Drink up baby doll
Are you in or are you out
Leave your things behind
'Cos it's all going off without you
Excuse me too busy
Writing your your tragedy
These mishaps you bubble-wrap
When you've no idea what you're like
So let go, So let go jump in
Oh well what you waiting for
It's alright'
Cause there's beauty in the breakdown
(yay for the garden state soundtrack...)
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Back from a weekend in Davis with my family. Weird to think my brother is out there and not back home.
We all went to the Davis versus Sacramento State football game on Saturday. SacState is Davis' big rival, and their football field was packed. (It only seats about 9,000 though). Only issue...way too many obnoxious drunk frat people. Ugh. They let students in for free, with in and out privileges. Which meant a good chunk of the students sitting in our section (outside the main student section) left after half-time already drunk, to get more drunk and return in the fourth quarter.
But other than that, the game was cool. Davis won. The atmosphere was pretty nice, a lot more laid back than Cal. With a great band, decent football program, good fanbase, and a new stadium in the works, things are on the up-and-up for Davis. All Chris needs to do is become a micman and make his mark.
...and jeeze, Chris's dorm room. That kid lucked out. It's almost as big as my house in Mountain View (two bedrooms (double and a single), one bath, living room, dining room, kitchen, balcony).
Maybe I'm still getting over that weird flu/cold I had last week...but I feel out of it and tired. So that's all for now.
We all went to the Davis versus Sacramento State football game on Saturday. SacState is Davis' big rival, and their football field was packed. (It only seats about 9,000 though). Only issue...way too many obnoxious drunk frat people. Ugh. They let students in for free, with in and out privileges. Which meant a good chunk of the students sitting in our section (outside the main student section) left after half-time already drunk, to get more drunk and return in the fourth quarter.
But other than that, the game was cool. Davis won. The atmosphere was pretty nice, a lot more laid back than Cal. With a great band, decent football program, good fanbase, and a new stadium in the works, things are on the up-and-up for Davis. All Chris needs to do is become a micman and make his mark.
...and jeeze, Chris's dorm room. That kid lucked out. It's almost as big as my house in Mountain View (two bedrooms (double and a single), one bath, living room, dining room, kitchen, balcony).
Maybe I'm still getting over that weird flu/cold I had last week...but I feel out of it and tired. So that's all for now.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
About three hours to the kick off of Cal's first home game of what could be our best season in almost 50 years.
You can feel the excitement.
Cal's been on the front page of the Sports section of the Chronicle every day this week. They're talking about us on ESPN, on Fox Sports, USA Today. A poll on the Chron's front page asked, who do you think will have a winning season, The Raiders or 49ers. Over 50% responded, "Can we just talk about Cal?!" You see a lot more people (and not just frosh) wearing Cal gear. People on the streets are talking. At the barber shop, the conversation isn't "So you go to Cal? Been in any protests lately?" it's "So you go to Cal, whadabout them Bears eh?!"
Nevertheless, I've had lots of explaining to do lately. Why, people ask, do I care so much about Cal football? Especially to the point where I'd postpone a trip to Europe by a week to go to a Rose Bowl (if we're so lucky)What's the big deal?
If you know me, you know that I am very rooted in California, very proud to live in this state, in the Bay Area, and to go to this school. Going here isn't just about me, it isn't just about the work that I've accomplished. I am the end result of the hard work of generations of my family, most especially my parents, who have sacrificed so much to give me the oppurtunities to go here. So......in that sense, Cal represents a lot to me.
Plus, I've had an excellent three years here, I have made great friends, and have lots of wonderful memories. For the first time in my life, I've been made to feel like I actually BELONG at my school. I did not feel that way at Saint Simons even though I went there for 10 years. And certaintly not at Saint Francis, which I never felt truly represented who I was or where I was coming from. Cal does. It's been the perfect fit.
And I do not want to wait untill graduation to celebrate that feeling of belonging, to celebrate Cal. Every football game gives me a chance to rub shoulders and exchange high-fives with students from all majors, from all backgrounds, from the EECS geek to the Sorority Girl, from the frosh to the grad student, heck even some professors.
This campus is HUGE. And as it has grown, the sense of unity that characterized it in the early years has waned. Traditions have died. A lot of people walk around disconnected, disenchanted, eager to get out and graduate because all they can get themselves to care about is grades, graduation, a job, money.
But when school spirit runs high, as it does this season, its easier to put all that aside once your in Memorial. It gives you a chance to cherish the fact that yes, you are making it. You are a student at one of the greatest school's in the world. It gives you a chance to show your pride by rooting for a team that's playing down there on the field, representing you, your school, and your state.
And plus, this is a golden era in Cal's history here folks. And you know me, I'm a sucker for history and tradition. It doesn't take a sports-genius to see that people will look back on our time at Cal and say how amazing its been for our football team. Our coach has engineered an unprecedented turn around. From being a 1-10 joke our frosh year, to be a nationally ranked powerhouse our senior year. That's amazing. If things keep going this way, there could be a statue of Tedford next to Pappy in Faculty Glade come our 25th reunion. Whether you like football or not, what happens on the field will come to be a major touchstone of how our time at Cal is remembered.
But like I said, it is more than about football. It's how football gives this big old university a chance to come together. A chance for us to put down the books, forget about the tests, the grades, the heart-ache, and scream our hearts out for California.
Go Bears!
You can feel the excitement.
Cal's been on the front page of the Sports section of the Chronicle every day this week. They're talking about us on ESPN, on Fox Sports, USA Today. A poll on the Chron's front page asked, who do you think will have a winning season, The Raiders or 49ers. Over 50% responded, "Can we just talk about Cal?!" You see a lot more people (and not just frosh) wearing Cal gear. People on the streets are talking. At the barber shop, the conversation isn't "So you go to Cal? Been in any protests lately?" it's "So you go to Cal, whadabout them Bears eh?!"
Nevertheless, I've had lots of explaining to do lately. Why, people ask, do I care so much about Cal football? Especially to the point where I'd postpone a trip to Europe by a week to go to a Rose Bowl (if we're so lucky)What's the big deal?
If you know me, you know that I am very rooted in California, very proud to live in this state, in the Bay Area, and to go to this school. Going here isn't just about me, it isn't just about the work that I've accomplished. I am the end result of the hard work of generations of my family, most especially my parents, who have sacrificed so much to give me the oppurtunities to go here. So......in that sense, Cal represents a lot to me.
