Has that proverbial question finally smacked me in the face? I'm in the midst of looking for a new position and there have been a few signs that point to that question and suggestions that I should have a plan. To what extent should I have a plan?
When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to be able to look down on the planet and see the clouds swirling as the planet rotated in the universe. I wanted to be among the clouds of dust and particles in space and witness the miracles of the universe. But then I found out that most astronauts have scientific backgrounds. Science was fun for a while but never really my forte since I grew to learn that scientists spend most of their time in labs and don't really interact with people, which is what I'm more inclined to do.
As I became older, I found my leadership skills. I took on various student leadership positions that allowed me to interact with students, teachers, administrators and other school district officials. I really loved to see the whole school policy process take place. With all of that came the understanding of politics and lobbying.
College hit and I took a backseat to all the "leadership activities" that I did in high school. It didn't take very long until I was at it again. I was extremly active in the AS organization as well as various other related activities on campus and off campus. All the while, maintaining decent grades in my business program. I event attempted to get an ethnic studies certificate but it would have taken me another semester and more money, which was not an option. Along the way, I gained experience in the human resources field and marketing. Through all my experience in college, I gravitated towards marketing but if I ever had to, I could work in a human resources field but again...not really something I want to completely pursue.
Today, I find myself in LA, foreign territory. As I drove to work today, I started to recount my years spent at Kaplan. How many significant things did I really learn there? I learned how NOT to run a company, especially one the size of Kaplan, Inc. - an international conglomerate. I remember getting the opportunity to look at demographic and sales data and being a part of the planning process for classes and other test prep products and I remember how excited I was. It was finally something that allowed me to use my brain a bit more. Up to that point, I was droning away at the computer, performing tasks on Quark that required minimal knowledge of the program. I found so many ways to create shortcuts that I accomplished tasks in no time. Since I was among the two people who knew that program inside and out, I managed to survive four or five re-structures of the company, at least in the region I helped to manage.
During my last two years at Kaplan, I startd to get involved with community activities again. I started to re-build my network outside of work. Most of my community activities have been spent with the Pilipino American community, one that's still very young in getting politically and socially organized. All the while, I've tried to stick to the field that I have the most expertise in - marketing/public relations/promotions/event planning. So I guess that's what I want to be when I grow up. It'd be even better if I get into a company that will help offset some of my costs to get an MBA but again, how much value will an MBA add to my abilities? That's another question that I haven't quite been able to answer yet.
5.28.2006
Another Reason Why Catholicism isn't All it's Cracked Out to Be
And they ask why non-Catholics AND Catholics are disillusioned with the religion. I hardly believe kneeling vs. not kneeling should be categorized as a mortal sin. Fanatical?...hm....
A Ban on Kneeling? Some Catholics Won't Stand for It
By David Haldane
LA Times Staff Writer
May 28, 2006
At a small Catholic church in Huntington Beach, the pressing moral question comes to this: Does kneeling at the wrong time during worship make you a sinner?
Kneeling "is clearly rebellion, grave disobedience and mortal sin," Father Martin Tran, pastor at St. Mary's by the Sea, told his flock in a recent church bulletin. The Diocese of Orange backs Tran's anti-kneeling edict.
Though told by the pastor and the archdiocese to stand during certain parts of the liturgy, a third of the congregation still gets on its knees every Sunday.
"Kneeling is an act of adoration," said Judith M. Clark, 68, one of at least 55 parishioners who have received letters from church leaders urging them to get off their knees or quit St. Mary's and the Diocese of Orange. "You almost automatically kneel because you're so used to it. Now the priest says we should stand, but we all just ignore him."
The debate is being played out in at least a dozen parishes nationwide.
Since at least the 7th century, Catholics have been kneeling after the Agnus Dei, the point during Mass when the priest holds up the chalice and consecrated bread and says, "Behold the lamb of God." But four years ago, the Vatican revised its instructions, allowing bishops to decide at some points in the Mass whether their flocks should get on their knees. "The faithful kneel … unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise," says Rome's book of instructions. Since then, some churches have been built without kneelers.
The debate is part of the argument among Catholics between tradition and change. Traditionalists see it as the ultimate posture of submission to and adoration of God; modernists view kneeling as the vestige of a feudal past they would like to leave behind.
