There is no such thing as Chaos

New Year's Resolutions for 2012

2012-01-12T21:51:00.000-08:00

In reading my New Year's Resolutions from 2011, I see a couple of worthy substitutes so I think I can call it a success.

Here is a summary of how I did...

1) Travel to a place I've never been before - I did travel to Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Isla Mujeres and I did some AMAZING diving and attending an INCREDIBLE wedding, but I told myself I wasn't going to count that since I'd been all over Mexico before (Mexico D.F., Oaxaca, Taxco, Acapulco, Puebla, Tijuana, Punta Cabra, Rosarito...) The place that I'm counting ended up being a substitute for my surf trip to Nicaragua and when you hear about it, you might not recognize it and when I tell you where it is you might think I'm crazy to count it, but I'm substituting Burning Man as a success to this resolution. Burning Man is an outdoor art and music festival in the middle of an evaporated lake bed in Nevada and if you've ever seen pictures of this place, you might agree that it could almost be considered a different planet!

2) Learn to sail - I got my certification with the ASA on some beautiful days in the harbor of San Diego with views of the skyline. Enough said :)

3) Upgrade my music participation - This is another resolution where I am allowing a substitution that I think is very worthy. This year, I started shooting video with a GoPro and Flip Style Camera. I learned to edit the video using iMovie and instantly became an addict. I've since moved on to start using a 5D Mark II and have entered a couple of contests with come great submissions/ projects. I'm also using Adobe Premiere Pro for editing now and have become acceptably proficient with it's interface.

4) Re-organize my place - I was on year 2 of owning my place and I wanted to get it straightened out and moved in. I added a lot of furniture (coffee table, chair, dining table, bar stools, patio furniture), organized my office to be usable, made my guest bedroom livable and then not livable and then livable again ;) and finally got my garage in order to where I can work on stuff and get to stuff without jumping around. Oh and I can park 2 cars in it if I ever needed to.

5) Get to my optimal weight- It was quite the fight but I'd say I managed to get to it and then add it back on like the cyclic phenomena that it is. The chase to lose weight had me stop cross training as much and I did more boxing.

So that leads me to 2012. What goals can I set for myself, both attainable and worthy? I feel patterns starting to form and I can't say I'm mad about that :)

So I'll start with:

1) Travel to a place I've never been before- I'm thinking that this might be fulfilled with a dive trip, perhaps somewhere in Asia.

2) Learn to produce music- I've been wanting to get Ableton going forEVER and it is part of a substituted resolution from last year. I want to get the templates from ill Gates and start using them.

3) Stay in shape- After chasing my weight and seeing where I can get and what it does, I'm changing my philosophy to not go SOOO much for a number but rather cross train and get my muscles and cardiovascular system in balance with my flexibility and balance.

4) Refinance my place- If you've seen the rates lately, you'll know that they are lower than the previously proclaimed lowest ever! I want to take advantage of this while I can.

5) Learn something new- a jack of all trades and a master of none, this learning addict needs more INPUT!

THAT'S ALL FOLKS! Hoping for Epicrocity this year because it might be our last ;)

The Cartman Project - Eating Right Strikes Back

2011-02-22T21:48:00.000-08:00

If you read my previous post, you know that I gained a hefty 11 lbs while on a business trip to Chicago, aka The Cartman Project. I took before and after pictures to show the results of the project and they were astounding to say the least!

In The Sequel, a gathering of rebels retreated to the Planet of Hoth in order to defeat the evil forces of Pot Belly. In case you missed it, here is what the evil protruding Belly looked like:

With Eating Right Microwaveable meals frozen by the frozen tundra as their weapon of choice along with peanut butter toast, they combated their igloo-shaped foe with great success.

The rebel meals were lean and out-numbered as compared to their higher calorie foes, but they were resilient, packed with flavor and healthy choices such as Sesame Chicken and Zesty Orange Glazed Chicken.

During the evenings, they used almond milk and rice krispies to curb the enthusiasm of the temptation of food cravings by Pot Belly. Though grumblings rumbled like mini earthquakes as a result of the high metabolism as set forth by the original Cartman Project caloric intake, discipline would prevail as the forces of Pot Belly shrank in size.

On the weekend, the Rebels agreed to a truce as they fell off the wagon and celebrated with delicious California Burritos and alcoholic beverages; a detriment to the attaining of the goal, but a necessary evil.

In the End, the goal of 10 lbs in 2 weeks, while not completely met, was upheld to an agreeable destination as the once 158 lb Cartman had now become a respectable 149 lbs.

So, if you're looking to achieve a goal of losing weight, a time-proven method is to reduce caloric intake by use of portions provided by Eating Right Meals found at Vons or Safeway if you're in Denver. They cost $2 each and when microwaved for 4 min 50 seconds, they are pleasing to even the most finicky of carnivorous fattening food eaters. When accompanied by wheat bread with Peanut butter, the fat content of each meal remains very low and you can find yourself full enough to make it through the day.

I find that working out really hard to the point of exhaustion for 1.5 hours 4 times a week with water/sweat loss of 1.5 to 2 lbs, suppresses my nighttime hunger to a point where I can have a bowl of cereal and survive the evening.

I'm sure there will be a Cartman Project Part 3 as I prepare for another 2 weeks without true exercise (I'll be snowboarding and swing dancing at a wedding, but that doesn't count ;) and excess eating (Buffalo Burgers, Queso Dip, Cheese Steaks, Filipino Food) but since the third episode is never as good as the first 2, I think I'll pass on the blog :p

Until next time, this is Cartman signing off.

The Cartman Project

2011-02-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Denver, one of my buddies told me a story about a his brother and a bunch of his friends in College that purposefully over-fed one of their friends to see how big he could get. They dubbed it The Cartman Project... They'd secretly put pizza in front of him when he was passed out and continually offered him food and snacks that he couldn't turned down.

Every time I go to Chicago, I feel like I'm my own Cartman Project because I eat and eat the most delicious fattening foods. I eat meals that I can't turn down because of the deliciousness factor being too high and have that extra piece because I know it's food I can't get in San Diego... I also don't have access to any sort of gym or workout schedule or a desire to exercise. As such, I return bloated with a round pot belly... like Cartman!

For a while, I've known that I was going to be in Chicago for a business trip for 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS! In the month of January, that means it's freezing cold. What better way in the Midwest to stay warm and unmotivated than to eat a bunch of delicious fattening food!

With this knowledge, I took it upon myself to prepare by getting down to my optimal weight prior to the trip. I was already playing catch-up from the Holidays where I gained 6 lbs. With hard work, vinyl suits and the determination that it would take to make the weight to wrestle Shute, I made it to 147 lbs.

Knowing that The Cartman Project would return epic proportions in roundness, I made sure to take a picture so that I would see the magic inflation happen! I call this my reverse before and after effect picture since most of the time you see a person before they lose weight. You can see one of these in my previous blogs.

