Flash Talk

Song Lyric of the Day

2006-05-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear... and I cant help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer. It's driven me before, it seems to have a vague, haunting mass appeal... lately I'm beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel."

From Drive, by Incubus

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2006-05-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

"If you ever get a second chance in life for something, you've got to go all the way."

Smiles

2006-03-06T20:46:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder to never underestimate the power of a smile. I did something nice for a friend a couple of days ago, and the smile she gave me in return just made my day!! Something as simple as a smile can make the difference between a crappy day, and a great day.

Ah, yes.. the simple things in life...

Tour of California

2006-03-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

I experienced somewhat of a thrill last weekend as the Tour of California bike race came through my neck of the woods. Now for those of you who are not familiar with the world of professional cycling, this event would be akin to the Dodgers coming to play at your local high school field, or the Lakers playing at your local gym, or Nascar having a race down your street. So, being that I'm a former competitive cyclist, and Lance Armstrong is my favorite athlete, this was a big deal to me. I was there, at the end of Stage 6 with my trusty camcorder to record the historical occasion.

I got to see many of the sport's top stars from all over the world whizz by a few times up close and personal. I stood behind the world's best cycling photographer, Graham Watson, as he got his finish line shots. And, I caught a glimpse of the man himself, Lance Armstrong, as he was there supporting his team, which he no longer rides for, but is still involved as a part owner and advisor. I participated in a charity ride earlier that morning, riding 25 miles through some beautiful back roads in perfect riding weather. It was quite the day... and I had a big smile on my face throughout it all.

I'm already counting the days until next year's race...

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2006-02-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

"I think they should put the wrapper on the inside of the straw, since that's the part you don't want to get dirty."

Song Lyric of the Day

2006-01-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

"... then you listen to the music and you like to sing along. You want to get the meaning out of each and every song. Then you find yourself a message and some words to call your own and take them home." From Guitar Man, by Bread

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2006-01-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

On the Tour de France: "There is no reason to attempt such a feat of idiocy, other than the fact that some people, that is to say some people like me, have a need to search the depths of their stamina for self-definition. (I'm the guy who can take it.) It's a contest in purposeless suffering. But for reasons of my own, I think it may be the most gallant athletic endeavor in the world. To me, of course, it's about living."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2006-01-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."

Song Lyric of the Day

2006-01-05T13:30:00.001-08:00

"Don't let them take you down - leave a better world than you found." From Drown Me Slowly, by Audioslave

Happy New Year!

2006-01-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

Best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous new year! For me, the highlights of last year were new friends, and many lessons learned. I look forward to applying those lessons in my day-to-day life, and enjoying the company of my new friends, as well as making some new acquaintances.

Enjoy!!

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-12-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

"I can get up every morning and look at myself in the mirror and my family can look at me too - that's all that matters."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-12-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

"When I was little, my grandfather used to make me stand in a closet for five minutes without moving. He said it was elevator practice."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-12-08T14:27:00.000-08:00

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." From Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy), by John Lennon

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-12-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

"I don't lie to people. I don't need to lie. I've never been so at ease with my relationship with the press, my relationship with people, because I know I've been completely transparent. That's purifying. That's beneficial."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-11-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

"Wooden Jesus where are you from? Korea or Canada or maybe Taiwan. I didn't know it was the Holy Land, but I believed from the minute the check left my hand and I pray:
Can I be saved? I spent all my money on a future grave. Wooden Jesus I'll cut you in on twenty percent of my future sin." From Wooden Jesus, by Temple of the Dog

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-11-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

"I bought some powdered water, but I don't know what to add to it."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-11-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

"Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on? "

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-11-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

"If you're free you'll never see the walls, if your head is clear you'll never free fall. If you're right you'll never fear the wrong, if your head is high you'll never fear at all." From Exploder, by Audioslave

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-11-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

"I bought a dog the other day. I named him Stay. It's fun to call him: Come here, Stay! Come here, Stay!"

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-11-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

"To believe... when all along we humans know that nothing can cure the briefness of this life, that there is no remedy for our basic mortality, that is a form of bravery... so I believed."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-10-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

"Words you say never seem to live up to the ones inside your head." From The Day I Tried To Live, by Soundgarden

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-10-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

"There's a fine line between fishing, and standing on the shore, looking like an idiot."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-10-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

"Giving up was never an option."

