it was something that had organic energy revolving around it. That's not a judgment. That's an observation. Because, as it shows from my list of what 10 Years Ago meant, our lives aren't as carefree and fleeting as they were back then. And that, in no way, is wrong. We're all approaching (or already are at) our early 30s. Less important is the number, but the landmark where our lives are currently steering towards. Yes, 30 nowadays is younger than it was in the past, but being an adult is still the same wonderful mix of evolution and the anchors of responsibilities.

The way the camping trip evolved is a direct reflection of where we're at now versus where we were at back then. Life, for all it's blessings, does get in the way a lot now. And no, again, that's not a judgment or something wrong. It's just what it is - and life, as we should recognize, is beautiful in its developing challenges.

Life nowadays isn't about sneaking into an open field, strapping on beeping sensors, and going buck wild on your friends with infrared guns. It's not about wood-tipped Swishers while fishing illegally (no licenses) and pretty badly (no real strategy). It's not about sitting on a random curb somewhere near midnight with a still-warm light breeze (farm scents in tow) talking about life as we knew it back then.

It's not about the pulls of fleeting-maybe-real romances. Oh wait. Yes it is. At least for me. And I guess there's the divide between myself and many of my best friends - especially the ones that were integral parts of the summer of 1998. (Why do I feel like I'm writing my own version of the introductory narrative of Stand By Me?)

Let me look through the list.. they're all married. The key players. All married. Two have a child. The others probably have some coming soon.

Me? I have a blogger. A burgeoning Made Man on MobWars on Facebook. I desire to play softball with friends whenever I can. Freedom. Except for a small student loan here, and a few bills there - I am free from anything really hefty that folks would call an adult anchor. Am I complaining? No way. I love my freedom.

I love the opportunity for fleeting moments.

But fleeting doesn't last. And that's the point for those types of experiences. I think I'm getting to the end of fleeting moments. And I think that the era of this particular era of my social life is coming to an end. No, I'm not losing my friendships. No, I'm not rushing off to find me a wife. No, that's not what I mean.

I think this summer - maybe starting in May when we went to Hawaii and ending anywhere now and the end of August - has been the transition point. Not sure where I'm headed now - socially. And that, more than anything, has me more frustrated (or lamenting?) than anything else. I have my best friends. And I love them all. They'll still be there. And I'll still be with them as well as the rest of the barrelfolks crew, but the fleeting fun may have run its course... because... well, it just feels that way.

I'm not looking backwards. That's not at all why I'm feeling like this. This weekend's camping trip wasn't about basking in the past. It was about remembering the fun times and realizing how far we've come, as friends, since then. And we really have come far.

Individually, we've evolved so much.

As friends, we've done the same.

Maybe my lamentations are really just deep-rooted happy thoughts oozing out in a conflicted expression. I'm content and happy with where I'm at individually, professionally, socially, and as a member of a social group. I'm so happy for my friends and because of my friends.

Maybe I just don't feel anchored to anyone, in particular, or to anything - other than work. And, while I could say I was anchored to the greatness of our friendships just a few years ago, I can't say that my friends feel the same. And they shouldn't. Not at all. So, maybe I'm just feeling a bit detached. Maybe I'm just feeling unimportant. And a busybody (and pleaser) like me needs to feel important - needs to feel needed.

Maybe I'm just lost. Since I'm free, I have to be lost a bit.

Maybe I just feel lonely, as I'm prone to feel when I'm not feeling suffocated by my own indecision and squirminess.

Geez, Life. What a flippin' journey.

Ulam cooked @ 9:00 PM

 1 of the headscratch variety

Friday, July 18, 2008

Dear Diary.. Dear Diarya.. Dear Diarrhea
Holy ugly bags under my eyes, Batman! This week's been tiring!

I don't think I've slept earlier than 1:45pm since last Wednesday night/Thursday morning?

th - mission, got home at 2.
fri - dc, got home at 1:45.
sat - got home at 12:30ish. slept at 3.
sun - maybe slept at 1:30.
mon - game, eats, poker. slept at 3. ($30 "richer")
tues - biking, all-star game marathon, slept at 1:45ish.
wed - city, got home at 1:45.
th - city, got home at 1:45.

