Perpetual Mixtape.

Shutterfly Photo Card.

2011-09-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Okay so I've had a Shutterfly account for a couple of years now and I've nothing but good things to say about the service. I've ordered photobooks and prints from them and have always been very satisfied with the quality and look of the products. Recently I got an offer for a free greeting card, and since Veronica's fifth birthday is fast approaching, I thought a nice, professionally cute card would be perfect. Here's what I ended up with:

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

I should be getting the card in a few days -- in plenty of time for her birthday next month. Fantastic :D

J-Pros: Down With The Kings.

2011-06-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

We were blessed with the opportunity to rock with Amsterdam, 2Soul and Urban Seeds last night at Neumos! It was J-Pros' first time at the Capitol Hill venue and we performed our longest set to date. Needless to say our set went really smoothly (all those rehearsals paid off) and we definitely had a blast. We truly appreciate those who came to the show and supported local music!

Here's a video for the beginning of our set:

Check out Reggie's (R'Senull) YouTube account for the rest of the set. I'll be uploading photos on my Flickr account later today.

PM Update 007: Redesign Imminent.

2011-06-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

What up fam.

I realize that I've been AWOL from Perpetual Mixtape for a number of months. This is mostly due to things slowing down and becoming static in my personal life; I lost a creative spark toward the beginning of the year and I'm just now getting it back. Thus my posts dried up, and would have been boring had I actually published any of them anyway.

Things may be turning around soon for me, so I expect to be putting in more effort with this website in the upcoming weeks. One thing I definitely want to do is purchase my own domain name -- having had some kind of journal on the Web for over a decade, you think I'd have one by now -- and completely redesign the site. It's become stagnant for me, and my recent overhaul really didn't generate the interest and creative burst from my brain that I thought it would. Ah well.

I've actually got a rather busy July ahead, but look for some new content soon! In the meantime, this will probably become a mini-photo blog as I've been keeping up on my Sunday Seven series.

Hope I haven't kept anyone waiting too long.

70s Baby.

2011-03-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Time to get random (c) Lady Sovereign.

Okay well this list is seriously gonna date me but dammit I'm in a nostalgic mood for older technology. I kinda miss:

listening to the tape at high speed and on reverse on your Walkman to find the beginning of the song.
music sounding dark and slow since the batteries are dying -- keep listening anyway.
rewinding the cassette tape with a pencil.
changing the film in a camera.
dialing a rotary phone.
ejecting a cassette tape from a Walkman.
having to find a pay phone.
the sound a dial-up modem would make when trying to connect.
the microwave oven being nearly as big as the damn fridge.
having to rewind VHS tapes before returning them to the video rental place.
getting a VHS tape stuck, resulting in the tape geting all fucked up. You'd have to spin the little wheel to get it to reel back up, but the quality of the video was never the same again. Sometimes, it wouldn't even go back in right.
listening to the radio, waiting for that popular song and having the tape recorder on standby.
using a cheap boombox and getting my cassette "eaten." Ah, the agony.
freaking out to the original V television series.
my Commodore 128. Yeah, I'm a nerd.
video cameras being so big they came in freaking suitcases.
the feeling of putting a tape in the VCR -- the moment where the mechanism catches and pulls the tape cartridge away from your fingertips was bliss.
how different our lives were in regard to communication. If i needed to talk to someone they'd better be at home when I called. Likewise, expecting a call meant sitting in your house and not leaving.

Technology has made things almost infinitely easier. Maybe I'm just pining for my childhood, but a certain charm has been lost.

2011 Checklist, Part 02: Personality.

2011-02-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

If I had anything resembling resolutions for 2011, these would be it. Second in a series of comments on a checklist for the new(ish) year. This particular section has to do with ...

Personality:

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Not too hard. I don't really look at someone and check to see if I'm doing "better" or "worse" than them. I have enough to worry about on my own plate and don't need to measure my life against anyone else's.
Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. I've slowly been converting myself into an optimist. Back then I was definitely more of a fatalist with pessimist tendencies and it hadn't really benefited me all that much. Although nowadays I try to look on the more positive side of things, my outlook is still mixed with a healthy amount of realism. So far I think it's a good balance.
Don't over do. Keep your limits. I'm half in agreement with this one. I'm all for not overexerting oneself, but there's no way I'm never testing the limits of my capacity. Stagnation isn't really the way to go.
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. Getting better at this. Life is much more pleasant when you live with a lighter heart.
Dream more while you are awake. Maybe I'm doing a little too much of this :)
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. I wouldn't call it envy, but I do catch myself admiring possessions/characteristics of other people. But I would see it more as something to aspire to be, in a positive manner.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. Done and done.
Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. Still an ongoing struggle with me; this is probably one of my biggest obstacles. I've found it difficult to "move on" with certain aspects of life when ghosts of my past self continue to haunt me. Therapy has helped me before and I plan on going back as soon as I can afford it.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you. I wish this weren't "easier said than done." While I can't say I'm completely, 100% perfectly happy with where I am in life, it's comforting to know that I'm taking steps in that direction. Who knows -- I may never get there, but the thing about perfection is that it's unknowable.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. It's become easier internally for me now that I see past problems as learning points. Granted, I haven't been the brightest "student" over the past few years but I'm learning. Slow and steady is the course for me, I guess.
Smile and laugh more. Done.
You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. This was a big hurdle. I've been fairly successful at letting things go, and realizing that it's okay that other people have different viewpoints. I don't have to change other people's minds; there's nothing to be gained by force.

PM Update 006: New Colors & Layout.

2011-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

Decided to tweak the blog design a little bit. It's had the same basic layout for about two years now so it was time to make some changes.

Color scheme is much brighter.
Width has been increased to accomomdate larger photos and video.
Recent Tracks from my last.fm and Hype Machine accounts have been removed to declutter the sidebar (which has been moved to the right).
Links to my other public online accounts have been moved from the footer to the sidebar.

I'm gonna try branching out and following more blogs in an effort to bring a bit more traffic to Perpetual Mixtape. I have been very inconsistent with updating over the past few months due to "life happening" so hopefully more eyeballs looking at my content will inspire me to up the quality of my posts.

I've also been kicking around the idea of focusing more on an overall topic for the blog. Historically I've been writing about whatever's on my mind, but obviously that's hit/miss regarding frequency and reader interest. Anyway it's an intriguing idea but will take some time to flesh out.

"The Grudge" Music Video.

2011-02-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

After a couple days of filming in Seattle, we recently released the video for "The Grudge" on YouTube and Vimeo!

We've received good feedback in general about the message of the song, but there have been some mixed signals about what we were trying to say. To clear the air: In the Filipino culture, lots of parents push their kids to pursue certain careers and disregard what they might really want to do. In our culture, it just happens to be medicine/nursing. And so to our friends and colleagues in the medical field, remember that this song isn't a personal message to you -- it's about the moral of the story. With that said, enjoy!

A huge thanks to Donny Rojo of Kinematic Frameworks for conceptualizing and directing this video! We hope to work with you again.

Sunday Seven 075: 2011 Feb 06.

2011-02-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

What I've Learned 007: Don't Watch The PG-13 Version.

2011-02-03T06:14:00.000-08:00

Continuing an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. This time, I used an interview with Kelsey Grammer. The first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers.

bar room glow

Prayer is when you place your soul right on the table and ask God to take a look.
I don't think dessert was originally meant to take up more than a saucer's worth of space. I'm looking at you, Cheesecake Factory.
I didn't have a clue as to what I wanted to do with my life when I graduated from college. Now, I have a career path, but I've never let it define who I am. Life is so much more than work.
I've survived Auto-Tune, and I'm stronger for it.
The simplest way to make me happy is to put on a song that I like. Then, together, we dance, sing, bob our heads, or make exaggerated hip-hop hand gestures.
The audience can be a fickle beast. Make sure you know WTF you're doing when you're on stage. Even when we've done exactly this, it's never been a guarantee of success.
The hardest part of songwriting, like most other things, is actually starting. I had writer's block for several months and I'm just now beginning to overcome it. Interestingly, it coincided with several other things going on in my life, so I take it as a good sign that things are looking up.
Have I been asleep all this time? Sometimes I really think so, and it's hard to wake up. Reality is strange sometimes.
Part of what's great about the weather in the Northwest is that you learn to never take the sunshine for granted. Sunny days are like Christmas.
There's almost nothing quite like trying to sincerely answer a little kid's question, and coming up with absolutely nothing except "I don't know." It's humbling and deeply hilarious at the same time. This however is a rare experience since I'm almost always making things up.
The human experience is supposed to be NC-17. Don't watch the PG-13 version.
What I can control isn't much. But it's enough. The important thing I took away from this realization is that it always has been.
It's the way of the world to see how far it can push you. To me, a successful life results from deciding whether to push back, or adapt.

2011 Checklist, Part 01: Health.

2011-02-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

So I get the occasional forwarded email a couple times a week from my mom. Usually they're the generic inspirational messages that have been passed around online for years, or excerpts from medical articles about vitamins and medicine, and even the rare cautionary warning about some new way that thieves get your personal info. I'll typically glance at the email and sometimes dash back a quick "thanks" to my mom (after all, her intentions are good), and clear out my inbox.

However she sent me a "2011 Checklist" a few days ago which I thought was worth saving and commenting on. The checklist was divided into a few sections so I'll cover them in individual entries.

I know we're a month in already, but I hope your 2011 is off to a great start!

good for you

Health:

Drink plenty of water. I could probably stand to drink more water throughout the day, so I've resorted to keeping a glass in my room at all times. Usually (and I know this is probably not the best thing) I get my water in coffee form. At least I've cut down tremendously on soda.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. I started counting calories to achieve a deficit since I've been on a cut, so while I've reduced the total amount of food I've been eating, I try to space meals evenly throughout the day. Makes it easier to keep track. When I'm done with the cut I'll definitely change my eating habits though.
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. I've probably eaten more spinach over the past twelve months than anyone I know (I should probably start growing my own at this rate). Along with switching to a pescatarian diet, I've been fairly successful with eating salad on a near-daily basis.
Live with the 3 Es -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy. The first two go hand-in-hand and I could definitely use more of each. I have been feeling depressed lately given my non-existent job situation, but obviously there's no other choice but to keep going. As far as empathy ... I like to think I have plenty of that, but there's always room for improvement.
Make time to pray. This is a tricky one. I've been going through some kind of weird crisis of faith over the past few months which has resulted in me having a lot of questions I never thought I'd be asking. Yes, I still believe in God, but not really in the way I used to. Anyway, I'll be addressing it soon in this blog.
Play more games. I think I do plenty of this already. I need a job.
Read more books than you did in 2010. Shouldn't be too hard since I'm done with school and I can actually read more for pleasure now.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. I plan on resuming some sort of yoga schedule soon and want to learn to meditate effectively. I still live with a lot of unrest in my mind, and need to be able to clear it.
Sleep for 7 hours. LOL.
Take a 10- to 30-minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Sunday Seven 074: 2011 Jan 30.

2011-01-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 073: 2011 Jan 23.

2011-01-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 072: 2011 Jan 16.

2011-01-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 071: 2011 Jan 09.

2011-01-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 070: 2011 Jan 02.

2011-01-02T18:08:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 069: 2010 Dec 26.

2010-12-26T18:03:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 068: 2010 Dec 19.

2010-12-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 067: 2010 Dec 12.

2010-12-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 066: 2010 Dec 05.

2010-12-05T17:45:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 065: 2010 Nov 28.

2010-11-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Bittersweet. Mostly Bitter.

2010-11-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in forever. I've been busy since moving back and there have been tons of things on my mind. The comic below, however, is very relevant to my current state.

[via]

Personally it's not quite a feeling of negativity like the character in the comic has, but there's a lingering, overall sadness that always accompanies bittersweet memories. "All's fair in love and war." I suppose this is true. But it doesn't make anything hurt any less.

Dammit.

I wonder if I'm still entitled to heartache after a year.

Sunday Seven 064: 2010 Nov 21.

2010-11-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 063: 2010 Nov 14.

2010-11-14T17:30:00.001-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 062: 2010 Nov 07.

2010-11-07T17:23:00.000-08:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 061: 2010 Oct 31.

2010-10-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Sunday Seven 060: 2010 Oct 24.

2010-10-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Happy 4th Birthday Veronica!

2010-10-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Kinda weird to think back at how drastically my life has changed over the past four years. There have definitely been some crests and valleys; few things have remained constant during that period of time. One of them has been my love for you and how you've brought immense, indescribable joy to me, just by being there.

<3 <3 <3

Happy Birthday Veronica! I wish you a joyful, fun-filled princessy day :) I love you very much.

Favors From Strangers.

2010-10-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago I caught up with a good friend over a Vietnamese noodle lunch to tell each other about our (busy) summers. With the power of Facebook and Flickr we'd seen one another's adventures in foreign countries. Since I've gotten into the habit of taking my camera pretty much everywhere, I have the usual handful of self-taken shots. My friend pointed out that she'd noticed other photos where someone else had obviously snapped my picture at various points during my solo trips. "Did you ask someone to take those?"

"Of course -- how else could I have been in the picture?"

She seemed amused/amazed by the fact that I'd handed a stranger my camera to take a photo of me. In retrospect, I'm not sure she's the type of person to ask someone to do that same thing -- I definitely used to be the same way. I can't say that I was the most assertive person back in the day but thankfully that's changed for the better. For example, if people are being rude at the movies by talking, laughing and blatantly disregarding everyone else in the theater, I will tell them to shut up. I didn't pay ten bucks to hear you yap about Jersey Shore.

but seriously

I digress.

I mean, if someone I didn't know asked me to take a photo of them standing in front of some Point Of Interest, I wouldn't think twice about doing it. Couples and groups request this all the time from strangers; why wouldn't someone traveling by him/herself? Because to be honest, self-shots are pretty limited. I suppose there's always the possibility of the person running off with your camera, but that's really not something I'm worried about. So I'm left wondering if this is an offshoot of the social stigma of being alone that I discussed in a previous post.

Happy Hump Day people.

Lyrics: "One Time."

2010-10-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Originally found on the iFlow mixtape we released with King Alexander (aka Joe Black) and E-Drid, this is one of my favorite verses. I'm most at home rhyming over mid-tempo/slower beats as my style is fairly high-density. Just reminiscing the other day and thought of the song again. After four and a half years I'm still feeling it. haha.

