I have a bad habit of skimming through my email. So today I went to the bowling alley. I thought my friends were lagging, so I looked around... left side, right side... left again... right again. Then I got the feeling something might have changed, so I called Derrick. I guess I had to laugh at myself because Vanessa was already laughing at me. Turns out I forgot what day it was. That's a definite sign that I need some structure.

The day wasn't a loss though. GP and I went over to 25A Parkwatts to watch the chaos and check out their new place. We fooled around with Franch's scanner and hid her pictures in random places. Francis wanted us to take her bed over to the new place, so we loaded it into GP's car. Andy DuFranny didn't think we could make it to the new place if she wasn't tagging along, but we managed to find it, no problem.

Their new place is really nice, but the single room is hella small, but it has 3 bathrooms. We got their matress up to the loft, sort of. We actually left it on the ledge next to the loft. Then we jammed garage door with the boxspring and put caramel on the doorknob of the front door. Hehe. I haven't pulled a big prank in so long... it's been too long... I even dropped a hint about the caramel, just to make it sporting. We came back and grabbed some more stuff and made our way out. They figured that we wedged something into the hallway so they couldn't open the door, so they went around to the front door... and Geeps and I waited in his car... it took a while, but it was hilarious hearing DuFranny scream. And then they found the mattress on the ledge. Hehe. Gotcha! Shelby was loving it... France on the other hand...

Before we left I cleaned off the doorknob because Fran was a little PO'ed. Man, that made things less fun. Then I bravely rode back while she drove Dee's car on her permit back to Parkwatts (which wasn't strictly legal). Then it was back home to check out Kobe Bryant on friendster. Oh my gash... it's freakin hilarious. And now after killing the rest of the night, the sun is starting to rise. Time to sleep.

I've been talking to a few people here and there and it seems like people aare either going through some drama or everything is just the same-old same-old. I fall in the same-old category, but I know more than a few people that are dealing with something right now. Even though I have no drama (besides my bills), I hate that feeling that there are so many problems around me, and I can't do a damn thing to solve any of them, especially when it's personal drama. People are still people though, and no matter how responsible they should be, everyone screws up once in a while.

As for my drama-less life, I think I got a severe beat down with the lazy stick. I didn't go to sleep until after 5 am last night and woke up at 1... only to take a nap around 7 until 8:30... and not to leave the house until 9:15. To work out. Besides some conversations online and whatnot, that was my day. I need some structure. At least I have no drama. But for all those dealing with something right now, you are not alone.

I hit up the ARC today with Martin. That fool hasn't gone for weeks now, hehe. If he goes more often, I'll have a spotter. We planned on checking out Mars, but as we made our way towards the observatory, there was a massive traffic jam with police lights flashing all over the place. We didn't realize everyone was trying to get to the observatory until we drove around and saw car lined up to the parking structure off Campus. Martin parked there and we ran up until we got to the hills. I didn't want to get my shoes all messed up, but I just ran--carefully--in my new basketball shoes (not the best shoes to run in) all the way uphill until it felt like my lungs were ready to collapse. The whole time we were dodging people on the way up. There were gangs more people out in the hills. I think the line stretched maybe a quarter mile for the observatory telescope. We got tired of waiting and followed the hundreds of people cutting and cut again in a line for an ameteur telescope. The actual image I saw was only as big as a raisin, but I could make out the polar ice cap and the dark spots on the surface. I guess it's just one of the experiences where you can say "I was there."

Afterwards I made some shakes and went over to his place afterwards. He cooked some damn good chicken and even hooked me up with some leftovers. I love free food. Well, technically I owe him a haircut. I watched Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Jam over there. Man, I love that show. There's something so refreshing about television that actually challenges you and makes you think, instead of crap that just holds your attention long enough so you don't change the channel. Which brings me to to my next point: MTV isn't so bad as long as you avoid watching during the daytime hours. I'm so tired of TRL and what middle America wants to see. Maybe I should just stay away from TV all-together while the sun is out. And with my new stock of leftovers and music I want to download (damn RIAA bastards for trying to kill one of the best things to happen to music at large), tomorrow I'll avert my eyes from television until after sunset and start looking for a job. Sixteen months of unemployment makes a man a lazy man.

