Damn it's great to be back in L.A.
Everything is so welcoming, in such a warm way.
I feel that I now have infinite room, room to play
"It's great to be back" is all I can say.
The feeling I have is unfaultering, just, "right".
Everything is happening seamlessly, just- tight.
Within the crazy heavy buzz of this city, I'm just- light.
Will I take it to a WHOLE new level??.. I just.. might.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Me, Myself, and the Fire.
I was sitting by the fire one night at my grandma's place, and got inspired. I love watching the flames as they smoothly dance around the sun-like glow of the embers within. I started to see many parallels and applicable metaphors between the fire and life; in particular, things I've been pondering lately. I turned off and unplugged all the lights that were still on, so that the only essence you could see or feel in the room was myself and the fire.
It was almost as if the fire was talking to me.. I appreciated the "cycle" of the flames... how they are so small when you first put a log on, then it catches completely and bursts into a loud, windy, crackling inferno, until it slowly melts down into the calm normal fire it once was. After that it reduces to the mere embers playing tag with colors of orange and yellow on the different pieces of what was once chopped wood. Incredible...
I relate this to the cycle of many things in life, but in particular for me, I relate it to the flow of creativity. It's a funny concept. Unlike a fire in a fireplace, you can't simply throw a "duraflame" log of creativity on your chosen medium and strike a match. It comes and goes randomly; you have no control. But how this fire DOES relate to creative flow is explained below.
As weird as it may sound, and as sane as I think I am, the flames seemed to have a voice. I heard the words loud and clear, and they did not come from a cognitive place in my mind. Whether or not the words actually came from a couple pieces of inanimate, brainless wood lit on fire, I felt a strong message that left as fast as it came.
I was feeling frustrated about sometimes being brilliantly creative to the point where I truly surprise myself, and other times where I feel about as creative as a soggy napkin.. There were many more feelings and scenarios branching off of this thought-tree, but that is the root of it. Just then as I was blankly staring at the fire, it said- "You should be more like me. Sometimes my flame is low and barely noticeable, and other times it's roaring like there's no stopping it. Either way it just happens, and I'm never bent out of shape about it. Just let it come, and let it go.. Be content either way..."
And in about a tenth of the time it took you to read that, it came and left. The message was not told to me in real-time.. It was as if I downloaded a file and unzipped it faster and more clearly than anyone could have explained or worded it. It felt like there was no linear time, and the fire just communicated that to me in an instant, and I fully understood it.. A truly magical experience, yet at the same time, it was no big deal. All of a sudden I felt very relaxed. I felt as though I had a much better understanding of how many things work in the world, and that there's no reason to react so strongly either way. Just let it flow.
Right then, I was inspired and got a pen and pad. I wanted to write down the feeling I got from the fire's power and perseverance. Here's what I wrote:
I sit at home
with no lights on.
The day has come,
the day has gone.
The time is late,
to where it's early,
yet (the) fire still burns,
not ready to yawn.
I awoke a few hours later, awkwardly positioned laying in the dark next to an empty fireplace. I shivered but still thanked the fire for the enlightening experience. I looked down at the few lines I had written, and started to judge it, because my mind said it wasn't finished, and it wasn't enough.. Just then I realized- like the fire itself, the creative flow for my poem had come, and it had gone... and that was perfectly fine.
It was almost as if the fire was talking to me.. I appreciated the "cycle" of the flames... how they are so small when you first put a log on, then it catches completely and bursts into a loud, windy, crackling inferno, until it slowly melts down into the calm normal fire it once was. After that it reduces to the mere embers playing tag with colors of orange and yellow on the different pieces of what was once chopped wood. Incredible...
I relate this to the cycle of many things in life, but in particular for me, I relate it to the flow of creativity. It's a funny concept. Unlike a fire in a fireplace, you can't simply throw a "duraflame" log of creativity on your chosen medium and strike a match. It comes and goes randomly; you have no control. But how this fire DOES relate to creative flow is explained below.
As weird as it may sound, and as sane as I think I am, the flames seemed to have a voice. I heard the words loud and clear, and they did not come from a cognitive place in my mind. Whether or not the words actually came from a couple pieces of inanimate, brainless wood lit on fire, I felt a strong message that left as fast as it came.
