Have you met Ted?

"The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." - Edwin Schlossberg, designer

I don't make it a secret that I'm a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother. After much coaxing, I convinced my friend Christina and her sister to purchase Season 1 ($14.96 - a steal) and check it out. Season 2 is the same price right now too, but I need to wait until they are hooked to tell them about that. [Update: They loved it!] I should probably go back and start re-watching the episodes myself because there are small things that I might have missed the first time. I'd also like to follow the yellow umbrella story a bit closer. This experience has reminded me of how much I like the show, especially all the great lines and theories. My blog in a sense is my own personal story of how I met your (being future kids) mother. One of the best things I was happy to hear was that the creators have said that the reveal of the mother will not take advantage of a loop hole or clever twist. That promise debunks many of my theories. I'm looking forward to the new season coming in September.

Speaking of TV, the Fall TV lineup is so close. Only a few weeks away. Now that my summer Trueblood is ending in a few weeks, I'll be happy to be getting back in the routine of watching all my favorite shows again. I wonder if there will be anything new out that will catch my attention.

I think I'm going to take a break from writing in my blog to try out some new writing exercises. I kind of already started as you can see from the delay for this entry, but I had a few things already written that I thought I'd share first. I figure if I use my time that I currently allot for waxing over the ineffable and sharing my favorite reads of the week, I might see what I can really work on. For some reason I have it in my head that if I had a netbook, I'd be writing so much more at home. It is an expense I don't need right now though. It would be cool to have though. You want to know something else I don't need? A PS3 slim. They are coming out in September and since I don't have a blueray player, I think this would be a good way to get one. I don't play games often because I know how much time they can take up, and you have to give me credit for not owning a PS3 already. Oh technology, you are so much fun.

I finally saw the highly recommended Cinema Paradiso. It is a 1988 Italian film that not only tells the life story of a young boy's love affair with film, but also celebrates the role of cinema in all of our lives. Intertwined is love story between Salvatore and Elena. The film was fun at times and moving at others, but I felt that the love story with Elena was lacking is some respects. It just seemed artificially cut off and there was no closure for me. I was happy to see that Salvatore reacted in a very Valentino like way in how he dealt with it. To think of it, now considering that, I think the ending was fitting and more life like. I do have questions about the story of the solider and the princess, but I'll talk about that later.

I'm glad I didn't not get to see the extended cut, mainly because I wanted to experience the theatrical version that I had heard so much about. I was worried about the movie being so old, but that didn't get in the way of my enjoyment.

I am interested in the Director's version and here is what Wikipedia had on the Extended cut:

In the 154-minute version of the film, Salvatore happens upon a young girl who so resembles the teenage Elena that she must be a relative. Following the teen, Salvatore is reunited with his long-lost love — the girl's mother, and shares one night making love to her. Afterward, he strives to rekindle their romance, and while she clearly wishes it were possible, she rejects his entreaties, choosing to remain with her family and leave their romance in the past. We also learn from Elena that the reason they lost touch was because Alfredo asked her not to see him again, fearing that Salvatore's romantic fulfillment would only destroy what Alfredo sees as Salvatore's destiny, to be successful. Alfredo tried to convince her that if she loved Salvatore, she must leave him for his own good, but she was unsure, and left Salvatore a note, with an address where she could be reached and a promise of undying love and loyalty. Salvatore never found her note, and thus never finds her, not for more than thirty years.
It then ends with Salvatore returning to Rome and viewing the film reel that Alfredo left for him, tears in his eyes. The mood is far more bittersweet, as Salvatore sees Alfredo as both the source of great love in his life — and great loss.

Interesting, but I can see why that ending was cut out. I don't like that Alfredo is blamed for Salvatore losing Elena. That wasn't fair. It could of worked without scapegoating him. Hence, why I recommend the original version if you have a choice. This was a great movie.

Ok so let me tell you the story from the movie. It is a conversation between Alfredo and Salvatore. The Princess and the Solider. (summarized)

A: Once a soldier saw the princess of his kingdom and fell in love. He told her that though he was a mere soldier he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he was in love with her. The princess was touched by the soldier's sincerity. She told him that if he really loves her, he should stand beneath her balcony for 100 days and 100 nights. If he can wait for her that long, she will be his. So the soldier went and waited below her balcony. One day, two days, ten days, twenty days. Each evening the princess looked out and he was there. Standing, waiting for her her. Birds would shit on his head, bees would sting him, but he didn't move. He just stood there. After ninety days and ninety nights he became dry and white. He couldn't hold back anymore. Tears streamed from his eyes and he didn't have the strength even to sleep. At long last it was the 99th night. One more night and she would be his. But on the 99th night the soldier got up, and left.
S: What happened at the end?
A: That is the end. Don't ask me what it means. I don't know.

Much later in the movie, S tells A he's finally understood why the soldier left on the 99th night. He says that the soldier realised on the 99th day that the next day, the princess might be his. But she might even break her promise. And that would have broken his heart and dented his love. So rather than risk his heart being broken, he left on the 99th day, carrying with him his love for her, untouched and pure. And that is why he left.