I started to log my food intake, but have not finished it. I hope to continue the log and have confidence that it will be accurate, since I have to expense all of the food I ate :) Let's just say for now that it will feature multiple ribeye steaks, Chicago Style Hot Dogs, Italian Beef Sandwiches, Chicago Style Pizzas, Steak and Shake Burgers, Breakfast Sandwiches, Cupcakes...

The yield was 11 lbs and a belly that would make Winnie the Pooh Bear proud. All of the fat tends to go to my belly with the rest of my body staying proportionate. So imagine if you will, 11 lbs all in the belly (some in the booty as well... J-LO! ;o)

I must say that it was a VERY delicious 2 weeks, but with no further adieu, I present you the Script for
The Cartman Project

Script (said in excitable commercial voice):

Are you working out too much?
Feeling in shape, healthy??
Too many activities keeping you occupied???

Well, we have the solution for you!

THE CARTMAN PROJECT - Chicago Style!

Put on 10 lbs in 2 WEEKS

We can guarantee that you will eat like you have never before!
Deep Dish Pizza, Italian Beef Sandwiches, Deep Dish Pizza, Hot Dogs, Deep Dish Pizza...
Workout? NO WAY
It will be freezing outside, sucking the desire to leave your room.
Activities?? *Only if you want to catch a cold or die from pneumonia.

Listen to this testimonial!

Script (actual customer in an I'm not an actor monotone style):

"I did the Cartman Project and gained 11 lbs in just 2 WEEKS!"

Check out these photos of me before and after I went to Chicago for his treatment!

147 lbs... 01/20/11

158 lbs... 02/07/11

AMAZING!

Just look at that round pot belly. Chicago is known for their delicious Pot Belly Sandwiches and now you know why!

So sign up and give it a try and GAIN WEIGHT FAST!

The Cartman Project - Chicago Style!

*Possibility of a Blizzard is 100%

Chicago Trip Food Log

2011-01-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

As promised, I'm logging the insane fattening amount of food that I'm eating while on this trip. WARNING: Your cholesterol level might raise just by reading this ;)

1.21.11 When I first arrived to temperatures in the single digits, my brother suggested we get Lou Malnati's Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza (my favorite of them all) so I obliged with hopes to initiate the type of body insulation that I believed I'd need to weather this type of cold. Umm yeah, pretty much hit it right on... deliciousness unmatched in the Pizza World.

1.22.11 Fo r my second meal, I opted for a 9" Lucia's Meatball Sandwich in Bucktown. I get this sandwich every time I can with hot peppers and mozzarella to die for. It's a small deli with real Italians in the back making the sandwiches. Yum!

Dinner was at a place that has become a BBQ hot spot in Bucktown: Lillie's Q. People wait for hours to get this food and anything with that type of desire has me curious. I've eaten at the BEST spots in the US (Kansas City, Tennessee, North Carolina) so I'm pretty picky about BBQ. As it turns out, I was most impressed by the beer they had there. Local Beers were outstanding! Along with the beer, I had a 3 meat combination of Tri Tip, Ribs and Pulled Pork.

01.23.11 Playoffs! You know what that means, chips and dips and comfort food. If you haven't had Buffalo Chicken Dip, you either have to learn to make it or hope that someone makes it for you because it is phenomenal. Spinach Artichoke Dip and Guacamole Dip were also present and I made sure and overindulged. The Main Event featured Portillo's Beef Sandwiches which are my FAVORITE! Not going to count this towards meeting my quota since they weren't from there, but I ate 2 :)

At my hotel, I can't brag or boast about anything good because after all, it is room service, but to add to the fat theme: hot wings and chicken vegetable soup.

New Year's Resolutions for 2011

2011-01-10T22:10:00.001-08:00

Well, it seems like my laziness and the fact that I tweet and update my facebook status has made my blog my new year's resolutions place keeper :p O H W E L L!

So, last year, my success rate wasn't too good :/ It was the best year of my life, but I failed at 2 out of 5 resolutions :(

Here is my summary:

1) Compete in at least 1 Triathlon - 2 times I have failed at this. It's really hard to overcome knee pain when running. I've continued training and my swimming has made leaps and bounds, but I just can't seem to run without pain. The weather was also not very good this Summer, but that's no excuse. EPIC FAIL!

2) Dive or Surf in Warm Water - I took my first big surf trip and my first big dive trip last year. That should count as 2 right?! Anyway, awesome trip to Costa Rica to visit my buddy Justin and phenomenal trip to Bonaire with my bro Chuck. World Class surfing and diving was had...

3) Take a Snowboarding Trip to a major resort that I've never been to - This wasn't a full success, but I achieved the motivation that I wanted and had 2 super sick snowboarding trips to Mammoth. I had been there, but it had been well over 6 years and I had some major powder days so I'm counting this. Big ups to my bro Rob who has the sickest place I have ever seen and B Dub, Kevin and IBK

4) Volunteer - I did volunteer, but as a photographer at a music event. While this was an AMAZING EXPERIENCE, it wasn't going towards a good cause unless a good cause is having Skinny from Nappy Roots use your photo as his facebook profile pic ;)

5) Learn to use my Canon EOS 500D to create Art - this goal was met with the attack of a paparazzi trying to get a shot of Tiger Woods' mistresses. Not only did I learn, I upgraded to a 50D! I have 3 pics hanging on my walls with more to come and a website also.

So what about this year?

What goals can I make to create a perfect sequel to the best year in my life?

1) Travel to a place I've never been before - After my successes last year, I have to say I'm addicted. I must admit that this has success built in since my boy Josh and Melissa are getting married in Isla Mujeres and I'm booked to dive in Cozumel with Joel, but the trick is that I'm not counting this trip. So, the ball is in my court to set up a trip. Tentatively, I'm planning on Nicaragua for another adventure with Justin! Another possibility would be a trip to the Phillipines to visit my old dive buddy Corey.

2) Learn to sail - I live in San Diego, but some of the most beautiful harbors in the country. I'm an addict of learning so I thought I'd add something to learn that I've never done; an accomplishment and bucket listable feat.

3) Upgrade my music participation - Last year was my best year ever for concert-going. I made a scrap book with ticket stubs to recap the epicrocity (Yes I made that word up and please feel free to use it :) However, I did not do anything musically myself. I have DJ equipment, Guitars, Amps and I know how to use them, but not well enough. To make a measurable goal, I'm going to make a goal of 2 musical tracks of some sort recorded. I'm currently learning Ableton and Garage Band which is a precursor to pro-tools. I'd also like to see more indie music than mainstream...

