Auld Lang Syne.

I wish I can spend this transition into the new year with my friends, but my mother will always come first.  No matter how much she nags and yells at me about my unstable direction in life, she is all I have left for a sense of home.  So in eight minutes, the new year will be here and hopefully, things will finally turn around.

Cheers Dad.

Three consecutive nights.

RA, PianoPiano, Roscoes, and Shamrocks.  I don't think I will be doing anymore drinking until Vegas comes along next week.  Thanks everyone, I need some sleep now.

The year of 24.

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Keep your secrets with you.

Your Protector



Happy Birthday to Me.

An eve of rejoice.

Happy Holidays everyone.

Another set of hands please.

Five more days till my birthday.  It managed to sneak up on me this year.

Safe from the outside world.

My photography portfolio has expanded exponentially in the past few weeks. This marks the most shoots I have done in a single month. These weren't just any random photo shoots, they were to be presented as gifts. It was to the point where it was starting to cause some minor stress, which is what I never wanted to attain from photography. I've always avoided turning hobbies into a profession solely for that reason.

However, the feeling you get from the results of these pressured photo shoots are extremely satisfying. Especially knowing that people trust your work enough to be handed these types of jobs is rewarding. Although most of these shoots were done for free, I expect to keep this tradition. Only one occasion has slipped where the Halsteads wouldn't take no for an answer. But I don't want to make a habit of expecting compensation from these projects, I do it because it's a passion of mine.

Enough of that, here are some pictures of the last two shoots!

I'm strayed enough

Maps

Tales of the youth.

I've been with the new group (5th-6th) for about three weeks now and the transitioning stage is pretty much over.  They aren't so bad as they say, and the Principal thanked me for taking over.  However, ever since I left my old class, they have shown me so much love and affection.  They consistently ask me why I left and if I was to ever return for 17 days straight.  It made me miss them more than I ever thought I would.

One girl gave me a home-made Christmas card today.  It marked the first day that I would shed a tear from this job.  I gave her a hug wishing that I could've played a bigger role in her life.

A change of plans.

Three more weeks until the long-awaited Vegas trip.  Although things could have been even more grand with my brother's timeshare, it was put to a halt because of my age, :(.  So we are now back to square one, staying at the luxurious Venetian.  Despite losing the extra night that came with the Hilton, I am now determined to reach Vegas on Thursday nonetheless.  I plan to get there late on Thursday, get drunk, and roam about the strip until day breaks. As soon as our room is open for check-in, we crash.  I know I will be able to grab a few of the attendees with me for this plan.

This will be one of the greatest Vegas trips of my life.

My knees are cold.

Three separate people have so far asked me to take portrait-style photos of themselves as Christmas gifts for the parents.  I've done two, one more next week!  The weather has been so cold lately, but I love it.  Who wants to enjoy some hot cocoa in oversized sweaters with me?

Better the second time.

My Favorite

Nightly photographs

Taking pictures at night maybe the hardest art form in photography.  It's in a whole other world of precision and patience.  With improper lens and the exclusion of flash, no pictures could come out perfectly clear.  Overall, it was just good seeing Hannah again.

See how this goes.

So I just made my first post on Facebook about my music.  I did an acapella today and Marty said that I should post it up, and so I did..  The internet can be a cruel place, but I hope the public enjoys it.

I'm wounded by dust.

Christmas is coming up. My birthday is coming up. Vegas is coming up.
Courtney and Sherman are coming home soon from their adventures.

I feel like I am letting this one go too easily while being misleading to another.  Focus is needed, I'm all over the place.  I really want to write music, but it's so frustrating and physically straining.  I need to start making my own stuff, no more covers.  I want an audience.  There are lots of things for me to say, I just need to know how to put it lyrics.

A hidden treasure.

Sea Of Love

with Rachel Lawson

Eleven year olds.

So my boss switched me to the 5th and 6th grade class.  That class has been a riot and the school faculty has been complaining on their behavior for weeks.  And because of that, I am now in charge of cleaning up the mess and straightening up that class. I am not sure if I should be flattered, but this isn't the type of incentive I was looking for.  I miss my 2nd and 3rd graders, but this should be an interesting experience.  Kids these days know way much more than we ever did.  Behavior management is different with the older batch, but it isn't so bad.

Like no one else.

She Drives Me Crazy

 

Thankful.

Third annual Wongsgiving was successful.  They liked my cooking!  They said the turkey was delicious and the stuffing was splendid. :).  Thanks to Amy for helping me set up the night! Thank you to those who followed through and attended the event.  The greatest fears of planning events are people bailing out and people not enjoying themselves.  This year's Thanksgiving was amazing. Until next year.