Thank goodness it's Summer. Well, I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't summer.

Jen's bday.
My silly games.
Fun. Fun. Fun.
Too much beer.

and fun.

I'm effing tired.

But, in the past few days, with alcohol, deteriorating minds, and maybe a harkien-back to younger, more silly times:

Horatio Hornblower's been transformed to Philatio Hornblower.
Coit Tower or the Tower of Coit has been transformed to Coitus Tower... and has derivatives like: "Show me the pictures of Post Coitus Tower." Meaning.. the pictures taken after passing Coit Tower, geographically.
Prince Charming's a sleaze (but he is also in Fables by Bill Willingham, Vertigo/DC Comics). And, I suggested that Prince Charming's first name be: Bastosbut (because he peeked under Cinderella's dress... and whilst dancing with her, asked her if she was on the pill).
There was a Sin-derella.. or just plain old Cinda-fuckin-rella (Pretty Woman)
The Fairy Godmother asking, "HAH! Who needs a man?!?!" whilst waving her magic "wand".

Wonderful things on the cusp of people's 30th birthdays.
So lovely.

So, so lovely.

Ulam cooked @ 10:53 AM

 0 of the headscratch variety

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Day with Katie... AND.. Campfire Storytelling - Silent Movie Style
I went to brunch with Katie today and it was a great time. We really don't skip any beats when we hang out even though we only talk maybe once or twice a year. We ate at Alice's Restaurant on the corner of Woodside Road and Skyline Blvd. There was a biker convention of sorts there today, but I guess getting a seat at 11:30 wasn't too bad. We both had mimosas with breakfast.

Afterwards, we headed to Portola Redwoods State Park (state? regional? Not sure.) We decided last night, as I was on Bart heading home and through text messages, to hike after brunch since we both had to make a trek out to the middle of the hills. We stayed on the Iverson trail (I think) and found Tiptoe Falls. Tiptoe trickle.



But it was still good. Any waterfall seems cool for whatever reason.

We finished our small, but cardio-friendly, hike after a sweat and some winded-ness (and "dangerous RIVER crossing")...


at the campsite's amphitheater and I jumped on stage and started.. well.. sorta MIMING (yes as in MIME) a story. And well.. while were sitting on the benches, Katie grabbed the camera and started taking pics of me and I started acting it out again. And.. here they are:

"UN-BEAR-ABLE"

Scene 1:


The Kids: YAY! We're in the woods! WOOHOO!
They hear a sound. Turn around.

IT'S A BEAR!

Bear: GRRRRRRRRROOOOOOAAARR!!

Scene 2:


The kids: OH NO! What are we going to do? We're in TROUBLE!
The kids: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Scene 3:


There's another sound.
The kids: What's that?
Their eyes get wide and they turn around.

The kids: Oh yes!

Scene 4:


Out of the darkness comes Ranger Silog! And, he has a gun!

Ranger Silog: Oh NO you don't you big bad bear! Get away from those children!

Scene 5:


The bear backs off. Ranger Silog tackles the bear.

The kids: YAAAAAAAAAY!!!! We're SAVED!!!

But wait. The story's not DONE!

Scene 6:


Ranger Silog: This isn't a real BEAR! It's Old Man Withers!

