Don't Stop

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." -MLK

This extremely hot month of July is over, yet the heat stays with us. It went by very fast and I rarely feel that way about months. This probably applies to the summer of '09 in general. A lot has happened this month as well. I've written a lot more than normal, but I'm sure I won't be keeping that up. Let me give you the big news, tonight Rachel Maddow is going to be on Real Time with Bill Maher. How great is that? If only Jon Stewart were on the panel as well I'd be estatic. I'm very much looking forward to this episode.

My cousin Rino is now moved out completely and I look forward to checking out his new place once him and Jess get it all set up. I hope they like it. They are a lot closer to town which is awesome. Abram's friend from college Norbert is now moving in. I'm looking forward to the new set up. Moving is never fun though. I think he has most of his stuff here now. The dogs seem to be getting along as well which is good. I wish I had the cash to get the carpets steamed again, but I think I can put it off for a bit.

So, Adriana was in town to morally support her sister Christina during her bar exam or for an Austin vacation depending on how you look at it. So to let Christina study, earlier in the week we went to the Drafthouse to see the movie The Ugly Truth. My option was vetoed. I also want to watch 500 Days of Summer at the Drafthouse, but we decided to wait for Christina on that. The Ugly Truth did not get good reviews, but it wasn't too bad. There were parts that made me laugh and I enjoyed the male character. It also helped to be able to drink during the movie. I got the worst parking space in the world by the way. In an alley behind the theater, next to a trash bin in what probably wasn't a real parking space. There was no parking there, yet Adriana found a stellar spot in like 10 seconds.

So as of Thursday evening, Christina is done with her exam. She feels exactly the way she should feel at this point, unsure, but the stress of having to study is now gone and she can now relax and celebrate. In honor of this, Abram and I met up with them at Trudy's for dinner on Thursday night. They seemed reluctant to try my recommended Mexican Martinis, but they quickly found out why they are a staple of any Trudy's visit. I had a stuffed avocado that tasted amazing. It is a great place to eat. Not much of the conversation was about the test, which is just the way it should be.

After, we went to San Marcos to a piano bar called J's Bistro for drinks. We met up with Oscar and Berto our new housemate. The bar used to close at 12AM because of the city ordinance on alcohol sales, so I figured it would help me get back home at a decent hour for work in the morning. Well, the law has since changed and now they can sell alcohol until 2AM, something I just found out. I'm a big fan of this place, it has a dive bar feel, a piano and a set of drums. My friend Sam introduced me to it a few years back. Everyone seemed to enjoy it even though we had a female piano player. She was good and could sing, but man I have some some great piano playing guys there. At 1:31am (formerly 11:31pm) everyone in the bar takes a shot and then they play Don't Stop Believing by Journey. It is always a great moment and this night followed suit. The night was fun and the celebration was much deserved. I'm glad everyone trusted me on my pick for the night. I never disappoint.

Early this week I decided to run at a much faster pace and a longer time than I usually do just to see if I could and because I had this extra burst of energy. Well the next day my legs were very sore. Not like sore, haven't worked out in a while sore, but sore as in tired, no energy sore. I ran the next day at my normal pace to work it out though. This probably means I'm not working hard enough so I'm going to work on that.

This week was my first time in District Court for a hearing. I was to argue a motion in front of a Judge. I was excited, but the way things worked out I didn't get to argue it. Nevertheless, it was a great learning experience. I think I would like being a courthouse attorney, but it seems like there would be more stress and more waiting. I do enjoy making my arguments in brief form, but arguing them as well is always fun. My suit was sharp and I wore the tie my aunt kindly got me for my graduation, but that I finally received this year.

More and more research comes out showing that Texting While Driving MORE DANGEROUS Than Talking On Cell Phone
Everyone thinks they are different and special, but really people should not text. If you do text, which we both you probably will, keep it short and rare. Just my random PSA on this whenever I run across these studies.

I used to know a girl who loved the tanning bed. I'm sure you know someone. I haven't met as many people as of late, but this study still caught my attention. Study: Tanning beds as deadly as arsenic
This new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30. That is scary I think. I've never used a tanning bed, but what reason would I have to. Why not just get a regular tan? I'm not a fan of the orange color.

I'm sad to hear that the Cash for Clunkers program ran out of money, but it seems like it is up to the Senate to decide if the program is going to get funded. I was hoping to use the program so I have a personal interest in it, but larger picture I don't know if the program is that great of an idea. I guess I'll see.

So the other day I saw a posting for an FBI Analyst position in San Juan, PR. For a second I imagined just dropping everything and moving away and starting over somewhere else. I think that would be hard now. I've picked a path and there are many ways I can go from there, but I have to accept that I can't do everything. I can't also be a professor or a coach and a bar owner and a psychiatrist all at the same time. Maybe I could also be a writer or rockstar in my spare time.

I wouldn't consider myself a big spender, nor a big saver. I wonder where I fit and how this would apply to me. Big Spenders Likely To Marry Big Savers
It might be why you married them, according to a working paper titled "Fatal (Fiscal) Attraction." Quick note, I've never seen the movie Fatal Attraction.

the bike

You Know What Happens

"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all."- Abraham Lincoln

My mind has been racing as of late and writing always seems to calm it down. I had a great workout on Monday, but this was juxtaposed to Abram starting his P90X program. My workout didn't seem to impressive after watching his as I started at my dumbbells. I'm impressed that he is giving it a shot, but when your before pictures look like after pictures, I wonder difference it is going to make for him other than kick ass endurance. I strained one of my back muscles on the dip bar, which made me wish I had had my own personal masseuse. I'm looking forward to seeing him go through the program and once I'm at a place I'm happy with my workouts, I may give it a try. Right now I'm able to drop inches slowly, but scales numbers seem to be moving so slowly. I'm working hard though and the months that have gone by are good ones. I can't imagine doing anything else with that hour and half each day right now.

When people have nothing to say, they talk about the weather. It is safe and immediate. Whenever I catch myself doing it or in a conversation about it, that is all I can think. I also think that when I write about it. Nevertheless, the topic I think has grown in importance to be worthy of a good talking about. This summer has been ridiciously hot as I'm sure I've previously mentioned. Weeks upon weeks of 100+ degree weather. I'm not sure what exactly qualifies as a heat wave, but this far surpasses that I'm sure. For example, check out what we have in store for us for the next week. Don't be distracted by the 84 degrees since I took the image in the morning. But 100+ degree days for at least the next week. (hotter this week in the Valley though.) There was even a forecast for Austin that said that rain would likely evaporate before hitting the ground.

This isn't just me complaining over a normal hot summer in Texas, this is unique situation. There are Off The Charts Drought In Texas (VIDEO) In Texas, half the corn crop is dried up, lakes have disappeared, cattle ranchers are selling cows early because there is no grass to graze on, and 77 counties are designated as having exceptional or extreme drought conditions. Historians say this drought is virtually unprecedented, and there is no relief in sight. Our grass is dead, which to be fair it wasn't too great before the drought, but this really put the final blow in. I can't wait for El Nino this fall.

Interesting articles always grab my attention. Here is one I'm happy to see. Scientists Say Evolution Causing Women To Become Increasingly Beautiful (VIDEO) Apparently, researchers found that beautiful women are reproducing at a higher rate and that they have a higher proportion of girls to boys. That is a pretty sweet deal for future generations of men. Now, I think that this might have something to do with Scientists being generally bad with women and trying to find a way to make their move with a scientific compliment.

