(Sigh) Sci-Fi. . .

So I watched Avatar last night in Imax 3D (. . . bitch. . . ) and it was a fun movie. I was amzed with the world of Pandora and all the plants, creatures, and general terrain. I feel this is where the special effects truly take the prize. The scenes in this movie looked so realistic, I maybe was unable to truly fathom all the achievements made in the technology. After hearing the common critiques from the news and my friends, I can clearly see what they were all talking about. Still, as I sort of predicted, this movie makes up for originality with its crazy action scenes. 

In terms of plot or greater meaning, I wonder if the naysayers are crying foul when they shouldn’t  be surprised at all. Cameron makes 5-star blockbuster movies, I mean have any of his flicks ever spurred deep thought? Take Titanic for example, great movie that won every award out there and dramatically shat all over the box office. Yeah it had Leo, a love story, and some cool effects, but there is no philosophical questioning in the movie. No allusion to the great subtleties of humanity that make us who we are. No, it is all just a big movie meant to entertain and pull on your heart strings. When people complain about the plot in Avatar, they should chill on it and realize that this is never the purpose of a Cameron flick (accept T2: Judgement Day).

I wish there were more memorable lines or at least some characters  I actually connected with. The story of the protagonist is interesting, but I feel like the whl issue of “betraying one’s race” is only explained through the fact that he spent so many long hours learning to know the alien inhabitants of Pandora. Oh, and he bones the main female chick. I would even go as far as to say that since the avatar provided Jack with legs, this sudden rush of emotion took him over and he was happy living as an avatar because he never wanted to go back to being a cripple. Of course, by the time he is offerred the chance to get new ”real” legs, he is already enamored in the Omitacaya way. . . Yeah, I’m not sure if I’m getting my poitn across. Jack needs more backstory. Was he lonely and depressed on Earth? Had his life as a cripple been relegated to nothing more than sitting at home and watching “I Love Lucy” re-runs with his parents? I don’t know, maybe I’m nitpicking. Maybe I need to watch it again.

After watching the movie, though, I began to think about the sci-fi genre in general. Last year, Star Trek was one of the best times I ever had in a movie theatre. No I didn’t get a quickie from the lady, but I truly loved all the parts of the movie. Still, the movie was not all that original in story, as JJ Abrama repeated the same concept time-travel as he had in Lost, all in order to slightly give him some more wriggle room for future Star Trek films. Another sci-fi movie that made news last year was District 9. I would be willing to claim that this was the one of the most inventive sci-fi films of the past decade. It of course serves as an allgory of racism and bigotry, but it combined sci-fi in to the stroy seemlessly. No, I’m not simply referring to the notion of aliens in the film, but the transformation that the protagonist undergoes in the movie. If you have not seen the movie, then skip the rest of this paragraph. As the main character is struggling (to say the least) with becoming an alien, he begins to question the world he has grown accustomed to, but still not fully rejecting it. Unlike Avatar, where the protagonists turn happens smoothly and with little visual strife in the character, District 9 portrays a man who does not fit any longer in the human world, but he so desparately does not want to become part of the alien world.

Thus, District 9 is a personal narrative more than anything, and I even think it is a new sect of sci-fi. I see it like Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, a horror story that in the end is truly horrific because it shows the darkside of man. There are a lot of novels and films that all deal with horror, yet few delve deep into the issues of humanity and what are our true characteristics – good or bad.

I always dabble with creative writing and I have some concrete ideas for creations. I feel like the more I watch or read different forms of art, I will become better in my craft. I’m in no way an aspiring film maker or professional author, but I would to like to someday create a piece of unique fiction. I feel like a combination of Avatar and District 9 would do te trick. Throw in some action scenes for entertainment, but still underscore it with some type of philosophical dilemma. When, or better if, I ever finish the story I’v been working on for a little under a year, I will try to post it on the blog. I’m trying to create a story about the human conflict between remorse and revenge, and how far some will go to alter their fate/past actions. It may sound too general now, but I hope to get it done by the end of this year. Seriously.

Ohh sci-fi, how you tease me with thy possibilities, but then crush me with thy realities.

Sunday Mornings are the Most Thought Provoking

 So things are going about as well as they can, after my mess-up on Friday. I still feel horrible and my heart still hurts because of the carelessness I have shown. Still, Micah is not as mad at me, so I guess I should be thankful for having a merciful girlfriend. Sometimes when I’m lying alone or in the shower, I want to scream my lungs out and shake myself out of this horrible dream.

