....New Years eve?
2005. What a freakin momentous year. I'm sad to see it go, but I'm looking forward to 2006. A long winded recap of all that has happened this year should probably go here, but...eh. You get the idea.
I just found out via e-mail that my two good studio buddies Rory and Phyl are engaged as of Monday. It was such a happy surprise! I saw their romance blossom in studio waaaaay back in 2002. I'm totally bummed that I can't go to their engagement party on New Years Eve. Here's hoping I can go to the wedding....whenver that is.
Instead.....I'll be in Disneyland to ring in the new year with Matt and Kim and assorted company/siblings (Chris and Shirley will be there with Seth and his gf). The trip as a whole I'm sure will be fun....but...but...the thought of being surrounded by kissing couples and screaming children at midnight on New Years Eve....ack. Slightly depressing at the moment, but I'm pretty sure once I'm actually there I'll be over it and distracted by the fireworks.
I also have delusions of meeting a cute cast member before the clock strikes 12:ooam to dodge the god-damn-it-being-single-on-new-years-sucks-monkey-balls bullet. A guy can dream....and Disneyland is where dreams come true right? Magic and pixie dust? Right? Heh.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Happy Christmas Eve Day
There magic in the air this evening
Magic in the air
The world is at her best, you know
When people love and care
The promise of excitement is one the night will keep
After all, there's only one more sleep til Christmas
-Kermit the Frog
Saturday, December 17, 2005
A Friendly Reminder....
tarquin99: Remember that there is hope out there!!!
I had a not-so-great Thursday night....nothing terrible happened but it put me into a funk today. On days like these it feels really good to have friends who will take the time to brighten things up a bit. Whether it be watching Desperate Housewives on dvd with me (Eric), bringing a puppy over to visit (Candice), or just leaving a nice message for me on AIM while I was away (Morgan). Thanks guys.
In other news, I finished my first semester of grad school today...and I feel pretty good about the whole experience.
And now, time to turn in...*early* so I can be fresh and merry for the first ever Perry-Sias Holiday Party in Mountain View :)
Thursday, December 08, 2005
A Scored a Goal!
In PE that is. To end the semester, we played a version of water polo. Two teams. My team chose me to sprint to get the ball. Me, the guy always picked second to last in every team sport in high school PE! Hehe. And then, I scored the last goal!
This was unprecendented. I've never had a people look to me for leadership in an athletic context. In high school PE the only goal was to survive and I've more or less avoided participation in sporting activities since then.
I'm so glad I took my swim class. It was a last minute decision. It's ironic that compared to my planning classes with their projects and drawings and lectures and papers....I feel like I gained the most this semester out of swimming.
It got me back in the pool, which I forgot how much I really did love. It put me back in shape. I met some really cool people. Most importantly, it made me feel good about my health and my athletic ability. . .made me feel a lot more well-rounded.
I feel GOOD right now! I scored a goal! :-D
This was unprecendented. I've never had a people look to me for leadership in an athletic context. In high school PE the only goal was to survive and I've more or less avoided participation in sporting activities since then.
I'm so glad I took my swim class. It was a last minute decision. It's ironic that compared to my planning classes with their projects and drawings and lectures and papers....I feel like I gained the most this semester out of swimming.
It got me back in the pool, which I forgot how much I really did love. It put me back in shape. I met some really cool people. Most importantly, it made me feel good about my health and my athletic ability. . .made me feel a lot more well-rounded.
I feel GOOD right now! I scored a goal! :-D
November in a Nutshell
Free at last!
....well not quite.
But with one major term project turned in and the other one in the bag, all I've got between me and winter break is a final next Thursday and some other minor things. Then, it's time for holiday parties, Christmas, New Years in Disneyland....and a month of intense catch-up on the Mountain View book.
But for now, I have a moment to breath. The weight is slowly being lifted off my shoulders, the stress level is going down. And I can finally update this thing with photos from the month of November. So! Here we go.
....well not quite.
But with one major term project turned in and the other one in the bag, all I've got between me and winter break is a final next Thursday and some other minor things. Then, it's time for holiday parties, Christmas, New Years in Disneyland....and a month of intense catch-up on the Mountain View book.
But for now, I have a moment to breath. The weight is slowly being lifted off my shoulders, the stress level is going down. And I can finally update this thing with photos from the month of November. So! Here we go.
-------------------------
Julie and I celebrated our birthdays with the whole gang on November 11. After finding out that the wait at Cheesecake Factory would be over four hours (stupid USC fans) we ended up at a really nice Thai restaurant South of Market. After dinner we hit up the clubs. I was feelin pretty sick, but we all managed to have an awesome time anyway.
November birthdays rock.
The whole group at dinner.
The next day we all saw Cal get beat by USC. Eh. Had a fun time anyway. Next year Trojans, Next year.
That night Lauren drove up to go bar hopping in Berkeley. Kay and Julie got pretty drunk. The rest of us just watched and laughed ;-)
------
All right- Fast Forward to Big Game Week 2005!
Bonfire!
Bonfire Rally night was fun as usual. I went with Preeti and my friend Eva. Eva, a first year MCP student from China had a blast at the bonfire. The campus was lit up all pretty yet again in blue and gold lights. Ahhhh the Spirit of California rocks my world. Haha.
Eva was impressed by the Bonfire.
True Blue. So pretty.
Looking nice.
They upgraded back to big candles with cups instead of last year's birthday candles which dripped hot wax on everyone. Good job Rally Comm.
Big Game!
The game itself was a blast. Cal fans turned Stanford Stadium into Memorial Stadium south. Our crowd vastly out-numbered the Stanford fans, taking up nearly 2/3rds of the stadium. The student section was loud and tons of fun, and the Cal alumni were also really involved in the game. Of my three Big Games at Stanford, this one was by far the most fun. It also helped that the team smacked Stanford and won 27 to 3 thanks to fourth-string quarterback Steve Levy. The chants of "LeeeeVY" and "U-C-Davis" were great.
Me and Preeti at my dad's pre-game tail gate.
One example of the crazy-ass crowd surfing going on in the student section.
Cal wins! Preeti and I take a moment to capture the moment as the clock runs out.
Kay and Dan ended up going with Eric to the game too! So we all met up back at my dad's tailgate along with Preeti, Chris, Shirley, Seth and his gf to eat burgers and celebrate. The night ended at Kapp's Pizza in Downtown MV where my mom joined us for more food and drink.
So much fun! I never want to miss a Big Game. Ever.
---------
Thanksgiving!
The day went off without a hitch. My grandparents were exceptionally pleasant to spend time with (grandma's hearing aide was working and grandpa wasn't being grumpy) The day after we even drove to San Francisco in the late evening just to walk around and see the lights.
I caught my grandpa showing my grandma his last roses of the season in the front yard. Awww.
My mom sets up a small table for 23. Haha. Nothing like a Sias family gathering.
Me, my dad, and Chris in front of the tree in Union Square. And we'll end this post with a picture of that beautiful tree, a preview of what December has to offer!
Happy Holidays folks!
Julie and I celebrated our birthdays with the whole gang on November 11. After finding out that the wait at Cheesecake Factory would be over four hours (stupid USC fans) we ended up at a really nice Thai restaurant South of Market. After dinner we hit up the clubs. I was feelin pretty sick, but we all managed to have an awesome time anyway.
November birthdays rock.
The whole group at dinner.
The next day we all saw Cal get beat by USC. Eh. Had a fun time anyway. Next year Trojans, Next year.
That night Lauren drove up to go bar hopping in Berkeley. Kay and Julie got pretty drunk. The rest of us just watched and laughed ;-)------
All right- Fast Forward to Big Game Week 2005!
Bonfire!
Bonfire Rally night was fun as usual. I went with Preeti and my friend Eva. Eva, a first year MCP student from China had a blast at the bonfire. The campus was lit up all pretty yet again in blue and gold lights. Ahhhh the Spirit of California rocks my world. Haha.
Eva was impressed by the Bonfire. 
True Blue. So pretty.
Looking nice.
They upgraded back to big candles with cups instead of last year's birthday candles which dripped hot wax on everyone. Good job Rally Comm.Big Game!
The game itself was a blast. Cal fans turned Stanford Stadium into Memorial Stadium south. Our crowd vastly out-numbered the Stanford fans, taking up nearly 2/3rds of the stadium. The student section was loud and tons of fun, and the Cal alumni were also really involved in the game. Of my three Big Games at Stanford, this one was by far the most fun. It also helped that the team smacked Stanford and won 27 to 3 thanks to fourth-string quarterback Steve Levy. The chants of "LeeeeVY" and "U-C-Davis" were great.
Me and Preeti at my dad's pre-game tail gate.
One example of the crazy-ass crowd surfing going on in the student section.
Cal wins! Preeti and I take a moment to capture the moment as the clock runs out.
Kay and Dan ended up going with Eric to the game too! So we all met up back at my dad's tailgate along with Preeti, Chris, Shirley, Seth and his gf to eat burgers and celebrate. The night ended at Kapp's Pizza in Downtown MV where my mom joined us for more food and drink.So much fun! I never want to miss a Big Game. Ever.
---------
Thanksgiving!
The day went off without a hitch. My grandparents were exceptionally pleasant to spend time with (grandma's hearing aide was working and grandpa wasn't being grumpy) The day after we even drove to San Francisco in the late evening just to walk around and see the lights.
I caught my grandpa showing my grandma his last roses of the season in the front yard. Awww.
My mom sets up a small table for 23. Haha. Nothing like a Sias family gathering.
Me, my dad, and Chris in front of the tree in Union Square. And we'll end this post with a picture of that beautiful tree, a preview of what December has to offer!
Happy Holidays folks!Friday, December 02, 2005
Battle of the Bulge
...the bulge on my back that is.
Alternate Title: My Lovely (not lady) Lump....
Alternate Title 2: The Evil Cyst Lord
..ever since turning 23 (ancient) I feel like my body has been waging a war of annoyance against me. Putting me in the most pain and discomfort without actually dishing up anything severe or life threatening (thank god). Either way it sucks. I've pretty much been wavering between a cycle of kinda sick, down right sick, and recovering from a cold ever since my birthday. I have a cough, and cankersores. I feel gross.
And the icing on the cake. A cyst. A benign cyst that decided that this week would be a *great* week to get infected. On the base of my neck in the back. I made an appointment to have it checked out for next Wednesday, but after I had doctor Kay look at it and tell me to to go to urgent care, I resolved to be a big boy and walk over to the Tang Center urgent care bright and early this morning right when they opened to have it dealt with.
Right decision. Because the longer I waited, the worse the infection would have got. They saw me right away, and I spent the morning on my back with a doctor sticking needles in me, cutting me up, and squeezing puss out of the cyst. Lovely I know. Aren't you glad I shared? To top it all off, they gave me tetanus shot.
So here I am, with a huge ass bandage and loads of tape covering a small but open wound just underneath my shirt collar (at least it doesn't show).
Quite the ordeal.
But you know what? I'm happy. I don't have to really worry about that thing anymore, cause it really was worrying me. And now that the good doctor has launched a counter-attack on it I'll be feeling better soon, and maybe all my other minor health problems will go away since my body is no longer wasting energy fighting the evil cyst.
And I'm also happy because I dealt with something all by myself. On my own health insurance. With my own money. On my own gumption that this was something that needed to be dealt with.
And I'm also happy because the people in the Tang Center were super nice and friendly today. Not what I expected.
And that my friends, brings me to a close of my most disgusting and unflattering post ever. But hey, I know ya love me, cysts and all. ;-)
Alternate Title: My Lovely (not lady) Lump....
Alternate Title 2: The Evil Cyst Lord
..ever since turning 23 (ancient) I feel like my body has been waging a war of annoyance against me. Putting me in the most pain and discomfort without actually dishing up anything severe or life threatening (thank god). Either way it sucks. I've pretty much been wavering between a cycle of kinda sick, down right sick, and recovering from a cold ever since my birthday. I have a cough, and cankersores. I feel gross.
And the icing on the cake. A cyst. A benign cyst that decided that this week would be a *great* week to get infected. On the base of my neck in the back. I made an appointment to have it checked out for next Wednesday, but after I had doctor Kay look at it and tell me to to go to urgent care, I resolved to be a big boy and walk over to the Tang Center urgent care bright and early this morning right when they opened to have it dealt with.
Right decision. Because the longer I waited, the worse the infection would have got. They saw me right away, and I spent the morning on my back with a doctor sticking needles in me, cutting me up, and squeezing puss out of the cyst. Lovely I know. Aren't you glad I shared? To top it all off, they gave me tetanus shot.
So here I am, with a huge ass bandage and loads of tape covering a small but open wound just underneath my shirt collar (at least it doesn't show).
Quite the ordeal.
But you know what? I'm happy. I don't have to really worry about that thing anymore, cause it really was worrying me. And now that the good doctor has launched a counter-attack on it I'll be feeling better soon, and maybe all my other minor health problems will go away since my body is no longer wasting energy fighting the evil cyst.
And I'm also happy because I dealt with something all by myself. On my own health insurance. With my own money. On my own gumption that this was something that needed to be dealt with.
And I'm also happy because the people in the Tang Center were super nice and friendly today. Not what I expected.
And that my friends, brings me to a close of my most disgusting and unflattering post ever. But hey, I know ya love me, cysts and all. ;-)
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Haul Out the Holly
My poor neglected blog.