Ready for some TV/Movies talk? I'm not big on the popular culture thing, but I know what I like.
I watched all of True Blood Season 1 last year and found the show to be interesting, but not great despite what many reviewers say. Season 2 has proven to surpass my expectations and has been pretty amazing, especially the episode from this past Sunday. I'm really enjoying the story line. There is plenty of new drama, mystery and, yes, disturbing stuff. I like that it is becoming more of an ensemble cast and not just about Anna Paquin anymore. How many times can she get naked before it ceases to be as interesting?

The show Kings is finally over, so I can stop talking about it. It is hard to watch a season finale when you know it is a series finale. Watching such a good show die has been hard. I watched Saturday's episode on Sunday night trying to relish each minute. This would have been a great HBO show...maybe I just miss Deadwood. I look forward to seeing the princess, Allison Miller, in something new. I saw the ratings for the finale and it probably meant that you were not watching it so I'll stop elaborating.

A friend of mine has been the recipient (and probably giver) of some pretty thoughtful gifts, gifts that put my standard jewelry, tape measures and flowers to shame. In a conversation about these gifts, I learned she once received the screenplay to When Harry Met Sally. This 1989 romantic comedy seemed so much the quintessential chick flick that I never bothered to check out in the 20 years since it came out. After some prodding and the right circumstances, I decided to check it out on Monday night while I battled with a bout of insomnia. Another reason I had never seen it was that I never found Meg Ryan to be attractive, so I never thought I would fully appreciate the movie. Now, after watching it, I think I can see what people see in her. (though I still side with a Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity type). The movie wasn't too bad and its effect on pop culture that I had seen in real life ("I'll have what she is having"), I finally got to see the actual source. The movie introduced terms we commonly use now such as "high maintenance woman" and "transitional person." I enjoyed the movie, didn't love it, but it was a good watch nevertheless. I collected a few of my favorite quotes, since that is what I do and decided to share them.

Sally Albright: You see? That is just like you, Harry. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you.

Harry Burns: You take someone to the airport, its clearly the beginning of the relationship. That's why I have never taken anyone to the airport at the beginning of a relationship.
Sally Albright: Why?
Harry Burns: Because eventually things move on and you don't take someone to the airport and I never wanted anyone to say to me, How come you never take me to the airport anymore?

Sally Albright: Its amazing. You look like a normal person but actually you are the angel of death.

Harry Burns: There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.
Sally Albright: Which one am I?
Harry Burns: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.

Harry Burns: I knew the whole time that even though we were happy, it was an illusion and that one day she would kick the shit out of me.

Sally Albright: You know, I'm so glad I never got involved with you. I just would have ended up being some woman you had to get up out of bed and leave at 3:00 in the morning and go clean your andirons, and you don't even have a fireplace, not that I would know this.

Sally Albright: I am not your consolation prize, Harry.

Sally Albright: Yes it is. You are a human affront to all women and I am a woman.

Sally Albright: He just met her... She's supposed to be his transitional person, she's not supposed to be the ONE. All this time I thought he didn't want to get married. But, the truth is, he didn't want to marry me. He didn't love me.
Harry: If you could take him back now, would you?
Sally: No. But why didn't he want to marry me? What's the matter with me?

From a Deleted Scene: Harry: I don’t know, Sally. You know what happens. You meet someone new and you take them to meet your friend, and you want them to like each other as much as you do, but they never do, they always see the friend as a threat to your relationship, and you try to stay just as good friends with your friend but eventually you don’t need each other as much because you’ve got a new friend, you’ve got someone you can talk to and fuck.

There is this this one scene where Harry is talking to his best friend about how great it is to be able to talk to someone openly and just be yourself. He could just be himself even that meant saying something crude yet honest. It is that level of honesty and openness I aspire to.

I know I should stop kissing Bill Maher's ass on my blog. He says some stupid shit sometimes, but you have to respect a guy who will stand up and sometimes say things that people will not agree with, yet be able to argue his point intelligently. I respect that from people on both sides of the ideological spectrum. I enjoy when he takes the Democrats to task especially since they are now what stands between us and meaningful healthcare reform.

HBO's Bill Maher Takes On America's 'Profit Motives'

Another great video is him on CNN recently. Bill Maher Discusses Palin, Gates Arrest, Health Care Reform On CNN (VIDEO) But he stressed one point: that society now attaches a for-profit motive to everything, including things that were once considered too important to leave in the hands of those whose first motive is to make money. Capitalism is amazing we all agree, but it doesn't mean it is the best model for everything, ie the military.

Even I have tired of the healthcare debate, but I couldn't resist sharing this video of the Daily Show from last night. Jon Stewart Gets Kristol To Concede Government Can Provide ‘First-Class Health Care’

STEWART: I just want to get this on record — Bill Kristol just said that the government can run a first-class health care system.
KRISTOL: Sure it can. [Crowd applauds]

Day 1 of her test is on my mind today, but I really have nothing much to say about it. I think I'm just projecting all my fears and thoughts onto her experience and am vicariously stressing for no good reason. It brings back memories I guess.

holding back

Days of Summer

"Sex without love is an empty experience, but as empty experiences go, it's one of the best..."- Woody Allen

I visited my family this weekend in Edinburg. We had a BBQ for my sister Eliza's birthday at my mom's house on Saturday. All the kids were over and my dad cooked for us. I'm such a fan of fajitas, especially when made at home. I should of taken my brother's truck down as to pick up the dryer we need, but I had it in my mind that I might be able to get to my tire fixed while I was home. I don't know why I thought this, considering I had no money to my name until Friday, so it was a bad choice. Now I need to figure out our washer/dryer situation.

Early Saturday morning, I drove over to the cemetery alone to visit my sister's new memorial. I knew my mother and grandmother would be going later in the day, but I wanted to go alone this time. They had just put the vases up and they had no flowers, but later in the day they would be put there. I usually visit in the evening and this was a first going so early. I got a phone call from my older sister while I was walking over, so that distracted me for a bit and I didn't have to sit there alone with all my thoughts. The stone was black, my main request, had an Angel on it, which was my sister Eliza's request, had Psalm 91 on it, my mother's request. It is something for us. It did make it feel even more real than it already feels. Absence is a hard thing to grow accustomed to. I didn't have a lot to say that morning, but I stayed there a while. It was a visit I needed.

I picked up Bekkah and Jamie on Saturday morning to stay with my mom for the weekend. Eliza brought over Tori and Celeste and Ana brought over Sarah and Michael. I didn't like that some of the kids were fighting, but it is something they have to deal with as cousins and you can't always just make things better because you want them to be better. Ideally everyone would get along all the time. Saturday I took the girls and Tori to get ice cream at McDonalds. We ran into my cousin Mari and her two girls there. It has been a while since I had seen her. It makes me think that I need to do a better job at keeping in touch with my extended family. I wish there were more events where everyone would meet up to make that easier. My grandmother was still visiting my mom, so I was happy to be able to visit with her as well. She is so wise and gives the best advice.

So, it is a story I know well. It is easy to see and understand. In this case it is a good one of sorts, an experience where I have nothing to complain about. It is always nice to visit the feelings of anticipation, hope, enjoyment and laughter. It is better to know where you stand than to find out slowly. You always know though. I know I'm more than comfortable, but I'd rather be myself. You get the opportunity to see the potential that there may be and that is all you can ask for really. The common platitudes can be saved, they are not needed. Patience is something I possess, and I'm not a person that resigns easily. For me, these matters are not complicated, but I see how they can be without the proper foundation. It is when it is simple, comfortable and unique that there is no question. I rarely relish in experiences that do not mirror my intentions, but this one was special. I'm still hopefully even though I don't have a clear picture of the puzzle.