For some reason I missed the part of the movie where he had this realization. That being said, I'm very disappointed with it. My thought was that the solider left because he proved his love, but now the princess must decide if she loves him and whether she is willing to go after him now that he waited 99 days for her. Instead, his version is a cowards way out. You can't fail if you don't try and therefore he never failed. The story line that that true love can exist with just one person is disappointing. Though to be fair, in the film Salvatore does tell her he will wait for her to love him and it works out, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

In that vein, I’ve made comments to friends like 'women can’t write love songs like men.' Also the fact that only men are capable of love at first sight, since well some fall in love with every pretty thing that bats an eye. I think the princess story illustrates this well. Can you imagine the story being in reverse, the solider telling the princess to wait under his window for a 100 days and then he'll consider loving her? You can't think of a version where she would do it, especially for a guy she doesn't know. But the idea that a man would do that for a woman is accepted. Mind you, I think the guy is dumb for doing it, I mean dude you had 99 days to start of some conversation, she was just a balcony away. Why not just chat her up a bit, I mean you don't have a lot going on. Either way, I've written a lot about a story I didn't think I cared much for.

School has started and the school zones are up in full force. My trip to work is much longer. Traffic is back and kids are back trying to learn. Too bad in Texas we make that harder for them.

Texas to revise history textbooks: liberals out, Limbaugh and Gingrich in.
The first draft for proposed standards in United States History Studies Since Reconstruction says students should be expected “to identify significant conservative advocacy organizations and individuals, such as Newt Gingrich, Phyllis Schlafly and the Moral Majority.” [...] Others have proposed adding talk show host Rush Limbaugh and the National Rifle Association.

Here is the Onion's article on: Helping Your Kids Succeed In School
For example, Make your child the envy of the school by buying him or her Trapper Keeper®-brand portfolios.

Here is a pick up line: What if you do NEED a man?
This can't be true, I'm sure. I know a lot of people that this does not apply to. The girl writing the article does make some interesting points when she says, "And I'm sorry, I do know that I'm awesome, but getting there is exhausting. I'm not saying this is everyone, but that perhaps there are women -- and men! -- who need sex with trust, or who rely on spouses for friendship rather than large social networks. And perhaps "needing a man" is an indication of the more basic human instinct -- not for reproduction, but for companionship. "

the visits are less often

Blog Fail

"When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves. " - William Arthur Ward

I have been wanting to delete my MySpace account for some time now. At first I didn't because I had different friends on my MySpace account than my FB account, but now the differences are minimal since everyone seems to have both. For those of you who haven't moved over yet, I think you should. Now the only reason I seem to keep my MySpace account is that I get about 6 readers of my blog entries there. (hopefully not the same person 6 times.) It doesn't sound like a lot, but compared to how many visitors I get to my actual blog, it is huge. They rarely leave comments though, so I have no idea why they read it. I'm still thinking about deleting it since I check it so rarely. I'm also not a big fan of change, so I keep putting it off.


Wednesday was the soccer match between the USA and Mexico. I was cheering for Mexico and they won 2-1. It was only the 23rd time the USA has left winless from Azteca Stadium. I had a discussion with a friend about when I would root for the USA over Mexico. The only time would be in the finals of the World Cup and that is still a maybe. The USA is my team against any other country though. Speaking of soccer, I'm very much looking forward to the World Cup. One day, maybe, I'll actually get to go. In college we made a pact that we would go the World Cup, but it never/hasn't happened.

The summer is ending and so is my school zone free drive to work. I have gotten so used to it that now I take it for granted. Soon I'll be driving through THREE (3) school zones each morning while I'm running late to work. I guess students and teachers are going to have to join the rest of us in the real world. I'm very jealous if you can't tell.

It sucks when people you care about disappoint you, especially family. It feels worse when you go from extreme pride to find out that reason you were so proud was misplaced. Disappointment is a feeling that exists only in my mind because a person didn't meet my expectations. You can't change other people and can only change yourself, so changing my expectations would cure the problem. The problem is that I want to expect good things from the younger members of my family and not just accept low standards. You can't live people's lives for them, but there has to be a responsibility to point them in the right direction, give them the right counsel and do something about it. I'll get over it, but life is hard enough than to purposely choose to make it harder for yourself. I respect a person that tries and fails a lot more than a person scared or unwilling to even try. More so than a person trying to figure out the easy way. I feel helpless. A man must learn to fish and when his needs have been met his whole life with no sacrifice of his own, he isn't well suited to go out into the world and fish on his own.

So here are two great sites I have visited lately that have really made me laugh. So much so that they warrant mention. The first is called Failblog.org. This site can keep you laughing for hours. Here is an example.Fire Code Fail

I liked these too: Audi Billboard Fail, Online Dating Fail and Employee Intelligence Fail. They sometimes even post Wins, which are just as funny. Such as: Graffiti Win Don't forget Paint Job Win. The other site I like is called Emails From Crazy People. That one is a trip, but it is not was quick and visual. With these two sites your productivity should go down drastically. Enjoy.

Women Cry For 16 Months Of Their Lives, Study Says
Researchers found that between birth and the age of 78 a woman will cry for more than 12,000 hours, for reasons including hunger as a baby to falling out with a partner when older. That is a lot I think.

