Borat

Day off without the wife so I decided to take in a film.  I wanted to experience Borat on my own for some reason.  Guess I wanted to critique it without having someone else's interpretation affect mine.  What did I think?

At first I had no desire to see it.  Kind of like Jackass, I knew that there was an audience for it but didn't think I was interested.  But as it became more and more financially successful, I had to go see why. 

It is so funny!  (Note to Miguel, remember your early humour? a certain naiveness blended with absurdity. Borat was you in Driver Training!!  Remember?)  Things are done in this film that make you think, "I can't believe he did that!"  This movie tops that scene in "Something About Mary" where the protagonist catches himself on his zipper and the producers allow  it to be graphically depicted.  Though it showed nothing truly sick, I had to look away a couple of times. 

I found myself getting a little sad though.  It is hard for me to tell which scenes were scripted and which were not.  But some of the characters and perspectives were a little disturbing.  Truth be told, some of the things Sacha Cohen is making fun of are too true.  It felt kind of like when you look in the mirror and you manipulate that small imperfection  in order to amplify its distortion upon yourself.  You realize it's futile but you know you have to try and change it.

Click here if you would like to see a review from a site I like to compare my opinions with.  Mostly I agree with it, but c'mon, LOOSEN UP!

Kudos to Borat.  See it while it is still in our social conciusness.

Maria, you said you didn't want to see it.  So don't get mad at me for seeing it with you.

in conclusion

I was conned.  Maria said she was going to buy me clothes at the Citadel.  What she actually wanted was to shop at a warehouse style Halloween store by the Citadel.  She bought an Alice in Wonderland outfit.  We did go to the Citadel as an aside.  I bought some dress slacks, dress shirt, a tie and dress socks.  I want to look professional for my new position.  Yes, I am excited about it.  If you are reading this before my previous entry, I should explain that I am leaving Gelsons #22 to become an assistant manager elsewhere.  Though I felt my previous duties where pertinent to the store.  I wanted to become more involved in customer service.  As it is now I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from making someone's grocery shopping experience easy and pleasant.  I have been around a while and felt that my experience would make me a natural at assistant manager duties.  In essence I want to immerse myself deeper into what I do for a living.  When did this happen?  Erick wants to be challenged?  Let's see how it goes.  I would really like to thank all of you who have either questioned my choice, given my your support, told me you know I'll be good at it, or asked me where I will end up at.  Whatever your reaction, I know you cared and I truly love you guys for that!

Back to Halloween.  Is it my fancy but do only children and women enjoy Halloween?  Okay, kids get to dress up and eat candy.  That's fun.  But why do women engage the holiday (?) so wholeheartedly?  There were tons of women at the Halloween store looking for the perfect costume.  And all these 'perfect costumes'  consist  low cut blouses, mini skirts with knee high stockings and provocative make up.  What's up with that??

How does a man enjoy Halloween?  Well he draws up a spreadsheet with the names of all the characters he expects to see at his door trick or treating.  He creates a pool to see how many of these characters will show up.  My money is on that kid from the Grudge.  But I am not good at tapping into the minds of any generation.    

Well, I bought some sneakers at the outlet mall.  I am afraid I'll  never really shake the impulse to Peter Pan.  I am going to break in my sneakers this fine Saturday afternoon.

take care.

personal announcement

Sorry I missed a post last week!  Got real sick, was literarily handicapped.

I have taken a small step towards becoming a grown-up.  I put in for an assistant manager position with Gelsons.  I have been given an assistant manager position with Gelsons.  Everyone there thinks I am crazy, that is everyone but the supervisers who approved my promotion.  Hey! I look good on paper, college educated and more importantly I haven't broken any major laws in a very long time :)  I am giving up a lot though.  For the last 8 years I have enjoyed a set schedule with weekends off.  That is something special in the supermarket industry.  Also, I am being ripped away from Gelsons Store #22 in Silverlake.  I am going to miss that place a lot!  It is where I was hired.  I have seen myself grow as much as I have seen the area change.  In a way I see myself as Silverlake's evil twin. 

Damn, really wanted to develop that thought but Maria is bugging me to get ready.  She is going to buy me new clothes at The Citadel.  How am I going to be a good manager when I can't even tell my girlfriend to SHUT UP!  (I am kidding)

Gotta go, so ... to be continued...

the world sure is changing

  Well I told you so, didn't I?  The Palm Trees no longer cast a shadow on the tower in this picture.  The sun's light is coming at us from the south now.  Did you know that the Earth doesn't actually tilt like a weeble-wobble?  For years I thought that the seasons were caused by the tilting of the Earth.  But they are caused by a permanent tilt in the Earth and its relation to the orbital plane around the sun.  Wikipedia has a real good diagram of it check it out.  Enough of that.

I had a kick-but Saturday.  I was on a quasi-quest, in search of a book.  Last Sunday I lost the work of fiction I was reading, Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut.  I have been trying to find it all week to no avail.  I was ten pages from completing it so I didn't want to purchase another copy.  Yesterday I finnally decided to check it out at the library.  After about 15 years I renewed my library card.  Actually I got a new one at the Glendale Branch.  I was excited.  Can you beleive they now rent out DVDs for $1 a week?  Anyway,  I was amazed at how fast I found the fiction section and found the section with the author.  Later I further amazed myself  by finding a computer book I wanted to look at.  I am still capable of using the Dewey Decimal System used to classify and sort books.  I have to say I felt a little bit like Burgess Merideth in that classic Twilight Zone episode before he breaks his glasses.  Re-discovering the Library has opened up a brand new resource of knowledge and entertainment that has been unduly overlooked for far to long.  There was a period in my childhood where every Saturday was spent at the Laffayette Park Library down by the Wilshire District. 

