Random Ramblings...

Good To Be Back

2009-11-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

After three weeks traveling around Australia and New Zealand...I'm pooped. I love traveling, but I don't know how people can travel for months/years without heading back home to recuperate. Perhaps it would have been less strenuous if I had spent the time laying on a beach, but I wanted to see as much as I could in a short span of time.

Both countries were lovely places to visit and I hope I return someday...especially since I didn't get to see the Great Barrier Reef or the South Island of New Zealand.

I'll post some pictures in the next few days, but for now I'm just going to deal with jet lag and try to clean up the house before a couple friends show up tomorrow for USC's homecoming weekend. Fun times. =)

Maneuvering Around Oz

2009-10-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

I have a few minutes before heading out for the day, so I thought I'd throw out a quick update.

I arrived in Melbourne, along with my mom, last Friday morning and have been touring parts of Victoria and South Australia for the past week.

After walking around Melbourne's City Centre and environs for a few days, I rented a car and drove the Great Ocean Road. If you're ever in the area, it's a beautiful drive...especially around the Twelve Apostles region around Port Campbell.

Since we were already halfway to Adelaide by the end of the Great Ocean Road...we kept on going. We spent the night in the small coastal town of Robe. I thought it was really pretty and wouldn't have minded if we spent more time there. Alas...we had to trudge along, so that we could catch our flight to Kangaroo Island.

While we were on the island, we took a guided tour to check out some of the cute fairy penguins that live along the coast of Penneshaw. I also managed to drive around the whole entire thing...heading to Seal Bay, the Koala Walk and Flinders National Park to view Admiral's Arch and the Remarkable Rocks. I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can. ;) (Oh...and we didn't see any wild kangaroos while we were on the island...but then again...I made it a habit not to drive between dusk and dawn.)

Now we're back in Adelaide to see the city sights before heading over to New South Wales...I'll see if I can check back again later (and maybe add some links). =)

Quarter System

2009-08-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I tend to update this blog on a quarterly basis. For those of you still keeping tabs on me (via rss feeds or bookmarks), in a nutshell…here’s what I’ve been up to the last quarter:

Mid June – I took my bi-annual trip to NYC, for the purpose of seeing six shows in four days. Ah…theatre bliss… =)

Late June to Mid July – I headed to Southeast Asia. I spent most of my time in Thailand, but did manage a couple days in Malaysia and a couple days in Singapore…oh…and about an hour and a half in Indonesia. ;)

Late July – Spent a few days in Albuquerque for my sorority’s annual convention. I did also manage to head to Old Town and the Turquoise Trail, which was all pretty cool.

Mid August – I spent a long weekend in Northern California to visit with a friend. Of course, I managed to take in a show…and eat…a lot.

So…here I am, back at my desk…ready to stay put. At least…for a few more days. ;)

Done Playing Hooky

2009-06-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

So...it's been quite a while since I ventured on to this blog. I've been distracted by the likes of facebook and twitter - where's it's much easier to send a one-line message than write out a substantial post.

While I'm still going to be facebooking/tweeting/twittering (whatever monikers you prefer)...I will also chronicle more events going on in my life. I have a good feeling about some potential collaborations coming down the pike...and I have some trips set up for the remainder of 2009.

Let's hope this will be as exciting for you as it is for me. ;)

Just Call Me Jack...

2009-03-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

You know the phrase...jack of all trades, master of none.

Well...I hope the latter is not the case, but lately...I find myself picking up new hobbies.

This past Fall, I decided to take a jewelry class at the local community college. I've managed to make 2 pair of earrings, 1 copper bracelet (which I can't really wear, unless I wanted a green wrist), a silver ring and a pendant. I'm now in my second semester of the course...stuck on a filed ring that doesn't seem to want to take shape. I have class later tonight...so let's hope the continued filing doesn't drive me mad for another session. ;)

In addition to the jewelry...it seems I've picked up crocheting. Last month, I went to a friend's baby shower...and at one point, crochet hooks and balls of yarn were passed about. I learned how to crochet a single stitch...and there's been no going back ever since.

I'll try to post some pictures of my "crafty" escapades later this week. For now...I need to get back to writing some lyrics...

Yay Troy!

2009-02-02T04:29:00.000-08:00

For the second time in the past four years, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy. Soon...USC football alum, Troy Polamalu, will be sporting a new championship ring. But win or lose...he still pulled off one of the better commercials of the super bowl:

For those of you who aren't aware of what makes this commercial so great...here is the 1979 commercial it was based on:

Congrats, Troy. You rock! =)

Gift It Forward

2009-01-27T02:47:00.000-08:00

I saw a post on one of my friend's blogs. I'm not sure if I made her cut, but I thought I'd extend the offer to any blog readers that I have left. Here's the same post verbatim:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
- What I create will be just for you.
- It'll be done this year.
- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be wood. Possibly metal. Perhaps a picture. Or I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well. We all can make stuff.

Let me know if you're interested! =)

The Awesomeness That Is "LOST"

2009-01-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

Image via WikipediaBarring a few episodes from season 3, Lost continues to be a riveting show. I forgot how frustrating it gets to have to wait a whole week for a new episode though.

I'm so excited that the new season FINALLY started and can't wait until next week. Yay!

Here, There and Everywhere (Well...Mostly California)

2009-01-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation (again), I finally settled on 10 Places To Visit. Of course...half of this list is different from what I originally had, before my computer decided to reboot itself. Ah well...

Channel Islands
The Cloisters
Descanso Gardens
Joshua Tree
Long Beach Museum of Art
MOCA
Museum of Tolerance
Redwood National and State Parks
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary

List? What List?

2009-01-07T23:41:00.000-08:00

So it's now seven days into the new year...and still no 101 in 1001 list. What happened?

I fell victim to the generic problem with computers. My computer decided to reboot without provocation...and I hadn't saved what I was working on. In this case...it was the remainder of my 101 list. Shame on me for filling out my list in a text pad application instead on something with an auto-save or auto-restore feature.

While I try to remember most of my entries, here's what I think I had for my 10 cities to visit:

Birmingham, Alabama
Charleston, South Carolina
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
London, England
New Orleans, Louisiana
Paris, France
Sydney, Australia
Taos, New Mexico
Temecula, California
Yuba City, California

Mmm...

2008-12-30T23:47:00.000-08:00

Well...I had hoped to fill out even more items on my list by now. But, I guess I'll have to come up with the other 51 things by tomorrow. At least I have the list of foods and restaurants squared away:

10 Foods/Restaurants To Try

Where I Stand...

2008-12-28T22:46:00.000-08:00

Okay...I really do want to get started on my 101 (tasks) in 1001 (days) list...and I'm really making January 1 the hard deadline to start this thing. But, not including today...that leaves 3 days to fill out my list. This is what I have from my previous posts...

10 Things To Organize

CDs - catalog, import them to an external hard drive and store them in one place
DVDs - catalog and store in one place
VHS Tapes - throw out the warped tapes and digitize any personal videos
Budget - go through old receipts and figure out my spending habits
Closet - toss or donate old clothes
Digital Photos - find them all and store them in one place
Printed Photos and Negatives - digitize and store in one place
Theatre Window Cards - find them, store them in one place and start hanging them up
Magnets - find all the magnets I've collected in my travels and trips to the theatre and display them in one place
Garage - clean out the garage

10 Things To Photograph

100 strangers
hummingbird
rainbow
meteor shower
lady bug
a pretty good self portrait
a cool underwater shot
a nifty looking tattoo
autumn landscape/tree scape
puppy

10 Movies To Watch

Citizen Kane
Lawrence Of Arabia
Vertigo
A Star Is Born
All That Jazz
Moulin Rouge
2001: A Space Odyssey
Ben-Hur
Grey Gardens
Our Town

10 Books To Read

The Bible (in chronological order)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
North and South by John Jakes
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein by Frederick Nolan
Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur

So that means I have 3 days to come up with 61 more things. No problem! ;) But...if you happen to read this blog in the next 3 days...I could sure use some help filling out the list. Here's what I anticipate the rest of the categories to be:

10 Cities To Visit
10 Foods/Restaurants To Try
10 Festivals/Events To Attend
10 Places To Visit (museums, botanical gardens, etc.)
10 Things To Make
10 Things To Try - I haven't thought this last one through...so I may change it to something like "10 Miscellaneous Things" that don't fit in a previous category.

Wish me luck! =)

Mele Kalikimaka

2008-12-25T22:30:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I hope that everyone had a great day celebrating Christ's birth and spending time with family! =)

Home Sweet Home

2008-12-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

After a week and a half in Hawaii...I finally made it back home. I know there's no snow storms or anything of the like to complain about, but it is much cooler here in SoCal than when I departed. When the shuttle driver drove us home from the airport, he even pointed out the frost on the roofs of the houses in our neighborhood. Brrr...

And now begins the task of catching up on mail, emails, lyrics, posting pictures and running random errands...especially before Christmas. I'm tired just thinking about it. ;) Ah well...better get cracking...

North, South, East, West

2008-12-14T01:26:00.000-08:00

Well...I headed East for a weekend in November and promptly neglected my blog. Now, I'm West of home (in Hawaii) and trying to start it back up again. Aside from lack of internet the next few days, I'm trying to keep up with writing. I'm also trying to fill up my 101 tasks before the end of the year, so that I can start on the list by January 1st. Let's see if all these things come to fruition. ;)

As far as Oahu goes...it's been pretty fun the past day and a half...despite the torrential rains and flash flood warnings. =P I just hope it lets up soon so that I can actually tour the island before we leave...at the very least...I need to visit one of those shrimp trucks I've heard so much about. Oh...and the Honolulu marathon starts in about 5 hours...so I hope the rains let up for the poor souls trying to run over 26 miles.

Alright...I must bid you all adieu before my internet connection runs out...maybe I'll buy more internet time tomorrow. Until next time...aloha. =)

Pretending To Be A Bookworm

2008-11-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Alright...so I'm not doing to well on the daily blogging thing. Can I blame it on being preoccupied with the election?

Next up in my attempt to come up with 101 tasks to do in 1001 days is my list of books to read...

10 Books To Read
The Bible (in chronological order)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
North and South by John Jakes
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Sound of Their Music: The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein by Frederick Nolan
Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur

Again...nothing is set in stone until the list is complete...so if you think there's another book I should crack open and read...let me know.

Tomorrow (I hope)...10 things to make. =)

Time To Butter The Popcorn

2008-11-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Alright...it's been a few days. But, for the record, I wasn't feeling well on Wednesday and Thursday...and spent Thursday through today going to homecoming-related activities. Oh...and in the process I watched USC shut out a third team this season (56-0). This time it was poor Washington University. Hopefully they'll win at least one game before the year it out.