I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for my mother.
I am thankful for my commitments.
I am thankful for the children I teach.
I am thankful for such a fabulous night.

The Turkey Gobblers.

New Romantic Way.

We all have some irritable characteristics, and we tend to quickly distinguish them when we meet someone new. There is one characteristic in particular that deviates from the others, in which it creates distrust in the relationship.

It is normal for people to seek and want attention, but approaching it in a way that inflicts emotional stress to others is unacceptable. Most of the time it is unintentional, but for a few of you out there that have these devious motives, you need to grow up.  I've met a handful of these people in my life, and sadly to say I was a victim to at least one of them before.  It is a crime that is worse than those who steal materialistic things.  Do not give these false realities to people in order to satisfy your own ego.  For those of you that already have a significant other, this is no different than to physically cheat. You must either be faithful to commitments, or be direct and end it. Having loose ends will cause everyone to loath you in the end.  It's unattractive and most of you don't need to do this. Save yourself from the trouble and make some friends.

To simply put it, you have the ability to sort out your own personal situations without dragging others in.

In other news, Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and good night!

The Third Annual.

Wongsgiving is less than a week away. It's been two years already since this tradition started, and I'm glad it's still going.  I'm not going to lie, but I was very close to skipping this year.  But after much consideration, I decided that I will keep it going, its Thanksgiving!  The attendees this year will be a different crew.  I've always felt bad for leaving this group out of the loop for this dinner, but I happy to see that they are apart of it now.  Also, I have burdened myself with the responsibility with the turkey.  It's a lot of pressure, but I'm sure it will turn out fine.  I've done my research and I am to take down this bird.

Face it.

I'm going to stop.

Turkey Bowl!

One more week until our annual Thanksgiving softball game.  I've been looking forward to Thanksgiving for more than one reason ever since I started working at Chicks/Dicks.  The tradition of playing an early softball game on Thanksgiving day was around before I joined the community, and I'm glad to have participated in it for three years.  The record of me being drunk at 8 A.M. was achieved last year.

Too bad these jobs are only temporary for most people, so many faces have come and gone.  Despite having half of the attendees no longer working for Dick's, they are still invited and attending.  I'm excited to see old faces again.

Take me out to the ball game, where screwdrivers are served.

Flashback

I was re-reading old messages today, and I came across this one. I've never had so much hatred for someone before, but this guy made it pretty high on the list.  Looking back at it now, it sounded so foolish.  For better or for worse, this man changed my life.

David,
I know you must hate me right now and I understand that. I pushed someone away from you that seriously cared deeply about you. I have suffocated her so much that she told me she feels like she can never talk to you again. She misses your friendship and she always tells me how happy you two were. It was my self-fish actions that caused her to push you away. You do not have to forgive me for what I have done. She told me that I can't fix my mistakes and that it's my fault you don't talk to her anymore. And I know that now. It was stupid of me to do. But I know a part of her wishes she had your friendship still. She met one of your family members the other day too and she felt so horrible b/c she had not talked to you for so long. David just please when you read this, call her and catch up or even have starbucks together anything. Just she misses you.  I do not think she ever told you, but I am a horrible psycho person. Who suffocated her. Just please consider it... She tells me of how horrible she was for doing that to you, and it was my fault. And I want you to know it was not her it was me. I forced her to stop. I deserve the hatred.

No one has ever brought me down so low, 
but you managed to do it in a blink of an eye.
You then asked for help because you saw it collapsing. And it did.

Losing everything you came with.

I play the piano, but it's far from exceptional.
I play the guitar, but it's far from phenomenal.
I can sing a bit, but it's far from presentable.
I take photographs, but its far from original.

I am not gifted in any of these subjects, I just mess around with them. If I had the choice of mastering one of these things and in exchange lose the skills I have on the other three, I would.  Would you make that decision?

MEgan, MElissa, and ME

One of the funniest shoots I've done, lol. The location was at the Big Dalton Trail in Glendora. I was surprised on how pretty it was, and the dynamics of both sisters made it fun. I need more experience working with multiple models, and definitely in need of a new camera.

Badass

Drink a shot for me.

I may be coming on too aggressive.

I've noticed on my SoundCloud account that one of my songs have been played over a hundred times within the past two weeks.  I don't usually get traffic on my covers, so this is very unusual.  I guess I should be flattered, unless it's a creeper, haha.

A photoshoot with two subjects is planned for the weekend.  Two sisters, Megan and Melissa Lyman, one of which I have never met before.  I hope the awkwardness stage passes through swiftly because these pictures aren't only for my own portfolio; they are gifts for the mother.  The results will be interesting.

First client - Eyoble.

Eyoble is a 5 year old boy that is filled with energy. I met him for the first time today and I can already tell that this is going to work out just fine.