[via]

'Cause one of my dreams is to bubble up if only for a moment
Just enough so I can turn around and show all my opponents
How to do it right from the start, my crew's behind me
As I turn this writing to art, strikin' the charts

With the heart of a lion, chargin' the line like a spark from the iron
Artists are whinin' like they grind but they hardly be tryin'
Although they comin' out loud, after an hour
They break up like cumulonimbus clouds after a shower

And transform to vapor, the best-known turn into memories
I light up a Dutch and that's how I'll be burnin' my enemies
Then back to the lab creatin' something new to show ya
And plan for the day me and my labelmates go supernova

It's only a matter of time and perseverance
Before we make our first national televised appearance
And so for now until it's the apocalypse
I'm everywhere like precipitation all over the metropolis

Sunday Seven 059: 2010 Oct 17.

2010-10-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

What I've Learned 006: Inevitably, There's One Item You Forget.

2010-10-15T06:08:00.000-07:00

Continuing an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. This time, I used an interview with Jon Favreau. The first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers.

Cabo in sepia

You don't want to upset the delicate balance of ketchup, mustard and relish when it comes to the perfect blend of basic hotdog condiments. The flavor should be equal parts tangy and sweet. Actually, throw some onions and a slice of jalapeno or two and I'm good. What am I talking about -- I don't even eat hotdogs anymore. But I was at Costco recently and walked by the "cafeteria" and suddenly I was salivating. Oh well.
I've always avoided direct confrontation, especially when I knew there'd be a good probability of hurt feelings or arguments. In retrospect I should've addressed the issues as they came up. Now for the most part I avoid bottling things up. Turns out that confrontation can be a healthy thing, provided all sides remain civil. My blood pressure thanks me.
I don't envy people who live on the beach. Of course, it'd be nice to be able to walk out right onto the sand whenever you want and cultivate a perpetual tan, but I've always held fond memories of beach-going as An Event. I kinda don't want to let those go.
This is just a memory, but the first time I ever heard the word "shit" was when we watched Ghostbusters in a giant air-conditioned mall theater in Manila. I was eight years old and distinctly remember looking around to see if anyone cared that I'd been exposed to such vulgarity. Of course, no one did.
You have to create at least a daily goal for yourself, even if you're not the type of person to view life in the longer term. I no longer enjoy glancing back at the end of a day and realize that I hadn't really done anything productive. Even when I'm on vacation.
I don't have to look at myself in the mirror to know that I need to do better. But it helps.
My grandfather had a green thumb. He could grow damn near anything in the small garden in my mom's childhood home. According to her, I've inherited his talent. At any rate, the thrive:wither ratio of my houseplants has been pretty good so she must be onto something.
I had a writing block this year. I dunno, I must be in some kind of creative rut. As a result I've been reading more. I love reading but I really need to pick up that pen again.
Kids don't want to be told what to do a hundred percent of the time, which is fine with me. I'll let them make their own mistakes through their own discoveries. One of my jobs as a father is obviously to be a consistent guide. I've gotten advice from the other parents in my family, but I know in the end I have to make the decisions that will ultimately matter.
You get a thousand things from the grocery store while you're there, but inevitably there's one item you forget. You usually remember that item when you've just stepped back into the house. Note to self: lists are your friends.
I don't get our current American political process. Maybe it's because I've immersed myself too deeply into the punditry that accompanies it, but it's become more a source of frustration than information. I'm anxious to see what next month's elections will bring. Good news, I hope.
Storytelling relies on timing as much as a good plot. When I construct verses with story lines, I have to keep in mind pacing as well as the action. Given the inherent constraints of storytelling in musical form, this has always been a fun challenge.
Why do people like Star Wars? I really have no idea but Slave Leia probably has something to do with it.
Sex onscreen? As long as it's not in slow motion or soft focus. Let's leave those effects in movies on pay channels from the Reagan era.
We didn't have a working water heater back in my childhood home in the Philippines. It never mattered that it was 95 degrees out -- how the hell did the water always seem ice cold? Needless to say I didn't linger in the shower.
As you age, birthdays don't necessarily become less fun, but it takes less and less for me to say "Hey, that was a nice celebration." Even if it's just a simple dinner at home.
I haven't mastered going to bed at a reasonable hour. You'd think I could do that by now. But no.
Living to a hundred? The more I think about it the less appealing it is, 'cause inside I feel like I should be in my early twenties. Pair that feeling with a geriatric body in five decades and there's bound to be some disconnect. Not saying I'm not looking forward to seeing what the world will be like though. That's gonna be cool as hell.
When it's my time I want a big freakin' party. All I ask is that my family plays some music that I love. That's gonna be funny, hearing Mobb Deep at a wake.

The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 03.

2010-10-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

So I had to map another 5K route since moving back to the Seattle area. My sister's neighborhood has some large gentle hills so that gets a thumbs up from me; I'm starting to train again for some upcoming runs. I'm expecting to have to adapt a little bit to the climate; the last time I seriously trained, there was a 20+ degree difference in outdoor temperature and was much more humid.

Also, I'm gonna need new running shoes soon -- I'm wearing through the interior side lining of my current pair! The Nike+ system is tempting.

LunarEclipse+

Here's part three of my thoughts on Joe Kelly's 53 Runner's Commandments [read Parts 01 and 02].

Look at hills as opportunities to pass people. Haha. This is a good take on hills; I've always approached them with a feeling of dread. But hey it's worked out so far, at least when it came to climbing the hills during my last race.
Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better. Speaking from experience, I've had headaches magically disappear during runs.
Never throw away the instructions to your running watch. I got mine from someone else so I'm probably missing out on half of the functions I could be using.
Don’t try to outrun dogs. Luckily I haven't had to try yet. Chalk it up to responsible neighbors.
Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.
Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often. I just moved back to the Northwest; I know what I'm up against. Rain gear is in the closet ready to go.
When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
Without goals, training has no purpose. 25:30 5K. I CAN DO IT.
During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies. Not quite up to this point yet, but definitely in the future.
Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken. My lungs testify to the truth of this one.
Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch. Or in my case, surfing the Web.

Rebirth Of A Seattleite.

2010-10-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm officially a resident of Washington State again. We touched down at my sister's house in Kirkland late Thursday evening and it's taken a weekend to unpack, settle in and start adjusting to the time difference. Here's the route we took:

not nearly as bad as it looks

Happily, Veronica was very pleasant throughout the duration of the road trip. She's always been a great traveler though, and occupied herself with coloring, drawing and singing in between viewings of The Little Mermaid or Tinkerbell. We had lots of fun which really made the time go by faster (but believe me, I felt those hours of driving at the end of each of the two days we were on the road).

Here are the stats for our great adventure:

1661 highway miles
25 hours of driving
6 states
9 "Are we there yet?" questions
1 delay due to highway accidents
7 gas stops
1 motel stay
7 animated movies watched on the PSP
2 people happy that the trip is finally over

For the next steps, I've begun studying for my MRI boards that I'll take next month and sending out resumes for jobs. I only plan on staying with my sister (and her husband and daughter) for a few weeks, until I get back on track with a regular paycheck, and then it's back to apartment living once more. I'm looking forward to some steady work and adjusting to a schedule again. My re-education is complete. Now it's time to get busy.

Sunday Seven 058: 2010 Oct 10.

2010-10-10T20:16:00.002-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Respect Mine.

2010-10-04T05:19:00.001-07:00

It won't be too long before I'm back in the studio. The need to create new songs is way too strong to ignore, so I'll appease that craving by filling up more pages in the rhyme book. Granted I'm a little rusty having been away from the game for quite a while, but I'm not too worried about the output. I just need to remember to keep producing quality bars that exceed my own expectations about the song-writing craft.

I was browsing photography blogs for inspiration and happened upon this one, which offered a relevant quote about quality and talent:

Talent is not when your friends tell you they love your work, but when people who don't like you have to admit it's good.

I love winning over non-believers, if not by them becoming actual fans of our music, the at least by their respect for what we do. But as we all know and have unfortunately experienced:

mm hmm

Here's to some productive sessions in the booth in the upcoming weeks.

BTW, J-Pros is now on Twitter. Click that Follow button, people!

Sunday Seven 057: 2010 Oct 03.

2010-10-03T21:05:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

You might have noticed I changed the format of these weekly SS posts. Blogger changed the photo uploading/linking interface a couple of weeks ago and I actually found it less-user friendly -- at least regarding placing photos within an entry. So going forward I'm just going to display the first photo of the set and link to the rest on Flickr.

On a related note, the Sunday Seven project hit its first anniversary in late August. Crazy to think I've been doing this for over a year!

Minimalism Fail.

2010-09-29T04:46:00.006-07:00

I always end up accumulating more than I need. This is never more evident than whenever I move from place to place, and each time it's a surprise that I've somehow amassed all this ... stuff. It's happened again this week: as you might know, I'm gearing up to move back to Seattle with my little girl Veronica with nothing more than what I can fit in my car. In theory this seems fairly straightforward: clothes, some books and electronics. You know, the essentials. But no.

As I go through the boxes in my bedroom and the storage area in the basement, I keep finding more things that I think I should bring: different bags, mementos, various documents and assorted paraphernalia that I've been lugging around to each residence. I thought I'd done a good job in streamlining my possessions over the years. Looking at the pile of boxes and totes stacked up in a corner though, there's no doubt right now that I won't be able to bring everything that I've packed. I'll have to mail much of it separately, and the best thing to do would be to keep minimizing the load.

my life goes here

In times past I've viewed moving as a chance to purge unnecessary material objects out of my life with successful results. There are a few certain things that hold sentimental value to me, and I'll definitely hold onto those. Continuing to prune my possessions this time shouldn't be any different. We'll see. After all:

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

- Antoine de Saint-Exupe

Heavy Rotation 009: The Glitch Mob | Drink The Sea.

2010-09-27T04:47:00.001-07:00

So I'm gonna make an effort to post more Heavy Rotation entries. I mean, I listen to music almost constantly; you'd think I could write about it more often ...

Of all the sub-genres of electronic music I've been dipping my ears into over the past decade, glitch-hop has become one of my favorites. Getting into it was easy. The sub-genre is pretty accessible to new ears and the sounds are essentially radio-friendly (interestingly enough, I hate writing that) -- at least compared to other permutations of IDM. Anyway It's been a minute since I've posted a Heavy Rotation entry, and while I was composing this one I halfway-remembered that I'd already written about The Glitch Mob before.

Drink The Sea was released this summer and it's been a fixture in my playlist ever since. Certain elements of the album sound very similar to Crush Mode, but I'm pleased with the direction of DTS as a whole. There's the familiar, creaky wonk of glitch, but I hear a subtle lushness to the production as well. The tracks flow into each other, giving the entire experience an expansive, epic feel. I've listened to the album during long drives, while running, getting ready to go out, and even as a backdrop at bedtime. My brother uses it as study music, even.

Swan

Two tracks that stand out for me are "Bad Wings" and "Between Two Points," the lyrics of which are below. I love the melody and the way Swan's voice is manipulated at key points in the song, blending it beautifully with the instrumentation.

The Glitch Mob - "Between Two Points (feat. Swan)"
Lyrics by S. Palermo

we’ve got forever
slippin through our hands
we’ve got more time
to never understand

falling footsteps
weighing heavy on me

behind darkness
beneath candles
whispers waltz
around our dreams

the shortest distance
between two points
is the line
from me to you

feet turning black
is this the path we must walk
no turning back
wish i could just hear you talk

can something like this be pulled
from under our feet
leaving our skin
and burning coals to meet

tell me now

the shortest distance
between two points
is the line
from me to you

The song is gorgeous. Actually, so's the whole album -- do yourself a favor and cop it. Oh yeah, if that wasn't enough, the FREE mixtape, featuring mash-ups with La Roux, Drake, Daft Punk, Mobb Deep, Jay-Z, etc., is pure flames as well. You're welcome.

Sunday Seven 056: 2010 Sep 26.

2010-09-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Decent Exposure.

2010-09-24T04:47:00.009-07:00

I admit, it feels nice to be interviewed about our music. Yesterday R'SENULL and I finished up an email interview with Vivian Nguyen, a writer for Northwest Asian Weekly. She was interested in writing an article about J-Pros in the wake of our second album, Pacific Central. It's the second interview I've done this summer so I was ready for more.

nahmean son

The questions themselves were basically the same: our respective backgrounds, the origin of J-Pros and how Asian-Americans fit into the hip-hop landscape. Like Mister Vee, Ms. Nguyen asked about the internal dynamics of the group -- how we worked together under long-distance conditions and about our song-writing process in general. Answering the questions got me excited about performing music and even writing again -- something I haven't focused on in several months. (There's just something about being on stage that keeps drawing me back somehow ...) I have some ideas brewing around in my head that might improve my pen game, but I'll go into those in more detail in a later post.

I'm not sure when the piece will be published in NWAW, but rest assured I'll post updates. Stay up!

No Main Topic 003: On Packing, Autumn, Pho & Clam Chowder.

2010-09-23T05:04:00.000-07:00

Been somewhat MIA from the computer the past couple of days; I've been busy trying to sort out what things to pack for the road trip back up to Washington State. Plans are to leave sometime mid-next week so the deadline is looming. I don't see myself coming back to the Midwest until next year so I need to make some wise decisions with regards to packing. Oh yeah: add Veronica, her car seat and big-ass bag to the mix and my options decrease. But jackets and sweaters are definitely coming with me 'cause --

It's officially the first day of Autumn! I can't say I haven't been looking forward to cooler weather; after I got back from Mexico that was it for me. I had fun sweating it out on the beach, but it's time to rock some scarves :) There were a couple of cool, rainy days before I left Kansas City last week, so I took advantage and had some pho at Vietnam Cafe and other weather-appropriate meals. Ahhhh so good. There's not much in the way of Asian cuisine here in Hays, but that'll make going out to eat in Seattle that much more satisfying.

Plus there's Ivar's to anticipate. Clam chowder FTW!

Also need to upload some photos of my last days in Kansas City to my Flickr account; be on the lookout for those.

The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 02.

2010-09-21T04:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't laced up my cross-trainers in four days and I'm waaay overdue for some punishment, so I quickly created a new course near the house using Map My Run:

Hays 5K route

After some tweaking, the route is almost exactly 5K so I'm good to go. Only thing is, it can get extremely windy here in Hays and the headwinds are no joke. (Neither is the dust blowing in my face, but there's nothing I can do about that.) I figure the extra resistance will make up for the relative flatness of the terrain though.

Anyway here's the second installment of my thoughts on Joe Kelly's 53 Runner's Commandments [read Part 01].