Anyway...after looking at several AFI lists...and my Netflix queue...here is what I came up with for the 10 movies I need to see within a span of 1001 days:

Citizen Kane
Lawrence Of Arabia
Vertigo
A Star Is Born
All That Jazz
Moulin Rouge
2001: A Space Odyssey
Ben-Hur
Grey Gardens
Our Town

Next list of 10...books to read...

Point and Shoot

2008-10-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

Since it's nearing midnight, I don't have much time to chit-chat...but here's my next list of 10:

10 Things To Photograph

100 strangers
hummingbird
rainbow
meteor shower
lady bug
a pretty good self portrait
a cool underwater shot
a nifty looking tattoo
autumn landscape/tree scape
puppy

These things aren't set in stone until I have the complete 101 list...so let me know if you think of something better. ;)

Tomorrow...10 movies to watch...

C'est La Vie

2008-10-27T01:32:00.000-07:00

Well...Sunday, I was suppose to post 10 things to photograph...but a couple of things happened...

At the last minute, I needed to pick up a friend at the airport. Since she was famished, we went to dinner after I got her at LAX...and I didn't get home until about a half hour ago...and Sunday is long gone. =P

The other thing that happened was a friend and I went to the South Coast Botanic Garden. The two things that I was planning to adding to the photograph list were a picture of a hummingbird and one of a butterfly. The hummingbirds at the garden still proved elusive to me, but I did manage a few shots of some butterflies...including the two included in this post.

While I did take pictures of some butterflies, I'm not completely happy with them...so I'm debating on whether or not to keep them on the list. I'll revisit this later in the week...but here's my paltry list of things to photograph thus far:

10 Things To Photograph

100 strangers
hummingbird
rainbow
meteor shower
butterfly?
?
?
?
?
?

Any helping filling out the list would be much appreciated. ;)

Killing Two Birds

2008-10-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I lament over not having cable...and usually it relates to me not being able to watch a USC football game. Currently, I'm sitting in front of my computer, listening to the 4th quarter of the USC vs. Arizona game, while being entertained by the CBS Sports game tracker.

Since I'm already here...I decided that it was probably a good time to blog for the day as well. ;) So, without further adieu...here's my first set of 10 tasks for my 101 in 1001 list:

10 Things To Organize

CDs - catalog, import them to an external hard drive and store them in one place
DVDs - catalog and store in one place
VHS Tapes - throw out the warped tapes and digitize any personal videos
Budget - go through old receipts and figure out my spending habits
Closet - toss or donate old clothes
Digital Photos - find them all and store them in one place
Printed Photos and Negatives - digitize and store in one place
Theatre Window Cards - find them, store them in one place and start hanging them up
Magnets - find all the magnets I've collected in my travels and trips to the theatre and display them in one place
Garage - clean out the garage

Geez...those first 10 tasks alone will take a while. ;) Tomorrow I'll go through 10 things to photograph. See you then! =)

Not That List Again!

2008-10-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

I know...I know...I periodically mention getting through a 101 (tasks) in 1001 (days) list, but I've never actually completed a task list to start out with.

I've decided to tackle the list-making in chunks...and if I still have anyone reading this blog...feel free to help. My plan is to break it down into 10 categories and come up with a list of 10 things in each category for the next 10 days. We'll see how well that goes. ;)

So...these are some of the categories that I have thus far:

10 Things To Organize
10 Books To Read
10 Movies To Watch
10 Cities To Visit
10 Foods/Restaurants To Try
10 Things To Photograph
10 Things To Make

Alright...that's 7 of my 10 categories. That gives me a week to figure out the other 3 categories as well. =P

So...now is the time to weigh in...any books, movies, cities, categories you think I should consider? =)

Blending Together

2008-10-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

Alas...an attempt to start blogging on a a daily basis again has fallen prey to time...or should I say...my inability to keep my days straight.

Now that I don't have to report to an office on a daily basis...everything is kind of blending together. I should really come up with a more regular schedule.

Perhaps I just need to find a comfortable enough place to write...away from home. I'm thinking a coffee shop...or a bookstore...or maybe the library...

I headed off to an Orange County library today to get a new card. I don't think I've been to an OC library for about ten years now. They still had my information on file, so they charged me two dollars for a replacement card. I'm pretty sure it's free to sign up for a new card...so I'm thinking ten years away should constitute me being a new member once again. But...I'll try not to split hairs over two dollars. =P

Getting Back In The Habit

2008-10-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

I realize that although this blog is called "Random Ramblings...", it's still probably not a good idea to abandon it for weeks (let alone months) on end. So...while my topics remain fairly random, I shall endeavor to post on a more regular basis.

For now I'll commit to blogging daily until I decide I'm boring my readers too much. ;)

I hope there are still people subscribed to this thing...and if you're out there...I'll have a bright, shiny post ready for you to read tomorrow. =)

Rebuffing The Status Quo

2008-08-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

For the past few years, whenever I would catch up with friends, they'd ask me what I was up to. Inevitably, I would give the same answer...

Still working at the same place...

Still doing the same thing...

Nothing new...

I know...I live and fun and exciting life, don't I? ;)

Well...for those of you who I haven't talked to in a while...behold the bombshell...

I quit my job...

And I've decided to become a full-time writer!

I quit earlier this month and then high-tailed it out of the country to go see the Olympics in China and then visit Hong Kong. I finally made it back home on Monday...and after Labor Day, I'm going to settle down and do some serious writing.

I know computer engineer to musical theatre writer is a bit of a jump, but I'm really excited and can't wait to see what the future holds! =)

Another One?

2008-07-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, folks...it's true...it's another quiz within three posts. Not only am I trying to blog on a more frequent basis, but I'm trying to catch up on reading all my friends' posts as well. So, I suggest you blame all of them...since a lot of my friends have been quiz crazy in the past month or two.

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic.

You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything.

You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests.

You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time.

Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to.

(But with so many competing interests, your friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.)

You excel in: Inspiring people

You get along best with: The Question Mark

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Regarding the part about, "your friends do feel like you hardly have time for them"...if you feel that way...let me know. I'd love to hang out with you! =)

It Only Takes A Moment

2008-06-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

I've just gotten through a jam-packed weekend. I spent most of the time at a musical theatre conference, but after it was over earlier this evening, I managed to catch a later showing of the new Pixar movie, Wall-E. Luckily, this movie-going experience proved to be much more successful than the last time I tried to watch a Pixar movie.

Strangely enough, the movie ended up being relevant to musical theatre as well. I'm pretty sure millions of people headed to the movie theater, unwittingly subjected to Jerry Herman's Hello Dolly. It's always very cool to catch show tune references in movies...but I'm still waiting for the next great animated movie musical a la The Little Mermaid. In theory, Disney's Christmas 2009 release of The Princess and the Frog promises to return to that format. Here's hoping!

But...back to our new lovable Disney character, Wall-E...

The CGI flick proved to be another top-notch release from Pixar, but I was surprised with all of the social messages attached. It shows what can happen when you don't take care of the planet...and what happens when you choose to live in the virtual world versus the real world. I try my best to recycle and telecommute...but it seems like we're being overly bombarded with talk of "being green" lately. I'm surprised they didn't just go ahead and release this movie on Earth Day. ;)

But I digress...go out see Wall-E...as well as every other Pixar movie you have yet to see. =)

Ah Morning...The Best Time To Sleep In

2008-06-28T01:01:00.000-07:00

Well...it's been some time since a posted a random quiz...so I guess I'm due.

I saw this quiz on another blog that I frequent and thought it was cute that the blogger was classified as "breakfasty". I wanted to know if it would set me as 2:00 AM...but instead, it resulted in an ideal time for me:
Ah yes...to stay up late and be able to sleep in...hey...at least it still constitutes waking up in the morning! ;)

Assessing AFI

2008-06-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine blogged
about AFI's newest list...
the 10 Top 10.

He also posted percentages of the movies he's watched. I thought it was a pretty spiffy idea and so here I am following suit...

Animation: (Percentage Seen: 80%)
I say 80% because I don't recall ever sitting down and watching Pinocchio or Bambi...but I did have read-along record books (that's right...records) for both of these movies.

Romantic Comedies: (Percentage Seen: 40%)
I really like romantic comedies, so it surprised me that my percentage was so low. Maybe I just don't see the "good" romantic comedies.

Westerns: (Percentage Seen: 10%)
Yep...I've only seen one of the top ten westerns...and my memory of watching Shane is pretty vague. I just remember the little kid yelling after Shane and having to watch the movie in 7th grade. I can't even remember the curriculum that caused me to watch the movie in the first place. Is there a book to Shane that has fallen out of my memory as well? =P

Sports: (Percentage Seen: 30%)
I don't know if I'd really call Jerry Maguire a sports movie, but that was one of the three that I've seen in this genre...and I didn't even like the movie...so why did it make it onto a top ten list? I'm sure Rudy feels shafted.

Mystery: (Percentage Seen: 0%)
There's no reason this percentage should be so low...I guess I just haven't had a chance to see too many movies in this genre. I'm not exactly what you call a movie buff...but I'll try to watch some of these films eventually.

Fantasy: (Percentage Seen: 80%)
I don't know if I consider half of these movies "fantasies"...the whole AFI classification of genres just seemed off for a lot of these 10 lists. I do have to say...even though I adore musicals, I would still have bumped Lord of the Rings up to #1 over The Wizard of Oz.

Sci-Fi: (Percentage Seen: 50%)
I'd say any list over 50% is still pretty good for me...and the only reason I have such a high score here is because I watched T2 when I had nothing else to do on a family trip to Alaska. I didn't even see Star Wars Episode IV until after watching Episode I in the theatres. I was planning to see the movies in order, but some woman blabbed the ending of Episode IV in the ladies restroom after my viewing of Episode I. I figured I should watch the older movies before they were spoiled for me.

Gangster: (Percentage Seen: 20%)
I'm not the gangster movie watching type. I don't remember why I saw Pulp Fiction, but I do remember watching Goodfellas because it was the only thing on television one weekend afternoon. =P

Courtroom Drama: (Percentage Seen: 30%)
At least two of the three movies I've seen in this genre top the list. I do have to say, 12 Angry Men is probably on my own top ten list of non-musical movies. A Few Good Men? Not so much...

Epic: (Percentage Seen: 60%)
I think "epic" is just the nice way of saying it was an over-budget, over-the-top movie that appeals to the masses...so it not surprising for me that I've seen a majority of these films. Half of the films I didn't think lived up to the hype...but they managed to take my money anyway. ;)

Back From Hiding?