I was feeling frustrated about sometimes being brilliantly creative to the point where I truly surprise myself, and other times where I feel about as creative as a soggy napkin.. There were many more feelings and scenarios branching off of this thought-tree, but that is the root of it. Just then as I was blankly staring at the fire, it said- "You should be more like me. Sometimes my flame is low and barely noticeable, and other times it's roaring like there's no stopping it. Either way it just happens, and I'm never bent out of shape about it. Just let it come, and let it go.. Be content either way..."
And in about a tenth of the time it took you to read that, it came and left. The message was not told to me in real-time.. It was as if I downloaded a file and unzipped it faster and more clearly than anyone could have explained or worded it. It felt like there was no linear time, and the fire just communicated that to me in an instant, and I fully understood it.. A truly magical experience, yet at the same time, it was no big deal. All of a sudden I felt very relaxed. I felt as though I had a much better understanding of how many things work in the world, and that there's no reason to react so strongly either way. Just let it flow.
Right then, I was inspired and got a pen and pad. I wanted to write down the feeling I got from the fire's power and perseverance. Here's what I wrote:
I sit at home
with no lights on.
The day has come,
the day has gone.
The time is late,
to where it's early,
yet (the) fire still burns,
not ready to yawn.
I awoke a few hours later, awkwardly positioned laying in the dark next to an empty fireplace. I shivered but still thanked the fire for the enlightening experience. I looked down at the few lines I had written, and started to judge it, because my mind said it wasn't finished, and it wasn't enough.. Just then I realized- like the fire itself, the creative flow for my poem had come, and it had gone... and that was perfectly fine.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
ABC Bartending School Review, Tips on Finding a Bartender School
Today marks the end of my second day at ABC Bartending School. I'm doing an "intensive" program, to get the school done in half the time. They have a 2-week course, a one week, and weekend courses. For all of these they have morning, afternoon and evening classes. Lots of options for all schedules.
Tip: If you're thinking about going to bartender school, search around a bit within ABC's locations. For whatever reason, they have different prices in different geographic locations. (i.e. Palm Springs- $700, L.A.- $400, San Fransisco (San Leandro)-$200)
Tip: Try to go to a school in the winter. Go now if possible. I got a great deal since I signed up before the end of February. Closer to the summer, the price rises significantly for the same course due to increased demand.
Yesterday (Day 1) we went over lots of basics, and were mixing drinks within 20 minutes. (They have every bottle you can imagine, but each bottle/mixer is just colored water.) I understand how expensive it would be to use real alcohol, but throughout the day I kept wanting to try the drinks to see if I've made a decent concoction, or something you'd only drink if someone paid you.
We learned "the perfect pour" where you pour a perfect 1 ounce shot without a measuring utensil, and learned many, many basic drinks.
The entire time you're at ABC, except for a few short lectures, you are behind a simulated bar learning by doing. (the best way.)
Today we got into the nitty-gritty, and learned more technical drinks like cream drinks and the martini/Manhattan. After going over many technical tid-bits on making these drinks, we got to watch the instructor create each one ever-so-fluidly. (no pun intended.)
Note: The instructors can range from slightly knowledgeable bartenders-in-training, to veterans of the art who are currently employed.
Tip: What's great about this school's layout, is once you've signed up, you can take any class on any day that you like. SO, let's say you sign up for the first week of March. You can go on the first day, sit through all three classes they have that day, (one will be a repeat) and find which instructors you like, and which ones really know their stuff. This way, if you really wanted to get the most out of your bartending school experience, only come when that person is teaching.
As well, if you don't know enough or don't past your tests (written/practical) by the end of the term you signed up for, you can always come back that next week, and for as long as you need to so you pass the course. Even if you graduated years ago, bring in your proof of enrollment and you can come to refresh your skills.
As well again, they will help you with job placement for life, in any location possible. If you're in my situation, that REALLY helps. I can go to school in one area, and move down to L.A. next week and still have job placement assistance. Pretty nifty.