Oh geeeez... there had to be about 8 THOUSAND people waiting to get a peek of Mars. Crazy. That's like half the UCI student population. Mad crazy.

My ate Grace called me today. She just got back from backpacking in Europe for 12 days, and tonight she's leaving for New York for another 12 days. I was good to catch up with her. It's almost like we're more old friends than siblings right now considering how little we see each other. Seeing and hearing from so many people these past few days, and scanning through friendster (I said I'd only join if Lauren and Adam's cat invited me, so Malcom the cat is my first friend) and seeing people from high school all grown up and doing their own thing, I get the sense that everything I left behind when I went to off to college is different now. I even stumbled across one girl I knew in high school, but I didn't recognize at first, because I didn't even recognize her name. It turns out she's modeling now and has her own website and all that. Crazy. I remember we had the same PE period and I met her playing basketball with her cousin (I made 6 3-pointers in a row and she was watching). It's really mind-boggling that no matter how much you try to stay in contact with people, you never really know that much about people and their lives unless you're right there with them. Sometimes, you can't even count on that.

It seems the past is an immovable object. Unchanging, yet always growing. One can't help but worry about the past, until the realization comes that you can only operate in the present.

I've lost track. I wish I could retrace my steps to see where they stopped landing next to yours. But the memories are little more than traces of existence now. If I follow them I just might lose my way...

Last night, I planned on going to the ARC, but went to go eat with the roommates instead at Del Taco. Joyce and Tin wanted Starbucks, so I made sure to park right in the middle. It took a few tries, but I got it eventually. Joyce asked me if I wanted anything, and I said I wanted the almond bearclaws, but they were out. I got Joyce to ask the Starbucks guy for them though, and he thought she was tripping or something. Hehe. We tried the tacos al carbon at Del Taco, but they were really small, even smaller than the ones you get at Taco Tuesdays, but even more expensive. I drove back, but took a tour of Dartmouth, Parkwest, and the Dollhouse before going home. We stopped in front of the dollhouse, and then...
- honked
- flashed the lights
- backed into the driveway (it was still dirt, no cement... Joyce and Tins were in the back)
- rolled down the back windows and locked them
- opened Tin's door
- stalled the car
Ah yes, it was great. Then I gave the car a good shakedown on the Racho San Joaquin backroads, with Joyce and Tin screaming in the back. There's nothing like a good scare to get that heart beating.

I finally put together my desk again last night. It was about time too. I was getting to used to the other desk in the corner, even though it seemed like it was ready to collapse any second from the weight of my humongous monitor. Then moving my computer and stereo into place with all the cords and whatnot took the better chunk of 45 minutes. I hope I don't have to move them again any time soon, but I think I will because I have no idea where the other bunk bed is going to go. Hmmmm...

Today was a good day. I finally cooked (for the first time here), even though it took me a while to build up the motivation. I just kept getting hungrier and hungrier while I started going crazy from starvation. I made some pasta with the frozen grilled chicken Mel got from his sister (which has a May expiration date... as long I don't think about it too much, it tastes fine). Later, I went to go recycle the stuff from 2511 Christopher I left in the garage here and pick up the mail that wasn't forwarded. The guy at the recycling place didn't speak English that well, so I didn't know what he was talking about when he was telling me what they don't buy back. I thought I'd get a nice $5 or so, but only walked away with $1.57. Oh well.

After working out for a while, I went to LOG. Even though I was exactly an hour late, I made most of the meeting. It was a long overdue opportunity to open up again and just figure out where I am in my walk. I feel a lot more focused and relieved now, and it was awesome to sing with those Liwanag angels again.