2008-05-11T02:43:00.000-07:00

I know...those of you with RSS feeds to this blog may be in shock that there's something new posted here. I hope that the surprise didn't cause any heart attacks. ;)

If you're under the impression that I've stopped blogging...oh, you are sadly mistaken. Although I am still indeed a slacker and a month behind on posting pictures (I finally finished all of March yesterday)...I have been "keeping up" with my quest to try taking at least one picture every day this year. You can catch up with my posts here. For those of you who can't wait for me to update the photo blog and just want to see the pictures...you can wander over to this Flickr set.

And in case you were wondering...here's a couple more RSS feeds for the sites listed above:

Photo Blog: http://www.photoblog.com/rss/scmusicals

Flickr: http://api.flickr.com/services/feeds/photoset.gne?set=72157603668263503&nsid=40412511@N00&lang=en-us

Feel free to comment on the photo blog too...it's lonely. ;)

In regards to this blog...I've been a very bad poster. But, I plan to remedy that. Since my goal is to get some serious writing done by the end of the year...I'll try to update this thing at least once a week. If I manage to go "missing" again...you have the right to reprimand me and order me to blog about something.

Happy reading. =)

Goodbye, 2007!

2007-12-31T22:29:00.000-08:00

I guess after making it a habit of posting every day in November, I promptly fell out of the habit in December. Alas, I will try to post more often in 2008. ;)

Before the year comes to a close, I wanted to make one last post. It's been an eventful year...starting to write musicals, saying goodbye to ~~fleeing~~ departing co-workers, continuing my quest to visit all 50 states. I'm grateful for all my experiences, both good and bad...and I look forward to what 2008 has in store.

I'm hoping to finish formatting my long-awaited 101 in 1001 list in the near future...as well as start my Project 365 (technically it's 366...since it's going to be a leap year). You can find my daily photo blog at: http://www.photoblog.com/scmusicals/ , which I plan to start tomorrow.

I already got one friend to join me...I'd love to see more of you take on this project as well. =)

Thanks to all my faithful and occasional blog readers...thanks for being interested in the things I think about and in the things I do.

Happy New Year!

Mission Accomplished

2007-11-30T23:09:00.000-08:00

Yay...I actually made it through 30 days of blogging. I guess I have no excuse not to blog on a regular basis if I can manage this feat.

However, since it is the day before the big game and I have guests over at my house this weekend (and as I blog this right now), I shall do my NaBloPoMo post-mortem at the end of the weekend.

For now I shall keep this short and sweet by saying...

FIGHT ON TROJANS! BEAT THE BRUINS!

One Down, One To Go

2007-11-29T23:34:00.000-08:00

Two strikes...one on the West coast, one on the East coast. 'Tis the season to have contract disputes, I suppose.

While Hollywood will have to wait until December 4th for more negotiations, the Great White Way is now aglow with footlights once again.

Late on November 28th, the League of American Theatres and Producers and the stagehands' Local One, IATSE union, came to a tentative agreement. The Broadway shows which had been shuttered since November 10 were finally able to go on for the first time, this evening.

Anyone who's lucky enough to be in Times Square tomorrow, should head over to the Marriott Marquis for a noon concert, to celebrate the end of the strike.

And...for those of you who won't be in Times Square...go see a show anyway. ;)

Odds Are...

2007-11-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

I don't like traffic...I abhor it. But, what I dislike more than the traffic itself is discourteous drivers.

I was close to work this morning (yes...it was actually still morning this time ;) ), when a car came from the on ramp and tried to speed past me to cut me off. I wouldn't have any of that and made the driver wait his turn. I was annoyed, but put it out of my mind as I neared my exit at the next off ramp.

Unfortunately, the car behind me followed. While we were waiting on the off ramp, the other car swerved onto the shoulder. Not wanting him to pass illegally, I inched into the shoulder to block his path. He moved back into his lane and order was restored.

What made him think he had any right to jump in front of the rest of us? How rude.

A few minutes later I arrived at my destination, just in time for my meeting. Shortly thereafter, a couple folks (from another company) that we were waiting to meet with entered the room. One of them...you guessed it...was that same driver from the freeway.

Whoops...

Where Has The Year Gone?

2007-11-27T23:29:00.000-08:00

Every year around this time I'm amazed at how quickly the months have come and gone. I inevitably purchase Christmas cards and run out of time to write in them, let alone mail them. Who knows...maybe I'll send some out this year...but don't hold your breath. ;)

Maybe I'll spend the end of December blogging about what's happened over the past year...for now, I'll just think about what I need to do before the year is up...and perhaps think about getting some Christmas cards. =P

Committed

2007-11-26T22:35:00.001-08:00

Okay...this is the second time I'm trying to post...but my computer isn't cooperating very much.

I'm sitting in a parking lot behind a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, using their wireless network, because I don't think I'm going to make it home by midnight. I suppose I should have posted at work...probably the smarter plan. ;)

Since I don't want it to look all sketchy, since in a darkened parking lot...I should go. Just wanted to say "hey" and I'll post more tomorrow. =P

Biding Time

2007-11-25T23:14:00.000-08:00

I saw a link to this flowchart on a sorority sister's blog. I thought it was pretty funny, albeit ironic, since it originally came from someone who is trying to make $1,000,000 in a year through projects and donations on the internet.

Of course...posting this flowchart doesn't mean I condone procrastination. After all, I would never procrastinate on anything. ;) But, I thought some readers would get a kick out of seeing it. So...enjoy! Oh, and if you're reading this in the office or instead of doing homework...get back to work! =P

Yay Christmas!

2007-11-24T23:54:00.000-08:00

Well...I forgot about blogging again. I only have about 5 minutes, so this may just be a flurry of words.

I got into my car and turned on the radio to find Christmas music playing...and seeing that it was after Thanksgiving, I was perfectly happy. For some reason, I don't like listening to Christmas music until turkey day arrives...maybe because I live in Southern California and that's the one way to gauge the Christmas season. We don't have that white stuff that some of you refer to as snow. =P

I don't know how to round out my top 5 Christmas songs, but I think I'm set on my top 3. They would be:

- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
- O Holy Night
- Grown Up Christmas List

Now all I need to do is find my Christmas CDs...or just listen to Yahoo! Music Jukebox. =)

Thanks To The Holiday Planners

2007-11-23T23:39:00.000-08:00

I guess I could look online and find out about the history and reasoning behind having Thanksgiving on a Thursday. But...I'm too lazy to do that right now. ;) All I can say to whoever decided to do it is...thanks!

Fortunately, I've never been in a job where I've had to work the Friday after Thanksgiving...so having a four-day weekend is much needed and much appreciated. I got to sleep in and it was wonderful!

Now I just need to figure out how to "relax" and finish the first draft of my musical's outline by the end of the weekend. =P

Cluck Cluck...Oh What A Night

2007-11-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

I guess it's been a few years since I had a traditional Thanksgiving Day. This time last year I was on my way back from the Philippines via Tokyo and had eel for my "Thanksgiving" dinner. Yum!

Today, I started out at a chicken and end up being transported back to the sixties. Woo!

I woke up at the crack of dawn...aka...6 AM and headed to the Long Beach Turkey Trot to pass out water with people from church. We passed out over 2,000 water bottles, so it was pretty eventful. I also helped out with the "Chicken Chuck" event and transformed into poultry.

This evening I headed to the Orange County Performing Arts Center and watched the National Tour of Jersey Boys. It's a great musical that's a lot of fun...and what better way to spend the holiday (or any day) than watching a show! ;)

Okie doke...it's about time I eat my spaghetti now. See you tomorrow!

Give Thanks

2007-11-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight I went to my church's Thanksgiving Eve service and it was amazing. =)

I'm all for the smaller church setting than being caught in a service with masses of people. So, when I got to church today and saw such a huge turnout (our 4 campuses got together for a single service), I reminisced about when our church was only about 200-300 people total and missed the intimate environment.

But, 2 minutes into the service, my uneasiness subsided. It's a testament to God's provision when being in a large group service could still feel like an intimate moment between you and the Lord. I love my church and tonight was once again proof of why it's so special.

So...before the stroke of midnight, I wanted to pass on one of the pieces of scripture shared this evening:

8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

-- Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! =)

The Antennae Lament

2007-11-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

For the most part, I don't really care that I don't have cable. Yes...you read that right...I don't have cable...or a satellite dish...or TiVo.

But, there are certain times when I really miss it. No...I'm not talking about the excessive amount of reality shows or having more choices in movies. When I really miss cable is it during football season. =P

Case in point...Thanksgiving Day will be the much awaited USC vs. Arizona State game. Depending on whether Oregon loses one more time (which is quite possible since their quarterback is now injured. =( ), this may be the deciding game for the Pac-10 victors.

Alas...it is on ESPN...and I don't have time to go anywhere to watch it, since I have plans at 7:30 PM and the game starts at 5:00 PM.

Ah well...I guess I'll have to be content with the highlights on the 11:00 PM news. =P

The Pinkberry Craze

2007-11-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

So, I'm a little bit behind the curve on this, but a couple weeks ago I finally got to try Pinkberry...which is a reimagined/reinvention of yogurt. It's a little tarter than what we are used to frozen yogurt being, which is cool...since there are a truckload of toppings that you're suppose to put on the yogurt.

I wasn't sure why this became a craze, but it started out in west Hollywood and kinda exploded all over Southern California. I tried out the green tea flavored yogurt with white chocolate chips, kiwi, and granola. It was great, but I didn't see what the fuss was all about. Until I wanted it again...and again.

I found out that there was one in Huntington Beach and I've been there twice now. So much for not getting on that bandwagon. ;)

Another friend, my fellow Pinkberry "addict", has gone one step further in trying other frozen yogurt places of the same vein...sort of like faux-Pinkberrys. I guess I'll have to join her in a couple of these excursions. Any pointers from you Pinkberry fans out there?

And...for those of you who haven't tried it yet...give me a call and I'll be sure to go with you. ;)

Midpoint Check In

2007-11-18T23:48:00.000-08:00

Okay...so maybe the actual midpoint would have been the 15th of November, but this is close enough. ;)

It looks like I've been fairly successful with NaBloPoMo and have managed to blog every day this month. NaNoWriMo...that's a different story. Since I'm also in the process of writing an outline for a musical...the novel has been put on the back burner...again. Perhaps one of these years I'll really get serious about writing 1600+ words a day.