4) Re-organize my place - I must admit, I've already dove into this like a dolphin into a tasty wave, but it's been fun, rewarding and I have to document it's accomplishment. I finally got patio furniture to create an outside area. I brought up my coffee table and put some wheels on it with the help of my Dad. I built a table from a scrap piece of a broken coffee table that I had and it has wheels on it too ;) I reorganized all of my closets and cleaned up my office so that it is once again usable space. I turned my guest bedroom into a convertible guitar room and photo studio and finally, I've reorganized my garage by creating a workbench space, having my bud Rob install outlets and put my snowboards on racks. All of the garage reorganizing gave me the ability to park 2 cars! Oh I also had Rob fix my guest shower which was on my to do list almost all year!

5) Get to my optimal weight - I'm not going to list it, but I know what I'm up against. These holidays were typical and I'm getting older so it's not as easy to lose any fat I put on. After the holidays, I've been working out like a mad man and my progress has been SLOW to my standards. Doesn't help that I continue to eat like a college student (Pizza, burgers, wings, cheesesteaks, etc.) With a bigger snowboarding season planned, that means a lot of days where I'm eating chili and burgers and not working out. (Snowboarding doesn't burn that many calories compared to how I work out, even if they are blacks ;) I have a 2 week work trip to the mecca of delicious weight gain AKA Chicago coming this month too. I'm seemingly doomed, so this will be a good goal to keep.

Well, there they are. I've changed my mind about becoming a dive master as a goal. It seems I'll be a busy man, so there might not be guarantees that I'll have the time. I got my rescue diver cert this fall, so I'll shoot for next fall...

Let's do this!

New Year's Resolutions for 2010

2010-01-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's the time of the year to reflect and project, setting goals for the year to come and acknowledging failures from the year that past.

I'll start with the failure that I projected to complete:

1) To do a triathlon - I ran into some knee pain last year that started out as a diagnosed ACL tear and ended up being arthritis (Not sure how that can happen, but after an MRI and some X-rays, so it was) I will try this as a goal again this year.

That's it! 1 out of 5 failures...

The goals that I completed:

1) Save a stated amount of money each month - I exceeded my monetary goal/budget and was able to put it towards a townhome last year.

2) Lose the 5 lbs I gained over the Holidays - This is normally a goal I have every year, but this year, I have worked myself into excellent shape to start the year! See previous blog

3) Scuba Dive at least 20 times - I was able to complete over 20 dives this year (just barely) including dives to over 110 ft. deep, taking my first underwater photos and catching my first lobster.

4) Go Sky Diving - My buddy Cuong and a group of friends jumped out of a plane for the first time for Cuong's Birthday. Let's just say it was Mind Blowing! My favorite New Year's Resolution EVER. The mixture of fear and excitement felt that day is not attainable but by jumping from a plane.

That was it. Resolutions for 2009, the last of the Decade! Chapter closed, decade complete, the rise against the challenge.

As I look upon the year to come, I am excited to bring about goals old and new, expected and far-reaching. I like 5 as a number that is attainable and challenging so here it goes:

1) Compete in at least 1 Triathlon - This was my only failure last year, nuff said!

2) Dive or Surf in Warm Water - I want to explore new horizons, surfing world class breaks or diving without a 7mm wetsuit in 100 ft. visibility.

3) Take a Snowboarding Trip to a major resort that I've never been to - Last year's snowboarding season was a disaster. The trade-off is that I went back to school to get a programming certification (one class left) As such, I went snowboarding twice and only in Southern California to the bunny hill we call Snow Summit (Not that bad really, but...) I have preliminary plans to check out the Gnar in Utah with my friend Katie. I've never been to Utah and have heard only good things so I'll hope for some pow and good conditions.

4) Volunteer - If you've ever volunteered, you know how good of a feeling it can be. It's been a while and I'm ready to do some good for either or environment or humanity. If you're reading this and have ideas, let me know.

5) Learn to use my Canon EOS 500D to create Art - I bought this camera and I cannot let it collect dust. What better motivation than to make it a New Year's Resolution... My goal is to practice and practice until I take pictures that are good enough to put on my walls.

That's it! Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind... Hopefully when I write this next year, I'll have achieved 5 out of 5...

Thanksgiving Feast and the Droid Camera Upgrade :)

2009-12-24T09:22:00.000-08:00

ToKen before and after picture:

I'm sharing this picture for 2 reasons.

1) I've always wanted to take a before and after the Thanksgiving aftermath picture.

2) It actually did a great job of showing what the firmware upgrade in Android did to improve the quality of the camera!

Story 1:

For this Thanksgiving I went to Chicago to hang with my family and my new niece. If you haven't been to the Windy City or checked out the MyFood Page of my website, you need to know that this place can EAT! Go to Portillo's or Buona for an Italian Beef, Lou Malnati's or Giordano's for a Deep Dish, Underdog or Wrigley for a Chicago Style Hot Dog and you will know what I'm talkin' about and get the gut to go wit it.

Evidently, on top of an amazing Thanksgiving Feast, I visited all my Chi-town favs and didn't workout for 2 weeks other than going up and down the stairs with the silence of a Ninja at my brother's place (another story for another time). The result of this feeding extravaganza is not only the joy of using the word extravaganza, but the picture on the left! 6 lbs. of pure insulation for the cold weather and for hiding underneath a coat and scarf.

Story 2:

Is that of the Motorola Droid Camera and a former honors literature student that always wanted to break the rules and not use a subject and predicate. The built in digicamera is rated at 5 mega pixels, but when it came out of the box, it shot worse than my Kodak Disc Camera on it's last legs (see picture on left). There was a firmware upgrade of late that seems to have remedied some of the problems with the camera and that is evident with the picture on the right and the deeper darker colors with better contrast and focus. The pictures were condensed for the blog so don't judge K2D2 for it's sub par sharpness :p

Conclusion:

The before and after picture is something that has been around since Abs of Steel commercials and the Hydroxycut ads in the newspaper. As such, it has built a sort of fascination in our era with weight loss with shows like the biggest loser gaining popularity.

My recent trip to Chicago afforded me the opportunity to do this first hand.

The picture on the right shows, is the result of kicking myself in the ass by the occasional surf mixed in with Muay Thai Kickboxing, Regular Boxing, some MMA, Cycling, Running and Swimming. Those on Facebook are groaning from flashbacks of status updates if they're reading. I still eat like Jared used to before Subway, but the results have been favorable and a lot faster than years past.

It's inevitable that I gain lots of weight and fat for the Holidays and usually my New Year's resolution is to lose the 10 lbs that I've put on. This happens EVERY YEAR and this year I actually took the effort to snap a photo before and after; something I've always wanted to do.

Droid Haiku submitted to ThinkGeek

2009-12-23T07:55:00.001-08:00

My Droid is alive
Disassemble Johnny Five?
Mmmm, need more input.