The Diet Killer: Your relationship may be hot, but it’s making you heavy. New research confirms moving in together often leads to weight gain. The article states that, "While men are extremely vulnerable to weight gain in the first 12 months of married life, they do better over time, whereas women just keep getting fatter and fatter." Don't worry, the article has advice to deal with this problem too in it.

This is always fun: How Men And Women Argue [Flowchart]



Krugman: Latest Income Inequality Numbers Show An "Even More Gilded" Society
This was the one realization that really started me on my Progressive track. The income inequality in our country is ridiculous and keeps getting worse. Now if I felt that income was distributed in relation to hard work and great ideas I think I'd be more of an Ayn Rand thinker. But that isn't always the case. I'm sure there is an economic case to be made on both sides, and I don't think the solution is to punish those with the most of the inequality, but to create a fair system where things are merit based.

a collection of codas

Someone who will inspire us

"Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be." - Ralph
Waldo Emerson

After the past week of being ill, my venture into the gym this week was not an easy one. Monday, I tried to run and I made it about halfway through my usual distance. My body just felt weaker and I couldn't get much lifting done after either. I give myself points for trying though. On Tuesday, I decided to give it another shot and this time was able to finish my run, but the last three minutes were hard on my lungs and side. I've been running for months, I thought I could stand to take a week off. Instead of trying to do more, I decided to take Max for a long walk around the neighborhood so that I could get some sun (Vitamin D) and process some thoughts that have been on my mind. Max was not a big fan of the construction that was going on nearby houses. We had a short race and as usual Max came out the victor.

You know what makes things hard sometimes? When you don't have a reason or are not given one. Usually you look for a reason and use that to understand the events around you. But when you have no explanation, it is much harder to learn a lesson that influences your future action. It is true that you usually know on the inside or have an idea of the reason, but you can't always trust your own assumptions. This is especially true when it comes to other people. I guess I'm just a person that likes to know, likes to understand. Or maybe that is just a distraction I use to deal with things. People say repeating the same mistakes is a bad thing, but sometimes maybe they are not mistakes.

The documents for my dad's car purchase came in the mail to my work on Tuesday. They are now all signed off on and I have mailed them back to the dealership. That was pretty quick and the deal is now official. (Well there might be some last minute changes, but it's still done. ) I'm still feeling pretty happy about the whole thing. I think it is cool how you notice your new car everywhere once you buy it. I just noticed my neighbor has the same car as my dad. I had never paid attention before. I can't wait for the day I start noticing Rolex watches on people. That day is still far away though.

One of the shows on my Tivo that I hadn't finished was the last 4 episodes of Brothers and Sisters. I can't really explain why I didn't watch it, but they sat there for months and months. Finally, last night I got to the season finale. It was a bit of a let down though. I'm now looking forward to the fall tv season and for all my shows to return. One thing I will say about summer reruns is that I watch so much less TV right now. It almost feels liberating. There is a whole world out there to explore. I've even stopped looking for something good to be on. I wonder if I'll have the commitment for a few hours a day once the fall season starts again. I guess there will always be Tuesdays where nothing good seems to be on.

This is a random confession, but in the 4 years or so I lived in Washington, DC, I never once went inside the the United States Capitol Building. I had been outside so many times, but never once on a tour inside. (The Supreme Court either. I did attend some hearings in one of the House buildings and have been inside the Whitehouse.) It was the one place I always wanted to visit, but for some reason always felt like it was such a big deal that I wanted to wait for the perfect time. That time never came and I never made the effort to make it happen. Funny how when you live somewhere there are always so many places you don't get to visit or see. I can say that for Miami as well. Sadly, I can probably say that for Austin right now. I have been to the Capitol here though.

Here is something I have thought about before, but not seriously. I'm guessing somebody did. Should you get paid for checking work e-mail when you're home? Some lawsuits say yes. http://bit.ly/m0xi6s How do you even quantify such a small period of time? It seems like nitpicking to me unless you are super busy on email away from work and only getting paid hourly.

Lots of new Texas laws go into effect on Sept. 1. Here is a list of some of them: http://bit.ly/10mlRF I'm glad someone put this together. Seat belts being worn in every seat, drivers license rules, etc. So my niece is 17 and turns 18 on June 3, 2010. She was planning to wait until she is 18 to take her driver's exam and get her license. I don't know why she doesn't just take driver's ed and now it seems like a better idea. Here is the law from that list that I think affects her. HB 339 increases the total hours of behind-the-wheel driving instruction a teen receives from 14 to 34 and creates an adult driver education requirement for applicants older than 18 and younger than 21. SB 1317 creates a six-hour driver education course required for driver license applicants 18 years of age or older. It also mandates that applicants 25 or under must submit to an approved driver education course. (Goes into effect March 1, 2010.)

I've been trying not to talk about Healthcare too much because even I'm starting to get tired of this fake debate and generalized outrage to a party not being in power. We have moved from how we are going to fix this broken system to whether we should even try to fix it since you know, the government is evil they say. It is just getting offensive. Instead of talking about lowering costs or how the insurance companies have been exploiting us, we talk about the people on YouTube making scenes. Informed anti-war protesters are crazy and unAmerican, while misinformed people shouting down other citizens are just concerned citizens. You can disagree agreeably and if your argument is strong you will win the day.