I just deleted a whole entry I decided not to post. It was too whiney. Whining about my term paper due Tuesday and the book due in March ruining my Winter break.
Screw that mentality. I'm done with it. I'm going to accept that the book is going to be a huge part of my Winter Break, and try to have fun with it and remind myself that it's a dream come true. As for this weekend, I'm going to stop worrying about my school projects because I know that in the end, I'll get them done and do a kick-ass job too.
So tomorrow, I'm going to haul down the boxes of Christmas decorations and help my family start decking the halls. I'm going to work on my paper and get the first draft done. I'm going to edit the introduction to my book. I'm going to start putting up the Christmas lights at my grandparent's house.
And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, or at least try.
I just deleted a whole entry I decided not to post. It was too whiney. Whining about my term paper due Tuesday and the book due in March ruining my Winter break.
Screw that mentality. I'm done with it. I'm going to accept that the book is going to be a huge part of my Winter Break, and try to have fun with it and remind myself that it's a dream come true. As for this weekend, I'm going to stop worrying about my school projects because I know that in the end, I'll get them done and do a kick-ass job too.
So tomorrow, I'm going to haul down the boxes of Christmas decorations and help my family start decking the halls. I'm going to work on my paper and get the first draft done. I'm going to edit the introduction to my book. I'm going to start putting up the Christmas lights at my grandparent's house.
And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it, or at least try.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Thanks!
Thanks for all the facebook messages and wall postings!
Thanks for all the e-mails!
Thanks for the IMs!
Thanks for the phone calls!
Thanks for dinner!
Thanks for enjoying cupcakes after dinner (and thanks to Julia for the cupcakes!)!
You all made my birthday. :-)
Thanks for all the e-mails!
Thanks for the IMs!
Thanks for the phone calls!
Thanks for dinner!
Thanks for enjoying cupcakes after dinner (and thanks to Julia for the cupcakes!)!
You all made my birthday. :-)
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
I'll be 23
I'm no longer living in my regrets.
I'm no longer waiting around for the right time.
I'm turning 23 tomorrow. And the lyrics to the song (which I've posted on this blog, at least once before) don't apply the way they used to.
And that, my friends, is a reason to celebrate.
I'm no longer waiting around for the right time.
I'm turning 23 tomorrow. And the lyrics to the song (which I've posted on this blog, at least once before) don't apply the way they used to.
And that, my friends, is a reason to celebrate.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Lauren's funny
My away Message:
dengrove is getting ready to go to vegas
i'm getting ready to go to turlock, ca
[unfair!]
Lauren P's responce:
l p r o f e i t: but i hear turlock is beautiful this time of year
l p r o f e i t: and some call it the vegas of the central valley
l p r o f e i t: at least, that's what i hear.
Yay for Turlock.....Vegas with cows.
dengrove is getting ready to go to vegas
i'm getting ready to go to turlock, ca
[unfair!]
Lauren P's responce:
l p r o f e i t: but i hear turlock is beautiful this time of year
l p r o f e i t: and some call it the vegas of the central valley
l p r o f e i t: at least, that's what i hear.
Yay for Turlock.....Vegas with cows.
Halloween in MV
While everyone and there mom heads to the Castro for Halloween, I've always chosen to return to Mountain View to put together and help run my family's haunted house. It's hard to believe we've been doing it for 9 years now. It's gotten a little better each year too. This year we greatly enhanced the Haunted Mansion-inspired "pepper's ghost effect"...basically using mirrors and glass to create the optical illusion of a ghostly woman (we call her La Llarona) appearing and disappearing in a room.The haunted house has really become a great tradition and something that not only my family but also a lot of the neighborhood families look forward to now. Each year it seems like more people come...this year we even had minivans of people pull up to our house to take a look, and at one point the line to get in went all the way down the driveway to the street.
And it's not like it's the only gig in town. Over on the other side of Old Mountain View are two far more elaborately decorated haunted houses. But what makes ours different is that it's more human...more friendly. We have things for little kids. We're not gory. We always ask people if they want to get scared or just look. Everyone that goes through it either exits screaming and laughing or just smiling. It feels really, really good to give my neighbors something special to enjoy every Halloween.
This year, was also impressive in terms of who showed up from my family and friends. 5 of my mom's six siblings were there. A whole bunch of cousins. Both of my dad's brothers, all three of my grandparents, and a lot of friends too: Lauren Berger, Jen, Eric, Dan, Julie, and Wycee! And there were enough of my mom's green enchiladas to go around for everyone!
So it was a great night, a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to next Halloween already :-)
Here are the photos:
Me and Jen and the remote-control rat.
My Auntie Elise and the cutest little monkey-baby ever, my cousin Peyton.
My Nina Lydia and my mom with the new baby cousin of the family, Carolyna
My cousins Lisa and Marisa
My brother Chris was nothing more than a Davis SID
Dan! Julie! Me! Jen! Lauren! Eric! Wycee! and baby Peyton!
The Berkeley crew + Jen
A long line of neighbors waits to get into the haunted house.
My cousin Lisa's kid Angelica, hiding behind the fence having a blast being the best talking tree ever (but not the Stanfurd tree because he's a very bad tree...her Cal alumni parents have trained her well).
And we'll close with this shot of Julie taking a turn at being the scary "chain saw" (leaf-blower) person that provides our haunted house with its grand finale.
My Auntie Elise and the cutest little monkey-baby ever, my cousin Peyton.
My Nina Lydia and my mom with the new baby cousin of the family, Carolyna
My Uncle Ric had a great sumo-wrestler costume, too bad this photo is blurry!
My cousins Lisa and Marisa
My brother Chris was nothing more than a Davis SID
Dan! Julie! Me! Jen! Lauren! Eric! Wycee! and baby Peyton!
The Berkeley crew + Jen
A long line of neighbors waits to get into the haunted house.
My cousin Lisa's kid Angelica, hiding behind the fence having a blast being the best talking tree ever (but not the Stanfurd tree because he's a very bad tree...her Cal alumni parents have trained her well).
And we'll close with this shot of Julie taking a turn at being the scary "chain saw" (leaf-blower) person that provides our haunted house with its grand finale.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
November
It's the second day of November. Shit.
With all the stuff I have due by the end of this month, I kinda have an idea what a turkey must feel like right about now.
November is usually my favorite month, and no, not just because of the 9th. I love Thanksgiving and the anticipation of December and the holiday season. But if I don't focus and start getting my work done, it's just going to be one creeping deadline after another from here till the book is due in March.
I resolve to make today my last day of time-wasting. From now on I'm reverting back to the studious guy you all knew and loved as an undergrad. No more slacking off.
Weekends? They'll be spent not in the City but in Mountain View doing research for the book.
Thursday nights? Well that's prime time to work on my three projects...who needs happy hour anyway.
Facebook? Never heard of it.
Yeah right.
But seriously, it's time to crack down and chip away at this procrastination-induced guilt I've built up since school started. November might already be a lost cause, but if I start getting on top of things, I can at least save December and January. Wish me luck.
With all the stuff I have due by the end of this month, I kinda have an idea what a turkey must feel like right about now.
November is usually my favorite month, and no, not just because of the 9th. I love Thanksgiving and the anticipation of December and the holiday season. But if I don't focus and start getting my work done, it's just going to be one creeping deadline after another from here till the book is due in March.
I resolve to make today my last day of time-wasting. From now on I'm reverting back to the studious guy you all knew and loved as an undergrad. No more slacking off.
Weekends? They'll be spent not in the City but in Mountain View doing research for the book.
Thursday nights? Well that's prime time to work on my three projects...who needs happy hour anyway.
Facebook? Never heard of it.
Yeah right.
But seriously, it's time to crack down and chip away at this procrastination-induced guilt I've built up since school started. November might already be a lost cause, but if I start getting on top of things, I can at least save December and January. Wish me luck.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
City Trip
On Saturday Kay, Dan, and I picked up Julie in the City and spent the afternoon in Union Square. It was a beautiful day and we had a really nice time. Here are some photos (I'm trying to be better about uploading photos...digital cameras are both a blessing and curse):
The fog rolls into the Bay but the sun shined on the City the whole time we were there. The view from the bridge was awesome, and traffic slowed down in just the right spot.
Kay enjoys the sunshine and the view from the back of Dan's car.
Kay and Julie in Union Square.
Group shot! Such tourists. Hehe.
The fog rolls into the Bay but the sun shined on the City the whole time we were there. The view from the bridge was awesome, and traffic slowed down in just the right spot.
Kay enjoys the sunshine and the view from the back of Dan's car.
Kay and Julie in Union Square.
Group shot! Such tourists. Hehe.
Dan and I eagerly awaiting the burgers we're soon to eat...it's hard to go to the City and not stop at Taylor's Refresher in the Ferry Building. Yum!
...and see Julie, I didn't post the picture of you swinging your hair around all crazy-like that you wanted to delete of my camera. ;-)
...and see Julie, I didn't post the picture of you swinging your hair around all crazy-like that you wanted to delete of my camera. ;-)
Halloween-esque Shingdig Thing
So, at the last minute we decided to throw a little Halloween get together at our house on Friday night. Everything came together quite nicely, we had plenty of drinks, candy, and pizza and a cool mix of friends, both new and old gather round the TV to watch some ridiculous scary movies. Here are some photos:
Something gory must have just happened in the werewolf-puberty-menstruation (eric bohman would have loved it) movie "Ginger Snaps" judging from the looks on Preeti, Chris, Vicki, and Morgan's faces. Especially Vicki. Hehe.
..or on me and Jacob's face. We kind of got into a photo war trying to get snap shots of people when they were grimacing the most.
Dan caught me pointing the camera at him. Kay looks concerned. Jeremy isn't even looking.
Eric finally made it home pretty late, but in time for us to hang out and take a 2614 Regent Roomie photo...awwwww. :-)
Something gory must have just happened in the werewolf-puberty-menstruation (eric bohman would have loved it) movie "Ginger Snaps" judging from the looks on Preeti, Chris, Vicki, and Morgan's faces. Especially Vicki. Hehe.
..or on me and Jacob's face. We kind of got into a photo war trying to get snap shots of people when they were grimacing the most.
Dan caught me pointing the camera at him. Kay looks concerned. Jeremy isn't even looking.
Dan, Julia, and I concocted this vodka laced drink called "witches brew" that Dan found the recipe for off the food network website. A larger bowl filled with Dan's beloved dry ice surrounded the punch bowl, making for a pretty awesome effect that entertained us almost as much as the second movie...
The more Dan drank the witches brew, the more he loved his dry ice.
Eric finally made it home pretty late, but in time for us to hang out and take a 2614 Regent Roomie photo...awwwww. :-)Friday, October 28, 2005
Keg Stand
I did a keg stand tonight. In the Wurster Hall courtyard of all places. I was challenged by Ian to beat him, which I did, by a second...after getting beer up my nose.
Grad School is weird.
Grad School is weird.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Hoodie
Today on my way to Smart Alex's with Dan I saw someone in Rasputin wearing my hoodie. The brown and blue one which has become a staple of my wardrobe this semester. I wanted to jump them, strip them of the hoodie and run away with it. It is my hoodie and mine alone. I had to go to two freakin Ross-Dress-For-Lesses to find it (I had a gift certificate)and it was the only one on the rack, so that must mean it's the only one in the world...right? right?
Stupid people wearing my clothes.
...and now, to completely shift gears...
I guess I never wrote about the Saint Francis game in detail...well, it was a ton of fun. I went with Jen, Lauren Berger, Chris, Shirley, and my parents. We met up with some other people from our respective classes and took a seat in the aisle next to the band which, to our amazement, now has snazzy uniforms...with hats. (oh, and we now have a color guard, cheerleaders, a mascot, and the micmen that Chris started....it's like something out of the early 1960s!)
There were about 8,500 people there. For a high school game. In California. In the Bay Area. This is not typical, but this was not a typical game. It was my high school's homecoming, its 50th anniversary, and against are arch-rival, Bellarmine..an all boys Jesuit school in San Jose.
Saint Francis pulled off a come from behind victory with a touchdown in the last 27 seconds, it was a thrilling roller-coaster ride of a game. I guess my little brother has rubbed off on me, that and I've gained a lot of self-confidence lately...because I got up and coaxed the crowd of Saint Francis alumni and families to get up and make noise for the team multiple times while Chris reassumed his role as micman and did the same from the track during the last few minutes of the game. It worked, they got up and made noise, and I think it made a difference.
There's something extremely gratifying about going back to Saint Francis with enough self-confidence to put myself out there like that. It reminds me how much I've grown and changed since I was a student there. High school was fine, but it's nice to look back and be reminded how much I've changed, for the better.
Stupid people wearing my clothes.
...and now, to completely shift gears...
I guess I never wrote about the Saint Francis game in detail...well, it was a ton of fun. I went with Jen, Lauren Berger, Chris, Shirley, and my parents. We met up with some other people from our respective classes and took a seat in the aisle next to the band which, to our amazement, now has snazzy uniforms...with hats. (oh, and we now have a color guard, cheerleaders, a mascot, and the micmen that Chris started....it's like something out of the early 1960s!)