Old Man Withers: Dagnabbit!

~~~ THE END ~~~

Ulam cooked @ 9:09 PM

 1 of the headscratch variety

Savoring Saturday?
So get this. I live 15 minutes away from San Francisco for 2 1/2 years. Went out somewhat, but nothing particularly regular. I'm two weeks removed from living those 15 minutes away and am now an hour away by car or by BART, and I've been there 3 times in 8 days + I was once again NEAR Daly City Bart yesterday. I've been at Daly City Bart 3 times in 8 days.

Today started late since I got back so late last night. We had a coworker (and former coworker) dinner in Burlingame and then I headed to Chel and Dennis'. Talked immensely in great conversations with my coworkers at the dinner and even during the day, gabbed it up with Amy for a long bit, and then headed home to find myself in a major backup due to an accident on 101S.

I had a dentist appointment at 10:30. Actually, it was at 11. They asked me to come in at 10:30, but I didn't get worked on til 11. I don't get it.

While getting drilled (on my teeth, sickos), I was kinda gazing on in my mind about the.. nevermind. I don't even want to say.

Anyway, afterwards I hit up REI to return my too-small helmet and looked for sized helmets. The cheapest sized helmet is $64 and only one of them feels right. I was there for a bit and didn't leave with a helmet but instead with a tail light and a bike computer so I can keep track of speed, distance, and the actually time.

Since I was close by, I headed over to Old Navy to look for a cheap jacket for biking. I have a bunch of track jackets, but I wanted to get another that was hopefully cheap and with a more slender fit for less air resistance. Didn't leave with any jackets, but did buy shorts, a medium button shirt, and a polo. Still in the area, I searched for new everyday shoes that were super neutral (aka white) and no shoes looked right. I then visited Linens-N-Things because there was a closeout sale and i wanted to use my $15 gift card and completely forget LNT forever. I spent a good amount of time looking for something that I wanted to buy that i would use, but I couldn't find much since people tore up the store. I tried to purchase a kettle that was marked down to 29.99 and I was supposed to get 30% off, but when I got to the cashier it marked at 39.99. So i didn't buy it. The manager over there sucked. I wasted so much time there.

I decided I would try to find a helmet at Sports Authority. Nope. None there. On my way, I noticed that there was an LNT in that shopping center. There was a closeout again but not at 30 but 25%. There were much more items there. I left with a 4-pack of bowls and a 4-pack of mugs. I'll use those whenever I have my own place.

I got home and finally ate breakfast and lunch. Amy called earlier and said that her and her friend Nayla would be walking around the Mission. I wasn't sure if I would go, but I figured, "WTF? Gotta live life, right?!" So, I went.

I forewent my recent run through "The Stand" by Stephen King in lieu of.. wait for it.. The Great Gatsby. Yeah. The book I should've read in high school and didn't. AND yes, the book I should've read in college, but didn't. Why Gatsby? Well.. nevermind.

I actually got through a lot of the book (riding to and from on BART), but my intake of the content hasn't been all that great. Being tired, distracted, and generally disconnected with the material so far has left me daydreaming. I'm getting deeper in and it's finally rolling a bit and I'm catching the themes. I should ask Lisa for the assignments she assigns to her students in her gatsby unit so I can process the content better.

Anyway, I met up with Amy and Nayla in the Mission and we just walked around and eventually found ourselves waiting a long time for a pitcher of hefeweizen and gabbing it up about relationships at Zeitgeist. Interesting place. There are rows of picnic benches and tables in a big courtyard and it's all communal sitting. Cool idea.

Jen was supposed to go to the Mission for a party at night, so I had some options on what to do. We decided to leave Zeitgeist to get another drink at Yancy's (yes, the regular.) We stayed there for a bit. I had another option to go dancing with my new friend Nayla, but I decided against it - plus I wanted to try to catch up with Jen and her friends for a bit before I jumped back on Bart to go home. At Yancy's, my options were to get a ride to Daly City Bart, get picked up to go to the Mission, or to ride the N Judah to embarcadero. I opted for Bart. Good deal, since Jen's plans changed.

So now I'm home.

Lots of roaming around. Lots of conversation today (and this whole week).

I'm "happily jaded". Apparently others are not. =P

