*getting in the mood*

Looking at my watch looks like i've spent a couple hours doing "house" cleaning in my office. I have more important things for work i need to do, but find myself clearing out tons of old emails from my hotmail accounts and web surfing for the billionth time today. Oddly thats the way it is for me, wanting to put away/complete all the little things that distract me so i can tackle the bigger things on my plate. That and hopefully it will get me motivated to actually work. I believe in smart work, than over work =p. Explains some of the laziness as well.
Anyways, the 10 pages on hotmail are now down to 1 page. Desk is looking a little bit cleaner. I've made my xmas purchase list, but haven't checked it twice yet =p. Also started drafting things i may want, but its rather vague. If anything i'll update my wish list on the left panel. I've picked up a couple for people already but there are quite a bit more to go.
Lets see, this month....

a) Got the 344 Xmas tree is up. Took some pics setting it up, but will get more when we get more decorations.
b) Planning on doing a 1 day run to Vegas with Bren this weekend to celebrate Mark B's bday. Should be fun, just waiting to hear what time we'll be leaving. (Also Happy Bday Biggwould. Sorry to miss your SF bar crawl)
c) Turducken is Dec 10. Yummm.
d) Need to get some shopping in here somehow.


Other than that, I'm on disk 9 of Harry Potter - Order of the phoenix. I got a bit behind with Thanksgiving, but the mp3 player is charged up and ready to go. I have been lagging on the working out thought *sigh*.

I hate the cold, but i love sappy movies. Xmas time is just the right season for it.

*breath*

ok..so i did get to see Harry Potter and it was cool. Mike T came to the rescue and we got to see it opening day in Century City. Samantha said it best when she stated it was like watching the book in fast forward. I think i would have enjoyed it more if i didn't read the book, but i probably wouldn't have understood various parts of the movie. I just have to remember that the movies are the director's interpretation of the book...and since i've been hooked, i am gonna continue listening to the series. Effects were great, but i think i missed most of the suspense. Instead, it definately felt more like a british romantic comedy (Goblet was directed by the same guy who did 4 weddings and a funeral). IMDB trivia says they originally thought of having a 2 part movie, but was later convinced to fit it in one. *shakes head* Bad idea from the boring director of movie 3. (i fell asleep in that movie both times i tried to watch it, finally successful on the 3rd time).


Anyways..so.moving on.

Thought this week would be a cake walk, since there are only 3 days. Instead I've gotten sacked with work beyond belief. Add to that starting to feel a bit conjested. This is definately slowing me down, but things are moving quickly. Tomorrow is the turkey holiday and i've got 2 dinners i need to space myself out for. Ugg. Friday off will be nice, but not sure if/which black friday sale i may hit. Gotta start working on my shopping list as well as my wish list.

In other news though...



I went to the arclight theater in LA for the first time this morning. Karen really wanted to see RENT at the midnite performances and was able to get last minute tickets to the 12:10am performance. It was a 344 event as Garland came along to have his first RENT experience. I have to say this is definately the best movie i've seen in quite some time. I've seen the musical and it was a terrific performance...and this movie does a lot to transfer that to the screen. Most of the original cast was there and i can say i still felt the power of music much as i did during the live performance. This one is definately a must see.

oh well..work calls again...but hoping everyone has a happy thanksgiving holiday.

=(

darn moviefone.com online ticketing. Just missed the chance to watch HP at the Westwood theatre since i waited too long. Stupid thing said it was still selling tickets, but it just wouldn't process. Even coworker saw it yesterday at 7pm thru a promotion with our company i wasn't aware of. Ugg.

Honestly...i don't remember the last time i was so eager to see a movie. Weird.
Well..guess i'll try to see it this weekend.

WHAT???

You need an M class license to ride a Vespa???

Man..if i go that far, i may just go for a real motorcycle.

Cleaning up.


Well..first off..the house is clean =). The floors are not sticky anymore, the dishes washed, and everything looks back to normal...just cleaner.

Been busy since Halloween obviously...but for the most part things are well. Setting up my own personal "cleaning"...mind, body...and house.