Back to my Saturday.  I was looking for Breakfast of Champions which is not a sport's story.  It was not with the other Vonnegut books so I went to the library's computers to see if it was available at that branch.  The library has two copies, both checked out.  The one due back the earliest is due on 10/11.  So I went to the Help Desk to ask if it was possible to reserve the book once it was returned (I am a super-duper geek!).  The librarian was very helpful and went the extra step to see if it was available at any other branch.  I was commuting on a bike so I didn't feel inclined to go to another library for the book.  But sometimes when someone is going out of their way to help you, out of courtesy, you accept the help.  Also, you never know when someone is going to be so helpful again so stock up on kindness from strangers when you can.  The Grandview Branch located near the Glendale/Burbank border had a copy in-house.  He reserved it for me and I rode my bike four miles first to the Grandview Art/Music library where I was redirected back down the hill (if you don't know the area, I apologize.  I hate when writters assume you know what they are talking about) to the Grandview "book" Library.  I got my book, end of quest.

Tower Records is going out of business, see story here  I am saddened by this cause it is just another indicator of how the world is changing.  I am not saying I was a loyal patron of the institution.  I remember it as one of the first destinations for my friends and I when we arrived at a driving age.  Tower Records on Sunset then Carney's down the street for a burger, fries and that orange soda they had there which really kicked-but.  I remember the transition from LP to CD.  Now people download their songs, no need for a store to specialize in Albums anymore cause you can always pick it up at Target.  That is of course if you are looking forward to the latest by a certain artist.  In tribute to music stores everywhere I purchased two albums yesterday during my quest for the book.  I bought  "Sam's Town" by the Killers and "Under the Iron Sea" by Keane.  I was looking forward to the Killers new release.  It is good but not as catchy as their first album.  It will probably take a few listen-throughs before I really start liking it.  I like the fact that it holds itself together as an album though.   Keane's album is really, really good.  Okay, I admit I am a closet Electric Light Orchestra fan and this album reminds me of that group.  But I ask you, who would you be now had you never heard ELO's "Turn to Stone"?

Have a great week.  Oh yeah, how surreal is it to watch "Back to the Future" twenty years after it came out? 

I didn't win CA Superlotto

Every Saturday morning the first thing I do is check my lotto numbers.  I get real mad when I don't win.  For some reason I feel that I deserve to win, that I should win. How hard is it to match 6 numbers?  It is such an illogical line of thought, one that many people seem to suffer from.  Otherwise, there'd be no such organization as Gambler's Anonymous.  Fortunately, Lotto is the only form of gambling I participate in.  I don't even play the mega-millions because the odds are so much higher.  I like mega-millions commercials though; the father who makes it snow for his children in San Diego, the son who has a family reunion on a major league stadium.  I have an idea for one such commercial: 

A pretty average looking guy in very casual attire is driven around town in a limousine.  He stops at a swanky restaurant to meet with a gorgeous ex girlfriend in a very sexy formal dress.  He gets to the table, grabs a dinner roll before even taking a seat. 

She says in a sultry voice, "Hello- insert fictional name here (I am not good at naming characters, I seem to gravitate towards rennaissance like Italian nomenclature like Benvolio or Mercutio)- glad you could make it." 

With bread still in his mouth he says, "yeah, I can't stay long but it is nice to see you."  He grabs a glass of water, drinks.  He looks at her,smiles cause she is beautiful. "Listen I got another appointment, order whatever you want."  He drops several Franklins on the table.  "Call my assistant and we can schedule a better time."

She looks disappointed and meekly nods,"yes."

He finishes goodbye and finds the limo parked in front of the restaurant.  "Next on the list?" he asks the driver.

"Cindi at Chez Nous (fictional French Bistro)" is the reply.

They drive off into a clear Los Angeles night.  Lotto Announcer's voice over,"For $1 you can make her wish she never left you."

Now, isn't that the kind of thing you would do if you won?

Okay, in, how do you say, conclusion.  I love the high I get before finding out my numbers didn't match.  I think of the things I will do.  Some would be selfish... yes it's true.  Some would be altruistic.  Believe it or not I would love to drive an ice-cream truck for a while and just give away my merchandise.  That would be cool! making kids happy with no motiveof self-interest.  When I got tired of that I would give the truck away and travel.  I would keep a journal and when all the money was gone I would submit a book, What I Did After I Won The Lotto.  The book would hopefully establish me as a writer.  I would secure a modest living that way and live out the rest of my days in a quiet place.

What do you think?

Real quick one.  What do you think of this?  If you click the link it'll take you to a story on the latest female teacher/ under age boy story.  The site also follows the story up with a list (with pictures) of other such women.  I am curious about how other people feel about what the judge said; had this been a 29 year old man with a 17 year old female jail time would have been served.  Why is there a double standard there?  It seems that social consensus is that under age females are damaged by these  inappropriate illicit trysts while under age boys are not.  I have actually heard the opinion that boys actually "win the lottery" in these situations.  Is it the universal belief that girls (women) should be protected while boys should be prompted to engage in actions of conquest and exploration that creates the double standard? 

dialogue from men's locker room

My friend Horatio (John, I changed your name for anonymity sake) and I went to the gym yesterday.  I don't know what it is about men's locker rooms but I always feel a need to broadcast my conversations there.  It is either an act of compensation or me trying to act casual in a place that makes me nervous.  Not to mention the great acoustics in Locker Rooms.  Had you been there this is what you would have heard:

Horatio:  You know in Costa Rica the theme to McGyver is Rush's "Tom Sawyer"

Me:  That song seems 'propriate, but you know the the protagonist in the lyrics of that song is not a virtuous person.