Concert Review #3: Gwen Stefani

2005-10-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

On Friday, October 21, I returned to the Hollywood Bowl for a concert featuring No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani. I had seen an interview with her prior to attending the event, and she mentioned that it was going to be a colorful, sort of theatrical show, with many costume changes. That... it was! My friend and I counted nine costume changes. She had four "Harajuku girls" dancing with her, as well as several male dancers who kept the audience entertained while she did her costume changes. It was a very high-energy performance, as she danced all over the stage, and really seemed to enjoy herself. She also made it a point to get up close and personal with those people lucky enough to have pit seats, and at one point even invited several of them onstage with her to finish out a song.

She basically performed all of the songs from her solo release (no No Doubt songs), as well a couple of other songs I hadn't heard before. All in all, a pretty good show.

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-10-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

"I never wanted to write these words down for you, with the pages of phrases of things we'll never do. So I blow out the candle, and I put you to bed. Since you can't say to me now how the dogs broke your bone, there's just one thing left to be said... say hello to heaven." From Say Hello To Heaven, by Temple of the Dog

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-10-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

"I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-10-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

"I take nothing for granted... I now only have good days and great days."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-10-18T21:53:00.000-07:00

OK... so I'm on a Chris Cornell kick lately, so you'll have to endure/enjoy some of my favorite lyrics of his for a while until I'm off of it...

"Don't lose any sleep tonight, I'm sure everything will end up alright... you may win or lose, but to be yourself is all that you can do..."

From "Be Yourself", by Audioslave

Concert Review #2 - Tim McGraw

2005-10-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 8, 2005, I visited the Hollywood Bowl for a concert featuring country superstar Tim McGraw. Under the stars on a mild fall evening, Mr. McGraw gave us a memorable performance. He sang many songs from throughout his career. Many of the audience sang along with most of the tunes, most notably "Don't Take The Girl". It's something special when the performer holds the microphone towards the audience and you sing along with several thousand other people. Definitely one of my favorite parts of a concert.

There's a walkway that divides the pit from the rest of the seats, and he made it a point to take several strolls down this walkway, which allowed him to get up close and personal with his fans. His beautiful wife Faith Hill also joined him onstage for a duet, as they performed "Angry All The Time" together.

And of course, the Bowl is an awesome venue for a concert. This was my second time at a Hollywood Bowl concert, and it is second to none as far as acoustics and atmosphere go.

Next up: Back to the Hollywood Bowl for Gwen Stefani & The Black Eyed Peas.

Concert Review #1 - Audioslave

2005-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings all blog readers! Beginning, last Saturday, September 24, and through the month of October, I attended/will be attending four music concerts, and will post my reviews shortly after each event. The genres range from Rock to Country to Pop.

On Saturday, September 24, I ventured north to the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield to take part in my first hard rock concert in many years. The headliner was Audioslave, who consist of Chris Cornell (the brains behind Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog) and the three instrument players formerly of Rage Against The Machine. I've been a fan of this band since their forming was announced in 2001, and eagerly awaited their first release in November of 2002. I have all of the Rage studio CDs, and "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" are two of my favorite all-time rock songs. And then, of course, there's Temple Of The Dog, the album dedicated to Andrew Wood (of Mother Love Bone, Chris Cornell's former roommate), which contains some of Cornell's finest work.

The Rabobank Arena is a relatively small venue (3,000 capacity), and the far end of the room was conspicuously empty... but it didn't matter. The people who were there made enough noise to make up for the absentees, and those boys rocked the house! Chris Cornell belted out his trademark voice (as only he can), Tom Morello made sounds from a guitar (like only he can), Tim Commerford bashed on the bass (like only he can), and Brad Wilk hammered away at the drums (take a guess... like only he can!). Obviously, they played several songs from their two CDs, but we were also in for several other treats. They performed a couple of songs that they had never performed live before as Audioslave, they played a few R.A.T.M. tunes, a smokin' rendition of "Spoonman", and a couple of Temple songs. Truly a treat, indeed.

