oh yeah....may have taken all day...but I got my links working. Still working on the archives section..but I'll save that for another day. On a sad note, I called in regarding the county job. Chances are slim, so I'm not holding my breath. Otherwise trying to keep a positive attitude. My family and friends from Northern Cali are coming down this weekend, so I'm really looking forward to that. =). Likely going to watch "the debut" again.... A story about being Filipino american...somewhat similar to my own life. It was actually after watching that movie the first time that I decided to start blogging. This weekend will be a busy one with APO at UCR on Thursday, APO peeps on Friday, and lastly the Section 1 and 2 conference on Sat. Whew..lot to think about. I do have to give a BIG HUG to my lil one enida... in the past few days, we've spent a lot of time just talking and I want her to know that i appreciate her a lot. (Mmmmuuuuuaaahhh!) See everyone (norcal peeps) soon.

blogs are great..when you use them. Many times this week..I was mentally composing a couple of different entries...but they never actually made it to the webpage (away from my computer at the time). Quite a number of things...from love, laughter, loneliness, family, apo, burnout, career burnout, apo burnout, frustrations, and actually..something as simple as TOUCH. I do plan on writing them...but for me..its all about atmosphere and mood. As for this week...went to a Halloween party. Got to see a bunch of friends from UCR. Had a great time...seeing friends that is and overall meeting new peeps. Actually there was this one girl I was talking too..but she left sometime before I could say goodbye. (see Christina..lots of missed opportunities)....more to come and I need to work on links for this page. Oh well..new project.

ok...I feel bad too. I check my OWN blog everyday and kick myself for not updating it. Checking Reblogger every now and then. Well...I've got some good news...promising at best. For the past week...actually just mon, I sent out a number of resumes. Mostly to placement services and my friends...but I have a couple of good leads. One is at a military support company doing networking...but technically..I haven't heard anything official from them (inside scoop). The other ones are with the LA county Office of Education. This is one I'm actually looking forward to. County jobs...pretty damn secure with great benefits. Granted I'd possibly look at a paycut...but can you beat this. 12 days personal...12 days sick...and 14 paid holidays. Plus full benefits...and a great pension plan. Well..I found the opening too late for the initial screening...but I did get a letter stating to expect further info.=). Lastly..I decided to hit up this placement agency that a couple of my students found positions with, so I'll be interviewing with them on Wed. Cross your fingers.

ok..I need to take some time to go thru and update this blog. Need to work on the links and design. Been busy lately. Actually a lil drama. Right now I'm a teacher and pretty much enjoying it. I do really well...financially and am satisfied with the work I do. I've been lucky enough in life to be one that actually enjoys his job. Well...right now I'm faced with an uncertain reality. I may be doing good at work...but we are having a low turnout of students. Likely because of the economy and everything...but just as in any business...no customers means no work. So right now I've gone from a full time 50 per week...to half time 25. Right now I really needed the break...but I'm seriously hesitant to see my next paycheck =(.
So this past mon..I sent out a bunch of resumes. Got two bites..one I'm really looking forward too...hopefully it pans out. Thats pretty good specially in this economy. Right now I'm just looking for a change. I'm actually willing to leave CA...something I never thought I'd do. So...still young and looking for adventure (and love)...I guess I'm just weighing all my options.

arrrgh.... Well...I'm going to update this soon...just been busy. Currently my eyes are burning after looking at the monitor all day...searching for a new job. Am I crazy..yeah..doesn't the market suck right now....yes it does. But..right now..I'm taking a break from work..but that break can easily become permanent if I don't watch out. So I'm just keeping prepared...and sending out the resume and using my time wisely. Later on this week..I'll tell you about my adventure in norcal this weekend..battling killer chipmunks at CSU Sacramento. So....talk to you soon.

Happy Birthday Mantha =)

SIGH...I'm in love...well kinda. I've just added another beautiful female to my Wives list. For those that don't know...its a continually growing list of prospective(highly unlikely/dream) women that may just one day....someday...may be my spouse (at least I hope). my sister tells me I remind her more and more of Ross from friends. My cousin mila wonders if I can keep track of everyone on the list. So just to give you an idea, the ladies that currently occupy the list include Catherine Zeta Jones ( Michael Douglas can't last that long), Jessica Alba, Katie Homes, Shannon Elizabeth, the girls in Rush Hour 2 (oh man..)...and now I welcome Kristin Kreuk. Ok..she may be a tad bit young (19)..but then again..who knows when I'll get married..and she's definately a hottie.