Horatio:  "You know his mind is not for rent, when you got a government..."???

Me:  Yeah, but how about, "today's Tom Sawyer, me, me, mine"

Horatio:  "Me, me, Pride"!!

Me:  Pride is not a good thing!

Horatio:  Sometimes it is.

Me:  Tell that to Oedipus.

Horatio: (Snickers)

Oedipus is the first example of bad pride I could come up with and its pretty lame and obscure.  But, that's the way it was ladies and gentlemen.  My point is that Costa Rica must have a much better developed sense of drama than we do here in the states where the theme to McGyver is... I don't even know what it is!!  If it was Rush's "Tom Sawyer" you can bet I would remember it. 

Have a great last week of summer!!!

 

comments on current events

When did my gut get so big?  You can spend a large part of your life wishing you looked different or had more money, drove a different car, had a better p.c. or whatever.  Problem then is that the self-absorption keeps you from appreciating the peripherals like a beautiful sunset (taken in Maui, as was the picture of me snorkeling).  There is a period of my life where I took very little pictures of myself.  I didn't like seeing them developed and being disappointed with the way I look.  Now when I run into the few pictures I took then, I think, "damn, you were a good looking dude.  Wish I had more pictures to remind myself of that."  I think that we all like the pictures we took 3 years ago but dislike the ones we took yesterday. 

Canada.  Sean Penn caused a hotel to be fined because he smoked a cigarrette in an inside area.  I have always enjoyed his work; from Spicoli to the government agent in "The Interpreter."  As an antagonist he also nails the part.  His portrayals in "Casualties of War" and "Dead Man Walking" brought out my own hate for the characters.  In "I am Sam" he made me cry.  There is no question that he is a deep and talented actor.  It is too bad he can't obey the rules.  The article mentioned his brief marriage to Madonna in the eighties.  That marriage and the marriages of Emilio Esteves with Demi Moore and with Paula Abdul are ones which I can't forget because they just don't seem plausible. 

Rome.  The pope is apologizing (according to the article I read) for Muslim reaction to what he said about them which he was only reading, not his words.  Is that really an apology?  "I am sorry for how you feel about what I said when I was reading out loud."  BTW  If someone was to insult Catholics, I wouldn't take it personally.  Depending on what he or she said I would judge it as an ignorant comment, irrelevant comment or a cutting observation with unwarranted blanket implications.  Respectively:

To say Catholics are responsible for evil on earth is ignorant.  To say that about any one religion, people or creed is ignorant.

The Spanish Inquisition is a cruel example of hate and persecution fueled by Catholic zeal is a true statement but irrelevant.  After a certain amount of time the mistakes of the past cast no guilt on the inhabitants of the present time.  Bigotry is not a genetic trait, it is learned (watch science prove me wrong).

Catholic Priests are child molesters is a generalized statement made upon relatively few examples(percentage of priests guilty of child molestation vs. percentage of priests who are not).  The fact that many such priests have been found out is true but it doesn't mean they all are. 

When I think about it, anytime religion is brought up I tend to become quite the bag of wind.  Religion is something that can either make you a better person or a worse one.  I read (present tense) Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and I think how enlightened His words were.  If I could remind myself of these lessons everyday, my life would be blessed with clarity and satisfaction.  However, if I go around trying to proclaim and defend my religion all I would encounter is enemies and obstacles.  I would become vain and overbearing. 

At this point a giant hook comes on stage and pulls the failing performer offstage.

Getting back to "it"

Maria is very excited about Rachel Ray' new daily show on CBS.  It starts next week Monday the eighteenth at 9 a.m.  I for one will not be watching.  Not because I don't like Rachel Ray but because it is on when I am at work.  Rachel is fun to watch.  She has loads of energy.  I saw her on Oprah once and was amazed at how Rachel's energy overwhelmed Oprah's.  I don't enjoy cooking shows but I have heard that the $40 a day show is very good.

Bittersweet time September is.  Summer is ending but here come the new shows.  I am looking forward to seeing what happens on Lost.  I think less than 5 new episodes of Lost are scheduled to air in the fall.  The bulk of the third season will air after the new year.  I realize that Lost is a cliffhanger and the producers want to keep its viewers hanging on for the next episode; tv's version of return customers.  But, Lost does have some sense of denoument (resolution) in each episode.  By using flashbacks the show allows us insight into its characters.  So even though questions like; why is the hatch on the island? what is up with those numbers? where did that smoke monster get off to? who are the 'others' and why do they take the children? and what happened to the polar bears? are never answered, we do get answers to why Jack needs to take care of everybody or why John Locke needs to believe in the supernatural or why Hugo is afraid of good fortune.  By the way Hugo is my favorite character for many reasons.  If you are not watching the show can I suggest renting season 1 on DVD next time you can't decide on a movie at Blockbuster.  Watching three episodes is far more satisfying than one lackluster film like "The Inside Man". 