When we used to actually debate healthcare, the "McAllen" problem was discussed. The new news is that McAllen’s Medicare spending prompts call for government study. http://ff.im/-6saHS I think this is a good idea that can probably help save on costs. I can't wait to see that study.

Here is an article on made up things like 'death panels.' This was a moving argument I thought. We Already Have 'Death Panels.' If You Can't Pay the Bill, You're Sent Home to Die.
My favorite part from Southern Beale make a very important point:

Don’t talk to me about death panels, Sarah Palin.
You, who so carelessly bolstered a lie about healthcare reform to score a cheap political point; you, the most craven of political opportunists, who fearmongers about some dystopian socialist/fascist fantasyland; you, who earlier this year were only too happy to accept free medical, dental and veterinary care from the U.S. military for Alaska’s remote villages; you, dear lady, are an idiot.
In your free market wonderland everyone somehow manages to get healthcare, even those who are poor or live in isolated areas, though the poor and isolated in your own state required assistance from the federal government.And despite all of this, you appear blithely unaware that the free market healthcare system we have now does, indeed, have “death panels.” I’ve been part of a death panel conversation. I know about death panels.
You have no idea what it’s like to be called into a sterile conference room with a hospital administrator you’ve never met before and be told that your mother’s insurance policy will only pay for 30 days in ICU. You can't imagine what it's like to be advised that you need to “make some decisions,” like whether your mother should be released “HTD” which is hospital parlance for “home to die,” or if you want to pay out of pocket to keep her in the ICU another week. And when you ask how much that would cost you are given a number so impossibly large that you realize there really are no decisions to make. The decision has been made for you. "Living will" or no, it doesn't matter. The bank account and the insurance policy have trumped any legal document.
If this isn’t a “death panel” I don’t know what is.

Even Glenn Beck agrees with Palin’s ‘death panel’ claim: ‘I believe it to be true.’
Then you move past the fringe. Grassley Endorses "Death Panel" Rumor: "You Have Every Right To Fear"
I wish this lie and outright distortion wasn't getting mainstream legitimacy, but how can this not prove to you that Beck and Palin are ignorant at worst, misleading at best.

Finishing on health care, this is what Chris Matthews said the other night on Hardball to a guest. I don't always agree with him, but I feel this point sums up my feelings.

"Here's my problem with you guys. The conservatives talk reasonably when the Democrats get in power and say 'well, we've got an alternative that's more free-market, it's less onerous, it's less big-shot, big-government stuff...' but when you guys are in power, you don't do anything on health care. And that's what happens, and that's why for, god, almost a century of foot-dragging on this, the Democrats get in power, whether it's Truman or it's Bill Clinton, or it's Hillary Clinton, or it's Barack Obama, they try something and it fails, because you guys are good at playing negative politics. You're really good at destroying Democrats plans, chances for reform..."

Well said I think.

blown off...still nothing to say

Clunkers

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I had thought about going home to the Valley with my brother this weekend to help him on his car buying task, but I decided to stay in town for multiple reasons, the least of which being that my own car still needed work. I had thought that all the tire drama was behind me, but the used tire I had purchased ended up being a dud with an unrepairable hole. I guess you get what you pay for right. I ended up ordering a new tire (different brand name to save me a hundred bucks) and it came in on Saturday. I took my car in Saturday morning and got the tire mounted and finally had that trouble taken care of once and for all. (crossing fingers again.)

After my morning in a repair shop waiting room, I went to get a much deserved car wash. Nothing like a haircut and car wash to make you feel like a new man. The weekend was quiet, but went well. A lot of thoughts to process and sort out, though for the most part I just ignored them. A friend of mine told me that a quiet weekend was probably a very good thing. I think I agree. I also got some great news which really made my weekend.

I have been wanting to get my father a car for the last few years, but have found myself unable to for various reasons. It was unreasonable and unsafe for him to be driving that old van he has. I've failed different times I've tried and know a part of that failure has been my priorities or at the least my willingness to do more. This time Abram and I came up with a plan to trade in my Dad's '92 van under the Cash for Clunker's program and buy him a new car. If you only knew how much we have talked about this. Abram went down to the Valley on Friday to make it happen. To our dismay, the Plan A we laid out failed and even our backup Plan B failed soon after. Filled with the groom of failure, Abram and my Dad went to have a steak lunch to raise their spirits. During that time, instead of conceding defeat, we came up with another last chance Plan C and they went back to the dealership to make it work. In the end, my father ended up with a new, well priced, economical car that will serve him well. My brother and I had just bought my dad a new car. The old van will now be destroyed and the proceeds were used to lower the cost of his new car. I am glad to see it go. Of course the true test will be making the payments each month, but that we will be happy to do. Below is my dad's new car. My sister Ana and her kids were in town for the weekend. They had a great time on their vacation at the Cowboy's training camp and the water park. They came over on Sunday and we got to visit. It was Andrew's first time visiting since we had been in Austin. Too bad they have to go back to school so soon.

This weekend was UFC 101. The fights were pretty good, but nothing too impressive. Maybe my expectations were just too high for this one. The main fight ended too quickly. Abram brought home a dryer from my mom's house. Now we just need a washer and we will have our laundry services up and running again. Buying a washer on craigslist isn't very easy since most people seem to be selling them in pairs. Luckily, I sent my laundry to the valley to get done with Abram, so I can still take my time to find the right purchase.