So I found a side job as a private tutor. Thanks to a company called WyzAnt, I was able to create my own profile and search for potential clients that need to be tutored.  Helen contacted me and told me that her kindergarten son, Eyoble, was in need of some Phonics and Writing help.  If this goes well, then I wouldn't mind finding more clients and arranging them around my Think Together schedule.   

When routine bites hard.

Love Will Tear Us Apart

 

Tell me how to run it.

Work only takes up about 1/4 of my day, but somehow it emotionally charges me for over half the day.  I look forward to seeing the kids, and I think about them after the shift.  It's going to be hard the day I move on to another job.

The new Site Coordinator came in last Monday. A 22 year old, recent graduate of UCI, woman by the name of Natalie was my new boss.  I have absolutely no grudges or bitter feelings towards her at all.  I am being as supportive as I can, given the fact that I am now the only left in the school that knows how the program runs.  I feel bad for her, not knowing a thing about the program, but being tossed in the middle expecting to adapt.  She was overwhelmed, and she cried.  I close every night with her and I saw her shed stressful tears one day. Sigh, this position is always tough to newcomers, and I've witnessed two already.  I told her that I will continue running program with her until things start to settle down.

Going, Going, Gone.

It just ain't gonna work out, I'm sorry.

Spiderwoman.

Today was my photoshoot with Lex at Sapphire Falls. Although she was extremely shy and nervous, it's very easy when the subject is pretty.

Afterwards was Paranormal 3 with Marty and Justin. We arrived about ten minutes prior to the showing and there were absolutely no 3-party seats available. So we decided to exchange tickets for a later time with a brilliant plan of getting some drinks in the meantime. We went to a sushi bar next door and quickly ordered our Beer and Sake combos.  We devoured it within 20 minutes.  "Are you guys sure drinking this fast?," said the waitress. We asked for the check and bailed back towards the theater.  Creepy movie, but thanks to the buzz, it was entertaining.

Baby, you're much too fast.

Little Red Corvette

  with Marty on guitar.

At your own risk.

It pretty much came down to whoever wanted it.  I realized I didn't because I remembered why I left years ago. So I left, giving him to opportunity to take the dive.  Five hours later, I had one of the funniest conversations in a long while.  I'm glad I had some self-control.

One bad news after another.

Think Together quickly turned the other direction over the weekend.  With the news of me not becoming the new Site Coordinator, I was already dreading the awkward return to the school.  Yesterday was Alyssa's, my boss, last day.  She told me the person they hired to replace her would not be here for another two weeks.  When I heard that, it basically means that I will have to be a temporary Site Coordinator for two weeks (the job that I got denied for).  The general manager that rejected my promotion will be making daily visits to check up on program, but will also expect me to do the Site Coordinators job in the allotted 3-hours when I remain to get paid the same.  This all sounds very shady of Think Together.

Other than that, one of my colleagues decides to quit yesterday through voice mail, and another just gave her two weeks.  Alyssa feels really bad to be leaving me with this burden, but what can she do?  We will be short handed now, with subs covering daily, and I'll be in charge of a program for two weeks that I was denied for.  The difference is I don't get the salary pay, no benefits, and no respect at all.

The power you are supplying.

I was drunk, but I wasn't.

I've got chills.

You're The One That I Want
with my sister, Hannah.

People that were there before me.

During my sleep, I had a dream of getting a phone call from the recruiter, bearing good news.  I woke up multiple times throughout the night and morning realizing that I haven't gotten that call yet.  At around 9, Sean called me, bear the opposite news. I just took a long breath and accepted it. "They wanted to see a more deeper breath of knowledge," was the feedback he gave me. I have that knowledge, but I know I didn't express it yesterday.  That's just how it is with me and interviews. Out of all the interviews I've been through, this was the one I really wanted.  I've never been as nervous as I was yesterday, and the wait afterwards was the most unsettling.  Besides this opportunity being rare, it was also very hard trying to not let everyone down.  My current boss, old boss, colleagues, and principal all supported me.  All I can do now is to hope that the new hire will be a good one and I will support him/her with everything I know.

After the phone call ended, I got up and sat there for about ten minutes.  After thinking through everything, I walked over to the next room to find Taylor playing.  I walked up to him and gave him one of the biggest hugs he has ever received in his life, and gave him a long kiss on the cheek.

I am getting fucking tired.

And I can't help myself.

Little Red Corvette

The GRE kicked my ass. It was way too early and way too much.  Imagine a harder version of the SATs, and the amount of preparation I did was little to none.  My scores will come in at about a week.

Our basketball team, now called the Kim Jong Illest, is doing relatively better this season compared to the last. Marc is sure making a huge difference in our gameplay.  We are 2-2 right now, with every game being extremely close and climatic.