BUT, we'll soon see how much they help with actually getting you interviews. The term "job placement" is a general term and seems to be used pretty loosely among these schools. They may do no more than show you a newspaper listing that you could have seen yourself. I'm not knocking them or praising them YET... I'll let you know by next week how much they helped ME get a job.
Tip: Bring a LOT of water, and LOTS of food / snacks. If you're like me and eat A LOT, your gonna want lots of munchies while learning. Especially if you're doing an intensive course, (8-hour days with 1 hour for lunch) you'll need consistent brain food.
Tip: Bring a pillow or cozy hoody so you can comfortably take a quick nap in your car after lunch.
Tip: Bring at least two pens, you'll need 'em, and have a lighter on hand. I don't smoke but many of the bartending type do, and if you plan on becoming a bartender, you NEED to have a lighter on you at all times.
Today we also learned about your liability as a bartender. You are the face of the operation, and need to conduct yourself in certain ways. For example, if you can see that someone has had enough to drink, you should ask if they have a ride home, give them anything but more alcohol, and watch them carefully. If they go out and harm someone, it could result in a multi-million dollar wrongful death/injury lawsuit if you don't exercise extreme care.
Once you've learned your way around the bar, know where certain alcohol is and understand how to make drinks, the biggest/hardest part about becoming a mixologist is retaining each drink recipe and being able to make them quickly... most of the time, TWO at a time.
SO, you have to remember the drink recipes in the first place, then remember each one you need to make at the same time, (so you can multi-task, have both hands occupied, and double-pour when applicable) and keep your calm, cool poker face on while keeping an eye on everything around you. (loud music, people's interactions, which alcohol is low etc.)
All-in-all, I'd advise the average person to take the course over a two-week period, because even for those who think they can absorb everything in 5 days, will have a hard time, AND you must be 100% dedicated to retain that much information.
Until tomorrow.
Tip: If you're thinking about going to bartender school, search around a bit within ABC's locations. For whatever reason, they have different prices in different geographic locations. (i.e. Palm Springs- $700, L.A.- $400, San Fransisco (San Leandro)-$200)
Tip: Try to go to a school in the winter. Go now if possible. I got a great deal since I signed up before the end of February. Closer to the summer, the price rises significantly for the same course due to increased demand.
Yesterday (Day 1) we went over lots of basics, and were mixing drinks within 20 minutes. (They have every bottle you can imagine, but each bottle/mixer is just colored water.) I understand how expensive it would be to use real alcohol, but throughout the day I kept wanting to try the drinks to see if I've made a decent concoction, or something you'd only drink if someone paid you.
We learned "the perfect pour" where you pour a perfect 1 ounce shot without a measuring utensil, and learned many, many basic drinks.
The entire time you're at ABC, except for a few short lectures, you are behind a simulated bar learning by doing. (the best way.)
Today we got into the nitty-gritty, and learned more technical drinks like cream drinks and the martini/Manhattan. After going over many technical tid-bits on making these drinks, we got to watch the instructor create each one ever-so-fluidly. (no pun intended.)
Note: The instructors can range from slightly knowledgeable bartenders-in-training, to veterans of the art who are currently employed.
Tip: What's great about this school's layout, is once you've signed up, you can take any class on any day that you like. SO, let's say you sign up for the first week of March. You can go on the first day, sit through all three classes they have that day, (one will be a repeat) and find which instructors you like, and which ones really know their stuff. This way, if you really wanted to get the most out of your bartending school experience, only come when that person is teaching.
As well, if you don't know enough or don't past your tests (written/practical) by the end of the term you signed up for, you can always come back that next week, and for as long as you need to so you pass the course. Even if you graduated years ago, bring in your proof of enrollment and you can come to refresh your skills.
As well again, they will help you with job placement for life, in any location possible. If you're in my situation, that REALLY helps. I can go to school in one area, and move down to L.A. next week and still have job placement assistance. Pretty nifty.
BUT, we'll soon see how much they help with actually getting you interviews. The term "job placement" is a general term and seems to be used pretty loosely among these schools. They may do no more than show you a newspaper listing that you could have seen yourself. I'm not knocking them or praising them YET... I'll let you know by next week how much they helped ME get a job.