At the center of the controversy is the church's concept of Christ, said Jesuit Father Lawrence J. Madden, director of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy at Georgetown University in Washington. It's a question raised in the bestselling book "The Da Vinci Code."
Because the earliest Christians viewed Jesus as God and man, Madden said, they generally stood during worship services to show reverence and equality. About the 7th century, however, Catholic theologians put more emphasis on Christ's divinity and introduced kneeling as the only appropriate posture at points in the Mass when God was believed to be present.
Things started to change in the 1960s, Madden said, when Vatican II began moving the church back to its earliest roots. What has ensued, he said, is the predictable struggle of an institution revising centuries of religious practices.
The argument over kneeling, Madden said, is "a signal of the division in the church between two camps: those who have caught the spirit of Vatican II, and those who are a bit suspicious. Because it's so visible, what happens at the Sunday worship event is a lightning rod for lots of issues."
One flashpoint involves the Agnus Dei. Traditionalists say the faithful must then fall to their knees in awe for several minutes, believing that the bread and wine are literally the body and blood of Christ.
Lesa Truxaw, the Orange Diocese director of worship, said Bishop Tod D. Brown banned kneeling because standing "reflects our human dignity. It's not that we think we're equal to God, but we recognize that we are made in the image and likeness of God."
Orange County parishioners are still allowed to kneel at other points in the Mass, including the Eucharistic prayers. Kneeling is optional as worshippers receive communion.
No less an authority than the pope is on record as favoring kneeling. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI last year, wrote in "The Spirit of the Liturgy," published in 2000, that the gesture, "comes from the Bible and the knowledge of God." He has not addressed the issue as pope.
American Catholic bishops have taken the opposite position. "Standing can be just as much an expression of respect for the coming of Christ," said Msgr. Anthony F. Sherman, a spokesman for the liturgy secretariat of the U.S. Bishops Committee on the Liturgy based in Washington.
That hasn't quieted critics.
"It's hard to understand why any bishop would prohibit his people from expressing reverence in the way they have done for centuries," said Helen Hull Hitchcock, a founder of the conservative Adoremus Society for the Renewal of Sacred Liturgy in St. Louis.
The controversy at St. Mary's by the Sea began to intensify late last year after Brown appointed Tran to lead the 1,500-family parish.
Tran took over following the retirement of the church's longtime pastor, who had offered a popular traditional Latin Mass.
Tran's Mass reverted to the more modern English form practiced in most American churches, and hundreds of parishioners signed a petition in protest. Then, to pull the church into the modern era, the priest told members, they were not to kneel after the Agnus Dei.
Many refused to comply. "Not kneeling would be sinful," said Manuel Ruiz, 45, "because that is what I believe I should do."
Mary Tripoli, 54, a former member of the parish council, was dismissed for her insistence on kneeling: "Standing may be reverence, but kneeling is adoration. It's the one thing that means Catholicism throughout the world. It's what sets us apart."
At least two altar boys, the parish altar servers coordinator and three members of the parish council have been dismissed from their duties for kneeling at the wrong time, according to parishioners.
Angered by the anti-kneeling edict, a group calling itself Save Saint Mary's began distributing leaflets calling for its return outside church each Sunday.
Tran responded in the church bulletin with a series of strident weekly statements condemning what he called "despising the authority of the local bishop" by refusing his orders to stand, and calling the disobedience a mortal sin, considered the worst kind of offense, usually reserved for acts such as murder.
Tran sent letters to 55 kneeling parishioners "inviting" them to leave the parish and the diocese for, among other things, "creating misleading confusion, division and chaos in the parish by intentional disobedience and opposition to the current liturgical norms."
Father Joe Fenton, spokesman for the Diocese of Orange, said the diocese supports Tran's view that disobeying the anti-kneeling edict is a mortal sin. "That's Father Tran's interpretation, and he's the pastor," he said. "We stand behind Father Tran."
Recipients of Tran's banishment letter said they have declined his "invitation" to depart.
Kneeling, said Teri Carpentier, 50, is praying "with our bodies, not just our minds."
During a recent Saturday afternoon Mass, dozens of worshippers defiantly knelt after the Agnus Dei.
One who didn't was Winifred Mentzer, 84.
"I've been standing lately," she later said, "because I'm all the way up front, and I know that the priest is watching. But I'm kneeling in my heart."