A friend of mine is making a surprise visit back home in less than 2 weeks! His visit will only be about a week though, so we better take advantage of this.

It had been over a year since I have worked with Think Together. This was originally planned as a temporary job for a month, but it drastically turned out differently for the better. Working with kids was never part of my future agenda, but I'm glad I stumbled upon this company.  No longer having any existing interest for business or finance, I am solely focused on youth services. Within a year of working here, all the original co-workers have gone on to better things. With the last remaining leaving next week, I will be only "veteran" left in this school.  My boss is informing me that the chance of me taking over her position when she leaves is extremely high. We will see, I often get my hopes up too fast. 

One thousand miles.

I was only 40 miles short of hitting 1,000 miles within three days. Driving to San Francisco is always overwhelming no matter how many times I've done it.  This one was a much shorter trip, and it was obviously very rushed.  Lots of old faces in each stop, and plenty of the usual catch-up conversations.  My cousins always propose the idea of me moving in with them to work with my uncle.  I doubt that will ever happen.  The main issue before leaving for this trip was spending the entire weekend with my brother.  Jason didn't end up going because of the kids, so it was only Sean and I on the way up.  It wasn't so bad, we mainly conversed about common interests and impersonal topics.  This trip turned out a lot smoother than I had anticipated.  My uncle was in pretty bad shape, but he seems to be recovering.  Seeing his condition and his behavior reminded me of my father, which everyone we visited kept reminding of.  Best wishes to you, and to the rest of the SF family.

City light dreams

During this reckless weekend, I was able to fit in about nine hours of sleep.  And in those few hours, a very short and vivid dream took place.  The location was in a Vegas hotel, with a balcony overseeing the entire strip.  Two delicate chairs and a small table were set up.  The moonlit skies was brighter than the city lights, and the weather was gentle.  It was just me, and this mysterious woman.  She was wearing a black dress standing out at the balcony with her back facing me.  I brought out a sweater for her with two drinks in hand.  After putting on the sweater, I reach around from behind her, giving her the drink and gently hugging her.  The scent of her hair and shoulder stayed with me until the moment I woke up.  I never saw her face.

At a place where you are occupied and surrounded by rowdy drunks and casino bells, this relaxing picture manages to slip in and tease me.

Did you ask for some coffee?

It was Brian and Amy's birthday bash this weekend and it took place at the sinful Las Vegas.  Amy is now capable of ordering drinks with a flash of her I.D! This trip was short and restless, but it was just enough before I fully regret anymore spending.  Lots of alcohol was consumed, and lots of drunken ventures ensued.  Lets break it a down a bit.

Carpooling with Mark, Kevin, and Jen; we arrived at Palm's Place at 11pm.  The others were already at Tao, so we had some catching up to do.  Within a mere ninety minutes, both bottles of Jack Daniels were depleted.

"Since we are taking a cab, we should take advantage that we don't have to drive, and I can surely drive right now." -Kevin's reasoning.

I'm glad I was still able to function, or else we could've been taken advantage of by the cab driver without knowing.  We met with the others outside of Tao and we quickly decided to go back to the hotel.   Mark scored a bottle of half-filled champagne, which I took from him happily.  Everyone got ready for bed rather quickly, and I realized that I was nowhere near sleeping, so I decided to take a walk and explore.  Luckily Megan was feeling the same way, so she accompanied me.  Within two hours of walking around, slots, and asking people dumb questions, we realized that we would not make it to the strip, so we returned and joined everyone else in their slumber.

I spent the majority of the next day anxiously concocting my Skittles-infused Vodka.  My experiment was frequently put to a halt because of a damn COFFEE FILTER.  Thus began my rant of the Palms establishment.  From the pools being closed after 5pm to the pretentiously named Skytube, and the useless elevator system to the nonexistent housekeepers.  And at the end of the day, my final product of the colorful and highly anticipated Skittles Vodka tasted like gasoline, :(.

But Saturday night was the highlight, mainly because we were at the most popular club in the city.  Cover charge was ridiculous, but there was really no other option.  The Marquee was impressive in size and location.  Seeing Amy that happy and ordering drinks was a comforting site.  She bought me a Patron shot, :).    Kevin and Jen kept promoting the idea of me meeting Jen's sister which made things very awkward, haha.  But the remainder of the night at the Marquee was me getting to know those two better.  We left early for the idea of Steak and Eggs, but that deal no longer exists, adding more to our consistently failed planning, haha.

Woke up this morning at 8am, got some delicious Pho, and took a quick three hour drive back home.  So much liquor this weekend, and I met some very good people in the process.  Vegas can be very intimidating when you have a limit on how much you can spend.  But even with that obstacle, I still had a blast and laughed at all the drunken tales of Briamy's Bash 2011.