I REALLY need to roam around the city, the mission, other spots where real living people are on great days like this - lots of eye candy, lots of endorphin popping, lots of life.

It's really REALLY time for another $1.50 Party Bus.

I'm loving this Livin' Life thing, but it's getting expensive (money and calories). Haha. But hey. I'm FREE!

I shouldn't take it for granted.

Ulam cooked @ 1:29 AM

 3 of the headscratch variety

Friday, July 11, 2008

Livin' Life Thursday
Livin' Life Thursday was officially influenced by Nostalgia Wednesday. Wednesday evening, Hum and I decided to ride around his house and Lake Elizabeth. Riding around the short 2.2 miles path at the lake was fun even though there wasn't much of a chance to do too much cardio workout since there were too many people to dodge. But, it was really fun still especially since the last time I biked around the lake was, I'm guessing, when I was in elementary school. It was also cool just going at a leisure pace and just chatting it up.

So now to Livin' Life Thursday.

I decided to leave the bike in my car overnight and through Thursday. I decided that I wanted to ride the bayshore trail from San Mateo through Foster City since I drive over it all the time. Plus.. exploration is the damn best.

Plans had to change since I had to drop a youth off in Redwood City. I thought I could bike around Marsh Park off of 84 and Dumbarton, but I decided against it since 1) I had to take a leak and 2) I didn't want to ride on unpaved paths without a helmet. (Yeah. I'm old and responsible now.. sorta. well. not really.) So, I drove home but first passed by Isherwood to see if there was parking there to go onto the Alameda Creek trail and also to pass by Quarry Lakes. I got home, relieved myself, and ran out and jumped on my bike. I took the long way around because I was always curious where the roads behind my neighborhood led - possibly a small road to cross the railroad and a shortcut to Isherwood. Nope. I made a big turn. No worries though. Livin' Life Thursday (it was just Exploration Thursday at the time) was all about.. well.. exploration. I rode my way to Quarry Lakes and explored it for the first time ever. I grew up with those lakes/reservoirs or whatever and had never gone there since they opened it as a Regional Park. I took some turns here and there and went in some loops.



I eventually found myself at the South End of the park that opened up to the Alameda Creek trail. Right across the opening was my old house. My old backyard. It was still living life like nothing changed: basketball hoop up, fence that my dad worked on and I helped with minimally was still up, and memories just jumped to the forefront rather quickly while looking at that backyard, looking at the apartments next door, the almost-trouble I got into there, the bridge, the little mini-dam that I spent lots of time standing on to throw or skip rocks. This all happened in a split second, but they all thrived as I biked North with the smile on my face.

I continued on the trail until I got to the Beard Launching area where even more memories hit. That was the opening to head to houses of friends that my sister and I would go to in our first few summers in California. That was also the road to get to a bunch of my high school friends. I mean, I spent as much time in that area in high school as I did my own place (after school). I thought about riding through Mon and Joey's old neighborhood, but I thought it would feel sorta weird so instead I just texted Mon that I was there and then headed back home. That ride started around 7:10 and I got home around 8:20. I loved it. LOVED IT.

So, during the ride, Jen texted about bar night and I told her I couldn't go since I was in the middle of biking.

But, while I was sitting at home and after a few text messages and a phone call, I decided to meet up with Jen and her friend in the Mission.

I decided to take Bart - from Daly City - so the total cost of the trip was about...
$4 - Toll
$2.65 - BART Ticket
$12 - gas (Yes, I computed it)

That was for a 2 hour trip (so the commute was roughly the same amount of time).

And I had a beer. And burrito.

BUT, it was well worth the trip.

It was Livin' Life Thursday! People were going out. Why stay at home especially if it was a nice warm Summer day and workload on Friday was surely going to be light? Plus, I got a bit of cabin fever when I was sick. When I was once called a "vagabond" for running around NYC from deep ass Queens to Sunset Park, Brooklyn to Washington Heights and sleeping where my backpack felt right (at friends or family's places) I've become complacent in that social life thing. Plus, moving back home with the parents makes you think - "Is this all I have to show for myself? 29. Single. Young. Free. And I'm home on a Thursday night watching TV at my parents' place?" I knew I had to go, just for the sake of going.