I finally caught up with my friend Juan Carlos from college on my drive home. It has been well over a year since we had last talked. I figure this because he didn't have my new phone number, which is over a year old. He told me how he had two more years of medical school and caught me up with his life in general. I can always go off on how much I admire Juan, but his becoming a doctor is really awesome. That is something I could never do and from the day I met him, something he always dreamed to be. He asked me when I was next going up to NYC and I told him that I would like to plan a trip at some point, hopefully when everyone could get together.

So this is it, this is bar exam week. The day has finally come for my friend Christina. On Sunday, her and her sister drove up to Austin after watching the US lose to Mexico in the Gold Cup. (I hear the US brought its C team, but there are always excuses.) Her testing starts on Tuesday and ends on Thursday, at which point we plan on going out to celebrate. I've suggested a piano bar. She has worked pretty hard and I really hope she passes. She definitely deserves to. She is at the point now where all the learning she has done is pretty much over and there isn't much more cramming that will change how things are going to go. I hope she goes in with a positive mindset and is able to avoid the pitfalls that made the experience so much harder for me. It is funny how my best form of support was to let her study in isolation for the final weeks. Her sister, Adriana, came up with her which I think was a good idea. I don't know why the stress is eating at me too and I want it to be over for her. Soon it will be. Good luck!

Did you know that Female Cats Are Right-Pawed, Males Are Lefties?
I guess that makes Koki and Mia right-pawed. This is completely useless information I know, but I'm a fan of the trivia. I'm right handed by the way. Just in case you were wondering.

Speaking of cats, here is a story. The other night Koki was laying on my bed and didn't feel like being bothered. I decided to pet her anyway and she was not happy with it. Usually she will bat me away or even cut me with her claws that I have let her grow out, but it is usually no big deal, but a lesson to leave her alone. That night she batted my hand away and her claw got stuck in my wrist. She started to pull while I pulled back in pain and it really hurt as we had a tug of war with her claw in my wrist. The dangers of pet ownership. What I can tell you is that next time I'm just gonna leave her alone. I decided to make my own pop art version of the experience thanks to a friend's suggestion. Here it is. I never was much of an artist.

I saw previews for the movie 500 Days of Summer and for some reason I'm very much looking forward to seeing this movie. From the friends that have reviewed it, I've heard very good things. Unfortunately, it isn't out everywhere. Here in Austin, so far I have only found it at the Drafthouse. I need to figure out a way watch it and that is always a great place. My list of movies I'd like to see keep growing.

Gov. Rick Perry Says Texas Will Secede from Government Health Care. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 Texans Lack Coverage.
In the video Maddow really lets him have it because Perry is talking about "seceding" from any national healthcare plan, reminding him (and us) that he's been governor for nine years. As she points out, one in four Texans lack health insurance, giving Texas the title for highest number of uninsured citizens in the entire country. We are the example of everything that is wrong with the healthcare system. I can't wait for Kay to take him out. Too bad we will end up with Kay, but I'm in Texas, best of two evils right.


My cousin Rino is moving out this week. I hope not for wanting to get away, but for wanting to move in with Jess. Right now they are busy packing and moving things. I'm sad to see him go, you just take for granted having someone there to talk to, have dinner with and go and do things with. I hope he likes his new place. He was a great roommate I'd have to say. He will be missed, but then again he won't be that far so I shouldn't think about it so much. His washer and dryer are going with him, which I'm sure we will also miss.

Oh by the way, today Choreographer Merce Cunningham died at 90. He was a colossus of 20th-century choreography; his career in dance, which lasted more than 60 years. Just a little random culture.

Now I have this list, places to visit and movies to see and I still look forward to carrying out that list.

would rather clean than...

Sisters

"Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there." ~Amy Li

Tuesday, July 21st, was my younger sister Eliza's 28th birthday. She is growing up. I hope she had an enjoyable day with her girls. I think they are going to celebrate this weekend when everyone is in town. Those are the drawbacks of being away. Tuesday was also the day that my sister Vero's grave marker finally arrived and was set on her plot. This is such great news. We have waited 6 long years for something that should normally happen in months, but due to the way circumstances unfolded, it took years. The story may be a long one, but it has a happy ending. Everything was resolved and now my sister has a proper memorial. This makes me very happy and I can't wait to visit. My sister Eliza's birthday was a great day for this to fall on.

Of course this brings all these emotions to the fore and reminds me how much I miss my sister. Just thinking about it hurts sometimes. This is it though, my last year being younger than my sister Vero, I don't know why, but that moment is big for me. This made me go back and read entries I had written in the past about remembering my sister that have helped me cope. I thought I would share some thoughts I pulled out that I revisited.

Remembering - February 16, 2009

I miss you very much. I wonder how things would be different if you were still around. The wisdom I never got to learn from you. I could go off an how proud your girls make me, but you already know.

Five Years Gone By - February 16, 2008

I know that during your life you had to deal with the normal things I'm probably going through now. Bekkah is probably going through those types of teenage experiences now, and I'm sure you are giving her strength. She has your determination and people skills, so I try not to worry.

Letter to Vero on Jamie's Bday - September 8, 2007

There is so much I can say about the girls, but I'm sure you follow them much more closely than I get to. They are growing up to be so smart, caring, thoughtful and beautiful. I promise to try to be a good role model and uncle for them as I try for everyone else in our family. You taught them well and they really take after you in so many ways. They used to get extra love because they reminded me so much of you, but now they just get it for being their own wonderful selves.

Three Years in a Flash - February 16, 2006

As each year passes, you worry that memories will fade, that she will be the memory of my sister and not my sister. I don't know what to say when people ask me how many brothers and sisters I have. I remember the last time I was home, only two months before, sitting on her bed as she shared with me what was going on in her life, asking for my advice. And then you think that so many people go through this, sometimes in much worse ways and what kills you is that you know you are going to have to go through it again.

Veronica - February 26, 2003

This is something that is really hard to accept and I don't think I it has really sunk it yet. The pain I felt inside my stomach hurt more than I had ever experienced. I really don't know what to think or what to feel. On the one hand I'm sad because I miss my sister, but on the other I am happy for her because I have faith that she has moved on to bigger and better things.

Flickr Albums - My Sister Veronica

This also makes me realize how blessed I am to have two other great sisters, Ana and Eliza who I love much much. I'm very lucky to have them in my lives and can't describe how much they mean to me. I am lucky to have my entire family in my lives and I hope they realize that. A lot of things may go unsaid, but I hope it is communicated.

Ok, well back the mundane right, the daily thoughts on my mind that seem in comparison so inconsequential.

I was talking to a dear friend about goals and intentions the other day. It got me thinking about my own personal goals and all the categories I would put them in. I'm a person that works well with lists I think. You know, the type that even adds the non-list item to the list just to check it off right after I have done it. I figured I'd visit some of those lists. What are the things I want in my life? There is the abstract right, peace of mind, health, happiness and love. Then you have things I would aspire to, to be kind, thoughtful, patient, passionate, creative, and charitable. Then you have the petty material possession wants, such as a PS3, 3GS, other random gadgets, event tickets and whatnot. You also have the hobbies or skills, such as playing the guitar, keyboard, running a marathon (dare I saw triathlon), travel or being an awesome at salsa. The main goal on my mind right now though is owning a home. I know it is the American dream and people that can't afford to own a home shouldn't be in one since well it clearly hurt the economy, but it's a dream I haven't given up on. That is what you dream of as a kid, your dream job, your car and a home. I feel like a home would give my life stability in finally setting roots someplace. For so long I've gone where the wind has taken me, or where I have followed it to, and never really created my own home. To make a goal happen you have to commit to it and I have yet to commit to this goal because I still haven't decided if it is prudent. Too bad, on paper it is a bad idea if not a down right impossible one. We'll see I guess.