Kim Jong Illest

What a great way to start off the season.  Although this team is drastically less competitive to the others of last season, it was still a good chance for us to practice our zone defense.  We dominated with a 42 point win, and the addition of Marc is proven to be a huge asset.  I felt comfortable playing a smaller position, and the team's chemistry was shaping up very well.  Let's try to make playoffs this year!

Hitoribotchi No Yoru

First foreign language song, :).

  Sukiyaki by waviddong

ft. Christine

SoundCloud

I was kept out of the dark too long. A few years late, but this will be the primary source of my recordings from now on.

I'm just say'n, you can do better.

I have failed to mention that Hannah has finally conquered her fears and obtained a Driver's License!  She came over tonight and we got straight to recording.  This song was fun, mainly because the beat was downloaded so we only had to provide our voices over it.  This is actually a pretty decent song, but I don't think R&B is the right path for us, haha.

Marvin's Room

ft. Hannah

Sound is the colour I know.

I want to start performing for small groups of people. They don't need to be friends or familiar faces, any random batch of listeners will suffice.  Actually, what I would like even more is to have the courage to play to completely new faces in unique settings.  The feeling of satisfaction you get by spreading your distinct sound to others is worth all the humiliation.

Blast from the past.

My junior high best friend is back.  It all started from a wrong text sent by me a month ago.  It was intentionally for my boss, but I guess I scrolled down one name too many to my buddy, Marc.  Luckily we both had the same numbers throughout all these years and he replied back to announce my mistake.  After a month of planning to have a day to catch up, tonight was made possible.  He will be joining our basketball team, and it looks like he will be making a comeback in my social circle.  We had a falling out due to entering different high schools and colleges.  With few drinks from Applebees, we talked about everything and we laughed at the old times.  He hasn't changed, always a cocky asshole, but still bluntly hilarious.  I never thought I would see this guy again, but I'm glad I did.  

A reassuring dinner.

This short clip was recently discovered, thanks to Christine. This took place in Johnna's house in January of 2008.  It was a delightful dinner of fondue and margaritas.  I remember that day very distinctively, thanks again Courtney.

Lets explore your talent.

What's My Name

Ft. Christine

Dance me through the panic

I'm going to buy clothes, lots of it. I've come to peace with my debt, and I realize that it's not going to be resolved anytime soon.  Within my years of college I have spent about 45 grand somewhere.  That's a lot of money on things that I don't even remember.  I need to buy shit, thanks credit cards.

Fontenelle

There are three things I've always loved, but never understood - photography, music, and women.

You knew, you knew.

This took forever to get the singing just right.  Marty's inspirational words, "Sing better," got me over this obstacle of a song.  Fuck Sharon.

Pickle my tickle.

A new record of seventy-two beers was reached yesterday. It was helped by two factors. One, we had more people this time around. Second, we played Chandeliers.  This game was introduced to us in Lake Arrowhead, and it has been quite a hit.  A clever game which involves everyone, and it can also empty mulitple beers within minutes.  New faces were added to the mix yesterday, and this time it was held at Amy's house.  Burgers and sweet potato fries were served, hands were bitten by the pup, and a series of recklessness dancing and jokes ensued.  I got way too full way too early, mainly cause I dominated the first few games of Chandeliers, haha.

Duet for one.

To Whom It May Concern

Black Inches in Blonde Freaks.

This weekend blew by way too fast.  Lake Arrowhead was pretty, considering the luck that we stayed in an orgasmic house/cabin. The Mckee's vacation home was a surprise to most of us.  There were twelve of us in total, and the three stories of space was more than enough to facilitate the slumber party.  The view of the Lake was relaxing, especially when you have a two story balcony/loft.

Ping pong and Foosball tables, Xbox 360, and Direct TV kept us fully occupied during the times of recovery and recuperation. Good friends with lots of alcohol in a lake-view cabin for the weekend, good times.  Here are some of the much anticipated pictures.

By the way, taking these pictures while drunk and operating manual focus might be the hardest task in the world.

Falling over my head.

If you're so funny, then why are you on your own tonight?

And if you're so clever, then why are you on your own tonight?

If you're so very entertaining, then why are you on your own tonight?

If you're so very good looking, why do you sleep alone tonight?

Excuse me?

Some people need to really think twice before saying certain words.

I was not magnificent.

It has been over a year since I have stepped foot inside the Halstead's household.  Courtney's uncle (Steve) and aunt (Cindy) are always so warm with hospitality.  I feel extremely welcomed by them because they were there for me during the worst times in my life.