There were about 8,500 people there. For a high school game. In California. In the Bay Area. This is not typical, but this was not a typical game. It was my high school's homecoming, its 50th anniversary, and against are arch-rival, Bellarmine..an all boys Jesuit school in San Jose.
Saint Francis pulled off a come from behind victory with a touchdown in the last 27 seconds, it was a thrilling roller-coaster ride of a game. I guess my little brother has rubbed off on me, that and I've gained a lot of self-confidence lately...because I got up and coaxed the crowd of Saint Francis alumni and families to get up and make noise for the team multiple times while Chris reassumed his role as micman and did the same from the track during the last few minutes of the game. It worked, they got up and made noise, and I think it made a difference.
There's something extremely gratifying about going back to Saint Francis with enough self-confidence to put myself out there like that. It reminds me how much I've grown and changed since I was a student there. High school was fine, but it's nice to look back and be reminded how much I've changed, for the better.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Your Heart is an Empty Room
And all you see
Is where else you could be
When you're at home
Out on the street
Are so many possibilities
To not be alone
-Death Cab
Is where else you could be
When you're at home
Out on the street
Are so many possibilities
To not be alone
-Death Cab
Monday, October 24, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Rain on Down
Friday night/early Saturday morning I found myself lying near the window of some executive's corner office on the 27th floor of one of the towers in the Embacadero Center. I was there for at least 15 minutes or so just watching the light rain fall on the bay and the Ferry Building below me. It was one of those absurd but beautiful moments when time kind of stands still and you just think, wow...I wouldn't want to be any place else right now.
How I got there is not that interesting of a story...after a few failed attempts to find a club that didn't charge a cover over on Broadway... Steph, Dan, Julie, Laurel and I decided to ditch Bobby and his friend in North Beach and head towards the Financial District to hang out in Julie's office. Original plan was to take some wine up there, but alas, Safeway was closed by then.
We were all wet, freezing, and *slightly* buzzed. The rain had caught us off guard that night. Sometimes getting caught in the rain is irritating or depressing. But usually for me it's funny, exciting, makes me feel like a kid again.
The rain made Friday night memorable. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how many of my most vivid memories involve rain.
When I was exploring Boston on my own I got caught in a massive thunderstorm and had to hide on the portico of Fanueli Hall. It was pouring when I ran out of the Disney-MGM Studios with my family in our newly bought rain ponchos, pushing my mom in a wheelchair as fast as we could(she had just had an emergency gallblader surgery)... we were soaking wet by the time we had packed into the rental car. I have a similar memory of the four of us laughing and running around Scottsdale, Arizona one night after being caught in the rain and seeking refuge in an ice cream palour.
It was raining on Mountain View's 100th birthday as I stood with hundreds of other die-hard Mountain Viewers to see the dedication of Centennial Plaza. I have lots of memories of rainy days in Mountain View when, as soon as the first drops fell I would run to the closet, put on my red galoshes and yellow rain coat and go stomp in the puddles that always filled the end of West Dana. I remember towards the end of the big drought in the late 1980s when it poured for the first time in ages, and realizing that my little brother had never really seen rain like this before that he could remember.
It was raining when Kat and I took the GREs in the City and first saw our beloved "Great Fart Quake of 1906" sign, and when Erik and I went to Taylor's refresher during Finals week to take a break from studying last semester. In fact, my earliest memory of being in the City is a rainy night around Christmas when my uncle still lived there. We got caught in a storm while visiting Union Square, I remember running down the street under the awnings and into the BART station soaking wet (hmm, also my first memory of BART).
The more I think about it, the more rainy memories pop up. I'll stop though..don't want to bore you anymore than I already have.
So, in conclusion: I've been a lot more appreciative of those wonderful perfect sunshiney days lately , but I think I'll always love the rain.
How I got there is not that interesting of a story...after a few failed attempts to find a club that didn't charge a cover over on Broadway... Steph, Dan, Julie, Laurel and I decided to ditch Bobby and his friend in North Beach and head towards the Financial District to hang out in Julie's office. Original plan was to take some wine up there, but alas, Safeway was closed by then.
We were all wet, freezing, and *slightly* buzzed. The rain had caught us off guard that night. Sometimes getting caught in the rain is irritating or depressing. But usually for me it's funny, exciting, makes me feel like a kid again.
The rain made Friday night memorable. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how many of my most vivid memories involve rain.
When I was exploring Boston on my own I got caught in a massive thunderstorm and had to hide on the portico of Fanueli Hall. It was pouring when I ran out of the Disney-MGM Studios with my family in our newly bought rain ponchos, pushing my mom in a wheelchair as fast as we could(she had just had an emergency gallblader surgery)... we were soaking wet by the time we had packed into the rental car. I have a similar memory of the four of us laughing and running around Scottsdale, Arizona one night after being caught in the rain and seeking refuge in an ice cream palour.
It was raining on Mountain View's 100th birthday as I stood with hundreds of other die-hard Mountain Viewers to see the dedication of Centennial Plaza. I have lots of memories of rainy days in Mountain View when, as soon as the first drops fell I would run to the closet, put on my red galoshes and yellow rain coat and go stomp in the puddles that always filled the end of West Dana. I remember towards the end of the big drought in the late 1980s when it poured for the first time in ages, and realizing that my little brother had never really seen rain like this before that he could remember.
It was raining when Kat and I took the GREs in the City and first saw our beloved "Great Fart Quake of 1906" sign, and when Erik and I went to Taylor's refresher during Finals week to take a break from studying last semester. In fact, my earliest memory of being in the City is a rainy night around Christmas when my uncle still lived there. We got caught in a storm while visiting Union Square, I remember running down the street under the awnings and into the BART station soaking wet (hmm, also my first memory of BART).
The more I think about it, the more rainy memories pop up. I'll stop though..don't want to bore you anymore than I already have.
So, in conclusion: I've been a lot more appreciative of those wonderful perfect sunshiney days lately , but I think I'll always love the rain.
Monday, October 10, 2005
What's a Bruin Anyway?
For my update on the weekend in LA (along with a photo essay!), see my Cal gang's group blog:
http://calbears05.blogspot.com
http://calbears05.blogspot.com
Friday, September 30, 2005
So Who's Gonna?
Look, my blog has titles now! Fun.
So I just sent Dan all the songs from Death Cab for Cutie's new album "Plans" (which I ripped from Chris, who buys CDs much more often than I do). Anyhow this one song, "What Sara Said" is so sad. That said, me posting these has nothing to do with the way I feel right now. Quite happy actually, I just think these are really sad, beautiful lyrics. So read on:
What Sara Said
-Death Cab for Cutie
And it came to me then that every plan
Is a tiny prayer to father time
As I stared at my shoes in the ICU
That reeked of piss and 409
And I rationed my breaths as I said to myself
That I’ve already taken too much today
As each descending peak on the LCD
Took you a little farther away from me
Away from me
Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines
In a place where we only say goodbye
It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend
On a faulty camera in our minds
And I knew that you were a truth I would rather lose
Than to have never lain beside at all
And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground
As the TV entertained itself
‘Cause there’s no comfort in the waiting room
Just nervous paces bracing for bad news
And then the nurse comes ‘round and everyone lift their heads
But I’m thinking of what Sara said
That love is watching someone die
So who’s gonna watch you die?
So I just sent Dan all the songs from Death Cab for Cutie's new album "Plans" (which I ripped from Chris, who buys CDs much more often than I do). Anyhow this one song, "What Sara Said" is so sad. That said, me posting these has nothing to do with the way I feel right now. Quite happy actually, I just think these are really sad, beautiful lyrics. So read on:
What Sara Said
-Death Cab for Cutie
And it came to me then that every plan
Is a tiny prayer to father time
As I stared at my shoes in the ICU
That reeked of piss and 409
And I rationed my breaths as I said to myself
That I’ve already taken too much today
As each descending peak on the LCD
Took you a little farther away from me
Away from me
Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines
In a place where we only say goodbye
It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend
On a faulty camera in our minds
And I knew that you were a truth I would rather lose
Than to have never lain beside at all
And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground
As the TV entertained itself
‘Cause there’s no comfort in the waiting room
Just nervous paces bracing for bad news
And then the nurse comes ‘round and everyone lift their heads
But I’m thinking of what Sara said
That love is watching someone die
So who’s gonna watch you die?
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Starry Nights
City Lights
Coming Down over me
Tonight my dad came to Berkeley so my brother and I could celebrate his birthday with him (mom's on a business trip). We had Zachary's (yum) and then he had a special request...one of his "life goals"...go down the big stone slide at Cordonices Park.
So, we head up to Northside, where I haven't ventured too often since grad school started. It's dark, and warm, a pleasant evening. We take that drive up Euclid which I walked and was driven up countless times, and the weird feeling of knowing that we weren't heading "home" to the Pink House began to hit me. We get out and all slid down that crazy slide together a few times (even Shirley conquered her fear, haha). It was a lot of fun.
After though, we did something I've kind of avoided doing since May. We went down Scenic Avenue past the Pink House. And there it was, my home of two years. The first "home" I've ever had to leave behind.
It was hard to see it, with no party lights in the living room window. To glimpse inside its windows and not see the shadows of Lauren, or Ryan, or Erik, Eric and Dan. To not be able to park and head up that staircase and into a place that was not so long ago our home.
Hard to believe it's been about four months since I've seen the place. My last look was from the rear window of my parents car as they drove down Rose Street to drop me off at the airport to go to Lisbon. It was the day after graduation. I had stayed up all night with Erik...talking, looking at photos, and then sitting in silence in the living room as the sun slowly lit up the view of the Bay from our living room window and Candice pulled up the street to take him to the airport.
That last time I saw the house through the car's windows, I was crying. It hurt, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before. Of course, it wasn't just leaving the house that got to me, there was a lot more to it than that ugly pink box. It was everything that the pink box contained, especially that last semester. I grew up there, became proud of who I was and I solidified friendships that will last a lifetime within its walls. It felt terrible to leave knowing that I could never come back to it.
Tonight, being on Scenic brought back that feeling. As we drove past the house and down the street towards Cedar so many memories flew by all at once. All the times I walked down that street with my friends, especially the times at night. Going to bonfire singing Cal songs with Erik and Lauren, heading to a party already half-drunk with Lauren and Ryan, or with Erik and Dan on our way to meet Kat to go hike up the Big C one last time as Cal students....for a moment it felt like all of you were right there with me.
We hit Cedar, and I called Lauren in USC. We reminisced a little on the phone and she of course said something like "but you have your new friends now". I do have new friends, new experiences that are making this particular time in my life pretty special in its own way.
But Berkeley is a different place now and there was something down right magical about my first four years here that can't be replaced by what happens in the next two.
City Lights
Coming Down over me
Tonight my dad came to Berkeley so my brother and I could celebrate his birthday with him (mom's on a business trip). We had Zachary's (yum) and then he had a special request...one of his "life goals"...go down the big stone slide at Cordonices Park.
So, we head up to Northside, where I haven't ventured too often since grad school started. It's dark, and warm, a pleasant evening. We take that drive up Euclid which I walked and was driven up countless times, and the weird feeling of knowing that we weren't heading "home" to the Pink House began to hit me. We get out and all slid down that crazy slide together a few times (even Shirley conquered her fear, haha). It was a lot of fun.
After though, we did something I've kind of avoided doing since May. We went down Scenic Avenue past the Pink House. And there it was, my home of two years. The first "home" I've ever had to leave behind.
It was hard to see it, with no party lights in the living room window. To glimpse inside its windows and not see the shadows of Lauren, or Ryan, or Erik, Eric and Dan. To not be able to park and head up that staircase and into a place that was not so long ago our home.
Hard to believe it's been about four months since I've seen the place. My last look was from the rear window of my parents car as they drove down Rose Street to drop me off at the airport to go to Lisbon. It was the day after graduation. I had stayed up all night with Erik...talking, looking at photos, and then sitting in silence in the living room as the sun slowly lit up the view of the Bay from our living room window and Candice pulled up the street to take him to the airport.
That last time I saw the house through the car's windows, I was crying. It hurt, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before. Of course, it wasn't just leaving the house that got to me, there was a lot more to it than that ugly pink box. It was everything that the pink box contained, especially that last semester. I grew up there, became proud of who I was and I solidified friendships that will last a lifetime within its walls. It felt terrible to leave knowing that I could never come back to it.
Tonight, being on Scenic brought back that feeling. As we drove past the house and down the street towards Cedar so many memories flew by all at once. All the times I walked down that street with my friends, especially the times at night. Going to bonfire singing Cal songs with Erik and Lauren, heading to a party already half-drunk with Lauren and Ryan, or with Erik and Dan on our way to meet Kat to go hike up the Big C one last time as Cal students....for a moment it felt like all of you were right there with me.
We hit Cedar, and I called Lauren in USC. We reminisced a little on the phone and she of course said something like "but you have your new friends now". I do have new friends, new experiences that are making this particular time in my life pretty special in its own way.
But Berkeley is a different place now and there was something down right magical about my first four years here that can't be replaced by what happens in the next two.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
My ears are still ringing.
The Green Day/Jimmy Eat World concert was awesome. What a show. Jimmy though is much better in a smaller venue, but it was still fun to see them. Green Day rocked the place and Dan and I had so much fun down there near the stage on the field. No doubt one of the most impressive concerts I have ever been to.