Being Tuesday and Chris's birthday, we convinced him to treat us to chicken nuggets, and he agreed, but at the McDonalds near EI's place. We rolled deep, and even though I tried to take a few shortcuts I just managed to catch up with everyone later. I suggested we eat on the front yard of the Dollhouse, but I don't think anyone was up for it, at least the girls weren't. We bumped into Mike Cordia over there too. We killed more than twenty six-piece chicken nuggets and plenty of cold-filtered water among us before we got kicked out. We saw Laura Camarena there, so Laura, GP, and I loitered in front even after they shut the lights off and talked about school and growing up and marriage. I never thought I'd be talking about marriage any time soon. People are growing up fast though. Lots of people are getting married too. It makes you think. If I want to get married by 28, I have about 6 years to go. Plus I want to know this person for maybe 3 years minimum before I get married. That leaves 3 years to meet the person I want to marry. But I only have one year left of undergrad. College is the best time to meet people. So after this year, if I don't meet someone, then things get a lot more difficult. But then again, it's all part of the plan. And according to Murphy's Law, nothing goes according to plan all the time. Unless it's in His plan. Maybe I should stop planning then...

We talked until midnight, then rolled back home, racing though Irvine. And it was all free. Besides the gas, but that's another story...

I'm on extended weekend mode, so much in fact that it's now like after moving and MCATs, the past week has been a nice long weekend.

Thursday
A very productive day. Wake up, eat, watch TV, go online, work out, eat, more online, sleep. Sometime before sleeping, a few of us PUSO peeps (Derrick, Jas, Jacki, Vanessa, and Kris) decided to go clubbing. It was out in Long Beach at The Pier. I haven't been clubbing in a while, and only once to an 18 and over club, so I made the mistake of thinking there was a dress code. I already felt overdressed when I pulled up in the parking lot. Old and overdressed. What guy over 21 goes to an 18 and over club? I guess that's me. It was fun though. The place wasn't as ghetto as I thought it was when we got inside, and the guys weren't nearly as clingy as they are in 21 and over clubs. The music selection wasn't the greatest either, but whatever. Most of the people trying to squeeze around people dancing were actually pretty polite and tapped you on the back instead of just trying to push you out of their way. Then there was the girl dancing on the platform wearing that 3 inch wide cloth over her chest with the cellulite on her ass showing... and the kids with camera phones taking pictures of said ass... and the guys who beat up the poor deer thing on the patio (it never did anything to them)...

Afterwards, we were all dehydrated and sleepy, so we rolled over to Alerto's for large horchatas and carne asada burritos/fries, but not before a little speeding through Westminster Mall to get some money from Derrick's bank. The patio at Alerto's just closed, so we all ate at Derrick's place at Newport North. Jasmine educated us with Ed's Filipino FHM before we all left at 3 am.