I see that my last entry was on August 5.  I took a vacation in mid August.  Maria and I went to Maui after which I spent a week doing nothing.  Maui was great.  Would like to work it into a blog without gloating over it or trying to analyze how a place could it exist with the sole function of maintaining its beauty to keep people visiting it (shouldn't every place be like that?)  The last two weeks I have suffered from post-vacation depression.  I found it hard to get back to work and back to the normal routines. 

Well, I sincerely hope everyone is ready for Autumn which begins at 4 a.m. September 23.  Funny thing, I guess it is that I have gotten older, but I have become sensitive to how daylight is different in September than in August.  It is a slight change but there nonetheless.  Our temperatures may still hit the nineties but the way the day looks we can still assure ourselves the season is almost over. 

Take care.

being grateful

I was interrupted in the midst of the last blog.  Maria needed to go to work.  I was her ride and didn't realize her start time was approaching.  I was starting to talk about how introspection that leads to discontent is a selfish activity.  My segue into gratitude should begin with a brief mention of my girlfriend.  We have been together 3 years and well, sometimes I take her for granted.  I shouldn't.  She is a great person.  I am thankful that she is a big part of my life.  Ever been asked what makes a good relationship?  I'd like to think that a good relationship is one where someone brings out something in yourself that you really like.  It is usually something that is already there but takes someone special to evoke it.  Maria helps me appreciate the real things in life.  The picture I uploaded is one I took at the Los Angeles Zoo a couple of months back.  That smile is so genuinely happy.  We both had a real good time that day.  This world can pose so many things that will challenge your happiness; anxiety about the future or worry about your security are two things that come readily to mind.  Maria can put things away from her mind and enjoy her surroundings.  When we are together she is not checking her watch or cell phone.  This tells me that she is content to be where she is and that is with me.  Isn't that great!

Well I have been derailed from the original purpose of today's blog.  Ever notice how hard it is to pursue a chain of thought once you've set upon another?  I celebrated twenty years with Gelsons this July.  The Company held a breakfast for associates who had served 15, 20, 25, 30 and even 35 years.  I took a picture with the President of Gelsons, Bob Stiles and the head of Arden Group Bernard Briskin.  Both really, really nice guys; not your usual suits.  Gelsons is a company that truly takes care of its employees.  The breakfast is just one way that they let their associates know that they are remembered.  At the breakfast looking around I noticed that the people who were celebrating these milestone anniversaries had one quality in common.  They were all truly conscientious persons, all Good Samaritans who would go out of their way to make someone else happy.  I didn't start this blog to highlight what a great company Gelsons is nor how great its longtime employees are.  I wanted to explore my feelings and thoughts concerning my longevity with this supermarket.  Truth is that a lot of my closest relationships began through the store.  Some of the standards I hold for myself have been developed through my duties with Gelsons.  My time there has impacted me in more ways than just providing a paycheck.  Twenty years is a long time.  And yes maybe there are other things I could have done in that time.  But would I want to throw away the friendships and experiences brought on by my time there?  Probably not.  Would I like to see who I would become if ever the metaphoric umbilical cord is cut?  Probably so.  As Asia eloquently put it in that great progressive rock ballad from the eighties, "only time will tell."  I am sure the phrase was around before but I always think the sentiment as how it was sung in that song.

commemorative moment

I was hired by Mayfair Markets on July 21, 1986.  My friend arranged the interview with the Grocery Store Director.  He had been working there a couple of months and wanted to quit.  I don't remember why he wanted to leave but he did not just want to leave without supplying a body to replace his.  I am sure he thought it was a good opportunity for me seeing as I still hadn't had my first job.  My interview was conducted in the morning.  I remember having love-bites from the night before on a part of my neck which could not be hidden by any collar.  In my defense I was eighteen and eighteen year olds are allowed discrepancies other members of society are forbidden.  The store director was understanding.  He made a comment about telling my girlfriend to lay off the neck area.  I was hired and told to work that night's closing shift.  My friend had quit and I was taking his shift. 

Twenty years and two weeks later I am still employed by the same market.  The store I work at has been converted into a Gelsons Market but the holding company is still Arden group.  So in essence I am still working for the same company.  20 years with the same company.  I don't know how to process that fact.  It says good things about me.  I haven't been fired for one.  I am loyal and consistent.  But it also poses the question, is there something else I could have done?  Is there another vocation that would maybe have brought out something better from me?  Would the world have benefited had I done great things in another field?  Questions, Questions everywhere, not a drop of wisdom to drink. 

Introspection is a selfish activity.  It says about a person, he is not grateful, he is seeking something better.  to be continued...

Lebanon

On Friday in Seatle a man attacked a Jewish Center.  He was provoked by the violence that is currently occuring in Lebanon.  I am amazed that anyone can find such conviction in such a crazy situation.  I, myself,  find it hard to sort out my feelings towards the war in Lebanon.  I understand Israel's need to protect itself and to show Hezbollah that it will not tolerate acts of war directed at Israel.  However I don't think Hezbollah represents the entire nation of Lebanon so seeing civilians being bombed because they are in the middle of things does not raise my sympathies towards Israel.  At the same time the murder of one innocent women and wounding of several others doesn't help me sympathize for Lebanon either.  What is wrong with a world where the only way to make a point about something is to blow something up or kill an innocent? 