Now that I'm blogging everyday, I wondered how long it took before this became a habit. I did some searching and found an article on "8 Rules to Develop the Habit of Blogging". For the most part, it seems to make sense, but I think that step #6 about charting your process is a bit excessive. Then again, I don't expect a huge readership beyond my friends and maybe some people I know from church, work and a couple organizations I belong to.

Step #8 says not to form any other habits when you're focusing on the habit of blogging. So, I guess that could be my excuse for not following through with NaNoWriMo. What do you think? =P

100!

2007-11-17T22:53:00.000-08:00

I officially started this blog back in September 2004. I didn't know what I would write about, so I named it "Random Ramblings..." Considering the number of times I've gone M.I.A. from the blogosphere, I think it's pretty reflective.

So, now I'm here...3 years later...posting entry number 100. I'm still not entirely sure of the purpose of this blog, but I hope it's at least somewhat entertaining and informative to those who drop by. =)

Thanks for reading...I look forward to writing the next 100 posts and beyond!

Will Learn For Food

2007-11-16T23:28:00.000-08:00

I wasn't too keen on studying the vocab section of the S.A.T.s way back in the day. But, perhaps this would have given me better incentive.

A sister site to Poverty.com, FreeRice challenges users to choose the correct definition for given words. If they are correct, 10 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program. Technically, one of the many sponsors listed on the page donates a given amount for each correct answer. But it's more fun to think of it in terms of grains.

'Tis the season to start giving...so why not fill a bowl of rice and gain a better vocabulary at the same time!

Running Late...

2007-11-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

So I'm suppose to be in North Hollywood in about a half-hour, but I'm running just a little late. ;) Since I probably won't be back until 11:30 PM - Midnight...I need to do a rush job on this blog entry. Woo!

What I've found out in the past few days (perhaps I already knew) is that I get distracted (quite a bit) from writing when I'm at home. I need to find a nice, quiet place to work...that's open late at night. Any ideas? =P

Swing Your Razor High

2007-11-14T23:43:00.000-08:00

In a little over a month, Johnny Depp brings Stephen Sondheim's musical, Sweeney Todd, to life on the big screen. The preview looks intriguing, but I am more than a little disturbed that there is a lack of singing in it:

I'm hoping that my concerns turn out to be unfounded and that Tim Burton has created a proper homage to Sondheim's dark, yet comedic musical gem. I'll be sure to let you know what I think after I watch it. ;)

But...apparently, this isn't the first time Sondheim's thriller has made an appearance on the big screen. One of my friends told me that the original Ben nifer's Jersey Girl incorporated it in the storyline somehow. But, I'm guessing not a lot of people ran out to see that one. =P

Pretty....

2007-11-13T23:41:00.000-08:00

Some may think that I'm behind on the news, since this was announced back in March. Others may think that I'm just plain crazy, since the Beijing Olympics aren't taking place until next summer. But, this weekend, I happened upon some pictures of the Beijing Olympic medals:

For the first time in the history of the Olympics, a mineral (jade), is being added to the medals. The darker green is for the bronze medal, while the whiter jade goes with the gold. I'd love to be able to see these things in person, but alas, I think this may be the closest I get to seeing them. =P

Ack!

2007-11-12T23:55:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot to blog today...that's what happens when you wait 'til the last minute. Which is really odd, since I'm not a procrastinator. ;)

So, with a couple minutes to spare, I'll just leave you with the generic statement when setting up a web page or test file:

HELLO WORLD!

=)

On The Move Again

2007-11-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

I started attending my current church in September 2003, which met in a multi-purpose room behind a parent church. In February 2005, we became a portable church that set up each Sunday at a high school - a mile up the street. In September 2006...we began to have a 6PM service...which was great, since I finally got to sleep in on Sundays!

Tonight we got word of another change...the 6PM service was going to move...to a pub in Long Beach! The pub is closed on Sundays, so they were more than happy to rent it out to us.

So...starting in January 2008...if you want to hang out in a pub by Cal State Long Beach on Sunday nights, let me know. No beer, but I know it's going to be a lot of fun. =)

In The Rain, Snow and Fog

2007-11-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

No...I'm not talking about postmen...but they work during crazy weather as well. In this case, I'm referring to football players.

I watched the USC vs. Cal game on TV today...luckily, in the comfort of my own. It was pouring down rain for all four quarters...which proved both entertaining (when the ball slipped out of Cal's hands) and frustrating (when USC players fell victim to the rain).

Baseball games get rained out...basketball games are played in nice, dry arenas. But, football...I've seen these poor players (both in the NCAA and NFL) play in all types of weather. In general, it's hard enough to play football well, but when you add wet equipment or visibility issues, then it's just insane.

So...bravo to USC for holding on to the ball (for the most part) and coming out victorious today.

Fight On Trojans! Beat The Sun Devils!

Some Favorite Broadway Songs...

2007-11-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

Chizi just posted her "top 12" musical theatre songs at the present moment, fully acknowledging that songs were constantly being added and removed from the list...and most of the list was courtesy of Stephen Sondheim.

I figured a better bet would be to list my favorite song (that has actually been sung on a Broadway stage) from 12 different songwriters or songwriting teams (which are not necessarily my top 12 songwriters of all time either). =P I had a hard time with some songs on the list...but for the most part...this is pretty accurate:

Rodgers and Hammerstein
"Soliloquy" from Carousel

Boublil and Schönberg
"On My Own" from Les Miserables

Stephen Sondheim
"I Wish I Could Forget You" from Passion

Flaherty and Ahrens
"He Wanted to Say" from Ragtime

Frank Wildhorn
"Take Me As I Am" from Jekyll & Hyde

Lerner and Loewe
"If Ever I Would Leave You" from Camelot

Stephen Schwartz
"For Good" from Wicked

Jerry Herman
"I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles

Kander and Ebb
"Dear One" from Kiss of the Spider Woman

Adam Guettel
"The Light in the Piazza" from The Light in the Piazza

Cy Coleman
"You're Nothing Without Me" from City of Angels
(lyrics by David Zippel)

Bock and Harnick
"I Don't Know His Name" from She Loves Me

It was too hard to choose a song from West Side Story...so I'll have to leave out Leonard Bernstein for now. Sorry, Lenny!

Netflix <3's SCMusicals

2007-11-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

At least...I'm pretty sure Netflix likes customer's like me. For the first time since September...I finally dropped of the DVDs I rented from them in the mail. Oh...did I mention...it was September...of 2006?

I hope they enjoying getting the free money out to me, to make up for the crazy renters who grab as much as they can and rip it to their computers. I guess it's just my inadvertent way of balancing things out. ;)

Actually, I'm just not good at mailing things out in general. I don't know how much money I've lost over the years in missed rebates...or missing the deadline in returning something I ordered online.

Ah well...perhaps I'll do better with the next set of Netflix DVDs...at least I'm on the lowest plan possible. =P

The crazy part is I'm now thinking of going with GameFly as well. What do you think? Should I quit while I'm "ahead"? ;)

How Do You Do This Again?

2007-11-07T22:24:00.000-08:00

I don't know how most engineers are, but for me...if I don't touch code that I've worked on for a while...maybe even from a month or two ago...I may not remember even writing it. So...imagine the horror when I found out I needed to make changes on some applications that I hadn't work on...for at least 2 1/2 - 3 years! The former owner of these applications left the company a few months ago and assured me that I shouldn't need to make any changes to the code. Right... ;)

Luckily, after one botched attempt to compile something...needing to reinstall a windows component onto my computer...and breaking the staging server for about 20 minutes, I remembered enough to complete my task. Suddenly, I feel somewhat more accomplished...but starving. I'm finally going to go grab some dinner.

See you again tomorrow!

Ramblings On Blogging Daily...

2007-11-06T22:52:00.000-08:00

I guess the hardest thing (thus far) about blogging for NaBloPoMo is figuring out what to write about.

Some days two or three things happen and you need to decide what to write about...or figure out a way to talk about all three, if they seem to be related. Other days...life seems rather boring...or maybe you think that nothing out of the ordinary has taken place. I guess that's a version of writer's block, blog-style.

Perhaps, you think you're focusing too much on one subject, so why beat a dead horse? Or maybe your blog readers may not find your topic too terribly interesting.

For now, my faithful blog readers, you'll have to suffer through my "interesting" days as well as my "boring" days. I shall try my best to make this blog as readable as possible. =P

Is This What "Normal" Is Like?

2007-11-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

So most people know by now that I'm semi-nocturnal. Luckily, I'm at a job that's pretty flexible regarding hours and I don't head into the office until late morning/early afternoon. Except for today...

Today I needed to go to the San Diego office for work...so I was picked up in a carpool at 8:30 AM, actually had lunch at noon, and got home at 5:30 PM, fully exhausted. By the time 7:00 PM hit, I thought it was really late...but it was nowhere near midnight. ;)

But, I think I may have caught a second wind...so there's hope for me in staying up a little longer. =P

10 Years...

2007-11-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

November 4, 1997...I got the phone call no one really wants to get. "Come home...they took your dad to the hospital." I probably shouldn't have driven myself there...I was kind of a mess. By the time I got there, they were keeping him alive with a breathing tube, but he was already gone. My mom and I let him pass quietly and life was different from that point forward.

I can't believe it's been 10 years. Time really does fly, whether you want it to or not. I still miss my dad, but I'm so grateful for the 20 years I had with him. I've spent a third of my life without him, but what he taught me in the first two thirds is enough to last me the rest of my life.

So, thanks dad. Thanks for driving me all over the place, for teaching me long division a good two years before I learned it in school, for our daily outings to get a snack after class, and for putting up with me in general when most guys your age were settling into retirement. I would never want any other dad but you. =)

Speed Blogging...

2007-11-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know about blogging on schedule...I suppose it's good practice!

I just stepped into the office to pick up my laptop after going to the USC vs. Oregon State game at the Coliseum. Unfortunately, my Homecoming experience was not what it was cracked up to be. Because of some work I was doing last night, I only caught about 2 1/2 hours of sleep and missed the pre-game festivities on campus. Ah well...there's always next year.

After finally making it to campus at around 3:45 PM, it took me about an hour and a half to find street parking...since I only had about $9 in cash. I managed to make it to the game with 7:30 left in the first quarter.

Despite being late, I managed to catch more of the game than two of my other friends. Let's just say they did partake in pre-game festivities (a lot) and spent half the game either sleeping it off or visiting the facilities.

So that the day isn't a total wash, I'm off to Bob's Big Boy to have dinner with my roommate from college. Woo! See ya later...and I'll check back in tomorrow! =)

Nifty November

2007-11-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

The day after I went to see Corteo, I managed to get some sort of bug, resulting in 3 weeks worth of coughing fits. I think it may almost be gone...but that's what I thought last week, before it came back in a second wave. So much for keeping all my appointments in October.

