Hot Links

The links are changed now to show sites that I visit regularly because they're supposed to be my recommendations, right?? Trust me, these are great pages...not that flash-in-the-pan kinda temporary shit. I wouldn't steer you wrong.

Louise - She has drive. She doesn't stand for injustice. She's a U.S. woman in Venezuela.

Plastic - God, these asshole posters infuriate me sometimes with their self-important commenting and efforts to sound cultured and intelligent. Take, for example, this comment by Cutta about the Oscars:

I have not seen Million Dollar Baby, so have no real grounds for saying this, but not giving Best Supporting Actor to Thomas Haden Church was a fucking travesty.

So Cutta insists there was a grievous oversight despite not knowing the disparity between the performance he favored and the winning performance. I mean, none of this shit is important when over 50% of graduating seniors at a high school fail the minimum proficiency exam, so when someone displays such "fucking" emotion over it, it's kinda upsetting. Otherwise, the site is great!!!

Wonda - From what I gather, Wonda is a model for motorcycle and ricer magazines. She also has a dynamite webpage. It is here that I learned about the Paris Hilton cellphone leak before it was on cnn.com. Quite amazing.

Sprizee - This woman is emblematic of Seattle. If you're young, hip and thinking of moving here you can read this and get a sense of what your experience will be like.

Listen, Lady... - Dude reads comics, watches movies, sings and socializes. It's just like my fantasy.

Secret Storm - An excellent writer from Toronto. I know nothing about half the subjects but the expression is so skilled I can't help but be hooked.

If you look at all of these you must be pretty bored, but since you weren't doing anything anyway it will be worth your while.

News and Basketball Philosophy

At my desk this Monday afternoon enjoying the graduate student cuisine of instant oatmeal and Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. To be honest, the stove has been hopping lately. Yesterday I finally made that Italian sausage sandwich I had envisioned for several weeks after seeing Rachael Ray prepare it on 30-Minute Meals. A sourdough roll and your favorite basil-infused sausage link, both sliced in half lengthwise, saute some onions and red bell pepper, throw the bread in the pan for awhile to toast it then stack it: bread, provolone, sausage, sauteed veggies, sprinkle black pepper, bread. The cheese will melt from the heat of everything else and you're left with a gorgeous-looking, filling and totally unhealthy summit of tastes. So good that I made another one for breakfast this morning.

This morning in class my professor took some time after the lecture to impart some wisdom. He told us that he had open-heart surgery before the start of the quarter and that he had taken the time to reflect on life and what is important, as I imagine many people in life-threatening situations do. His field is wildlife biology and it is his passion but, he said, the important things in life are one's relationships. With friends, spouses, parents, lovers, colleagues and even strangers. Even God, he said, although I amended that to a relationship with oneself. The relationships don't all have to be positive; it's naive to imagine we each can be friends with everyone we meet. But he said to let others know how you feel. My professor took the opportunity to talk with his family before his surgery and he felt it was a liberating experience, and he felt lucky to have the chance to talk to them after the surgery, too.

Maybe relationships are like cultivating flowers in a garden. Actually, no, because there's effort coming from both sides, not just the gardener tending to his plants. No metaphor offhand, but regardless just gotta maintain those relationships so they don't become wilted flowers...although it's not a garden...am I rambling now?

It's 11pm now...had to go to work before I could finish this. Also, I'm drinking Pacifico. Just giving you setting. So this post was supposed to be about basketball as metaphor for life. I've been playing well recently but this stuff runs through my head all the time. There are a few maxims of basketball I keep in mind that translate to real life:

1. Keep Everyone Involved - a basketball team is very dangerous when every person on the floor is a threat to score. So even if there is a weak link on the team it's important to get him or her an easy bucket so that the defense has to pay attention. The opponents will win if a team doesn't take advantage of their double-teaming. So, for life, this is essentially bringing the disadvantaged along with you. Everyone has something to contribute.

2. Hustle and Play Defense - I think defense is easier than offense; be responsible for your man except when there's an immediate threat to score, then you guard the basket. On offense one must set screens on and off the ball, switch directions, crossover, pump fake and move in $ynchrocity with one's teammates. The point, though, one can't be ignored over the other and both must be done well. In life, we are all capable of great things so why not do them? It's like Justice Page from last week excelling in the NFL and becoming a state judge. Do it all and do it all with excellence.

3. Feed the Hot Hand - When someone is hot let him take over...it can make the game really easy. What this means in life? Umm...uh...give recognition and support when deserved?

4. Be a Good Sport - Because it's just a game. Compete, exert yourself and experience the thrill and agony, but in the end be able to laugh, smile and be content. I think that's life lesson-worthy. James Worthy.

