Thursday, January 29, 2009

this would be the first step towards making movies again

i am sitting here, still at work, on what i now refer to as "late thursdays". it is definitely nice and quiet as compared to when my coworkers are constantly chatting away loudly on their phones. it is nice and quite, but i am bored. i have read everything i care to online. now that nobody will see me, i've done a bunch of pushups. i don't really have any pressing work to do, so i figured i should blog.

2 years ago my parents got me this little usb video camera for christmas. it seemed neat, but i barely used it. often recording 10 second clips of dave doing something silly or chris spazzing out. with the exception of jessie "singing" along with the harmonica, none of these videos have been particularly interesting or used for anything.
it's a very basic camera that is really built for short youtube-esque videos. it's not cell phone small, but it is compact enough to fit into one of your pockets. it obviously plugs right into your usb port and is uploaded onto your computer.

i don't know why, but recently i have had the itch to harness my inner david silver and record various mundane things that may or may not include friends, family, events, etc. my first planned use of this camera was going to be the 40/40/40 during halftime of the superbowl, but the outlook of that actually happening does not look promising.

so i don't know how or when exactly i want to start doing this. i have to be careful as i would rather not be that annoying guy constantly pointing a camera in peoples' faces, hoping something interesting happens, when the subjects are obviously uncomfortable about it. it's not a deal breaker, but i would rather it not be the case.

beyond this, is my hope that this will get me back into film-making mode and get off my lazy ass and actually try to make a new movie. i guess we'll see what happens. everyone can expect at least an initial attempt at recording random bits of our lives. i just need to keep the batteries fresh, the camera in my pocket, and meet some more interesting people...zing! sike, that was dumb, but do count on seeing me with the camera in the future and hopefully beyond. if anyone has any interesting thing they think i should capture on video, please share. same goes for any potential movie ideas.

if you are too lazy to blog...


i have been using twitter the past few days and i like it enough so far. i recommend it to those who like to write some "here's what i'm doing right now" type posts or random thoughts, ideas, etc. i am thinking dave might like this format and the quick 20 second effort in posting would be good for busy people (laura). here is my twitter link. read it if you want and if you decide to start your own, i will obviously follow it.

phil has mentioned that my twitter can be linked to my facebook account if i had one...to which i laughed and thought..."what is this? 2007?" seriously though guys...time to retire that facebook account that you never use.

so far i am following 6 people including tobin, who twitters quite frequently, and dan who has not twittered since last july. i am also following shaq's twitter postings as i find him hilarious.

since most of my friends do not use this free service, here are some samplings of what i would think that their twitters would look like:

turbo2oh: ehh...i wasn't feeling that bagel i ate earlier. i wish they would just time them and make them fresh for when i buy them...complain, complain, complain....

pir7plus1: arrr....(something about politics)

ultrimag: here's a secret...every time i look to the side and arch my eyebrows i pretend i am posing on a runway...shhh...

junyercitizen: i never, ever, ever clean my bathroom and it is hilarious.

ok everyone, time to get started.

Monday, January 26, 2009

another contemplative career change rambling


recently i have been working out with various friends and it has been a good time. nicki joined my gym and we had a pretty serious workout session as she was giving me frequent dirty looks and cursed interval sprints. she needs to get stronger in her upper body as she has aspirations of being a firefighter. on saturday i worked out with dan and phil and i ran them through a typical workout i do. they both did well although dan kept mentioning that he thought he was gonna pass out...i think that means he just needs to work harder. phil discovered that something is not quite right when he tries to deadlift, but he did well with the squat.

i think the point of this is that i enjoy working out with people and enjoy any teaching or coaching that goes along with having a little more experience on the subject. i obviously don't know enough to really be a trainer, but it is nice to find a subject that does not involve videogames, drinking or watching tv that i actually find fascinating and enjoy. along with this is a very strong interest in nutrition and how it goes together with training. more and more i am nerding out on this stuff.

going back to school to pursue something like becoming a nutritionist or trainer is definitely something that runs through my mind, especially when i am feeling particularly tired of and frustrated by my boring computer job. currently i am a little hesitant in working with others as i feel like i am in that limbo area of knowing enough to get myself into trouble, but not enough that i can confidently give advice on these subjects. i want to help, but am not in any way trained to assess someone's strength and other various issues. i read stuff and know how things work with my body, but i realize that that perspective is very limiting. for instance, dan broke his arm in high school (not my fault) and because of this he has some pretty uneven shoulders. he tried some dips and it did not feel right. i wanted to try and give him some different exercise that would work better, but i was not confident in having him try something else, as i did not want to fuck his shoulder up. phil was having trouble maintaining his form during his deadlifts and i guessed that it was his hip mobility, but had no real expertise or experience to really explain why i thought that was the issue.