To take my mind of the trouble, I try to hang out with Micah and the do the random things we do. For example, yesterday we devoted a good 20 minutes to developing an elaborate Cirque du Soleil show. Called ballünz, this would be an elaborate spectacle involving various orbital floating masses. There would be acrobats using balloons as leverage, clowns bouncing from balloon to balloon, and even an intermission display of human sized water bubbles engulfing brave members of the audience. Yeah, we thought up of all that. Gotta get in touch with Vegas.

Anyways, the rest of my day was spent finishing some homework, playing video games, and watching The Wire with Micah. This is such an amazing show, it as definitely become one of my favorites. So many memorable characters, yet it all remains slightly realistic. We are about to finish the penultimate season, so I’m thinking of taking a break before I finish the whole series in less than a month’s span. Haha, damn I need a better hobby. No, what am I saying! This show is addicting, and there aint no other way to put it. I will try to take a prolonged break from it, though, and prepare for another one of my favs – Lost. Yes, it kind of makes me sad to think about it, but the show that I have obsessed over for nearly the whole past decade is coming to its conclusion. The dusk of everything conspiracy theory, sci-fi, and magical in my life. Okay, maybe not everything, but certainly the ending of something special. Other shows have been entertaining and memorable, but none has ever made me think like Lost has. Some would say this is what makes this show so confusing and hard to stay interested in, but – I don’t know- when you read that out loud doesn’t it sound as if people are opening admitting their laziness? Haha, I am a true Lostie, so I’m probably the real loser here. Oh well. February 2^nd, a day I both dream of and fear. The beginning of the end, the final onset of answers to all the mysteries I have theorized over for years, the sad ending to a mythology I never thought could finish.

Now that I’ve confessed my eternal place in geekdom, I have to do something to resurrect my image. Okay, maybe not, but I still have other things to talk about. I think today I will watch some movie that everyone has been raving about. A little movie called Avatar. From what a majority of my friends have told me, it is visually stunning, but really just a rip-off of Pocahontas and Ferngully. I didn’t exactly love these movies when i was a kid, but I imagine this as the sci-fi kick-ass version. OH Yeah, with a lot of cool special effects too. I’ll try to post my review another day, if the movie inspires me to do so.

 

 

James Cameron remnds me of Dr. Dre. Put out solid, fresh work every 5 or 7 years. Either long break is a sign of your perfectionist trait, or that you make people wait so long that they'd think Tellie Tubbies was revolutionary

Besides that, there are some good football games today. After pulling out half my hair last week (DAMN CHARGERS! KAEDING!), I have come to accept the conference championship games as two great matches. I don’t really care who does well, but I do have some predictions. Sanchez and the Jets bring a whole lot of hurt to Indy, but Peyton is making his final climb into immortality. With one more championship, I think Peyton officially stamps himself as the greatest QB of all time. He may not win as many Super Bowls as other QB’s have, but this guy is putting together the best possible mix of all-time great stats and solid playoff wins. I mean, it is like rooting for the Red Ranger in Power Rangers. I loved him because of his color and because he was the leader. But then the Green Ranger (Tommy) rolled around and after a brief stint as a baddy, he became the new kickass leader of the team. I of course fought over this fact with not only myself, but my older brother also. I remember biting him in the butt one day when i returned late from school, and he started to claim that the Red Ranger (Jason) had died in todays episode! Man, I don’t know who to blame. Television, Power Rangers, or just simple sibling rivalry. Anyways, back to my football allegory – Brady is the Red Ranger because he was kicking ass at the beginning of the show. It seemed like he could no wrong. Then, Peyton (Green Ranger) starts to show up on the main scene, at first despised, but eventually he changes and takes the mantle from the Brady. Both are great, but now there is no question who the top dogg is. And, just as I learned to appreciate the Green Ranger, I too have come to respect all the hard work Peyton puts in. I’m pretty sure in 20 or years, i will be recanting the great feats of Manning to my own kids, swearing how he was so much better than whoever will be the top QB in that era (Money is on some young, mobile gunslinger who is actually able to mix and match pocket presence with scrambling abilities. Or Bret Favre) So yeah, I got Colts withstanding Jets D and sending them to anonymity for the next season (rookie QB rule: a QB always over-achieves during his freshman campaign, only to crash the next season and make people question if it was all a fluke) – Colts 24, Jets 14.

See the resemblance?

 

 

I heard he was going into MMA. . . probably going to kick ass there also

 

 

The NFC game has another interesting match, and it is the one I’m more excited to watch. You got to high-powered offenses going toe to toe in a closed dome, so no worries for the weather screwing over Favre this time. Favre as put out some real stinkers out in the weather in recent late season games, so he must be thanking the gods for this one. Minnesota’s D looked the best out of all the remaining teams, but that may have been slightly skewed because they were playing the Dallas Choke-Boys. Anyways, it looks like even their D can at best hold New Orleans under 30. I think Favre and the Vikes can keep up with that score. It will a close one, but Brees will outmatch Favre and get the ball last, just in time to lead a thrilling two minute drill to victory. Saints and all their Southern magic get done. New Orleans 35, Minnesota 28.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this day is a good one. Much love.