This war began when Hezbollah forces engaged in a cross border raid killing eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two.  The way I understand it is that fighting would not have escalated as far as it has had the two kidnapped soldiers been returned to Israel.  That is what kills me! 

There is a story in The Old Testament from the book of Judges.  Chapters 19-21 tell of this great civil war that took place between the tribes Israel.  It starts with an outrage being performed on one member of a tribe by members of another.  It is oversimplifying it to call it merely an outrage; a woman is gang-raped and dies, her husband seeks justice from the leaders of his people.  The people of  Israel gather together to correct the injustice.  The tribe responsible for the crime will not accept responsibility nor bring forth the guilty parties.  This leads to a civil war within the tribes of Israel. The death toll, in my calculations, is about 60,000 by the end of the three day war.  Why does this biblical story remind me of what is going on now?  An incident which in my Bible takes half a page to narrate leads to a war that takes the remaining four pages of the Book of Judges.  Is it possible that world events can be simply explained as a big game of "Quien es mas macho?"  I keep thinking that someone will accuse me of downplaying the catalysts.  But when we look at the results, shouldn't we say, "Wait a minute, this is getting out of hand."

Long Beach Aquarium

We drove out to Long Beach to see the Aquarium.  Downtown Long Beach is nice, real nice.  They keep it real clean.  The Aquarium is located in an area called The Pike and there are tons of things to see there.  There is a ferris wheel and a pontoon rental area.  Also tons of shops and restaurants.  Unfortunately the day was too hot to enjoy any of the outdoor activities but just walking around Pike center would have been nice had it not been.

The actual aquarium is pretty cool.  Lots of different species.  But too many of one in particular.  Homo-Sapiens.  It was too crowded to enjoy the many exhibits.  The Great White Shark exhibit was impossible to get close to.  It seems that once people got up close to the sharks they wouldn't leave.  Great whites are magnificent animals.  I wanted to be right up against the tank's glass to observe them but the people in the front rows would not budge from those spots.  Walking through the Aquarium was tedious.  Slow mobs moving one way, trying to avoid walking into someone's picture or not running into a wayward child were a few of the challenges posed.  If you have patience though it is a pretty fun place.  There are plenty of guides to help or answer questions like, "is an eel a fish?" (sorry Vince I forgot to ask)  Jellyfish tanks are mesmerizing.  Children surround tanks full of clown fish with moms looking on saying, "There's Nemo."  There was a tank with small phosphorescent fish and I thought "starter fish" but they have another name which I have already forgotten. 

I took a picture of myself in front of a model of a Blue Whale.  If that is an actual size model, WOW!  Seeing one of those in person would blow me away.  A month from now we will be in Hawaii.  Maybe I'll see one. 

Hope everyone is doing well this very hot summer.

Movie Review

Hello again.  The picture is my browser on Sony Pictures' site for the movie "Click".  Do you know how to take a snapshot of your computer screen?  Ask me and I will show you how to do it on a Windows machine.  It is a useful tool.

To get into someone else's air-conditioning we went to the movies yesterday and watched Click.  There is one thing that an Adam Sandler movie will always supply; a great soundtrack.  I like the fact that they used contemporary artists like Snow Patrol and Gwen Steffani (one of the songs i enjoy by her) but also squeezed in Foreigner and other late seventies and eighties bands. 

Adam Sandler comedies never surprise us in regards to plot lines.  We can call this one Capra -esque.  Still the movie was enjoyable.  Funny was funny and there was a tinge of sadness in some scenes.  I heard some sniffles in the audience.  The message strikes a chord in a world where unbridled ambition stands opposite family togetherness.  I loved the premise; a remote control that can control our personal universe.  It seems  our control of the television and computers frustrates our control of the real world.  Sometimes I find myself wanting to right click my cursor over situations and people whose properties I want to discover and I am not talking about just when I am in front of my computer. 

Also, I enjoyed seeing the actors playing Adam's parents in the movie.  Both actors I have enjoyed in the past.  Don't want to reveal their names here.  But they always warm my heart because they've been around so long and I equate them to some of my favorite characters.

Click did not dissapoint.

I have heard the complaint that this blog does not fit on the screen.  I too have noticed that.  There are a couple of fixes you can try.  On the bottom of the browser there is a horizo scroll bar.  You can center your position on the screen using that scroll bar.  Also,  you can place your cursor on the blue line at the right side of the browser.  It will turn to a line pointing right and left.  You can use this line to widen the browser.  Oh yeah, have you tried maximizing?

What I didn't say...

So I was at a friend/family gathering some weeks ago. I got into a friendly debate about SUV's. You see, I am of the opinion that these are part of the problem. I am not vocal in my derision but I feel strongly about it. I am upset that I did not pose a counter argument to the final point posed by the other side: It was said that if a person is willing to pay the extra money to drive an SUV it was that person's decision and prerogative. I remained silent as if that was the end word on that. But I now realize that I did have an answer to that comment. If you know me you know that I am not an antagonistic person. I will avoid hurting someone's feelings at all expense even if it just means avoiding a disagreement with them. But I do have a point: My point presents itself as an analogy. We were at a barbeque so the comparison was valid. You approach the table were the food was set and you put on your plate more than you need to eat, more than you will eat. Is it not true then that your faux pas did not just affect you? That food is no longer available to the other party goers. If you drive an SUV and you can afford to pay the tax for the luxury vehicle. And, you can afford the extra money you will spend to keep it fueled. Does that justify making resources scarce for everybody else? I don't think so. No other animal benifits more from interdependence than the Human one. Seeking a comfort level exponentially above the one you need or proclaiming a social status through waste are two reasons our way of life is being questioned and consequently threatened.