I'm hoping things will look up in November. So far, it's started out pretty well. After months of waiting...my collaborators and I finally got word on a book we want to adapt into a musical. We got the go-ahead to develop and workshop it...yay! Now I just need to start working on the outline - even more writing for me! =P

NaNoWriMo Word Count: 253

NaNoWriMo...NaBloPoMo...Wah?

2007-11-02T04:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been following my blog, you have seen my less than stellar attempts at writing 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

Apparently November is the month where you find any excuse to write anything...anywhere. While I was perusing some of my friends' blogs, I came across Jo's post for NaBloPoMo. Yes, you guessed it...November is also National Blog Posting Month.

Since I found out about this endeavor about 5 minutes ago, I'm going to count this as my November 1st post...call me a cheater if you must.

Once again...I have entered myself into NaNoWriMo with the hopes of exceeding my word count from previous years (one of these years I'll actually get to 50k). With NaBloPoMo, I'm hoping I stick it out and post all 30 days. We shall all see if I'm successful soon enough.

Oh...and I'll try to make my other November posts more coherent...and try to write them at a decent hour. ;)

Ignoring Trepidation

2007-10-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

If you've ever heard me talk about Cirque Du Soleil, you already know...they freak me out. I equate Cirque to contortionists and clowns - both groups seem rather unnatural to me. In the same vein...I'm quite freaked out about Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance as well as The Rockettes. I would say that it has something to do with people dressing the same and flailing their legs about in a line...but ironically, I was in the marching band in high school. Maybe I just have a problem with people dressing the same and flailing their legs about on stage. =P

Throwing prejudice aside (I've never actually seen Cirque, Lord of the Dance or The Rockettes), I decided to go see Cirque Du Soleil's Corteo last Sunday afternoon. The fact that I got tickets at 50% off was a major factor as well. ;)

I was surprised that the show was pretty much devoid of contortionists...which apparently varies from different Cirque shows. They did have a couple freaky looking clowns though. According to my friend, this show went back to Cirque Du Soleil's roots, and was more like circus acts on steroids. Steroids...and an artistic flair...and kind of a semblance of a story line. But another thing did freak me out though...I was afraid that these incredibly talented gymnasts and acrobats would fall. I'm glad they take safety seriously in this show.

So...suffice to say...Corteo didn't scare me away from other Cirque shows. But, it might be a while before I go see Lord of the Dance or The Rockettes. =P

A Note To The Bandwagon Fans...

2007-10-07T04:20:00.000-07:00

Bottom line...for those of you who boo-ed our team last night...

Don't come back.

We don't want you.

Unfortunately, USC lost last night...at home...for the first time since September 29, 2001. Of course, I was disappointed too...but I cheer on my team, win or lose.

I don't boo my team, no matter how badly they're playing. They're not perfect...no team ever is...no person ever is. Whether you believe me or not...you boo-ers had an effect on our team. You basically threw homefield advantage to the wind and added humiliation to a team that already felt horrible for letting you down. Shame on all of you. Don't come back unless you're ready to really be a FAN. If you just want to be on the bandwagon - time to get off.

Oh...and before I complete my rant...another thing. Don't leave when there's still 2 minutes left to the game, the opponent has the ball, and the USC players still need us there to believe in them and support them. If you're not going to stick it out when your team needs you the most...why even bother coming?

Okay...I'm done. With that said. Fight On Trojans! Beat The Wildcats!

Back To Blogging...

2007-09-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I took an inadvertent break again...not only writing in my blog, but in reading everyone elses too. So sad...

I'm in the middle of catching up, so I promise to post something a little more substantial in the next day or two. For now...you'll just have to deal with the result to a quiz I took on blogthings. I found it when reading another friend's post. ;)

You Are a Carnation

You are down to earth and grounded.
You tend to be more traditional than trendy.
Your confidence gets you through anything.
People trust you and are very loyal to you.

What Flower Are You?

No Ratatouille For Me

2007-07-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

I love Pixar. I wasn't to thrilled that they made a rodent into a chef, but giving it the benefit of the doubt...I was looking forward to seeing Ratatouille.

I left on vacation June 29...the day Ratatouille came out. However, my friend asked me to wait for her before I saw it. Aww...okay. I got back on July 10, but since she's only in town Sundays, we had to wait until tonight to see it.

Thinking we had plenty of time to eat dinner before catching one of the last two shows, we headed off to Wood Ranch for their yummy chopped salad. Mmmm...tri tip. Unfortunately, the service was slow and we didn't get out of there until 10:10 PM...the latest showing in that complex was at 10 PM. But...never fear...there was a 10:30 PM showing in the next city over.

We whipped out my Thomas Guide (for the first time since I bought it in 2005) and figured out directions to the movie theatre. We got into the theatre with about 3 minutes to spare and proceeded to watch a slew of horrible previews.

During the last preview, a random guy walked into the theatre, kind of cased the joint, and then headed back to the hallway. I watched the last preview in annoyance as I heard his muffled voice echoing into the theatre.

Just as the movie was about to start, he walked back in and stood at the end of one of the rows. A couple other guys entered from the other side, and then a total of four of them met up in the front row...right under the screen...and started pounding on one another.

I heard one guy in a row above me order his daughter to get out of the theatre. My friend and I quickly followed suit...for fear something worse may happen. We immediately went to guest services to report what happened and ask for a refund.

So...now I'm here at home...still without seeing the latest Pixar feature. Upset and annoyed, my friend told me I could now see it without her...since it may be another 3 weeks before we get a chance to hang out again on a Sunday night. Big bummer.

Thanks guys...thanks for choosing our movie theatre (for a G-rated movie nonetheless) to start your brawl.

M.I.A.?

2007-07-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

I guess I didn't tell as many people as I thought that I was going on vacation. I received a call from a friend, concerned that she had not seen me online for quite some time...and another friend asked me what I was doing in Salt Lake City, in reference to my last post.

Well...for anyone else who has been wondering what may have happened to me...I was out of town...I left on June 29th and came back yesterday...6 hours later than I had anticipated. I flew in and out of the Salt Lake City airport and drove in a somewhat haphazard loop around Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and the eastern fringe of Washington. And for those of you keeping count...that means I am now up to 48 states. Just Louisiana and Alabama left!

Since I'm on this topic...in no particular order, here's a few highlights of the trip. Enjoy!

The temperatures in the areas I visited were higher than normal. There was hay frying in the sun and at one point we even had to detour around a fire, since 10 miles of an interstate highway was closed.

The aforementioned ding to my rental car.

Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are called Rocky Mountain states for very good reason...I drove over and around more mountain ranges in a short period of time than I was used to.

South Dakota rocks...the black hills were beautiful, I couldn't get enough of Mount Rushmore, and it reminded me of one of my favorite movies...Calamity Jane.

Yellowstone was much bigger than I expected, but it's amazing that there are so many different types of landscapes and natural phenomenons concentrated in one slice of the country. No wonder ~~Teddy Roosevelt~~ Ulysses S. Grant named it the first national park.

Vacation Fun

2007-07-10T10:02:00.000-07:00

Well...I was suppose to be landing back in a SoCal airport right about now. Instead, this morning I woke up to find that someone had backed into my rental car. By the time I had spoken to the front desk and filed a report with the rental car company...I had missed the cut off to check into my flight...by 3 minutes.

So...I decided to pay the extra $10 at the Salt Lake City airport to get wifi internet access. I have about another 3 1/2 hours to kill before my rescheduled flight takes off. Yay!

Getting Ready For More Madness

2007-05-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

I guess writing a mini-musical in a short period of time wasn't enough stress for my life. So, I have decided to give Script Frenzy a shot this year as well.

Script Frenzy is brought to us by those wacky folks at NaNoWriMo...which I tried to complete in 2004 and in 2005. I spent November 2006 in the Philippines, so I didn't even attempt it for a third year in a row. Maybe November is just a bad month for me. We'll see how I fare in November 2007.

NaNoWriMo requires participants to write a 50k-word novel in a month...Script Frenzy requires a 20k-word screenplay or stage play to be completed. Since I'm in musical mode...this year I'll give a stage play a try.

Perhaps June will be a better month for me...

Perhaps 20,000 words of dialogue will write itself more quickly...

Perhaps my head will just implode after all this writing...

Only time will tell...so check back and see how I'm doing!

Freedom!

2007-05-26T23:12:00.000-07:00

Alright...so I'm one of those people living in a cave...and haven't actually seen Braveheart. But, when I envisioned yelling out "freedom!"...Mel Gibson in heavy makeup came to mind.

On Friday...after much scrambling (and two printings) to make sure that my book matched up with my composer's score...12 copies of our mini-musical were collated and delivered to our stage manager.

After nearly two months spent outlining, writing a rough draft and three revisions...I actually have a free Memorial Day weekend. I'm kind of beside myself. I haven't had free time in so long...I don't know what to do with it!

AAAAAARRRGH!

2007-05-23T23:04:00.000-07:00

Well...the good news was...I got out of my latest mini-musical check-in meeting early. So...I rushed home in time to watch the Lost season finale. But all I can say is...aaaaaaaack!

The episode did what it was suppose to do. It kept me at the edge of my seat for two hours. It kept me wanting more. And...in grand Lost style it kept me asking more questions than I wanted to. I'll leave out the main spoilers...but stop reading if you want even minor things to be a surprise...

All I can say (without blowing anything for anyone) is...

Hey Walt...you're still hanging around?

Hurley - you rock!

Who was in the casket?

When is the next episode? I wanna see it now...

Alright...I need to keep my head from spinning somehow...

Hmmm...

2007-05-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

It's official...I'm spreading myself a little thin nowadays. Especially when I pour some juice and think it's smiling back at me...

The good (or bad) news is...the final draft of my mini-musical is due on Friday. So whether or not I'm 100% satisfied with it...I'll at least be done with writing it.

Once the mini-musical performance is over in June...I'll just have to worry about writing a full musical. ;)

Maxine Turner Memorial Scholarship Fund

2007-04-27T03:32:00.000-07:00

Eleven days have passed and the shock of what happened at Virginia Tech has sunk in and subsided for most of the country...and life goes on. However, for 33 families, life will never be the same.

I try to keep my blog as anonymous as possible, with USC mentioned as my only affiliation. But, there are times when anonymity must be put aside.

As mentioned in my previous post, one of my sorority sisters, Maxine Turner, was lost to us while sitting in German class - a class she was taking just for fun, during her last semester at Virginia Tech. Instead of getting her cap and gown ready for graduation, her parents and younger brother will hold funeral services for her just a few hours from now.