(phil rounds out his lower back and has a painful expression)
me: that doesn't look right phil.
phil: no shit. it doesn't feel right either.
me: hmmm...i bet it's a lack of hip mobility.
phil: why do you think that?
me: i dunno.
phil: ...
me: i guess this exercise is not for you.

another thing to consider is that if i were to ever become something in training or nutrition, i would need to look the part as i don't think people like taking advice from do as i say not as i do types. i picked up a program called precision nutrition, that dave and i plan on studying and following. it seems to do a really good job of explaining the basics of nutrition and how to apply it. i think that it could serve as a good indicator of whether or not i really have an interest in this type of thing. also, it will hopefully help us lose some weight.

i realize that i have been writing and whining about this stuff a lot lately, but writing it out helps me gather my thoughts and will hopefully lead to some sort of action. if anyone has any lifting or nutrition questions, post them in the comments and it will give me a chance to research it and give you a (hopefully) helpful answer. even if you don't really need to know, make something up, it will give me some practice and something to do when i am bored at work.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

nice try fox news

i'm pretty sure you haven't witnessed the obama's doing all of these activities.

this seems about right

i stole this from some forum post but found it was good in continuing with my japanese theme of the day. it was a brochure an ex pat living in japan received from his travel agent prior to flying to back to the u.s. it was basically a guide on what to expect and prepare for when you visit the u.s. here are the bullet points that i found most important:
  • The yen is very strong against the dollar right now. This will make goods in America seem very cheap -- an excellent opportunity for shopping! However, remember to be polite in your use of money -- America is in the middle of economic malaise right now, and Japanese people with wads of money in their hand might be looked on with envy. Besides, if you are obviously wealthy in an American city, you may be robbed.
  • Most Americans are very polite, particularly outside of the big cities. However, outside of the big cities, everyone owns guns. Inside the big cities, almost everyone owns guns. Let's be polite together!
  • Most Americans think we look like Chinese or Koreans. Try not to be too offended.
  • Most Americans will think that a Japanese person standing on the street is an American, unless they are holding a camera. If you are not comfortable speaking English, you might try bringing along a camera to say "I am a tourist, please don't expect me to speak English." Except, don't try this in the big cities -- tourists get mugged in big cities.
  • In general, Americans consider it impolite to discuss politics. However, this January Obama will become the new president, and many people are excited! If they ask you what you think of him, a safe answer is [English] "Obama is really cool." or [English] "Obama speaks so well. Not like me. Hehe." Be very careful when pronouncing his name. O BA MA, just like Obama City.
  • Ladies: if you shop for clothes, ask for where to find [English] "petite". It means normal sized. Ladies who are petite may have difficulty finding clothes which fit in America, except at specialty shops.
even though i have never traveled there, i think this list is forcing my hand and i must generate some tips for americans traveling to japan.







"it's pronounced 'o-bah-mah' motherfucker, get it right or go back to koreatown...."

this seems like a dream

seriously japan...what the fuck is wrong with you and how did you become so awesome?

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

i guess i could always give teaching another shot


even though i will probably be at this same job forever, recently my thoughts and yearnings for a new career have been getting more intense and frequent. going back to school could be an option even though i am terrified by it. do you have any ideas? i really would like to be involved in something i cared about at least a little. any brainstorming help is greatly appreciated.

Monday, January 19, 2009

this really sucks in a good way

i purchased the yellow version of this vacuum:
i was a little hesitant when i checked it out at target today, as it seemed significantly smaller than my previous vacs, but at $60, the price was right, plus i had a spend $50, save $10 target coupon. it is pretty frickin small and lightweight. i was happily surprised by how well it sucked up hair, dust and dirt and for once i feel like our living room carpet is clean, which is nice. so thank you laura for the recommendation as well as the offer for your extra vacuum. hopefully this plus the roomba will keep this place in decent shape. i also vow to take better care of this vacuum and hopefully extending it's life. brown.