Tip: Bring a LOT of water, and LOTS of food / snacks. If you're like me and eat A LOT, your gonna want lots of munchies while learning. Especially if you're doing an intensive course, (8-hour days with 1 hour for lunch) you'll need consistent brain food.
Tip: Bring a pillow or cozy hoody so you can comfortably take a quick nap in your car after lunch.
Tip: Bring at least two pens, you'll need 'em, and have a lighter on hand. I don't smoke but many of the bartending type do, and if you plan on becoming a bartender, you NEED to have a lighter on you at all times.
Today we also learned about your liability as a bartender. You are the face of the operation, and need to conduct yourself in certain ways. For example, if you can see that someone has had enough to drink, you should ask if they have a ride home, give them anything but more alcohol, and watch them carefully. If they go out and harm someone, it could result in a multi-million dollar wrongful death/injury lawsuit if you don't exercise extreme care.
Once you've learned your way around the bar, know where certain alcohol is and understand how to make drinks, the biggest/hardest part about becoming a mixologist is retaining each drink recipe and being able to make them quickly... most of the time, TWO at a time.
SO, you have to remember the drink recipes in the first place, then remember each one you need to make at the same time, (so you can multi-task, have both hands occupied, and double-pour when applicable) and keep your calm, cool poker face on while keeping an eye on everything around you. (loud music, people's interactions, which alcohol is low etc.)
All-in-all, I'd advise the average person to take the course over a two-week period, because even for those who think they can absorb everything in 5 days, will have a hard time, AND you must be 100% dedicated to retain that much information.
Until tomorrow.
Friday, February 13, 2009
How to Get Better Sleep
There's many things I've learned over the years on how to get better sleep, but here are a couple to focus on that have made a big difference for me:
1.) Eat dinner at least 1 1/2 hours before bedtime, especially if it's a big meal. (I always have big meals..) When you are still digesting in your sleep, it takes away from getting that 'deep' sleep, and makes you uncomfortable.
2.) Stretch before bed. Make sure to at least stretch your hamstrings. These are the 'large' muscles of the body, and connect to other muscles that run from head-to-toe, and can relieve a LOT of stress right before bed.
I like to stretch sitting down, because touching your toes while standing can put too much pressure on the lower back. MAKE SURE you go easy while stretching. You want to stretch enough that you feel some healthy pain, but not enough to pull a muscle. Here's my nightly stretching routine:
-Roll on your back with knees tucked in 10 times, letting your spine relax and naturally re-align after that long day. Breathe out on your way down, in on your way up.
-Reach for your toes. Hold for 10 long, deep breaths.
Tip: For a deep stretch, point your toes toward your head, keep the backs of your knees on the floor, and to REALLY sleep well, drop your head lightly towards your knee-caps. This can be VERY painful in a good way, and gives you a rush of endorphins which also supports deep sleep.
***Breathing deeply and fully while stretching is VERY important. This lets your nervous system know that what you're doing is OK, and you are also much less likely to pull something.
-The Hurdler Stretch. Hold for 10 full breaths on each side.
-Stretch the hips: In a squat like a frog, (in a squat with your hands on the ground between your knees) put your elbows into the insides of your knees, lean forward so the majority of the weight is on your hands, and push gently outward with your elbows. hold for 10-15 full breaths.
-Sit on your knees, put your head and hands on the floor in front of you, then slowly roll forward on your head, so when you push off your knees, more weight goes to your hands, and a small amount to your cranium. Your chin will tuck in to your chest at the end of the forward motion. This stretch has been such a savior for me to let go of all the tension I hold in my head and neck.
-I like to finish with an even deeper stretch of the first one - touching your toes. See if you can get that deep stretch by letting the head drop and pulling the toes toward you.
After that, crawl up into bed and enjoy a great night of sleep!!
**I'm a 'night-owl' and can have un-ending thoughts running through my head in the late hours. If you're the same way, what I like to do is stand up and let myself have my thoughts. It's almost like a punishment for thinking. Roll your head in slow circles while letting go of thoughts. If I need to remember some things, I'll jot them down so I can let them go for the night. When I'm through with thinking, I find it much easier to sleep.