What a Day

As if the rain was not enough to make it a shitty day, I just had to go and do the greatest fuck up of all. So I had to go the Santa Ana High to do some tutoring, and then I was on the way back to the apt when it all happened. Driving down I got in a fucking accident. A car in front of me swerved in the next lane and I then realized a car in front had stalled. I froze for a milisecond, and then tried to clamp on the breaks. Due to the delayed reaction and the slick road, I couldn’t stop in time. I couldn’t swerve in the next lane because of oncoming traffic. Still, it was my fault for not stopping soon enough. I ran into the car and got shaken up. As I made my way out, I saw the damage to the car. Didn’t look good. I helped the other guy bring his car out of the way of the intersection. As I was pushing the car, I remember thinking this cannot be fucking happening. Fucky my life! 

So we exchanged insurance info and then his car got picked up by a tow truck. I talked with a police officer who soon arrived, and then I stood in the rain waiting for doom. All the pouring rain kept on falling, like daggers hitting me repeatedly. My life is fucked, I am a total fuck-up.

I mean, yeah accidents happen, but why the fuck do I always seem to commit them. This one is the worst pain I have ever felt. It turns my stomach, tightens my heart, shivers me and sends me into cold convulsions of tears. I wrecked Micah’s car, and it was all my fault.

She told me to be careful before I left. She reminded me how it is dangerous with the rain. I said I know, and I kissed her and left. I would give anything in the world to make this day go away. I’ve fucked up before, but those times they involved me. My shitty finances, lack of a car, or screwing up on an exam. All things that happen due to my sorry-ass being incapable of maintaining a responsible life. This one hurts the most, because I see in it her eyes. I know she will never forget it, her family will never forgive me, my family will be shamed, and I will be there standing like the greatest dope of all.

Call me a loser, but that doesn’t do me justice. Say I’m cursed, but that is just an excuse. I can’t think of how better to put it than this, I’m a born fuck up. I never learn how to do something right until I fail at it first. This is how it was with me and the girls, playing basketball, getting my license, just everything! I fucked up the worst this time, because no matter what I do, this will always be hanging over my head and weighing down my soul. It is just so horrible I want to die. Fuck, that is stupid but it is just me wanting to escape this hellish rain pouring over my life. I screwed over the girl I love the most in the world. I tell her all my secrets and I enjoy my time most when she is around. I imagined some dream scenario where I get a job and then pay whatever increased fee is put on her insurance, but fuck even if I did that it would not solve the main issue at hand. I don’t know if this is others think, but Life IS a bitch, and then you die.

I’m writing this because I want to post my emotions. Not for sympathy. Not in an attempt to make Mic forgive me. No, this is all because I have no one to turn to in my dark life. My best friend is there for me and I talked with him earlier, but still my heart is heavy with anger, shame, and sadness. I’m writing this to see if any one, someone, out there has felt the same. I hate my life right now, and I only have myself to bame for it.

This isn’t a suicidal confession, no it is far from it. Death is something that awaits us all, but I will not be the one to introduce myself to it. Unless another of my fucking accidents gets me hurt. As the brakes screached, my back slammed against the seat, blood slightly slipped from my tongue being clinched, and the other man standing on the sidewalk looking like “Fuck my life”, I felt like this is how it feels to be a fuck-up. Luckily he just gave me an angry glare, but then was nice to me and told me it was okay. He said his day was also being shitty. Maybe this was a weird moment where I intervened on his gloomy day and brightened it for him. I was there to let him know, “That hey, at least you didn’t fuck up as bad as that guy.” Damn, haha I can wish some crazy ideas to make my day better. 