BUT, that wasn't all that made the trip worth it.

Now, I have a funny statement I can tell friends about a funky novelty of a life situation. I have a tiny, little, innocent crush that will go nowhere. I have wonderful fodder for my best writing genre: super sappy. And I've had enough influence from various romantic comedies of the past few weeks to write a story and have fun.

And, I have yet another reason to flip off the world's "timer" for once again proving that my love life is totally not synchronized with that of anything else. Oh yes. Fun times abound for writing! 19th Grade and Word - here I come!!

Livin' Life Thursday, baby.

Hell yeah!

Ulam cooked @ 2:53 PM

 0 of the headscratch variety

Monday, July 07, 2008

writing prompt: this is not a drill
This is not a drill.
It is a hammer.
Pounding heartbeats
through the space time continuum.
Pounding memories down my throat.
Making me sick.

She makes me sick.
Naseaus.
Incomplete.
My hands remain cold
in the warmth of an
everlasting summer.

It's a heatwave,
but only winter exists on my palms.
Alone.

The vast desert of frozen plateaus
get forgotten when compared
to the Sahara.

And still I drift.
Listless.

This is not a drill.
This is a real emergency on the a large scale
- an emergency where the beeping on the television
is followed by instructions.

This is not a drill.
This is a warning cry.
With her, I am confused.

Without her I'm pointless.

I'm dull.
I am not a drill.

Ulam cooked @ 12:03 PM

 0 of the headscratch variety

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Loser F*cks
The random trip to the city yesterday wasn't as pleasant as usual on a sunny, lazy Saturday.

1) The HOOTERS hostess was rude. I checked to see if I was still on the list just because we stepped away. I was just asking. I wasn't being aggressive or mean. Anyway, when they called us up, one of the other chicks must've asked if I was still there since I hesitated. Anyway, hostess chick was talking shit about me as I stepped up like I was being rude earlier. I wasn't. I knew she was talking shit so I just stepped to the front and smiled. I figure she can be embarrassed. Of course, she may be clueless. She may actually think she's attractive just cuz she put on the tackiness. She wasn't. Even if she was physically cute, she was surely ugly overall.

and

2) The ride home on Bart started out sorta dubiously. There were many seats open, but dumbfuck decided to sit in front of me sitting sideways with his arm hanging on the back of his seat so technically getting a bit into my personal space. Whatever. I was just trying to read. Eventually, some dude started talking hella loud about sports history and records. Very irritating.

Anyway, loud dude stepped out and the dude in front of me decided to make some comments about that dude being cracked out and punctuated HIS idiocy by saying that the loud dude was just a stupid "N___". He decided to repeat it a few times to his girlfriend and child (in a stroller) hopefully sleeping. And they both felt compelled to repeat the term a few times flippantly while fighting over going to safeway when they got off. She was a white girl. He was middle eastern and I know this since he classily referred to himself as a "sand N---".

So, basically, for a few more stops, I had to listen to this fuckhead in front of me ramble on about bullshit, talk about how some gang in San Leandro suck cuz they can't fight one on one without weapons, and he was just being belligerently making random noises like an idiot (and also singing some pieces of some WCW country song about Rap being crap).

Finally, they got out.

When I think back on it, I'm sure the dude wasn't drunk or high. I think he's just straight up stupid. And I wondered what would happen in the world if worthless fucks like him would just cease to exist. I mean.. yes, he's a father, but C'mon. Who's anyone fooling to think that child is better off with his father's wonderful classiness and intelligence rather than being raised by a computer or a tomato. Really.

He was guaranteed in his mid-20s. I'm sure he was just trying to get attention and to actually get someone irritated enough to pick a fight with him. And see, this is where idiots like him think they're so tough that they can be belligerent and not have anyone front them. No. he has nothing to offer the world so he can be a drunk or non-drunk asshole. The rest of us? We've got much more to live for than to get into a beef on BART at 11:30pm with a complete idiot.

Really.