BTW...Superman/Clark Kent is supposed to be 15 years old in the series...but he looks more like he's 23. Otherwise the show looked like a the Superman version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Sarah Michelle Geller...wife number 7).

Cool...got Reblogger working...I think I'm ready to be linked soon. I realize that this is mostly for me..but I guess the whole idea of blogger is that mixed personal yet exhibitionist aspect of one's personality. I don't necessarily talk about everything I'm thinking of...but it would be nice to hear (maybe...) what other people think about it..or get their input on it. That way we can all understand that many times we are usually thinking the same thing. So..now I can hear from you. =)

On a family note..I'm going to be heading to NorCal this weekend....APO conference and to visit family. I'll be ditching work Fri..so see you then.

Well this was an interesting weekend. Did two things I haven't done in a long time. 1. Went to Church and... 2. Go on an (extended) family event. Kinda odd when you think about it.

First off, the Church thing. I was born and raised devout Catholic. All thru elementary and High School, I went thru religious education. Even when my mom couldn't get me to a Catholic school, I was sent to a Lutheran school for kindergarden and second grade. My mom is a strict catholic that tends to follow by the letter of the Church; church every Sunday, no communion if you haven't gone to confession, etc. and she raised my family and I in the same respect. I was an alterboy thru elemetary school and actually enjoyed it. I went to an all boys catholic high school..by my own choice. I felt an extreme closeness to God and felt I was doing my best to serve him. Now don't get me wrong..I wasn't THAT moved that I was going around converting people or heading out on missions...but I feel that religion is a personal thing and I felt comfortable with my relationship. It was cool...how many masses have you gone to where U2 was played as the communion song...(gotta love St. John Bosco and their progressive priests).

Well that all changed after college. I still went to mass for most of my years at college, but really lost it when I got back home. Much to my mom's dismay, my relationship with organized religion (my local parish specifically) had gone sour. I still believe in God and do what I can to be good (mostly =P)..but I can't say that I can do the church thing. After talking with my bro...it went a lil deeper than that..but maybe I'll get into it later. The only reason why I went (woke up) this time was to bring my cousin mila to mass. (I said I just didn't go...not that I'm the anti-christ)

Ok..about the family thing. Growing up as a military brat (yeah..thats what we're called)...I didn't really get to experience a lot of those childhood memories of growing up with all the neighborhood kids. My parents were always moving and I was sent to live with my aunts. The memories of childhood were sleepovers and hanging out with all my cousins (Bojo, Miko, Ate Grace, Ate Evelyn, Kuya Edwin, The Kuyas (Kerwin, Keithley). The Kuyas were like my older brothers to me..always playing basketball, teaching me tennis, and the ever popular Kung Fu/Wrestling. It was because of them that I felt that when I grew up, I wanted to be just like them. They were my role models. Every weekend was a fun filled event. Movies, outings, Disneyland, and even trips to Washington and Mount Rushmore (never got to go to mount rushmore). I may never have had "neighborhood" friends...but my extended family made up for it. We were always together.

Those experiences changed as we all grew older. In retrospect, I can understand how and why it happens, but you really couldn't explain it to me at 13. My only friends had been my family...and back then..that was all I had. As my cousins began spending more and more time with "their" friends, I began to feel replaced. I remember the feelings of jealosy and hurt when I wasn't included in a trip to an amusement park because my cousin was going with his friends from school. That was just the beginning. In high school as thru elementary school, I was a hermit. I went to school and went back home. I envied my brother and sister because they had such a good relationship with their classmates. I never had a sleepover, nor was I invited to one. I pretty much kept to myself and everyone kept away from me. ( I wasn't a social freak or anything..i just didn't hang out with friends beyond school time..and yeah..I was a nerd). Going to an all boy high school didn't help with the social inadequacies either. Well...family events became fewer, as my cousins started having their own families. Throw in a family arguement here and there..and you basically have a split family. Christmas becomes dinner, with a couple of carols here and there, but mostly different family members in different rooms all watching different tv specials. So this weekend...to keep my cousing company, I went to San Diego to visit my cousins. We've all grown up a lot and changed, but overall it was an ok experience. Obviously, we're not running in the yard thru the sprinklers anymore...but sometimes I wish we could (sniff).