Plus, I've had an excellent three years here, I have made great friends, and have lots of wonderful memories. For the first time in my life, I've been made to feel like I actually BELONG at my school. I did not feel that way at Saint Simons even though I went there for 10 years. And certaintly not at Saint Francis, which I never felt truly represented who I was or where I was coming from. Cal does. It's been the perfect fit.
And I do not want to wait untill graduation to celebrate that feeling of belonging, to celebrate Cal. Every football game gives me a chance to rub shoulders and exchange high-fives with students from all majors, from all backgrounds, from the EECS geek to the Sorority Girl, from the frosh to the grad student, heck even some professors.
This campus is HUGE. And as it has grown, the sense of unity that characterized it in the early years has waned. Traditions have died. A lot of people walk around disconnected, disenchanted, eager to get out and graduate because all they can get themselves to care about is grades, graduation, a job, money.
But when school spirit runs high, as it does this season, its easier to put all that aside once your in Memorial. It gives you a chance to cherish the fact that yes, you are making it. You are a student at one of the greatest school's in the world. It gives you a chance to show your pride by rooting for a team that's playing down there on the field, representing you, your school, and your state.
And plus, this is a golden era in Cal's history here folks. And you know me, I'm a sucker for history and tradition. It doesn't take a sports-genius to see that people will look back on our time at Cal and say how amazing its been for our football team. Our coach has engineered an unprecedented turn around. From being a 1-10 joke our frosh year, to be a nationally ranked powerhouse our senior year. That's amazing. If things keep going this way, there could be a statue of Tedford next to Pappy in Faculty Glade come our 25th reunion. Whether you like football or not, what happens on the field will come to be a major touchstone of how our time at Cal is remembered.
But like I said, it is more than about football. It's how football gives this big old university a chance to come together. A chance for us to put down the books, forget about the tests, the grades, the heart-ache, and scream our hearts out for California.
Go Bears!
Friday, September 10, 2004
Thursday, September 09, 2004
In a few weeks, one of San Jose's greatest landmarks, the Fox California Theatre, will reopen its doors. Mr. David Packard (son of the P in HP and the owner of the theatre I worked at this summer and last) is the head donor.
Check out this great article from the San Jose Metro:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.08.04/california-0437.html
I can't wait to visit this place!
Check out this great article from the San Jose Metro:
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.08.04/california-0437.html
I can't wait to visit this place!
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
So....our party.
By all accounts it was a huge success, and it went off without a hitch. My only regret? That 40.
Luckily, I didn't have much of a hang over the next day and made it to the beach with Lauren, her brother Chris, and Steph. We had a really nice time up in Point Reyes at a beach in the Tule Elk reserve. Leo, Lauren, and I had been there before. The beach is by far one of the nicest I've been to...it has mystical qualities to it.
I'm really glad I got out of the house and to the beach on Sunday. It's been damn hot here in Berkeley. You wake up in the morning and it's already pushing 80. That kind of puts me in a funk. I discussed this with Lauren, and she agrees....there's something about an overcast/foggy morning that eases you in from sleeping to getting ready for school. It's a smoother transition between night and day. When it's already 80 at 10:30, I get thrown off.
Today, we finally got somewhere with our Europe winter trip planning. However, I have quite a ridiculous dilemma to deal with: Do I go to Europe with Leo and Lauren on December 27th, or do I assume that Cal might make it to the Rose Bowl for the first time in a bijilion years and wait till January 2nd.
Yes....I know. The Rose Bowl or a week Europe....what an AWFUL decision to have to make. Haha. What an unbelievable decision to have to make! First of all, I'm planning on going to Europe. That's crazy. The number of people in my family that have been there can be counted on one hand. Secondly, Cal at the Rose Bowl. Three years ago this would have sent even the most devoted fan into hysterics. That I would care so much as to postpone a trip to Europe would have made the 2001 version of me laugh too.
Nevertheless, I'm leaning towards meeting up with Leo and Lauren after New Years. It's my senior year, our team is better than it's been in generations, and I could only be so lucky to be a member of the graduating class that sees our team go its first Rose Bowl since 1957. If I do schedule the trip before the Rose Bowl, I would be subconsciously rooting against the team so that they don't achieve that goal. That would suck, and it would put a damper on the whole season, a part of my Senior year I've really been looking forward to.
As long as I can figure out an itinerary with Leo and Lauren that still makes going to Europe feasible and affordable between the 2nd and the start of school, I think missing out on a week of travel will be tolerable. Plus, I might save some money.
....um but first. I need some money to save. Anyone care to donate?
By all accounts it was a huge success, and it went off without a hitch. My only regret? That 40.
Luckily, I didn't have much of a hang over the next day and made it to the beach with Lauren, her brother Chris, and Steph. We had a really nice time up in Point Reyes at a beach in the Tule Elk reserve. Leo, Lauren, and I had been there before. The beach is by far one of the nicest I've been to...it has mystical qualities to it.
I'm really glad I got out of the house and to the beach on Sunday. It's been damn hot here in Berkeley. You wake up in the morning and it's already pushing 80. That kind of puts me in a funk. I discussed this with Lauren, and she agrees....there's something about an overcast/foggy morning that eases you in from sleeping to getting ready for school. It's a smoother transition between night and day. When it's already 80 at 10:30, I get thrown off.
Today, we finally got somewhere with our Europe winter trip planning. However, I have quite a ridiculous dilemma to deal with: Do I go to Europe with Leo and Lauren on December 27th, or do I assume that Cal might make it to the Rose Bowl for the first time in a bijilion years and wait till January 2nd.
Yes....I know. The Rose Bowl or a week Europe....what an AWFUL decision to have to make. Haha. What an unbelievable decision to have to make! First of all, I'm planning on going to Europe. That's crazy. The number of people in my family that have been there can be counted on one hand. Secondly, Cal at the Rose Bowl. Three years ago this would have sent even the most devoted fan into hysterics. That I would care so much as to postpone a trip to Europe would have made the 2001 version of me laugh too.