Man, even that slight glimpse of a mood change can’t delay the melancholy I’m feeling. Continuing with the grander scheme of things, I wonder about the purpose of my life. Not so much in a religous point of view, but rather in the sense of destiny or fate. Given my history and my second chance at life, I truly used to believe that I was given a second chance because I was meant to do something important with my life. But, fuck, I’m 22 and I havn’t done shit. I’m close to graduating, and my dreams of being a teacher are not so clear anymore. I want to believe, as others tell me, that it is a noble position to take on. But fuck, is it really worth it? Am I truly a man walking on a destined path to improve the world? At the moment I just can remember all the seemingless countless times that I have messed up and either screwed oer myself or someone else. It sucks because it isn’t like I even have a prescribable vice. I don’t drink too much, I’m not addicted to gambling. Fuck, my vice is being a fuck up who never learns his lesson till it is too late. Everytime a moment of bittersweet clarity does come along, I feel like “THANK YOU GOD! I will never mess up again! This was too close to the line!” Haha, man why do I things the way I do? Micah says I’m stubborn, but fuck I think I also am afraid to take things head on. If there is some way for me to take my case “habitual screw-up”, then will someone please point me in the right direction. I’m asking any reader (if there is any LEFT), or some divine being to intervene and help. Not to just console me and tell me things will be alright or that I shouldn’t beat myself up. No, that is what I always tell people, but look where I’m fucking at right now. Stuck in a never-ending rainy day, a busted up car sitting in the garage, a mad girlfriend, mad family, and my own pathetic inability to do anything right. 

Much love. Hope life is treating you better.

XMAS BREAK TOP 10

Here is a list of things that I think make up my winter break.

 

10) Not having to worry about essays, tests, or finals (But still having to worry about grad school applications!)

9) Watching The Wire like an addict on the show. This stuff is surpassing my expectations and tingling my creative juices. I know I may have an early list about shows I love, but this one is surely now in my Top 3. Sure, I have not even finished the first season, but when the theme song keeps playing in the back of my head, I know that it is making my mind think a little more than usual.

Playing basketballs. Hasn’t been happening that much, but still always good. I feel like sitting in my freezing house makes my fingers numb and it hurts my sweet stroke. Besides that, anytime I can get out to the parks and ball with friends, it’s always a fun time.

7) The habitual Hideki sighting. Never one to stay in contact for more than four successive months, this dude comes back into my life one night with texts from another new cell phone (According to my count, this is the 4^th time it’s happened since I’ve known this guy). Good times getting drip and being gossip whores.

6) Being a bum. This encompasses some of the previously mentioned points, but also includes waking up to “The Price is Right”, surfing the web, downloading music, and just staying in my pj’s for over 24 hrs.

5) Being a bum with my little brother. We played video games (or mostly I watched and helped when needed) and watched movies all day. Reminds me of school breaks from back in the day Quite nostalgic.

4) Going to a family wedding. Yeah, it only took up one day, but still is was quite an eventful occasion. The first cousin from my generation got married, and it was the first time I’ve seen some relatives in over 6 years. Funny seeing some of them drink, and also my mom getting a little tipsy and getting crazy (more on this later). It was at The Reef in Long Beach. It is a beautiful place with an amazing view of the Long Beach pier.

3) Chilling with the boys like back in the day (Aaron now a new member, but still very valuable). It sorta reminds me of an episode of Sunny were the crew tries to label each member. Charlie gets called the “wildcard”, and I think that sums up Aaron quite well. I’m the brains and looks, Bman the alcoholic, Hiromi the smartass, and Wes the muscle. Fun times playing Wii and having Wes interrogate everyone about their life plans. As always, there was Aaron being a “wildcard” and going out around Torrance feverishly looking for a Xmas tree at 10 at night. The cherry on top had to be when Wes’ car didn’t start and we had pull it out my driveway and hook it up to Aaron’s to get jumped. As Wes drove off, Bman, Aaron, and I proceeded on talking about philosophy and technology. I came up with a cool idea were in the future California is going to secede from the rest of the US and have fight for natural resources. We all went into details about how some blockbuster movie could also be made about the subject. Aaron agreed it was a great idea.

2) Talking with Micah in to the wee hours and talking about life back home. We also had fun imagining how things will be back at the apt with John now around. I can imagine it getting a lot louder! Haha, but yeah next quarter will be one of some sadness (Me and Mic graduating), but also one of fun and amazing parties/activities/moments in apt 1382. Gotta keep on that legacy. . .

1) One of the most memorable moments of this break is when my family and I played Wii one night. My mom wondered about how it worked, so Sean said we should all play Wii bowling! The mayhem ensued as my mom continually bowled turkeys and won one game after another. My impeccable skills eventually got me the overall highest score of 220, but still my mom hustled us. It was also entertaining watching my dad try to play and continually release the ‘B” button too early and have his ball fly backwards. Eventually he got the hang of it and we all had such a fun night. We played from 9 till after midnight. One other funny detail was how my mom sipped on a few glasses of Moscata wine. I don’t know if the vino helped or impaired her skills, but I best be going to BevMo to get me a few bottles.  

Overall, this break has been relaxing and fun. I miss my lovebug lots and lots, but I still hae had fun doing some of these random things. There is still one week to go, so who knows what else might happen. Merry Christmas to all!