Nerdy Programming Song I Wrote

2009-12-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Song Rudolph= new Song();

public string[] youKnow= {Dasher,Dancer,Prancer,Vixen,Comet,Cupid,Donner,Blitzen};

if (Recall(reindeer.famous.max();))
{
Rudolph.sing();
}

It's not real code, so don't error check me :)-

Happy Holidays!

Haiku about recent blog

2009-12-22T08:29:00.001-08:00

So inspired I was,
That I published a new blog
And wrote a Haiku.

Friend Technology

2009-12-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

I had a friend say that they hadn't read their email since the first of the month (It's almost eom) and their husband hadn't read their email in a month!

They closed by saying, "Doesn't anyone text any more?"

To answer your question about texts: Texts are limited in their capacity and the speed with which one can type on a small keyboard or using T9 Word. It is unacceptable for the amount of information that is conveyed in a email thread. You can only pick 10 contacts from your long list of contacts that don't have pictures to assist you in chosing.

We are in serious need of a centralized communication means past the 20th century folks!

Some examples of communication that exceed texting and email:

Twitter: If we really wanted, we could all get twitter accounts and follow each other. Then, when we tweet, all on the list would know. You can tweet from your computer so typing speed isn't a problem and you can make it private so privacy wouldn't be an issue.

Problem: you don't ALWAYS want to include the information to everyone that follows your tweet. It is still limited to texting and tweeting length limitations.

Vote: No

GoogleWave: the amazing centralized colaberation tool of the future. Real time updating, voting, playback, threading... I sent a bunch of invites to friends, which were exclusive and limited might I add, and only one of you accepted :( Weak sauce!

Problem: Another place to check information, somewhat of a learning curve, lack of participation (It's in alpha) lack of invites, I have more if anyone didn't get an invite and wants one.

Vote: IWISH

Facebook: a very easy way to keep communication with friends and family via multiple venues. I can send messages to multiple people easily, create event invitations, keep up with people's statuses as they seem appropriate. You can provide interesting bits of information, pictures, video and insight/ blogging to your friends.

Vote: YES!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you start to let the information revolution pass you by you are going to seriously get behind, outdated and like the poodle skirt in your parent's closet, or the silver tipped patent leather shoes, well, you get the picture.

I'm going to continue to prod my friends as I would my parents to keep up with the times so that I can communicate with them in the most lazy, efficient way possible until I just can't take it and I have to put them in an Old Friend's Home. I'm totally kidding of course.

We are Gen X and in a generation gap that lowering the bridge and if we don't cross that bridge we will become yesterday's news.

It's a new Decade and there will be a new Decade of Hits.

Excitement about the Droid Phone Escalates!

2009-10-30T06:00:00.001-07:00

Ipod DJ?!?

2009-05-06T12:24:00.001-07:00

Now I've seen it all. The DJ world will never be the same.

You can't possibly respect a DJ as you did in the old days when you can actually DJ with a walkman these days and match beats perfectly...

Back in the days, you had to search for vinyl for hours on end, digging, carrying and listening to crap. When you DJ'd a show, you had to lug a bunch of heavy records around in a bag and you actually had to beat match!

Nowadays, I can steal 1000's of songs with a computer or flash drive or download them for 99 cents (records costed 8 to 12 dollars) and carry them all on a flash drive or a couple of DVD's!

So, when people tell me that they loved a certain DJ... unless they produce their own music, I won't be impressed.

Here is a link to the product of which I speak that actually does look cool and fun.

http://www.amazon.com/Tonium-P666-Pacemaker-Pocket-Sized-System/dp/B0024FAU7M/ref=pe_43860_11931830_as_txt_1/

I am a BORG!

2009-01-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, back in 1999 I actually got into the habit of forming predictions of what I thought could happen in the years to come. I think it was Y2K fever that had me believing in this type of foresight, but that is another story to be told that probably will never show up here.

I've since forgotten that habit, but in that year, I made some bold predictions that are becoming true or have already become true...

1) Osama Bin Laden would attack the United States - Paranoia will destroy ya, but the research that I was doing pointed me in that direction.

2) 7 years of pain and suffering. Perhaps a bit reaching, but by 2007 we were entering a recession.

3) We would learn to type with 3 fingers. Enter the world of texting, which didn't even exist back then.

*4) We would be borg-like! I predicted that everyone would be wearing a unit of communication in ear and over eye making us seem cyborg-like. The reason I thought of this was the increase in the use of cell phones of that time and my fascination with the borg, of course. Now, we see blue tooth becoming not only more popular, but actually necessary to bypass cell phone laws in cars. They also have glasses that you can wear that show you a tv screen. It's coming my friends and I LOVE IT!

What I'm leading up to is something I just encountered that I believe I will have to get! It's a wrist band battery pack that give you juice for your phone! Not only can you wear your bluetooth earpiece, you can recharge that earpiece or your phone with this battery pack while watching movies from your phone through your glasses!

Check it out and tell me what you think...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/19/wrist-band-portable-battery-charges-your-phone-electrifies-your/

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

So, my last year's resolution of blogging more often didn't get realized, but I was successful at other resolutions like saving a stated amount of money each month and losing the weight I gained over the Holidays. Wait, does it mean that I am getting boring when I am setting the same goals again?

1) Save a stated amount of money each month
2) Lose the 5 lbs I gained over the Holidays

Well, I guess these are the kind of boring goals that should probably be set each year. But I also want to set some more unique goals:

3) Do a triathlon - I actually set this goal in my mind before I started having knee pain... there is still part of me that knows I'll continue training for it because I'm addicted to swimming and biking, but running right now is painful and I don't want knee pain to hinder my snowboarding season.

4) Scuba Dive at least 20 times - this seems like it could be a high number but I am in love with scuba diving. I want to take a dive/surf trip this year and that should mean at least half of these. So, I guess that could be another resolution...

5) Go Sky Diving! For some reason, this thought has entered my mind as something I need to do sooner or later...

So there you have it, my New Year's Resolutions for 2009!

Are you for Scuba?

2008-08-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a long time since my last blog, but I think the pressure that I put on myself to come up with something deep or clever had caused me to be in a constant state of procrastination when it comes to blogging.

As such, I've decided that simplicity will suffice. So here it goes...

Last week I was in Hawaii for my Dad's 60th birthday. He is retiring this year from a job that he has had for 30 years so in a way it was also a retirement party!

We stayed in an amazing Condo at the Turtle Bay Resort. It cost us the price of a used car to stay there, but that's another blog!

While we were there, my Dad had a couple of things that he wanted to experience with his sons. He wanted to try to learn to surf and scuba dive. He said that it might be the only time from that point that he'd ever try these activities. I actually surf all the time in San Diego and the waves were totally crappy (summertime), but since it was a new experience for my Dad, I paddled out with him and my brother. It was great to just be out there with them and have them see what drives my life in San Diego.