Nevertheless, I'm leaning towards meeting up with Leo and Lauren after New Years. It's my senior year, our team is better than it's been in generations, and I could only be so lucky to be a member of the graduating class that sees our team go its first Rose Bowl since 1957. If I do schedule the trip before the Rose Bowl, I would be subconsciously rooting against the team so that they don't achieve that goal. That would suck, and it would put a damper on the whole season, a part of my Senior year I've really been looking forward to.
As long as I can figure out an itinerary with Leo and Lauren that still makes going to Europe feasible and affordable between the 2nd and the start of school, I think missing out on a week of travel will be tolerable. Plus, I might save some money.
....um but first. I need some money to save. Anyone care to donate?
Thursday, September 02, 2004
I was under the false impression that as one came closer to graduation, with fewer and fewer requirements to fill, schedule planning became easier.
Why did I ever think this? For the past three years I've been free to rearrange my classes, postpone things, shuffle them around, decide to take them next year. But this year, there is no next year. And if I postpone a class till next semester, I risk having it conflict with another class I need to take to either graduate or complete my minor. Which means summer school or another semester. That stresses me out.
I have never had this much trouble with my schedule before. Good thing I didn't try to squeeze a Landscape Architecture minor in. That would have been chaos.
I had to drop Portuguese. When they said Portuguese for advanced students, they meant it. At least 1/5 of the class already had a basic understanding of the language. The rest seemed to be fluent or very comfortable with another romance language, especially Spanish. Half had spent time in Brazil. Perhaps my 4 years of Spanish would have been enough....IF I had taken this class my freshman year. Too much Spanish has left my head to get through Portuguese . So...buy-bye Portuguese.
Which left me with 11 units. You need 12 to be full-time in the CED. So I added a random 1 unit polysci guest lecture class to bring me back to 12. The class seems easy...almost too easy. The prof had no qualms about making fun of students, insulting us for taking the class, and the university for offering it. The intention was to be sarcastic and funny.....and he was! But I left the class feeling like I was a slacker.
But here's the real curve ball of my week...the Prof for Econ 3/Environmental Econ 1 this semester seems just awful. Especially when compared to the Prof that I had for the same class last semester, but had to drop to take studio. And after talking to my friends, who have had both this prof and last semester's prof, my worst fears were true. The Prof this semester just throws formulas at you with little explanation. The class is easy for people that are good with algebra and formula processing, but really doesn't teach you anything in the end.
If there's one thing I learned through the college level math classes I have taken, is that I need SUBSTANCE behind my formulas. I need something to grasp on to, to apply them to. I need well explained examples of how things work in real life according to the formula, I can't just be told that they work and that's that. It is the difference between the B+ in Stats and a D+/C- in Calculus.
The whole point of taking Environmental Economics was so I could link something I dread, Econimcs, to something I have a solid understanding and strong interest in, Environmental Policy. The prof last semester really seemed to grasp this and got me kind of excited about it. The prof this semester was DRY and boring, and just got right to the graphs and formulas with little explanation.
If postponing Econ 3 to next semester means I'll get a prof that explains things better.....then I really want to drop it this semester. But maybe I am just over reacting and jumping ship too early....I don't know.
So in an attempt to cover all my bases, tonight I've been scrambling to find another class to replace it, that still works towards my degree.
After 14 years of religious education I vowed to never take a religion class again....but guess what I've signed myself up for. ...Religion90a. Introduction to Islam. Same time as Econ 3. I'll skip Econ 3 and check it out tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be interesting enough to make me feel more comfortable with this last minute schedule shift. That way I can get my last breadth requirement out of the way, and only have Econ and my minor to worry about next semester.
I hope this all works out. Wish me luck.
Why did I ever think this? For the past three years I've been free to rearrange my classes, postpone things, shuffle them around, decide to take them next year. But this year, there is no next year. And if I postpone a class till next semester, I risk having it conflict with another class I need to take to either graduate or complete my minor. Which means summer school or another semester. That stresses me out.
I have never had this much trouble with my schedule before. Good thing I didn't try to squeeze a Landscape Architecture minor in. That would have been chaos.
I had to drop Portuguese. When they said Portuguese for advanced students, they meant it. At least 1/5 of the class already had a basic understanding of the language. The rest seemed to be fluent or very comfortable with another romance language, especially Spanish. Half had spent time in Brazil. Perhaps my 4 years of Spanish would have been enough....IF I had taken this class my freshman year. Too much Spanish has left my head to get through Portuguese . So...buy-bye Portuguese.
Which left me with 11 units. You need 12 to be full-time in the CED. So I added a random 1 unit polysci guest lecture class to bring me back to 12. The class seems easy...almost too easy. The prof had no qualms about making fun of students, insulting us for taking the class, and the university for offering it. The intention was to be sarcastic and funny.....and he was! But I left the class feeling like I was a slacker.
But here's the real curve ball of my week...the Prof for Econ 3/Environmental Econ 1 this semester seems just awful. Especially when compared to the Prof that I had for the same class last semester, but had to drop to take studio. And after talking to my friends, who have had both this prof and last semester's prof, my worst fears were true. The Prof this semester just throws formulas at you with little explanation. The class is easy for people that are good with algebra and formula processing, but really doesn't teach you anything in the end.
If there's one thing I learned through the college level math classes I have taken, is that I need SUBSTANCE behind my formulas. I need something to grasp on to, to apply them to. I need well explained examples of how things work in real life according to the formula, I can't just be told that they work and that's that. It is the difference between the B+ in Stats and a D+/C- in Calculus.
The whole point of taking Environmental Economics was so I could link something I dread, Econimcs, to something I have a solid understanding and strong interest in, Environmental Policy. The prof last semester really seemed to grasp this and got me kind of excited about it. The prof this semester was DRY and boring, and just got right to the graphs and formulas with little explanation.
If postponing Econ 3 to next semester means I'll get a prof that explains things better.....then I really want to drop it this semester. But maybe I am just over reacting and jumping ship too early....I don't know.
So in an attempt to cover all my bases, tonight I've been scrambling to find another class to replace it, that still works towards my degree.
After 14 years of religious education I vowed to never take a religion class again....but guess what I've signed myself up for. ...Religion90a. Introduction to Islam. Same time as Econ 3. I'll skip Econ 3 and check it out tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be interesting enough to make me feel more comfortable with this last minute schedule shift. That way I can get my last breadth requirement out of the way, and only have Econ and my minor to worry about next semester.