However, as bittersweet as it may be, beautiful things happen in the midst of tragic circumstances. In the past week and a half there has been an outpouring of love and support from Maxine's sorority sisters around the country...holding vigils, praying, and making plans to see that her memory lives on.

Maxine was one of the founding members of the Virginia Tech chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon.

We formed this sorority as a place for females who had never had female friends, as a chance for them to meet great girls with similar interests. Also for anyone looking for a support group, since Engineering is challenging. Lastly, as a chance to build professional skills to help girls after graduation.
-- Maxine Turner

In her honor, a scholarship has been formed, to support other women in engineering and technical sciences. If you feel compelled to give, a check payable to "Alpha Omega Epsilon National Foundation, Inc." can be sent to:

A.O.E. National Foundation
P.O. Box 3150
Brunswick, GA 31521

Online donations can also be made at: http://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=36-4111818

Please make sure the check's memo line or "Designate my donation" field for online donations reads: "VA Tech Fund" or "Maxine Turner Fund".

Above all else, continue to pray for Maxine's mother (Susan), father (Paul), brother (Anthony)...as well as her other family and friends, including her chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon at Virginia Tech. May they all know that God's loving arms surround each one of them now and always.

Perspective

2007-04-17T01:19:00.000-07:00

I may be busy and more stressed out than usual these days, but something like the shootings at Virginia Tech on Monday puts things into perspective. It also hit closer to home when I found out one of my sorority sisters was among the casualties. I did not know her personally, so I cannot fathom the loss that her family and friends are feeling during this dark time in their lives. I just pray that they are able to support one another and lean on God as they continue to sort things out.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

My prayers especially go out my other sorority sisters at Virginia Tech. I pray that you're all able to persevere and finish the semester, as bittersweet as those days may be. Keep her in your thoughts and remember her fondly.

Frazzled

2007-04-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

For the next couple months I suggest you don't take too much stock in promises I attempt to make through my blog. Aside from the full-time job and volunteering for my sorority...I have now undertaken collaborating in a 15-minute musical that's suppose to make some sort of logical sense and be produced by June. I'll try to make updates as much as I can (I actually do have my 101 list lying around somewhere), but if I go M.I.A...be forewarned...

Blog Stalkers

2007-04-01T02:03:00.000-07:00

This evening I dicovered that I had a couple more people who read my blog. Since they admitted to being blogger stalkers, I'll keep their identities hidden - but you know who you are! ;)

Now that I know I have more than a half-dozen people reading this thing regularly...I should probably post more. Hopefully I am up to the task...and I will try my best to keep up some people's stalking habits.

101 Update

2007-03-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

Okay...around the time I was suppose to post my 101 in 1001 list...I got sick...again. I managed to stay healthy the past 5 years, only to get the flu twice this winter. Hopefully it's cyclical and I don't get the flu again for another 5 years. ;)

So...new plan. My list has grown to about 60-65 tasks. I'm going to rack my brain in the next few days to get to 91 tasks, leaving the final 10 blank to be filled in at some point during the 1001 days. This way I can put something in that had slipped my mind from the onset...or if something new comes along, I can add it to my list as well.

My official day 1 is now April 6...and day 1001 will be December 31, 2009. I promise...I'll actually post my list by April 5.

101 Help

2007-02-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Wow...it's been a lot harder coming up with 101 tasks than I thought. I'm about a third of the way there, but in theory...I need to finish my list by the end of the month. So now I'm soliciting help. As I posted in January, I am going to try to complete 101 tasks in 1001 days. I need ideas for things to do, places to go, people to see...whatever. =P I currently have 28 things committed to paper and about a half dozen things floating around in my head. Let me know what you think I should be doing...and we'll see if it makes the list on February 28!

Wheel of Food

2007-02-15T23:50:00.000-08:00

I admit it...I usually have issues trying to decide where to go for lunch. Luckily, one of my friends showed me a nifty tool that could help out in the future. It's called the Wheel of Lunch. It's a flash component, created by Krazydad. Provide this magical wonder with a zip code and a search term, and it'll create a wheel to make the decisions for you. Who knows...you may even discover a new restaurant or two!

Hey Luke...Forgive Me, Por Favor

2007-02-03T23:22:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I went with some co-workers to a restaurant called "Tacos Por Favor". While we were eating, a couple guys at my table started whispering about a famous movie star. I looked to the table to my right. Indeed...there was a movie star there...Mr. Luke Wilson...enjoying his cerveza.

Another co-worker was at a nearby table. Instead of shouting to her and pointing to Mr. Luke Wilson, I thought it best to give her a call. So...I whipped out my cell phone and dialed her number. From my peripheral vision, I also saw Mr. Luke Wilson recoil.

Two seconds later...I realized what had happened. Here's a tip for you all. If making a phone call in the vicinity of a movie star, you should probably not aim it in their direction while dialing a number. It may appear to them as though you are taking a picture with your cell phone. It also didn't help that my co-worker failed to answer her phone and i hung up a few seconds later.

So...Sorry, Luke! I really didn't take a picture of you with my cell phone. But, with the reaction I had already caused...I may as well have.

Dreamgirls Will Never Leave You

2007-01-15T22:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, another stage musical has made it to the big screen in dramatic fashion. Dreamgirls opened on Christmas day to critical acclaim & has been collecting a slew of nominations & awards ever since.

This evening, Dreamgirls won 3 Golden Globes - Jennifer Hudson for Best Supporting Actress, Eddie Murphy for Best Supporting Actor and Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy.

Although, in my mind, Dreamgirls still does not hold a candle to another recent stage-to-film transfer, Chicago, it does make a solid showing that warrents it's nominations. After Chicago, it's successors in the movie musical genre have been less than stellar...The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, The Producers. Filmmakers were not successful in capturing some fantastic stage magic into the cinema. But finally, another movie musical got it right! Watching Dreamgirls was a refreshing reminder of how a good stage production can become a great motion picture.

Congrats, Dreamgirls team...let's hope you're showered with some Oscar nominations as well!

101 in 1001

2007-01-03T23:37:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago, I ran across one of my sorority sister's list of goals. It was called 101 in 1001. The premise behind it is to create 101 measurable goals to complete in 1001 days.

Instead of creating a handful of new year's resolutions that I will probably break within a month or two, I thought this was the better way to go. According to one website, 1001 days is a more realistic time period to finish all these goals "because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks". Works for me!

So...I did some calculating. I will need to come up with my list of 101 things by the end of February. Day 1 will be March 1, 2007 and day 1001 will be the day before Thanksgiving - November 25, 2009. If all goes well, I'll have a lot to be thankful for on that turkey day.

To start it off, here's a list of 5 things...some of which I have blogged about in the past...

1. Visit all 50 of the United States
2. Complete a novel for NaNoWriMo
3. Be a spectator at the 2008 Olympics
4. Go to a USC away game each football season
5. Read through the entire Bible

This should be interesting... Anyone care to join me and create a list of their own?

So Far, So Good

2007-01-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

Well...yesterday went quite beautifully! My friend, Shannon, is striving to becoming a tailgating queen. I guess it was worth it to get up before dawn to enjoy some amaretto french toast, bacon...and later hamburgers and bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Mmmm... She promises to add a generator and flat screen TV come Fall.
The Rose Bowl was even better. By the end of four quarters, we had blocked, passed and sacked our way to our 4th BCS win in 5 years. Our quarterback's throws were sure and steady and our receivers made some phenomenal catches. When it was all said and done...I wondered...why couldn't we be that consistent all year long? But, it did make me quite hopeful for next football season.

Only 242 days until our next game. Can't wait...

Fight On Trojans! Beat The Vandals!

2007!

2007-01-01T02:31:00.000-08:00

Before I stumble off to bed for the first time in 2007, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I hope Thanksgiving stuffed you with turkey, Christmas was spent with those you love, and that you rang in the new year with fun, food and friends.

May God bless you and your household this next year. I hope that more resolutions are kept and that you start everything off on the right foot.

As for me, I'm headed out to the Rose Bowl in the morning. So...let's hope the Trojans start off on the right foot as well. Fight On! Let's look forward to the new year!

Another Hiatus

2006-11-14T04:42:00.000-08:00

Okay...so it's been a while since I posted...again. Seems cyclical, huh? Sorry about that...but this time I guess I had better reasons than just being lazy. =P I managed to work like mad the past three weeks before deserting my co-workers for the Philippines.

For the two weekends prior to that, I was able to visit a couple friends in Portland, with one of my former roommates from college in tow and then head to Las Vegas with a friend who hasn't been there since she turned 21...we're much, much closer to 31 than 21 at this point.

In Portland, we had loads of fun visiting The End Of The Oregon Trail Museum (more on that another time), but not so much fun sitting in traffic on the way to and from Corvallis...nor seeing the mighty Trojans fall to beavers.

Las Vegas consisted of me losing on penny and nickel slots as always - and occasionally on quarter slots. Oh, the horror! I had my fair share of buffets and got to see the Bellagio water show from Paris' Eiffel Tower. I made it back home with 3 hours to pack for the Philippines.

So now...here I am...in Manila...at an internet store...writing in a blog. =) I can't promise that this will be any more frequent...but just wanted the handful of people who read this thing to know what I've been up to. Hope all is well in the U.S. and I will try to share a few pictures when I get back!

Mild-Mannered Fan

2006-09-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

According to a recent article on BBC News, the Psychology of Music (who knew there was a scientific journal on music psychology!) has completed a preliminary study on the correlation between lifestyle and musical tastes. After interviewing 2,500 people, they came to this conclusion:

Fans of musicals come out as the most mild-mannered group, with the lowest level of drug-taking and criminal acts.

They also drink less regularly than other music fans, and are among the most likely to do charity work.

Chalk one up to musical theatre fans!

The Pre-Broadway Process

2006-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

Well...you've heard of Les Miserables and you've heard of Riverdance. Now, the creative forces behind both ventures have banded together to create a new musical spectacle, entitled The Pirate Queen. As some of you may know...Les Miserables happens to be my favorite musical...so I'm hoping that this is up to par with Jean Valjean, Eponine and the whole gang. To add to the anticipation - and perhaps to add some hype - the producers have decided to broadcast a daily webcast of their rehearsal and preview process from their pre-Broadway run in Chicago. They have affectionately named it castcom. Though I can't really stomach the name (Do we really need another "cast" term besides webcasts, podcasts, vodcasts, etc? Plus it's pretty similar to the Comcast brand name...) it should be interesting to see what they're willing to reveal to us. Check it out for yourself and see if this is really a Broadway Hit in the making.