Marty and I went over to see Courtney for the first time since her return and we caught up with her and the family.  Uncle Steve took the time to sit down with us to catch up with how we were doing with our directions in life.  After a few uncertainties in our voices, he voiced his opinion about us.  "You guys are way to young to be talking about this stuff, you need to be more relaxed."  Truer words have never been spoken, and I simply replied "Thank you."  It's good to be reminded once in a while that things don't need to be as stressful as they seem.  That man kept offering Marty and I beer, what an awesome uncle.

Poison and Wine.

I woke up today thinking about someone.  Three years later and for some reason, she was on my mind.  I must have had a dream that was immediately forgotten prior to waking up, because the image of her was still vivid.

No blog was created at the time, or I would've definitely dedicated a post to her back in the day.  So here it is, all from my recollection. Three summers ago, my mother and I went to China for two weeks.  Intended as a vacation, we were in a tight schedule following a tour group.  The only city that we were able to spend more than one night in was Beijing, the capital. The hotel was decent from what I can remember, and the lobby was especially cozy.  Up until 7pm of everyday, we were not allowed to be separated from the tour group.  You were free from "meeting points" and "setting timers" after dinner.  My mother and I had already made some travel friends among the tour group, and we were ready to explore more of the local attractions of Beijing.  So on the first night, we met up around 8pm at the lobby.  That's where I met her for the first time.

She was just standing there behind the bar, cleaning glasses with no customers to deal with.  I suppose it was a slow night, and I'm glad it was.  My mother and our new travel buddies were discussing how to approach this night out.  Things were going to be tough because out of us four, my mom was the only one that could speak Mandarin.  She then decided to ask her for some traveling advice and tips.  They talked for a good ten minutes or so while I just sat in the lobby, waiting.  My mom came back and told us that she got the girl to become our personal tour guide for the night. WHAT!?

Her shift had just ended, so she went inside the double doors and quickly changed.  She came back out with a black leather jacket with matching black jeans on heels.  Her hair was half down with a bit still tied up.  The way she presented herself made me believe that she was at least 23 or 24 (I was 20 years old at the time, mind you).  My mother then introduced her to the rest of the group and we quickly learned that she doesn't speak or understand English.  Mom would then become the translator from that point on.

She took us through subways, walking through shortcuts to get to the food and shopping district of Beijing.  The place was populated with tourists and locals alike, vendors with merchandises and rare foods filled the streets.  The whole block was lit up and the air smelled delicious.  Scorpions, cockroaches, beetles, seahorses were served on sticks, and skewers of amazing fried foods were sold at ridiculously cheap prices.

It started to rain halfway through the walk down the food marketplace, luckily for us, we had three umbrellas. There were five of us to work with, so the two travel buddies used one, my mom used another, and the last umbrella was left for me and her.  As people were starting to get sidetracked and distracted with bizarre shops, we all slowly got separated.  At that point, I couldn't believe that in a mere two hours of realizing her existence, I would be shielding her from rain, with no one but strangers all around us.  We noticed that we had lost track of the others, but we weren't in a rush to catch up. She made me try this gross looking dessert, which turned out to be delicious.  We walked slower than normal, and not a single word was being said.  We could not communicate at all through words, rather we did it in body motion and eye signals.  It could've gone horribly awkward, but it wasn't.  We later caught back up with my mom and the others, and we proceeded back to the hotel.

During the following night, we were able to see her working again.  But we were too tired to go anywhere, so we all just stayed in the lobby and talked.  We made constant eye contact but the language barrier limits our interaction.  She then took out a napkin and wrote her name in Chinese for me.  I then wrote mine in return on the same napkin and she read it out loud, making fun of how silly is sounds.  That night ended quick and we exchanged hugs and we parted ways.  The next morning, on our way out the hotel and I hoping to see her again at the bar, but she wasn't there.  It happens.  Till this day, I never knew her name because she kept that napkin.

My mother obviously loved her and she later told me that the girl was 21 years old.

Don't stop writing.

So I was going through all of the bloggers that I follow, and nearly half of them have been removed from existence.  Such a sad thing to see.

Straight above the highway.

The five-week summer program ended on Friday.  This may not make any sense, but it went by pretty quick, however it still felt like I've spent a full year with these kids.  I was responsible for ordering 21 pizzas for the lower grades only, and we ended the program with a bang.  Some of my students wrote me goodbye letters and some brought me candy, some cried and some were excited for it to be over, haha.  It slowly became an emotional day as each parent slowly came to pick up their child.  I made it mandatory for each kid to give me a big hug before departing.  Maybe I'll see you brats next year.

Closed comedy.

Sometimes I think my circle of friends have shaped my sense of comedy.  No other group will either understand it or digest it as quick as these people.  Whatever is going on, they are brilliant conversations haha.  So in light of all this, there's plenty to catch up on.