I hope this all works out. Wish me luck.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Coming back a week early was an excellent decision. Good job, me.
My friends and I all actually have the time to hang out with each other. Saw Garden State last night with almost the whole crew. The movie was really good...the car ride back to the house was really humorous. I have the tendency to say things sometimes that really aren't supposed to be funny but are. And I guess when you have seven people in a car designed to fit 5 at most, things are even funnier.
I've got to meet up with some of the freshman I know too. Lauren and I even sat in on some of the boring freshman convocation speeches on the Glade with her lil sis, a frosh. (hearing the band play drew me in) Ran into Seth and Bongo Burger (yum) with Erik and his mom. Then after Erik's mom left the three of us went to the park and rode the awesome slide there a few times. Then we walked Seth back to our old stomping grounds, La Loma, and visited Hanah at Stern. Seeing all those freshman made me think about how much has changed sine we were in their shoes, and how quickly time has flown by. Jeesh.
In other news, picked up my Cal Football "true blue" shirt today. Also got Kay and Kat to buy there season tickets last night. The excitement sure is building. Hoping for the Rose Bowl, making a trip down to USC, fun stuff. Talk about change, all the classes that have come to Cal after us have no memory of that god awful 2001 season with Holmoe. (1-10...big game loss...empty stands...sad sad sad).
Kat and I also signed up for the GRE in late October. Yikes. The GRE. Graduation. Grad School. A job. Anxiety attack...anxiety attack...breath, nick. breath. hehe.
Tomorrow I have to help out with the City Planning orientation, and then at night we're having a going away dinner for Steph, who's leaving us this semester for Italy. It'll be sad to see her go, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow because pretty much everyone will be there. (Even Ryan..who's not going back to Modesto after all!)
Hopefully a few of the high school crew will make it up sometime before classes start. And then on Monday I'll start my last year with Portuguese. I'm gonna try and make my grandma proud.
My friends and I all actually have the time to hang out with each other. Saw Garden State last night with almost the whole crew. The movie was really good...the car ride back to the house was really humorous. I have the tendency to say things sometimes that really aren't supposed to be funny but are. And I guess when you have seven people in a car designed to fit 5 at most, things are even funnier.
I've got to meet up with some of the freshman I know too. Lauren and I even sat in on some of the boring freshman convocation speeches on the Glade with her lil sis, a frosh. (hearing the band play drew me in) Ran into Seth and Bongo Burger (yum) with Erik and his mom. Then after Erik's mom left the three of us went to the park and rode the awesome slide there a few times. Then we walked Seth back to our old stomping grounds, La Loma, and visited Hanah at Stern. Seeing all those freshman made me think about how much has changed sine we were in their shoes, and how quickly time has flown by. Jeesh.
In other news, picked up my Cal Football "true blue" shirt today. Also got Kay and Kat to buy there season tickets last night. The excitement sure is building. Hoping for the Rose Bowl, making a trip down to USC, fun stuff. Talk about change, all the classes that have come to Cal after us have no memory of that god awful 2001 season with Holmoe. (1-10...big game loss...empty stands...sad sad sad).
Kat and I also signed up for the GRE in late October. Yikes. The GRE. Graduation. Grad School. A job. Anxiety attack...anxiety attack...breath, nick. breath. hehe.
Tomorrow I have to help out with the City Planning orientation, and then at night we're having a going away dinner for Steph, who's leaving us this semester for Italy. It'll be sad to see her go, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow because pretty much everyone will be there. (Even Ryan..who's not going back to Modesto after all!)
Hopefully a few of the high school crew will make it up sometime before classes start. And then on Monday I'll start my last year with Portuguese. I'm gonna try and make my grandma proud.
Monday, August 23, 2004
I'm back in Berkeley, and I'm feeling pretty excited about it. We'll see how long that lasts. hehe.
Well, Mountain View. What can I say. My hard work over the last month did have an impact, much more of an impact that I thought it would. But there was no way I could undo 2 and a half years of misconceptions and mistakes . I came back home this summer to find that our City Council really had no clue what it was doing. It seems like they finally realized this last Tuesday night, but still moved forward with an ordinance that the majority of them did not really feel comfortable with.
I won't bore you with the details, but here are some articles about the ordinance:
My Mountain View Voice Op-Ed
The Mountain View Voice's Editorial
Post-Ordinance Article *
*this article says the vote was 6-1. It was 5-2. The two women on the council voted against the voluntary ordinance. (We need more women on the council.)
Anyway, with that chapter of my life behind me, I'm looking forward to moving on. Of course, this issue is far from over and MVPA still has a lot of work to do. I just need a couple weeks to sit back, relax, and get back into the groove of school.
It looks to be an exciting semester on a lot of fronts. I know quite a few freshman who I'm looking forward to visiting and hanging out with every now and then, including my cousin Marisa who's just down the way at Mills College in Oakland. My Aunt's running for Mountain View-Whisman School Board, and hopefully I'll have some time to help her. And the elections in general should be exciting, 4 seats up for grabs on the council means the potential for a major power shift. Plus, the presidential elections....yikes. My club, BUSSA, is also about to start its first full year, which is going to be really cool I'm sure. I should be planning a trip to Europe this January with Leo and Lauren too. And those Cal Bears are sure looking good, can't wait for our football games.
And it being my senior year, every moment with my friends here will be extra important. Before we know it we'll all be off to new lives. I want this year to go by nice and slow, in a good way, but I know that's impossible. It's gonna flash by. So here's hoping it's a memorable one.
Well, Mountain View. What can I say. My hard work over the last month did have an impact, much more of an impact that I thought it would. But there was no way I could undo 2 and a half years of misconceptions and mistakes . I came back home this summer to find that our City Council really had no clue what it was doing. It seems like they finally realized this last Tuesday night, but still moved forward with an ordinance that the majority of them did not really feel comfortable with.
I won't bore you with the details, but here are some articles about the ordinance:
My Mountain View Voice Op-Ed
The Mountain View Voice's Editorial
Post-Ordinance Article *
*this article says the vote was 6-1. It was 5-2. The two women on the council voted against the voluntary ordinance. (We need more women on the council.)
Anyway, with that chapter of my life behind me, I'm looking forward to moving on. Of course, this issue is far from over and MVPA still has a lot of work to do. I just need a couple weeks to sit back, relax, and get back into the groove of school.