A while back I wrote about my saga with my car and a flat tire. Today I took my car in to get the tire checked out to make sure it was safe to drive on. Well I pretty much found out that once you get a flat on the type of tires I have, you have to get a new tire. They run about $425 I'm told. Yeah, ridiculous, even for these pretty impressive tires that run flat. So I'm going to have to shop around and get this taken care of. This is not a bill I'm looking forward to.

All this talk about the anniversary of the moon landing has been educational. I really enjoyed the following video. Buzz Aldrin Punches Moon Landing Conspiracy Theorist In The Face (VIDEO)
Aldrin tells the man to get away from him, and when he refuses, Aldrin promptly punches him in the face. The guy did have it coming, at least that is what a judge decided. Of course, I have a feeling that that punch to the face was probably staged.

In Harry Potter news, Emma Watson Is Going to College At Brown
Watson, 19, will be attending Brown University in Providence, R.I., she confirmed to Paste magazine, saying, "I am [going to university in the Fall] -- to Brown, which is an Ivy League establishment in the U.S.A. I've got a place there to read literature." I respect intelligent actresses.


I am always impressed with what people decide to study. Here was one study that I thought validated common sense. Different Friendship Styles For Boys And Girls: Study
The thing I love about girls' BFFs is that the forever part is very rare I think. Not mentioned in the study is fact that girls seem to go through many best friends over the years. BFRN? (right now). Then you have those girls whose main core of friends are that of guys. I've met girls that just don't get along well with other girls. Friendships in general are complicated.

I hope you felt you knew me

HP6 & Velvet Ropes

"The person who reads too much and uses his brain too little will fall into lazy habits of thinking." - Albert Einstein

I have had a string of very good weekends as of late and I hope that the trend continues. They do leave me a bit tired come Sunday night, but are very much worth it. After work on Friday, I headed to the Valley to visit Andrea for the weekend. I have enjoyed getting to know her better and really like the fact that she is a genuinely kind person. I made down in time to catch the late showing for Harry Potter VI (HBP) at Carmike. I was worried about it being packed since we only got there about 10 minutes before the show was scheduled to start. As we walk up to the ticket guy, I notice how empty the theater in general is, which I don't mind. Then as he looks at our tickets, he tells us we are going to have to wait in line for the show to start. I look around for a line since I did not see one walking up and there was it was, a velvet rope and all of 2 people waiting there with their popcorn. All I could think was 'really?,' I mean waiting in line for a movie that is set to air in 10 mins where only 2 other people are there waiting. It just seemed silly and a bit funny almost. We got in line nevertheless without protest, waited our five minutes and then went in. (I'm sure they were cleaning or something I imagine.) The theater was filled to about 40% capacity after we sat down and people wandered in, but it probably had to do with how many showings there were all day rather than interest in the movie since it broke all kinds of box office records I'm hearing. I was very happy to avoid the crowds and the wait until Friday wasn't too bad.
I very much enjoyed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and not just because Emma Watson is always so adorable. I had trouble remembering all the parts from the book that the movie left out, which I think helped me enjoy it more. It was very long, but still a good length for what it was trying to cover. I am already looking forward to HP VII Part 1 and Part 2. November 2010 and July 2011 do seem far away though. I liked the Harry and Ginny part of the story and wished there was more. The best part for me was when Ron thought he had taken the good luck potion. I had nachos, which were good, but they gave me way too many. You are will rarely hear me say that.

After watching the movie, I wondered: Is The Christian Establishment Belatedly Embracing Harry Potter?In fact, more conservative Christians seem to be realizing, the "Harry Potter" series actually promotes Christian themes...Um, it's still fiction, guys. But I do find it so ironic that once again, the evangelical community went off in ignorance over something that once their initial fear and fearmongering was over, they found commonality in.

On Saturday I went over to my Dad's place to visit. It had been a while since I had been over since we usually meet up at my mom's house. Things looked very much the same from the last time I was there, but there were marked improvements, including a small air conditioning unit inside. He doesn't live an easy life there in my opinion, but he seems to have adapted well and everything there is his. We had lunch and he drove me around the area to show me different developments popping up. We even talked about this Valley congressman who was indicted the day before. I wish I had a better understanding of Valley politics and all the actors involved. We had a good visit.

After, I went to my sister Ana's house to check in on her dog as she was off visiting Austin for the weekend with Rick. I was to let the dog out for a while and then bring her back in and feed her. Well, the dog did not like me very much. Once I let her out, she would not come back in. It took well over an hour of trying to round her up until a friend to me to try baloney instead of dog food. It worked like a charm. That was a learning experience and I didn't have to get bit. I then went to my mother's house where I visited with Eliza, Tori and Celeste. Tori read the book Where the Wild Things are to me and then I showed her the trailer for the upcoming movie. Eliza told me that I probably enjoyed the trailer because it reminded me of the Neverending Story, a movie I really liked a lot as a kid.

I was talking to my friend Christina about the topic of old blog entries during college and some stuff she had written in some old dairies of hers she had found. After this conversation, I started reading some of my old 2004-2006 blog archives and then some stuff back in 2000 and even the original entries I had written for my webpage back in 98-99. I rarely go back and read entries from college (or even DC and Miami), but there were so many stories I shared that I had forgotten. Some good stories and memories that I can't believe are slipping away. So many great quotes I had used that I felt like I was reading for the first time. I admit that a lot of was useless chatter, but there were some real gems in there. Too bad it is very time consuming to go back and read and it kind of takes an emotional toll as well I think. I have never been fond of the person my writings depict when taken as a whole, but at the same time I can see the growth in my points of view and what I would focus on. I think I was also more open back then as well. I think it is neat how the updates went from one to two sentence updates, to paragraphs, until over time they became full entries. I even found my entry when I watched my first Harry Potter film back in 2001. Visiting Efrain I titled it. It is not one of my best entries, but it really connected things well I think. I think I'm going to find entries I enjoyed and link to them every now and then.

The details of my weekend are not as important as the fact that I felt good. I can't say enough about the comfortable carefree feeling that summer seems to bring. There is nothing like the smell of a freshly cleaned car, eating at your favorite place and good conversation during a relaxing day.

Before leaving to Austin on Sunday morning, I met up with Christina at Red Robin for lunch. I had never been there and was introduced to their unlimited fries. I did not get a refill though. The burger was good and I was still impressed by how well she was handling the stress of having a little more than a week until her bar exam. At this point I was probably so anxious that couldn't even have a normal lunch, though I'm sure she is so much more productive than I was. I was glad she was able to make the time. I look forward to next Thursday when the celebration of being done begins.

Sunday was my friend Cynthia's birthday. She was lucky enough to be able to spend it in Puerto Rico. She finally called me back (from my bday call) on her layover in Chicago on her way back to Arkansas. She had a great time in PR and from the sounds of it did some really cool things. I've been to PR twice and look forward to the day I go back. I'm glad she enjoyed herself.

Tuesday is my sister Eliza's birthday. I hope she has an enjoyable birthday. I really wish it would have fallen on a weekend so I could be there. Her husband will be out of town, as will my mother, but my sister Ana will be there. I'm not exactly sure what they have planned. I'm sure whatever it is, it will be festive.