A bad day of running still beats a good day at work. Or in my case, getting some exercise beats being mostly sedentary for 8+ hours a day.
Talk like a runner. “Singlets” are worn on warm days. “Tank tops” are worn to the beach. Hmmm, I dunno about this. It's kinda venturing into douchebag territory.
Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe. Unless they can commiserate. Then we can compare battle wounds.
Don’t always run alone.
Don’t always run with people.
Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it. Because it does.
No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing. I hope this includes being able to leap over, confidently pass and dodge around fellow racers.
Races aren’t just for those who can run fast. I can't really say I run "fast" yet. I'm still working on shaving down my 5K time to at least an 8.5-minute mile. So I can certainly respect those like me who enter races simply to run them, and not necessarily to compete. Although that might be in the future for me.
There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running. I can attest to this. I went out on a very hot day last month (90+ degrees F) and didn't think I'd last too long. Surprisingly I ended up with a faster-than-usual time for some reason. I dunno, I must have been extra mindful of my breathing that day due to the heat, but it ended up being very beneficial to my run. I was happy.
Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag. Haha -- no reason to brag just yet.
If you say, “Let’s run this race together,” then you must stay with that person no matter how slow. This would be good if I actually had a running buddy.
Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run. Let's hope I'm not one of them.

Non-Sequiturs & Flashes Of Brilliance.

2010-09-20T05:14:00.002-07:00

Cleverbot is an interesting, sometimes hilarious display of artificial intelligence. You "chat" with a computer who apparently learns from each conversation and replies with remarkably human-sounding responses. I wanted to see what would happen if I spoke only in rhyme, so I started a chat with Cleverbot using only the first verse from my song "Pressure."

Me: I went from stompin' down blocks in Seattle rain to California freeway passing lanes.

Cleverbot: That sounds fun. I went to a basketball game and played in the pep band.

Me: From rockin' a hoodie with them Timberland kicks with my cap on tilt, I was still in the mix.

Cleverbot: Yes.

Me: But things got hectic and I needed a breather, feelin' a fever, maybe even amnesia.

Cleverbot: Why?

Me: Either it was me or the reefer, but I was fiendin' for the good old days like 'Leave It To Beaver'.

Cleverbot: Looks like you don't.

Me: Though I knew things would never be white or black, with the pieces of the puzzle fittin' right exact.

Cleverbot: I'm not a big fan of country music. But you might like her. She's very young-sounding.

Me: Look, if I wasn't shook I was fightin' back and I'ma never hide the fact that I'll write, react.

Cleverbot: We wouldn't want him littering the street I suppose.

Me: To whatever's thrown at me, if it's stress, let it blow past me 'cause at my death I'ma go happy.

Cleverbot: Down.

Me: Yo I don't need that drama. Never have, never will, that's the deal -- if you don't know, ask me.

Cleverbot: You'll never know until you try right? Whatever happens, I'll be here if you need me.

The first responses were amusing, and some of them were just nonsensical and confusing, but Cleverbot's reply to the last couple of bars of the verse gave me pause. It's essentially the message of the song itself: I'll be here if you need me. Kinda weird if this was a random response, and actually creepy if it had processed the context of the entire conversation.

I watch you when you sleep

There's been some speculation that you're talking to other users instead of just a computer -- which would make it a pretty good, unsettling prank to play if that were true. Decide for yourself: Have a chat with Cleverbot and let me know how it goes.

Sunday Seven 055: 2010 Sep 19.

2010-09-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

A Difficulty That Causes Worry Or Emotional Tension.

2010-09-16T04:01:00.000-07:00

Succumbing to some significant physical and mental stress this week. As a result my allergies have kicked into high gear and I may even be coming down with a cold. Sooo I feel kinda miserable*.

F-rabbits-K

Hopefully you found some humor in the image like I did, but the implied word basically says it all. Proper post coming tomorrow.

*Some sinigang sounds really damn good right now.

What I've Learned 005: A Bad Form Of Information Overload.

2010-09-15T04:22:00.001-07:00

Continuing an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. I used Luis Guzman's interview for my template this time. The first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers. Enjoy!

near midnight, St. Louis

Fourteen years now. We threw our first party at the condo we just moved into and it was the start of a beautiful thing. We had a guest list to make sure the guy:girl ratio was favorable, a keg, Jell-O shots and charged a cover. I made like four mixtapes (and they really were on cassettes) so I didn't have to worry about the music. I view our parties as instrumental in drawing me out of my shell 'cause back in the day I was a pretty shy dude. I definitely don't think I am now.
Wicked cold. I'm sick of it ... I'd rather it rain and be gloomy all day than dump a foot of snow overnight. If I had my way the temperature would fluctuate between 55 and 70 all year, so I can rock my fall gear. Hahah.
I became involved with rhyming as an art form fairly early on. I'd start writing on the bus to and from school, using the daily schoolkid drama as my source material. I wish I'd had the sense to record my early verses on my parents' old Japanese karaoke machine, but I'm pretty sure I would've erased them anyway after listening to them. I'm used to the sound of my own voice now, but like other people I don't think I would've liked it back then.
The people who looked down on me because I was a Filipino junior high school student in the Midwest, completely immersed in the culture of hip-hop when I should be listening to "classical music," can kiss my ass.
I went to an awesome movie theater in downtown Kansas City this past weekend. It's an AMC Cinema Suite, where the price of the ticket includes food, drinks and dessert. You get to sit in a leather recliner with a call button, order off a menu and get to munch popcorn and drink your poison of choice during the movie. This is how it should be done. The pecan pie wasn't bad either.
I did this Cabo vacation for a week by myself last month. Yeah lots of times I wish I had some friends with me to share in the experience, but I didn't let that take away any of the fun. Sometimes I even liked the fact that I was the only one on the beach at six in the morning. I felt like I owned the world.
I like doing stuff that's more and more out of my comfort zone. I'm pretty tired of missing out on things, and regret will no longer be part of my vocabulary.
I make a trip to the Asian grocery every once in a while to grab essential snack food items. There's something about the aromas of the food and the spices floating around in the store that is nostalgic and reassuring to me. Or maybe it's only 'cause I'm hungry. Anyway, Asian snacks are the SHIT. Plus I love the packaging they come in. Shrimp chips? Pass them to me now.
I love getting recommendations for restaurants. But at the same time, if I don't know exactly what I want to eat, I'll drive around town until I see a place that looks interesting and try it. I haven't done this much this summer due to time and budget constraints, but you can bet I'll start this back up in the autumn.
You mow the lawn, I'll trim the hedges. I'll even clean the bathrooms. But you mow the lawn.
I usually get up between 8:30 and 9:30 on weekends now, even if I've stayed up late the night before. I don't get roaring drunk anymore so I haven't had a hangover in years -- that probably helps. Nowadays it's hard for me to fall back asleep after I've woken up. This is probably a good thing 'cause I love eating breakfast.
One thing about music is that there's more of it being created than I have time to listen to. I have too much new stuff sitting around waiting to be appreciated, and it's just being neglected. I remember when I could sit and really absorb literally all of the tracks on an album (and even remember the song titles). Now I can barely recall the title of the freaking album. It's a bad form of information overload, yet I can't stop.
I don't trust cats. I don't hate 'em, I just don't trust 'em. It's the look in their eyes.

Baby Critical Mass.

2010-09-13T04:22:00.003-07:00

Guess it was bound to happen at some point: my social circle is approaching Baby Critical Mass. They seem to be popping up everywhere -- like groundhogs! One of my good friends in NY just had her first son, while a cousin and his wife are newly-expecting. I suppose this is what happens when People Get Older. Since I'm not there in person to help any of you guys celebrate, I commemorate this entry to you, accompanied by another awesomely relevant episode courtesy of Wondermark.

in which an infant is quantified [via]

So a big congratulations go out to Joos & Chris, and to Joe & Joyce ... and of course, a happy hello to little Gavin. Welcome to Earth :)

Sunday Seven 054: 2010 Sep 12.

2010-09-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Out With A Bang.

2010-09-10T04:24:00.007-07:00

Tonight will mark the start of my last official weekend here in Kansas City. My list of things to do/eat before I leave is getting longer -- mostly having to do with eating at particular restaurants -- and more unrealistic, so I need to get my ass in gear. Let's do this!

KC at night

Authenticity Is Invaluable.

2010-09-09T03:52:00.009-07:00

For all of my creative-minded friends needing some inspiration with your craft, I think a quote might be just what you need.

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.

Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery -- celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from -- it’s where you take them to.”

- Jim Jarmusch

I believe this is true: nothing really is purely original. Everything comes to fruition as inspired by something else, based on some muse, lifted from fragments of ideas already floating around in the universe. Everyone is influenced by someone else to some degree. The trick is to own the influence and make it yours. By making it authentic, you make it real.

random [via]

I've been needing some inspiration lately; besides writing the (almost) daily blog entry, I've been reading a lot more. As a result I'm trying to spark some ideas for short stories or a novella as well as write some more verses. It feels like my brain wants to create something; it's just been so long that it doesn't quite remember how to anymore. I find myself browsing websites centered around design, art, photography and writing (Tumblr is particularly good at collecting pieces from which I can draw inspiration) in hopes of jump-starting the creative process.

We'll see if it works. In the meantime, I'll keep that quote handy.

Oh yeah, if you have Netflix, rent Night On Earth, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It's one of my favorite films.

The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 01.

2010-09-08T04:18:00.003-07:00

Joe Kelly of the Pine Belt Pacers, a running club in Mississippi, created a list for runners. They're a pretty good set of rules and general tips, some geared for group or competitive running. Here are the first fifteen "commandments" with some personal thoughts.

Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners. Easily applied to all other aspects of life wouldn't you say?
Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run. I know that on some days it's harder to plan for a run given errands or some other time constraints. The commitment to running has been the most difficult part of the whole fitness routine to me. For the most part, I've stuck to it.
Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself. I've committed to running about 20K weekly. Sometimes the weather has prevented me from going out, but hopefully I'll be forgiven for not wanting to get struck by lightning while jogging around the block. *insert generic Midwestern weather complaint here*
When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing. I'm not currently part of a group so this doesn't really apply, but it does help my own schedule greatly when I stick to a scheduled time for running. I block out about an hour for my 5K, This includes warm-up/cool-down, the run, and showering afterward. Staying on schedule is key for me.
The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride. I have no idea where any payphones are in my area! So far a housekey has been sufficient.
Don’t compare yourself to other runners. Right now I'm concentrating on bettering my own times, so I don't have anyone to compare against. I do know that I'd like to get my 5K down in the 24-minute range though.
All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run. Especially now that autumn is around the corner. It's steadily been getting darker sooner. I don't have a problem with running in the evening, but it's definitely harder to go outside once the sun goes down.
For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back. Recently I've been running my regular route in reverse. It's like a whole new course; the hills are killing me! But killing me in a good way.
If it was easy, everybody would be a runner. I actually don't wish it were easier. I like the challenge.
When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape. See #13.

Public Service Announcement 003: The Billboard Top 40.

2010-09-07T04:29:00.007-07:00

I shouldn't have to say this, but every once in a while, turn off your fucking television and listen to something not being pushed into your brain by ClearChannel or Viacom. The situation is ridiculous nowadays. Honestly, it's not that hard to expand your boundaries if you're so inclined, and nowadays new music is literally a mouse-click away. No excuses. I'll be 35 in a few months (yes, this fact saddens me a little), and I'll be damned if I let some countdown run by a faceless corporation continue to dictate what should be vibrating my eardrums.

I know too many people in my age group who only listen to one type of music, claiming that other genres hold no interest for them. Okay. I'm not mad at that reasoning, but in my opinion it's self-limiting. No one genre can capture the entire range of emotion/atmosphere/feeling/ambiance that I need to experience to feel satisfied musically. Which is why my collection looks almost schizophrenic. I'd say that of the music I currently listen to, 90% of it was discovered via some independent discussion board or blog, and almost none of it will ever touch the Billboard 200. And that's okay.

Note: This is not to say that pop music shouldn't be liked or doesn't have a place. It definitely does -- I very well can't dance to Lights Out Asia, for instance. And I'm the first to admit that a sizable chunk of some of the stuff in my playlists has a pop influence to it. but the Top 40 isn't the end-all-be-all. That's the beauty of the music "industry" today -- you don't have to like what's put in front of you. You can make your own decisions.

Or maybe I'm just getting old. Yeah ... it's probably that.

Sunday Seven 053: 2010 Sep 05.

2010-09-05T20:57:00.002-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

The 314.

2010-09-03T04:44:00.001-07:00

Okay boys and girls, here's the plan: Smashing through the Gateway City this afternoon to start the Labor Day weekend in grand style with old and new friends. We'll be in St. Louis mainly to cheer on Mizzou at Saturday's 2010 Arch Rivalry football game against Illinois!

NAHMEAN

I'm amped for two reasons: This game will kick off Missouri's schedule (and I'm always excited to see Mizzou play), and it also will be the last time for a few years that the Rivalry will take place. It's interesting that they even play against each other 'cause each team belongs to a different conference. So it's a must-see event -- especially for me since I won't be around to go to any games later in the season.

Although the Arch Rivalry will be the highlight of the getaway, we'll also definitely be running around the city getting in trouble as usual. Sushi is on the agenda as well as alcoholic beverages, loud music, and whatever else we happen to get into. We're down for the cause. St. Louis peoples: let's do this!

It's on! M-I-Z!!

Tweet Tweet.

2010-09-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

Sooo apparently my sister Gen has joined Twitter. Because she's witty, funny and generally awesome, this is actually A Very Good Thing. I like her writing style but she doesn't update her blog very often (I mean, who has the time to write when you have a toddler wreaking havoc all up on your mid-century style furniture?). We share the same twisted sense of absurdist humor and have sent each other strange and hilarious crap over the years, so I can only look forward to the nonsense she'll undoubtedly tweet.

Mmm hmm.

Although Twitter has achieved a huge increase in popularity over the past couple of years, lots of people still have no idea what it is, or how people use it. The vast majority seems to think that it's only used for informing the Internet about what snack food item you just shoved down your throat but if they looked a little closer, really it's much more than that. I basically use Twitter for:

sharing interesting/funny photos, links and videos
keeping updated on various niche subjects, issues and news
seeing how clever people can get within the 140-character limit (it's amazing sometimes how constraint leads to creativity, and I'm not talking about abbreviated words)
discovering new music and art

I don't follow any major celebrities, musicians or athletes. A handful of friends are on it and it's nice to see what they're up to. The rest of my follower list mostly consists of random interesting individuals from all over the world, a few artists/groups, and some organizations devoted to important causes. And yes, I stay away from Trending Topics and people who only tweet about where they are and what they're doing at the moment -- and yes, what they're eating, unless you link to a photo. I love photos of food.