It looks to be an exciting semester on a lot of fronts. I know quite a few freshman who I'm looking forward to visiting and hanging out with every now and then, including my cousin Marisa who's just down the way at Mills College in Oakland. My Aunt's running for Mountain View-Whisman School Board, and hopefully I'll have some time to help her. And the elections in general should be exciting, 4 seats up for grabs on the council means the potential for a major power shift. Plus, the presidential elections....yikes. My club, BUSSA, is also about to start its first full year, which is going to be really cool I'm sure. I should be planning a trip to Europe this January with Leo and Lauren too. And those Cal Bears are sure looking good, can't wait for our football games.
And it being my senior year, every moment with my friends here will be extra important. Before we know it we'll all be off to new lives. I want this year to go by nice and slow, in a good way, but I know that's impossible. It's gonna flash by. So here's hoping it's a memorable one.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Tonight is the final public hearing on Mountain View's historic preservation ordinance. This last week has been crazy. I am burnt out. Tired of all the e-mails, all the meetings, all the letters. Now I have to drag myself off to one last meeting.
Only problem is, we're hoping the council tables the mess of an ordinance they have before them and just revisits the issue later. Yeah...later. Which means that this all might never end. I hardley expect the council to follow that advice, much more likely is that after tonight MV will have one of the crappiest preservation ordinances (whether voluntary or mandatory) in the state. Gag.
I was right in my last post. This is like finals. Maybe even worse. At this point going back to school will be a vacation.
Only problem is, we're hoping the council tables the mess of an ordinance they have before them and just revisits the issue later. Yeah...later. Which means that this all might never end. I hardley expect the council to follow that advice, much more likely is that after tonight MV will have one of the crappiest preservation ordinances (whether voluntary or mandatory) in the state. Gag.
I was right in my last post. This is like finals. Maybe even worse. At this point going back to school will be a vacation.
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Random assortment of thoughts:
This summer is quickly, and I mean quickly, coming to an end. These last couple of weeks are going to be INTENSE. Like...finals... in a weird way. Not only do I have my job at the theatre and the four articles I still need to write for the Voice to finish, but Mountain View's preservation ordinance goes to the council for a final decision (we think) on August 17th. 3 days later, its back up to Berkeley for a week of nothingness. I look forward to that.
But until then I'm in high gear. This ordinance stuff is really stressing me out. I have to read old novels from high school english class to ease my mind before I fall asleep. Just one last push before what will likely be a bitter defeat for historic preservation in Mountain View. *sigh* I'm expecting the worst but still fighting for the best.
Matt and Kim have gone off to Hawai'i for school. My cousin Vanessa will soon join them. It's hard to believe that three people so important to my life are going so far away. Not used to that at all. I'll probably see them as much as I did before, but its just weird that they won't be around to just drop by. Especially Matt. I could always call him to hang out whenever I was home....ever since 7th grade. But I am really excited for all three of them and I'm really hoping to spend my spring break Hawai'i!
And I guess its all right that Vanessa is leaving, cause I'm getting a new cousin come December. (just kiddin Vaness if you ever read this....you are irreplaceable.) But everything seems to be checking out okay with my Uncle Victor and Aunt Elise's new baby. The 10th cousin. He will dethrown Sabrina, who has enjoyed a 14 year reign as the youngest cousin. I'm looking forward to meeting him.
Let's see...anything else? LA was really nice. I flew down by myself and took a two-hour taxi-van ride (thank you SoCal traffic) from the airport to Disneyland. Most randomly, one of my fellow riders was a Mtn. View native, transplanted to Portland. She went to Awalt High School when they closed my parents high school and renamed it Mountain View High. I might end up interviewing her for an arcticle I'm working on.
My parents and Chris were still on there way down from Davis orientation, so I met up with Kim who was there with her dad and sis. It was nice to spend the evening with them, and kind of surreal to jump off a plane, sit in traffic, and suddenly be in Disneyland with them. Once the family got there, we had a really nice time. We spent some relaxing days at the park, spending more time just sitting and watching the crowds then riding the rides. We do Disneyland right. We also made it up to the Getty Center, which is just amazing. If the architect, Richard Meier, brings even a fraction of its style to San Jose's new city hall, this valley will have a landmark to be proud of.
All righty. That should do it for now. I'll probably update this thing August 17th, post-ordinance adoption vent. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer people.
This summer is quickly, and I mean quickly, coming to an end. These last couple of weeks are going to be INTENSE. Like...finals... in a weird way. Not only do I have my job at the theatre and the four articles I still need to write for the Voice to finish, but Mountain View's preservation ordinance goes to the council for a final decision (we think) on August 17th. 3 days later, its back up to Berkeley for a week of nothingness. I look forward to that.
But until then I'm in high gear. This ordinance stuff is really stressing me out. I have to read old novels from high school english class to ease my mind before I fall asleep. Just one last push before what will likely be a bitter defeat for historic preservation in Mountain View. *sigh* I'm expecting the worst but still fighting for the best.
Matt and Kim have gone off to Hawai'i for school. My cousin Vanessa will soon join them. It's hard to believe that three people so important to my life are going so far away. Not used to that at all. I'll probably see them as much as I did before, but its just weird that they won't be around to just drop by. Especially Matt. I could always call him to hang out whenever I was home....ever since 7th grade. But I am really excited for all three of them and I'm really hoping to spend my spring break Hawai'i!
And I guess its all right that Vanessa is leaving, cause I'm getting a new cousin come December. (just kiddin Vaness if you ever read this....you are irreplaceable.) But everything seems to be checking out okay with my Uncle Victor and Aunt Elise's new baby. The 10th cousin. He will dethrown Sabrina, who has enjoyed a 14 year reign as the youngest cousin. I'm looking forward to meeting him.
Let's see...anything else? LA was really nice. I flew down by myself and took a two-hour taxi-van ride (thank you SoCal traffic) from the airport to Disneyland. Most randomly, one of my fellow riders was a Mtn. View native, transplanted to Portland. She went to Awalt High School when they closed my parents high school and renamed it Mountain View High. I might end up interviewing her for an arcticle I'm working on.