It is really 2009 in Texas. Textbooks are already so biased and nationalistic, ignoring important parts of history and it isn't enough for them.
Conservative Education ‘Experts’ Want Less Lincoln And More Jesus In Texas Textbooks
Barton, a former vice chairman of the Texas Republican Party also insisted on emphasizing “republican” values in Texas’ curriculum: [Barton] said that because the U.S. is a republic rather than a democracy, the proper adjective for identifying U.S. values and processes should be “republican” rather than “democratic.” That means social studies books should discuss “republican” values in the U.S., his report said.

I'm so miserable without you, it's almost like you're still here.

Wicked Cool

"Human beings are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home." - Bill Cosby

I'm going to start with my good news. I purchased tickets to see the play Wicked in Austin on August 28th at 8pm. I am very excited about this and went back and forth about buying these tickets since I want to make an effort to be responsible. I've been wanting to watch this play since I first heard about the story from tb. I found myself talking about it a lot and after talking to friends about it decided just to do it. It is a long time from now though, so I'll have to not think about it for a bit. Maybe this will start a whole new phase in my life where I attend more events such as this.

Speaking of shows at the Bass Music Hall, Bill Maher went on Hardball yesterday to talk about his tour and to plug Real Time on HBO. Bill Maher Defends Sanford: "At Least Sanford Was Truly In Love" And Not Having "Sleazy" Sex With The "Easiest Roadkill" He Could Find (VIDEO) He discussed a wide range of issues, from Maher's trip through the South, to the Sotomayor nomination hearings, to the recent spate of politicians being caught having extramarital affairs. He even made some jokes from his show. I can't wait for Real Time this week.

Today the Harry Potter 6 movie came out. I had many friends go and watch the midnight showing. I'm pretty jealous. I'm a huge fan and thoroughly enjoyed all the books, but a midnight showing on a Wednesday was just not going to happen. I'm going to see it soon, but I just don't know when or with who. It is coming to the IMAX in Austin I think, but in a few weeks, and there is no way I'm waiting that long. I'll be back with my review.

I'm excited that my nephew is going to be a freshman at UTPA this fall. Everything has fallen into place. His orientation is coming up at the end of this month. I hope he sees what a big deal it is that he is going to college. Not just for him, but for his family. I'm very proud of him and his mother for making this happen. I can't wait for four years from now when he walks out with his degree.

This is probably the part where I would talk about work and how that is going, but that is a topic that I never get into detail about. It is hard because so much of my day is consumed with being at work and hence a lot of what is on my mind is work related. I guess the important things are that I enjoy my job and what I am doing. The more you learn the more confident you get I think. I'll be working late on Thursday, which is what is on my mind right now.

Working out shouldn't be on my mind in the sense that it should just be part of my daily life and not a phase I'm going through. Unfortunately, that is usually how it comes and goes in my life. So right now I'm doing well with getting into the gym regularly on weekdays. I'm getting healthier, but it is never fast enough I think. I begin all my workouts with a 2 mile run, pull ups and then about an hour of lifting. I usually throw in a day of boxing once a week. I have been pretty consistent thus far over the last couple of months, but it is a wagon that is not hard to fall off of. I'll be proud of myself for now. I have a clear goal in mind, but it is going to take real dedication. Thanks to the heatwave and the setup I have in my garage/gym, I have really been sweating out any excess water. Luckily I keep well hydrated during the day. Too hydrated? Maybe, but I don't think that the science is completely in on that.

I don't know why they are saying that this is a new study when I have known this for a very long time, but Living Together Before Tying The Knot Can Spoil Marriage . A new study suggests that couples who shack up before tying the knot are more likely to get divorced than their counterparts who don't move in together until marriage. It sounds simple, but even though it might not be the best idea statistically, it always seems to feel like the right one. People must agree because upwards of 70 percent of U.S. couples are cohabiting these days before marrying. I've done it before, and am not married, but I don't regret it either. You have to think it depends on the people and their mindset going on. This isn't a truism, but instead just a warning I think. I can't believe that you can take a happy functioning couple and doom them because they choose to life together.

Now here is a topic that touches close to home. Cats 'exploit' humans by purring . Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that cats use a "soliciting purr" to overpower their owners and garner attention and food. My cats are great negotiators I think and often get what they want. It is the least I can do I think since they have given up the stimulation of the outdoors to be my pets. Previous research has shown similarities between cat cries and human infant cries. My cats sound like I haven't fed them in days when they meow for food and it could of just been an hour since their last feeding. Mia is so fat that there is no way she is being under fed. Koki is in better shape, but she really loves her treats. Evolution made me a big pushover.

I was talking to my brother the other day about kids now a days (on our rockers in front of our house right) and how they seem to be much more narcissistic than the rest of us older narcissists. Have you ever visited MySpace? Check it out. I think the endless cellphone self-pics is the epitome of the problem. They have so many pictures of themselves and always seem to send out updates asking for people to comment. Now I know everyone is self loving to an extent and of course people love feedback, but it just seems to hit a whole new level when you get to kids. Every generation does it though right, complains the next is so much more spoiled and babied. But I really do think kids now a days grew up with relationships with their parents and not with the authority figures we had. Parents who care too much about their kids liking them and being happy and giving them everything they want. Now I didn't have those 1950's parents that were strict and cold, but taught you to be a strong silent man...but my parents also didn't think my every emotional whim was something they had to cater too as well. I can't imagine my parents wondering if I loved them enough or if buying me a pair of Ed Hardy jeans would make me happy. It ironically seems to not get parents what they want because the needy parents of today seem get less respect and admiration than the adult parents of yesterday. Now all this is said with the caveat that I know nothing about parenting since I don't have kids, and is framed in generalizations that don't apply to everyone. I also know I won't be even close to the perfect parent. It doesn't mean I can't point out the obvious though. I know you are a good parent who goes through so much trouble to avoid the pitfalls so many parents seem to be falling into. For that I congratulate you. But you can't say you don't see this problem around you.

Speaking of kids, I just read that Fat Kids are Also Dumb [Science] . Students who score higher on physical fitness tests also reliably score higher on math and reading tests, disproving the fat kid's standard "dumb jocks are dumb" defense. This obesity epidemic is not helping with our crisis in the education system. I guess chicken nuggets are not brain food. I remember a lot of smart fat kids growing up, so I don't know if I agree with this. It could be despite their weight they were smart, instead of because of it.

So the other day I'm going though my online news and I find out that the Valley Morning Star, South Texas Newspaper, To Begin Charging For Access . I was impressed that this made the national news. A lot of news outlets have talked about doing this since newspaper revenues have been drying up while people's reading of news has gone up. I don't know if it will work, I mean I don't see myself paying for it, but it is nice to see the Valley leading the way.

this is the only cure for the pain of Fermina

Indications of Her Character

"To him she seemed so beautiful, so seductive, so different from ordinary people, that he could not understand why no one was as disturbed as he by the clicking of her heels on the paving stones, why no one else's heart was wild with the breeze stirred by the sighs of her veils, why everyone did not go mad with the movements of her braid, the flight of her hands, the gold of her laughter. He had not missed a single one of her gestures, not one of the indications of her character, but he did not dare approach her for fear of destroying the spell." - Love in the Time of Cholera

There are quiet lazy weekends and there are eventful ones. I'm a fan of both, but this was an eventful one. It all started on Friday when I got out of work half an hour early. Those extra 30 minutes feel so great when you are waiting in anticipation for the weekend to start. I headed home and decided to try to get in a run before heading out. It had been a while since I had run without taking a pre-workout drink and I was surprised to see that it felt pretty much the same. Other than the motivation to actually get on the treadmill being completely gone. I didn't have time to do much else though.