Try a tweet or two. You might like it. And uhhh, yeah.

Shameless Plug Time: Follow my sis (@genevieve_rocks) and me (@RanGamboa) on Twitter.

Fundamental.

2010-09-01T04:16:00.023-07:00

According to this link, 80% of the American population wants to write a book. All fine and good; few things probably match the feeling of getting your work published (and hopefully critically acclaimed). Unfortunately, the same link also points out some other disappointing stats that, frankly, crush my soul:

33% of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42% of college graduates never read another book after college.
80% of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70% of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
57% of new books are not read to completion.

*facepalm* This is freaking sad. As my childhood friend Captain OG Readmore says:

Read a book, you bastards

Is it fair to assume that in order to write a (successful) book, you have to have a passion for -- or at least an interest in -- reading? I'm thankful I never got out of the habit, finding myself at the bookstore a couple of times a month. And it's not just to take advantage of the free wi-fi or thumb through magazines. While Borders is a convenient and trendy place to drink a coffee and catch up on your email, it's a kind of cozy escape as well, perfect for leafing through the newest hardbacks guilt-free. And sometimes the bargain bins reveal some gems as well: I recently acquired Birds In Fall and The Dissident, among other books, for a buck each. (Fiction isn't my thing right now, but these seemed like great light summer reading. I've finished reading the first one and have just started the second, and have been pleased with both so far.) But I digress.

It isn't hard to figure out why so many people aren't reading for pleasure/leisure anymore. We're so saturated by more dynamic forms of entertainment that reading seems almost quaint and archaic by comparison. Even after the wide releases and popularity of e-readers, I'm probably more apt to see a Nintendo DS than a paperback in a someone's hands.

So ... how does it make sense that you want to write a book, but in all likelihood wouldn't even read it?

Okay that's it. I'm off to Half-Price Books to see if I can find some treasure.

Twenty-Three Days.

2010-08-31T04:25:00.002-07:00

It's no secret that fall is my favorite season, what with scarves and other cool-weather accessories rejoining the rest of my wardrobe. As much as I'm looking forward to the turning of the seasons, this summer has been a productive and busy one so far, and I'm planning on maximizing the potential of the three remaining weeks. The end of summer will coincide roughly with the completion of my MRI preceptorship here in Kansas City, wrapping up a major chapter in my life and starting a fresh one. Time really is beginning to fly now; I can count the work hours I have left at the hospital. Strange how being able to see the end of a journey changes the journey itself.

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.
- John Donne

Autumn officially kicks off on 23 September. Wishful thinking, but hopefully the tan I just got will last me until long after fall ends. On the other hand, maybe I'll be too busy to notice.

What Day Is It Again?

2010-08-30T04:22:00.003-07:00

Having recently gotten back from being out of the country for the past week, I need a day to settle back into my normal routine. I spent the last seven days barely knowing the day/date so I need to recalibrate! In the meanwhile, here's some bokeh for your morning, best enjoyed with a nice coffee.

Updates on my vacation coming soon as well as the past couple of Sunday Seven entries posted retroactively. Happy Monday!

Sunday Seven 052: 2010 Aug 29.

2010-08-29T20:52:00.001-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Haiku Series 005: Metronome.

2010-08-27T04:13:00.065-07:00

My first hundred strides
disappear in mere seconds,
swallowed by the street.

Countless concrete squares
mark the passage of my feet,
echoing rhythms.

Springy, metallic
and hypnotic, it becomes
the strange metronome

by which the colors
of the sparks within my lungs
are measured and mixed.

The last thousand strides
are a shrieking hue of white,
signaling success.

Fatigue is the song
composed by the metronome:
Me against pavement.

Confessions Of A Sushi Convert.

2010-08-25T04:02:00.006-07:00

Even having been halfway raised in the Midwest and growing up in a Filipino household, my exposure to different cuisines was rather limited in retrospect. Of course, I didn't think so at the time; I proudly invited my friends to dinner and scooped traditional dishes like adobo and pancit onto their plates. At the same time I thought nothing of eating whatever was put on my plate at my friends' dinner tables, and heartily plowed through bowls of food when we ate at Chinese restaurants. Looking back though I realize that I'd been playing it safe (sweet and sour chicken isn't exactly the pinnacle of Chinese cuisine) and was sorely missing out.

Through out my formative years I'd definitely heard of sushi, but it had always remained an exotic, mysterious dish that I really had no interest in exploring. All I knew about it was that it was raw fish (OMG!!!) and that was the end of that. We don't really have a Filipino equivalent -- although some of our more culturally-traditional dishes probably come pretty close with the ewww factor to the uninitiated. But that didn't matter; I had no plans on trying raw fish and was happy with what I was already eating.

I took my first bite of sushi during a Spring Break road trip to the West Coast. One of the highlights was going to dinner with a large group of friends to a sushi restaurant in LA. It may have been the beer we'd been drinking at alarming rates but I was game to try. Someone ordered for me and my other sushi-virgin friends, and after a while dinner came out, artfully presented on square plates.

But tell me this doesn't look FANTASTIC [via]

The food we'd ordered were mostly different types of roll. I tried some of everything, and enjoyed all of it. It was hard to keep track of what was in each roll but they were all delicious, a tasty blend of flavors built upon the rice/seaweed base. I distinctly remember devouring a particular piece, then turning to a friend and asking him what I'd just eaten. "Eel," he said.

[Pause.] "Eel?" I wasn't sure I'd heard correctly.

"Yeah -- like, uh, an eel."

[Another pause.] "Okay." And I reached for another piece.

After that eye-opening experience, I was more eager to graduate to eating sashimi (the actual raw subset of food under the sushi umbrella) and surprised myself with more incredible flavors and textures. That first experience was over ten years ago and I haven't looked back since. Now I look for sushi restaurants whenever I have the chance (and the funds). Hell, I'll even run to Hy-Vee and buy some pre-made rolls to go when I'm really craving it. Of course it's not nearly as good as going to a restaurant and ordering something on the spot, but most of the time it's close enough. I actually did this last week; I walked to the checkout with a package containing two kinds of surimi rolls.

The cashier, an older gentleman, rang up the package. "Are these really that good?" he asked. "People buy a lot of these but I've never tried it."

I ended up talking with him for a minute or so, trying to convince him to buy some and just try it. After all, "Even if you end up not liking it," I reasoned, "At least you'll know you don't like it. But who knows, you could end up loving it. Anyway I think it's delicious." I hope he agreed with me, and maybe I've created a new sushi convert.

That would be sweet.

It's funny 'cause nowadays when someone mentions a food or cuisine that I've never had before, the first things out of my mouth are "Where's the restaurant?" and "When are we going?"

I've learned my lesson. Life's too short, man. Try it all -- at least you'll know.

Lunar Dream 02: Low Gravity.

2010-08-24T04:21:00.001-07:00

Second in a three-part series of dream recollections in which the moon made a significant appearance. [Read Part 01.]

As with many dreams, I have no idea how I came to stand on the surface of the moon, or what I was supposed to be doing there. All the same, there I was in a T-shirt, sneakers and jeans. But instead of the typical barren landscape, I seemed to be standing in the middle of an network of alleyways in a small city. Maybe we'd colonized the moon at some point before my dream began.

All the way through the narrow alleys I could see glimpses of the moon's surface itself at the edge of the city: craggy, grey and lifeless, dimly illuminated by a very weak sun and an assortment of stars overhead. The scene was colored like any quiet night on Earth; shadows thrown from buildings and walls obscured parts of the alley. My vision seemed only to work in monochrome.

I began walking through the alleys in an attempt to reach the city's edge, wanting to make shoeprints in the lunar dust like the astronauts did decades ago. However I must have been in some sort of maze because I got no closer to the city limit after minutes of walking. So I decided to see if I could get a bird's-eye view of the maze. I started jumping.

thinking vertical [via]

I'm glad my dreaming mind took into account the lower gravity on the moon because with each jump I took, the higher I rose. Soon I was eye-level to the rooftops. A couple of jumps later I could see above and past them, to the vast pockmarked landscape beyond. Encouraged, I began running down the alley, making broader and higher jumps each time I landed. In no time, I breached the edge of the city and burst out onto the moon's surface.

At this point, I must have been leaping 50 to 60 feet into the sky and I distinctly remember an crazy feeling of exhilaration. I felt no air rushing by my face but there was an incredible sense of speed. I've never been able to fly in any of my dreams (at least, in any of the ones I can remember) so this was a very rare treat for me. I remember landing, then sprinting along to build up speed, then leaping up again and sailing for what seemed like football-field lengths before touching down in a slow flurry of exploding dust. I can only describe it as elation.

I don't recall how long this sequence actually lasted (probably only a minute or two), but it was more than enough to imprint itself permanently into my memory. I haven't had any dreams that are even close to this experience, but here's hoping that writing about it triggers something in my subconscious and I get to do that again :)

What I've Learned 004: I Suppose Blogging Counts For Something.

2010-08-23T04:13:00.001-07:00

Continuing an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. This time, Conor Oberst's interview was my template; the first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers.

high-contrast

Airports, hotels, and rock clubs are all equally awesome places to get drunk. Or that's what I've heard, anyway. Yeah.
I met some really great people since moving back to the Midwest two-and-a-half years ago, from both rural and urban areas. I just hope I can keep in touch with them. I've gotten quite a bit more outgoing over time so I'm optimistic about it.
I think in a lot of ways unconditional love is trivialized. I'm talking about movies, books and music. I've grown to realize that it takes a lot of work to make a relationship work. You can't just talk about loving someone. You have to actively do it.
Nebraska is probably somewhere I'd drive through just to get to somewhere else. Nothing against the "fly-over" states, but I'm a city boy at heart. A sincere thanks for all the corn though.
We've got the best country in the world to live in, and we're busy wasting our own time, money and energy on utter bullshit.
When you get past Kansas City's drawbacks, it's actually not a bad place to live. I'm happy to have lived here and experienced what it's had to offer. No regrets. I'll try to make the most of the (short) time I have left.
I would prefer to be a little more productive when it comes to writing on a schedule, but I suppose blogging counts for something. At least it keeps my brain active and away from reality TV.
If I could meet anybody, I'd love to spend an afternoon with my father's father. He passed before I was born. I think it would be fascinating to meet the man who helped shape my dad's life. From what he's told me, my grandfather was a cool dude.
I keep my eyes closed when I shave my face in the shower. I don't know why.
When you play songs that nobody knows, you have to break that barrier that comes with hearing the same song twelve times a day on the radio. A good audience is receptive to material other than what's pushed by the industry. Sometimes it works. Big up to college radio!
Bruce is an indisputable icon. I find inspiration in his work ethic and philosophy on life. "There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." Knowledge dropped. I wonder how different the action genre and martial arts culture in general would be if he were still around.
Once you get past your prime reproduction years, it's not the end of the world. It just lets you focus on other things that might've not seemed important at the time. I think I'm at that stage now, although I don't really consider myself "old" just yet. Other people probably have a different opinion.
One of my best friends wants kids. His wife however does not, at least yet. Kinda funny how his biological alarm clock's gone off, and hers is unplugged. Anyway he'd make a great dad. It's interesting and amusing to see how he's changed over the years, but he's always been a loyal friend. Now put a bun in that oven!

Sunday Seven 051: 2010 Aug 22.

2010-08-22T20:34:00.002-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. View my entire Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Style Never Dies.

2010-08-20T04:32:00.001-07:00

It's probably 'cause I've gotten better at looking at things in the long term, but lately I have been thinking about how my own personal style has developed over the years, and what it will eventually evolve into a few seasons from now. I occasionally read forums and articles on men's fashion and a question that's often asked is how to dress "appropriately" for a certain age, occasion, profession, or look.

I need to look this good when I'm 60 [via]

The most common answer is a general one: "Wear clothes that fit well." I'll be the first to admit that I'd never exactly followed this rule when I was younger. Hell, I was a teenager as prone to trends as the next kid. Unsurprisingly, I went along with what was popular (in an effort to become popular myself), and all along mistook those fashions for real style.

Fashions fade, style is eternal.
- Yves Saint Laurent

Over the past couple of years, I've noticed that I've started simplifying the types of clothes that I buy. I'm going for more subdued patterns and colors, and building a nice combination palette from a few select pieces. When the weather permits, layering (that makes sense) is a must. I still wear T-shirts, but I'm trying to phase slowly out of graphics tees -- or at least, anything with loud designs and colors on them. Basically, I want to wear clothes that look as good put together in five or ten years as they do today. Although it had a pretty good run, somehow I don't think Affliction will still be around.

Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style.
- John Fairchild

I guess my goal is to become a sharper, classier dresser. Don't think Mad Men status or anything like that, because I'm nothing like Don Draper. But I like to think that I've injected an "expression of individualism" in what I choose to wear out on a daily basis. Yes, some of the things I own (and still currently wear) won't be in fashion in five years, or even next. But I can guarantee you I won't appear on the Don'ts section on Vice (yeah it's jokes but daaaaamn). And that's always a good thing.

I hope. Now where did I put my jean jacket? I heard they're back in.

P90X: Complete.

2010-08-19T04:20:00.006-07:00

Actually I finished P90X a couple of weeks back. After my eye surgery in mid-June I had to postpone the program for a while, but picked it back up as soon as I was cleared to do so. It was amazing how hard I had to work to get back to my level of fitness pre-surgery after just a few (relatively speaking) days off. But I'm done!!

And it was a good journey. I don't really have any criticisms about the regimen; it will definitely get you in shape fast if you stick with it. I suppose that's the most important aspect of the program: You have to "keep pushing play" (one of P90X's mantras) in order to see results. And obviously, as with all fitness programs, it won't do any good if you show up but only put forth a sub-par effort. Admittedly I worked harder on some days than others (I mean, let's be realistic here), but I can stand up and say that I did try to push myself. Especially on Ab Ripper X. That shit hurts. But it's a gooood pain.

One thing worth noting is that P90X is regarded as a program that will increase your level of general physical preparedness -- a combination of various strength-building and cardiovascular exercises designed to elevate your heart rate and oxygen consumption, and promote some muscle growth. Something like this, actually. P90X will not, however, give you a bulky, muscular body. You'll become leaner (and definitely fitter) after completing the program, but you'll need to hit the gym if you're looking to gain some serious mass.