The point is, you want to separate you work, thoughts, and things like computer time from your bed. Use your bed only for sleep. If you sit on your bed to do homework or anything intellectual, you may become conditioned to thinking while on your bed, which is the opposite of what you want. Try these things, and let me know how they work for you! I'd love to hear about your experience.
1.) Eat dinner at least 1 1/2 hours before bedtime, especially if it's a big meal. (I always have big meals..) When you are still digesting in your sleep, it takes away from getting that 'deep' sleep, and makes you uncomfortable.
2.) Stretch before bed. Make sure to at least stretch your hamstrings. These are the 'large' muscles of the body, and connect to other muscles that run from head-to-toe, and can relieve a LOT of stress right before bed.
I like to stretch sitting down, because touching your toes while standing can put too much pressure on the lower back. MAKE SURE you go easy while stretching. You want to stretch enough that you feel some healthy pain, but not enough to pull a muscle. Here's my nightly stretching routine:
-Roll on your back with knees tucked in 10 times, letting your spine relax and naturally re-align after that long day. Breathe out on your way down, in on your way up.
-Reach for your toes. Hold for 10 long, deep breaths.
Tip: For a deep stretch, point your toes toward your head, keep the backs of your knees on the floor, and to REALLY sleep well, drop your head lightly towards your knee-caps. This can be VERY painful in a good way, and gives you a rush of endorphins which also supports deep sleep.
***Breathing deeply and fully while stretching is VERY important. This lets your nervous system know that what you're doing is OK, and you are also much less likely to pull something.
-The Hurdler Stretch. Hold for 10 full breaths on each side.
-Stretch the hips: In a squat like a frog, (in a squat with your hands on the ground between your knees) put your elbows into the insides of your knees, lean forward so the majority of the weight is on your hands, and push gently outward with your elbows. hold for 10-15 full breaths.
-Sit on your knees, put your head and hands on the floor in front of you, then slowly roll forward on your head, so when you push off your knees, more weight goes to your hands, and a small amount to your cranium. Your chin will tuck in to your chest at the end of the forward motion. This stretch has been such a savior for me to let go of all the tension I hold in my head and neck.
-I like to finish with an even deeper stretch of the first one - touching your toes. See if you can get that deep stretch by letting the head drop and pulling the toes toward you.
After that, crawl up into bed and enjoy a great night of sleep!!
**I'm a 'night-owl' and can have un-ending thoughts running through my head in the late hours. If you're the same way, what I like to do is stand up and let myself have my thoughts. It's almost like a punishment for thinking. Roll your head in slow circles while letting go of thoughts. If I need to remember some things, I'll jot them down so I can let them go for the night. When I'm through with thinking, I find it much easier to sleep.
The point is, you want to separate you work, thoughts, and things like computer time from your bed. Use your bed only for sleep. If you sit on your bed to do homework or anything intellectual, you may become conditioned to thinking while on your bed, which is the opposite of what you want. Try these things, and let me know how they work for you! I'd love to hear about your experience.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Something CRAZY Happened
I was feeling incredibly inspired, with an intense jump in heart-rate all of a sudden... Sitting here late at night at my step-dad's, I knew I couldn't play a beat and freestyle like I wanted to. (I get loud, and BIG.)
At the same time I knew from past experience that if I didn't do something about this energy rushing through me, I would be sitting in bed for hours trying to count sheep jumping over a fence, except the sheep would be wearing gangster clothes and bling while they rapped about all the ideas I was having...
I was about to shove the flow of juices somewhere deep down inside of me, slowly sucking away at my energy like a homeless person on the verge of death that lived in me, (which I just now realized is something I have done a lot in the past) and then some new synapses fired in the "think outside of the box" segment of my brain, and I decided to use a different medium for my expression.
My mind told me it would be boring, but I poofed my ego out of the way and let the creative wave take over my presence... Below is that wave... May it take over your senses... Ride it all the way to shore.
At the same time I knew from past experience that if I didn't do something about this energy rushing through me, I would be sitting in bed for hours trying to count sheep jumping over a fence, except the sheep would be wearing gangster clothes and bling while they rapped about all the ideas I was having...