A Ban on Kneeling? Some Catholics Won't Stand for It
By David Haldane
LA Times Staff Writer
May 28, 2006
At a small Catholic church in Huntington Beach, the pressing moral question comes to this: Does kneeling at the wrong time during worship make you a sinner?
Kneeling "is clearly rebellion, grave disobedience and mortal sin," Father Martin Tran, pastor at St. Mary's by the Sea, told his flock in a recent church bulletin. The Diocese of Orange backs Tran's anti-kneeling edict.
Though told by the pastor and the archdiocese to stand during certain parts of the liturgy, a third of the congregation still gets on its knees every Sunday.
"Kneeling is an act of adoration," said Judith M. Clark, 68, one of at least 55 parishioners who have received letters from church leaders urging them to get off their knees or quit St. Mary's and the Diocese of Orange. "You almost automatically kneel because you're so used to it. Now the priest says we should stand, but we all just ignore him."
The debate is being played out in at least a dozen parishes nationwide.
Since at least the 7th century, Catholics have been kneeling after the Agnus Dei, the point during Mass when the priest holds up the chalice and consecrated bread and says, "Behold the lamb of God." But four years ago, the Vatican revised its instructions, allowing bishops to decide at some points in the Mass whether their flocks should get on their knees. "The faithful kneel … unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise," says Rome's book of instructions. Since then, some churches have been built without kneelers.
The debate is part of the argument among Catholics between tradition and change. Traditionalists see it as the ultimate posture of submission to and adoration of God; modernists view kneeling as the vestige of a feudal past they would like to leave behind.
At the center of the controversy is the church's concept of Christ, said Jesuit Father Lawrence J. Madden, director of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy at Georgetown University in Washington. It's a question raised in the bestselling book "The Da Vinci Code."
Because the earliest Christians viewed Jesus as God and man, Madden said, they generally stood during worship services to show reverence and equality. About the 7th century, however, Catholic theologians put more emphasis on Christ's divinity and introduced kneeling as the only appropriate posture at points in the Mass when God was believed to be present.
Things started to change in the 1960s, Madden said, when Vatican II began moving the church back to its earliest roots. What has ensued, he said, is the predictable struggle of an institution revising centuries of religious practices.
The argument over kneeling, Madden said, is "a signal of the division in the church between two camps: those who have caught the spirit of Vatican II, and those who are a bit suspicious. Because it's so visible, what happens at the Sunday worship event is a lightning rod for lots of issues."
One flashpoint involves the Agnus Dei. Traditionalists say the faithful must then fall to their knees in awe for several minutes, believing that the bread and wine are literally the body and blood of Christ.
Lesa Truxaw, the Orange Diocese director of worship, said Bishop Tod D. Brown banned kneeling because standing "reflects our human dignity. It's not that we think we're equal to God, but we recognize that we are made in the image and likeness of God."
Orange County parishioners are still allowed to kneel at other points in the Mass, including the Eucharistic prayers. Kneeling is optional as worshippers receive communion.
No less an authority than the pope is on record as favoring kneeling. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI last year, wrote in "The Spirit of the Liturgy," published in 2000, that the gesture, "comes from the Bible and the knowledge of God." He has not addressed the issue as pope.
American Catholic bishops have taken the opposite position. "Standing can be just as much an expression of respect for the coming of Christ," said Msgr. Anthony F. Sherman, a spokesman for the liturgy secretariat of the U.S. Bishops Committee on the Liturgy based in Washington.
That hasn't quieted critics.
"It's hard to understand why any bishop would prohibit his people from expressing reverence in the way they have done for centuries," said Helen Hull Hitchcock, a founder of the conservative Adoremus Society for the Renewal of Sacred Liturgy in St. Louis.
The controversy at St. Mary's by the Sea began to intensify late last year after Brown appointed Tran to lead the 1,500-family parish.
Tran took over following the retirement of the church's longtime pastor, who had offered a popular traditional Latin Mass.
Tran's Mass reverted to the more modern English form practiced in most American churches, and hundreds of parishioners signed a petition in protest. Then, to pull the church into the modern era, the priest told members, they were not to kneel after the Agnus Dei.
Many refused to comply. "Not kneeling would be sinful," said Manuel Ruiz, 45, "because that is what I believe I should do."
Mary Tripoli, 54, a former member of the parish council, was dismissed for her insistence on kneeling: "Standing may be reverence, but kneeling is adoration. It's the one thing that means Catholicism throughout the world. It's what sets us apart."