As for me...I just need to hear some songs from this thing. Every time I see the title, I get the Pirates of Penzance song, The Pirate King, in my head. I love Gilbert & Sullivan as much as the next guy (okay...maybe more), but Boublil & Schonberg it's not!

Book Tag

2006-09-13T02:11:00.000-07:00

Alright...I got tagged on another survey-type thing that's been going around the blogosphere. This time it involves books...and sadly...I do not read as much as I should. But, I will try to make this quiz as fun and exciting as I can...

One book that changed your life: The Bible - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) Nothing like reading something inspired by God to get you thinking about the way you live your life.

One book that you've read more than once: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - Ah...two people who should have spent their lives together. Alas, love and ambition don't always mix. Do you ever find yourself hoping that things will end differently if you read it again?

One book that you'd want on a desert island: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - That book is so darned long, I may have a fighting chance at starting and finishing it with nothing else to do on a deserted island.

One book that made you laugh: I tried to think of something else that would not make me seem so much like a nerd. But, I'd have to list my Artificial Intelligence textbook from college. I don't remember the exact title - the book is stowed away in a box somewhere - but it did much to amuse me. My favorite example was using the "Burn the witch" scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail to discuss flaws in some people's logic.

One book that made you cry: Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - I remembering bawling through the last couple pages when I first read it in fourth grade.

One book that you wish had been written: MINE! Someday I'll get around to completing something during NaNoWriMo.

One book you wish had never been written: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - Yeah, yeah...I know it's a classic. But, I found it pretty boring and couldn't relate to any of the characters. C'est la vie. I should also say that honorable mention goes to James Joyce's "The Dead". But...since that's a short story and not a full on book - Fitzgerald's snoozer won out.

One book you are currently reading: The Importance of Being Earnest and Four Other Plays by Oscar Wilde - I find plays are a lot faster to read through than novels.

One book you've been meaning to read: Did you check out the bit about what I'd read on a desert island? Well...if you need another one, I would also like to get around to reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Of course, I would prefer to read an unabridged version...but that may prove as challenging as Les Mis!

Okay...now time to tag a few more people. Wah ha ha...

Let's see how Jen, Lisa, Padgett, Jo and Judy respond, shall we?

Have We Forgotten?

2006-09-11T22:37:00.000-07:00

Five years ago, our nation was forever changed when four doomed planes failed to reach their intended destinations. What followed in the aftermath was a time of great mourning, but in turn a time of a patriotic resurgence. Flags were flying everywhere...from houses, businesses, car windows... We saw ordinary men become heroes - from firemen walking up the World Trade Center staircases to those who took back United Flight 93 from their terrorist aggressors.

Five years ago...a million years ago... Did that day really happen? Once again we seem to live our lives focused around the lives of celebrities - concerned on what someone is wearing or who they're with. The sight of Old Glory has diminished now...and the memory of 9/11 starts to fade into the background, akin to the memory of Pearl Harbor.

However...on this day...for the sake of those who lost their lives and for those who continue to fight for freedom...let us remember. Let us remember the anger, the grief, the disbelief. Let us remember what is important and let us remember how we clung to those so dear to us in a time of great darkness for our country. Let us remember how our country stood strong in the face of danger. May God continue to protect us all...

There And Back Again...

2006-09-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

Do you like how I just jumped right into posting again after a three-month hiatus? I really meant to update this thing a lot sooner, but I've had a rather busy summer...trying to visit more of these United States.

For those of you keeping count...I was previously at 37/50, which you can see in a post from last year. But, after a New England road trip in June, and a Southwest road trip in July, I am now up to 44!
The highlight of the New England trip would have to be seeing all the wonderful green mountains of Vermont. In the Southwest...I absolutely loved Carlsbad Caverns! I also discovered the wonders that are Lobster Rolls and Navajo Fry Bread.

Now I just have to figure out when to visit the other 6 states. I'm kinda road-tripped out for now...but there's always next year!

Fight On Trojans!

2006-09-01T23:59:00.000-07:00

Football season has begun. Yay! I know that my mood may not be as ecstatic in about 24 hours...but for now...everyone has a perfect season and the Trojan football team remains full of promise. I still need to figure out where to watch the game tonight, but wherever I end up, I would like to see a sound thrashing of the Arkansas Razorbacks. I hope that John David Booty's arm is sure and strong...and that he's as fortunate enough to have a streak such as Leinart's when he followed Carson Palmer into the starting QB role. I look forward to watching all the new stars emerge this season. Fight on Trojans! No matter what the outcome (but you know which one I would prefer) - I'm still behind you!

No Trouble At All

2006-08-28T13:15:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoy watching awards shows...Emmys, Oscars, and especially the Tonys. I usually don't watch most of the nominated television shows or movies...but I always like seeing the winners' reactions...especially in the case of an upset. Usually it's hit or miss when the host starts off the show. I'm not really a Conan O'Brien fan, but I gotta say...I loved the skit in the beginning. It doesn't hurt to put the Lost character of Hurley in there for comic relief. I was also extremely excited to see a show tune performed in the beginning. Granted, they took some rather funny liberties with Meredith Wilson's lyrics...but Conan got millions of people tuned in to see a parody of The Music Man's "Trouble". Good job, Mr. O'Brien. Let's hope you started an Emmy trend. ;)

What Happened To The Pizzas?

2006-08-24T22:12:00.000-07:00

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas. Way back in elementary school...that's how I learned the planets of the solar system. Starting from the sun, you get...Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Now...thanks to Michael Brown and his discovery of dwarf planet, Xena (which happens to be bigger than Pluto)...the International Astronomical Union has decided to demote the ninth planet. So I guess it's back to the drawing board when it comes to cute little ways to remember the planets. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nectarines? Well...at least that sounds a bit healthier!

Drowsy...Revisited

2006-05-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

The great thing about being in California, is that on occasion, I am privy to seeing certain musicals before they make their way to the Big Apple. Such was the case with The Drowsy Chaperone. I saw it way back in the beginning of December (incidentally...in the evening right after we pummelled ucla 66-19 at football) with the same cast that is now raking in the laughs on Broadway.

I just wanted to be able to get my two cents in before the Broadway awards season goes any further. I did not abhor the show, as Lisa did. I thought it was a cute production and bought into the idea that it was a Valentine to musical theatre. I identified with the main character, Man in Chair (in being transported into the story through listening to cast recordings...not by his psychotic tendencies to want to be in the story), and moved by the ending.

I thought the writing was witty, but fell too deeply into the musical theatre niche. I did not think it would appeal to someone who did not go out to see musicals on a regular basis. I was glad to see the show...especially with Sutton Foster in the role of Janet. But, at the time...I didn't think it would make it to Broadway...and it could quite possibly fall into obscurity. If it did make it to Broadway...I didn't think it would last too long.

As luck would have it, The Woman in White met an untimely end, and the Marquis Theatre opened up. The Drowsy producers saw their chance and took it. As a result, the Drowsy Chaperone opened on Broadway this past Monday, May 1, with a majority of positive reviews. Now that awards season is upon us...they are also gathering nominations right and left. However, even with the accolades, I don't see this show lasting out the year. Let's see if the NYC theatre-going public proves me wrong!

So Much For Mock Drafts

2006-04-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

I suppose I shouldn't have looked at the NFL mock drafts as much as I did. Thus far, nothing has panned out for my beloved Trojans the way that was anticipated. Reggie Bush became the #2 pick, going to the New Orleans Saints...and Matt Leinart managed to drop down to #10 before he was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals.

As for the Houston Texans, who had the #1 pick...they failed to choose their hometown hero, Vince Young, as well as Reggie. Their pick, Mario Williams, had better be a star, or they're going to end up with a lot of angry, rabid fans next season.

The good news is...the San Francisco 49ers play the Saints and the San Diego Chargers play Arizona...so I don't have to venture too far to see either Matt or Reggie play. I didn't have the same luck when Carson Palmer went to Cincinnati a few years back.

I guess now I'll just have to wait and see where the rest of the 'SC guys go...of course it would be more enjoyable if I had cable and could watch the draft. Ah well...I guess the 'net will have to do!

Easter Blooms

2006-04-19T21:21:00.000-07:00

I hope that everyone managed to have a fun & exciting Easter. As for me, I attended a "memorial service"...and walked away with a nice little bouquet. Aren't they pretty? I took 'em off a casket and a couple funeral wreaths!
Hey! Don't furrow your brow at me, I had permission. ;)

Alright...I guess this takes further explanation. During our Easter service, a few people from the drama team enacted what it would be like if we had a modern-day memorial service for Jesus Christ. If you know my Pastor...he thinks big. So, we had the casket, the funeral wreaths, eulogies...and as someone pointed out...we had a couple people doing a choreographed dance!

Part way through his sermon, our Pastor opened up the casket to reveal...well...an empty casket. For those of you who are unaware -- Jesus rose from the dead three days after he was crucified.

So...since this was definitely a time of CELEBRATION...I had no qualms pillaging for flowers!

Yes...Another One

2006-04-08T17:01:00.000-07:00

Animated Inventor

Lisa posted another personality test type thingy on her blog...so I thought that I would take it. After all, I liked the box w/ all the nifty colors (aka "Personal DNA Map"). =P

One thing I don't really agree on is my empathy score...I think it's too low. I blame all the black and white questions with buzz words like "never" and "always". Ah well...at least most of the quiz goes by scales and percentages:

Confidence
LowHigh
  92
Openness
LowHigh
  74
Extroversion
LowHigh
  66
Empathy
LowHigh
  28
Trust in others
LowHigh
  60
Agency
LowHigh
  76
Masculinity
LowHigh
  6
Femininity
LowHigh
  86
Spontaneity
LowHigh
  94
Attention to style
LowHigh
  28
Authoritarianism
LowHigh
  20
Earthy/Imaginative
ImaginativeEarthy
  10
Aesthetic/Functional
FunctionalAesthetic
  24

The entire report can be viewed -->here<--, but here's what the report has to say about being animated and being an inventor...