My parents and Chris were still on there way down from Davis orientation, so I met up with Kim who was there with her dad and sis. It was nice to spend the evening with them, and kind of surreal to jump off a plane, sit in traffic, and suddenly be in Disneyland with them. Once the family got there, we had a really nice time. We spent some relaxing days at the park, spending more time just sitting and watching the crowds then riding the rides. We do Disneyland right. We also made it up to the Getty Center, which is just amazing. If the architect, Richard Meier, brings even a fraction of its style to San Jose's new city hall, this valley will have a landmark to be proud of.
All righty. That should do it for now. I'll probably update this thing August 17th, post-ordinance adoption vent. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer people.
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Funny ...I'm sitting here thinking too bad I can't bring my laptop with me to LA tomorrow so I can work on my articles during the car ride home (its battery is dead) . Then I realize that within my own lifetime people didn't have laptops on which to write articles while on assignment or on trips. Weird. Writing on paper. Hmmm. Maybe I'll give it a try.
Doing the interviews for these first two articles has been more fun than I ever expected. I especially enjoyed yesterday's interview with an 90 something year old lady who has spent her entire life in Old Mountain View. She lives in a house built in 1880 surrounded by the last acre of her father's orchard. Stepping on to her property was like stepping back in time.
She was unbelievably sweet, and had a lot of interesting stories to tell. I really hope I can do her justice in the article. It's amazing the changes she's seen in her life time. The area that now most people consider the heart of "old" Mountain View wasn't even built when she was a child in the late 1920s. It was great just chatting with her, even after my tape ran out. She wanted to know all about my family, and when I told her my mom is Mexican-American she exclaimed, "Oh that's why you have such beautiful eyes!' Aww shucks.
I had another interview today with a guy that's lived in Old MV for about two years. He was really cool, and it was so great to talk to someone with such a positive attitude about the Mountain View community. He's been here such a short time but it is already well connected to it, and he has a really good grip on what makes this city so special, it's diversity, it's unpretentious nature, and its unique sense of place. The fact that people like him are moving here makes me really optimistic about this city's future.
And finally I ended up calling a guy for an interview that sent me an e-mail yesterday complimenting my web page. He's Filipino-American, a dad of 15-month old baby. Very cool guy. Lives where the high school used to be, wife works in the new office building a block away, walks everywhere, except to Safeway. Loves it here. A City Planner's dream come true! The urban village does exist!
Anyhow, just overall, it's been really fun. I'm about half way through my second article, with four more to go. The next four should be a bit more challenging, but I'm looking forward to it. I also had a good meeting with the editor of the Voice, we talked about articles I can write in the fall about Mountain View history. She likes my story proposals, but I've proposed some pretty touchy, complex, and delicate pieces on par with my Washington Street series. It's gonna be a challenge to write them, especially during school. But I'm very excited about the prospect of telling these stories.
And finally, working at the Stanfurd Theatre is nice. So far I have avoided the cashier position most of the time and stayed at the door greeting people and taking tickets, or serving drinks. Let's hope I can keep that up. I can't count. It's sad. Most of the new hires since I worked there last summer are stanfurd co-eds who claim to not like football much and not really care about the rivalry. I just respond by saying, "I've heard more of that in the past two years...wonder why...maybe it's cause we have something you want..hmmm?" And their faces turn Cardinal Red. Hehe. Hopefully I can razz them enough to make them care by next year. God knows that school could use a resurgence of spirit.
Doing the interviews for these first two articles has been more fun than I ever expected. I especially enjoyed yesterday's interview with an 90 something year old lady who has spent her entire life in Old Mountain View. She lives in a house built in 1880 surrounded by the last acre of her father's orchard. Stepping on to her property was like stepping back in time.
She was unbelievably sweet, and had a lot of interesting stories to tell. I really hope I can do her justice in the article. It's amazing the changes she's seen in her life time. The area that now most people consider the heart of "old" Mountain View wasn't even built when she was a child in the late 1920s. It was great just chatting with her, even after my tape ran out. She wanted to know all about my family, and when I told her my mom is Mexican-American she exclaimed, "Oh that's why you have such beautiful eyes!' Aww shucks.
I had another interview today with a guy that's lived in Old MV for about two years. He was really cool, and it was so great to talk to someone with such a positive attitude about the Mountain View community. He's been here such a short time but it is already well connected to it, and he has a really good grip on what makes this city so special, it's diversity, it's unpretentious nature, and its unique sense of place. The fact that people like him are moving here makes me really optimistic about this city's future.
And finally I ended up calling a guy for an interview that sent me an e-mail yesterday complimenting my web page. He's Filipino-American, a dad of 15-month old baby. Very cool guy. Lives where the high school used to be, wife works in the new office building a block away, walks everywhere, except to Safeway. Loves it here. A City Planner's dream come true! The urban village does exist!
Anyhow, just overall, it's been really fun. I'm about half way through my second article, with four more to go. The next four should be a bit more challenging, but I'm looking forward to it. I also had a good meeting with the editor of the Voice, we talked about articles I can write in the fall about Mountain View history. She likes my story proposals, but I've proposed some pretty touchy, complex, and delicate pieces on par with my Washington Street series. It's gonna be a challenge to write them, especially during school. But I'm very excited about the prospect of telling these stories.
And finally, working at the Stanfurd Theatre is nice. So far I have avoided the cashier position most of the time and stayed at the door greeting people and taking tickets, or serving drinks. Let's hope I can keep that up. I can't count. It's sad. Most of the new hires since I worked there last summer are stanfurd co-eds who claim to not like football much and not really care about the rivalry. I just respond by saying, "I've heard more of that in the past two years...wonder why...maybe it's cause we have something you want..hmmm?" And their faces turn Cardinal Red. Hehe. Hopefully I can razz them enough to make them care by next year. God knows that school could use a resurgence of spirit.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
I got bored for a second and started reading away messages and came across Tejas':
"a cold and wet November dawn and there are no barking sparrows. just emptiness to dwell upon
I fell into a winter slide and ended up the kind of kid who goes down chutes too narrow..."
I have had enough. Something must be said about the abuse of November in song lyrics by emo-bands.
I'm tired of all these whiny white boy emo bans dissing my month, November. Nothing against emo-rock, which I usually enjoy. But please Jimmy Eat World. Please Postal Service. Please...The Shins. And yes, please...The Early November. The November bashing must end.