Minor Alterations

How do you like the eyes photo for the profile? I'm just really into taking photos of myself lately. So vain! The idea came from Street Fighter Alpha 3, of all places. Eyes are great, though...probably the most expressive parts of our face...certainly the most beautiful. They say it's like looking directly at one's soul. I decided to look away, however, so that the photo will seem contemplative or hopeful.

I'm gonna make some more changes maybe this weekend. The links section ought to be more representative of the links I actually use. That means out with Hyperwest, which I never look at, and in with five other great pages to join Louise's chronicles in Venezuela.

Questionable Tattoo Page

There's a new link in the Links section. Questionable Content is this great web comic I ran across a couple of weeks ago. Great artwork, and the dialogue is really clever and funny. Kinda Frasier-ian what with the witty banter between Marten, Faye, Dora and Pintsize. I replaced New Jack Swing 4Ever, well, because although I really do listen to old New Jack nearly every day, reading about it just doesn't have the same appeal.

Glanced at the UW Daily this afternoon at work and found an article about precautions when getting a tattoo. It frowned upon getting a tattoo of the name of one's significant other because relationships are dynamic. Yeah, I'll say. I'm not saying not to love and to accept love, but beware that after committing to that tattoo you could be hit by the figurative truck. I still just can't comprehend the bizarre and uncharacteristic behavior. Rage, sadness, miscommunication, lack of communication...it's like a thousand song lyrics come true. It's amazing how much easier and faster it is to tear something down than to build it piece by piece.

Oh...made fried rice for the second time in as many days. First time I used too much oil. This time I used less oil, sliced more carrots and yellow and red bell peppers, added pepper, less soy sauce, some celery and an egg...it was really good.

One last quick thing that deserves more space than I'm gonna give it tonight since it's closing in on midnight. Attended the Justice Alan Page talk this evening. Black Justice on the Minnesota State Supreme Court and former NFL MVP...he looked like what Taye Diggs will look like at age 59, that is, if he grows some facial hair. Won a national championship at Notre Dame as a college player, went to 8 Pro Bowls as a pro and, of course, that MVP award as a defensive tackle, of all things. As impressive as that is, he attended law school while playing pro ball and worked his way up the lawyer ranks in Minnesota, became D.A., then State Attorney General and now he's a judge. Either one of those paths of accomplishment is phenomenal and this guy did both...and he's still going! Anyway, Coach Tyrone Willingham (pretty accomplished in his own right) introduced him and Page talked about the importance of education...demanding excellence and equality. That's right up my alley as an Education student. He also talked about the importance of the judicial system and impartiality of the judge. A judge's purpose, he said, isn't to impose his will but to impose his judgment....that's why they're called "Judges" not "Wills". It was impressive to see a person who clearly has a vested interest in seeing certain things happen be able to set his will aside and use only his judgment. I've always wanted to be a judge and I've been called a person with great integrity...have I lived up to that compliment? I think...and hope, I have. It's only the right way to be.

Tru Blogga

What up, then?

No real post, I just think this photo is G. Yes, I used "G" as an adjective. I ought to make it my profile photo.

Sugar Sugar Candy in my Mouth

Those of you who know me personally know that my favorite candy is Brach's Marshmallow Eggs. The label actually says Bunny Basket Eggs but I'm too hard to allow those words to escape my mouth...yeah, right. As if marshmallow eggs sounds any better.

So, after work I walked up to the grocery store to buy celery and carrots for my soup. Oh? You'd like background information? I never cook much here in Seattle because I don't have good supplies or utensils in the apartment. And that's still the case, except last weekend I bought a medium-sized pot and a long-handled spoon. I also bought a dress shirt, cream-and-brown Pumas, five pairs of socks, two pairs of corduroy pants, a red ceramic bowl and Prince of Persia for the PS2, but that's besides the point. Now I have what I need to cook rather than just prepare my meals. Very exciting. I decided to start with egg drop soup like I used to make last year and it's only fitting since I live in an apartment full of Asians. My roommate from China, whose name I can't remember and who is probably considering moving out after last Sunday's Audio Post Blowout, cooks nearly every day. He'll flip when he sees me in the kitchen using something other than the microwave. Perhaps I'll let him taste my soup so that he can appreciate his own ability even more.

Back to the story, though, I walked in Safeway to find some veggies but out of my eye I caught the cardboard holiday candy display. I'm picky about my candy so normally this wouldn't mean much to me except the display was YELLOW...an unmistakable sign that the Easter candy season had begun. Knowing Safeway doesn't sell Brach's Marshmallow Eggs, I dropped my basket on a checkout counter, left the store and walked directly across the street to Walgreens. "Are they there? Is it too early?" No, man. No, it's not too early. February 17...instead of vegetables, I bought my first 3 bags of Easter candy. I swear, this might be the year that shit kills me.

Audio Post Blowout!!