It's kind of amazing how much I've been cramming into my weekends so far this semester. It makes me wonder what I was doing my whole time as an undergrad here. I didn't have that much homework. I guess I just spent a lot of time sitting around the house relaxing or going home to Mountain View. Both of which, I must say, can be equally enjoyable at times.
But the running joke with a few of the friends I've made in grad school is that I didn't do my undergrad here...because when they ask me "Oh Nick, have you heard about this place here in Berkeley" or "Hey Nick, have you been to this bar" or, "Hey Nick, what's your favorite place to go in Tilden Park"....I often don't have an answer. It's really strange, but kind of good in a way since it seems like it's gonna take more than another two years for me to ever get bored with this place.
But after a thursday of happy houring, a friday of partying, and a saturday of hiking/concert going...it's now time for a sunday of work. School, you know. It's the whole reason I'm here.
Right?
Right.
The Green Day/Jimmy Eat World concert was awesome. What a show. Jimmy though is much better in a smaller venue, but it was still fun to see them. Green Day rocked the place and Dan and I had so much fun down there near the stage on the field. No doubt one of the most impressive concerts I have ever been to.
It's kind of amazing how much I've been cramming into my weekends so far this semester. It makes me wonder what I was doing my whole time as an undergrad here. I didn't have that much homework. I guess I just spent a lot of time sitting around the house relaxing or going home to Mountain View. Both of which, I must say, can be equally enjoyable at times.
But the running joke with a few of the friends I've made in grad school is that I didn't do my undergrad here...because when they ask me "Oh Nick, have you heard about this place here in Berkeley" or "Hey Nick, have you been to this bar" or, "Hey Nick, what's your favorite place to go in Tilden Park"....I often don't have an answer. It's really strange, but kind of good in a way since it seems like it's gonna take more than another two years for me to ever get bored with this place.
But after a thursday of happy houring, a friday of partying, and a saturday of hiking/concert going...it's now time for a sunday of work. School, you know. It's the whole reason I'm here.
Right?
Right.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Hi there.
It's been a while since I updated this here blog, as my dear friend Miss Profeit has pointed out. I have my reasons.
So, how have I been doing? Quite well I suppose. There's been plenty more ups than downs to this first month of grad school. It's been much easier to make friends and connect with people than I ever had hoped. I'm pretty happy. I feel like I'm smiling a lot more, laughing a lot more, and have a more balanced mix of school and social life.
Some pressure was taken off my back with the book project. I got the submission deadline extended by a few months, so phew. But I need to keep myself from slacking, I want to treat things like it's still due January. School work hasn't been that bad yet...all though things are quickly starting to pile up. But I'm used to that. Berkeley is still Berkeley.
Cal had a really exciting game against Illinois this Saturday, and I had the pleasure of giving my dad's season tickets to two new foreign planning students who really appreciated and enjoyed the experience. It was a lot of fun to see the whole thing through their eyes.
And UC Davis, holy bejesus! They beat Stanfart...with a touchdown in the last 8 seconds of the game! Amazing! I'm so happy for Chris and those 10,000 Aggie fans that made it down to the farm. It's great that he was able to be a part of such a huge thing for his school. Poor Stanford though. Cal's rivalry with them is already one-sided enough. They need to do something to boost spirit at the farm....it's no fun to have a rival that just doesn't care anymore. Ha.
In other news, that job I was looking for? The one that would fit in my schedule and give me some spending money and not be very hard or involve working in retail? It fell from the sky and into my lap this morning. I've been offered a readership for an urban design class I took as an undergrad. Which...is just, perfect.
And today, well today I felt very productive. I did a fine job playing the role of a Feng Shui expert at my urban form theorist debate. I pretty much finished my letter of recommendation for my professor's tenure app. I spent a nice hour or so enjoying the sunshine on the lawn near Kroeber Fountain talking to Preeti. The two of us then rearranged my room, and I like the way it looks and feels now a lot better. Dan took me to the grocery and Long's and I bought lots of stuff I needed, and we both got RSF memberships. Preeti made us baked potatoes at her place for dinner. I finally updated this thing, and in a few minutes I'll be doing some late night studying with a friend.
So yeah. That's the laundry list of my life right now. It's going pretty well.
It's been a while since I updated this here blog, as my dear friend Miss Profeit has pointed out. I have my reasons.
So, how have I been doing? Quite well I suppose. There's been plenty more ups than downs to this first month of grad school. It's been much easier to make friends and connect with people than I ever had hoped. I'm pretty happy. I feel like I'm smiling a lot more, laughing a lot more, and have a more balanced mix of school and social life.
Some pressure was taken off my back with the book project. I got the submission deadline extended by a few months, so phew. But I need to keep myself from slacking, I want to treat things like it's still due January. School work hasn't been that bad yet...all though things are quickly starting to pile up. But I'm used to that. Berkeley is still Berkeley.
Cal had a really exciting game against Illinois this Saturday, and I had the pleasure of giving my dad's season tickets to two new foreign planning students who really appreciated and enjoyed the experience. It was a lot of fun to see the whole thing through their eyes.
And UC Davis, holy bejesus! They beat Stanfart...with a touchdown in the last 8 seconds of the game! Amazing! I'm so happy for Chris and those 10,000 Aggie fans that made it down to the farm. It's great that he was able to be a part of such a huge thing for his school. Poor Stanford though. Cal's rivalry with them is already one-sided enough. They need to do something to boost spirit at the farm....it's no fun to have a rival that just doesn't care anymore. Ha.
In other news, that job I was looking for? The one that would fit in my schedule and give me some spending money and not be very hard or involve working in retail? It fell from the sky and into my lap this morning. I've been offered a readership for an urban design class I took as an undergrad. Which...is just, perfect.
And today, well today I felt very productive. I did a fine job playing the role of a Feng Shui expert at my urban form theorist debate. I pretty much finished my letter of recommendation for my professor's tenure app. I spent a nice hour or so enjoying the sunshine on the lawn near Kroeber Fountain talking to Preeti. The two of us then rearranged my room, and I like the way it looks and feels now a lot better. Dan took me to the grocery and Long's and I bought lots of stuff I needed, and we both got RSF memberships. Preeti made us baked potatoes at her place for dinner. I finally updated this thing, and in a few minutes I'll be doing some late night studying with a friend.
So yeah. That's the laundry list of my life right now. It's going pretty well.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
d i r t i candi: i would probably stay on the west coast
d i r t i candi: of africa
d i r t i candi: but if i lived there
d i r t i candi: you'd have to visit
Nap98: hehe
d i r t i candi: i'm not going to med school until like 2009
d i r t i candi: isn't that sad?
Nap98: will i get to see giraffes?
d i r t i candi: i'll buy one and name it after you
Nap98: yay!
d i r t i candi: and keep it on my giant african ranch
d i r t i candi: or name it whatever you want
Nap98: ooooooOhh
d i r t i candi: i dunno how you'd feel if i named a giraffe after you
Nap98: Steve
d i r t i candi: why steve?
Nap98: i like naming random things Steve
Nap98: it makes me laugh
Nap98: a dog named Steve
Nap98: hahahahah
Nap98: a giraffe named Steve is like 10x funnier
d i r t i candi: lol
d i r t i candi: okay, it's your giraffe
Nap98: i'd see the Giraffe and be like "hey whats up Steve"
Nap98: and he'd be chomping on some leaves all cool and shit
d i r t i candi: omg
d i r t i candi: this is so weird
Nap98: haha
d i r t i candi: i've entered your strange fantasy naming world
Nap98: lol
d i r t i candi: i actually imagined myself saying that to a giraffe
d i r t i candi: and being very impressed with myself
Nap98: LOL
d i r t i candi: as i am sure you are
Nap98: see? see?!
d i r t i candi: i'm definitely more convinced
d i r t i candi: but that was a strange moment
d i r t i candi: hahhaa
Nap98: hehe
d i r t i candi: of africa
d i r t i candi: but if i lived there
d i r t i candi: you'd have to visit
Nap98: hehe
d i r t i candi: i'm not going to med school until like 2009
d i r t i candi: isn't that sad?
Nap98: will i get to see giraffes?
d i r t i candi: i'll buy one and name it after you
Nap98: yay!
d i r t i candi: and keep it on my giant african ranch
d i r t i candi: or name it whatever you want
Nap98: ooooooOhh
d i r t i candi: i dunno how you'd feel if i named a giraffe after you
Nap98: Steve
d i r t i candi: why steve?
Nap98: i like naming random things Steve
Nap98: it makes me laugh
Nap98: a dog named Steve
Nap98: hahahahah
Nap98: a giraffe named Steve is like 10x funnier
d i r t i candi: lol
d i r t i candi: okay, it's your giraffe
Nap98: i'd see the Giraffe and be like "hey whats up Steve"
Nap98: and he'd be chomping on some leaves all cool and shit
d i r t i candi: omg
d i r t i candi: this is so weird
Nap98: haha
d i r t i candi: i've entered your strange fantasy naming world
Nap98: lol
d i r t i candi: i actually imagined myself saying that to a giraffe
d i r t i candi: and being very impressed with myself
Nap98: LOL
d i r t i candi: as i am sure you are
Nap98: see? see?!
d i r t i candi: i'm definitely more convinced
d i r t i candi: but that was a strange moment
d i r t i candi: hahhaa
Nap98: hehe
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Ugh. Stress. I need money. I should have a job. I keep searching through CalJobs and Craigslist with the slim hope I can find some extra easy part time job that I can somehow slip into my schedule.
But I don't think I can fit any more on my plate. I kinda already have a job, a job that doesn't pay anything now but will in the future, the book. Which is my main source of stress right now because I feel like with each passing day that I don't make huge progress on it, I'm digging myself in a deeper hole once the end of the semester rolls around.
God. I need to stop whining and worrying and just start getting shit done.
But I don't think I can fit any more on my plate. I kinda already have a job, a job that doesn't pay anything now but will in the future, the book. Which is my main source of stress right now because I feel like with each passing day that I don't make huge progress on it, I'm digging myself in a deeper hole once the end of the semester rolls around.
God. I need to stop whining and worrying and just start getting shit done.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Saturday, September 03, 2005
I've got my 2005 True Blue shirt on. I've got my Cal hat on. I'm walking around my house humming Big C and the chorus of the Cal Drinking Song (The "drink, drank, druuuUNK last niiiiiGHT, drunk the night BEFORE!"...part certainly applies this time....)
The weather is still foggy, cool, and crisp. I have my California sweater in hand, but I probably won't need it. As I type nearly 60,000 alumni, students, and fans are making that trek through the campus up the hill to Strawberry Canyon....to see Cal play SacState....SacState! They'd be lucky to see half that number when I was a freshman.
Is it wrong that a major reason I came back *here* for grad school was two more Autumns of student tickets in Memorial Stadium? I'm kidding! Kinda. Haha.
I have no idea who's reading this thing now, since I've met a lot of new folks lately who might wander over here from my AIM profile or whatnot(hi!). Allow me a brief moment to explain. My enthusiasm Cal football is an anomaly. It's absurd. It doesn't quite fit. But that's why I love it.
Saturdays in Memorial Stadium. Ahhhhhhh. Bliss.
The weather is still foggy, cool, and crisp. I have my California sweater in hand, but I probably won't need it. As I type nearly 60,000 alumni, students, and fans are making that trek through the campus up the hill to Strawberry Canyon....to see Cal play SacState....SacState! They'd be lucky to see half that number when I was a freshman.
Is it wrong that a major reason I came back *here* for grad school was two more Autumns of student tickets in Memorial Stadium? I'm kidding! Kinda. Haha.
I have no idea who's reading this thing now, since I've met a lot of new folks lately who might wander over here from my AIM profile or whatnot(hi!). Allow me a brief moment to explain. My enthusiasm Cal football is an anomaly. It's absurd. It doesn't quite fit. But that's why I love it.
Saturdays in Memorial Stadium. Ahhhhhhh. Bliss.
Friday, September 02, 2005
It's hard to wrap my head around what's going on over there in New Orleans. It sounds and looks just as bad as anything any disaster movie director could come up with.
80% of one of America's greatest cities is under water. Hundreds of bodies are floating around decaying in the heat. The poorest people have been left stranded on top of their houses or in and around the Louisiana Superdome. Rescue teams are being called off due to fears of violence. Looting is out of control. There are reports of rape, attacks on hospital supply trucks, assualt..and on and on and on.....
Something went terribly wrong here. And the hurricane can only be partially be blamed for it. What we're seeing now is evidence of a huge divide between the haves who were able to evacuate, and the have-nots, predominantly minorities, who were left behind. It's a recipe for anarchy.
I've never been to New Orleans, but I'm trying to imagine what it must be like for anyone from there to hear the political leaders and newscasters use the term "if" New Orleans gets rebuilt rather than "when" New Orleans gets rebuilt.
I personally have little doubt that the city will rise from the muck. People are far too attached to place to let it go so easily. It's been nearly 100 years since a disaster of this magnitude has hit an American city. 1906, San Francisco. People thought that it was the end of San Francisco, but the city rose from the ashes better than ever before.
Relating what's happening to New Orleans with the 1906 quake though also has a very frightening flipside. Everyone says its only a matter of time before another earthquake of that magnitude tears up the Bay Area, it could happen right here on the Hayward fault. I joke about the alumni side of Memorial Stadium collapsing into a heap of dust...but the thought is terrible. If the quake is strong enough it could physically destroy many of the places we know and love. Assuming it happens in my lifetime, and assuming that I'm still here....I'll probably be very lucky to not lose someone I know because of it.