As far as the house is concerned, likely getting another roommate for the 2nd room..so wanted to clear up that up a bit. Getting the computers and systems set up for the school was part of the process, so i did most of that this weekend (as well as haul it out to Bellflower thanks to Karen's Rodeo). Doing the same in my own room as far as utilizing the garage more to store stuff, and clear out the room.

As far as body and mind, I'll preface with the fact that probably the best parties in my life so far have happened this year: Birthday at Tokyo Delves and Halloween in the MPK. I had fun ...maybe a lil too much. From these events i woke without recollection of much of the nite. While fun at the time, I am honestly afraid of losing control (or my mind). Fortunately i was amongst friends and family who looked out and cared for me. Video tape and pictures were all i could use to piece back the events of those nites. Even watching the video tape was scary as i could see myself doing things i couldn't imagine myself doing. *shakes head* Now..i as much as anyone else is all for a good time, but yeah... after these events..i had to re-evaluate my actions.

Anyways, I decided after the Halloween party that i would try to go for a year without drinking alcohol. So far so good. I had to make a couple caveats for myself, so not sure how likely the year timeline will hold, but at least i'm making more of an effort not to overindulge and abuse myself. More likely to limit myself to 1 drink depending on the event. I've never "needed" alcohol to have fun before, so i'll just go back to that mentality.

Next thing i did was buy a weight scale for the bathroom. Boy...that was a painful idea. While still fairly lanky, I know I can do without this spare tire around my waist. Trying to read up more on nutrition as well as continuing on my workout. Actually thinking about buying a bike and using that to trek to work. I'd save me the monthly parking and probably provide a good daily work out. Just need to see if i can manage the road and 10miles.

Some changes at the school have forced me to re-evaluate my own financial status and personal stagnation. I really need to get back into study mode and keep myself up to date on various technologies. I learn enough to do my job and make it by, but i should start challenging myself again.

I've been listening to Harry Potter - Goblet of Fire for the past few weeks. This is going to be my test on how well i can appreciate the movie, since i've already read the book. Personally i like being surprised and am easily captured in the director and writers web on the silver screen. I'm guessing i'll probably still be happy with the end result, but not sure how satisfied. We'll have to see after HP comes out this week. (although my anxious self is already ripping book 5 to MP3).

anyways...i hope everyone is doing well. I realize how its been a while since i've been able to keep up with people. Hoping to do more of that as well. =)

ohh man.....

Pictures supposedly say a thousand words...and much of that was needed to remember what happened at the party. Needless to say the first party of the 344 MPK house elevated even big ed's expectations of what a party should be like. Bern quotes that she hasn't partied like that since college and yes folks..that is what it was like (beer bong and all). As i'm still piecing together aspects of the nite (shotty memory is not helped by excessive drinking), i'm still amazed at how well it went. Some points to highlight.

a) Amazing costumes: The wizard, Plug and socket, 80's rock stars, gangsters, baby, scarecrow, cartoon stars, sailors, pirates, cop and even michael jackson.

b) Food was great: although all i ate were 2 beef tacos, i hear everything else came and went fairly quickly. Terrific spam musubi care of Karen.

c) Environment/Spookyness: I walked outside sorta sober one point and thru the fog to see about 15 people. Some point later in the nite both garland and i swear we look outside and see this.

had to be like 60+ people at the party, inside and out. Course the evite count already freaked us out as we were coming closer to the day.

d) The people: I have to say i have been blessed with such great family and friends. All my cousins and family came out to participate (ranging from lil red riding hood, bonnie and clyde, disney fanatics, the ghost specter, and donald and daisy duck.) Coworkers, college friends, convention friends and people i have never met made for a great nite. I really have to thank my 344 crew (Garland and Karen) for keeping me sane in preparation, Ed and Dre my workout partners and party planners, Bren/Kelly/Dre/Karen as the cleanup crew the next day, and especially my evil twin Rico for making me lose my mind that nite. Damn Henessey. Till next year ;)..maybe