With my modified diet, I did meet my overall goals with P90X: Get a sleeker physique, reduce body fat percentage and increase cardiovascular endurance. It wasn't without a lot of effort and discipline, but I'm really glad I decided to do the program. I've talked to other people who've finished, and they've mostly advised to start the program over. I would like to continue certain aspects of P90X, but this is something that will more realistic after I move in few short weeks (doing plyometrics in a smallish bedroom doesn't really work too well). So I've switched my workout around a bit in the interim.

Since finishing, I've been concentrating a lot more on cutting weight. I do mostly cardio exercises (kenpo, yoga, stretching) with some body-weightlifting moves from the program sprinkled in. If you're a regular reader of Perpetual Mixtape, you're familiar with my running routine. I've been running a 5K route around my neighborhood 4-5 times a week which has done wonders for my stamina and lung capacity (not to mention all the freaking water weight I lose).

Crossfit Pyramid

So I guess the question remains: What is my next step? Insanity seems to be a popular option; I know a couple of people who are currently doing this workout with great results. I'm looking to join a gym though, because I do miss lifting actual weights, but will need to tailor it to my own specific fitness goals. Crossfit looks promising and fun as hell! We shall see.

Who wants to work out?

Four Minutes Of Solitude.

2010-08-18T04:00:00.001-07:00

Like everyone else, I get songs stuck in my head for days/weeks at a time. Every now and then I'll get an extremely annoying earworm* that's somehow managed to lodge itself into my brain, but usually they're tracks that I actually like. Not that I've been feeling particularly emo or anything lately, but Skream's first single "Where You Should Be" (from his second album Outside The Box) has been on repeat in my dome for weeks.

Here's a radio rip of the track:

Weeks, I tell you! -- and for good reason. The production is a thing of beauty. And although it's not normally my thing, I give the robotic voice manipulation a thumbs up. It gives the song a cold, plaintive sensibility that's perfect for the subject matter. Like DJ Annie Mac quipped at the end of the clip, this joint makes you want to break up with your significant other just so you can have a reason to listen to this song! While I probably wouldn't advise that course of action, I see what she's getting at.

To summarize: My ears are loving this. Okay so: Lyrics follow for those who want to sing along.

It keeps me awake ...

How can I feel good about this life I'm livin'
When you're not here right beside me
Not here where you should be
Sometimes it feels like I might as well
Just turn around and give in
'Cause you're not here where you should be
Not here right beside me

These lonely days
Turn into lonely nights
Everything's upside down
And I've lost the will to fight
You say you have to leave
And won't even tell me why
You took my hopes and dreams
And left me alone to cry

I stare at the phone hoping that you might call
Wondering who you've been seein'
And tryin' to make sense of it all
They say my heart will grow stronger
Ahead of me all of these years
But right now it's hard to believe as
I lie in my empty bed drowning in tears

Can't say I've never felt this way after a relationship, so the song definitely connected on that level. Okay so yeah, a little emo, but it's done tastefully and with top-notch electronic instrumentation *wipes mascara* On another note, I'm pretty amped about the direction Skream is taking the dubstep genre. I'm eager to hear what Outside The Box sounds like, as well as his group project with Magnetic Man. It's a good time for electronic music, yo.

*Yeah yeah I know: Her songs are catchy! And yes, I'd dance to some of them. Doesn't make them any less annoying :)

Random Tuesday Morning Video Bonanza.

2010-08-17T04:06:00.002-07:00

Because I woke up and went to work an hour early yesterday, destroyed a few plates of half-price sushi at Ra, downed a couple glasses of Kirin, and ended up passing out for two hours after I got home, I kinda just feel like posting some eye candy this morning instead of, you know, actually writing anything. Push play and enjoy.

A catchy and melodic track by The Hundred In The Hands. It doesn't hurt that Eleanore Everdell has such a sweetly resonant voice. Pair the track with some refreshingly high-contrast visuals and you've got a slick, engaging video.

Stop-motion macro photography (think Robot Chicken) set to a jazzy, rolling groove. I especially like how all the little details added realism to the scene, from small pieces of litter blowing around in the street to the parallel-parking cars.

Like the retro-ish atmosphere, simple scenes of nature and poignant piano score in this short film, languages are beautiful.

Hopefully these videos give you a little boost to your day! As for me, I think a Red Bull might do the trick. *burp*

Side note: Damn, August is halfway over already?!

Hope The Cafeteria Food's Decent.

2010-08-16T03:17:00.002-07:00

For those of you going starting school back up this (or next) week, here's an uncannily accurate guide about your college's website that you might find useful.

I can't find SHIT [via]

So true, though. Seriously, how come campus maps are always 1) hard to find and 2) ten times harder to read than they need to be?

Gahhhh. I don't miss those damn maps.

However in some ways I do kinda envy students as they can "escape" the Real World for a couple more years while the economy tries to correct itself. I know of more than a few examples where people have done/are doing just that, and I can't say that it wasn't a smart thing to do. I mean, other possible life circumstances aside, why not? This isn't very encouraging.

But yeah, the start of the fall semester is always exciting. New classes, new daily routine, new Facebook friends ... I used to enjoy finding new spots to study and people-watch. And let's not forget the advent of Autumn! (Okay so the seasons won't really start changing for a few more weeks, but it's coming up.) Anyways, a fun time of the year all around.

Good luck on your first day!

Sunday Seven 050: 2010 Aug 15.

2010-08-15T21:48:00.004-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words. Hmmm -- several food-related photos this week. Maybe my subconscious is trying to tell me something ...

A buck each! Couldn't pass these up

Faithfully charting out my base daily diet

But sometimes, I have to indulge myself

A great way to end the workweek

Very intriguing, but left on the shelf

Noomi Rapace, my new favorite Swedish actress

A flavorful and undoubtedly Filipino side dish

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Get Thee To Bed.

2010-08-12T04:09:00.065-07:00

Uncharacteristically, this week's afternoons have crawled by, resulting in a couple of head-nodding moments at work. You could guess that it might be caused by post-lunch food coma. 95% of the time though, my lunch is a medium-sized salad consisting of spinach, carrots, almonds, egg and tomato drizzled with Catalina dressing. Not what you'd consider a heavy meal. So no, the culprit is lack of sleep. Surprise surprise.

[via]

The problem is not that I have trouble going to sleep. I don't; I typically head off to Dreamland less than five minutes after my head hits the pillow. However, I have trouble going to bed. For some reason I procrastinate crawling under the sheets for as long as possible. Those who know me well can probably guess (correctly) that I'm messing around online, reading, listening to music or most likely a combination of the three. (I don't watch TV and am temporarily living in a cell phone dead zone, so I suppose I have to fill my free time somehow.)

Sooo, yes, I'd rather be sleeping most of the time. Problem is, listening to the next song or reading the next article takes immediate priority ... and so does the next, and the next. Before I know it, it's past midnight and I end up drowsy the following afternoon.

This is not a viable long-term solution (although what am I really saying; I've been freakin doing this for years). I keep meaning to go to bed earlier, but it never seems to happen consistently. Hmmm. Maybe I should bring some kind of boring book to bed. Either that or up my dose of melatonin. At the very least, I know it's not my diet that's making my afternoons last an eternity ...

Everyone Has A Price.

2010-08-11T04:13:00.014-07:00

Vimeo served up this awesome short film to my inbox today. Take the sixteen minutes out of your day to watch; it's well worth it [NSFW].

Whoa. (c)Keanu

I was really impressed by the sharp editing and stark, fluorescent cinematography. The cast, a nice little Benetton coalition of actors displaying a wide range of emotions, was on point too. Additionally, the atmosphere of the film -- equal parts desperation, hope, and greed -- drew me in almost immediately. I liked the juxtaposition of various visions of pleasure/paradise broadcast by the television screens against the greasy, bloody recordings of the convenience store security camera. The resolution for the two characters bookending the film made me chuckle, too; at least something went right for somebody.

Your Lucky Day [larger version here] asks us what we would do in a similar situation. How would you weigh a share of $156 million against witnessing two murders you had nothing to do with? What would your price be, knowing that your death would likely be the consequence if you didn't agree to the terms?

Are your morals worth your life?

I think that at the moment, my self-preservation instinct would kick in. True, refusing to acquiesce to the robber's demands wouldn't bring the dead back to life. Not really having much of a choice, I would probably have acted in a similar way to the couple. However, I think the guilt would eat me alive. Admittedly, whether or not I'd eventually turn myself in is up in the air.

That I'd even hesitate to do "the right thing" is probably some kind of moral failure. I suspect, however, that I'm not alone.

So, dear reader ... what is your price?

Another Five Thousand Meters.

2010-08-10T04:04:00.000-07:00

I love it when a plan comes together.
- John "Hannibal" Smith, The A-Team

In this case, my hill training for the past few weeks paid off! I successfully ran the entire length of the Susan G. Komen 5K two days ago and even surprised myself by not being exhausted at the end of it. There were a couple of brief periods in the middle when I felt my lungs laboring a little bit during some inclines but they were very manageable.

My main improvement was definitely pacing. Last year, I varied my pace too much during training and subsequently gassed out on the race course, resorting to walking for a minute or two before resuming the run. Not cool. Also it didn't help that I trained on a relatively flat course -- but that had more to do with where I was living at the time. Bottom line, I wasn't fully prepared and it showed. I'd resolved to do better.

This year I don't think there was a concerted effort to organize a team from OMC so I ended up running solo, although it would have been great to participate with some friends. The weather was fantastic: even though it was already in the mid-70s at 7am, there was a nice little breeze and the skies were a brilliant blue. I parked at the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial and walked down the gigantic lawn to Union Station, absorbing the vibrant, buzzing energy emanating from below. There were already thousands of runners and walkers getting ready for their respective races and the excitement was building to almost a palpable level.

rising with the sun

Threading through the crowd, I made a quick circuit of the grounds and dipped into Union Station itself, then paused as someone sang the National Anthem on the stage in front of the fountain. After that, the race announcements were made and I joined the people assembling on Grand Boulevard, a block away. The woman on the loudspeaker excitedly counted down the minutes and anticipation swelled. I saw smiles all around -- and then the starter pistol went off. Twenty-six thousand people slowly began surging forward.

course map

It was hard to tell, but there might have been 1000-1500 people in front of me as I began walking. Due to the sheer density of the crowd at the starting line, running was impossible at first and only after about a half-block could we begin to pick up speed. Throughout the race, it was still pretty packed but everyone gave each other enough space to run comfortably -- I didn't see any collisions :)

near the beginning

As I mentioned, I'd been working on evening out my pace for weeks and it helped me out immensely. For a minute or so at a time, I'd match speeds with one or two other people, then either fall back or pass as they changed theirs. As the course wound through downtown KC, past live bands playing upbeat music and the occasional group of cheering onlookers, I felt very consistent and happy with my form.

Since I didn't stop to walk this time around, and maybe because I ran by myself, the race seemed shorter than it did last year. After a curvy stretch on the West Pennway Bridge, we rounded the final corner and saw the twin balloon pillars that signified the finish line, only a few blocks away. Encouraged, I even picked up my speed on the last 40 meters or so (joined by a couple of other runners) and crossed the line at a fairly fast clip to the noise and cheers of the supporters gathered there. Slowing to a walk, I gratefully accepted a water bottle offered by a volunteer and stretched while thousands of other runners completed the race.

post-race rehydration

I had a great time! I stuck around for another hour or so, taking miscellaneous photos [see my Flickr set of the event]. After a quick shower, I celebrated with a French toast brunch at IHOP. I figured I deserved a few extra carbs :)

Anyway, that should do it for the running-based entries, at least for a while :) I'm glad to have achieved one of my goals for the summer. Next, I'll start working on timed runs (yikes.), and I'm definitely looking forward to running in more races in the future!

Now, about those new shoes ...

Acceleration.

2010-08-09T04:23:00.003-07:00

Another motivational passage I gleaned from a fitness discussion board. I love reading these things; they make me want to go kick some ass (or at least, run harder for longer). It's a little long, but the read is well worth it.

I don't know you. I don't know a thing about you. I don't know where you come from, where you're going, or why you do what you do. I don't know if we'd get along if we met. But there is one thing that I do know: You are capable of much more than you have been led to believe.

As I am writing this, there are 6.7 billion people walking and breathing on our humble rock. The overwhelming, vast majority of them will pass through their 720,000 hours like a match struck in the wind. Hardly noticed, scarcely remembered.

Tomorrow, as you go about your day, take your time to look around. Are there a lot of people around? What do you see? You see mediocrity. You see average. You see everything about yourself that you hate, that you fear, but that you have been conditioned to believe is acceptable. Fine. Enough. A good job.

I'm here to tell you that you will NOT settle for what is fine. You will NOT settle for a good job. Fine is for the loser. Fine is for the guy who skipped the last set of his workout because he just didn't feel like it. Fine is for the guy who cheated on his diet because he just couldn't do it anymore. Fine is for the guy who took a nap instead of sprinting around town in a torrential downpour. Fine is for the guy who got the job, but not the one he wanted. That guy made second place. He has never embraced pain, personal sacrifice, or thrown himself into the fires of dedication. Most importantly, and starting today, this guy is NOT YOU.

You are not this person. You are destined for greatness. You have it inside of you, and you know it. You have always known it, you have felt it as a faint thumping in your gut. It is clawing, scratching, struggling to be set free. It needs your help. As long as you hold yourself to the standard of "average," that is all you will ever be. In your dreams you aren't average, so why the FUCK are you settling for it now? What are you not doing right now?

The time to act is now. You will burn. You will suffer. Your demons will not be defeated easily. Every step of the way they will whisper in your ear that you aren't good enough. That you aren't meant to succeed. "Just give up," they will mutter, "you'll never be the best." "NO," you will reply. You will embrace suffering. You will finish that last repetition. You will claw through the agonizing pain, you will destroy the mediocre pussy in your head, you will break boundaries. You will rise above the rest. You will realize your potential.

You are no average man. Now go do what you were destined to do. End of fucking story.

SHAZAAAAAM!! Or as my mentor Courage Wolf says:

SEIZE THE DAY ... BY THE THROAT

I've been seeing some awesome (to me, anyway haha) physical changes over the six or so months that I've started taking my health/fitness seriously. Granted, almost none of it was without sacrificing something I loved -- usually some type of food -- but looking back it's completely worth it. The potential had always been there; I just never tapped into it. Now that I know I'm strong enough to overcome my old cravings/habits, I can only accelerate forward.

On Reddit, there are a few good discussion forums that I subscribe to; r/running, r/fitness and r/90days are a great start. If you need motivation or just need to talk to other people about fitness and health, there are some valuable resources to be utilized.