Are we at all prepared? Judging from what's happening in New Orleans, it doesn't seem like we should rely at all on the Federal Government to swoop to our rescue. If the quake devastates the poorer areas of the Bay, we could very well face the same human chaos that is plaguing New Orleans. Entire neighborhoods, entire cities, could be reduced to piles of rubble or consumed in fire. I hope this serves as a wake up call to the leaders of the Bay Area to get their act together, have their plans in place, get that bridge rebuilt, and make sure that all those rinky-dink apartment complexes that some of our poorest residents (including students) live in are brought up to snuff.
I don't know how to end this post...this has been a random jumble of thoughts I've had the past few days. So...yeah. I guess I'll just say that as a person who plans on making a living off of studying and designing cities, it's quite humbling to be reminded how very fragile they really are. Permanence is an illusion.
80% of one of America's greatest cities is under water. Hundreds of bodies are floating around decaying in the heat. The poorest people have been left stranded on top of their houses or in and around the Louisiana Superdome. Rescue teams are being called off due to fears of violence. Looting is out of control. There are reports of rape, attacks on hospital supply trucks, assualt..and on and on and on.....
Something went terribly wrong here. And the hurricane can only be partially be blamed for it. What we're seeing now is evidence of a huge divide between the haves who were able to evacuate, and the have-nots, predominantly minorities, who were left behind. It's a recipe for anarchy.
I've never been to New Orleans, but I'm trying to imagine what it must be like for anyone from there to hear the political leaders and newscasters use the term "if" New Orleans gets rebuilt rather than "when" New Orleans gets rebuilt.
I personally have little doubt that the city will rise from the muck. People are far too attached to place to let it go so easily. It's been nearly 100 years since a disaster of this magnitude has hit an American city. 1906, San Francisco. People thought that it was the end of San Francisco, but the city rose from the ashes better than ever before.
Relating what's happening to New Orleans with the 1906 quake though also has a very frightening flipside. Everyone says its only a matter of time before another earthquake of that magnitude tears up the Bay Area, it could happen right here on the Hayward fault. I joke about the alumni side of Memorial Stadium collapsing into a heap of dust...but the thought is terrible. If the quake is strong enough it could physically destroy many of the places we know and love. Assuming it happens in my lifetime, and assuming that I'm still here....I'll probably be very lucky to not lose someone I know because of it.
Are we at all prepared? Judging from what's happening in New Orleans, it doesn't seem like we should rely at all on the Federal Government to swoop to our rescue. If the quake devastates the poorer areas of the Bay, we could very well face the same human chaos that is plaguing New Orleans. Entire neighborhoods, entire cities, could be reduced to piles of rubble or consumed in fire. I hope this serves as a wake up call to the leaders of the Bay Area to get their act together, have their plans in place, get that bridge rebuilt, and make sure that all those rinky-dink apartment complexes that some of our poorest residents (including students) live in are brought up to snuff.
I don't know how to end this post...this has been a random jumble of thoughts I've had the past few days. So...yeah. I guess I'll just say that as a person who plans on making a living off of studying and designing cities, it's quite humbling to be reminded how very fragile they really are. Permanence is an illusion.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Today I met with my new advisor, a really great urban design prof who already knows me from my oh-so-distant undergrad years (harhar). We chatted for a little while about course planning and she asked me if things "felt different now."
Boy, I couldn't even begin to tell her how different Berkeley feels now.
Everything looks the same on campus. A good number of my close Cal friends remain nearby. Sproul is still filled with students. The Campanile still marks the hours with its carillion. The football team is still nationally ranked (go bears!) I see the same professors walking down the halls of Wurster. The bums still plague the sidewalks of Telegraph.
But there are so many new people I've met, so many professors I still haven't taken classes with, so much I still have not seen or experienced on this campus, in this city, or in the Bay Area. I told her that, and she seem very pleased to see me happy and confident with my choice to come back here.
There's much more to it than those things though. I've moved from Northside to Southside, and the more I think about the difference between these two sides of campus, the more I realize how highly symbolic this switch is.
I will always cherish my undergrad years...my "Northside years". Hehe. Like Northside, they were relatively quiet and peaceful. They were safe...or at least gave the impression of being so. Northside was the perfect setting for what was a very reflective time in my life.
Now I'm on Southside, I've placed myself in the middle of the milieu. I've deliberately put myself in the position to take full advantage of all that Cal and Berkeley have to offer me. I'm no longer hiding away up on a hill looking down from above on all the things I knew I was missing out on.
It's a completely new experience for me, kind of like a rollercoaster. And so far, I'm loving the ride.
Boy, I couldn't even begin to tell her how different Berkeley feels now.
Everything looks the same on campus. A good number of my close Cal friends remain nearby. Sproul is still filled with students. The Campanile still marks the hours with its carillion. The football team is still nationally ranked (go bears!) I see the same professors walking down the halls of Wurster. The bums still plague the sidewalks of Telegraph.
But there are so many new people I've met, so many professors I still haven't taken classes with, so much I still have not seen or experienced on this campus, in this city, or in the Bay Area. I told her that, and she seem very pleased to see me happy and confident with my choice to come back here.
There's much more to it than those things though. I've moved from Northside to Southside, and the more I think about the difference between these two sides of campus, the more I realize how highly symbolic this switch is.
I will always cherish my undergrad years...my "Northside years". Hehe. Like Northside, they were relatively quiet and peaceful. They were safe...or at least gave the impression of being so. Northside was the perfect setting for what was a very reflective time in my life.
Now I'm on Southside, I've placed myself in the middle of the milieu. I've deliberately put myself in the position to take full advantage of all that Cal and Berkeley have to offer me. I'm no longer hiding away up on a hill looking down from above on all the things I knew I was missing out on.
It's a completely new experience for me, kind of like a rollercoaster. And so far, I'm loving the ride.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
All right, so I'm *officially* a Cal grad student now.
My first day of classes was all right. Kinda a mixed bag, nothing terrible, nothing that knocked my socks off. My biggest fear right now is that I become lazy/bored/distracted and not devote enough attention to school and the book. So guys, please make sure I don't slack off...
....at the same time, make sure that I don't become a social recluse either. ha. ;-)
My first day of classes was all right. Kinda a mixed bag, nothing terrible, nothing that knocked my socks off. My biggest fear right now is that I become lazy/bored/distracted and not devote enough attention to school and the book. So guys, please make sure I don't slack off...
....at the same time, make sure that I don't become a social recluse either. ha. ;-)
Monday, August 29, 2005
Monday, August 22, 2005
A bit of a convo from our favorite Golden Bear in Trojan Clothing:
Nap98: wow im all tan
l p r o f e i t: ??
Nap98: i just saw a pic of me from friday
Nap98: i look mexican
Nap98: or something
l p r o f e i t: or something
Nap98: hehe
l p r o f e i t: aren't you indian?
Nap98: oh yahhh
l p r o f e i t: haha.
Nap98: jeeze thanks for reminding me
l p r o f e i t: or something.
l p r o f e i t: that's what i'm here for
Nap98: i think they should change the "mixed/multi" category to
Nap98: "or something"
l p r o f e i t: sounds good
Nap98: i feel thats a more accurate description of my ethno-cultural identity
l p r o f e i t: haha
l p r o f e i t: you're definately "or something"
l p r o f e i t: in every way
l p r o f e i t: =)
Nap98: haha
Nap98: thanks?
Nap98: wow im all tan
l p r o f e i t: ??
Nap98: i just saw a pic of me from friday
Nap98: i look mexican
Nap98: or something
l p r o f e i t: or something
Nap98: hehe
l p r o f e i t: aren't you indian?
Nap98: oh yahhh
l p r o f e i t: haha.
Nap98: jeeze thanks for reminding me
l p r o f e i t: or something.
l p r o f e i t: that's what i'm here for
Nap98: i think they should change the "mixed/multi" category to
Nap98: "or something"
l p r o f e i t: sounds good
Nap98: i feel thats a more accurate description of my ethno-cultural identity
l p r o f e i t: haha
l p r o f e i t: you're definately "or something"
l p r o f e i t: in every way
l p r o f e i t: =)
Nap98: haha
Nap98: thanks?
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Ohhhhh Kat. You're so great. Haha.
TheKatsMeoW137: hey, my life's pretty boring right now...I need to keep tabs on other people...hehe
Nap98: and i need someone to talk to, so its a symbiotic relationship
TheKatsMeoW137: wow. so, if we're a lichen...am I the fungus or the bacteria?
Nap98: lets think of a better example
TheKatsMeoW137: no wait...it's algae....
Nap98: im the humming bird and your a flower
TheKatsMeoW137: right. good idea. No more lichen.
Nap98: haha
TheKatsMeoW137: hey, my life's pretty boring right now...I need to keep tabs on other people...hehe
Nap98: and i need someone to talk to, so its a symbiotic relationship
TheKatsMeoW137: wow. so, if we're a lichen...am I the fungus or the bacteria?
Nap98: lets think of a better example
TheKatsMeoW137: no wait...it's algae....
Nap98: im the humming bird and your a flower
TheKatsMeoW137: right. good idea. No more lichen.
Nap98: haha
Thursday, August 18, 2005
I've never been so unable to focus. I can't get myself to write the introduction to the book. I keep having brain farts..type something, delete it, type something else, delete it. Since when do I have a tough time writing about Mountain View? Ha. I wander away from my laptop (which I have deliberately unplugged from the internet) and to this computer where I sit here and busy myself with distractions such as this blog, itunes, myspace, friendster, and that other website.
I've never been so poor. I just realized this is the first summer since my sophomore year of *high school* that I haven't had some source of income to ease the pain on my wallet. And if there's any summer when I could have used the cash, this was it. I suddenly have a costly social life. Damn alcohol and gas! I'm going into the fall with the bleak prospect of living on $1000 a month, and that includes rent. So now in addition to finishing this book and starting grad school, I'm contemplating getting a part time job. Ack.
I've never been so restless. I can't quite describe this one. I feel like I'm missing out on something right now. Maybe it's a residual feeling from my not-so-distant past. It's the same type of feeling I used to get when I was at Saint Francis and knew everyone was at a party that I wasn't invited to. I keep telling myself that I'm working on it, I'm moving along just fine in my life and my goals. But I'm anxious and kinda lonely. I'm tired of being lonely.
I guess, I just can't wait for next week when I'll be back in Berkeley, when Lauren R. and Steph G. will be here from Minnesota, when I'll be surrounded by most of my friends again, going out, meeting new people and getting that excited-nervous feeling about starting grad school.
I've never been so poor. I just realized this is the first summer since my sophomore year of *high school* that I haven't had some source of income to ease the pain on my wallet. And if there's any summer when I could have used the cash, this was it. I suddenly have a costly social life. Damn alcohol and gas! I'm going into the fall with the bleak prospect of living on $1000 a month, and that includes rent. So now in addition to finishing this book and starting grad school, I'm contemplating getting a part time job. Ack.
I've never been so restless. I can't quite describe this one. I feel like I'm missing out on something right now. Maybe it's a residual feeling from my not-so-distant past. It's the same type of feeling I used to get when I was at Saint Francis and knew everyone was at a party that I wasn't invited to. I keep telling myself that I'm working on it, I'm moving along just fine in my life and my goals. But I'm anxious and kinda lonely. I'm tired of being lonely.
I guess, I just can't wait for next week when I'll be back in Berkeley, when Lauren R. and Steph G. will be here from Minnesota, when I'll be surrounded by most of my friends again, going out, meeting new people and getting that excited-nervous feeling about starting grad school.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
All right, before headin off to bed...it's picture time!
We'll start with the Disneyland trip:
Me, Chris and our cousins pose on a Golden Dumbo.
Mikey and Vanessa decided to ham it up for this photo while Chris and I look like plywood cutouts.
My wonderful folks in front of the train station.
A break from the parks to enjoy dinner at the ESPN Sports Zone restaurant with Kat, Lesley, BJ and Erik, who is taking the pic
...and then to Knott's:
Chris and I with some attractive ladies at Knott's Berry Farm.
...and then to California Adventure:
Chris carries his lovely girlfriend Shirley after her unfortunate big toe nail injury.
That should do it for now. Night.
We'll start with the Disneyland trip:
Me, Chris and our cousins pose on a Golden Dumbo.
Mikey and Vanessa decided to ham it up for this photo while Chris and I look like plywood cutouts.
My wonderful folks in front of the train station.
A break from the parks to enjoy dinner at the ESPN Sports Zone restaurant with Kat, Lesley, BJ and Erik, who is taking the pic
...and then to Knott's:
Chris and I with some attractive ladies at Knott's Berry Farm.
...and then to California Adventure:
Chris carries his lovely girlfriend Shirley after her unfortunate big toe nail injury.
That should do it for now. Night.
Monday, August 15, 2005
The lyrics to Wake Me Up When September Ends are running in a loop in the back of my mind now. I remember first hearing that song back when I bought the album in February and thinking how long it would be before it would actually be timely and appropriate to listen to.
But from where I'm sitting now, it doesn't quite fit. It's too sad.