Ulam cooked @ 10:29 PM

 0 of the headscratch variety

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

a boy, his tv, and strep throat class g
I'm still in the midst of my first serious (but not life-threatening) sick episode of my adulthood (although, I swear at the level of heat I was feeling last Thursday I thought I was about to burst), it hasn't been such a life-altering experience. but let's see what I've done or discovered:

5 and 9.
I've been through five sweatshirts and nine t-shirts so far just to alleviate the accumulated sweat when the advil or tylenol kicked in. Or, last night, I kept cycling through 3 and 7, respectively, of those sweat and tee shirts because I kept waking up sweaty. No real fever.. no need for tylenol.. but just sweaty and needing a change.

Network Bridge.
I connected my xbox 360 to the internet this afternoon using my laptop as the network adapter. Gotta test it on COD4 or something else to see if there's immense lag. If not, I'd love to save that $100 since I just threw away $330. Oh, I mean more.

No New York. No Philly. No Yankee Stadium. No Shea. Still paying for a bunch of the trip though.
In 6 hours, I was supposed to be at the airport waiting for my flight to New York. Fuck. (And I'm watching "A Lot Like Love" on TNT and they're showing a bunch of placed in NY that I've walked through and should BE AT!)

Rest means rest.
I guess when dr's prescribe rest, they really mean it. I had to move this weekend, so I had to take two trips.

Real Friends are the BEST.
I've unfortunately had to rely on some of my friends to do my work for me.. in terms of cleaning up and finishing the move out of ssf. It's also not forgotten that when I asked for helped earlier in the month on the "friendlist" I only got one response. Yeah. Whatever.

Dude, Fever's SUCK.
On Sunday, at Urgent Care, about 1.5 hours after I took 2 advils, I clocked in at 102.3 degrees. That means an hour before, I was easily over 103 because I was assed-fucking-out. BUT, that wasn't even as bad as what I was on Thursday night. Somehow, I went back to sleep, and 1) woke up and 2) cooled down.

The TV.
I've spent a lot of time with the TV these past few days, moreso than usual. I haven't had a chance to exercise. And, with a completely new hard drive, there haven't been too many fall back things to watch.

Shawshank!
I finally watched Shawshank Redemption today, and I mean that in two ways: 1) in life and 2) in netflix since I've had that damn dvd for.. I don't even want to say.

The Most Electrifying..
I watched the Rock DVDs a few weeks back and brought me back to a better place (wrestling). I watched RAW for the first time in a while. It sucked for the most part, but it looked good in Hi-Def. Santino Marella's a funny a-hole heel. I'm not compelled to watch it.

I Heart the Smithsonian (HD) Channel.
I've watched a couple of pretty good features on the SmithHD channel. And then I saw a pretty bad one: The Lost Gods or something like that. It was about Roman Gods. The content wasn't bad. But the nauseating transitions made no sense and were used too much (rolling ground shots that sped up, rolling wall shots that sped up, aerial views that were shot in 360 and then sped up.. and sped up.. and sped up.. and sped up..). But, it's like a mix of History and Discovery channels but much less commercial.

Phlebotomy.
During the Urgent Care visit, they had to take a blood test. I was getting better (due to the Advil finally kicking in) and I was reading the notes that the dr gave me. I made a scrunch face of sorts. The nurse asst asked what the face was for. I said it was nothing. I think she was assuming that I was getting queasy with the impending needle. I said I've been getting my blood drawn since I was a kid. So she stuck me and I just kept reading the papers. Blood was flowing slowly. I said it wasn't a problem. I kept reading the papers like it was a newspaper. She seemed to be surprised by my chill-ness. That's all.

...

I appreciate all the support from my mom and dad especially with the chaos of moving and the chaos in my room. I appreciate the support from my supervisor and my workplace. I appreciate my friends who have helped me with no hesitation. I appreciate the friends of my friends who offered help with no hesitation. I appreciate all the caring texts and IMs from my sister, my cousins, and friends.

...

Being sick.. with an abnormally high fever and NOT knowing what the hell's going on is scary. I'm not being dramatic. I don't ever get badly sick - and obviously since it's been since college or high school since something hit - it can be crazy. I'm glad I'm getting better.

Ulam cooked @ 11:31 PM

 0 of the headscratch variety