At least two altar boys, the parish altar servers coordinator and three members of the parish council have been dismissed from their duties for kneeling at the wrong time, according to parishioners.
Angered by the anti-kneeling edict, a group calling itself Save Saint Mary's began distributing leaflets calling for its return outside church each Sunday.
Tran responded in the church bulletin with a series of strident weekly statements condemning what he called "despising the authority of the local bishop" by refusing his orders to stand, and calling the disobedience a mortal sin, considered the worst kind of offense, usually reserved for acts such as murder.
Tran sent letters to 55 kneeling parishioners "inviting" them to leave the parish and the diocese for, among other things, "creating misleading confusion, division and chaos in the parish by intentional disobedience and opposition to the current liturgical norms."
Father Joe Fenton, spokesman for the Diocese of Orange, said the diocese supports Tran's view that disobeying the anti-kneeling edict is a mortal sin. "That's Father Tran's interpretation, and he's the pastor," he said. "We stand behind Father Tran."
Recipients of Tran's banishment letter said they have declined his "invitation" to depart.
Kneeling, said Teri Carpentier, 50, is praying "with our bodies, not just our minds."
During a recent Saturday afternoon Mass, dozens of worshippers defiantly knelt after the Agnus Dei.
One who didn't was Winifred Mentzer, 84.
"I've been standing lately," she later said, "because I'm all the way up front, and I know that the priest is watching. But I'm kneeling in my heart."
5.23.2006
Romantic Nostalgia
So I admit to my romanticized memories of San Francisco. I haven't been there in a while and I'm starting to really crave for the cold air hitting my skin, the sweeping vistas of Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, Pacific Heights, Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park and Downtown SF from Lone Mountain. I miss depending on either the Geary or Balboa line to get me to where I want to be. I miss huffing and puffing my way up and down those damn hills. I miss the rare warm days sitting on the grass enjoying the few sunny sunny days The City gets. First goal after I get a new job - make a trip to SF AND Napa for an olive oil tour and wine tasting.
5.16.2006
final numbers
finally was able to get final numbers from our event two weeks ago. i'm not really jumping out of me seat. sponsorships were up, as well as advertising and silent auctions. all expenses were lower than last year but overall, the net gain was about $2K more than last year. boo! :-(
5.15.2006
5.11.2006
doh! damnit...tonight myspace became the black hole of my existance!
by the way, stomp is a little overrated after you've already seen way too many variations of tinikling and that other pilipino traditional dance where all the dancers are performing with two sticks in their hands and beating them to the music beat. witnessing other ethnic indigenous dances that use non-western instruments probably didn't heighten the stomp experience either. at some points in the performance, i thought of a group of kids throwing a tantrum and grabbing any possible thing in their midst to make large banging noises to add on to their frustrations.
at least i can say i saw it. thank goodness the tickets were free! thanks joey!
by the way, stomp is a little overrated after you've already seen way too many variations of tinikling and that other pilipino traditional dance where all the dancers are performing with two sticks in their hands and beating them to the music beat. witnessing other ethnic indigenous dances that use non-western instruments probably didn't heighten the stomp experience either. at some points in the performance, i thought of a group of kids throwing a tantrum and grabbing any possible thing in their midst to make large banging noises to add on to their frustrations.
at least i can say i saw it. thank goodness the tickets were free! thanks joey!
5.08.2006
4.27.2006
I've figured it out. Karaoke is only for those with really bad vocals, at least in public. I was contemplating this as I was watching the Lakers' game last night at Max's in Glendale and listening to people amuse themselves with their so-called talents.
I know I will offend some friends in saying this. But I truly think that is why people get on the Karaoke machines in public. There has to be some ounce of humor in the performance or it's just plain boring when someone that can stay on key and in time performs! It's not as funny. I was thinking back on all the moments The Joe and his friends have made me sit through those sessions and each time, they've attempted something humorous to make the experience somewhat enjoyable, at least for me. I think that's often times why I don't want to sing since I don't know really know how I can be funny on the mic unless you're like The Joe and expounds on some Tagalog song that speaks to how a Lola warns her grandchild about falling in love with someone that's not exactly in the same "breeding quality" as her family.