After, I showered and got ready for the comedy show. I had been looking forward to seeing Bill Maher's stand up act all week and couldn't stop thanking Christina for inviting me. I think it was a great way to spend her last day in Austin. I was able to get there without any problem and even parking wasn't too bad. It was held at Bass Hall on the UT campus. (Same place they are holding Wicked.) The first thing I noticed was how nice all the cars that were pulling in were. So many Lexus's in the parking lot. I guess the tickets were pricey. Then I noticed how well everyone was dressed. This may have been the rule, but there were many exceptions, including a guy in a muscle t-shirt. The age groups varied, but there much older people than I had expected. The audience generally was a bit younger, but not like early twenties young. I met up with Christina and we went inside. I should of been more excited, but it didn't feel like it was real. There were multiple floors with bars on each floor, which was nice. We got a drink and then went to find our seats.


The seats were in the back/top balcony, but the view wasn't too bad. He wasn't a small spec like I was mentally ready for, though being in the front row wouldn't have been too bad. I wasn't sure if there would be an opening act or just him, but I was quickly informed that it was just him. Shortly after 8pm, the lights went down and the theme music from Real Time went on. Everyone stood up and cheered as Bill walked out in a casual t-shirt and jeans ensemble. He put on a hell of a show. She started with a joke about the price of the tickets during the recession and then about the Michael Jackson news and then worked into his normal routine. Of all his jokes, I think only 20% of it was stuff I had heard before from him. He talked a lot about politics, which is what he does, but I never tired of it. There was one point where he talked shit about Texas (48th in literacy) with a canned Gov. Perry is an idiot for threatening to succeed line of jokes. People in the audience didn't know how to react. Clearly we agreed with him about his points, but no matter how liberal you are, you can't cheer when someone says the US is better off without Texas. He was going to perform in Dallas the next night, and wondered if Bush would attend. I think that would have been great. There were not many hecklers, which I think might have added to the show a bit. I laughed a lot and was happy that the show lived up to my expectations. When he got to the topic of religion, he stated that he put that part at the end so that people that would be offended and walk out would still get to see a great show. That was thoughtful of him I think. Soon after the show ended and we gave him a standing ovation. He was on for a good hour and forty-five minutes.

After the show, Christina and I left to make our way to our cars. We exited through the back and there was Bill's Limo waiting. That was cool I think, but the security guard kept us far enough away so that we wouldn't be close enough to bother him. And that was the night. Christina was off to the Valley the next day to finish her studying. I wish her the best of luck in that and am going to try and be a good friend and not waste her time with idle chit chat.

Andrea was in Austin for the weekend for her sister Tanya's birthday and to visit their other sister Tina in Round Rock. I met up with them for dinner on Saturday night at a nice Italian restaurant named Romeos. I had never been there before, but had been to some of the restaurants surrounding it. It was just me and the three girls, something I did not mind at all. Over dinner, I finally got to get to know Andrea's sisters and they were really cool. They were polite and very conversational. It is neat seeing how all three, despite the same upbringing, have their own unique personalities. I guess it works that way with all siblings. I ordered the pizza and it was much bigger than I had expected, but still very good.

After dinner, we went to West 6th street, where Andrea got to witness my impressive navigation skills once again. We met up at Key Bar, an outdoor bar which would have been so much nicer if it still wasn't so very hot at nighttime. Two friends of Tanya met up with us there and then we headed to Union Park. I'm a big fan of their terrace. Trying to limit my soda intake, I decided to go with my Maker's on the rocks. You know, it wasn't too bad except for having to drink it slow so that I don't finish it too quickly. I had an enjoyable time. At midnight it was Tanya's birthday, but I was away from the table when it turned. I was happy that Andrea came into town and that we were able to make the time to hang out. Here are some photos of the night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyadus/sets/72157621270110335/

Sunday was a lazy day for me, trying to rejuvenate before another week of work and rest after a few late nights. I watched a Tivoed episode of Kings on NBC. I know I keep mentioning it, but I don't understand why this show did so badly in ratings and why they decided to cancel it. I wish I had known the connection to the King David story before. I know this won't pick up much traction, but 'Kings': Why Syfy should bring it back from the dead . I hope they can sell the show to someone, but it doesn't seem like there is a true following demanding it. If Firefly couldn't make it, then Kings is done. I can still hope right. Have I mentioned how great I think the princess character is? The current episode was great and there are only two left before the show fades into the past.

I also caught up on the UFC 100 fights that I had missed on Saturday night. I think it was a great card. I do not know how these guys do it. You see them get their faces smashed in and keep fighting and it gives you a false confidence that you could too, but I'm pretty sure I'd blackout.

A friend of mine posted a link to this picture on his FB page. I keep stealing his material. What a funny advertisement. I have a feeling that it worked well. I could see a very unhappy Daddy coming into the store.

This should be a busy week at work. I'll also be following the Sotomayor confirmation hearings this week. All I understand is that "far-right" = neutral and "center-left" = activist. I can't wait to see the fight when a real liberal progressive gets appointed the court. Why is it such a given that our Supreme Court must be so conservative?

withdraw symptoms

Status Update - Long Version

“He who is most slow in making a promise is the most faithful in performance of it.” -Rousseau

I usually try to focus on long term goals and make sure I'm trying to do something small in furtherance of those goals. Some long term goals I'm doing well on, others have gone by the way side and need to be revived. And though I could improve on that, I've finished some of my big ones, which could only mean that I'll need bigger ones. The thing is that as of late, my mind is really centered more on short term goals and realities than on the long term. Goals probably isn't the best word, but just kind of taking things day by day. Short-sightedness is never good, but you don't want to be looking for the grander meaning and miss the moment either. I wish I could get passed the cliches and on to my point. I guess I'm just at one of those points where I feel somewhat uncertain and I don't know how to feel about that. I think the feeling can be a character test, especially when the underlying triggers are probably self made. For a person that likes being two steps ahead, for some reason I feel like I'm a step behind. I also think a lot about things that I should probably not look into so deeply. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar I'm told. That is a long paragraph that kind of says nothing, but yet made me feel better.

I forgot to report this, but a good friend of mine who lives in California recently found a great job. He really deserves it and had been looking for a while. We caught up the other day on the phone and he filled me in on the story of his employment. It was an interesting story to say the least. How he got the job was definitely attributed to his persistentness, but I'm sure his qualifications played the main role. I'm happy for him and for all my other friends that have found work. Abram seems to be enjoying his new job. And for everyone still looking, I can't wait to hear about the jobs you find. I don't envy anyone on a job search, especially when times seem to get tougher.

This really got me thinking about my friends over the years and the people that are too far to be close contact everyday friends. My high school friends, my college friends, my Miami friends, my DC friends. I think I just miss my distant friends. You invest all this time and effort getting to know people and then you move away and over the years the updates come farther and farther apart. You lose touch gradually and it is not a reflection on how strong your friendship was to begin with, but the fact that the dynamic of your friendship didn't include a strong long distance component. I feel like I need to make some trips to NY, Boston, DC and LA just to see everyone and get caught up. I've met some really cool people on this journey and wish I would get to see them more. At least there is Facebook right.

Health Class No Longer Required In Texas High Schools
Health class will no longer be a state requirement for high school students this fall, making Texas one of the few states in the country with no required health education. I agree with a legislator's argument that "We've been trying to address the issue of childhood obesity, but we seem to be losing ground every time the Legislature meets." Why does Texas do such stupid things? Then again we do have an all-star running the show here. For example, Naming Someone Who Hates Public Schools to Head the State Ed Board? Gov. Perry, You Can't Be Serious!