I love watching The People's Court

Does taking a picture of an image on your television violate copyright protection?

I enjoy the drama that is The People's Court.  It is on Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. This is around the time I get home from work.  I have grown fond of Judge Marylin Milian.  She is a pretty tuff cookie.  Her personality is both lively and earnest.  I especially like to watch when she spills her morals on social issues she takes to heart:  She doesn't like to see young people starting families before they are ready.  Nor does she approve of people who run out on their responsibilities financial or moral. Judge Milian doesn't miss an opportunity to chide unscrupulous litigants.  That can either be fun to watch or embarrassing.

I would like to use this journal to share two of my favorite cases.  Both cases were Lottery related. 

In the first the plaintiff was suing the owner of a liquor store where he had purchased his lottery numbers.  The owner of the store had input the wrong numbers into the computer so the plaintiff did not purchase the numbers he had intended to buy.  The plaintiff was not aware that he did not get the correct numbers till later.  When he checked the lottery results it turned out the numbers he had originally intended on played but the numbers he got didn't.  I think the prize was $250.  So he took the liquor store owner to court, sued him for the lottery prize $250.  The plaintiff told the court that he always played the same numbers and that if it hadn't been for the incompetence of the defendant he would be $250 richer.  Judge Milian found that the plaintiff should have corrected the mistake when he purchased the ticket.  Besides, if the 'wrong' numbers he had bought won would he still have taken the liquor store owner to court?  Would he have rejected the prize?  It was a case of "Buyer Beware."

In the second case the plaintiff had won $2000 in a state lottery.  However he couldn't collect the prize because he owed the government money in unpaid taxes.  If he were to cash in the ticket the Lotto commission would find out he owed the government and the money would go to the government.  So what does the unlucky winner do?  He asks his neighbor to cash the ticket.  Offers him $200 of the prize.  So his neighbor goes to collect.  Upon turning in the ticket theneighbor finds out that he also owes the IRS.  It came out that his ex-wife had been given financial aid because he had never paid child support. So he owed the government money for not paying child support.  This comes up when he turns in the ticket.  The prize money then goes towards payment of this debt.  The original winner sues his neighbor for failing to collect his money.  Though the Judge deemed that both litigants were trying to deceive the government the defendant did benefit from what happened.  His debt to the government had been reduced by $2000.  Even though he didn't know about the debt he still had some of it payed off.  She ordered the defendant to pay the plaintiff $1800.  She did not rule for the whole $2000 because a payment of $200 had been agreed upon at the beginning of the deal.  I felt sorry for the defendant.  But I understand the judge's ruling.

Our system of justice, civil and criminal, is such an integral part of our society.  I am glad that this show allows me a glimpse of what happens in that world.

summer, again

I am most often inspired by the sights I encounter riding to and from the gym.  Being a compulsive creature of habit, I have learned what to expect during different times or seasons.  For example, at 4 p.m. the streets are a lot less congested than at 5 p.m.  Before 4 p.m. I see a lot of high school and junior high school kids on their way home.  The things I note are not just necessarily tied to time of day.  I also notice how certain days present different landscapes.  On April 24 of every year I have to be extra careful because the Armenian population commemorates the beginning of the Armenian Genocide that day. 

http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Armenian_Genocide

This means that I will see many cars full of youths waving flags and communicating with others from their clique.  Their driving is inhibited by the loosely joined commemorating activities.  So while in Hollywood and the Los Feliz area I am a lot more watchful of distracted drivers.  Today I was challenged by the Los Feliz Fair on Hillhurst.  I was going to place a picture of that in my journal but I chose to go in another direction. 

As soon as I get a chance I will find out the status of the building in the center of the picture.  I believe it now houses an automotive body shop.  But I am not sure.  You see many buildings like this in Hollywood.  They have a classic structure and make you wonder whether they are protected by some sort of conservancy group.  I digress.  It is not the structure of the building that allowed it placement in this blog.  If you look at the picture you see that the palm tree casts its shadow on the tower.   Big whup, right?  Well that shadow is only visible in the summer months.  I start seeing it in late April and stop seeing it in late September.  Of course I know that this is due to the Sun's position in the western sky; it's light comes at us from the North and the tree stands between Sun and the tower.  In winter the palm tree is no longer between the Sun's light and the tower.  (Did I really need to explain that? And do I really need to keep capitalizing Sun?)  Southern California is tricky in terms of climate.  Some will say that we have none.  As of late the mornings are cloudy the afternoons sunny but temperature is nondescript.  So, in the late afternoons when I am riding my bike eastbound, I check to see if I can see this shadow; to see if it is still summer.  I have done this for years and finally decided to take a picture of it.

If you know this building (it is 2 blocks east of Western and Hollywood Blvd.) and can enlighten me on its origin and status, send me the info.

I guess it is summer

I am using a larger font today because I don't have much to say.  But I want this to look like there is a lot.  The picture above is of a small (9 inch) wooden statue we have in the backyard.  It represents Jesus walking with a child. 