Yes, I do roll my eyes often when the word, "karaoke" even comes up. Yes, sometimes I do feel as if I'm being tortured. Yes, I do require a significant amount of intoxication to get me in the right mood to completely "play along." I can't help it. It's hard to listen to not so good stuff when you try to surround yourself with really good sounds all the time, especially in the crazy situations I often get myself into.
But just because I hate karaoke doesn't mean I don't love my friends and, I guess, my Joey. Just don't expect me to be the first to suggest this kind of entertainment.
I know I will offend some friends in saying this. But I truly think that is why people get on the Karaoke machines in public. There has to be some ounce of humor in the performance or it's just plain boring when someone that can stay on key and in time performs! It's not as funny. I was thinking back on all the moments The Joe and his friends have made me sit through those sessions and each time, they've attempted something humorous to make the experience somewhat enjoyable, at least for me. I think that's often times why I don't want to sing since I don't know really know how I can be funny on the mic unless you're like The Joe and expounds on some Tagalog song that speaks to how a Lola warns her grandchild about falling in love with someone that's not exactly in the same "breeding quality" as her family.
Yes, I do roll my eyes often when the word, "karaoke" even comes up. Yes, sometimes I do feel as if I'm being tortured. Yes, I do require a significant amount of intoxication to get me in the right mood to completely "play along." I can't help it. It's hard to listen to not so good stuff when you try to surround yourself with really good sounds all the time, especially in the crazy situations I often get myself into.
But just because I hate karaoke doesn't mean I don't love my friends and, I guess, my Joey. Just don't expect me to be the first to suggest this kind of entertainment.
4.21.2006
Someone read my mind today!
Creating Confidence
Capricorn Daily Horoscope
You may begin to doubt your ability to provide for yourself today. This sense of insecurity could stem from anxiety over your obligations or challenges you may currently be facing. If you can look at your life with an optimistic eye and consider every problem to be a blessing in disguise, you’ll likely regain your confidence about your ability to shoulder your many responsibilities. Consider how well you have dealt with challenges in the past. To do so again, you may simply need to change your outlook and start to believe in your ability to find solutions. Today can be a wonderful time to create a step-by-step plan for seeing to your obligations.
Approaching our concerns with the notion that everything will work out allows us to put our worries aside and concentrate on seeking constructive solutions. In choosing to assume that a situation will turn out all right, our mental state gradually shifts to one where we become confident that we can deal with any problem. We also begin to have faith in our abilities. This optimism can keep us cheerful and practical-minded through good and bad times. Our positive mind-set allows us to see the possibilities rather than dwelling on concerns. Adopt a positive outlook today, and you will be able to focus on what needs to be done rather than worrying about what may or may not happen.
Capricorn Daily Horoscope
You may begin to doubt your ability to provide for yourself today. This sense of insecurity could stem from anxiety over your obligations or challenges you may currently be facing. If you can look at your life with an optimistic eye and consider every problem to be a blessing in disguise, you’ll likely regain your confidence about your ability to shoulder your many responsibilities. Consider how well you have dealt with challenges in the past. To do so again, you may simply need to change your outlook and start to believe in your ability to find solutions. Today can be a wonderful time to create a step-by-step plan for seeing to your obligations.
Approaching our concerns with the notion that everything will work out allows us to put our worries aside and concentrate on seeking constructive solutions. In choosing to assume that a situation will turn out all right, our mental state gradually shifts to one where we become confident that we can deal with any problem. We also begin to have faith in our abilities. This optimism can keep us cheerful and practical-minded through good and bad times. Our positive mind-set allows us to see the possibilities rather than dwelling on concerns. Adopt a positive outlook today, and you will be able to focus on what needs to be done rather than worrying about what may or may not happen.
4.16.2006
What I did for Mike's Spring Break
Just one of the many things...
Oh yes, the boy was hurting the next day but he had one hell of a ride! Take 2...
Oh yes, the boy was hurting the next day but he had one hell of a ride! Take 2...
4.03.2006
A New Stage
All the time I was wondering what the heck I wanted to do with myself and someone makes the decision for me. It's time to go back to corporate life, at least for right now. Time to build up more capital for myself and for The Joe, as he'd like to think, while continuing with all the community stuff as before. It's certainly been a wonderful time and I can fully understand the complexities of working in such an environment. I am also greatful for all the support I've received, personally and professionally...moving with courage and confidence.
3.30.2006
Keeping Conscious
Here's a few things to remind all of us to live with meaning.
1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow down the . You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.
2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.