The quote preceding my entry above I picked because it reminded me of a good friend of mine. A friend that I was recently told that I speak about with too much admiration at times. Sometimes you run across a person that you can think out loud with, bat ideas around with and compare your worldview against. A person willing to indulge your random thoughts and debate them to its conclusion if necessary. You feel like you learn something from conversations. In my experience, that is a rare find, though I have been lucky enough have many friends under this category over the years. I guess the quote got me thinking about those friends today and how lucky I am to have them. The quote also describes how I see my blog, which is me just thinking aloud about the trivial.

Dogs As Smart As 2-Year-Old Kids: Study
The finding in the study is based on a language development test, revealing average dogs can learn 165 words (similar to a 2-year-old child), including signals and gestures, and dogs in the top 20 percent in intelligence can learn 250 words. Imagine how differently you would see the world if you saw all dogs as little 2 year old children walking around?

The 'Nightman Cometh' to a city near you
It's almost time for a new season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which probably means more inappropriate touches from Dennis, another bad relationship for Sweet Dee and some hilarious, nonsensical rants from Charlie. This is a great show that you should watch. The 'Nightman Cometh' episode is one of my favorites. I would love to see they play they are doing, but it isn't coming near Austin.

A friend of mine shared this link on Healthcare on Facebook. http://imgur.com/5RkJK.png Here is the image below, but you should click on it or the link to be able to read it. I hate when people throw the word Socialism around. I remember being in history class in high school learning about Joseph McCarthy and thinking that arguments like the ones he used would not be able to stand in this day and age. People must have been so dumb back then I thought. How wrong was I?

My friend went on to make the point that "someone who claims the government doesn't do anything right is making a pretty strong statement. He doesn't have to quit using all gov't programs to avoid being a hypocrite. He just has to be able to propose an alternative means of accomplishing the same thing that is at least as effective and efficient." That seems like a fair compromise to me.

Bill Maher: New Rule: Smart President ≠ Smart Country gives good context for this as well I think.

disappointed for different reasons

Emotional Bonds

"The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom." - H. L. Mencken

It feels good to be healthy again. I now need to get a good jog in so that I can get back into my routine of becoming more healthy. Though this Time magazine article made me feel pretty depressed about the results you get from running. Exercise Won't Make You Thin? I'm sure it won't affect my motivation. No one else I know who has been in contact with me has gotten sick, so I'm proud of myself for not spreading the fun. I hope I'll be immune for the rest of the year.

My sister Ana is coming up to Austin this Sunday after her and her kids go the Dallas Cowboy's Training camp and visit family in San Antonio. I think they are going to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark as well. It should be a nice vacation before the kids have to go back to school. Their summer went by pretty fast I think. Family vacations are memories people keep for a very long time I think. Or maybe I did because we didn't go on a lot of them growing up. Hell, I moved to DC as an adult because it was a family vacation I remembered fondly. I had to pass up on a trip to DC next weekend because I don't have much vacation time left for the year. I have a lot of friends I would like to see from up there.

Sometimes I like the places that good conversations take you. I was talking to a friend the other day and she said something similar to, "he said one of those vague guy statements that mean everything and nothing at the same time." I responded with the fact that it reminded me of one of my favorite song lyrics from college by this band Kara's Flowers called As Things Collide. I got the mp3 from my friend Rick I think and had it on one of my Summer mix Cds I had made. I listened to is a lot. I think I even wrote an entry about it many years ago. Here is my favorite part of the lyrics with the part that she reminded me of bolded.

You have this way of dipping in and out of sight as things collide
Bridges burning softly in the night
And you have this way of falling in and out of time as it goes by
Passing silently with no goodbye
And I've spoken with all the other angels
They don't know what to do
And I agree with them whole-heartedly, I do

Telegram came today from a friend saying
Where in the hell have you been?
Where are you goin?
I said I don't know, does the loneliness show,And if so does it ever end?
And I've spoken with all the other angels
And they don't know what to do
And I agree with them whole-heartedly, I do

You have this way of meaning everything and nothing to me at the same time
Returning my hellos with goodbyes

After doing some research I found out that while they were in high school, the four original members of Maroon 5 played in a garage band called Kara's Flowers, which was active from 1994 to 2001. I did not know this was the same band and was very surprised to find this out, but I liked this song way before Maroon 5 was created. Simple things in life that make you happy.

John Hughes Dead: Director Dies Suddenly At 59
This prolific director of such culturally significant films as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Pretty in Pink died suddenly on Thursday of a heart attack while taking a morning walk during a trip to Manhattan to visit family. He helped give my favorite actor, John Cusack a start. He hasn't done anything substantial since the 90s, but man his work influenced my growing up. His movies are so ingrained in the popular culture that it's hardly worth it to exalt each one in detail. I'm sure if you use Facebook, friends will be posting their fond memories.

So I was about to get a haircut on Thursday when I got some feedback from some friends about my current style. It was somewhat negative, but put in a kind way. I have been trying to grow my hair out as long as possible. My goal was for a style similar to that of the character from Shopgirl below. It was quickly pointed out to me that one, his hair texture is different and that that style would not happen for me, and two, his head is oval and mine is round making it more of an apples and oranges type of situation. I thought it would be a cool hairstyle to have. By the way, this is also my favorite scene of the movie.