That TechNet conference had made me think about my current career options. Right now I'm a microsoft networking instructor at CEI and feeling pretty good about it. I enjoy teaching and seeing other people succeed in this path. I was pretty happy today when my students signed a petition to keep me as their teacher next Mod. Teaching is fun...but I tend to always look for new challenges. I was the first one of my peers to upgrade my knowledge of Microsoft NT 4.0 and now Windows 2000 (MCSE). I even went and studied Cisco routers (passed my CCNA test). Even after all of this...I still want to learn more. I'm actually very interested in wireless networking. I was envious of the people on the stage because they were using a wireless network for their demonstration. Anyways..I'm sure my career will lie in the field of computers..but right now I have sooo many options open for me..I can't decide what to do. So if anyone hears anything...I'm still looking at different options. Hey..I'm learning HTML for this blog now..hee hee.
Online Resume

Well I just come back from the Microsoft TechNet conference on Wed. I decided to take my class on this trip. Mainly it was to get out of the classroom environment..but also to check out the newest stuff in Windows XP. Can you believe that IM is quickly becoming a legitimate business device? Many companies are using it for internal communication and stuff. I can see it already...

CEO: Ray..I need that new proposal..and I needed it yesterday!
Ray: ok. ^_^
CEO: What the heck was that?
Ray: Um...nothing sir. It will be ready for you in an hour.

Honestly though..I do know of a couple companies already using it primarily for work (sure..). It was just comedy to watch the Microsoft demonstrator explain Instant Messenging to all these middle-age sysadmins. "its not just for your teenagers anymore"

First off...Behind the Smile...let me explain. I tend to take life with all its pleasures and pains. I've learned that life is too short to worry or hold a grudge. Always looking for the positives, I try to look at the brighter side and try to bring everyone..well...a lil ray of sunshine (alright alright...shut up already..I know its cheesy (no pun intended)..but at least people remember my name when I say it that way). Usually seen with a smile, I try to keep my burdens to myself and not be a bother to anyone.

So in this blog, you can now see behind the smile (ah ha...hence the name). Things I think about that I don't share with anyone so I don't bother them...now I share with YOU (the anonymous Internet community..sometimes not so anonymous). I don't know how indepth I'd actually get with this journal...sometimes...its just important to say what you feel. Plus now I have a good reason to practice and learn HTML. (did I tell you I was a techie? humm...just keep reading then). So if you like what you read..just stay tuned for more. If you don't...then..oh well. I'll also (eventually) put on my ICQ and AIM info as well as reblogger...just let me get thru the basics of HTML.=) ahh...until next time.

alright...so it begins. After over a year of readings blogs of friends and family, I've finally decided to enter this phenomenon of blogging. It all started while I was reading my friend ernie's articles on iistix.com. Little did I know that it would get me started on the littleyellowdifferent addiction. I've always known ernie as a great friend with quick witty (crack_up) commentary so the chance to read his weblog closed the 300 mile distance between us.
But even after first reading his blog..(daily...scouts honor ^_^ ), I still wasn't convinced to join the weblogging community. I saw the advantages: its "theraputic" use, the chance to keep everyone updated on what you are doing, a forum for discussion on your personal thoughts. I'm a fairly private person...so the idea of broadcasting my innermost feelings ( to anyone) wasn't something I saw myself doing..yet now I am. I guess you can say it was thanks to blogging that I have my brother back. =)
My brother and I had been distant for over a few years. Family conflict (nothing that matters now..nor do I want to get into)..had pulled us apart. He became cold to me. I learned more about my brother thru his public online journal, more than he would even talk to me about. Eventually in time, we have been able to put all things aside (as of this weekend) and realize how important we are to each other..and as a family (sister too)
And so there is my story..and how it all begins. I don't expect to be as clever as the master of wit (bows in hommage), but this is for me...and really only for me.

Ok everyone...so it finally happened. I've gotten into blogging.
still testing some stuff.