The Price is Right

(Cue the theme music, show a spanning overview shot of the crowd, and then hear as the MC bellows over the mic. “UC Irvine, its your turn to walk down and play the Price is Right!”)

Instead of hopping crazily and screaming while trying to squeeze its way past all its friends – who secretly would have despised their lucky mate since statistics show that two members of any particular party NEVER make it into the game – sad little UC Irvine is more or less dragged down the stairs. Not kicking and screaming, but somewhat agitated, okay a little pissed off. But there it goes, UCI like the rest of the UC’s. This version of the game is one were no one wants to win the opening bid.

The sad situation of the UC system has left many students and faculty angry. Sure, there were rallys for students to go and protest against the Regents vote. But mass congregations and synchronized clothing can only go so far. I think it would have interesting to be at LA for the protesting. As seen in this video, I guess stuff did get pretty radical.

I think a lot of UCI students think that campus life stinks and that there is no mood of provocation on campus. We all get up, or sleep in, but basically go to class because we have to. Walk past all the frat and sorority booths blasting music or trying to give flyers, listen to some club sale Korean BBQ, definitely avoid the Green Peace and black veterans. Sit in class, go on Facebook, write some notes, leave and go back home.

Of course this is only a stereotype, but who would dare say it is not somewhat true. Sure, there are proactive students who try to do things to better the campus. In the case of the tuition hikes, I wonder how many people knew that the sole student on the Regents board actually goes here to UCI. Besides that, I see this as another sad case of people living their lives with no true regard for tomorrow. It is hard for current students to accept responsibility. I mean, yeah it is honorable to care about the future graduating classes, but how many of us just want to get out of UCI as soon as possible. This type of thinking that I think pervades the minds of many, cannot simply be identified as apathy. Everyone, including the legislation, Regents, and UC admins should have saw this coming. Poor economic times of course magnified the issue, but it wasn’t as if we all were suddenly hit with unforeseen problems.

In a perfect world, students would care about the issues and stay up to date on what was happening. Politicians would care about helping alleviate education costs and making it easier for more people to learn. School admin and the Regents would not wait till the very last moment to start writing letters to students saying how times are difficult and they are doing everything they can to solve the budget. In a perfect world public education would be made affordable for more, not less.

I know there is now a campaign for all students to write to their representatives in Sacramento. After having a brief chat with my old RA, he pointed out that while the protests were a good sign of school spirit, it was the legislators who needed to be protested. I don’t know how many students will actually write, or if it will even make a difference. The path that the UC system seems set on is something we have been traversing for more than jsut the past few months. California as a whole is in a tough spot, financially and spiritually. With the upcoming governor election, I think we all should take the time to examine the possible candidates and what they represent. This of course may lead to no immediate action, but it looks as if this would be the outcome for any possible action.

I think politics are interesting and they play a weird direct/indirect relation with our life. Sadly, many students are suddenly aware of the dire effects this relationship can have. The future of the UC system may never be the same, and I think we all should be asking if price is right?

L.A. Football: Dream or Reality?

So it looks the governator is trying to win some last praises in his lame duck year. I mean, why else would he have waited this long to sign a bill to build an NFL stadium in LA. It can’t just be the poor economic times, because it doesn’t take a fucking rocket scientist to figure out that an NFL team is HIGHLY profitable. Shit, I think the “poorest” team in the NFL still is worth nearly half a billion dollars! I know if you are not a sports fan you may not get why a sports team can be so profitable. It is just one of the weird things that people have grown accustomed to. I don’t even think that sports are a luxury costs for most Americans. No matter how expensive it may get, people still will pay exorbitant prices for tickets, jerseys, décor, etc. Even if you don’t pay to actually watch an event live, you still are lining up someone’s pockets by watching the game on the tube. I’m taking a class about food and identity, and in it our professor keeps noting how food and sex are essential to human life. I would like to postulate that sports also hold a dear part in the human spirit. Sure, everyone isn’t a sports fan (More girls than guys) and even some fans are just the causal variety. Still, for those who even casually follow sports, it is something that has become essential to our social interactions. Everyone knows about the stereotypical convo between two guys that goes something like this:

A: So you watch the game last night?

B: I only got to see the 4^th quarter, but ______ sure screwed us when he ______.

A: Yeah I almost dropped over and died when he did that. But still, if it weren’t for that shitty call by the ref in the last minute. . .

These two guys don’t even have to be avid followers of any particular team. Just by watching part of a game, they become enthralled in the battle of “us” vs. “them”. Infatuation with sports has even gotten to the point that we want to create our own fantasy teams and pit them against others. Fantasy sports enthusiasts are stereotypically displayed as geeks unworthy of the real thing. I think that is a sad illustration of fantasy sports, since most my friends and I are into fantasy leagues. Oh yeah, that reminds me- guys there is going to be a WOW competition this weekend in Alhambra. Lets go and pwn some nubs.