Our next activity was Scuba Diving. I've always wanted to Scuba Dive and never really had the chance to do so, so I figured Hawaii would be the perfect place to learn. Most of my friends in San Diego are already certified and are going on cool dive trips all the time so I was extra-stoked. My Dad was a great sport in trying out this activity and we were rewarded with an amazing experience.

We started out with a little classroom work, learning the stripped down basics of diving. Then, we went into a hotel pool to do some skills. I must admit, it was a very strange feeling at first, to be submerged in water and able to breathe. I've snorkeled quite a bit and even dive down underwater, but this was way different. To add to the experience, we were in a pool of kids where about 85% of them had goggles. You want to talk about surreal! Imagine 15 to 20 kids constantly submerging themselves to look at you swimming on the bottom of the pool. I felt almost like they were the snorkel people looking at us Scuba diving sea creatures on the bottom. I also felt like I was shooting the cover for a Nirvana Album... wait that kid was naked, these were clothed, thank GOD!

Anyway, after demonstrating the pool skills, we took a boat out to a couple of reefs where we did 2 tank dives. After the first dive I was hooked! We went down about 40 ft and saw an amazing array of tropical fish and eels. It was so cool to have the ability to look up at schools of fish and see the ocean ceiling above us. The water was crystal clear and blue so we could see everything! Our second dive was to a place called Buddha known for the Buddha on the ocean floor. Once we got there, there were a couple of really big turtles swimming around! When we went under, we saw a couple more sleeping under some reef shelves. Our instructor took some pictures that I'll add to the blog once I get them.

Hawaii was a supah cool place and I give it 2 shakas and a Mahalo.

Talk like a Robot

2008-02-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

As we get further into the future, the possibility of human-like Robots seems to come closer and closer. If you haven't seen Honda's demonstration of a robot, I invite you to check it out. It's pretty amazing: http://asimo.honda.com/ In the demonstrations we see how the robot can think and react and walk and run, but we never hear a robot talk and respond.

In a recent movie I saw and heard a character in a movie (P.J.) give his humanistic depiction of a robot's voice: Grandma's Boy. It prompted me to talk like a robot the other night amongst friends and it reminded me of how fun this can be. It's kind of like the way you talk when you inhale helium. If any of you have ever used voice recognition with a bluetooth headset or a phone response system (I hate these!) you have heard a voice simulation of a computer reading words like names from your contacts. As an experiment, I have tried to say my friends' names back in a robotic voice and this seems to work! I don't suggest doing this in public though ;-p

Some of my favorite Robot movies are iRobot, Short Circuit and Star Wars... Think about the variance in robot voices in these moves. iRobot is very human like, Short Circuit is more like my helium depiction, Star Wars has a lot of different voices, most notably C3PO which is kind of an electro simulation that you might find in voice recognition.

So, I invite you to talk like a robot when the times are tough. I guarantee that you'll have a good laugh and you'll also be one step ahead of the others when robots are relying on voice recognition to respond. They'll probably understand you better!

Geek vs. Nerd

2008-01-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

Forever in my thoughts has lived the question, "Is there a difference between a geek and a nerd and if so, is it definable?

Spiralling into thought, I have come up with many a conclusion but never have I had the time or medium to paint the picture, so here it goes:

I guess the most important piece of American Pop Culture History which pretty much has to be a point of definition would be The Revenge of the Nerds... If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend you go see it. It is definitely a classic and it makes me proud to be a nerd.

In this move there are all types of nerds, but the recurring theme of the nerds is that they are very smart. Gilbert and his nerdy girlfriend are obviously programming fanatics, there is a teenage boy who has obviously skipped many grades, a token thick glass wearer, a token Japanese guy... etc.

The climax of the movie is where one of the nerds named Lewis says, "you might have been called a spaz, or a dork, or a geek. Any of you that have ever felt... stepped on, left out, picked on, put down, whether you think you're a nerd or not, why don't you come and join us." All the while, the director's depiction of a nerd herd comes out of the crowd to join as "We are the Champions" is played in the background.

Within this famous scene lies an answer to the question in that the nerd says that other nerds might have been called geeks. Take the adjective of one and use it with the noun of the other: a geeky nerd or a nerdy geek. Sounds feasible right?

Another of the latest icons we see in our culture today is the use of the word Geek in Geek Squad. Geek Squad is the technological support staff for Best Buy. They help setup equipment for people who are not smart enough to do it themselves! So, we have a perception that geeks tend to be highly technical.

So, what have I told you so far that is useful in this debate? Absolutely nothing. I have basically told you that they are BOTH smart, get picked on and are techies.

Perhaps we would be better suited to get a definition from a trusted dictionary source: Merriam Webster.

Nerd-an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially : one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits.

Geek-
1 : a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken or snake
2 : a person often of an intellectual bent who is disliked
3 : an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity

Ahh, now these are the thoughts that actually came to my mind before I decided to blog: the thoughts that came to my attention as I surrounded myself in waves of people for the opening Star Wars Movies, as I banged away on the keyboard in my programming classes and as I wiggled my toes in my monkey slippers, as I spent hours upon hours playing video games... My definition of a nerd has actually been very broad in that a nerd is someone who is very smart and in turn not so social. A nerd in my mind would chose to study when faced with a social choice. My definition of a geek spanned anything from someone with an interest in role play to a Star Wars freaks to a weird person like Naploean Dynamite... The reason it crosses over is because a geeky person can be smart like a nerd, but I don't think a geek necessarily has to be smart or a nerd.

A couple of final thoughts: Why is it that when you think of either of these words you think of a male? Can it be perhaps that there is a differentiation in left brain vs. right brain in these words?

All I want for Christmas...

2007-12-17T20:14:00.000-08:00

Is a Nintendo Wii...

So, this year I have found myself once again in the same company as such famed phenomena as Cabbage Patch Kids, Beanie Babies, Elmo and all of the other Ghosts of Christmas Past.

I never thought that I'd be one of those people again who is cursed by the popularity of a product and the greed of a society that sees dollar signs in place of the compassion of the consumer.

In this day and age, it's effect is multiplied even further because of E-bay and craigsList. People will actually go out and buy these products even though they don't want them so they can make a RIDICULOUS amount on them.

Nintendo Wii's have been listed as much as $500 on craigsList which is twice the list price of $249.

My stubbornness to the value of money will not allow me to pay that much for a gaming console but my surprise in finding myself feeling once again like a kid who wants something that is seemingly unattainable has led me to blog.

MeWii Cwissmass!

Am I Crazy?

2007-12-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

I've often thought about eccentricity as the highest form of happiness.

It's like the opposite of Zen. Zen is like flatlining while eccentricity is chaos.

It would seem that someone who is crazy has not a care in life, doing as they please. You'll see crazy people talking to themselves in public often laughing at what they have to say.