Okay. I'm off to crush some miles.

Stay tuned -- tomorrow I'll be posting about the 5K I ran this past Sunday!

Sunday Seven 049: 2010 Aug 08.

2010-08-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words.

Power lines each bisecting the evening sky

Something that I hope I'll never need

Rushed from work to pick this up

Accurate statement about parking in Kansas City

Perfect counterpoint to an extremely humid day

Philippine variety shows are almost constantly on

Providing hundreds of amusing photo opportunities today

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

What I've Learned 003: Normal Is Not Normal.

2010-08-06T04:08:00.199-07:00

Continuing an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. For this entry, I've taken my cues from Emmylou Harris' interview; the first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers.

ready for my, uh, close-up

As soon as you start worrying about wrinkles, it's already too late. Just go with it.
God is the giant question mark in the sky. Yes, I believe in Him, but I've only begun to really grasp His true nature for myself. Although I self-identify as Catholic, I find myself straying from the dogmas of any one religion. This outward trend feels right, somehow. Billions of non-Christians can't be "wrong." But then again, I don't think anyone is really "right."
Patriotism can be infuriating. Especially when it's directed at fellow countrymen who did nothing other than vote for the other guy.
The thing about working with more than one mentor is that I have to re-"learn" to do the same thing over and over. In a way this is a great thing 'cause I'm using various methods to achieve similar results, but they probably look at me like "Is this dude ever gonna do it right?" hahah.
The South is somewhere I really have no desire to visit again. No offense, but the humidity alone scares me.
You have to learn that maybe, maybe, the person who just cut you off in traffic really does have somewhere important to go. I'm not prone to road rage, but there have been times when I've just wanted to react violently to some idiot on the highway. Turning up the music usually calms me down.
Normal is not normal.
When I was sixteen, I didn't belong to any particular clique in high school. Not that I was a loner, but I kinda flew under the radar. As a result, I didn't really feel the need to go to the reunion. I only have a handful of friends from that time in my life, but they're extremely good ones. I'm okay with that.
You have to lay yourself on the couch for at least five minutes before you commit to buying it. Napping on it for a short period of time is highly recommended as well.
We have a saying in the Philippines that goes "Papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako." A literal translation is "While you're only just going, I'm already on my way back." My mother gently said this to me during a conversation a few years ago, when she was giving me advice. I was going through a rather dark time in my life, and she told me she could relate. I've never forgotten it; it's a powerful reminder to respect your elders, and to remember to tap their stores of wisdom.
Any time you think no one saw you pick that wedgie out of your ass, you're wrong.
I'm the poster child for having more music in my laptop than I could possibly ever listen to. I need to play some serious catch-up. A complete iPod reload is imminent!
It's pretty dangerous right now to not have your own opinion on what's going on around you, whether locally or globally. Actually, it was dangerous back then, too. Be informed, even with points from opposing sides. Yes, I know it's hard. Do it anyway.
During those long summer afternoons when you'd rather stay inside instead of sticking to your car seat, I find that a faux mimosa consisting of equal parts sparkling water and orange juice does the trick nicely. That, and some roots reggae bouncing out of your speakers.
Let's just say I'm still trying to be a better person than I was yesterday. Results may vary depending on microwave strength and cooking time.
I like the fact that the worlds of fashion, music, art and style have become so much more fragmented (and therefore vastly more accessible) over the past decade. I believe this allows anyone to pick what they want from so many different sensibilities and aesthetics, and make them into their own personal thing. This eclecticism wasn't nearly as accepted in the 90s. It's fucking beautiful.
Everybody walking around on this planet has the capacity to feel the same emotions. Nearly everybody walking around on this planet forgets this. I need to be more empathetic 'cause not being so isn't doing anybody any good.
I didn't start taking my diet seriously until just a few months ago. But I feel better than I ever have in my life. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner.
I was six the day we moved from the Philippines to the Midwest. I wonder how my life would've turned out had it happened later. One thing's for sure: I'd definitely know how to speak better Tagalog. Not that I'm terrible at it, but I still stumble on verb tenses from time to time. Speaking fluently requires a nimble tongue. And get your minds outta the gutter.
The only thing I know about running is that I'm a crappy distance runner. But hey I'm getting a lot better! Running my own 5K four times a week day probably doesn't hurt. I do need new shoes, though.
There I was. I'm happy to say that I'm far enough along now to be able to look back with clear eyes, and acknowledge the progress I've made. Here's to more of that.

On Your Mark.

2010-08-05T04:07:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I'll be running in the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 5K here in Kansas City. I've been training for it for a few weeks now and I'm ready to rock. Plus having run last year, I know what to expect regarding terrain, obstacles and duration. So yesterday after work, I picked up my race shirt and number at Dick's, along with some free coupons for shoes and athletic apparel (which I will probably end up using, as I need new workout clothes).

2010 T-Shirt Logo

So now that I have my race gear, it's official! I'm excited to participate again. I'm really looking forward to re-experiencing the joyous energy that pervaded downtown Kansas City last year during and after the run. I'm also extra-glad we'll be running at 7 in the morning, while the temperature will hopefully still be in the low 80s! I've been accustomed to training in 90+ degree weather during my afternoon runs, so maybe the cooler temps will give me an additional boost.

I'll be running this afternoon one last time, then switching to mornings tomorrow and Saturday to acclimate myself to the change before the actual event on Sunday. I fully expect to have a great time! Wish me luck!

Beats From The East.

2010-08-04T04:24:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I was a guest on CJLO's Beats From The East radio show, based out of Montreal and hosted by DJ Mister Vee. The 2-hour program highlights "the best urban music (Soul, RnB, Hip-Hop, Funk, Electro, Acid Jazz, Reggae...yes, Asian-Reggae exists!) from Far-East Asian communities worldwide." Mister Vee had gotten hold of our album Pacific Central and wanted a live interview with Reggie and me; unfortunately R'SENULL already had plans for that evening and so it was left to me to hold it down.

CJLO Beats From The East

Mister Vee also had a guest in the studio, an upcoming French artist named Océane who was part of a band that covered K-Pop songs. He interviewed her in between tracks, and towards the end of the first hour spun "Grown Past That" to segue into the interview. As the song played, he called me on the phone (off the air) and we talked for a couple of minutes. As the song ended, he gave a pretty nice introduction -- mentioning us alongside Blue Scholars no less. Haha, dope.

For the 20+ minutes I was on the air, I think I did a good job fielding questions. Topics ranged from Seattle sports, to the state of the music industry, to the origins of J-Pros. I did enjoy answering questions about our music-writing process, as it definitely had been an interesting challenge to collaborate and successfully complete an entire album while Reggie and I lived in different time zones. I capped the interview off with an exclusive freestyle that I'd written earlier in the day. (I believe I stumbled a little in the beginning but a few bars later I hit my stride. Cut me some slack -- I haven't performed in a long time haha)

You can listen to the entire podcast here, or go straight to my interview here.

Overall, I had a great time. Mister Vee was an excellent host, and J-Pros definitely appreciates the shine we got on the show! (Not to mention the numerous mentions on Facebook, Twitter and the CJLO website.) Beats From The East has earned itself a new listener, and maybe we can build and off this new friendship. Mike: Thanks again for hosting me! Let us know if you're ever in Seattle! One love.

Lyrics: "CJLO Freestyle."

2010-08-03T03:56:00.004-07:00

Written and performed exclusively for my radio interview last Saturday on CJLO's Beats From The East with DJ Mister Vee. I'll have a proper post about the interview tomorrow.

CJLO

Somebody pass the bottle opener, let's get the cipher started
Pull a Black & Mild out, flick a lighter, spark it
Pull a pad of rhymes out, yeah I write retarded
'Cause I get stupid from Montreal to Pike Place Market

The 206 back in the building
Whether you knapsackin' it or rappin' for millions
I still got you bobbin' ya dome off of the poem
With ya hands up like you heard me cockin' the chrome

My flow, slicker than BP, I cover coastlines
Infiltrate your airwaves with the most lines
Pull ya girl and leave a freak beamin'
Haters try to do what I do, Inception homie, keep dreamin'

They even creep, schemin', pissed at me
Whenever I twist a tree with Mister Vee
Roll up, we about to make history
Nastradamus never predicted what this could be

Recognize, ladies love my voice raspy and deep
I guess that's why I'm always on smash when I creep
Now I'm on the radio, got ya crashin' ya jeep
I'm hittin' off ya main squeeze while ya ass be asleep

Hittin' off ya main squeeze and she makin' me breakfast
Connivin' ways to penetrate your defenses
Who battlin? I'll stay in the trenches, then turn
Your whole block upside down like I was playin' some Tetris

Oh you brave with a deathwish, I'll increase the heat in the streets
Have you fiendin' for the sweetest release
Plenty bars, Merc leave em deceased
I'm a southpaw swingin' son, you really catch a beat from the east

Work To Live.

2010-08-02T04:21:00.002-07:00

The only thing that sucks about having a great weekend is that it inevitably ends, and Monday looms overhead like some gloomy cloud.

Good thing I enjoy the work that I do.

I'm really not sure what would take more getting used to: going back to school after spending years in the workforce or going back to work after school. I can honestly say that I kinda liked not having to work the 55-hour weeks anymore (granted this was in the mortgage industry where the turnover rate is much higher than average) and downshifting into going to class a few hours a day. It was a different type of time management; you could say that "going to school" became my job. This became literal once we entered into our yearlong clinical internship and became completely immersed into the world of diagnostic radiology. Now I work full-time at my MRI preceptorship, which will transition into a real job after I go through the usual process of applying to hospital/clinical positions.

I like the structure it gives me, coupled with a nice rewarding feeling of having done some good in a grand social sense. It didn't take long to re-familiarize myself with the pace of getting up and working long days. Guess I'm just gearing up to re-enter the rat race for real.

[via]

Lately I've been entertaining visions of moving to Europe to sample the lifestyle there. From the articles I've read and a brief first-hand look a few years ago, the general pace of life seems to be much more relaxed -- not centered so much on grinding it out at your job for 40+ hours and trying to amass wealth. Not that I wouldn't want some extra zeroes in the savings account, but I don't want to have to burn myself out over a period of years to do it. I don't think it's worth it. But here in the land of "keeping up with the Joneses" and "he who dies with the most toys, wins" it's hard not to get caught up in that mentality. As in all things with life, a balance must be achieved.

Ahhh fuck it. Who wants to move to Europe with me?

Sorry if this entry is all over the place! This was more of a stream-of-consciousness thing than anything else.

Sunday Seven 048: 2010 Aug 01.

2010-08-01T17:48:00.001-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words.

The cause of some really vivid dreams

My typical weekly grocery list. No complaints

Spotted one morning. Hopefully a good omen

Sweet and spicy, my new guilty pleasure

Number two guard for sides and back

Sadly, no hidden ending after Inception's credits

Celebrating Jose's birthday with scrumptious sushi rolls

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

Inhale.

2010-07-30T04:02:00.016-07:00

Due to some co-workers taking vacation this week, the manager of the radiology department asked me to work through Friday to help with coverage in MRI. I'm going in today, then headed off after work once again to Columbia for another mini-getaway. Tomorrow is my mom's birthday, followed by my brother Jose's on Sunday. So I thought I'd take him out to a nice dinner and hang out for a day. Also I do have some errands to run in town so the visit won't all be pleasure.

But I'm ready to get out of town as it's been particularly busy. Most patients have been keeping their appointments, which thankfully fill up my 10-hour days pretty fast. With less downtime at work I've discovered that I'm a bit more tired than usual -- compounded by continued training for my 5K a little over a week from now. I'm glad to say I'm improving on my distance running (if only a little), and I think I'm a bit more prepared to run the hilly blocks of downtown Kansas City this year. My lungs tend to tire far faster than my legs, so I'm slowly learning to concentrate on breathing more efficiently and paying stricter attention to my pace. Practicing on the hills in my neighborhood is doing the trick nicely.

breathe

I've started a brief stretching/yoga-lite regimen right after I get out of bed accompanied by some breathing exercises. This is in conjunction with the focused mindset I've described in this entry. It wakes me up more effectively than just stumbling to the bathroom and splashing cold water on my face. And at the same time, I get to pop and crack all my joints and loosen up for the day. Look up some yoga stretches online and try some for yourself!

Be safe this weekend everyone. Stay tuned for this week's Sunday Seven.

A Proper Metropolis.

2010-07-29T04:16:00.004-07:00

Because it's been a while since I've featured a time-lapse video here:

Love these types of clips. I somehow feel comforted and homesick at the same time.

I can't wait to move back to a proper metropolis in a few weeks. Don't get it twisted though -- I really have grown to appreciate Kansas City and all it has to offer. But I've gotten used to a lot more diversity, culture and variety. Plus I'm tired of weather extremes. Currently Seattle is the front-runner, but there's a (very) slim chance I'll end up in San Diego. Either way, I'll be back on the West Coast right after summer ends.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I Still Miss You, Rice.

2010-07-28T04:25:00.005-07:00

I'd never been one to actually count calories in my life. After all I'd never had to before; as a teenager I could snarf down two Big Mac meals and go for dessert after with no pauses or gastrointestinal distress. Obviously my Ferrari-like metabolism slowed down as I got older, but I also started minding my diet a little more closely. It wasn't enough though. Sure, every now and then I'd attempt some kind of portion control, but those moments were few and far between and inevitably I'd go back to eating way more than what I actually required (very easy to do when I went out to eat or got take-out several times a week). to add to this, by 2006 I led an almost completely sedentary lifestyle consisting of 50-hour workweeks in a cubicle and minimal outside physical activity, so boom -- I gained weight.

The added pounds weren't enough to buy new jeans or anything, but I was definitely out of shape and overeating. It didn't seem like it at the time but my daily caloric intake was probably twice to three times what I really needed. Carbs, unsurprisingly, were the usual culprit. I downed white rice, noodles, sandwich bread and cereal like they were going to be rationed the next day. I decided a few months ago that the madness had to stop.

As you might know, I've been on a seafood diet since February. In April, I started P90X (I've just finished BTW! More on this in an upcoming post). In June, I decided to start counting calories to determine just how much I've been eating, and to cut down accordingly. The results have been very enlightening.