Anyways, back to sports and LA. I would die for the chance to have a team to call my own. Okay, maybe not if it were a shitty expansion team. This would require a patient waiting of 6-7 years before our team got any good. I wonder what kind of name we would have. Maybe the LA Angelinos? I’m just saying, the last expansion franchise was called the Houston Texans. Maybe  the name will call upon our Hispanic heritage and go with something like the LA Lawnmowers. Or it could something cool and abstract like the LA Sunset or LA Socio-Economic Disparity. Okay maybe not. I’m still pulling San Diego fucks it up and lets the Chargers come here. Man, that would be too sweet to even imagine.

Here’s to Arnold for setting the ground work for football in LA. Maybe we could call the team the Terminators in respect to the only fucking good thing he did in his time as governor.

What name starts with two consecutive vowels?

Due to the complaints of a certain Fullerton resident (Aaron), I feel the need to further explain the Quarter Club. Micah, Taylor, Auric (a.k.a. Filipino James Dean), and Aaron are all attempting to complete the feat. For Aaron, it is a quite amazing test of will since he studies and lives in Fullerton. Despite its proximity to Irvine, it still is undoubtedly a challenge to drive over to Irvine every day. I mean, if he was getting girls’ digits then I could see the extra motivation. However, since he is willing to come down just for the camaraderie in our effort, I see how much of a good friend he really is. Aaron is a smart guy just looking to find himself (who isn’t?) and he is using this current test as a stepping stone in growing up. Thanks for being down for whatever in a turtle-neck sweater Air-Dawg.

 

In terms of challenges, we all our faced with the imminent threat of getting a little fat and lazy from all this beer. Okay, minus Taylor. Coming from Washington, that dude is a workout freak and he is safe of any physical malformations. The rest of us though, should probably start up a Quarter Club Workout Club. Maybe after getting our pints for the day, we’d all go out and run or play some type of physical activity. I don’t personally feel any physical changes, but that don’t mean the chubby wubbies aren’t hiding in the trees waiting to pounce!

 

Another interesting challenge that this whole thing presents is the fact that we now are becoming sucked into the pub on a daily basis. I have never really been a fan of regulars, and now I see myself becoming one. It isn’t that I don’t like to make new friends, but shit I don’t want all my new friends to only be at the pub. I’m not afraid of becoming an alcoholic, but you never know how your environment can affect you. There are definitely some regulars at the Anthill Pub, but one takes the cake as the authentic local drunk. This dude is there every day, rocking some baggy pants, that all black UCI cap that copies DC, Quicksilver, and other similar brands that have hats with a pattern of mini-logos all over it. This guy has a beard, is tan, and most of the time unable to be understood. Since I don’t think I’ve never seen him not drunk, I can’t truthfully say that it is only the alcohol. This guy mumbles and yells at the same time. Twice he has now interrupted comedy acts at the Pub’s comedy night. Strangely enough, he only is rude to the main acts. . . He yells out random stuff, and then tries to get in a conversation with the comedians. Of course the comedians are able to play along with his drunkeness, but this dude is obviously starting to annoy members of the audience. One dude stood up and even yelled at the drunkie and said he would “fuck him up.” Aaron and I found this quite funny, maybe funnier than anything else the comedians said. I’m sure I’m going to see this drunk dude countless more times. However, I wonder why the pub doesn’t refuse to serve him. I think it is pretty obvious that he has some type of problem. Sure, he makes us all laugh with his random outbursts about wearing the same pants, being Muslim, or wanting to get in fights, but there is something really wrong with him. As I bag on him, I also must admit I feel bad for him. After last comedy night (Every Monday at the Pub, hit me up if you wanna go), Aaron and I went to make sure we got marked off for our pint for the day. The drunk dude was standing by the bar, wandering in a drunk manner. He then turns towards me and starts asking why I stole his backpack. After I say I didn’t take it, he continues asking why I stole it. As I try to make an attempt at searching for his backpack (I figured his drunkass misplaced it), he starts asking why I stole it, since it only had some books in it. Man, this guy sure is some character. I hope he found his backpack, but damn he needs to find a new hobby. Maybe he can try to go shopping for more pants.

 

I obviously don’t fear turning into a crazy drunk like my new friend, but I still don’t all my social interactions to be set in the pub either. It is a cool place to go chill, but there has to be something else for a group of 21 yr olds to do. We can go drink at Newport, Dave and Buster’s, Huntington, or maybe go to some night club/lounge. Shit, we can even stay home and make our own cocktails and mixed drinks!