Crazy people will often mime things that they might actually think they are doing like groceries or writing Bernoulli's Principle on the chalkboard.

Eccentricity has not a care about society and it's judgements. It flows like water going in random cracks and holes in the brain. Eccentricity laughs in the face of it's enemies, unknowingly without care for violence.

I've often wondered what it would have been like to be Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys, Ray in Rainman or Carl in Slingblade.

I'll imitate the lines of these guys for fun and it helps me justify the fact that I'm talking about because I laugh and laugh and continue doing it repetitively until I start wondering if I am indeed crazy.

Actually, I'll admit, I am crazy at times. I work from home and I'm like an autistic code monkey with the sounds, quotes and noises I make in self amusement to break up the monotony of the day.

If I was to do this in public, I'd either have someone saying I'm crazy, or wondering if crazy people indeed have more fun.

It is what it is...

2007-11-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

So, lately I've found a new phrase that makes me wonder...

It is what it is.

Who is the genius that came up with that?

So it isn't what it isn't too then, right? So if it's a dog, it isn't a cat!? AND if it's a dog, it's a dog. It is what it is.

I just don't really get it. I guess it's a way of saying what will be will be. Wait, that kind of sucks too.

Why are we repeating ourselves to make a point?

What exactly does telling me that something is what it is tell me? Absolutely nothing!

Whenever I hear this phrase it makes me crazy! Really? It is what it is. Great, thanks for the insight... You mean there could have been a possibility that it isn't what it is and now you are reassuring me that it is what it is. Thanks!

Oh well! I think that's what I'd say.

Try not to insult the intelligence of the person you are talking to in saying it is what it is because you might as well be saying blah, blah, blah!

OSU vs. Michigan

2007-11-19T18:32:00.000-08:00

Today a sad chapter has ended as Lloyd Carr announced his retirement from coaching the Michigan Wolverines. His most recent defeat (3-14) at the hand of The Ohio State Buckeyes gave him a record of 1 - 6 vs. Jim Tressel.

To some Buckeye fans across the land it would seem to be a sad day with the recent success of the Buckeyes vs. Michigan. To others perhaps it would be a happy day almost like a forfeit, tapping out or saying uncle.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens with recruiting and see what type of coach they end up with.

In Tressel, I trust to continue with our rich tradition and excellent football teams with good recruiting and coaching and most importantly beating Michigan.

Go Buckeyes!

Google Me!

2007-10-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

So, every once in a while I'll google myself just to see what I might find...

Admit it, you google people all the time!

Anyway, I put my name in quotes in the google search bar and what should come up #1 but my blog!

I'm so happy to have beaten out all of those "other" Ken Kondo's out there that have been way more cyber-famous than me through the years including the police spokesperson Ken Kondo who reported on OJ.

I had actually found a way to rank high by creating an Amazon List of bunny slippers which I am very proud of. In case you're wondering which ones I wear, I actually opted for the Monkey variety since they are less bulky and more aerodynamic. I also have a small infatuation with monkeys since I kind of act like one.

Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Kens-Bunny-Slippers/lm/R3KXPVEQS3UWPV

So, thanks to all who read my blog and I promise to post more now. I've taken 2 months off!

On a side note, keep all of the people in San Diego in your thoughts. The fires are out of control out here.

Thanks for listening!

Ken Kondo

Mainstream Music

2007-08-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Music is a funny thing when compared with society.

On the one hand there is mainstream music that makes the masses dance like crazy, drinking heavy amounts of alcohol and yelling the lyrics out loud in massive crowds of mainstream people. Their songs are well-known and heard on the radios and television and the beat is either catchy or disturbing depending on which side of the fence you sit.

On the other hand there are those who appreciate the intricacies of the music in a more deep context, usually not dancing as much, drinking or yelling, rather listening with the admiration of someone who might be looking at a piece of art in a gallery nodding their heads in approval. Their songs are not well-known or heard on the radios and television and often times the beat is more abstract and not catchy.

I know I'm generalizing way too much, but for the sake of blogging and time, I'm just using extremes to persuade thought.

So, which is better?

I have often found myself in an internal debate asking myself this very question, "Which are you, Mainstream or Alternative?"

Do we have to be one or the other? The extremists and judgementals might say that you can only be one or the other.

To be honest, I used to make fun of those who were mainstream with thoughts of shallow waters not holding depth and those people standing in those waters without effort to tread water or swim...

As I grow older, I'm finding that the effort to tread water and swim is seemingly more and more difficult and I'm finding myself more easily listening to the radio and mainstream music and the strange thing is that it's not that bad.

This thought scares me which is why I'm blogging it.

The mainstream music that a young version of me used to make fun of can now be the essence of my night. Being with a bunch of people who are loving the music, yelling at the top of their lungs and dancing their asses off has brought me into a hybrid form of music appreciation.

Oh, down in Mexico

2007-08-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

No, I don't plan on blogging about James Taylor.

This past weekend some friends and I went on a camping/ surf trip to La Fonda, Mexico. We stayed at K58 which is a campground located at Kilometro 58. The campground is on a cliff that overlooks the ocean with amazing views and shore breaks that break better than the waves we get up in San Diego.

So, the drive down was easy as it always is. Getting out of the US and into Mexico is never a problem as they don't check your id's before crossing the border. We did, however, have to purchase Mexican Insurance which costs about $20/ day depending on where you purchase it. We went to a drive-through located just off of the last exit before Mexico and got out of there pretty quickly.

The drive is both ugly and beautiful with the beauty coming from the cliffs and the ocean and the ugliness coming from the poverty and graffiti. There are 2 toll booths that you have to go through which cost $2.40 each so prepare for about $10 worth of tolls both ways.

The drive doesn't take too long so after about an hour or so, we were on the campgrounds of K58 paying the $16.50 for the car load, setting up tents, meeting up with friends and making stiff drinks in order to enhance the experience. We had some friends there ahead of time so they already had a nice spot saved overlooking the cliffs onto the ocean.

After settling in, meeting new people and getting a good base going, we decided that is was time to honor the country we were in by doing shots of Tequila. So, we went down to the nearest local bar only to find that a shot of tequila there cost the same as it would in Pacific Beach. Whatever happened to Mexico being a cheap place to drink?! Being the economist that I am and knowing that a very good bottle of tequila cost about $30 in Mexico, I suggested that we just buy a bottle and do our own shots...

As a result, we would become full of Tequila and I would become the infamous Kenny Montana, yelling out quotes in Spanglish with a Cuban accent. "You wanna play rough?"

As the night carried on and we took beautiful sunset pictures and the kind of pictures you can only take as a result of doing shots, our hunger grew and Kenny Montana was ready for one of Baja Mexico's greatest culinary offerings: Lobster! We all ate ourselves full to the point of needing a nap that would take us into the next day.