3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.
4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.
5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.
6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don't have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members - loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.
7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.
8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.
9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.
10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy, and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.
1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow down the . You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.
2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.
3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.
4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.
5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.
6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don't have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members - loved ones, friends, or neighbors - can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.
7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.
8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.
9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.
10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy, and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often "on the go" and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.
3.29.2006
A New Baby
One of my lovely friends was down for a visit this past weekend. I took two days off to spend some time with her and always to take a breather from work. It's been very nice.
It was wonderful catching up with her. She's one of my friends whom I will die with and we will always have each other's back. She can finish my sentences when I don't know how to verabalize my thoughts. She understands the intonations in my sentences and just knows me even during the times when I can't see me.
Before she left, we talked again about starting our own business. We've been scheming about several different ideas for the past five years. I don't think it's necessarily about making money at the end of the day but being able to work for ourselves and doing things we really like to do has been the draw. Being able to work with a white canvass is something that has always attracted the two of us, as well. Some good thoughts were definitely shared. Maybe in the next three years?
It was wonderful catching up with her. She's one of my friends whom I will die with and we will always have each other's back. She can finish my sentences when I don't know how to verabalize my thoughts. She understands the intonations in my sentences and just knows me even during the times when I can't see me.
Before she left, we talked again about starting our own business. We've been scheming about several different ideas for the past five years. I don't think it's necessarily about making money at the end of the day but being able to work for ourselves and doing things we really like to do has been the draw. Being able to work with a white canvass is something that has always attracted the two of us, as well. Some good thoughts were definitely shared. Maybe in the next three years?
3.28.2006
A much needed breather
I've been working 9-11 hour days in the past few weeks. This doesn't really count the amount of additional time I spend at home so maybe the count should be more like 10-15 hours. I'm finally taking off tomorrow and Wednesday for some much needed rest. My throat has been scratchy for the past few days so I've been trying to fight that off, too.
I had a little yoga session this morning. I've forgotten how good a little meditation and movement feels first thing in the morning. For some reason, I've been waking up around 7am/7:30am for the past few weeks. Maybe my body is finally trying to regulate itself.
My day and evening were going relatively well until a little situation irked me around dinner. A few of us were gathering at our friends' place and I couldn't find parking on the main street. I had to park in the back of their alley and pass through a portion of the street that was semi-blocked by four car-loads of guys. They had their cars on and were parked on the street talking to each other like no one else was going to drive on the damn street. I'm not really one to ask to be walked somewhere, so you'd think one of the few times I'd ask, the one person who I thought would not question me or put up a fuss did. I was so hurt. And then the stupid prick attempts to playfully make peace by playfully...hell no...bastard! No apology as of yet, at least not a sincere one.
Tomorrow is a new day. I'll do some light work first thing in the morning and wait for Gellie and Bernie to get their asses over here. I don't understand why they haven't figured out that the 405 is the worst freeway to take in this area. Ah well...some people gotta get smacked on the ass a few times before they really get it.
I had a little yoga session this morning. I've forgotten how good a little meditation and movement feels first thing in the morning. For some reason, I've been waking up around 7am/7:30am for the past few weeks. Maybe my body is finally trying to regulate itself.
My day and evening were going relatively well until a little situation irked me around dinner. A few of us were gathering at our friends' place and I couldn't find parking on the main street. I had to park in the back of their alley and pass through a portion of the street that was semi-blocked by four car-loads of guys. They had their cars on and were parked on the street talking to each other like no one else was going to drive on the damn street. I'm not really one to ask to be walked somewhere, so you'd think one of the few times I'd ask, the one person who I thought would not question me or put up a fuss did. I was so hurt. And then the stupid prick attempts to playfully make peace by playfully...hell no...bastard! No apology as of yet, at least not a sincere one.
Tomorrow is a new day. I'll do some light work first thing in the morning and wait for Gellie and Bernie to get their asses over here. I don't understand why they haven't figured out that the 405 is the worst freeway to take in this area. Ah well...some people gotta get smacked on the ass a few times before they really get it.
3.10.2006
Sad joePod
OMG! Tragedy struck today...my joePod went sad.
I made myself not overreact and calmy went to apple.com to see what they had listed under support. You know it's not a good thing when there's a direct link with the same icon on their homepage for iPod support. After going through all the steps I still couldn't fix it. The primary scare was that I don't have all my songs saved in iTunes so in cases like this, there is major reason to panic.