Ignoring any compliments about my hair when it was short, I did not want to give up what I have put so much time into. I decided to take my case to the hairstylist and let them help me make the decision. So I share with you my current progress. Here is my before picture: This is me and my Dos XX. It should give you a general idea of how long it has grown. So I went in for a haircut during my lunch break to a place that is somewhat expensive. I explained my situation to the stylist, and asked if there was a middle ground maybe. He told me it would still be a long time before I could do much as far as length and because of that I decided to cut it short and return to reality. Here is my after picture:

Well it is back to normal. I think I look a bit angry there though. I'm happy though.

So Congress passed the $2 billion extension of the Cash for Clunkers Program. Senate approves 'Cash for Clunkers' extension This works out great because on Saturday my brother and my father are going to buy a car. I hope it all works out and Abram gets a brand new car. This will result in my Dad also getting a car and this has been a goal I've had for a very long time. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all goes.

Ok, I finally accept that the NBC show Kings is over. A note from Kings creator, Michael Green This letter from the creator pretty much explains how there is no chance that it might get picked up by another network. The offices have been cleaned out, sets cleared and everyone has moved on. It was great while it lasted.

In more positive news, True Blood has been confirmed for a third season on HBO. I'd give you a link, but I'm sure you can trust me on this. This show is getting better every week. I'm very much enjoying it. The episode from last week is still my favorite. I like that the story has expanded from a few characters to more characters taking a much broader approach.

The following article discuses a book about the link between Sex and Music. Oxytocin is kind of famous to scientists because it’s the hormone that’s released when people have an orgasm. The evolutionary thinking behind that is that humans have among the longest periods of raising their children of any species—their children remain in the nest until they’re fairly old. Biologists argue that the purpose of the orgasm and the accompanying oxytocin is to create an emotional bond between two people so they’ll stay together. Well, it turns out there’s evidence that when people listen to music together or sing together, oxytocin is released then, too.

Over 50 Percent Of Women Are Embarrassed By Their Feet: Study
You wouldn't think this considering how many of them wear flip flops. The article states that the foot shame for example shows up at the spa. Spa employees nationwide say clients habitually apologize during treatments for their corns, Sahara-dry heels, ingrown toenails and hairy toes. This is something I would have never guessed. Women are indeed complicated.

Rachel Maddow: Big Money Pulling the Strings of Protests
I don't know what to think about these staged medical reform protests. I hate the fact that the hate and anger are manufactured by corporate interests, but it is also a testament to how open Democrats are to hear from all sides. I think one Congressman put it best when he said that he didn't care if people came to share their point of view, but when they yell and not let other speak that is what bothers him. For those people just full of hate and anger on their own, well they should go and have their viewpoints shared, but they don't have to be jerks about it and make a scene. It isn't productive, I mean do you want Code Pink breaking up each Townhall, there is still a war going on.

There has been a lot of good news this week. Thursday, Sonia Sotomayor became a Justice and our first Latina Justice of the Supreme Court. Sotomayor Confirmed To Supreme Court
She becomes the 111th justice and just the third woman to serve. I am very happy about this. Too bad she is a moderate replacing a moderate on the Court. I still can't wait for a Liberal Progressive, Left Justice to be appointed. This I will not give up hope for.

I'm very much hoping that I am wrong

How to Spend My Day

"Men don't care what's on TV. They only care what else is on TV." - Jerry Seinfeld

I feel like I'm at a crossroads, but this isn't the type where all the options are very clear. It is not an A, B or C decision. Usually this comes with a big change in your life, but in this case, everything seems normal and ordinary. Yet, for some reason I feel that the decisions I make now are going to have a big impact on the days if not years to come. Maybe I'm ascribing too much import to my present, but this is a strong feeling I have had recently. The tendency is to take the risk instead of playing it safe. The worst course of action is inaction I think. What action exactly, I'm not sure of. I'm hoping for the best.

Monday I missed work because I was home sick. I thought I had a cold, but I'm sure it is the flu (during the summer) since my body aches and I have a fever. One thing I hate to blog about is being sick. Mainly because I understand that when I'm sick it feels like the most important thing in the world, but once I'm better it just seems petty and it's something I don't enjoy reading back on. Plus, I generally don't enjoy hearing someone complain about their own sickness, so why would I want to do that to someone else. Hence I'll just keep it at a mention since it is on my mind. Or...I could talk about how I could not sleep last night because of how terrible I felt. Even your dreams are bad when you feel this way. Today is going to be the last day of this I have decided. I'm glad work isn't too busy this week.

A really cool thing I saw on the news on Tuesday was the breaking news that the Journalists were freed from North Korea. How great is Bill Clinton? The Right is already jumping on the administration and trying to paint this in a negative light, but my God, he got them out safe and sound. Clinton is the highest-level US representative to visit the country in nearly ten years. This is amazing news and I'm happy to see a new day in diplomatic relations.

Tuesday Netflix sent me Shopgirl. I think I'm going to watch it tonight with some chicken noodle soup. It came well recommended, but I have no idea what to expect. Cinema Paradiso is next on my list. Abram recommended True Romance (1993) with Christian Slater. It is on my Tivo for when I'm bored. I've decreased my tv watching substantially this summer. I think it has to do with the fall season not starting yet. True Blood is probably the only show I'm catching regularly right now.