I love the news articles today. Here is one that really caught my eye since I believe how you see the world influences how you feel. Stop Positive Thinking, Study Says A study just published in the journal Psychological Science says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are. This is a pretty impressive study I think. Here is my favorite quote from the article, "If you try to tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, he won't think he's any smarter; he will probably just disbelieve your contradictory theory, hew more closely to his own self-assessment and, in the end, feel even dumber."

Have I been wasting my time with all this positive thinking? I think the way I think about the world now is much different than it was 5 years ago. I'm no Pollyanna, but I do look harder for the positive than dwell on the negative. I attribute a lot of positive changes in my life to that, but I totally agree you can't always fake it until you make it when it is about things you feel are just objectively not true. I've met some really negative people in my life and man they really bring you down. Complainers I call them. The worst part is that they don't know that that is what they are. They feel like they are just telling you a story about how they were victimized, you know by the traffic, that jerk at the store, the teller, their family, their inconsiderate friends. Don't get me wrong, when bad stuff happens, you want to tell someone. But if its all you do, then it kind of dampers the mood.

I'd have to say I'm a night owl for sure. The morning is just not the best time for me. Luckily, in my defense, research is being done on the topic to justify my ways. Study: Night owls may benefit from evening strength If you have a hard time crawling out of bed in the morning, it could be that your body is biologically programmed to start the day later. In my defense, "It's very difficult for a night owl to become a morning person, Collop said. " I've done my best to be a morning person. I can wake up and go to work and function in society, but it isn't my preference to be up that early. I still can't run in the morning and have to put it off until after work. I don't think I'd want to workout at 9pm like they mentioned in the article though.

Today is the big day, I'm going to see Bill Maher tonight. I am very thankful to Christina for this. I'm excited and this should be a really cool experience. I'm sure I'll talk about it at length in my next entry. This is Christina's last outing in Austin before she takes off and crams for the final weeks of bar exam prep. I'm glad I didn't have to take my bar in Arlington like she has to. It should be a fun night.

Andrea is coming into town this weekend to visit her sister. This is definitely an eventful weekend. I'm looking forward to hanging out.

So back to my favorite reads of the day. A friend of mine posted this link the other day and I just had to steal it. It was very funny and a must read if you use FB.
Facebook Updates: What Kind Do You Write?
My favorites are the: "The 'Oh Come On, Just Tell Us What It Is ─ Are You Dying?' Update," "The 'You Never Seem This Happy in Real Life' Update" and "The 'Passive Aggressive' Update" I'd go off on my thoughts of each, but I'm tired now and the article does a good enough job itself.

I was in the gym the other day and I decided it was too hot to keep on working out so I told Abram who was also working out, "I'm gonna pull a Palin and quit." He didn't find my joke to be that funny, but it made me laugh on the inside. Little did I know that the saying had already made the Urban Dictionary. "Pullin' a Palin" Now In The Urban Dictionary
I guess I must be in step with those evil bloggers.

Along the same vein, here is a great video by The Full Ginsburg that was shown on MSNBC on Thursday. It is called, "How to Talk like a Politician." I think it is pretty funny. They do good work. http://thefullginsburg.com/2009/07/07/how-to-talk-like-a-politician/

I'm going to end with the quick fact that the Harry Potter movie (what part I forget now) is coming out on the 15th. I want to watch it. I'll probably wait until the weekend though. I remember picking up the first book on recommendation of a friend thinking I would be wasting my time. I was very wrong.

hard to read

Not Just to Exist

"The proper function of man is to live - not to exist." - Jack London

Now it is time to get back to my regular routine. Vacations are over and now I'm just a regular working guy trying to return to business as usual. Things are not the same though and hopefully they will never be. It is easy to keep a good mood when there is hope and good fortune around, but will I be as optimistic when circumstances start changing. Outlook is important, sometimes more important than what is actually going on around you. Here is to a good summer.

Do you know what it feels like when you put something off and the longer you put it off the more stress it gives you? There hits a point where you have put it off for so long that you feel you can no longer get started. Kind of like when you promised to call a friend, but it has been so long that calling now would seem worse or highlight your lateness. I generally had that type of feeling over the weekend into Monday. I finally sucked it up and got what I needed to get done. It seems to easy to say, just do it, but it isn't always that easy. I thought I would of felt much better now that it was done, which I did, but it wasn't the total peace of mind I had expected. It did feel good though. Not long after celebrating internally, my plate began to fill up with more projects to take care of. I guess there will always be something else to do and stressing over it isn't the best plan of attack.

A: Hey, man! Please call me a taxi. B: Yes, sir. You are a taxi.

I don't know why, but that really made me laugh today. I read that kids laugh like on average 300 times a day and adults laugh only on average 15 times.

So this week I saw the movies Love & Sex and Love in the Time of Cholera. I had seen them both before, but it had been a while. They are good movies and why I saw them I won't get into. Love & Sex I find myself quoting a lot without even knowing it. I had even forgot that I had seen the movie. I have a list of netflix movies I need to watch, but I have been dragging my feet. Usually I wait until a person says, "You have to see this movie" before I take action on lesser known films. I've seen most of the mainstream hits, (almost all of the netflix top 100) but it is the 2nd tier or hidden gems that I miss out on.

So Robert McNamara Died on Monday. He had served as the U.S. defense secretary during the Vietnam war. As much as I hate a lot of what he did, I did respect that he apologized for his mistakes. Not that that should make a difference. A great movie about him is "The Fog of War." I remember when I found a theater in DC showing the documentary.
The subtitle of "The Fog of War" was "Eleven Lessons From The Life of Robert S. McNamara." Here are those 11 lessons:
Lesson #1: Empathize with your enemy.
Lesson #2: Rationality will not save us.
Lesson #3: There's something beyond one's self.
Lesson #4: Maximize efficiency.
Lesson #5: Proportionality should be a guideline in war.
Lesson #6: Get the data.
Lesson #7: Belief and seeing are both often wrong.
Lesson #8: Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning.
Lesson #9: In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil.
Lesson #10: Never say never.
Lesson #11: You can't change human nature

So Al Franken is finally a senator. Franken takes the oath.
I'm pretty excited about this. I think this Harvard educated man is going to be a great senator. It is a nice change from the conservadems that seem to be slowing things down. I don't feel like his place as the 60th Democratic senator makes a big difference since well they are like herding cats. What happened to needing 51 votes to pass a law? Well at least Franken favors transitioning to a universal health care system.

This weekend is looking like it is going to be very exciting. Other than having people come to town, I'll be going to see Bill Maher's Comedy Show on Friday. How great is that? I don't know the name of the show, but can't wait. I've had some pretty good weekends as of late and I hope the trend continues.

My friend Christina got great news the other day. After her bar exam, she is going to work for a firm in San Antonio now instead of Corpus. This is good for her since, this is where she wanted to live. It is always good when things work out just the way you want them.

I vowed not to watch the Michael Jackson Memorial on TV, but then curiosity got the best of me and I decided to check it out for a few minutes. I really liked the part that had music. The talking not as much, but then again that is why everyone was there. I figure I'll catch a recap on the news. I thought MJ as fine an all (personal stuff aside), but I must of clearly not been a fan because this isn't moving me like it seems to move other people.

Nevertheless, I thought this was really cool after watching the video:
Michael Jackson's patented dancing shoes
Above is the patent for the shoes that enabled Michael Jackson to lean at a full 45-degree angle when doing the Smooth Criminal dance.