Friday, January 16, 2009

this was not convenient timing


my vacuum has apparently died and with 4 people (including messy ass dave) and one ginormous dog, not having a vacuum cleaner is not good. we have roomba, who gives a valiant effort, but is more of a daily maintenance type of vacuum....he just doesn't get everything that he should. now i am faced with a very difficult decision, especially considering how much money i have been spending lately. i could go for another one of those $75 relatively cheap, but not that effective vacuums that will surely die in less than 5 years or go get one of those dyson monster vacs. i'm sure you all have seen the commercials. these fuckers cost up to $500, but might be worth it if they actually work as advertised. i dunno. what should i do? i am kind of getting sick of having a messy house and want to take better care of it. my new blogging style has not really captured the attention of people like i hoped and i am not sure if anyone is still reading this, i may be on my own on this one.

i could be eating omelettes every day

people are becoming fed up with the high cost of eggs, especially those who care about them being organic and from chickens treated humanely. i am currently listening to the npr food podcast about people (in relatively urban areas) illegally raising a couple of chickens in their backyards to get their eggs. nowadays i eat a lot of eggs, often going through a dozen in less than a week. i'm sure there are many downsides (besides noise issues and how it would coexist with jessie) to this idea that i have not thought of, but i feel like it is something that i could get behind and then not actually do.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

the enchanted forest seems disturbing

seriously, wtf? this appeared to be a normal shopping center with a petco and safeway, but apparently watching over these stores is a horrifying goblin king that's all lit from underneath to accentuate it's tear-inducing appearance. maybe they just want to keep kids outta there.

have fun at dinner

so this has been kind of the hot shit blowin up today:



at first through fifth glance, it and they are all hilarious...almost too funny and way better than me at keeping a straight face. the principal seemed to handle things relatively well. and let me tell you, when i first saw these 2 kids, i immediately wanted to dislike them and their smarmy, know-they-are-funny expressions. but douchiness be damned, i now consider them awesome, that is, i assume, until i see this video a few more times and my admiration transmorphs into a very specific and concentrated form of hatred.

when will they get their own tv show? that is the real question. i am thinking that "have fun at dinner" is the 2009 version of fuck you. i love you and i like your tie...kevin out!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

clear eyes, full hearts, hot girls, can't lose

guess what nerds? the current second best tv show is finally coming back for it's 3rd season. friday night, nbc, 9pm est. be there and check out girls like this:
i'm just sayin...she's like the 3rd hottest girl on this show.

Monday, January 12, 2009

i guess this makes sense


it was announced that billy mays, that guy with the beard who will enthusiastically sell any product on tv, will be getting his own reality tv show. i am not sure how i feel about this but my initial reaction was a pretty even mix of "seriously? wtf?" and "yeah, i guess i would watch that".

i guess he does need to step up his game now that he has actual competition. seriously though, who wants a boring tuna?

llblog #2 - don't squeeze my hand so hard

this will be the last count of the llblogs as that joke was dumb. the llblogs will continue just the count will stop.

anyways, this goes out to my friend at the special olympics. i was more than happy to hold your hand as we walked to the cardio machines, but what was the vice grip for? your fingernails actually drew blood before i could take my hand back. you are cool, but that was not. it still sort of hurts (sniffle).

p.s. i would have added an image, but my recommendation to everyone is to not ever do a google image search on "crushed hand".

llblog #1 - yes we can

while walking around the mall with my parents a few days ago, we came across a stand that was selling those poorly made air-brushed obama t-shirts. i jokingly told my dad i knew what he was getting for his birthday. he said he would wear it (hopefully in public) if he thought obama performed well during this initial presidential term. my support for this administration just grew even stronger.

mixing it up and coining new terms for stuff that obviously already exists


i have not blogged in nearly a month. i guess a fair amount of stuff has been going on and i have been lazy. i also sometimes end up wanting to write about too many unconnected things that i'm just like nevermind. so now i will be trying to blog little short bits (sometimes just a sentence or three) about one specific thing with the occasional long and drawn out post as it comes to me. is this sort of like twitter? here are some things i foresee happening as a result:
  • i will blog more often and include more little things that i would not otherwise have written about or remembered down the line.
  • my verbose essay posts will be met with less criticism and disdain as they will be less frequent.
  • i will get tired of this new style and start blogging with pictures only.
  • i will act like i have invented this style and coin a term that will be quickly picked up by the hip and become part of internet vernacular (maybe i should check with dave before using that word, which i assume i did so incorrectly)
  • that new term will be known as a llblog (short for lil' blog, pretty catchy, eh?)
prepare for llblog #1 coming up soon. read it and be a part of internet history.