I was about to shove the flow of juices somewhere deep down inside of me, slowly sucking away at my energy like a homeless person on the verge of death that lived in me, (which I just now realized is something I have done a lot in the past) and then some new synapses fired in the "think outside of the box" segment of my brain, and I decided to use a different medium for my expression.
My mind told me it would be boring, but I poofed my ego out of the way and let the creative wave take over my presence... Below is that wave... May it take over your senses... Ride it all the way to shore.
The Lion Inside Me
THERE'S A LION INSIDE ME
And I use him as I wish...
Any type of EXPRESSION CUISINE,
I DEMOLISH, name a dish.
I am an ENTIRE MENU,
Pick chicken, beef, or fish.
I'll flow inside you, grab ahold, then ride too,
YOUR ESSENCE WILL SPEAK: "...delish..."
Don't be scared, you adventure-impaired.
I'll set you down gently, your scale will be tared.
You'll hardly remember, and as if I cared,
Your life will be the same, except your ENERGY will be squared.
So pay close attention, and feel my beat drumming..
And WATCH OUT SMALL WORLD, IT'S ME. I AM COMING.
Here's a poem
say words, don't slow 'em
gimme a galaxy of lawns,
and in one day I'll mow 'em.
gimme a bible of words,
and on the spot, I'll FLOW 'EM.
I experiment
with temperament
as if I'll never see again
Live in wild I need no tent
What Matrix? My spoon's been bent
What sidewalk? There's no cement
What money that I just spent?
Hang up and talk to my agent
I have no room to pay my rent
Have you seen it? or where it went?
Do me now or soon repent
It's hollow through
I'll follow you..
Tell me now how tall are you?
Bite size? oh, I'll swallow you
I'm white just like marsh-mallow goo
Oh you need a towel too?
Make sounds just like an owl, "hoo"
I see that little scowel, you..
What's that in my bowel? poo.
My word, what play!
Ask me soon, and yes you may
What's here tomorrow is gone today
Don't pull too hard or I will fray!
I'll light you up in every way
Eyes and Ears are all you'll pay
Between your words of "no" and "way"
I'll take your mind and tow away
Don't worry now, it's safe to say
Everything soon will be OK.
I have gay friends but me-no-gay
Give me words and ground I lay
You: Grade B and I: Grade A
Who layed me?.. Oh no, oy vay
Who made blue? probably Jay.
You fade too? Duh, I from Bay
Give me light, and call me Ray
No black or white, just call me gray...
Subscribe to me if you want more.
You have no idea what's in store.
Energetically, I have no poor, (btw..)
I AM THE LION. HEAR ME ROAR
And I use him as I wish...
Any type of EXPRESSION CUISINE,
I DEMOLISH, name a dish.
I am an ENTIRE MENU,
Pick chicken, beef, or fish.
I'll flow inside you, grab ahold, then ride too,
YOUR ESSENCE WILL SPEAK: "...delish..."
Don't be scared, you adventure-impaired.
I'll set you down gently, your scale will be tared.
You'll hardly remember, and as if I cared,
Your life will be the same, except your ENERGY will be squared.
So pay close attention, and feel my beat drumming..
And WATCH OUT SMALL WORLD, IT'S ME. I AM COMING.
Here's a poem
say words, don't slow 'em
gimme a galaxy of lawns,
and in one day I'll mow 'em.
gimme a bible of words,
and on the spot, I'll FLOW 'EM.
I experiment
with temperament
as if I'll never see again
Live in wild I need no tent
What Matrix? My spoon's been bent
What sidewalk? There's no cement
What money that I just spent?
Hang up and talk to my agent
I have no room to pay my rent
Have you seen it? or where it went?
Do me now or soon repent
It's hollow through
I'll follow you..
Tell me now how tall are you?
Bite size? oh, I'll swallow you
I'm white just like marsh-mallow goo
Oh you need a towel too?
Make sounds just like an owl, "hoo"
I see that little scowel, you..
What's that in my bowel? poo.
My word, what play!
Ask me soon, and yes you may
What's here tomorrow is gone today
Don't pull too hard or I will fray!
I'll light you up in every way
Eyes and Ears are all you'll pay
Between your words of "no" and "way"
I'll take your mind and tow away
Don't worry now, it's safe to say
Everything soon will be OK.