14 Basic Skills All Men Should Possess So I was reading this article and I scored 13 of 14. I won't tell you which one I didn't possess, but hint hint I can't ride a motorcycle because I don't know how to shift gears on a bike. The comments are great because people add their own things to the list such as keeping your job or staying married. One guy wrote:
Nice list but there are some very important omissions:15. Perform reasonably well in a fist fight.16. Fire a gun.17. Grow tomatoes.18.Catch, clean, & cook a fish.19. Skin a buck.20. Care for an infant.21. Train a dog.22. Throw a ball. I won't tell you how I fared on these, but no I can't skin a buck or care to clean a fish. Though my favorite is #15 the ability to not read lists to know they are a man.

room for bella

My 4th of July Weekend

"If I lay here.
If I just lay here.
Would you lie with me and just forget the world."
- Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars

I had an enjoyable 4th of July weekend. It was not like I envisioned, but that is probably more due to not having concrete plans made ahead of time. Sometimes it is just better to go where the moment takes you and see what happens. I feel like I cared more about the 4th's status as a holiday from work than the blind nationalism I used to feel as a child. I did miss out on the part I like the most, the firework displays.

Thursday, after work I headed out on my road trip to the Rio Grande Valley. My friends Christina and Caro had left a few hours before me and were able to warn me about up coming weather and traffic. Early on in my trip I pulled over for a second to the side of the road and unbeknownst to me, I ran over two nails that got embedded in my tire. This would result in a low tire warning when I was about 100 miles away from my destination. Somehow I was able to make it in though. This complication didn't end up getting in the way too much.

I made it in about 8:30pm and was surprised to see that my nieces Bekkah and Jamie where still visiting my mother. I took them over to my sister Ana's house and visited with my niece Sarah and nephew Michael before they left on a trip to Oklahoma. I had plans to go out with my friend Cynthia downtown, but we ended up leaving much later than I had planned. Cynthia picked me up because my car was now flat and we went to the bars. It has been about a year since I had spent time with Cynthia and we had a lot to catch up on. I had a very nice time and we picked up where we left off. She is one picky drinker. Sometimes it takes her a while to update me on things, but she finally does. She got a promotion at work that she is very excited about. We closed down the bar.

On Friday morning, after visiting with my family, Andrea picked me up and we headed to Brownsville for the zoo. I don't remember the last time I had been to the Gladys Porter Zoo, but it had to be when I was pretty young. The trip over there went by pretty fast, but the fact that Andrea was driving probably made the trip feel shorter me. We chatted on the way down and after a quick bite to eat we were at the zoo. I was overcome with this deja vu feeling. Probably from a grade school trip and the memory of eating my sack lunch in the park across the street. We walked into the zoo and it felt there was almost no one was there. This made sense considering the day was at least 100 degrees. We looked at animals, took pictures and joked around. It was fun. The zoo was much bigger than I had remembered. There was a butterfly exhibit that we checked out where I saw this really cool purple butterfly. I think I had only seen one once before and it wasn't alive and instead was cast in a necklace. Taking pictures of butterflies is not easy, I can tell you that. The highlights of the visit included the tigers, the monkeys, the bears and the petting zoo. Andrea quickly made a new friend, a goat named Jack. I've never seen an animal at a petting zoo that actually wanted to be pet so much. She also seems to have a way with kids because some were excited to show her things and tell her things.

Here is a video of Andrea & Jack.

After visiting the gift shop and buying some gifts, we ended our tour of the zoo. There really was a lot to see. If you like zoo animals, here are the pictures I took: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyadus/sets/72157620993917916/

After the zoo, we headed over to South Padre Island. It is always packed on the 4th, and on the 3rd it was pretty full as well. My sister Ana and Rick where coming to the Island for the 4th as well, but I didn't get a chance to see them. I think the last time I had been to the Island was on the 4th of July, maybe 3-4 years ago with a friend who took a break from studying for the bar in Virginia to come and visit me for the weekend. The first thing I noticed when we were there was that the Sunrise mall I had remembered was no longer a mall, but now a business suite. The movie theater wasn't there either anymore.

So for some reason I had never driven to the end of the beach, well at least to where the road ends. I have a memory of driving that way once, on my own, but never making it the full way. I probably assumed it kept going. I don't know why now, since it really wasn't too far. We drove past the new construction and I kept thinking of how cool it would be for casinos to be built on the beach. I think if you legalized casinos just on South Padre is would increase business like no other. Once we got to the end of the road, we stopped and took a walk on the beach. There were people out there, but not as many on the beach where all the hotels are. I heard that the bay side was nice too, but that would have to be for another time. I was kind of annoyed by the litter since it doesn't make sense to me how a person could litter on a beach when they know littering is a problem. I mean littering in general is bad, but it happens. But on the beach, it should never happen. It is just shameful. Though I must say, I never went on any of those bus trips in elementary to the beach to pick up litter. I digress too much. We found a nice spot and hung out at the beach for a while and enjoyed the sound of the water as the sun set.

We had originally had plans to watch the Friday fireworks, but I got the time wrong, so we caught the end of the fireworks as we drove back in the main part of the island. If you are going to watch fireworks, the finale is the best part and at least we caught that. We also thought we might catch a movie on the lighthouse, but it was getting late and the drive back was long, so we passed on that idea. I did see the movie being projected as we drove by and it looked really cool. The drive back was definitely helped by the ice cream cones.

The next day I took my tire in to get fixed. The guy took out the nails and patched the holes. The tire he told me wasn't going to last long, so I'm hoping to make an appointment to fix it. After getting back to Austin, I was glad to see that my tire held up. I need to take my car in and get it checked out. I really do hope it is covered by warranty.

Here is a video of my niece Celeste from my trip home. I think her smiling is adorable. I also wanted to compare embeding a Flickr video with uploading a blogger video. I think I like the video function of my camera.

Speaking of Austin, I thought this article was really cool for those visiting. There was a lot in there I didn't know. Check out the part on how to pronounce Buda.
Learn to Speak Austin or Suffer Instant Loss of Credibility

So, at some point a person I knew gave me a small token that I had always kept on me. It was a fortune cookie paper that said, "Don't be afraid of opposition; remember a kites rises against the wind." On the back it had the word "ice skate." This person had got it during her her bar exam and was passing it down to me for mine. It seems silly, but for some reason it meant a lot. It got me through my bar exam and even after I carried it in my wallet until the present day. It is probably the only real good luck charm I've ever had. But it was time to pass on the good luck. So, I gave my old scrap of paper to my friend Christina for her bar exam, which she is studying for right now. I hope it gives her the piece of mind it should of given me and hope she takes care of it as much as I did. Maybe one day she will pass it on and that person will wonder why they are getting a fortune cookie paper and just throw it away. I wish her the best of luck on her studies. I think she will do great, but well wishes don't help you remember Oil and Gas law.

On Sunday, I noticed that I had no food in the house. A problem I could over look if it didn't include having no cat food, which meant to avoid the cats meowing I had to do some shopping. How many times am I going to have to tell myself to not go grocery shopping when I'm hungry. I'm pretty well stocked now is all I have to say. A great way to end the weekend.

So what do you think? Is this a Church that moonlights as a bingo parlor or a Bingo parlor that moonlights as a church? They are probably different places, but I'm not so sure.
So Christina and her sister were excited about seeing Boyz II Men in concert on her trip down. Alas, her hopes were crushed (at least that is how I imagine it) when the band decided to back out. I bet these elder gentlemen put on quite a show, when they show up. I think this is the actual article ( Top Act Backs Out ), but I also took a picture of the paper at the beach.

do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hands