So I've been using FitDay to keep track of my food and caloric intake for almost two months now. The benefits have been twofold:

Psychological/Mental. I've become extremely aware of what and how much I eat. FitDay has a great feature that displays the nutrition information for the thousands of food items in its database, so I can no longer blissfully ignore the carbohydrate (or sugar, or sodium) content of any of my meals. I scrutinize the nutrition labels of every jar, bottle, bag and box that goes in my grocery cart. As a result, I find it a lot easier to say "no" to food. And I actually feel great knowing that I'm making informed choices about my own diet. Knowledge, in this case, equals much better health.
Physical. I've definitely slimmed down. Unsurprisingly, keeping track of (and regulating) my caloric intake worked. Last weekend I weighed in at one pound below my high school weight! My jeans are sagging. I have lost some muscle mass as well -- P90X concentrates more on general physical preparedness rather than weightlifting -- but I'm planning on changing my diet regimen slightly to include much more protein when I finish cutting weight.

Giving up carbs was pretty easy for the most part. The majority of my carb intake now comes from a cup of oatmeal in the morning, supplemented with various fruits/veggies throughout the day. I don't buy sandwich bread or cook pasta anymore. Initially, I thought that giving up white rice would be terrible and while I do miss eating it, especially with certain meals, I can definitely do without it. I probably eat rice only once or twice a month now, usually when I treat myself to sushi :)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not immune to cravings.

almost, but not quite [via]

There have been times when a grilled burger, rice noodles or any one of several Filipino dishes sounds like it would be perfect, and I've given in to those cravings on rare occasions. I didn't adhere to my regimen a handful of times (including camping and a wedding reception). On those occasions, I had to decide between going hungry and being as reasonable and practical as possible. The choice has been easy. I'm happy to say that it's worked -- very well -- so far.

Achieving Flight Through An Iowa Cornfield.

2010-07-27T04:23:00.003-07:00

So it's been about a week since I've returned from a really nice wedding in Wisconsin. It was the latest in a series of weekend road trips I've been taking, stemming from equal parts wanderlust and the simple desire for activity. On the journey up to the Badger State, Google Maps cleverly routed us through the smallest state highways possible in an effort to confound and confuse us. In addition, Jose and I were only armed with an outdated Magellan GPS unit that occasionally told us we were floating through nothingness as we drove through the Iowa countryside.

Even after making a couple of wrong turns and creeping through more than a handful of sleepy rural towns, we made it to La Crosse in the estimated 8 hours -- so Google Maps was right in that regard. I also had to admit that although we pretty much failed to use any major interstates on the way up, it was an interesting and -- dare I say, scenic -- drive. With only the occasional twist and turn, the state roads were straight and mostly well-maintained. We did get stuck behind a slower moving vehicle now and then, but it was easy to gun past them as visibility opened up and I jammed on the gas.

I dunno, something about being away from the interstate and flying through acres and acres of cornfields made me drive a bit faster than I probably should have. But there were long spans of time when there were no other cars on the road, either in front of me or in the rear-view mirror (and visibility stretched out into miles on some parts of the journey). It was strangely liberating, so I took every opportunity to see if we could make up time. A few hours into our trip, we crested a hill and descended into a long valley, where I could see ahead for a couple of miles, and I gunned it. The cornstalks were green blurs. I kept accelerating. My car's engine sounded ... happy.

cooooorrrrnnn

After a few seconds, Jose looked at me. "How fast are we going?"

"A hundred."

"You better watch out for cops," he replied. There was absolutely no place for a police car to hide on this stretch of road, as corn grew at the shoulders' edge. All the city cops were probably hiding out in the small towns we'd driven through earlier, hoping to catch someone running a red. But he had a point. It probably wasn't worth the ticket :) Even though I knew we were the only ones around, I eased off soon after (we were nearing the edge of the valley anyway).

It was different from flying down a major freeway, when you can usually just join a group of cars violating the speed limit. The sensation of high velocity was more pronounced, heightened by the closeness of the crops on either side and the narrower road. It was pure, simple fun, even if it was only for ten seconds.

On the trip back from La Crosse, we got out act together and found the 4-lane state highway that we were supposed to take on the trip up, and didn't manage to save any time (the drive still took 8 hours, but we were more or less obeying the speed limit). So it was definitely more boring. Maybe we should've taken the smaller roads again.

What I've Learned 002: As Gloriously Third-World As You Can Get.

2010-07-26T04:23:00.020-07:00

Second in an ongoing series of creative writing exercises inspired by Esquire's "What I've Learned" articles. This time, I've taken my cues from Tim Burton's interview; the first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) serve as prompts for my own answers.

2:37am, in a hotel
somewhere on French Island, WI

Before I started yoga, I had absolutely no idea how hard it really is. I think I sometimes sweat more doing yoga than lifting weights. But weightlifting doesn't give you the body awareness that yoga does. It's amazing, but I need a long shower afterward.
Most monster movies are silly as hell, even the "serious" ones. I love them all.
Once, when I was a child, I pretended to die to see what our dog, Matli, would do. I collapsed on our front porch and covered my face with my arm. She padded over, licked my arm a couple of times, and then just sat there. I like to think she would wait there forever for me to miraculously get back up. Of course I eventually did, so she was probably thinking "See, I told you so."
I’ve always been a bit more anal retentive when it comes to organizing my music. I don't like it when I see a friend's mp3 folders and they have these randomly-named music files all over the place. You need a system, dammit.
People have said to me, "I thought you were this laid-back, chill person. You're really not like that at all." Which always used to blow my mind, but that was when I wasn't really thinking outside of myself. I guess some people saw my inner anxieties better than I ever could. That was a pretty valuable insight.
There are people who pretend like they don't need any help and as a result keep spiraling downward into a mess of self-loathing and denial -- wait, I'm projecting here. Shit.
When I did shows and performances with Reggie as a part of J-Pros, the feeling right before we went onstage was something that couldn't be reproduced by anything else. It was a mixture of nervousness and excitement tinged with just the slightest amount of sheer terror. The absolute worst was thinking I was going to forget how a verse started, because a thousand things can go through your mind when you step out into the light. Fortunately, we learned to focus and our live show improved. I'm rusty as hell now though.
You can argue with somebody who says, "I hate sushi" until you're blue in the face, but they probably won't end up trying a piece of your salmon sashimi anyway. Don't get mad -- that only means more for you. All is fair in love and seafood.
In one of the books that I'm reading, I learned that back in the mid-1900s GM and other auto giants bought out trolley companies across the US with the implied intent of expanding our passenger rail system. They then dismantled all of them to eliminate competition with their product. Just think about what a cool train system we could be using today if that hadn't been allowed to happen. I haven't been on a proper train since visiting Europe a few years ago. I'm overdue for a nice train trip.
Sex scenes are usually "meh" to watch for the most part, until that one accidental occasion when you find yourself watching one with your parents. I believe that happened to my sister a few years ago; she was watching Monster's Ball with my brother and my parents. I wasn't there to witness this historically awkward situation, but Jose says she simply got up and left the room. I think I would've just started laughing uncontrollably. And then gotten up and left the room.
I sometimes meet people who have no idea what they're talking about, especially when it comes to generalizing between Filipino and American culture. It's very hard work to convince someone that no, one is not better than the other simply because, but the subject is so complex that I end up leaving it alone most of the time with no rebuttals and continue on. Some people are just set in their ways.
I remember a certain pleasure that can only be had when drinking ice-cold Coke out of a thin plastic bag with a straw -- the way it's purchased from street vendors in the Philippines. I haven't been back there in over a decade so I haven't a clue if they still serve it this way, but that's about as gloriously Third-World as you can get. Ahhh nostalgia.
I feel extremely at home in a recording booth. It's just me, headphones, a microphone and a sheet of lyrics. Very very simple, but very very right. I miss it a lot.
Everybody loves getting cards and letters in the mail, although it's so much easier to dash off an email or send a greeting on Facebook. I still like writing letters occasionally, typos and all. Blogging is fun and productive but nothing beats putting pen to paper. I just hope my handwriting remains somewhat legible.

Sunday Seven 047: 2010 Jul 25.

2010-07-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words.

A reminder, in more ways than one

What I do, forty hours a week

Every groomsman at the wedding received blades

Had the salmon sandwich here. Quite tasty

Together for the first time since Christmas

A midnight journey to North Kansas City

Filipino sour soup: Perfect for rainy days

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

And The Living's Easy.

2010-07-22T04:13:00.004-07:00

Well, not that easy if your livelihood depends on the ebb and flow of fair-going crowds. Nevertheless, my Filipino brethren seem to do it for the love as evidenced in this film short. It makes me want to ride Ferris Wheels and throw darts at balloons -- and leave my worries at home for a little while.

How's your summer so far? Mine's going very well.

The Gift Of Sight: Part 03.

2010-07-21T04:35:00.017-07:00

Last in a 3-part series on my LASIK experience. Today's post is about the days and weeks after getting the surgery, and some thoughts on the entire experience. If you haven't done so already, catch up with Parts 01 and 02.

Over the next few days, I adjusted slowly to not wearing glasses anymore. I'd find myself forgetting at random times and instinctively reaching up towards my face to push my non-existent glasses up, or under them to scratch my nose. Upon waking up in the morning, I'd grope needlessly for them on the nightstand. Each time brought a smile or chuckle, and then amazement that I could actually read the clock beside me. Now, one month later, I still do those things on occasion -- I guess 30+ years of wearing specs is a hard habit to break.

I'm still putting in the saline drops, more so for keeping my eyes hydrated now than getting rid of dryness. The scratchiness in my left eye has all but disappeared, as the cornea has healed up nicely. So have the slight halos that used to appear around lights at nighttime (I was told these would go away anyway). I'm still pretty careful with rubbing my eyes or putting undue pressure on them, although my optometrist said that my eyes have returned to normal and I can rub them normally. It's just that I don't want to -- I kinda feel like treating them more gently from now on.

Overall, I'm having a blast. I don't have to worry about wiping my glasses if it rains while I'm outside, or during workouts when sweat drips onto them. I get to save money over my lifetime -- no more replacing frames and lenses every couple of years. I bought my first ever pair of real sunglasses (no more clip-ons!) two weeks ago! Yes this might be a mundane event for most people but to me it was A Momentous Occasion. Some people did double takes when they saw me glasses-less for the first time, but I think they've gotten used to it by now :) Honestly, it did take me a little while to get used to seeing my face unblocked by frames, but I really like how I look. My eyes are bigger than I thought!

So yes, I'm enjoying it very much.

I went back for my 3-week check-up and had my vision rated at a 20/15, which frankly amazed the hell out of me. I was advised that this would fluctuate back and forth for another couple of months before stabilizing, but I'm not one to complain. My 3-month follow-up appointment is in early September, and even if I go back to 20/20, that makes me more than happy. But for now, I can cut through steel with the lasers shooting out of my eyeballs.

a candid photo of me,
the day after surgery

To those of you born with perfect vision, you probably don't realize just how good you have it! (If you do, that's great :) It is such a blessing to have clear eyesight, and I made a promise to myself to never take my "new" eyes for granted. I still marvel at being able to see things crisply -- I went camping a couple of weeks ago and was able to really appreciate the night sky for the first time in my life. Please don't take that for granted!

And to those who are thinking about getting LASIK done, I really recommend doing so if you can afford it. Prices are going down all the time, and the treatments themselves are constantly improving with each innovation in the field. In my honest opinion, the potential benefits far outweigh any inherent risk from the procedure. I was definitely scared at first, but do your diligent research, find the clinic or doctor that's right for you, and go for it. The staff at the facility I chose was friendly, caring and very attentive to any concerns and questions I had. I'm quite pleased with the quality of pre- and post-op care I've received.

Let me know if you have any questions about my own experience. Thanks for reading!

Lunar Dream 01: Sentience.

2010-07-20T04:06:00.001-07:00

Like every other person, I can only remember a fraction of the dreams I have. Lately it seems that I've been dreaming a bit more but that's probably due to the melatonin pill I pop before bedtime. Regardless, I forget almost all of my dreams soon after waking, although I do have some very vivid and memorable dreams from over the years that I hope to remember forever.

The moon has made an appearance in three of my most vivid and pleasant dreams. Following is a description of the first dream -- which I probably experienced sometime in my early teens -- to the best of my memory.

I was visiting my mom's childhood home in Quezon City, late on a warm, breezy summer night. Everyone on her side of the family was inside enjoying one other's company, quietly laughing and talking. I got up and slowly walked outside on the front porch to enjoy the nighttime weather, and that's when I looked up and saw magnificence. The entire sky was alive with millions of brilliant stars, clear against the cloudless black sky. But that spectacle was dwarfed by the sheer size of the moon.

Looking back into my dream, the moon itself must have taken up at least a third of the sky. Round and full, it glowed a great bright orange and illuminated the entire neighborhood with light like flames. It was obviously much closer to the Earth because I could discern individual craters, valleys and mountains on its surface. To me it looked only a few hundred feet away.

VASTLY bigger than this

It loomed so large that it almost seemed like it was on a collision course with the planet. But instead of a sense of alarm or fear, I was filled with a profound calm, almost as if the moon existed as a sentinel to protect me. It felt sentient somehow and that gave me a distinct sense of comfort. I must have stared awestruck for a while, rooted to the spot by the sheer spectacle of the sky. Even now the details of that moon -- the rough and jagged surface, the spectrum of its reds and oranges, and most of all its almost-incomprehensible mass -- are vivid in my mind.

I don't remember the rest of that dream (if it even continued past that point), but I don't think I really need to. Nowadays, even just thoughts of that dream will give me a sense of calmness and a little bit of wonder. Honestly, it's one of the best things my subconscious has ever done for me. Thanks, brain!

Sunday Seven 046: 2010 Jul 18.

2010-07-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words.

Coal cars heading out to fuel America

Can't drink the milk, love the design

A sampling of Wisconsin's finest microbrewed beverages

I don't quite know what to say

Another failed boy band in the making

Good thing I wasn't scared of bugs

Where much of the action went down

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

The Land Of Cheese & Matrimony.

2010-07-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

Road-trippin' it today with my brother up to La Crosse, Wisconsin, to attend a close high school friend's wedding. (I'm in the wedding party so I'm kinda obligated to go.) The bags are packed, lunch has been prepared, my tux is fitted and the iPod is filled with new tracks to bounce the miles away.

It's an 8-hour drive so we're leaving somewhat early to check into our hotel and catch the rehearsal dinner on time this evening. We'll also try to take in as much of the sights of La Crosse as we can and maybe bring back some cheese wheels. Everyone have a great weekend! I'll post photos on Flickr next week :)

What I've Learned 001: Initial Attempt.