I AM AN INVENTOR
Your imagination, self-reliance, openness to new things, and appreciation for utility combine to make you an INVENTOR.
You have the confidence to make your visions into reality, and you are willing to consider many alternatives to get that done.
The full spectrum of possibilities in the world intrigues you—you're not limited by pre-conceived notions of how things should be.
Problem-solving is a specialty of yours, owing to your persistence, curiosity, and understanding of how things work.
Your vision allows you to identify what's missing from a given situation, and your creativity allows you to fill in the gaps.
Your awareness of how things function gives you the ability to come up with new uses for common objects.
It is more interesting for you to pursue excitement than it is to get caught up in a routine.
Although understanding details is not difficult for you, you specialize in seeing the bigger picture and don't get caught up in specifics.
You tend to more proactive than reactive—you don't just wait for things to come to you.
You're not one to force your positions on a group, and you tend to be fair in evaluating different options.
You're not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you're generally considerate of others' feelings as well.
You tend to do things on the spur of the moment, not sticking to a set schedule.
You do your own thing when it comes to clothing, guided more by practical concerns than by other people's notions of style.
Generally, you believe that you control your life, and that external forces only play a limited role in determining what happens to you.
I AM ANIMATED
You are outgoing, comfortable with others, and up for anything, which makes you ANIMATED.
Some people find crowds and parties exhausting, but not you! You are able to be yourself in many situations.
Sometimes it is hard for you to understand why others feel the way they do, but that doesn't stop you from trusting them or having faith that they are good people.
You know the world is complicated and that there is often more than one side to a story, so you are careful not to make judgments about others too hastily.
You would rather experience the world than sit back and observe it—you are not one to sit on the sidelines.
You are an independent thinker and don't get too worried about how others might perceive you—you are not self-conscious about being the active, engaged person that you are.
Although you have a keen understanding of different people's life circumstances, you occasionally have trouble seeing why people get so upset and emotional about things—they should just lighten up and have fun!
In addition to having faith in the world, you have faith in the people around you—you trust others to do the right thing and to be honest.

You can take the test as well. Let me know what you get!

My L.A. Four

2006-04-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

I inadvertently took a brief hiatus from blogging. Since Lisa tagged me for this survey eons ago, I thought I should complete this first...enjoy!

Four Jobs I've Had in My Life in L.A.
1) Database Developer
2) Web Developer
3) Systems Integration Engineer
4) Office Aide (work study in college)

Four Movies About L.A. I Could Watch Over and Over
(I need to watch more movies about Los Angeles)
1) Singin' In The Rain
2) Ocean's Eleven (well...at least a couple scenes were in L.A.)
3) Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
4) Clueless

Four Places I've Lived All Over L.A. (With Food Memories From Each)
1) Long Beach
Taco Bell - I know this won't be added to anyone's "to do list", but I used to go here a lot with my dad. We'd pick up food after school and then hang out and eat together at home. Oh...and from what I hear...this particular one (on Santa Fe Ave. and Pacific Coast Highway) is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Taco Bell still in operation.
2) USC - On Campus
EVK - It did not specify that the food memories had to be good ones. The first time I ate at EVK (Elaine von KleinSmid Residents Hall), was during "Preview USC"...a two-day excursion to the campus for perspective high school seniors. I saw college students run and fight for quesadillas as soon as they were brought out...and to top it all off...a fly flew straight into my burrito when I was putting it together. It was then and there that I decided to live in an apartment, and not a dorm...no more EVK if I could help it!
3) USC - Off Campus
The Original Pantry - I'm not sure how many of the original waiters are still around...but when I went to 'SC, there were still a few. I love their pancakes, and I loved the fact that they were open 24 hours. I remember going there around their 75th anniversary and one of the original waiters was passing out hats to everyone. I still have mine!
4) Santa Monica
(okay...I've never really lived here...but I figure working in the city is close enough)
Fritto Misto - In an attempt to find a new place to eat for lunch, I happened upon a website that spoke of this place. I'm glad I did! They have great calamari...and you should really try their banana cream pie. Yum!

Four L.A. Themed Shows I Love(d) to Watch
1) Alias
2) The Brady Bunch
3) CHiPs
4) Remington Steele

Four Places I Would Vacation at in L.A.
1) Santa Monica
2) Malibu
3) Downtown L.A. (theatre weekend!)
4) Long Beach (if just to visit with relatives)

Four L.A. Based Web Sites I Visit Daily
(not necessarily specific to L.A., but has info related to L.A. on occasion)
1) Playbill
2) Yahoo! News
3) Lisa's Blog
4) Yahoo! Local

Four of My Favorite Foods Found in L.A.
1) Chili Spaghetti @ Bob's Big Boy
2) Pink's Hot Dogs
3) Seaweed Salad @ Zip Fusion
4) Calamari @ Fritto Misto

Four Places in L.A. I Would Rather Be Right Now
1) Watching 'SC play football at the Coliseum
2) Hanging out with Sorority Sisters @ USC
3) Watching a performance at the Hollywood Bowl
4) Watching a performance at the Music Center in Downtown L.A.

Four Unfortunate L.A. Souls
The following people have been tagged:
1) Brianne
2) Judy
3) Melly
4) Todd R.

Four More Unfortunate Souls
I've seen this survey in a non-L.A. iteration...let's see what people outside of L.A. like about where they live:
1) Padgett
2) Amy
3) Erin
4) Shereen

Tackles or Theatre

2006-01-27T00:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you who read my blog...you know that I love musical theatre...and I love my 'SC football. I contend that the only reason I don't watch too much NFL is because of the lack of a L.A. pro team in the league. At least the 'SC alumni get me to be invested in watching the playoffs and the Superbowl. Congrats to Troy and Lofa for making it to the big game!
Well...now here's a story that concerns both football and the theatre. It seems that part of the Pittsburgh theatre community acknowleges the importance of such a game to it's city. A few days ago, the Pittsburgh Public Theater decided to cancel it's February 5 evening performance so that their patrons could join the rest of steel town in bars and Superbowl parties across the city. The press release follows:

MEDIA ADVISORY
January 24, 2006

GO STEELERS!

TO CELEBRATE THE SUPER BOWL, PITTSBURGH PUBLIC THEATER CANCELS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5 EVENING PERFORMANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

At Pittsburgh Public Theater, the home of The Chief, we join with the rest of the city in waving our Terrible Towels to salute the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers! To honor our hometown heroes as they head to Super Bowl XL, we have cancelled the Sunday, February 5, 7 p.m. performance of The Importance of Being Earnest so our audience, cast and crew can join with the rest of the city in celebrating this momentous occasion.

Sunday's 2 p.m. matinee will go on as scheduled, but the post-show talkback has been cancelled.

Ticket holders for the 7 p.m. performance should call the Public's Box Office at 412-316-1600 for exchange options.

I'm sure those who were being brought to the theatre against their will that evening are now breathing a sigh of relief. Good luck, Steelers...let's hope for a fun and exciting Superbowl XL!

7,486

2006-01-10T01:37:00.000-08:00

That was the magic number to become the longest running show in Broadway history. Last night, "The Phantom of the Opera" surpassed another Andrew Lloyd Webber mega-musical, "Cats", to claim the top honor.

In June of 1997, when "Cats" reached the top spot, I sent an email to some of my friends...mourning the fact that it had surpassed "A Chorus Line". I'm glad something with a plot and lack of prancing kitties finally overtook it. I would have preferred it be "Les Misérables", in my opinion...the greatest musical ever, but I'll settle for the phantom's dethroning of the felines.

Below is the list of top 15 longest running shows:

1.	"The Phantom of the Opera"	7486
2.	"Cats"	7485
3.	"Les Misérables"	6680
4.	"A Chorus Line"	6137
5.	"Oh! Calcutta!" (Revival)	5959
6.	"Beauty and the Beast"	4816
7.	"Miss Saigon"	4097
8.	"Rent"	4050
9.	"Chicago" (Revival)	3803
10.	"42nd Street"	3486
11.	"The Lion King"	3434
12.	"Grease"	3388
13.	"Fiddler on the Roof"	3242
14.	"Life With Father"	3224
15.	"Tobacco Road"	3182

Red = Still Currently Running

I'm sure the Disney bigwigs crave that top spot. But...here's the sobering news for them. The Beast, Belle, and all the gang must rack up an additional 6 1/2 years of performances after producer Cameron Macintosh finally decides to shutter "The Phantom of the Opera". Since señor phantom is still going strong...I don't see that happening any time soon. Sorry Mickey. It'll be a loooooooooong time before you can call yourself the king of old Broadway.

For now, congrats to the new king: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Let's hope the actors don't party too hard tonight...they still have performance 7,487 to look forward to...and 7,488...and 7,489...

The Pains Of Being A Trojan Fan

2006-01-09T01:40:00.000-08:00

This past week has not been kind to Trojan sports fans...

Wednesday, January 4, 2006
The USC football team had their winning streak snapped at 34 games. In the process, we turned the ball over far more than we should have, allowed the Texas offense one too many visits to the end zone and lost the chance to claim a third national championship in a row. What's more...I was there...at the Rose Bowl...in a section primarily filled with Texan...half of them in my row were very loud, drunk Texans. It was not exactly the most enjoyable game in recent memory...

Thursday, January 5, 2006
Former USC baseball coach, Rod Dedeaux, passed away at the age of 91. He coached at the University of Southern California for 45 years, winning 11 national championship titles for the Trojans. He also coached two U.S. Olympic baseball teams, and was instrumental in bringing amateur baseball overseas.

Sunday, January 8, 2006
Former USC quarterback, Carson Palmer, led the Cincinnati Bengals to their first playoff game in 15 years. He threw for 66 yards in his first pass...unfortunately, a couple seconds later, his knee was blown out by a Pittsburgh Steelers defender. Carson was out the rest of the game and watched his team lose 31-17. He tore two ligaments and must now go through major surgery, with an estimated 6-12 month recovery time. Let's hope he heals quickly.

Now...what do we have to look forward to this next week? I have a feeling we'll see many, many juniors enter the NFL draft early, leaving less experienced players to fill their shoes. I guess the bright side is that we still have Pete Carroll. I'm sure he'll whip the new team into shape by next season. So...win or lose...I'll be cheering for them in the stands. Fight On Trojans!

Sheep Cam!

2006-01-08T05:09:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are unaware...I have a fondness for sheep. They may not be the smartest animals in the world, but they are pretty cute. Plus...they come in handy if you want a wool sweater!

A couple in Anderson, South Carolina, have a miniature farm of sheep...which includes newborn Baby Sheep Pinky:

Pinky was born on January 6, 2006. If you go to their website (SeeSheep.com), you may be able to catch a live glimpse of the little one with it's mother. Enjoy!

Confidence	LowHigh	92
Openness	LowHigh	74
Extroversion	LowHigh	66
Empathy	LowHigh	28
Trust in others	LowHigh	60
Agency	LowHigh	76
Masculinity	LowHigh	6
Femininity	LowHigh	86
Spontaneity	LowHigh	94
Attention to style	LowHigh	28
Authoritarianism	LowHigh	20
Earthy/Imaginative	ImaginativeEarthy	10
Aesthetic/Functional	FunctionalAesthetic	24