Bi-weekly beerpong is still going strong with newer faces joining every time.  The Jason Terryakis lost their last game in a devastating defeat against the Phenoms.  We are too small of a team, and not quick enough to make up for it either.  Either way, we are getting good practice for future seasons.  I had lunch with an old friend this past weekend at the usual Chinese restaurant that I always take my friends to.  Things are well and the rough patches are clearly all gone.

I am also watching something form in front of my eyes and it makes me happy to see it working out.  Things are becoming more convenient for me as my different groups of friends are slowly merging.  I would never thought to see certain groups interacting, mainly because I have once tried before and I watched it fail miserably.  This time, things came together naturally.

Work in Santa Ana is going nicely, besides the drive.  The kids have been adorable and respectful to me.  I recently went on two field trips with them, one at Crystal Cove and the other at Discovery Science Center.  I don't care what outsiders may say, but taking twenty kids on a field trip may possibly one of the toughest jobs to have.  But nonetheless, they had a blast, which makes me happy.  I'm starting to realize that the motivation of this job is not the pay anymore, but more of watching them experience things and learn from it.  A co-worker came up to me and said that I would make a great dad.  That comment was well-timed, making my whole week bright up.  One last week with these kids and I'll be back at my regular school.  I will miss this batch, but at the same time I'm excited to see the familiar faces again.

Courtney is coming home in less than a week. Things are looking good!

Between 15th and 17th.

Had a nice beach trip today.  The turnout was good and the weather was cooperative.  It was good seeing different groups of people actually interacting with each other.  It has been years since I have seen that happen.  It was an eight hour day for Marty and I, while others came later or left early.  Thanks for the EZ UP from Amy and the grill from Andrew, some key items were helpful in making the day go by more smoothly.  Boogie boarding, frisbee, football, and volleyball for 2 hours.  With about 18 people showing up, it was a nice day at the beach.

P.S.- I am deeply sorry for having Christine drive all the way out to the beach to being unable to find me and our group, which resulted with her having to drive back home.  I will make it up with your wish of a Chinese dinner.  

Jason Terryakis vs. Team Express

We got railed today on the court.  They were a bigger and faster team, much more in shape than we were.  Damn.

Jason Terryakis vs. The Blazers

It was our first game last night. Tension was high and nerves were building, not knowing how this game would turn out.  A third of our team didn't have the experience playing in a league, and we were an overall small team.  We didn't even get to meet one of our starters until last night for the first time!  With only about a month's time to practice, we had to play against a veteran team in the league.  We found out the day before that we were playing Kevin's team, which is Brian's older brother.  Hearing that news drained our confidences down a bit, and I was in the worst shape because of my cold.  Little did we know, the game wasn't a blow out, it was a neck to neck battle.  Marty carried the game with 20 points and we were able to steal the win by a single point.  We exchanged our sigh of reliefs with the Blazers and we walked away happy as ever. 

A year of traditions.

I'm not sure if we are all at that age where we would create and keep up an ongoing event.  Things sure seem that way to me at least.  Beerpong has slowly slipped back into my life as it has become a bi-weekly event, mainly held at my garage.  It always a good time with a bucket load of calories being endulged.  A group of five to eight of us have been participating until the early hours of the morning.  Forty-six beers were consumed this past weekend, and thirty-five the weekend before that.  We will try to keep topping that number.  Drink on.

Lincoln Elementary

I start my summer program tomorrow in Santa Ana.  Finally, more work for me.  With full-time hours, I will need to start adjusting my sleeping schedule.  I continue teaching second graders and this time it will take up seven hours a day. Word on the street is that my boss for the summer is a pain to work with, so lets see how this goes.

Jason Terryakis

I'm loving the fact that I am being active again.  Playing three hours of non stop basketball with friends brings a stress-free environment.  So Will has brought to our attention of a league, the ABA.  Andrew was very excited to inform me that it was a 6-foot and under Asian basketball league.  Allowing two non-Asians in each team, Marty was able to join our team.  This league is surprisingly very serious and organized.  They will keep track of our individual stats and they enforce heavy rules and regulations.  I'm excited, our first game is in July 5th.

Sing with me.

This Girl

The second half was enjoyable to do, :).  It would be better if there were two other guitarists/backup vocalists in the room with me.  This blog has been slowly converted into a storage of my song covers and less of me writing about my life, which isn't exactly what I want.  I need to start put in some quality writing in. 

I don't want you, but I need you.

You Really Got A Hold On Me

Ft. Alexis

All Tangled Up.

Will You Love Me Forever

Light On a Hill

Thank Goodness

My friends are slowly getting me back into being active. I'm slowly picking up basketball again. It's a rough start, but I'll get back that confidence.

Just for the meantime.