Friday
I woke up hella late, so I had to get packed up and dressed in a hurry so I wouldn't hold up anything for the PUSO board retreat. Filipino time still applies though, so I wasn't the last one to arrive. We got everything in the cars, played some t.p. football, gassed up, and rolled out. We were able to dodge the worst of the Friday rush hour traffic by taking the 241 tollroad and 71, but got held up some on the 215. We finally got to Big Bear Lake around 8 and picked up our keys. After some ceremonial surprise-surprise stuff, we got to see what a phat cabin we rented. And phat it was. Pool table, 3 bedrooms (one with a nice waterbed), extra large living room, and plenty of hot water. The tubs even had jets in them. Sweet. We got some business out of the way and went crazy with the pool table. The rest of the weekend went something like this:
- pool balls don't always stay on the table
- grilled pork chops for dinner
- girls bet the guys a dollar each at pool. Guys go up 1-0. Girls go to sleep.
- trying to convince Kris that the deer head on the wall winks at you when you look at its reflection in the window
- sleeping on the floor, next to the nice waterbed
- taking care of business
- a much needed nap after before lunch
- dogpile on the waterbed! And I'm on the bottom...
- hamburgers for lunch
- body parts icebreaker - and it wasn't an ass...
- more business
- the human pretzel icebreaker - the first time, we took 20 minutes and Ryan made good friends with Jeannie and Melanie, but we couldn't figure it out. The second time, we got untangled in less than 2 minutes and we had two separate circles. The third time was pretty crazy. Ryan had to do a flip over Mike's back and his ass got better acquainted with somebody... 10 minutes later we had one big circle.
- more business at the pool table. A lot gets done when people aren't falling asleep.
- the best part. Dinner was prepared by good old Outreach Coords, Vaness, Mel, and I. We made rice and Cajun style chicken (with test chicken), rice, and southern style corncakes with bacon. And rice. With more rice on the side. The rice was courtesy of Melissa, who made just enough so the rice cooker wouldn't explode with rice. Just barely. We tried closing it again and the metal part of the lid came off when we opened it again. I didn't know it came off...
Vanessa and Melissa volunteered to grill the chicken while I tried my hand at the corncakes with bacon. I never made them before, so I improvised a lot. They didn't bring a decent can opener, so it took me 10 minutes just to get the 6 lbs. can of corn open. The smell of 6 lbs. of corn is a little nauseating. I didn't know how I was going to grind the corn up, so I spent another 20 mintues trying to do it by hand. Luckily Vince pointed out the thing hanging on the wall, one of those electric food choppers that used to be so popular in infomercials. It worked just great, except I ended up with corn bits all over my shirt.
Little did I know that outside, Mel and Ness were busy making "test chicken" (being as they've never grilled before). The first two batches looked like fresh coal... "Where's the chicken?"... I killed the rest of the brown sugar I found in the cupboard for the corncakes and kept stalling as everyone was getting tired, or hungry, or both. Mel took the black skin off the chicken, and it was still a little pink, so we threw it in the oven to cook some more. The next batch came, and we had to throw that in the oven too. I finished off the corncakes, then grilled the last few chicken thighs (non-Cajun style) and we were done. Two and a half hours later. It was 12:30.
While we were eating, it was mad quiet. We couldn't tell if it was the food or because they just woke up. Somehow, the 3 pounds of corn that didn't go into the corncakes was finished, along with the majority of the chicken. It was good, just very black. The girls sat the chicken right over the flames the whole time. Hehehehe...
- more pool. I finally got some consistency when I play. It's all in the follow-through.
- "Yoga" comes out of the bag and fishbowl
- a few of us watched the stars outside and tried to look for all the constellations we knew for sure. All one of them. Orion. We didn't find it.
- more pool. I started making some nice combination shots. I think I did 2 combos with the 8 ball, which won the game, but the girls thought we were making up rules as we went along. I used my impression of the landlord in Kingpin to keep the girls losing, while Mel made fun of our finger pointing. "You and your little..."
- Vanessa got in the habit of moving the cue ball around, but only a couple of inches, to make things a little simpler.
- girls lost their dollars. "Winner takes half." It was all Jen.
- incriminating "Yoga" deeds on camera with unsuspecting sleeping board members
- we all crashed in the living room right around sunrise, listening to Mike and Melissa take turns sounding off
- corncakes for breakfast. And rice. And bagels. And apple cider.
- pictures. And those picture timers.
- passing out on the way down the mountain
- stopping at Ontario Mills. It had to be about 110 in the parking lot with the heat reflecting off the asphalt. Even worse, we had to throw all our things from the back of the truck into the cab. We left Mel's rice out though. There was a Nike Outlet store, so I strolled in and found some Ultraflights for $50. We went to go eat, but didn't really decide on anything for 15 minutes. Finally, we ordered a pizza and everyone else started eating. We were all pretty comatose afterwards, so we scrapped the idea of walking around the whole mall. I went back to the Nike store to get my shoes. I had to try them on, because I'm a picky shopper. I wanted some running shoes too, but I didn't like the ones they had there. I finally bought my shoes, and walked back to the entrance, where everyone applauded me for finally buying the shoes. I wasn't that long... maybe 30 minutes. Ok, it was pretty long. But shoes are important...
- one more stopover at Frances's house in Rancho Cucamonga, where it was only about 100 degrees. We watched some Road Rules and got rehydrated before headed off to Irvine.
- we watched the video Kris took at Derrick's pad
- Ryan, Vince, Kris, and I met up at church and sat together, behing Joyce and Mel. I don't think I ever went to mass with any PUSO peeps (besides the LOG peeps), so it was cool. Afterwards we went to Pho Bac and played ten fingers, except when we got out, we just started counting in the negative. I think I reached -18... Ryan was about -36... I can't believe I didn't beat Kris in the end, but they started targeting me.

It was a great weekend. Here come the withdrawls...

I need a job. Can somebody hook a brother up?