Ever wonder how you spend your day compares to how others spend their day. Check this out:How Different Groups Spend Their Day- Interactive Graphic- NYTimes.com: (via xo, claudia) People watch a lot of tv and movies. My categories spend very little time doing housework and taking care of family. So many extra hours of the day I must have. I think I need more sleep.

One thing I enjoy learning about is reading people and how they interact. I'm pretty decent at this when it doesn't involve me in the situation. There are so many things you can pick up on from body language, eyes, to even the undertones to what a person is saying. They all give you context and convey some meaning. It is like mixing what you learn in psychology with sociology. The other day I saw this really cool interaction where a guy was paying attention to a girl who was completely indifferent to him. He would try different things to get her attention, but she cared more about texting than his company. He seemed used to it and resigned to accept his fate, but the disappointment still came through.

One thing I hate about cell phones is that long message you have to wait for to leave a voicemail. Then I ran across this article: Take Back The Beep, Part II What I took away from the article was that there are secret codes to bypass the obnoxious instruction messages. It’s [* for Verizon], [1 for Sprint] and [# for T-Mobile or AT&T]. Of course, it requires you to know in advance which carrier the person you’re calling uses, which is unrealistic. Luckily, you will probably know this for people you talk to regularly. I always use the one for Sprint, but I didn't know the other ones.

I thought about creating a B430 list since I don't have a lot of time left. I have ideas for what I want to do in my life list, but before I'm 30, I'm not too sure of. I guess it depends on what is realistic considering the time constraints. I've done a lot of the things I have wanted to do. I have no need to go sky diving, regular diving, or bungee jumping. I do have a few ideas in mind. Maybe the fact that my list isn't very long is a good thing.

An Ohio judge has convicted a minor league pitcher of injuring a fan when he threw a baseball during an on-field melee in Dayton last year. Julio Castillo, Cubs Minor Leaguer, Found Guilty Of Injuring Fan I was talking to a friend the other day about this incident and was wondering how it would turn out. There seemed to be a distinction between how the ball was thrown.

While perusing the web I ran into this advice. Much easier to say than to follow, but I enjoyed the description. I feel like I know a lot of people in this situation or who have been in it at some point in their lives. I'm sure some people reading this could identify. "But one thing led to another, and in some ways, this time I was the one acting out. It was less self-sabotage and more brimming resentment. After all he’d put me through, why I had I blinded myself to the past and let him convince me to come back? Did I really think things would be so dramatically different? Why in the hell did I break up with a great new guy to get back together with my ex? I started being awful. He did, too. It became rapidly clear that no matter how much love we had for one other, the fact was we were simply not compatible. And that’s the root of why we broke up in the first place." (via The Frisky)

A report found that Middle-Income Family Spends $221,000 To Raise Baby. Families with more income spend more money on child-related costs, the report said. A two-parent family that earns less than $57,000 annually will spend about $160,000 on a child from birth through high school. Those with an income between $57,000 and $99,000 spend about $221,000 and those with higher incomes are expected to spend roughly $367,000 through age 17. Moral of the story, children are expensive and this doesn't even include college. I'm told they are worth it though.

My brainstorming has been going well. It gives me something to do while I'm in bed getting better. I've always wanted to be the person with the unfinished novel in my desk. If only I could learn to write thoughtfully and correctly again. My editor is going to have their job cut out for them. My outline is going well, but I don't feel like I have that right idea yet. I take the time each week to write a blog entry, so finding the time isn't a good excuse. Maybe I just need a person to validate my ideas, give me confidence to flesh them out instead of feeling like I'm wasting time pouring out trite cliches on the page. Having a person who believes in you really does make a big difference.

glad it led me to you

Autumn isn't coming soon enough

Summer: “One day I woke up and I just knew.”
Tom: “Knew what?”
Summer: “What I was never sure of with you.”
- 500 Days of Summer

I'm a big fan of the eventful weekend as opposed to the quiet restful one. I've had more of the former as of late. The theme of the weekend was celebrating with Christina and Adriana during their last days in Austin. Too bad Caro and Oscar were out of town. I'm glad there are always so many things to do in Austin.

Friday, after work, I came home and passed out because I was still tired from the piano bar the night before. Once I woke up, the I met up with the girls and their friend John downtown. The night was a bit slow and my conversation skills were not at their best, but my Dos Equis were very refreshing. I'm not a fan of bars with very loud music. I can't hold a conversation like that and people still try to communicate so it's not like you are there to just drink and listen to the blasting music.

Saturday morning I made a trip to north Austin to buy a used tire for my car in that never ending saga. It is a bit different from what I have, but the size seems to be right. The price was definitely right so I'm not worried about being scammed. I still need to take it to have it mounted and replace my ticking time bomb of a tire. On my way down to Buda, I stopped by Red Lobster to have lunch. That is one of my favorite places to eat. Abram spent the day on an 8 mile hike with his dog Brooks. After his hike, we went to see the movie (500) Days of Summer. This I will talk about in a bit. It was my first time to the Barton Creek theater, even though I've been to that mall many many times.