Despite that, it's still playing in my head and every time I hear it I start to reflect on the last three months of my life.
This summer has been about pushing myself to live life to its fullest.
Portugal was an amazing way to start it off. It set the tone. It was new, and fresh, and it took me out of my comfort zone. That's helped me as the summer has progressed.
I've been able to attain a level of self-confidence that I've never had before....and my social life has never been more lively, time spent with my friends has never been more fun, rich, and fulfilling.
Lots of new people have entered my life and I'm so excited to get to know them better over the coming year. But equally important to me are the old friendships that have been renewed and stregthened.
Then there's the Mountain View book, and starting grad school...which, when compared to everything else seem like distractions sometimes. Haha. I suppose it's a bit of a rebellion, a temporary rebellion...because I know deep down I'm still very excited about both of them.
I used Mountain View stuff and school sometimes as a crutch, they helped me get by and keep myself occupied. I don't need them as much as I used to. They still mean a lot to me...but it's so good to have more than that. I think I'm having a healthy re-balancing of where I place my various priorities.
But from where I'm sitting now, it doesn't quite fit. It's too sad.
Despite that, it's still playing in my head and every time I hear it I start to reflect on the last three months of my life.
This summer has been about pushing myself to live life to its fullest.
Portugal was an amazing way to start it off. It set the tone. It was new, and fresh, and it took me out of my comfort zone. That's helped me as the summer has progressed.
I've been able to attain a level of self-confidence that I've never had before....and my social life has never been more lively, time spent with my friends has never been more fun, rich, and fulfilling.
Lots of new people have entered my life and I'm so excited to get to know them better over the coming year. But equally important to me are the old friendships that have been renewed and stregthened.
Then there's the Mountain View book, and starting grad school...which, when compared to everything else seem like distractions sometimes. Haha. I suppose it's a bit of a rebellion, a temporary rebellion...because I know deep down I'm still very excited about both of them.
I used Mountain View stuff and school sometimes as a crutch, they helped me get by and keep myself occupied. I don't need them as much as I used to. They still mean a lot to me...but it's so good to have more than that. I think I'm having a healthy re-balancing of where I place my various priorities.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Saturday, August 13, 2005
After an evening of hitting up the clubs in San Francisco's Marina District with Julie and Dan, the three of us went to Julie's apartment to watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I love that movie, but I immediately crashed on the couch five or ten minutes into it.
I had a series of strange dreams there on Julie's couch last night. The only one that I can still remember though, I see as a very positive sign...
I was at my house in Mountain View, and out from under the shrub beneath the window, a giant black and red spider emerged. I'd say it was about six feet long with a big fat butt. As anyone who knows me can attest to, I hate spiders. I'm afraid of them. They really creep me out.
But instead of running away from this spider or yelling for someone to squish it for me, in this dream I just looked at that ugly spider, and even though I was really scared, I raised my foot up and squashed it into black and purple goop. (nice imagery huh?)
Instead of running away, I destroyed my fear.
It's a big mental shift for me. Even during the dream I remember being surprised by my ability to squish the spider. I guess I am overcoming a lot of my fears lately. I'm growing up. I'm becoming a more full person, I'm living life.
It feels good.
I had a series of strange dreams there on Julie's couch last night. The only one that I can still remember though, I see as a very positive sign...
I was at my house in Mountain View, and out from under the shrub beneath the window, a giant black and red spider emerged. I'd say it was about six feet long with a big fat butt. As anyone who knows me can attest to, I hate spiders. I'm afraid of them. They really creep me out.
But instead of running away from this spider or yelling for someone to squish it for me, in this dream I just looked at that ugly spider, and even though I was really scared, I raised my foot up and squashed it into black and purple goop. (nice imagery huh?)
Instead of running away, I destroyed my fear.
It's a big mental shift for me. Even during the dream I remember being surprised by my ability to squish the spider. I guess I am overcoming a lot of my fears lately. I'm growing up. I'm becoming a more full person, I'm living life.
It feels good.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
I'm really thankful for the close friends I've kept since grade school and high school. It means a lot that we've been able to stay close as we've grown from kids, to teenagers, to adults. We've gone through so much together, and there's so many great things that lie ahead.
So just a brief note to say that it's meant a lot to have you guys there for me, and to know you'll always be there no matter where life takes us. Every time we're together, it feels like home.
So just a brief note to say that it's meant a lot to have you guys there for me, and to know you'll always be there no matter where life takes us. Every time we're together, it feels like home.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Auto response from Nap98: working on the book. the mountain view book.
mjvillareal: ur writing a book?
Nap98: ya
Nap98: every cal grad gets a book deal after graduation
mjvillareal: yeah?
mjvillareal: must be a bunch of crappy books
Nap98: hehe
mjvillareal: can u put me in it?
Nap98: ive contracted to do a photo history book on mountain view
mjvillareal: like have my name spelled vertically down a page
mjvillareal: without anyone knowing
mjvillareal: moutain view
mjvillareal: is
mjvillareal: careful
mjvillareal: honoring
mjvillareal: apes
mjvillareal: entering
mjvillareal: lounges
mjvillareal: like that!
Nap98: ill see how i can work that in
mjvillareal: ok u do it
mjvillareal: the least u can do for your cousin
mjvillareal: =)
mjvillareal: ur writing a book?
Nap98: ya
Nap98: every cal grad gets a book deal after graduation
mjvillareal: yeah?
mjvillareal: must be a bunch of crappy books
Nap98: hehe
mjvillareal: can u put me in it?
Nap98: ive contracted to do a photo history book on mountain view
mjvillareal: like have my name spelled vertically down a page
mjvillareal: without anyone knowing
mjvillareal: moutain view
mjvillareal: is
mjvillareal: careful
mjvillareal: honoring
mjvillareal: apes
mjvillareal: entering
mjvillareal: lounges
mjvillareal: like that!
Nap98: ill see how i can work that in
mjvillareal: ok u do it
mjvillareal: the least u can do for your cousin
mjvillareal: =)
For some reason, right now...I'm very much missing the swing set in Cordonices Park. I'm missing the delightful absurdity of a group of 20-somethings taking over a playground at dusk and swinging there hearts away. I'm missing the friends I had that did that with me, and having our house right around the corner. That is all.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Oh Kat...
TheKatsMeoW137: ewww Nick, we just watched supersize me!
TheKatsMeoW137: (sorry, my sister's still talking about it...)
Nap98: hehe
Nap98: at least you can still eat healthy
Nap98: your knees cant take that from you
TheKatsMeoW137: damn straight, Nick. damn straight.
Nap98: haha
Nap98: i had burger king today
Nap98: having burger king was never quite the same after that movie
Nap98: i always feel guilty
Nap98: but its cheap and im poor and its quick and i was hungry
Nap98: i only get chicken strips though
TheKatsMeoW137: :::shakes head:::: fine, Nick. If *all* you want is cheap and easy...well....that's all you're going to get...
TheKatsMeoW137: tsk, tsk.
Nap98: kat.
Nap98: cheap easy and fast
Nap98: you forgot the last one
Nap98: its key
TheKatsMeoW137: right. right.
TheKatsMeoW137: (Nick. This is awful.)
Nap98: haha
Nap98: erotic bagels!
TheKatsMeoW137: ewww Nick, we just watched supersize me!
TheKatsMeoW137: (sorry, my sister's still talking about it...)
Nap98: hehe
Nap98: at least you can still eat healthy
Nap98: your knees cant take that from you
TheKatsMeoW137: damn straight, Nick. damn straight.
Nap98: haha
Nap98: i had burger king today
Nap98: having burger king was never quite the same after that movie
Nap98: i always feel guilty
Nap98: but its cheap and im poor and its quick and i was hungry
Nap98: i only get chicken strips though
TheKatsMeoW137: :::shakes head:::: fine, Nick. If *all* you want is cheap and easy...well....that's all you're going to get...
TheKatsMeoW137: tsk, tsk.
Nap98: kat.
Nap98: cheap easy and fast
Nap98: you forgot the last one
Nap98: its key
TheKatsMeoW137: right. right.
TheKatsMeoW137: (Nick. This is awful.)
Nap98: haha
Nap98: erotic bagels!
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
My good friend Jamie, who I've known since high school, has started a very enjoyable blog ever since leaving us for Scotland this summer. I have her linked over there on the left, but I wanted to share something she wrote recently here in my own blog:
"Yesterday, as I was singing Bridge Over Troubled Water while Alan played it, I was thinking of friends I love and hoping that you all see the brilliance and beauty of your lives. That you see how crossing the street can be a perfect moment. Because of all the possibility it holds, and because of all the moments you could be having, of all the moments you have had, that you will have, this is the one you are having. And being in the moment you are having is really powerful. I hope you know that you are all the time having moments worthy of being turned into songs."
Today Chris accused me of only liking sad songs while we were in his car listening to the nasely pvoice of the singer from the band "The Rocket Summer" (happy music according to Chris). In responce I yelled at him half-jokingly that "Maybe it's because I've had a tough life!" Then I really considered it for a moment....do I like only sad songs? I wouldn't call the music I listen to peppy per se...except the oldies.
Nah....just ask Erik and Lauren....they probably heard me play Chipi-Chipi and Hollaback Girl one too many times the last few months we lived together ;-)
But I do have a tendancy to be attracted to songs that are bittersweet, or songs that start out slow and sad and build up to a creciendo of hopefulness. Those songs speak to me.
I'm not really going anywhere this post. Just wanted to share.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Sometimes I feel like this blog is a farce, a glorified laundry list of what I did, who I saw, where I went. The writer in me wants to let it all flow out, use it as a way to discharge all the pent up stuff floating in my mind at the end of the day. ..and lately there's been a lot floating around up there. But I can't....this isn't the place.
So instead I just find myself sitting here in Mountain View, wishing that I was on Indian Rock right now, sitting with one of my best friends by my side, looking out over the bay and city, talking about life.
So instead I just find myself sitting here in Mountain View, wishing that I was on Indian Rock right now, sitting with one of my best friends by my side, looking out over the bay and city, talking about life.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Thursday, July 07, 2005
So. Summer.
Long days. Warm weather. (Well, kind of.) I'm keeping myself busy, I've got the book to work on during the day, I've spent some quality time with cousins traveling around, my family (even Chris!) has been pretty consistent about having dinner together. But in terms of having a social life...it's taking a lot of effort. Planning and stuff....especially for doing things after the sun goes down. I mean, its one thing to sit in the living room of the Pink House with Erik and Lauren debating what to do tonight, making big plans to go out, and then watching bad movies on OnDemand instead. At least we were being lame together.
But here in Mountain View, failing to make plans means sitting here at this desk suffering with my dial-up internet connection with MTV or Adult Swim on the TV behind me. Since the first summer after freshman year at Cal, its been kind of tough to round up my high school friends to hang out. Now its even more difficult since all but a handful of them are not in the Bay Area this summer. And then when we have gotten together so far, if we don't have a planned activity...it's like...what do we do?
There's really nothing terrible about this situation. It's enjoyable at times, relaxing. But I wish I was better at simply enjoying my free time. Instead, I feel like I'm wasting it. Especially when I'm sitting here staring at this screen *trying* to think of a website to read to entertain myself. Damn the Stanford Theatre for being closed for restoration and expansion until July 22nd at the earliest. I liked that job.
And having all this time during this particular summer, between my undergrad and grad years, I can't help but feel like I'm waiting for something to start. I'm in a kind of in-between phase of my life. I've managed to put one foot out the door....with the other one firmly planted in the past. I'm not quite sure what the next steps are, and when to take them....so I'm stuck here in stasis.
Sorry for the metaphors.
Long days. Warm weather. (Well, kind of.) I'm keeping myself busy, I've got the book to work on during the day, I've spent some quality time with cousins traveling around, my family (even Chris!) has been pretty consistent about having dinner together. But in terms of having a social life...it's taking a lot of effort. Planning and stuff....especially for doing things after the sun goes down. I mean, its one thing to sit in the living room of the Pink House with Erik and Lauren debating what to do tonight, making big plans to go out, and then watching bad movies on OnDemand instead. At least we were being lame together.
But here in Mountain View, failing to make plans means sitting here at this desk suffering with my dial-up internet connection with MTV or Adult Swim on the TV behind me. Since the first summer after freshman year at Cal, its been kind of tough to round up my high school friends to hang out. Now its even more difficult since all but a handful of them are not in the Bay Area this summer. And then when we have gotten together so far, if we don't have a planned activity...it's like...what do we do?
There's really nothing terrible about this situation. It's enjoyable at times, relaxing. But I wish I was better at simply enjoying my free time. Instead, I feel like I'm wasting it. Especially when I'm sitting here staring at this screen *trying* to think of a website to read to entertain myself. Damn the Stanford Theatre for being closed for restoration and expansion until July 22nd at the earliest. I liked that job.
And having all this time during this particular summer, between my undergrad and grad years, I can't help but feel like I'm waiting for something to start. I'm in a kind of in-between phase of my life. I've managed to put one foot out the door....with the other one firmly planted in the past. I'm not quite sure what the next steps are, and when to take them....so I'm stuck here in stasis.