November is not dark and depressing and rainy. It's not empty.
November is fun! You eat turkey, lots of turkey! It's home to Thanksgiving, one of the few holidays that's still simple and oriented around family-friend togetherness. It's a nice lull in the holiday storms of Halloween and Christmas. I love November. And it's football season. (But you probably don't like Football...try college football, that won me over.) Oh! And elections are in November! Exciting! (and hopefully not depressing this year...vote people, vote...unless your voting for Bush.).
Also, in case you didn't know, November starts with the letter N. Many good things start with the letter N. And, of course, I was born in November.
So stop using it in all your sad depressing lyrics emo twerps. November shall no longer be your metaphor for all that is melodramatic in life.
End this. Now.
Or else I'll sic my grandma on you.
She was born on November 13th.
-------------------
Addendum:
The2Stepper: i think november gets such a bad wrap because its the worst month of the quarter...december has christmas...october has beautiful fall colors and halloween candy
Auto response from Nap98: around.
The2Stepper: novembers like the slump in between
The2Stepper: except for the 1/12 of the population that has their birthday there
The2Stepper: although i would actually imagine its more than 1/12 of the population...at least in the U.S. or other hallmark countries
The2Stepper: because valentines day is nine months prior
Nap98: haha
"a cold and wet November dawn and there are no barking sparrows. just emptiness to dwell upon
I fell into a winter slide and ended up the kind of kid who goes down chutes too narrow..."
I have had enough. Something must be said about the abuse of November in song lyrics by emo-bands.
I'm tired of all these whiny white boy emo bans dissing my month, November. Nothing against emo-rock, which I usually enjoy. But please Jimmy Eat World. Please Postal Service. Please...The Shins. And yes, please...The Early November. The November bashing must end.
November is not dark and depressing and rainy. It's not empty.
November is fun! You eat turkey, lots of turkey! It's home to Thanksgiving, one of the few holidays that's still simple and oriented around family-friend togetherness. It's a nice lull in the holiday storms of Halloween and Christmas. I love November. And it's football season. (But you probably don't like Football...try college football, that won me over.) Oh! And elections are in November! Exciting! (and hopefully not depressing this year...vote people, vote...unless your voting for Bush.).
Also, in case you didn't know, November starts with the letter N. Many good things start with the letter N. And, of course, I was born in November.
So stop using it in all your sad depressing lyrics emo twerps. November shall no longer be your metaphor for all that is melodramatic in life.
End this. Now.
Or else I'll sic my grandma on you.
She was born on November 13th.
-------------------
Addendum:
The2Stepper: i think november gets such a bad wrap because its the worst month of the quarter...december has christmas...october has beautiful fall colors and halloween candy
Auto response from Nap98: around.
The2Stepper: novembers like the slump in between
The2Stepper: except for the 1/12 of the population that has their birthday there
The2Stepper: although i would actually imagine its more than 1/12 of the population...at least in the U.S. or other hallmark countries
The2Stepper: because valentines day is nine months prior
Nap98: haha
Monday, July 12, 2004
All right. Time for DC photos. The city is damn photogenic, in a very different way from Boston. I've kept these photos really small so the blog doesn't take forever to load like it did with Beantown.
The WWII Memorial on our first night. A column exists for each state, I took this picture of New Mexico's for my grandpa. The Washington Monument is in the background.
The WWII Memorial's Rainbow Pool and Fountain at night.
An awesome Mariachi group from Los Angeles packed in the crowds at "Nuestra Musica" on the Mall. My grandpa had seen them before.
Georgetown is the oldest part of DC. Kind of like Boston's Backbay, a very old area filled with very trendy stores.
A nice shot of the Capitol.
Who's seen Farenheit 9-11? Everyone that reads this thing. You probably can't make it out this small, but they're throwing a peace sign.
Grandpa standing in front of a plaque at the WWII Memorial showing what he did during the war, amphibious landings.
The four of us at the entrance to the WWII Memorial.
Sabrina at the Jefferson Memorial.
The Lincoln Memorial was really beautiful, especially on our last evening in DC.
The WWII Memorial on our first night. A column exists for each state, I took this picture of New Mexico's for my grandpa. The Washington Monument is in the background.
The WWII Memorial's Rainbow Pool and Fountain at night.
An awesome Mariachi group from Los Angeles packed in the crowds at "Nuestra Musica" on the Mall. My grandpa had seen them before.
Georgetown is the oldest part of DC. Kind of like Boston's Backbay, a very old area filled with very trendy stores.
A nice shot of the Capitol.
Who's seen Farenheit 9-11? Everyone that reads this thing. You probably can't make it out this small, but they're throwing a peace sign.
Grandpa standing in front of a plaque at the WWII Memorial showing what he did during the war, amphibious landings.
The four of us at the entrance to the WWII Memorial.
Sabrina at the Jefferson Memorial.
The Lincoln Memorial was really beautiful, especially on our last evening in DC.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
It took a trip to Washington DC to make me feel the slightest bit patriotic this Fourth of July. After seeing Fahrenheit 9-11 a couple nights before the trip, I wondered how I could muster up the spirit to be amongst a sea of flag-waving, "God Bless the USA" singing Americans...
...but DC did it. The museums, and especially the memorials, helped me look past the current administration, the war, and all the politics and get back in touch with the roots of this country and all the lofty hopes and ideals it is constantly struggling to attain. We've stumbled, yes. We sure are stumbling right now. But there is still a lot to be proud of.
Being at the WWII Memorial with my grandpa was especially moving People came up and thanked him, saying their father, or grandfather, or uncle, or whoever served in the war. You could tell that many of the people at the memorial were visiting to honor someone they had lost....not in the war, but after it. It memorial was built too late for so many WWII Veterans who have passed on of old age. I am so lucky to have shared that experience with my grandpa. I'll cherish the memories forever.
But what really did it for me, was the "Nuestra Musica" festival the Smithsonian had set up as part of their big annual American Folklife Festival on the National Mall. The performers and announcers made sure to remind the audience that this was a showcase of LATINO musicians, Americans, not exoctics from foreign lands. That Latino culture is also American culture, and has been here for centuries.
The multi-state. multi-ethnic conglomeration of Americans present on our nations mall loved every minute of it. They packed into the performance tents watched the awesome performers, sang together, and danced together. Watching them dance was amazing.