WARNING! AARON HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PARTY TOO HARD

Sipp, Sipp, Sipping on Some Liquor

Besides my classes, life has been good these first couple weeks. We had our first Incite meeting last week. If you or anyone you know is interested in writing/doing graphic design/public relations, then let them know about our magazine. It is a great chance for you to help produce a solid magazine that tackles difficult issues. The whole staff is cool and we all are just looking to improve the mag by letting more people put in their skills.

 

Besides the mag plug, I think it is important to note that this Saturday my younger brother turned 18! My little brother, Brian, and I have a tight knit relationship and I’m very proud of all the improvements my brother has made. Faced with the challenge of schizophrenia, my brother has taken control of his life and he now is succeeding at the school he goes to. It makes me truly proud of him and I only hope he continues with his progress. With his ascension into “young adulthood”, I feel like he is better prepared for becoming more independent. Over summer we hung out a lot, and I feel bad that I can’t be there to hang out with him. I want to spend as much time with him as possible when I go back home, especially after seeing the progress he has made.

 

On a side note, my older brother (Sean) just turned 24 today. I have been debating about what type of beer to get him. Haha, I’m not talking about Coors or Bud. I want to go to BevMo and get him something exotic! If you got any ideas, post em. . .

 

Life in the apt with the new roomies (Micah the girlfriend, Taylor the casanova, and Cyndi the blow-up doll in place of John) has been fun. I fear we all are going to become alcoholics, or at least spend a lot of money on alcohol in the process. Taylor bought a “Live Nudes” neon sign and it brights up our window facing the street. It has been kind of weird with the whole food situation, being that Micah and Taylor are both going vegan. I mean, I was kind of looking forward to having dinner with all of them. Now I just have lonely dinners sitting and watching crappy TV shows. . . okay my existence has not gotten that bad. It can get kind of lonely though.

 

In these times of loneliness, I go to the pub. I mean, being part of the Quarter Club gives you such privileges. The Quarter Club is comprised of people who dare to drink a pint a day for a whole quarter. Now one may question the motivations of the UCI Pub and its encouraging of alcohol consumption, but I only care for the rewards it offers. Pure immortal power. I’m going to get my name engraved in fake gold baby! I figure the financial costs of such an endeavor promote the notion that this project is nothing but pure irrationality. Really, coming down to my senior year, this is something I don’t give a fuck about if it doesn’t make sense.

 

Parties and good times are on my list of priorities for this quarter and next. We should party hard at the apt, and go out and do even more fun stuff. Don’t be lame and miss out. Whoever knows were are lives will take us after Irvine.

 

First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you.  ~Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald

Been Way Too Long, sorry

It has been far too long along in my fall song to not let out a melody or too. School has started. My final year as an undergrad. My final year before I take the next step in growing up. Being an adult. Something some fear, or maybe not fear, but at least something not looked forward too. We all have wished life could be more simple like it was before, but in the long-run I think everyone comes to grips with their aging self. I’m taking some two pretty interesting classes, and two that aren’t that amazing.

I’ll start with the classes I’m not really digging (Just like an ice cream sundae, eat all the nuts and fruits first, save the chocolate and ice cream for later). My WWI history class has not been as rivetting asd I expected. When I got to choose classes for this quarter, I knew I had to take one more European history class. The options were not all that great. I distinctly remember one class being about the French Agricultural movement in the 19^th century. . . yeah, two things that always equate to fun and games. France and agriculture. I’m starting to think that maybe I should have enrolled in the Jewish history class. I mean, when else will I be able to learn about Jewish history? In my internal debate, I chose the WWI history class because I felt that when I become a teacher, WWI knowledge will be more beneficial than that of the Jewish culture. AS this class has dragged on, I feel like I have not learned anything I didn’t already know. I’m hoping it gets more engaging as the class carries on, because I don’t think I can last another lecture about trench warfare. Seriously, I think I learned one new fact about trench warfare in an hour and twenty minutes. I don’t want to start hating on the class and professor too bad. The professor is very smart about the subject and it seems like she really cares. I just hope things get a little more riveting. WWI is supposed to be one of the most important periods of history yet it has received no respect from historians. Sure, WWII has Nazi’s, the Atomic bomb, and a lot more memorable narrative in terms of US involvement – but WWI did practically set the table for WWII to take place. Hopefully my class reveals to me answers I desire.

My second class I don’t like is my Education class on learning and cognitive analysis. This class seems like a Psych-lite class. I also don’t like that it is geared more towards elementary classes. This class is a requirement for all education minors, but I don’t see what makes it so special. I’ve heard it is easy, but I almost feel like it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more challenging. I wish the class was more focused on actual tools and teaching methods, but the professor has made it clear that this class is more of a cognitive over view.