I have gay friends but me-no-gay
Give me words and ground I lay
You: Grade B and I: Grade A
Who layed me?.. Oh no, oy vay
Who made blue? probably Jay.
You fade too? Duh, I from Bay
Give me light, and call me Ray
No black or white, just call me gray...
Subscribe to me if you want more.
You have no idea what's in store.
Energetically, I have no poor, (btw..)
I AM THE LION. HEAR ME ROAR
Monday, February 9, 2009
My First Blog: The Day I turned 21...
Wow. What a feeling... You know how people always say that they don't feel any different on their birthday? Well, as you may expect, this birthday was different.
Staying with my stepdad and my six year old brother, I awoke to him opening my door at 7:45am and calling me a poopy-head. Not the most ideal way to start a birthday, but I understood that was Tristan's way of expressing love.
While I was half-asleep he kept asking me where his walkie-talkie was. How the hell was I supposed to know.. He shuffled around knocking things over in the room, until I was finally infuriated enough to sternly tell him to leave so I could sleep more. That little booger really knows how to push my buttons. If you ever want to learn how to provoke someone, come on over and Tristan will be happy to demonstrate.
The house soon became empty and I was free to sleep in peace. ..Then I noticed that the outburst startled me to the point where I was basically awake.
I warmed up my body and went into the garage where I had a SOLID workout that was just enough to get me a little sore, but not to the point where I couldn't move my arms for two days. It was perfect. (I'll post my new-found workout routine that REALLY kicks butt for gaining dense mass quickly.) I also got help from a close friend on how to improve my bench-press. Sweet.
That was a big breakthrough, and you'll get to see my progress in my upcoming blog, "My Mission to GET BIG" where I'll update it each time I workout with specifics, things I learned, and of course pics.
Soon after, my stomach was growling and my muscles were screaming. I needed some fuel. Matt Chapman(family friend/mentor) and I went to a great little breakfast place called Paul's, in Santa Cruz. It has great food for cheap, and reps the SC vibe well. Notables: The waitresses are hot surfer girls, you can't use a cell-phone while inside, they only accept cash, (and calculate totals on a small Casio calculator) and if the waves look good, you won't be eating at Paula's because they'll be closed.
I went home and had a great nap.
25 Interesting Things About ME:
*
*
*
1.) The HARDEST thing for me to do is rest. I'm a very driven person with a daily to-do list the size of my d*ck... (my back deck is really big. Gosh what was on your mind..) To rest, I actually have to try. It takes focus to get myself to calm down and take a breather.
^^^I'll continue the list in different blogs, with one new "thing" in each entry...
That night I had plans to go out to sushi with my mom. We ate at an awesome place in downtown Santa Cruz called Aqua Bleu. 'Really cool atmosphere. As I walked in the door I saw the bar, and almost got a panic-attack as I reached for my left pocket to check if I remembered my wallet. My calmness came right back as I felt the "key" to my first (legal) drink.
We got a great booth, and right away- "would you guys like any drinks or anything to start?"
**********
It was finally here.
My chance to order a drink and flash my ID...
I was very excited, yet surprisingly calm cool and collected.
"House-sake, ..small."
I enjoyed the fact that I'm mature enough to be content with a modest portion; something I knew was enough. "I'm gonna need to see your ID." A smirk came over me as I leant over to get my wallet out of some fairly new starchy jeans. I told her it was my birthday today. She looked closely at the ID in the dimly-lit restuarant... "And so it is.. I'll be right back." Like I mentioned before- What.. a.. feeling.. I'll never forget the way she said that. Was it the way she said it, or was it just the occasion? Probably both. Either way it was quite a moment.
Here's my order: (just to make your mouth water)
-House sake
-Edamame
-Unagi/Avo/Macadamia Roll
-Maguro Nigiri
-Complimentary "kamikaze shot"
-Complimentary Warm apricot bread pudding topped with Mariannes Ice Cream and carmelized walnuts
-Maguro Nigiri
A mean night at the sushi bar! And once again, just enough food, just enough booze, and just enough.. flirting with the waitress.
I probably should not have written that out. Now MY mouth is watering..