Then my lovely friend, Hiyas recommends I look through the forums since they are most often times more help than the "geniuses" at the Genius Bar. After reading over the forums, I found one discussion that related to my case. The last resort was to throw it against something and shake it up a bit. I didn't go through exactly the same extent but after I tried resetting it again after I shook it a little, it went into data mode and the light turned on! WOOHOO! Tragedy averted!
I'm currently uploading everything I have in joePod back into my iTunes playlist...never again! Thank you Jesus! I'm still taking it into the Genius Bar to make sure I've updated joePod's software correctly.
Mercury, you suck big knockers right now!
I made myself not overreact and calmy went to apple.com to see what they had listed under support. You know it's not a good thing when there's a direct link with the same icon on their homepage for iPod support. After going through all the steps I still couldn't fix it. The primary scare was that I don't have all my songs saved in iTunes so in cases like this, there is major reason to panic.
Then my lovely friend, Hiyas recommends I look through the forums since they are most often times more help than the "geniuses" at the Genius Bar. After reading over the forums, I found one discussion that related to my case. The last resort was to throw it against something and shake it up a bit. I didn't go through exactly the same extent but after I tried resetting it again after I shook it a little, it went into data mode and the light turned on! WOOHOO! Tragedy averted!
I'm currently uploading everything I have in joePod back into my iTunes playlist...never again! Thank you Jesus! I'm still taking it into the Genius Bar to make sure I've updated joePod's software correctly.
Mercury, you suck big knockers right now!
3.06.2006
3.03.2006
fun project of the day
just got approved for a grant to create a multi-media program at SIPA. that means all apple products including adobe photoshop, illustrator, indesign and possibly final cut pro and more ram! woohoo! i'm spending someone else's money to buy stuff i luv luv luv! the only downer is that i might end up taking on some of the tech support and training until we get a professional in here.
3.02.2006
3.01.2006
I HATE THE CITY'S BUILDING AND SAFETY DEPARTMENT!!! I had to call them to get information on a variance that I need to get in order to build a higher fence at our office. They put me on hold for freakin' 18.57 minutes!!! I have it recorded on my damn cell phone. When the stupid code engineer finally answered, he spent TWO FREAKIN' MINUTES talking with me to answer my damn question!!! FIND A BETTER WAY TO ANSWER FREAKIN' QUESTIONS! GET ON EMAIL, BASTARDS! mfs!
2.23.2006
had an annual physical today...kind of like getting your car checked up. weird. waiting for the test results from all the fluids they extracted from my body. THANK GAWD they found the freakin' vein in my arm the first time they stuck the needle in it! one of the times i had to get blood drawn, the damn nurse poked around under my skin trying to find it. she wasn't successful and stuck with a "baby needle" on the top of my hand which HURT MUCH MORE! baby needle my ass!
this is the first time i've been a member of kaiser. thank you, most high for the fact that i can critique my experience with my health provider! i felt like i was being put through an assembly line. after my initial doctor's appt., i went downstairs to the lab to get blood drawn. they gave everyone numbers. when mine was called, i entered a hallway that lead to where 8 people were drawing blood for patients with numbers. weird. i wonder how long the 8 people spent just drawing blood from patients each day. i think the whole visit contributed to my anxiety of being in a hospital like setting. i practically grew up in them because of my dad. i still get messed up walking around in the damn hallways and elevators that all look the same. even the signs that tell you where you're going and where you are look the same so i rarely pay attention to them. if i ever get hospitalized (knocking on wood), i'd never leave my room for fear that i would never find my way back!
this is the first time i've been a member of kaiser. thank you, most high for the fact that i can critique my experience with my health provider! i felt like i was being put through an assembly line. after my initial doctor's appt., i went downstairs to the lab to get blood drawn. they gave everyone numbers. when mine was called, i entered a hallway that lead to where 8 people were drawing blood for patients with numbers. weird. i wonder how long the 8 people spent just drawing blood from patients each day. i think the whole visit contributed to my anxiety of being in a hospital like setting. i practically grew up in them because of my dad. i still get messed up walking around in the damn hallways and elevators that all look the same. even the signs that tell you where you're going and where you are look the same so i rarely pay attention to them. if i ever get hospitalized (knocking on wood), i'd never leave my room for fear that i would never find my way back!
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