Sunday was Happy Friendship Day! Yeah, I didn't know that either, but I hope all my friends had a good one. I woke up early, but sick. I didn't drink on Saturday at all, but I had a sore throat nevertheless. I spent the day watching movies at home while I recuperated, including Fierce Creatures, Tron, and He is just not that into you. The last movie had a quote that reminded me of one from 500 days: Anna: "I can't do any of this. I mean what you are saying and what you are offering is what what every girl wants, it is what I always wanted, it is just...." Jarrad: "That you don't want it with me." (silence)

I understand why the movie got bad reviews. I hated the ending. The unmarried couple should of stayed unmarried and happy and the friends should have stayed friends and not been the exception. It just detracted from the point of the movie. I liked the part where the guy said, "I like you the way I like a basset hound." and the line, "I'd rather be like that, than be like you." And don't forget:
Neil: Or... There's a possibility that I mean it when I say I don't believe in marriage.

Beth: Bullshit! Bullshit! Come on! Bullshit for every women that has been told by some man that he doesn't believe in marriage, and then 6 months later he's married to some 24 year old that he met at the gym. That's just... It's bullshit!

Here are my articles of interest I ran into on Friday:

Scientists Discover Why We Never Forget How to ride a Bike These results are very important for people interested in how the brain processes information and produces and stores memories. I guess you really do not forget. It make me think of other things people compare to riding a bike. Biking had been on my mind.

Marijuana’s Impact On Brain Function Minimal, New Study Says “Minimal evidence of major effects of cannabis on brain structure has been reported,” the study found, noting that marijuana users and those of the control group perform similarly on cognitive tasks. It didn't discuss how it saps your motivation though. Can't kill you, doesn't impair brain function, but illegal.

As I had mentioned, this weekend I saw (500) Days of Summer. For those of you that have not seen it yet, you should. It isn't available everywhere, but I'm sure it will be soon considering the reviews it is getting. I don't mean to get into spoilers, but you should probably stop reading now just in case.
I liked the movie a lot. The movie is a simple one. Boy meets girl, Boy falls in love, Girl doesn't. I think the Narrator puts it best as: Voice-over: This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Tom Hansen, grew up believing that he’d never truly be happy until the day he met the one. The girl, Summer Finn, did not share this belief. You should know up front this is not a love story.

This independent original romantic comedy is clever, intelligent and understands that we mark our lives by our scrapes with love and not by the happy endings. It's a story you've seen or heard a million times, but it is told in such an inventive and relatable way that it almost feels like the first time. I thought the movie was able to capture the elation and anxiety of new love, along with the terror. The profound sense that you have never felt more alive and the occasional wish that you could die on the spot. I feel like the experience was good for Tom and one that people need. I especially liked the ending scene on bench.

My favorite scene though is the split screen "expectations" versus "reality" scene at the party. The way this was done was amazing. This was the climax of the movie. I liked the camera work and the chronology in which the story was told. I liked how the movie wasn't about the ending, but about what happened in between.

In his review, Roger Ebert said, "One thing men love is to instruct women. If a woman wants to enchant a man, she is wise to play his pupil. Men fall for this." I liked this comment. Everyone wants to think that they are special and unique and bring something to the table that no one else does. The main character really thought he was different, he was the one that was going to bring down her wall, but he wasn't the one even though may have gotten farther than most. I think the whole idea of wanting to bring down someone's wall is what keeps you from doing it. It is the person who isn't preoccupied with that that always seems to find themselves behind it.

I've collected a list of my favorite quotes from the movie as I often do. Enjoy:

Author's Note: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Especially you Jenny Beckman.

Narrator: This is a boy meets girl story. It is not a love story.

Tom: It's official. I'm in love with Summer.

Tom: What happens when you fall in love?
Summer: You believe in that?
Tom: It's love, it's not Santa Claus.

Rachel Hansen: Just some guy she met at the gym with Brad Pitt's face and Jesus' abs.

Rachel Hansen: Just because she's likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn't mean she's your soul mate.

Rachel Hansen: Tom, I know you think she was the one, but I don't. I think you should look back, and not just at the good stuff.

Tom: What happened, why didn’t they work out?
Summer: What always happens? Life.

Summer: Ok. I, like being on my own. I think relationships are messy and people’s feelings get hurt. Who needs it? We’re young, we live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world; might as well have fun while we can and, save the serious stuff for later.
McKenzie: You’re a dude. [to Tom] She’s a dude!

Tom: [drunk to the redhead] Fine, go...you look nothing like Summer anyway.

Tom: I need to know that in the morning your not going to wake up and change how you feel.
Summer: Nobody can promise you that.

Summer: “One day I woke up and I just knew.”
Tom: “Knew what?”
Summer: “What I was never sure of with you.”

That is all I have to say about that. Great movie, you should see it. I think I'm getting closer to writing the story I want to write, I just don't know how the story ends. I'm starting to get more and more inspiration to start. I just hate to write something so unoriginal. Maybe I just need to get started.

I've started taking steps in furtherance of my big goal. The odds are stacked against me, but for some reason I have this unrealistic faith that everything is going to work out. Now I have to be patient. Soon I'll be estatic about my change in circumstances. Wish me luck. I really do have nothing to lose.

gone for the weekend