WhatUpThen sings Enchantment, Stevie Wonder and even Eminem!! Enchantment is out of my range, so I'm singing an octave lower. Need to work on the ad-libbing. I consider the performance laughable, but then again, that's why I do it in my room. Eminem...well, I'm not a rapper. I'm proud of the line "watchin' ballers while they flossin' in they Pathfinders", though. So, enjoy/fall out of your chair laughing. I do it for you.

WhatUpThen sings "Gloria"

WhatUpThen sings "Overjoyed"

WhatUpThen sings "Rock Bottom"

Call Me

I just realized that Macy Gray and Prince have songs with very similar titles. Macy Gray's is "Why Didn't You Call Me?" and Prince's is "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" Anyway, I like them both and I find myself singing them often. In fact, I may have already done a "How Come U..." audio post already? Did I? Well shit, then, maybe it's time!!

The Little Things

One little thing in life that's enjoyable...talking at the movies. You know, you're at the movies watching something worth laughing at like Hide and Seek and it's totally cliched and predictable and asinine so you enjoy the moment with your friends right then and there. Ha ha, why is he going in the cave alone? Snicker snicker, Elisabeth Shue driving up for a booty call! Hee hee ho ho, this is just like The Sixth Sense! Anyway, it was fun to go out. Dinner at Beppo's and I'm still full. The other couple behaved as if they hadn't seen each other in a month! I'm talking jaw-dropping PDAs. No such physicality between WhatUpThen and his date, but I'm just glad we get to do it again.

Also, happy birthday to Eric. Are you 26 now? That doesn't seem right. But I guess you weren't born in '80, so it must be. Damn dude, hella old! I wish you a happy year and I know it will be if you refuse to simply fall into place.

In life, the script flies by fast
And we don't know how the roles will be cast
The outcome is unclear
But I read on without fear
Knowing I have friendships that last

VaginaVaginaVaginaVaginaVagina

I'll admit that this is kinda the second time I've seen The Vagina Monologues. A few years ago there was a production at Cal some friends and I went to. Damn, what was it called? I think it had some Indian name and it was essentially TVM: South Asian Edition. Noni Bat, was that it?? Oh, hold on...I just googled "South Asian Vagina Monologues" and found the title. It's Yoni Ki Baat...guess that translates directly to "talks of the vagina". Quite nice. I wonder what will turn up if I just drop the "monologues" from those search terms? Anyway, so I saw Yoni Ki Baat before but I wanted to see the original, you know? If the spinoff production was so satisfying (especially the performance by that one disturbingly attractive young woman who also sang in the Golden Overtones and why am I thinking about this several years after the fact?) then the original had to be, well...orgasmic?

Maybe it's because I'd seen it once before, but it all just felt so contrived to me. Female readers stop here. Please sign a mental release stating that you won't cease reading Ice Climber based solely on the content of the next few sentences. I don't know how many times I looked at my watch during the show. I found myself thinking: "Yeah, yeah people make a big deal out of menarche and society makes you stuff it with dry cotton and your vagina is angry and if it wore clothes it would wear red leather because you are all just so badass don't you realize that Elektra has already left theatres and it probably only made 25 million and I hope the suit Jennifer Garner wore was actually vinyl so the producers were able to save a little bit of money but seriously could you hurry up and get off the stage so we could see the next freakin' act?"

And some of the men jokes..."The next monologue was written by a woman who had a good experience with a man," cue laughter. Dude, that shit's not funny. It's clever but it's not fucking funny and holy shit why am I taking this so personally oh yes it's because I'm thinking of my own experience and I hate to see it boiled down into dumb sitcom-caliber cliches. Annnnnyway...I see I'm channeling my inner Neanderthal so I'll quit. All in all, though, it was better the first time around.

Worktime Blogger

Interesting thing about a salaried job...despite not having submitted a timesheet, I've already been paid twice! It probably is a good idea to fill those things out, though...maybe during this downtime at work.

That's right, it's my first-ever worktime blogger post. Things are kinda slow right now. Filipino American Student Union had a giant meeting and leftover cake and, well...let's just say I don't like to waste food. My badass book project for work is finally done and the ECC is decorated with a dozen lovely posters created by our student graphic designer. Somehow I've gotta get images of these posters on this site. Maybe I can borrow Master P's digital camera for the weekend.

I really ought to get the camera because it should be a decent weekend. Got some cash now so a trip to Macy's is in store. Am I the only straight male on Earth who would admit that Macy's is his first destination after payday? Gonna see The Vagina Monologues...the real one, for the first time, oh only about 5 years after it was all the rage. And, (ho ho!) there's a d-d-double date on the horizon for Valentine's weekend! I'd like to pretend this happens often enough that I'm not crazy-excited about it but, alas, I cannot. So, yeah I'm looking forward to it. This is my most eventful weekend in some time, it's gotta be recorded for posterity. Oh yeah, and I have to get back to work.