Sleeping in a tent on a cliff on top of the ocean is an experience that I'd wish on anyone. The seafoam air and the sound of the waves on the beach will take you to a place where you can only smile in your dreams.

Because we slept so early, we were able to wake to see the dawn. The campgrounds were full of people waking from their hangovers, curious as to what might have happened and/ or reminiscing the behaviors of friends from the night before. I chose to check out the glassy conditions of the ocean and the beautiful forming waves.

After watching the people slowly making their way out, I got the urge to join them. I did so with the joy felt by someone in a distant place, doing something they love. The water was a perfect temperature with the sun providing enough heat and the water providing enough cold to manifest a balance of warming and cooling, ideal for a perfect surf in the morning.

I surfed for a couple of hours and caught just enough waves to call the day a success. I even got to swim about 10 feet from a family of dolphins, close enough to tempt me to touch one but far enough to feel safe that a protective parent wouldn't knock me off of my board.

It was now time to go home. We packed the Element and got ready to go home but not without a quick meal at the local taco stand. At $1.50 a taco you couldn't really complain, but we live in San Diego so this is nothing really special. It tastes pretty much the same, too. I must mention that I bought 2 cans of Coke for $3 again begging the question, "Am I REALLY in Mexico?"

Anyhow, we said our good bye's and braced ourselves for the challenge ahead of us. It is this challenge that ALWAYS has me breaking my previous promises of never driving to Mexico EVER AGAIN.

This time would not "disappoint"! Our actual drive to Tijuana was the same as the way up. Then, we go to the border where the last time it was a challenge to get back. We started in line and I bought a bag of churros for $1. This would prove to be the highlight of what would soon be about 3 hours of HELL.

We made the turn to get to the exit that goes back to San Diego only to find out that it was blocked by the police and a yellow line of caution tape. I was actually not too surprised because this happened to me last time. So we drove around to find the next possible route home.

If you've ever driven in a foreign country or watched television you will find that they do this STUPID thing with roundabouts. My favorite rendition is European Vacation, "Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament!" I HATE THESE THINGS. They don't make any sense at all! So, we had a couple of really close accidents with people who obviously knew more about these things than I did, not to mention that we didn't really know where we were going.

So, after a bunch of these stupid things we end up in a place where there are what seem to be 3 lines heading into the U.S. With a feeling of Deja Vu I suggest that I've been here before and that the line closest to us is not really exiting to the U.S. One of my passengers suggests that I get into this line anyway so I do it. As we pass swiftly make ground on the other 2 lanes that were not moving at all, I explained to them why I felt that I knew this was wrong and I asked them if I should ask the police that we were passing if I was right. They said that they looked angry and suggested that I not ask them.

Imagine that, a man wanting to ask for directions and 2 women opting against it. Once we see that I was right, my passenger decides that she will ask one of the people in the line that was stopped if he would let us in. He agrees and we try and inch in even though I was stopping a line of cars behind. As a result, there are a series of honks and luckily people moved to the point where I could almost get all the way in. Another car tried the same thing with almost the same result. It was a MESS! Did I mention that the signs in Mexico SUCK! Anyway, within minutes there was a Mexican Federale with his lights on beside me speaking Spanish rapidly. I rolled down my window and told him that I couldn't get out. He got REALLY ANGRY and got out of his car, slamming his door behind him. Luckily, I'm pretty fluent in Spanish. He came to ask me for my license and looked like he was about to arrest me for resisting his orders. I explained to him that I couldn't turn and luckily my explanation was enough to have him help me back out. WHEW!

So, we decided that we were going to look for the other border crossing. My passenger seemed to know the way so I followed her directions and wandered through the "lovely" city of Tijuana and it's wonderful roundabouts and non-informative and misplaced road signs. We got sooo lost that we ended up back on our way to Rosarito on a road that you couldn't turn on.

Luckily, they actually anticipated that people would go the wrong way on this road and they put an exit before it was WAY TOO LATE to turn around. So, we were back at square one after about an hour and a half of madness. But the madness would not stop...

As I got to the same place where it was blocked before, I was in a stop and go line to make a turn. At this point I was frustrated to the point of insanity and my thinking was not the clearest. So what do I do but run a red light right in front of the police. 2 of them came rushing to my car in anger and started hitting the window and blowing their whistles. Luckily, I was able to make it out of the way and out of the reach of the police officers who had other business to attend to. That doesn't count out the fear I had of again resisting my arrest.

So, we finally make it to the point where we are on our way to the "other" Otay Exit and this trip would prove to be a little easier. I HAVE to mention that I was passed by a Mexican Driver on an on Ramp, though. Gotta love it.

I wanted to share this story for everyone so that you can witness how great it can be in Mexico while being so unbelievably TERRIBLE. I will also use this as my springboard to tell people that I WILL NEVER DRIVE TO MEXICO AGAIN. Believe it!

I think, therefore I am...

2007-08-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

The future of video games...

I have been in awe of how real games have been getting for a while... the facial expressions of your favorite players, the textured landscapes and detail of the surrounding graphics, the real physical movements, the dance moves! They've come a long way from Pong.

There is also an online movement that amazes me. You can play games with people you don't even know and talk trash to them while you're at it. You can play on teams against other teams and discuss strategies with your friends while on the attack. They can be at their own home too, looking at their screen in their own perspective instead of coming over and sharing.

It's really cool to think about the parallel world that has been created. It kind of simulates the subconscious which I think is the answer to a lot of things, but that is for another blog!

Games are even becoming more like real sports. The controllers simulate sports movements like tennis rackets and golf clubs so you can actually get exercise while playing games which I think is good for today's younger game-playing generation. You can actually lose your breath after a 5 round boxing match on a video game console!

All of this is incredible until you hear about the next step in gaming.

The next step is an apparatus that you put on your head that senses brainwave activity. They already use this type of activity in pilots and now it is coming to a home near you. You can actually think that you want to pick up a rock and throw it and it will happen. Yes, you can do this even without the miticlorian count of a jedi knight.

You can check out this technology here: http://emotiv.com/

Testing your addictive personality... legally

2007-08-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

So, I recently purchased the first season of 24 in a box set. I just started watching this addicting show 2 years ago and have become a big fan of Jack Bauer and CTU. I had always wondered what it would be like to own a whole season and I saw it on sale at Target so I decided to give it a try.

For months it stood on my DVD stand, staring me in the face with the look of intimidation that a relief pitcher throwing in the high 90's gives to a batter as he brushes him back in the face with a high heater.

I feared for life as I know it, remembering the feeling of addiction that I got each week from watching each episode. I found myself wanting to see what happens next immediately, hitting the sofa cushions and yelling at the TV screen as if I couldn't find my pusher and I was out of drugs.