Sorry for the metaphors.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
After catching up with an old friend from elementary school, I decided to take my old eighth grade Saint Simons yearbook out of the closet. It's been long enough now (8 years!) that I don't really remember what people wrote to me inside the covers, so reading them was almost like an educational experience. Junior High is such an awkward time....here are some experts:
First you have the "I don't really like you enough to put any thought into this":
"have fun! - Tori"
Then there are the insults, albeit...friendly insults. I guess...:
"See you at SF. You have a big head. - Patrick L."
You have the cliche (from my best friend, btw):
"See you next year! Have fun!! - Matt
You have the ones that you don't remember what people were referring to ...that kind of concern you now:
"Nick, have fun at St. Francis and remember to keep those intentions inside. - Pete N."
You have ones with inside jokes:
"Hi Nick - nice Head. We have been good ex-friends! KIT! Have fun next year. - Peter N."
You also have quite a few people who thought I should pursue a singing career due to me being the only guy to take on a role in the 97' Christmas musical as "Thirsty Man":
"Nick - This year went by so fast and lots of things happened. I cant wait until h-school and you should try out for acting cause you are very good @ singing and acting. stay cool. Alyssa"
There were some frank ones...or maybe sarcastic?
"Nick - Have fun at St. Francis. I'll miss you, maybe. -SOBO"
...and of course, there were the genuinely nice and thoughtful ones, but who wants to read those?
First you have the "I don't really like you enough to put any thought into this":
"have fun! - Tori"
Then there are the insults, albeit...friendly insults. I guess...:
"See you at SF. You have a big head. - Patrick L."
You have the cliche (from my best friend, btw):
"See you next year! Have fun!! - Matt
You have the ones that you don't remember what people were referring to ...that kind of concern you now:
"Nick, have fun at St. Francis and remember to keep those intentions inside. - Pete N."
You have ones with inside jokes:
"Hi Nick - nice Head. We have been good ex-friends! KIT! Have fun next year. - Peter N."
You also have quite a few people who thought I should pursue a singing career due to me being the only guy to take on a role in the 97' Christmas musical as "Thirsty Man":
"Nick - This year went by so fast and lots of things happened. I cant wait until h-school and you should try out for acting cause you are very good @ singing and acting. stay cool. Alyssa"
There were some frank ones...or maybe sarcastic?
"Nick - Have fun at St. Francis. I'll miss you, maybe. -SOBO"
...and of course, there were the genuinely nice and thoughtful ones, but who wants to read those?
Sunday, June 26, 2005
After a month apart (boy that went by fast now, didn't it?) most of my Cal crew was reunited at Kay's house warming party. It was so good to see everyone again these past couple of nights. Still tough to process that come August, we all won't be here again..but at least a good chunk of the group will be in the Bay Area.
It also helps to settle in to new rhythms, new apartments, new jobs/schools. I'm in Steph's room right now (she's in Napa). In a few weeks this will be my new home in Berkeley. Dan's moving his stuff into his room across the hall as I type. I'm really glad to have someone from the Pink House with me here, and the two girls that we are living with are really cool!
Even though I'm still in Berkeley, in the same department even, for grad school....the next two years will be very different from the past four. It's like.... the spin-off to a great sitcom. And I think it'll be a great spin-off too...
...not like "Joey" and more like "Frasier." Hehe.
It also helps to settle in to new rhythms, new apartments, new jobs/schools. I'm in Steph's room right now (she's in Napa). In a few weeks this will be my new home in Berkeley. Dan's moving his stuff into his room across the hall as I type. I'm really glad to have someone from the Pink House with me here, and the two girls that we are living with are really cool!
Even though I'm still in Berkeley, in the same department even, for grad school....the next two years will be very different from the past four. It's like.... the spin-off to a great sitcom. And I think it'll be a great spin-off too...
...not like "Joey" and more like "Frasier." Hehe.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Hello!
Wow, it's been a while. Life has been a whirlwind since graduation. I just submitted the draft proposal for my book, Images of America: Mountain View to my editor a few minutes ago. So with that largely out of the way for the moment, I can finally update this blog.
Too much to write really, so I won't even try to cover it all. Let's just do Q&A session:
Q: How was Portugal?
A: It was great! I had an amazing time. The studio was a lot of work, but the Portuguese students were a lot of fun. The Berkeley grad students I went with 8 women in their late 20s/early 30s and 2 guys..one a former Cal band drum major...were great too. Once my dad got there, I was ready for a vacation though...and boy did we see a lot! Madeira island is absolutely beautiful.
Q: What were some of the high lights of trip?
A: Let's see. There are plenty:
-Drinking Sangrias during sunset on a restaurant on the beach in Cascais the night I arrived in Portugal, still trying to process that I had finally traveled off the North American continent. and was in the land of my ancient ancestors.
-Visiting the town of Sintra for the first time, and being floored by the setting and architecture of the Palacio de Pena.
-Eating Sardines, octopus, and whole bunch of other strange-for-me foods throughout the trip.
-Kicking ass on the presentation of my research project the Friday after I arrived, after worrying myself sick about it the day before.
-Escaping the studio one night with a few of the Berkeley students to enjoy a dinner on the waterfront in Belem.
-Singing the Cal drinking song with the ex-Cal drum major for the Portuguese and Berkeley students in the middle of a street PACKED with people in the Bairro Alto, downtown Lisbon's most popular night life district (where we celebrated after finishing our group presentations).
-Taking a walk by myself around the old town of Oeiras (where I stayed during the class) the next morning while everyone slept off their hangovers. I fell in love with Portugal on that morning, as I strolled through palace gardens, cobble stone streets, and the town's festa as its vendors were gearing up for another day of festivities.
-Listening to live Portuguese folk music sung by an occordian player while the studio shared a meal in the farm of the Portuguese professor's huge cork oak plantation two hours outside of Lisbon.
-Walking around an empty Alfama district with my dad on the morning he arrived from California, really enjoying the funny smile that he just couldn't wipe off his face because he was living a dream that he never really though would happen.
-Stepping on to the tarmac at Madeira Island airport, and getting a little emotional as I realized that , in a way, this was a homecoming for me and my dad.
-Madeira Island. Everything about it. Just amazing.
-The Oieras festa with my dad, blending in with the locals while enjoying fresh Lingucia sandwiches and watching the Bombiero (fireman) band.
-Our last full day in Portugal, where my dad and I saw two palaces, a famous monastery, two castles, and two tower monuments in the span of 12 hours! And somehow...never feeling rushed or in a hurry.
...whew that was more than I expected to type. But once I started, couldn't stop...moving on:
Q: How was your graduation party?
A: It was really nice. More than sixty people came to celebrate, mostly family. But by far the highlight was.....now get ready....when a new car pulled into West Dana Street. As I saw it, I wondered..."Hmmm who's that person in the new dark blue 2005 corolla?" When my mom said, "Mark, it's here!" I wondered...."hmm, what's that person in the new dark blue 2005 corolla bringing me?" And then I was floored as it slowly sunk in that the car itself was for me...a graduation gift from my parents. Holy freakin cow. I have a car. I never ever expected something like that. My parents are amazing.
Q: How was Batman?
A: Great, go see it!
Q: What's this book your working on?
A: Arcadia Publishing has been trying to do one of its Images of America books for Mountain View for a couple years now, but they couldn't find anyone interested in writing in. For a good deal of the semester I've been talking with the editor at the SF office about being the author of the book. I finally had time to submit my proposal today, and tomorrow I'll be meeting with my editor and representatives from the Historical Association to iron out the details...then it's a go! A viola, I have a summer job....and semester job...wish me luck.
Q: Where will you be living next year?
A: I'll be moving into Steph's room once she leaves in July, with Dan on Regent Street near Parker. It's a nice four bedroom on the first floor of a house designed by Julia Morgan. All though its on Southside, the neighborhood seems pleasant and is right near a nice park. Should be cool, and I'll finally have my own room!
Well, that should do it for now!
Wow, it's been a while. Life has been a whirlwind since graduation. I just submitted the draft proposal for my book, Images of America: Mountain View to my editor a few minutes ago. So with that largely out of the way for the moment, I can finally update this blog.
Too much to write really, so I won't even try to cover it all. Let's just do Q&A session:
Q: How was Portugal?
A: It was great! I had an amazing time. The studio was a lot of work, but the Portuguese students were a lot of fun. The Berkeley grad students I went with 8 women in their late 20s/early 30s and 2 guys..one a former Cal band drum major...were great too. Once my dad got there, I was ready for a vacation though...and boy did we see a lot! Madeira island is absolutely beautiful.
Q: What were some of the high lights of trip?
A: Let's see. There are plenty:
-Drinking Sangrias during sunset on a restaurant on the beach in Cascais the night I arrived in Portugal, still trying to process that I had finally traveled off the North American continent. and was in the land of my ancient ancestors.
-Visiting the town of Sintra for the first time, and being floored by the setting and architecture of the Palacio de Pena.
-Eating Sardines, octopus, and whole bunch of other strange-for-me foods throughout the trip.
-Kicking ass on the presentation of my research project the Friday after I arrived, after worrying myself sick about it the day before.
-Escaping the studio one night with a few of the Berkeley students to enjoy a dinner on the waterfront in Belem.
-Singing the Cal drinking song with the ex-Cal drum major for the Portuguese and Berkeley students in the middle of a street PACKED with people in the Bairro Alto, downtown Lisbon's most popular night life district (where we celebrated after finishing our group presentations).
-Taking a walk by myself around the old town of Oeiras (where I stayed during the class) the next morning while everyone slept off their hangovers. I fell in love with Portugal on that morning, as I strolled through palace gardens, cobble stone streets, and the town's festa as its vendors were gearing up for another day of festivities.
-Listening to live Portuguese folk music sung by an occordian player while the studio shared a meal in the farm of the Portuguese professor's huge cork oak plantation two hours outside of Lisbon.
-Walking around an empty Alfama district with my dad on the morning he arrived from California, really enjoying the funny smile that he just couldn't wipe off his face because he was living a dream that he never really though would happen.
-Stepping on to the tarmac at Madeira Island airport, and getting a little emotional as I realized that , in a way, this was a homecoming for me and my dad.
-Madeira Island. Everything about it. Just amazing.
-The Oieras festa with my dad, blending in with the locals while enjoying fresh Lingucia sandwiches and watching the Bombiero (fireman) band.
-Our last full day in Portugal, where my dad and I saw two palaces, a famous monastery, two castles, and two tower monuments in the span of 12 hours! And somehow...never feeling rushed or in a hurry.
...whew that was more than I expected to type. But once I started, couldn't stop...moving on:
Q: How was your graduation party?
A: It was really nice. More than sixty people came to celebrate, mostly family. But by far the highlight was.....now get ready....when a new car pulled into West Dana Street. As I saw it, I wondered..."Hmmm who's that person in the new dark blue 2005 corolla?" When my mom said, "Mark, it's here!" I wondered...."hmm, what's that person in the new dark blue 2005 corolla bringing me?" And then I was floored as it slowly sunk in that the car itself was for me...a graduation gift from my parents. Holy freakin cow. I have a car. I never ever expected something like that. My parents are amazing.
Q: How was Batman?
A: Great, go see it!
Q: What's this book your working on?
A: Arcadia Publishing has been trying to do one of its Images of America books for Mountain View for a couple years now, but they couldn't find anyone interested in writing in. For a good deal of the semester I've been talking with the editor at the SF office about being the author of the book. I finally had time to submit my proposal today, and tomorrow I'll be meeting with my editor and representatives from the Historical Association to iron out the details...then it's a go! A viola, I have a summer job....and semester job...wish me luck.
Q: Where will you be living next year?
A: I'll be moving into Steph's room once she leaves in July, with Dan on Regent Street near Parker. It's a nice four bedroom on the first floor of a house designed by Julia Morgan. All though its on Southside, the neighborhood seems pleasant and is right near a nice park. Should be cool, and I'll finally have my own room!
Well, that should do it for now!
Monday, May 23, 2005
I'm sitting at this desk, in this pink house, for the last time to write in this on-line journal. The emotions are wonderfully overwhelming. Pardon the Hallmark-like nature of this last entry of mine as an undergraduate at the University of California, but what I want to write tonight is sincere.
Today, I graduated and four amazing years at Cal officially came to an end. All day today I've been surrounded by the people I love, my friends and family. I'm so happy to have each of you in my life. Truly, I would not have made it without you. Each of you has shaped a part of me, each of you has played a role in my success, and each of you, in your own way, has been an inspiration to me. Thank you!
To my family: I love you. You are my pride. You are the people that have lifted me up to where I am today. You've been my strength and you've fueled my passion to pursue City Planning, to go out there and try to make a difference. I can't begin to even explain how much each of you mean to me. What I can say, is you don't know how many times I hear my friends tell me, "Wow Nick, you have a really cool family". I sure do. Our diversity, our drive to make change, our shared heritage, and our love for each other (even if it's tough love sometimes! haha) means the world to me.
To my friends at Cal, especially those of you that have been on this journey with me for all four years, we made it!!! I'm going to take with me so many memories from this time in my life, gifts from each of you, who have come to be like a family to me. I could not have asked to be surrounded by a better group of friends.
For most of us, fate threw us together freshman year, and we transformed what could have just been "people we lived with in the dorms" or "people we met at CalSO" into lasting friendships. I feel so lucky that we were able to stick together and experience Cal together.
As I write this, there's a lump in my throat and I have to fight back the tears. But I'm truly happy inside. Only something this good could be this emotionally tough to say goodbye to.