June is a month for children.  You will see kids all over the place in the next few weeks.  (Please drive carefully.)  Residential streets will be populated by teenagers on skateboards as will the local malls.  Playgrounds and parks will yield the screams of smaller kids on swings, slides and sandboxes.  This is hard to write about because I am far removed from my own childhood and I can't identify with what it is like to grow up in the year 2006.  I am sure that the contrasts between say 1978 and 2006 are many.  For one thing there is a lot more going on indoors now than there was then; video games, cartoon channels and personal computers with Chat and Email options come to mind.  I watch my nephews manipulate a mouse or turn on a playstation and I marvel at their ability to navigate this brave new world .  I see the kids at the malls with their cell phones and portable internet devices.  I wonder how much information they are actually processing in their minds.  It must be a lot of fun but at the same time it must be overwhelming.  There wasn't as much stimulus around when I was a kid.  But I have gone far from where I intended to be.  Summer is such a special time and we are just entering the season so I am excited.  As I mentioned the kids will be out and I still believe that we are a village, though a much larger one.  I am trying to allude to the quote, "It takes a village to raise a child."  We should all be watchfull of the children around us in the next few months.  Watch for things or situations that may harm them.  Be good role models.  And, if you get the chance, join them in their revelries.  It might be good for you as well as for them.  Here is a canadian site with tips on how to keep kids safe, just in case you want to check it out: http://www.sickkids.ca/safekidscanada/default.asp

the rain stopped

It stopped raining in the early afternoon.  I had a feeling the day would be gorgeous.  That is one of the great after-effects of rain.  When I saw the eastern sky, I had to take a picture.  I try to have a camera in case of such moments.  Someone asked me what I was shooting.  I told him the Stop Sign.  Well... the picture needed a subject.  I am not good at taking pictures using the sky as my sole subject.  The point of the picture was to get the red of the sign, the blue of the sky and the fleeing clouds.  The shadow that runs down the sign bothers me.  But that is the way it was.  I can't erase shadows. 

I hope that you were able to enjoy the day after today's rain.

Maria's tattoo

Maria finally let me have a picture of her tattoo.  She did not let me take the picture though. It is a butterfly.  As with all things the tattoo has me pondering, what does this mean to me?  Should I go out and buy wife beater shirts, grease up my hair and stick a cigarrette behind my ear?  All guys who have girlfriends with tattoos follow that prototype.  I don't look good in wife-beaters (is wifebeaters one word, two words or hyphenated?).  Wifebeaters look good on thin guys with a little bit of muscle.  I am too stocky.  Maybe if I smoked, I could trim down and look good in tank tops.  Then the cigarette behind my ear would make sense.  Why am I so conscious of what other people are doing?  Why do I feel a need to match or counter their actions?  Is that just human nature?  I like Maria's tattoo.  It adds a quality to her she didn't have before and it is not just limitted to a physical nature.  It made her happy and that is what matters.  There are those of you who might remember me when I got an earing on the left ear, then the right ear.  A couple of you might remember the time we were on a parking shuttle in Westwood and someone called me Boy George cause my accessorizing had gotten out of control.  It is embarassing to think about it now.  In a way though, it warms my heart to think of myself when I was young and trying to define myself.  For a while that earing worked.  One thing I have come to terms with is that we should all explore our options.  In the words of a great man, "Shyness is nice, but Shyness can stop you from doing all those things in life you'd like to."  Don't expect to see myself in a wife-beater anytime soon.

in conclusion

This is a tree I see on my way to the Hollywood gym I frequent.  In contrast to the tree below it makes me think of a very unhealthy mind.  Don't get me wrong it is beautiful in its own right.  It just doesn't work as an analogy of the mind.  The branches seem to be running away from the main body of the tree, all those right angles.  One can't imagine how one part of this tree even knows there are other parts to it.  On the other hand were someone to be contemplating a tree house, this would be the perfect tree for that purpose.  I have an assignment for you: look at the trees you encounter every day.  Imagine what kind of personalities they would have.  Which ones would be your friends?  Which ones would you try to avoid?  Which ones would you challenge?  Which ones would challenge you?

the brain

Epiphany is one of those words that I have a hard time recalling.  When I want to use it I always seem to gravitate towards the word 'euphemism' and this pull keeps me from epiphany.  An epiphany is a moment of clarity.  A euphism is something else. 

After a good bike ride, I like to cap off the experience with a libation in mom's back yard.  It is very relaxing.  It was even more pleasing when Puma was around and I would slowly sink into doggie consciousness as the bottle grew less fuller.  Now days I sit back there and watch the wind.  The tree in this picture captures the wind in a beautifully choreographed dance that only the randomness of nature could put on.  One day enjoying this dance I had an (here it comes) epiphany:  Nothing in this world is a better analogy for the human mind than a healthy tree.  The branches reaching out in all directions are analogous to our own branches of knowledge.  If the branches are well spread out and the leaves many, it is possible for one to see a direct line of contact between all the leaves on the tree.  Hence one leaf is never too far away from another.  Our mind is the same.  If our reasoning is healthy enough one thought is never too far away from another.  We realize the interconnectivity of the universe. 

 

just some thoughts

My thoughts are disconnected today.

I have been thinking about grammar lately.  I am always second guessing my writing, especially when it comes to commas.  I need a refresher in this area.  Commas allow for clauses in a sentence which are not vital to the meaning of the sentence but allow for some extra information.  So when we write, "I, Erick Villagran, will work on my grammar", the commas in that sentence help set up the subject.  But what about the comma I put in after the closing quotation, is that one necessary?  I like to think of grammar as the rules of writing which allow it to be precise.  Like the rules of math, grammar clears up ambiguities.  Consider the following math problem  2 + 5 X 3 =   .  If a student was to answer that problem as 21 (the product of the sum of 2+5 and 3) he/she would be wrong.  In math there is a rule called the order of operations which says that multiplication is performed before addition and subtraction.  The correct way to approach the equation is to multiply 5 and 3 then add 2; the answer is 17.  My point is this knowing grammar can help one communicate more effectively.  Does effective need a quantifier?