Imagine the ability of watching a cliffhanging series that lasted 24 episodes without commercial interruption or having to wait a whole week to see the next series. It seemed to me like I had been given an unlimited amount of an addictive substance and I was not looking forward to the challenge.

My heart pumped with anticipation as I boldly put 5 out of the 6 discs in my DVD player in order. Like a drug user that is scared to try something for the first time, I went through these motions and then stopped without trying it out, getting just a step closer to "the ride of my life."

Then one day it happened. I pushed play and I was off to the races, challenging my addiction. Even worse than I expected I found myself wanting another hit and another hit, playing episode after episode, going to the next disc and talking myself into just one more hit. Depriving myself of my normal sleep and social patterns, I played on, watching eagerly in anticipation of the finale.

Not until it was over, did I realize that I had become an addict and it had in fact, changed my life. Just like a drug user I felt remorse for my actions and depressed that maybe I had wasted too much time when I could have been doing something "productive." The end product of watching this box set was the same as if I had been stuck in an addiction to drugs. The difference is that I still have all my teeth and my arms don't have track marks.

I was a 24 Junkie!

So, I challenge anyone who thinks they have control over their addictive personality to buy or rent one of those cliffhanging series like Lost or 24 and see just how much of it you can take.

The Locker Room

2007-08-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

So, last night I went to the gym to do some boxing. Yeah, I'm a walking contradiction as I'm a programmer that boxes and surfs, none of which are relative to each other. I'll save that discussion for another day, though, because today I'm here to talk about the Men's Locker Room.

The Men's Locker Room is one of the nastiest places ever! Since the first time I had to use one I was disenchanted with everything about it. In my younger years it was because of the nasty smell. Yesterday, I was reminded of the current reason I feel this way as I entered the locker room of my gym to find an old man, naked on the bench.

Maybe it's me, but seeing a man sitting on a bench naked, package and all makes me want to gag. He didn't even put a towel down. The funny thing is that it is a very common practice. So basically, when each of these men is doing this, they are sitting on each other's dangling participles!

DISGUISTING!!!

I'm guessing that girls experience the same thing in their locker rooms. In fact, I think I've had this same conversation with a girl. I'll stand by for any commentary on this for them because they don't have dangling participles, nor does this sentence.

So, if you ever see me at the gym and wonder why I don't touch anything but the sink, you'll know why.

What's up, champ?

2007-08-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

So today I got into a conversation about the way we address people in society.

For some reason, I've always analyzed the way we address each other.

My personal favorite is "dude" like "What's up, dude?" Maybe I use it because I'm from California or because I've always been a fan of X games sports, but I use it a lot.

Another one from my vault is "man" like "That's just your opinion, man." I feel this is probably the most generic of ways to address someone so I won't come up with a reason.

The meat of the discussion, however, was the list of ways to address people that I've always made fun of and are actually personal pet peeves. The reason these are pet peeves of mine are because of the types of people that usually use them and the way they are used not to mention that they make you sound like you're "that guy":

Boss: Calling people your boss... I'm not your boss! Often times it is a person who actually is in a position of power that calls you this if you ask them to do something. "Hey, man, can you hold that elevator?" "No problem, boss!" Usually served up with a side of arrogance.

Champ: Calling people champ... I didn't win anything! Often times it is a person who is a bystander to some sort of sports performance. You're playing tennis and you hit the ball to the other court. They give you the ball back, you thank them and they reply, "No problem, Champ!"

Chief: Calling people chief... I'm not an Indian! Often times this person appears to be a potential racist. This might just be a personal problem because I'm a minority, but when someone calls me chief, I'm not usually happy about it. Some homeless looking person is on their bike and they need you to get out of the way, they say in their raspy voice, "Watch out there, Chief!"

To keep it short, I'm just going to list some of the rest of the ways people address each other that make my list:

Hey there, Sport!

No problem, Ace!

Whatever you say, Bud!

Any time, Homey!

If you think so, Playa!

Oh, how about that guy that continually gets your name wrong... "Jimmy is it?" "No, it's Ken." "Okay, Ben." You know they're doing it on purpose.

If you have any to add, let err rip...

Stung Again

2007-07-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

So, Friday morning I got stung by a Stingray for the second time in as many years.

This is not a common thing, so I'm told... Tell that to my foot!

My first one was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced. I bled profusely and was a LOT more surprised. I hadn't really thought about the possibility of getting stung, so I thought I might have stepped on a piece of glass. Luckily, a fireman happened to be checking out the surf at 7 in the morning and he came up and told us what it was and what to do with it.

He told me that I needed to soak it in as hot of water that I could take so that it would neutralize the poison from the sting.

So, imagine bleeding profusely on a sandy beach with about 40 yards of sand between you and the sidewalk. The cut is on the bottom of your foot on the arch so walking is hardly an option... The poison from the sting enters the bloodstream, spreading throughout the foot causing a sharp pain and immediate swelling. The bleeding won't stop and the pain gets worse and worse. After hopping all the way to the sidewalk, waiting for my bro to get a car and wincing and almost crying in pain, I put my foot in boiling water and felt an immediate relief of the terrible pain.

My second one was not as bad and the stingray was probably a lot smaller. I actually felt the slimy sucker this time. It was probably only about 14 inches long or so from what I could imagine. The stinger entry was about 1/3 as big. I was by myself and only had about 20 yards of beach this time. It definitely wasn't bleeding as bad and I knew what I was doing so I rinsed it off, hopped in my car, put on my hazards and sped home. I live about 2.8 miles from the beach and time was ticking. I winced and whined as I sped through traffic and finally made it to my condo where I filled a bucket with scorching hot water and soaked my foot.

The after effect is an interesting one this time since the bite was in my ankle area... The last one was on my arch so it was an obvious limp with a large cut on the bottom of my foot. This time, it appears as though my body thinks that I have injured my ankle and so it has swelled my foot as if I sprained it. I also have a hard sharp pain when I put my foot in certain positions because this time I wasn't smart and didn't soak it long enough so I think the stinger might still be inside.

So right now I'm icing my ankle and taking ibuprofen and limping as if I have sprained my ankle.

If this ever happens to you, now you know what to do. Contrary to what people tell you, don't pee on it. You'll only end up with a smelly foot and it might get infected.

Put your foot in super hot water and treat it as if you were stabbed!

Hello, World

2007-07-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

So, I've been putting off creating my own blog because I wanted to develop it in ASP.net, but I figured, "Why should I develop it when blogSpot is available to me for free!?"

Now, I have a place where I can talk to my imaginary friends about random thoughts both deep and shallow.

My goal is to express the random thoughts that I have throughout the day so that people either think I'm crazy or get on the same page in which case the people that think I'm crazy will also think that the people that are on the same page as me are crazy.

This is the Tao of Ken...