There will probably be quite a few tears tonight and over the next few days. There already have been quite a few, actually. We can't stop change, we can't freeze our lives in this place and time. And I think we all know, deep down, that we would never want to do that.
Something is indeed coming to an end. But as that old Semisonic song says, "every new beginning, comes from some other new beginning's end."
Let's be those Old Blues who grow old together and never lose touch. This might be the end of our time living all within blocks of each other, but its only the beginning of a lifetime of friendship that lies ahead of us.
We've got a lot to look forward to! I love you all, and once again thank you.
Go Bears!
Today, I graduated and four amazing years at Cal officially came to an end. All day today I've been surrounded by the people I love, my friends and family. I'm so happy to have each of you in my life. Truly, I would not have made it without you. Each of you has shaped a part of me, each of you has played a role in my success, and each of you, in your own way, has been an inspiration to me. Thank you!
To my family: I love you. You are my pride. You are the people that have lifted me up to where I am today. You've been my strength and you've fueled my passion to pursue City Planning, to go out there and try to make a difference. I can't begin to even explain how much each of you mean to me. What I can say, is you don't know how many times I hear my friends tell me, "Wow Nick, you have a really cool family". I sure do. Our diversity, our drive to make change, our shared heritage, and our love for each other (even if it's tough love sometimes! haha) means the world to me.
To my friends at Cal, especially those of you that have been on this journey with me for all four years, we made it!!! I'm going to take with me so many memories from this time in my life, gifts from each of you, who have come to be like a family to me. I could not have asked to be surrounded by a better group of friends.
For most of us, fate threw us together freshman year, and we transformed what could have just been "people we lived with in the dorms" or "people we met at CalSO" into lasting friendships. I feel so lucky that we were able to stick together and experience Cal together.
As I write this, there's a lump in my throat and I have to fight back the tears. But I'm truly happy inside. Only something this good could be this emotionally tough to say goodbye to.
There will probably be quite a few tears tonight and over the next few days. There already have been quite a few, actually. We can't stop change, we can't freeze our lives in this place and time. And I think we all know, deep down, that we would never want to do that.
Something is indeed coming to an end. But as that old Semisonic song says, "every new beginning, comes from some other new beginning's end."
Let's be those Old Blues who grow old together and never lose touch. This might be the end of our time living all within blocks of each other, but its only the beginning of a lifetime of friendship that lies ahead of us.
We've got a lot to look forward to! I love you all, and once again thank you.
Go Bears!
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
I present to you, the late stages of chronic senioritis:
Avengelyne01: what happens if we just don't study?
Nap98: i dont know?
Nap98: im thinking...
Nap98: A+'s all around
Avengelyne01: shouldn't i, like, really be trying to apply myself or something, for this last time?
Nap98: maybe
Nap98: maybe you already have
Avengelyne01: hmm
Nap98: maybe youve become such a genius over four years..
Nap98: that you dont need to study anymore
Avengelyne01: you know, i think you're right!
Nap98: haha
Avengelyne01: i just spent two hours watching tv
Nap98: i just spent a half hour on facebook
Nap98: and reading Time
Avengelyne01: what happens if we just don't study?
Nap98: i dont know?
Nap98: im thinking...
Nap98: A+'s all around
Avengelyne01: shouldn't i, like, really be trying to apply myself or something, for this last time?
Nap98: maybe
Nap98: maybe you already have
Avengelyne01: hmm
Nap98: maybe youve become such a genius over four years..
Nap98: that you dont need to study anymore
Avengelyne01: you know, i think you're right!
Nap98: haha
Avengelyne01: i just spent two hours watching tv
Nap98: i just spent a half hour on facebook
Nap98: and reading Time
Monday, May 16, 2005
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Wow. It's over.
The World You Love
I got a story it's almost finished
all i need is someone to tell it to
maybe, that's you.
Our time is borrowed and spent too freely
every minute I have needs to be made up
but how?
i'm looking for a nice way to say "i'm out."
i want out.
I fall asleep with my friends around me
only place i know, i feel safe
I'm gonna call this home
The open road is still miles away
Hey nothing serious
we still have our fun
oh we had it once
Windows open and close
that's just how it goes
Don't it feel like sunshine after all?
The world we love forever, gone.
We're only just as happy
as everyone else seems to think we are.
The World You Love
I got a story it's almost finished
all i need is someone to tell it to
maybe, that's you.
Our time is borrowed and spent too freely
every minute I have needs to be made up
but how?
i'm looking for a nice way to say "i'm out."
i want out.
I fall asleep with my friends around me
only place i know, i feel safe
I'm gonna call this home
The open road is still miles away
Hey nothing serious
we still have our fun
oh we had it once
Windows open and close
that's just how it goes
Don't it feel like sunshine after all?
The world we love forever, gone.
We're only just as happy
as everyone else seems to think we are.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
I just got back from my first graduation ceremony. This one was the first ever Alumni Scholar Association Convocation Ceremony, for all us over-achieving campus leaders.
No family was there. No friends, except acquaintances I know who happen to also be Alumni Leadership Scholars.
This one was just for me....well for me to get my framed lithograph of the campanile from the 1920s with my name engraved on a small plaque underneath it (sweet!). Initially I went to just get that goody...but I got a lot more out of it.
The ceremony really touched me. A great series of speakers who made me feel really good about what I have done and accomplished, and made me look forward to being an alumni. Even if I were leaving Cal after this year for good, they made me realize that you can't really leave this place, its a part of who you are and its a community that exists throughout the world. It feels really nice, to feel like I belong (fully and without any reservations) to such a community. I've never really truly had that before coming here.
Ceremony closed with a singing of Cal's Alma Mater, Hail to California. I've never sung it before, don't know the tune except the final "Hail! Hail! Hail!" part, even though I've heard it plenty of times at the end of football games. But I tried my best to follow along.
And it was really nice to be in the shadow of the Campanile singing that bittersweet song, celebrating my past four years here, doing it only for myself (even though it was kind of strange to not have to take a million pictures after). It made me feel..well really good, and maybe even excited, about graduation.
Learn these words fellow future Cal alums, it really is a beautiful bittersweet song when you put these words to the music:
Hail to California
Hail to California,
Alma Mater dear;
Sing the joyful chorus,
Sound it far and near.
Rallying round her banner,
We will never fail;
California, Alma Mater
Hail! Hail! Hail!
Hail to California,
Queen in whom we're blest;
Spreading light and goodness
Over all the West.
Fighting 'nearth her standard,
We shall sure prevail;
California, Alma Mater,
Hail! Hail! Hail!
No family was there. No friends, except acquaintances I know who happen to also be Alumni Leadership Scholars.
This one was just for me....well for me to get my framed lithograph of the campanile from the 1920s with my name engraved on a small plaque underneath it (sweet!). Initially I went to just get that goody...but I got a lot more out of it.
The ceremony really touched me. A great series of speakers who made me feel really good about what I have done and accomplished, and made me look forward to being an alumni. Even if I were leaving Cal after this year for good, they made me realize that you can't really leave this place, its a part of who you are and its a community that exists throughout the world. It feels really nice, to feel like I belong (fully and without any reservations) to such a community. I've never really truly had that before coming here.
Ceremony closed with a singing of Cal's Alma Mater, Hail to California. I've never sung it before, don't know the tune except the final "Hail! Hail! Hail!" part, even though I've heard it plenty of times at the end of football games. But I tried my best to follow along.
And it was really nice to be in the shadow of the Campanile singing that bittersweet song, celebrating my past four years here, doing it only for myself (even though it was kind of strange to not have to take a million pictures after). It made me feel..well really good, and maybe even excited, about graduation.
Learn these words fellow future Cal alums, it really is a beautiful bittersweet song when you put these words to the music:
Hail to California
Hail to California,
Alma Mater dear;
Sing the joyful chorus,
Sound it far and near.
Rallying round her banner,
We will never fail;
California, Alma Mater
Hail! Hail! Hail!
Hail to California,
Queen in whom we're blest;
Spreading light and goodness
Over all the West.
Fighting 'nearth her standard,
We shall sure prevail;
California, Alma Mater,
Hail! Hail! Hail!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Are you gonna live your life standing in the back looking around?
Are you gonna waste your time?
Gotta make a move or you'll miss out.
Someone's gonna ask you what it’s all about.
Stick around nostalgia won't let you down.
Someone's gonna ask you what it’s all about.
Whatcha gonna have to say for yourself?
I’m on my feet, I’m on the floor, I’m good to go.
Now all I need is just to hear a song I know.
I wanna always feel like part of this was mine.
I wanna fall in love tonight.
Are you gonna waste your time?
Gotta make a move or you'll miss out.
Someone's gonna ask you what it’s all about.
Stick around nostalgia won't let you down.
Someone's gonna ask you what it’s all about.
Whatcha gonna have to say for yourself?
I’m on my feet, I’m on the floor, I’m good to go.
Now all I need is just to hear a song I know.
I wanna always feel like part of this was mine.
I wanna fall in love tonight.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Ahhhh. The memories.
G
R
Double E
N
LEAVES!
G
R
Double E
N
LEAVES!
It's So Easy!
Happy Go Lucky...
We Are The World,
We Did It!
You! You! You! You!
Us! Us! Us! Us!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
A student just graduating!
A leader of a great business!
Do we ever get a lucky feeling
A-with our simple leafy nakedness!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
Oh-we will be winning the prize!
We will make our nation proud!
We will become a-quite-a healthy guys!
Everybody say: Yatta!
Japan, On Two!
Demo!
Tomorrow Will Be Wonderful...
Who cares if everybody is unkind? (?)
Why bother sleepin' in? (?)
Queue! Queue! Queue! Queue!
Bus! Bus! Bus! Bus!
Ohio! (or Good Morning?)
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
Nine hours a night we're sleeping
An' we jump right out of bed!
Do we ever get a lucky feeling
A-when we go to work fresh and fed!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
you change-odd-weird me
world change-revise
I FEEL GREAT!!
http://web.mit.edu/patil/www/media/video/yatta.asf
G
R
Double E
N
LEAVES!
G
R
Double E
N
LEAVES!
It's So Easy!
Happy Go Lucky...
We Are The World,
We Did It!
You! You! You! You!
Us! Us! Us! Us!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
A student just graduating!
A leader of a great business!
Do we ever get a lucky feeling
A-with our simple leafy nakedness!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
Oh-we will be winning the prize!
We will make our nation proud!
We will become a-quite-a healthy guys!
Everybody say: Yatta!
Japan, On Two!
Demo!
Tomorrow Will Be Wonderful...
Who cares if everybody is unkind? (?)
Why bother sleepin' in? (?)
Queue! Queue! Queue! Queue!
Bus! Bus! Bus! Bus!
Ohio! (or Good Morning?)
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
Nine hours a night we're sleeping
An' we jump right out of bed!
Do we ever get a lucky feeling
A-when we go to work fresh and fed!
Yatta! Yatta! Yatta! Yatta!
you change-odd-weird me
world change-revise
I FEEL GREAT!!
http://web.mit.edu/patil/www/media/video/yatta.asf
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
You say you wander your own land
But when I think about it I don't see how you can
You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in vour eyes
Says everybody's changing
And I don't know why
So little time
Try to understand that I'm
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game, I
Try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same
You're gone from here
Soon you will disappear
Fading into beautiful light
Because everybody's changing
And I don't feel right
-Keane, "Everybody's Changing"
....two months.
But when I think about it I don't see how you can
You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in vour eyes
Says everybody's changing
And I don't know why
So little time
Try to understand that I'm
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game, I
Try to stay awake and remember my name
But everybody's changing
And I don't feel the same
You're gone from here
Soon you will disappear
Fading into beautiful light
Because everybody's changing
And I don't feel right
-Keane, "Everybody's Changing"
....two months.
This seems to fit:
The Mark Twain: A leisurely paddle steamboat
navigating the Rivers of America in the 19th
Century! A venerable Disneyland institution,
you date to opening day in 1955 and respresent
stablity, tradition, and a healthy dose of
Americana. You never make your passengers
seasick (in part due to the fact that you role
along your secret underwater track) and always
offer some great panoramic views of a Frontier
mining town, New Orleans, and back woods
glimpses of wildlife and injuns straight out of
a Samuel Clemens tale! Small children and old
folks like you best, but that doesn't mean you
don't know how to get out and enjoy the
nightlife, you play "Steamboat
Willie" in the nightly production of the
Fantasmic! Spectacular. Just one question,
just how is that you are always managing to be
headed "down river"?
What Disneyland attraction are you?
The Mark Twain: A leisurely paddle steamboat
navigating the Rivers of America in the 19th
Century! A venerable Disneyland institution,
you date to opening day in 1955 and respresent
stablity, tradition, and a healthy dose of
Americana. You never make your passengers
seasick (in part due to the fact that you role
along your secret underwater track) and always
offer some great panoramic views of a Frontier
mining town, New Orleans, and back woods
glimpses of wildlife and injuns straight out of
a Samuel Clemens tale! Small children and old
folks like you best, but that doesn't mean you
don't know how to get out and enjoy the
nightlife, you play "Steamboat
Willie" in the nightly production of the
Fantasmic! Spectacular. Just one question,
just how is that you are always managing to be
headed "down river"?
What Disneyland attraction are you?