Another thought:  You see so many things being invented nowadays.  I would love to see someone invent this:  Eye glasses that would allow one to see where flatulence has been emmited.  Maybe more people would think twice about relieving themselves in public.  The idea comes from a warning from a childhood's friend mother.  When we would swim in their pool his mom would tell us that if we urinated while swimming a chemical in the pool would cause the ammonia in our urine to turn red.  So anyone who peed in the pool would be identified by the red water around them.  I could really use the Flatulence Glasses.  So many times at the gym someone lets one rip and I can't blame anyone.  I WANT TO BLAME SOMEONE FOR THIS.

One last thought:  The other day they were doing a story on the Channel 9 news about the first set of triplets turning 50.  I thought, "Really? Triplets have only been around for 50 years?"  Anyway I let that go.  But then the reporter when on to say that it was a natural childbirth cause cesarians weren't available in 1956.  Wasn't the Cesearian Birth named after Julius Ceasar?  Why would it be named after him if it wasn't around at the time he was born?  Was it just called a Breach Birth then? 

I won't take up anymore of your time.

 

I am back!!

I am back!!

Our DSL modem went out last week so I was grounded.  Weird, though, I thought I would miss internet access more than I did.  But I got a lot of things done that I might not even have started had the modem not gone down.  I guess it just goes to prove this artificial sense of busy we are under the spell off in this 21st. Century. 

I chose to put this picture in my journal because it is one I will always treasure.  In fact it is not a picture at all; it is a digital still frame from my camcorder.  I went to pick up Justin (my nephew) from school last year.  He was looking for his grandfather and started to look anxious when he didn't see him.  Then he saw me and man-o-man did he brighten up.  I know that part of his elation was due to the fact that he had not been abandoned.  But I want to believe that he was real glad to see his uncle.  The way he ran at me that day made me nostalgic for my own childhood.  Do you remember how you felt when the school day was over?    I wish there were moments in life you could put in a jar and save them forever.  Maybe you could take a nip here and there from that jar and you could savor those past moments again whenever you needed to.  I would definitely can that moment.  Thank you Justin for giving me this memory.

tax day

Mark, Chapter 12 (King James Bible) ChristianAnswers.Net WebBible

 

I was thinking about the Easter and Tax Day being in such proximity.  The site at the end of the link above helped me deal with the issue.  In a nutshell, keep your relationship with the Lord and your civic duties seperate. 

 

I just returned from the dentist.  I rode a bicycle there to save gas and money.  Unfortuneately, I got a flat and had to buy an inner tube.  So much for saving money.  Anyway, I am tired cause fixing the flat was more drama than I was looking for today.  I planned to engage this journal with enthusiasm and verve.  I no longer feel the motivated. 

 

waiting for the sun to come out

Sitting around.  Surfing the world wide web trying to amuse myself.  They say this might be the last rain we will have for a while.  I like rain.  Keeps me inside. 

It is Good Friday today.  My friend and I had an IM chat yesterday on the significance of the day.  It is hard to explain to someone why you value something.  As I write this I am listening to Tom Cruise talk about his beliefs which always seem to become very important around the time of his movie releases.  If you like chocolate and your friend likes vanilla, it is impossible to explain why you prefer your flavor over the other one. But Tom keeps pushing his belief and it makes him seem ridiculous.  My advice is if it works for you it may not work for others so don't be too preachy. 

John, I hope I didn't sound preachy or self-righteous yesterday. You are a great person just the way you are!

about blogs

Thoreau once wrote, "the bulk of mankind live their lives in quiet desperation."  (or something like that)  I always remember that quote when I am stuck in or witness to traffic.  I believe we live in one of the worst rated cities traffic wise.  So I went out today trying to capture this fact.  This is the 5 South at Los Feliz.  It is not as bad as I've seen it in the past.  Ironically I think, the current price of gas is helping gridlock.  Still I can't help wonder what kind of Zeitgeist (look it up) emerges from a people subjected to the anxiety and frustration brought on by sitting in traffic.

I guess that this would be a good opportunity to segue into an explanation of the title of this blog.  "Sono in Transito" means "I am in transit" in Italian.  The idea behind the blog was to develop a public self through the written word.  I enjoy reading other people's blogs.  And, I thought I would like to become the type of person who puts out a pretty good blog.  So I am on my way to becoming a Blogger.  How am I doing?

(I got this from one of my favorite blogs) Personal to you know who you are:  Thank you for visiting my blog.  You have always been a great influence on me and your opinion (even when I don't agree with it) means a lot to me.

my first entry

     This is my first entry.  I would like to introduce this blog with a picture I took last week.  It is the sidewalk as it disappears south from our house on Perlita.  It reminds me of the beginning of a journey.  Appropriate I thought. 

I just ran a spell check and it said that Blog was spelled wrong.  Obviously it did not recognize the word.  Funny it being part of the Blog program. 

Don't want to drag on.  So I will stop.  Now I gotta figure out how to tell people of this Blog so if you are reading this it meant I succeeded.