Perhaps part of the problem is the fact that I’m taking another education class on adolescent development. This class has been enjoyable so far (letting me connect Superbad to adolescent development doesn’t hurt either) and it has taught me a few things. Even though I feel like I just ended my adolescence phase, I see this class as quite informative. I learn more about myself, but also about high school students in general. I feel like this class is going to be quite beneficial in my future endeavor as a teacher.

The class I have enjoyed the most has been my history 190 seminar. I had seen this class, called Food & Identity, for the past few quarters. It always intrigued me, and luckily I have the chance to take it right now. Though it sucks that the class is every Thursday night from 7 to 10, I think this class is going to be a fitting end to my undergrad career as a History major. People always mention that since I’m a history major, I need to go to Europe and study there. This may be true, but I think that as a “historian” it is far more important to realize that all aspects of society have a story to tell. This class will challenge me to use new primary sources (menus, cookbooks, etc.) that I probably would have never utilized in a cultural study. So, while this class may not match everything else I have studied in my other history classes, I’m excited to embark on my research paper! I’m thinking of analyzing the socio-economic connection between restaurant locations and the people/culture they serve. Living in Irvine alone, I have seen way more vegan/organic food options than anywhere else I have been in my life. Where I come from, if it isn’t a McDonald’s at the corner, there is probably a Taco Bell or Church’s. All are products of the people they serve, as supply always responds to demand, but is it really only simple economics? That question will fuel my research and hopefully I will come up with some type of answer to the complex relation of food and culture.

This quarter is my penultimate step to graduating. All in all, I know all my classes will influence me in some way. I hope all things go well, and maybe I will find myself in a different position after the end of the quarter. At least I have one more quarter to go. . .

Summer Crumbles

I take a big bite out of this sweet confection I call summer. It’s warm and mouthwatering. Reminds me of simpler times. Times when worries amounted to girls, picking what movie to watch on a Friday night, and then sometimes trying to get into a rated R showing. I remember those times fondly, as they were the beginning of my ascent into the fun-loving person I have become. Still, this cookie I have just taken a bite out of, it has new freshness to it. Straight from the oven, but no hot that it can’t be loved, this treat seems to belong to a different table. No longer do I sit at the kid’s table, arranged with red and blue plastic seating. Napkins with cartoons printed on them. Plastic sporks to be utilized during the meal. No, no more of this. I now sit at the dinner table, grandiose in its size and aura. Oak, darkly stained, rich in its veins. Flowing naturally, leading to maroon napkins, porcelain plates, crystal wine glasses,and silver utensils. A deep-set bottle of wine is opened, set to waterfall into my glass. It mesmerizes in its downward, magnetic fall to my glass. Then, instead of any three course meal, I’m simply served a large chocolate chip cookie. Who needs salad, soup, bread, or any other delight when dessert is served first. Rugged in its exterior, I feel like the first Americans must have when they came across the Grand Canyon. Peaks blackened with moist, tempting chocolate. I bend my head down, hover and open my nose vents. Not violently sniffing, I simply allow the aromas to float upon my senses. My taste buds salivate. Like any drug, this delicious pie is mine and only mine. As I try to resist the animal instincts within that tell me to devour the cookie whole, I hold back and enjoy every bite. . . one. . . bite. . . at . . . a time. After I’m done and I’ve washed my mouth with silky milk, I wipe away any evidence from my face. Feeling complete, not too nor still in need of more, I look upon the crumbs that scatter across the plate and tablecloth. I see them, not as a tyrant does when he shows mercy upon a select few, but rather as an imprint from my feast. Etched in time like art, these crumbs echo forever. I will always see, hear, and feel them in my heart. I see numerous 21st birthdays – accompanied with the ceremonious drunkard activities- being celebrated, a leaving of the old guard and a moving in of the new, many days spent on the courts of no trial nor tribulation, equally another mass of days spent at the coffee shop or out on my porch, chats about dreams and regrets, days in the desert I will also never forget. I see a white house with a black man living in it, airplanes in the sky, lions and tigers, nothing but the allure of Vegas. I see my hopes for the year ahead and the tests that remain, my brother growing up and being okay, and I remember writing my first blog entry like it were just the other day. As I get ready top leave from this Olympus of tables, I think to myself – what if?. What if no one else sees these crumbles and don’t remember all they show. What if with one simple swipe, they all fly to the floor. Instead of leaving these crumbs as artifacts of my past act, I’d much rather keep them and ensure they remain intact. In my pocket, I slide them all in. Nothing to be forgotten, for that would be an unforgivable sin.