People who had never met each other, of every color and race got together on that dance floor and let it loose. Old people, young people, even a guy in a wheelchair danced. Each person brought their own unique twist to the dance floor (I've never seen people dance to Cumbia or Tejano music the way some of them did!) The less experienced tried to learn from each other and borrow each other's moves. And when someone didn't have a partner when they got on the dance floor, a few seconds later they did.
That dance floor gave me something to celebrate on the Fourth of July. It represented what I hope America is about. A very diverse group of folks coming together, learning from each other, but staying true to themselves, all while making something far from perfect, but still beautiful.
...but DC did it. The museums, and especially the memorials, helped me look past the current administration, the war, and all the politics and get back in touch with the roots of this country and all the lofty hopes and ideals it is constantly struggling to attain. We've stumbled, yes. We sure are stumbling right now. But there is still a lot to be proud of.
Being at the WWII Memorial with my grandpa was especially moving People came up and thanked him, saying their father, or grandfather, or uncle, or whoever served in the war. You could tell that many of the people at the memorial were visiting to honor someone they had lost....not in the war, but after it. It memorial was built too late for so many WWII Veterans who have passed on of old age. I am so lucky to have shared that experience with my grandpa. I'll cherish the memories forever.
But what really did it for me, was the "Nuestra Musica" festival the Smithsonian had set up as part of their big annual American Folklife Festival on the National Mall. The performers and announcers made sure to remind the audience that this was a showcase of LATINO musicians, Americans, not exoctics from foreign lands. That Latino culture is also American culture, and has been here for centuries.
The multi-state. multi-ethnic conglomeration of Americans present on our nations mall loved every minute of it. They packed into the performance tents watched the awesome performers, sang together, and danced together. Watching them dance was amazing.
People who had never met each other, of every color and race got together on that dance floor and let it loose. Old people, young people, even a guy in a wheelchair danced. Each person brought their own unique twist to the dance floor (I've never seen people dance to Cumbia or Tejano music the way some of them did!) The less experienced tried to learn from each other and borrow each other's moves. And when someone didn't have a partner when they got on the dance floor, a few seconds later they did.
That dance floor gave me something to celebrate on the Fourth of July. It represented what I hope America is about. A very diverse group of folks coming together, learning from each other, but staying true to themselves, all while making something far from perfect, but still beautiful.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Thursday, July 01, 2004
I just noticed how the ads on top of our blogs, try to pick up on their content with some "related searches." Kind of funny to see what comes up. Here's a look at what I see right now:
Candice:
Ads: Dance Tight Distributors and Tights at Discount Dance
Related searches: "Hot Pants" and "Pants"
Hmm...all right. That dress code post.
Erik:
A blank white space sponsored by Google.
Even the ads couldn't figure it out.
Kat:
Ads: "Dude Where's My Car - On sale Now" and "ipower Web Hosting"
Related searches: "Dude, Where's my Car" and "Funny stuff"
Dude.
Lauren:
Ads: "Days in Deals- Wash DC" and "No Jet Lag- Great Remedey"
Related searches: Paula Cole
Wonder where Paula Cole came from?
Tejas:
Ads: "iPower Webhosting" and "Create your Blog Today"
Related searches: blog and fear
He does reference his blog a lot. Fear eh? Haha.
Candice:
Ads: Dance Tight Distributors and Tights at Discount Dance
Related searches: "Hot Pants" and "Pants"
Hmm...all right. That dress code post.
Erik:
A blank white space sponsored by Google.
Even the ads couldn't figure it out.
Kat:
Ads: "Dude Where's My Car - On sale Now" and "ipower Web Hosting"
Related searches: "Dude, Where's my Car" and "Funny stuff"
Dude.
Lauren:
Ads: "Days in Deals- Wash DC" and "No Jet Lag- Great Remedey"
Related searches: Paula Cole
Wonder where Paula Cole came from?
Tejas:
Ads: "iPower Webhosting" and "Create your Blog Today"
Related searches: blog and fear
He does reference his blog a lot. Fear eh? Haha.
I need to get out of Mountain View...and go some place less politically charged...like DC. Haha. Yeah. I'll be there in a day though and I'm looking forward to it.
God I can't wait till this whole preservation ordeal is done with. It's like watching a very slow and painful death. Kill my dream already! Kill it!
Things aren't that bad. Something good can still come of this. But after over two years of debate, MV is gonna end up with an ordinance that allows for the demolition of historic landmarks without public review or city approval. The property rights group is angrier, louder, better funded, and has more connections. (one of them is an old friend and furd frat brother of the mayor). They skew the facts, resort to name calling (According to them, Chris and I are "arrogant zealots", btw) and have scared the city into buying an almost Libertarian philosophy. In taking the high road, not stooping to their level, my group may have preserved its honor and respectability but not the buildings we were trying to save. Oh well, lesson learnt.
But in the end, it comes down to the City Council. And the current council is not the same council that got this ball rolling in the first place. The only one who truly seems to care about preservation is off in Afghanistan. The rest of the bunch is surpringly conservative for a town like Mountain View. I guess we'll have to wait another 30 years for the city to get this right. Until then my group is going to have its work cut out for it, using education and advocacy to save landmarks without an effective ordinance.
God I can't wait till this whole preservation ordeal is done with. It's like watching a very slow and painful death. Kill my dream already! Kill it!
Things aren't that bad. Something good can still come of this. But after over two years of debate, MV is gonna end up with an ordinance that allows for the demolition of historic landmarks without public review or city approval. The property rights group is angrier, louder, better funded, and has more connections. (one of them is an old friend and furd frat brother of the mayor). They skew the facts, resort to name calling (According to them, Chris and I are "arrogant zealots", btw) and have scared the city into buying an almost Libertarian philosophy. In taking the high road, not stooping to their level, my group may have preserved its honor and respectability but not the buildings we were trying to save. Oh well, lesson learnt.
But in the end, it comes down to the City Council. And the current council is not the same council that got this ball rolling in the first place. The only one who truly seems to care about preservation is off in Afghanistan. The rest of the bunch is surpringly conservative for a town like Mountain View. I guess we'll have to wait another 30 years for the city to get this right. Until then my group is going to have its work cut out for it, using education and advocacy to save landmarks without an effective ordinance.