I think I'm going to start applying at local restaurants.  I can't keep this up.

Sir, that's a one dollar bill.

I had people over my garage yesterday for a night of beerpong and loitering.  Plenty of beer was destroyed in the intense games of 3v3 beerpong and Waldo single handedly devoured half of his Captain Morgan.

"Can you break this 20 for me?"
"Sir, that's a one dollar bill.."
"......god damn it."

One full school year.

So this past Thursday was the end of my first year at Think Together.  Both the kids and program leaders shed their share of tears with plenty of hugs being exchanged.  The children were spoiled that day with a variety of junk foods.  They had an overload of improper diet consisting of pizza, ice cream sundaes, popsicles, cookies, chips, and cupcakes.  I promised to bring my guitar that day and I followed through with a list of songs prepared.  As they requested, I printed them out the lyrics to the songs so they can sing along with me.
The playlist included:

Justin Bieber - Baby

Bruno Mars - Lazy Song

Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

Katy Perry - Firework

They sang loud and they sang willingly, something that I didn't expect to go so smoothly.  We exchanged our goodbyes and best wishes for the summer.  I will surely miss them.  This company has treated me very well and I hope things will work out for me to keep doing what I do.  

Whichever Words I Say..

Lovesong

We don't need to rush this.

Just A Kiss

ft. Christine

Don't do drugs.

I was working in New York somewhere, located in a tall building overlooking the streets. A Terrorist threat was on the news and the building was locked out.

There were a series of events here that gets worse and worse, but sadly I can't remember what they were exactly.

Soon after, the whole city was under the highest security level and I looked down the window to see what has happend.  It was a complete silence outside, with no people and no cops.  Then, out of all corners and buildings, a plethora of rats came running out and they filled the streets.

We soon later learned that the Japanese were behind this.  Christine and I were already booked to fly to Japan since we were going to teach abroad.  So we took this opportunity and entered Japan, attempting to solve the terrorist's plan, hahaha..  Went to a Japanese carnival.  Won a stuffed bear and lots of tickets.  Went in to elevator to go to the second level.  3 Japanese teenagers were inside the elevator.  They were messing with Christine and I intervened.  They spoke to me in Japanese, and I pretended I was a mute to hide the fact that I wasn't Japanese.  They didn't buy it, and attacked me.  And don't ask me how, but I managed to beat them all in a fistfight. The elevator door opens and we ran out.

Later, we saw a suspicious looking booth so we proceed to investigate the owner.  But they knew we werent Japanese so they told us to leave immediately. Soon after, some homeless looking fellow grabbed the stuffed animal that Christine was holding and sprinted away.  I chased after him and Christine said to forget about it.  I was going to stop chasing until three helpful by-standers stopped the man and took the stuffed toy back.  As they were handing it back, they noticed something inside of it.  Before I even said thanks, I was aware something was wrong.  With terrified expressions, they told me that there's a bomb inside.  Timed for a short period till explosion, I took Christine and we immediately left the building and found my family outside (WTF).  I told them to come with us and we ran as far as we could.  Before the bomb went off, I woke up.

Soccer is boring.

I do not like soccer because it is boring for me and it is fun for other people exept for me and it is very hard and you get all sweaty on your face, you get all tired and weak.  And you have to take a sower at home and that is boring for me and other people I think it is but it is very boring and I am not lieing to you Mr. David if you are reading this I am not lieing to you or if somebody is reading this you're reading my thing I wrote myselve at CATCH.  The End!

By: Yulyza Gonzalez 

So many miles and so long.

Boy oh boy, I've been waiting over a year to record this song.
Finally, here it is.  

Featuring the lovely Christine Lan.

Outdoor activities

WOW. I've never been so exhausted in my life.  You would think a 3 day camping trip would do the trick, or perhaps a very long gym session of basketball and work out, but no!  Nothing can be compared to the drained out results of deep sea fishing.

Andrew, Will, and I have been doing some new and exciting outdoor activities.  We've gone to a shotgun shooting range and sailed out Newport for a ten hour day of fishing.  Both are very expensive hobbies, but thanks to Andrew and Will's dad, we have all the equipments which spares us from renting them.   I was quickly addicted to both, but more so to the fishing.  The feeling of reeling in something other than your hook and bait is satisfying and rewarding.  Although you may be tired from the battle, but the adrenalin keeps you going for more.  We each caught about 10 fishes or so, give or take the ones that we had to release back into the sea.

We were to blame for being so out of shape after the trip because of our lack of sleep.  Andrew and I pulled an all-nighter leading in to the trip.  We both couldn't sleep so I decided to head over to his house around 3am.  We played some games and had breakfast at Dennys.  The fishing trip ended with me running of 32 hours deprived from sleep, but we came home happy.