J-Church, N-Judah, K-Ingleside

Following an entertaining, yet ultimately time-wasting, bleary-eyed IM chat with my ex's fiancee at 7am Saturday morning, I spent seven hours at place where I normally wouldn't be caught dead...a church. I went to churches twice during all of 2004 only for very special events. Before that...who fucking knows when??

One of the UW student groups I advise is planning to bring an anti-racism workshop to campus for faculty and staff to undergo. My boss and I figured that if I'm going to help the students execute the workshop that I ought to at least go through it and get the experience myself.

It was held at Freedom Church in West Seattle. It's a Black church housed in an old Safeway building. Looking around, one can tell it was formerly a supermarket but it looks very nice with pews (is that the right word? Church and WhatUpThen don't really mix) installed and a podium/lectern and even microphones and drum set!

The workshop itself was moving. One of my profs has a system about meaningful things...he says to ask yourself whether something touched you, whether it pushed you or whether it moved you; this Undoing Institutional Racism training was most definitely the latter of the three. It's completely inappropriate to place the session in a nutshell, but I'll try. There's no doubt that racism is a reality today, but the workshop leaders threw out some definitions that I hadn't heard before. If racism is a process by which whites, based on their skin color, are afforded benefits that others don't receive, then all White people are racist and no person of color can be racist. Isn't that some provocative shit?! Essentially, they are using the idea of institutionalized racism to define "racism." It sounds a little less pointed when you say: "All White people benefit from institutionalized racism while no person of color benefits from it," but I am starting to believe that the automatic benefits are what distinguishes racism from prejudice, hatred and bigotry, which we know people of all colors, nationalities and sexes are capable of.

Anyway, it was also good just to hear everyday people talking candidly about their experiences and about what we need to do. In the real world it is so rare that people talk openly but everyone appreciates it when it happens. It did rankle me a bit each time someone credited God, told me that they were blessed or when I had to pretend like I was praying in a group. But one thing I can say about these church folks, they were welcoming with open arms. Don't get me wrong...I'm not about to go all Vaya Con Dios on you, but being in that setting really makes one examine oneself and that's something I needed to do right about now.

Lunch Buddies

Dr. Emmert, WhatUpThen and Rachael!!!

University of Washington President Dr. Mark Emmert is a man with considerable knowledge and experience in academia. Prior to his hiring at UW, Dr. Emmert served as the president at LSU for 6 years and as the chancellor and provost at the University of Connecticut for four years. Dr. Emmert pioneered the National Flagship Agenda designed to raise the academic standing of UConn to place it among the nation's best universities. LSU took on many of the ideas laid out in that plan when Dr. Emmert arrived and several other major universities have followed suit. Dr. Emmert has also worked in administration at the University of Colorado and at Montana State University. He is no stranger to Washington, though, having graduated from the UW with a bachelor's degree in political science before earning his master's and doctorate in public administration.

In about 11 hours, WhatUpThen will attend lunch with President Emmert in a rare forum for students. It's not everyone, though, out of over 35,000 students enrolled at the school only 50 special individuals were chosen to attend. What, you might ask, makes WhatUpThen such a valued member of the University of Washington community that he would be among the select few chosen to learn from the president and vocalize student and community issues on such a rare occasion? Well ,one night, I was up at about 4 in the morning playing Mario Kart Advance, trying to complete the Rainbow Road on 150cc. It's extremely curvy, there are few walls and the computer drivers are very fast so it's a tall order, no doubt. Suddenly an email from the ASUW President appeared in my Inbox saying the first fifty students to reply with their name and ID number would get to have lunch with President Emmert the next week. The first thought that went through my mind was: "Damn Luigi keeps stealing the item blocks!" The second thought I had was: "Holy shit, that lunch thing is probably catered!" I immediately replied and a few days ago I was informed that I was among the distinguished group identified to meet Dr. Emmert. So that's us at the top...two of a kind. I wonder if I can scrounge up another National Security hat to give him as a gift...

Seriously, though, I will bring up a question about relocating the Ethnic Cultural Center (where I work) onto campus. We are presently three blocks off campus on a site that was supposed to be temporary...back in 1972. It's cool to put of construction for a couple of years, but it's another thing to shelve it for over 30. I doubt my question will spark a sudden and efficient movement to relocate the ECC, but it's better to be vocal than to be silent.

Study Break

Yes, the hat was free.


This photo will be used as evidence in my stalking trial.

Nothing happening. Just sitting at my desk cranking out a little bit of work. Got bored and decided to give my webcam something to do since I don't really use it anymore. I'm giving strong consideration to the idea of making a real post after work.

I wonder if I have a thing for "Rachel" variants...Raquel, Rachael...does Rochelle count?