2010-07-15T04:03:00.001-07:00

Esquire magazine has a regular feature called "What I've Learned" in which a celebrity, businessperson, athlete, academic, musician or other influential person dishes out words of wisdom, interesting anecdotes or life lessons. In this post I'm doing the same thing, only I'll be using the first few words of each paragraph of the feature (in italics below) as prompts for my own answers. This time, I'm using Rick Rubin's interview for my template.

just chillin' in the fridge
on a hot-ass day

What I've learned about myself in the past seven months has mostly been encouraging. I guess I'd never seriously really gone "soul searching" before and asked myself if I could be a better person. The answer, thankfully, is "yes."
When you're a kid, nothing makes you feel like more of a bad-ass than being part of a bike gang in your neighborhood, even if you don't happen to have the cool BMX.
At one time, I really believed that everyone liked and respected me all the time. I was eventually dismayed to find out that this wasn't in fact true.
Making art is something I wish I had more time for. For now though, I'll settle for having a deep appreciation for other people's art. This is a win-win situation.
What I've learned about changing to a pescatarian diet and restricting my calories is that it's much better to view the change not as a form of self-denial, but as one of self-discipline. Self-denial will only lead to ruin -- and a lot of cheeseburgers.
My job is to make sure I don't fuck up as colossally as I have over the past three years anymore. I'm tired of disappointing myself and people around me. It's a hard job but the benefits are freaking fantastic.
If I were to make anything out of Legos right now, it would be a giant, sturdy armored vehicle that I'd jump over ramps made of my books over and over until it started to break apart. Then I'd rebuild it, make it structurally stronger, and repeat the process until I had an INDESTRUCTIBLE ROLLING FORTRESS.
I was talking to a coworker today and she suggested that I start listening to country music (she's pretty into it and often sings along to the radio we constantly have playing in the background). I do appreciate the ability of the genre to tell great stories. But I'm currently heavily involved with electronic and indie music -- and many of their sub-genres -- and as much time as I spend listening and searching for new stuff, I just don't have room in my brain. I did get a couple of recommendations, though.
So much of my work is a process of self-discovery and learning. It's incredible how much I'm learning during a 10-hour shift in the hospital. What's better is that I truly enjoy the work. I can't say it's evolved into one of my "passions" quite yet but there's something to be said about looking forward to the day.
With many artists, I think there's a reluctance to cut down on the amount of garbage tracks on their projects. I'd rather get an EP of quality songs than a full-length album comprised mostly of forgettable filler. I'm not trying to pick out 4-5 good songs from a double album either. Kill that noise, literally.
I don't know anything about love. Well, only that I'm not that great at it. I like to think I've had flashes of brilliance and understanding of how it works, but mostly I'm still in the dark. Someone help me out.
It's not fun to be your buddy's wingman for more than seven hours during a camping trip, especially when you have absolutely ZERO intentions on making a move on the friend of the girl who your friend is trying to hook up with. (Read that again, it'll make sense.) But yeah, really no fun AT ALL. I feel for you, Mike.
I was with this group of friends at an all-night diner after getting out of the club. What is it about breakfast food at 3am when you've had a few drinks? I had an omelet stuffed full of veggies, a massive side of hash browns and a couple slices of buttered toast. The plate was huge. I finished all of it and probably could've smashed some waffles after that, but it was time to go. Needless to say I slept like a damn log and wasn't hungover. Calories were off the chain though.
Put it this way: I haven't learned much, but it's a start.

Upon re-reading, I really like this format. Look for more WIL entries in the future.

Lyrics: "Pressure" (Verse 03).

2010-07-14T04:02:00.011-07:00

The song this verse is from, "Pressure," was a rare one for me to write at the time. It was a welcome spark of inspiration and positivity during a period when I was going through some significant internal changes, many for the worse. Listening to the song soon after recording it, I realized that I was writing it as much for myself as for the important people in my life -- a strange and illuminating epiphany.

sky high [via]

I'm here for you fam, especially when you're strugglin' to make it
When you're feelin' lower than a puddle in the pavement
When you're cussin' at the world, suffering and wasted
Look, we all hustlin' so face it

There's gonna be times when each one of us is sinkin'
Times when you're goin' out ya mind and you wanna chug a drink and
Feelin' like you're traveling but lost your way
Pissed off at the cards that you're forced to play

Believe me, I've been in similar straits
Situations so heavy that I almost couldn't deal with the weight
If it wasn't for those who kept me movin' on in this race of life
I would be dead last, still at the gate

That don't mean that I'm stress-free
Far from it but let's see, I'm still puttin' forward the best me
And damn right I'ma help you out the same, fam
That's the game plan: Sky-high until the plane lands

Flying Solo.

2010-07-13T04:25:00.039-07:00

It took me long enough, but I finally watched Toy Story 3 this past Saturday. I couldn't find anyone on short notice to come with me but I also didn't want to put off watching the film, so I flew solo and attended the 4:00 matinee showing at a nearby theater. You'd think that I'd save a bit of cash by going to an early show, but since I'd opted to watch the 3D version, the ticket still ran me $10.50. This actually didn't surprise me anymore and I figured I'd be paying even more for a later show, so I shelled out the money and was handed a pair of 3D glasses along with my ticket.

pick a seat, any seat

I was the first person inside Auditorium 1, a fairly-large split-level theater. It seemed like the upper level would be the best place to watch so I climbed the stairs and picked the center seat in the second row. I settled in with my $4 box of Mike N Ikes (in clear violation of my diet, but hey it was a Special Occasion) and a few minutes later the local advertising spots and pop culture trivia video loop began playing. Around the same time, small families and couples began trickling in below. After a while it became apparent that I was the only person who was there alone.

I've been going to the movies by myself for several years now. I think the first one I watched solo was The Others at a downtown Seattle theater, when I decided to just go spontaneously after work. It was interesting to be out watching a scary movie without being with friends or a date -- people to share the experience with. But I still enjoyed it regardless. Riding 20 miles back to my apartment at 10pm on a non-express bus, however, was somewhat less enjoyable. But I digress.

Is there still a stigma about going to the movies by yourself? I don't really think there is, but at the same time I'm not aware of any friends who do this. (At least, they haven't explicitly offered this information.) People rent and watch DVDs at home by themselves all the time, but I think there's some kind of social mechanism that generally inhibits us from doing certain activities by ourselves. Movie-watching is the obvious example, but eating at sit-down restaurants and going to concerts/shows also come to mind. I don't know anyone who does these things solo on a regular basis (or at all, to be honest).

What gives? Are we conditioned by social norms to do certain public things in groups? I guess that might have started waaay back in pre-school or kindergarten, when we were encouraged to perform activities with other children. In grade school all the way up to high school, I know that it wasn't necessarily desirable to be considered a loner, that it was considered weird to eat lunch by yourself. Not so much in college thankfully, but I can only conclude that society still unconsciously upholds this stigma to a certain extent in the "real world."

Which is unfortunate, really.

Okay, so: In the continuing effort to expand my own horizons, I will go to an upcoming concert/show and eat at a restaurant by myself, just to see how it goes. In actuality I probably should've done this years ago. I mean, I don't want to miss out on what might be a great experience just because no one else is around to come with me. The city is full of things to do -- if I end up doing some of those things by myself, that's okay with me.

By the way, Toy Story 3 was excellent. I shed tears and dammit, I'm not ashamed.

Non-Fiction x 5.

2010-07-12T04:02:00.016-07:00

Feeling the need to read things that aren't made of LCD screen pixels, I dipped into Half-Price Books recently and emerged with these selections from the non-fiction clearance shelves*:

2010 summer reading

Stumbling On Happiness by Daniel Gilbert: A Freakonomics-type of book that touches on why certain things make us (un)happy, even if we'd thought otherwise, and dips into "psychology, neuroscience, philosophy and behavioral economics," according to the back. Well all right, then.
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser: Not that I eat fast food very often anymore (road trips are usually the culprit), but I'm looking for any reason to give it up altogether. This seems like a good way to do it.
Lucky Child by Loung Ung: Adding to my collection of Asian-American memoirs, this time from a Cambodian voice. I can't get enough of reading these.
In Defense Of Elitism by William A. Henry III: A semi-heavy book about the domestic policy debate on egalitarianism (obviously, the author argues against it). This should be interesting to read; I consider myself a liberal but I'm on the fence regarding this issue.
Apollo's Fire by Michael Sims: A tour of what happens on planet Earth during a single day through the lenses of astronomy, nature, physics and a little bit of mathematics. Ahhh, science.

I'm almost finished with Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller, an accessible book about attempting to find the deeper, true meaning of God and life, recommended by a friend. It's kinda refreshing to read about religion once in a while and nicely kicks off a well-rounded set of topics. The addition of my five new books should make for very engaging reading for the rest of the summer months.

To the anonymous commenter in my previous entry on books: I tried to find Ender's Game in the store without success. I'll have to borrow it from the library.

*Total cost was only $10.44! Definitely worth it.

Sunday Seven 045: 2010 Jul 11.

2010-07-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

The past week in seven photos, each captioned with seven words.

Agreed, it really was an aewsome decade

Using the daybed to dry my socks

Finally, an actual fortune inside the cookie

Too many people ignore these three words

$10.50 tickets?! I'll keep the glasses, thanks

Where I stopped counting calories Saturday night

Nice juxtaposition seen on a dumpster downtown

View my Sunday Seven collection on Flickr.

The Healthiest Substance On Earth.

2010-07-09T04:26:00.003-07:00

Seems like I write and think about coffee a lot. Not surprising, since I currently drink around 3-4 small cups of the stuff each weekday. I'd long ago accepted the fact that I'm addicted to it; last weekend while on a camping/float trip, I went without and felt kinda sluggish and had a slight headache in the mornings. (No, I wasn't hungover. At least I don't think I was.)

Being a caffeine fiend doesn't really alarm me at this point. I'd probably do well to drink less of it, but 10-hour days are taking a bit of a toll on me. Between working from 8 to 6:30 and then working out for another hour after I get home from the hospital, I'm fairly tired. It's a good kind of tired, but I've found myself dragging in the afternoons, especially after lunch. Inevitably I find myself pouring another cup. Long work days are a good excuse for downing a cup of joe, right?

unfortunately, this probably isn't true :(

In the spectrum of vices, coffee consumption is probably ranked pretty low. After all, it's been shown to have some health benefits. It's a low-calorie drink -- obviously, this will change depending on what you put in it. Personally I put a dash of fat-free creamer and a packet of zero-calorie sweetener in my cup (I do have the occasional lapse in judgment and buy a sugar bomb from Starbucks when the budget permits). It's also a minor appetite suppressant, which helps with the restricted diet I'm trying.

Sometimes it's just too hot for coffee though, so I'm looking for some non-soda alternatives. I've tried the 5-Hour Energy shots and they seem to work for road trips. I may have to buy a couple of bottles to take to work and see if they can sustain me throughout the day. But I know that I'll always come back to my one true love in the end.

To my fellow coffee drinkers/fiends, I raise my mug to you! Happy Friday.

Taking The Express.

2010-07-08T04:04:00.002-07:00

A few months ago I was hanging out with a good friend and somehow we started talking about death, burial and other light and sunny topics. She asked me where I wanted to be buried, and I answered that I wanted to be cremated. Immediately, an emotion that looked like a combination of shock, panic and horror crossed her face. "Oh nooo," she exclaimed. "What? Why would you want to do that?"

"I don't feel like rotting underground for years and having worms crawl out of my eyes," I replied. "It's better to just get it over with quickly."

I don't think she quite agreed with this response and we ended up going back and forth for a few more minutes, neither one convincing the other that their method of being laid to rest was more appropriate. Personally, I don't have anything against going six feet under next to your loved ones; I've paid my respects to my share of family members in cemeteries. I just don't think it's the right way to go for me. Cremation, on the other hand, has a bunch of advantages.

It's fast. What faster way to get back to your most basic elements? I mean, Genesis 3:19 tells us that "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Fine and good -- I'd just much rather have it happen sooner than later.
It's neat. NO, not neat as in "Oh wow do that again!!" but neat as in "tidy." Decomposition is a messy, messy process from beginning to end. Go to YouTube and type "time lapse decomposition" to catch my drift (make sure you're not about to eat lunch). I know that I won't really be in a position to care about what happens to me after I go -- I mean, who would I be trying to impress? hahah -- but I prefer that my body not go through something similar to these veggies. Is that so wrong?
It saves space. I know some people like to keep the "cremains" of their loved ones in their homes, but I want to travel and have my ashes scattered in places I didn't get to visit. I think that would be better than resting for eternity in one place. If I'm going to be a part of the earth, let it be all over the earth. Besides, cemeteries are getting crowded and I'm sure someone would be happy to take my spot. I won't mind -- I'll be in Morocco, Antarctica and St. Kitts.
It saves money. Cremation is far less expensive than traditional burial. (Savings are in the thousands of dollars.) Let's face it: I'm not trying to be a cause of financial burden onto my family when I go. They'll have enough to think about.
It's environmentally friendly. Cremation reduces the number of trees that are cut for coffins, eliminates concrete put into funeral vaults and preserves and saves land. Furthermore, there's no danger from formaldehyde (used in embalming) contaminating the ground. So remember kids, DO YOUR PART FOR MOTHER EARTH.
It's trendy. Kidding. But actually though, a Viking funeral would be a pretty bad-ass way to go out.

like a BOSS

So, for those who still want to be lowered into the ground, have at it. It's all good. I mean, we're all going to the same place anyway and I'll see you when you get there. But I'll be taking the express.

I can't believe I just wrote an entire post about cremation. Yeahhh, that was a bit morbid. Must be a slow news day. Anyway back to our regularly-scheduled posts about mostly nonsense!

Back To The Future.

2010-07-07T04:45:00.007-07:00

Artist Alex Varanese has apparently figured out the formula for combining modern technology with retro advertising design aesthetics. The result is ART/1977: We Are Not Time Travelers, a series of concept posters that are, in my humble opinion, seriously beyond cool. Varanese "re-imagin[ed] four common products from 2010 as if they were designed in 1977: an mp3 player, a laptop, a mobile phone and a handheld video game system. I then created a series of fictitious but stylistically accurate print ads to market them."

Microcade 3000

Pocket Hi-Fi

MobileVoxx

Ridiculously awesome. I even love the 70s color scheme (in the ads, anyway).

Looking at these makes me want to put Tron back on the Netflix queue and look for used Atari 2600 games on eBay. I know I just talked about not buying non-essential things in a recent post, but if these things actually existed, I'd be hard-pressed not to want them in my greedy little hands.