I enjoyed this day so much. From great birthday phone calls, to wrestling with my little bro, then ending with a great meal and ordering my first drink. The day could not have gone any smoother or more relaxing. 'Just a purely solid good day.
There is SO much happening in my life these days, and I'm excstatic to share my experiences with everyone. Keep reading. You will be entertained, and will learn new ways to make your life more exciting...
Staying with my stepdad and my six year old brother, I awoke to him opening my door at 7:45am and calling me a poopy-head. Not the most ideal way to start a birthday, but I understood that was Tristan's way of expressing love.
While I was half-asleep he kept asking me where his walkie-talkie was. How the hell was I supposed to know.. He shuffled around knocking things over in the room, until I was finally infuriated enough to sternly tell him to leave so I could sleep more. That little booger really knows how to push my buttons. If you ever want to learn how to provoke someone, come on over and Tristan will be happy to demonstrate.
The house soon became empty and I was free to sleep in peace. ..Then I noticed that the outburst startled me to the point where I was basically awake.
I warmed up my body and went into the garage where I had a SOLID workout that was just enough to get me a little sore, but not to the point where I couldn't move my arms for two days. It was perfect. (I'll post my new-found workout routine that REALLY kicks butt for gaining dense mass quickly.) I also got help from a close friend on how to improve my bench-press. Sweet.
That was a big breakthrough, and you'll get to see my progress in my upcoming blog, "My Mission to GET BIG" where I'll update it each time I workout with specifics, things I learned, and of course pics.
Soon after, my stomach was growling and my muscles were screaming. I needed some fuel. Matt Chapman(family friend/mentor) and I went to a great little breakfast place called Paul's, in Santa Cruz. It has great food for cheap, and reps the SC vibe well. Notables: The waitresses are hot surfer girls, you can't use a cell-phone while inside, they only accept cash, (and calculate totals on a small Casio calculator) and if the waves look good, you won't be eating at Paula's because they'll be closed.
I went home and had a great nap.
25 Interesting Things About ME:
*
*
*
1.) The HARDEST thing for me to do is rest. I'm a very driven person with a daily to-do list the size of my d*ck... (my back deck is really big. Gosh what was on your mind..) To rest, I actually have to try. It takes focus to get myself to calm down and take a breather.
^^^I'll continue the list in different blogs, with one new "thing" in each entry...
That night I had plans to go out to sushi with my mom. We ate at an awesome place in downtown Santa Cruz called Aqua Bleu. 'Really cool atmosphere. As I walked in the door I saw the bar, and almost got a panic-attack as I reached for my left pocket to check if I remembered my wallet. My calmness came right back as I felt the "key" to my first (legal) drink.
We got a great booth, and right away- "would you guys like any drinks or anything to start?"
**********
It was finally here.
My chance to order a drink and flash my ID...
I was very excited, yet surprisingly calm cool and collected.
"House-sake, ..small."
I enjoyed the fact that I'm mature enough to be content with a modest portion; something I knew was enough. "I'm gonna need to see your ID." A smirk came over me as I leant over to get my wallet out of some fairly new starchy jeans. I told her it was my birthday today. She looked closely at the ID in the dimly-lit restuarant... "And so it is.. I'll be right back." Like I mentioned before- What.. a.. feeling.. I'll never forget the way she said that. Was it the way she said it, or was it just the occasion? Probably both. Either way it was quite a moment.
Here's my order: (just to make your mouth water)
-House sake
-Edamame
-Unagi/Avo/Macadamia Roll
-Maguro Nigiri
-Complimentary "kamikaze shot"
-Complimentary Warm apricot bread pudding topped with Mariannes Ice Cream and carmelized walnuts
-Maguro Nigiri
A mean night at the sushi bar! And once again, just enough food, just enough booze, and just enough.. flirting with the waitress.
I probably should not have written that out. Now MY mouth is watering..
I enjoyed this day so much. From great birthday phone calls, to wrestling with my little bro, then ending with a great meal and ordering my first drink. The day could not have gone any smoother or more relaxing. 'Just a purely solid good day.
There is SO much happening in my life these days, and I'm excstatic to share my experiences with everyone. Keep reading. You will be entertained, and will learn new ways to make your life more exciting...
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