The encore began with Cornell doing an awesome mini-acoustic set starting with "Black Hole Sun", then "Call Me A Dog", then "I Am The Highway", in which the rest of the band joined him about half way through the song.

Througout the show, fans standing on the floor could be seen passing other fans (horizontally, that is) around, and there was a distinct "scent" in the room that, oddly enough, began the moment the house lights went down. Ah yes... what would a hard rock concert be without that "scent". For the most part, the fans were well behaved (including your truly, of course!), and there were no major incidents. My buddy thoroughly enjoyed the show as well. A fun time was had by all...

Next up: Tim McGraw at the Hollywood Bowl - Saturday, October 8.

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-09-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

"I hate it when my foot falls asleep during the day because that means it's going to be up all night."

E-Mails From Spain

2005-08-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Below are a few e-mails I sent to friends and family while I was on my trip...

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Buenos Dias A Todo!

Well, I´ve only been here for two days and I think I´ve already gained ten pounds! Other than an unexpected downpour of rain yesterday, everything has been perfect. Flights were on time, no long lines at the airport, etc. My friend´s family is the best. They´re always making sure we have what we need. We´ve been spending the last couple of days just unwinding and getting over the jet lag (I haven´t been sleeping worth a darn... but that´s OK!), so not much sightseeing going on yet, but when I told our ¨host family¨ that I was into auto racing, they took me to see the local race track (near Barcelona – “Circuit de Catalunya”), which is a Formula One track (HUGE over here), so that was cool.

We´ll be off to Madrid tomorrow for about a week, and I´m told we´ll see a lot of cool historical sites. I´ll check back in as soon as I can to let you all know what I saw. I forgot the battery charger for my digital camera, so until I can find one to buy over here, I have to be very liberal with my picture taking.

Hope all is well with all of you... believe me... todo es muy bien with me. I´m having the time of my life... and we really haven´t done anything yet!

I´ll check in again soon…

¡Hasta luego!

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Hello all...

Have spent the last week on a whirlwind tour of towns in the Madrid area, viewing castles and palaces and other landmarks in the area. It´s quite an experience standing in a cathedral that´s several hundred years old. Our host grew up here in Spain, so he´s been filling us in on the history and significance of each place we visit. Thanks to the London incident, we were not able to make the trip to France. We might have been able to pull it off, but it would have been a major P.I.T.A. Oh well... if that´s the worst thing that happens on this trip, we´ll be in good shape. At least I´m able to watch live coverage of the Tour on TV (keep it up, Lance!)

My camera battery is doing a lot better than I thought it would, so I´ve been taking plenty of pictures, and the folks in our group said that I could have copies of their photos as well. When I get back, I am going to post them on my website. We´re still going to explore the Barcelona area towards the end of the trip, but for now we are relaxing in Platja D‘Áro on the Costa Brava area of Spain for the next week. Last night we went to a dance club, or ¨discoteca¨. The place didn´t even really get going until 3:00 am! The streets were full of Spaniards enjoying their weekend as we left the club. They really stress enjoying life here. They take two or three hour lunches every day, and most businesses shut down altogether during the entire month of August for vacation. I could get used to that!

The weather has been pretty typical, as Spain summers go. Hot, humid days and nice, mild nights. I´ve been burning a lot of calories with all of the walking that we´ve been doing, but this week is when it´ll catch up with me!

I am having the time of my life, and enjoying every minute. Hope all is well with all of you. I´ll try to give you all another update at least once before I leave.

Hasta luego!

Friday, July 22, 2005

¡Hola a todos!

Well, unfortunately my trip is winding down, but we still have a couple more days of sightseeing in Barcelona to do on Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday was my favorite day so far. We went to Caraques, and Port de Llegas, where we visitied one of Salvador Dali´s houses. Very bizarre, but very cool. Cadaques is such a cool town. Near there (Cap de Creus) is an area that is the eastern most point of Spain. If you stand in the right spot, you can almost see the Mediterranean Sea all around you. That was the closest we got to France (we could see it in the distance). The view was breathtaking... quite possibly the most beautiful place I´ve ever been!

Our host has a friend who is a police officer in Cadaques, so we met up with him and he took us on a personal tour of the town. Having him with us was a definite advantage, because we got to go places and meet people that most tourists don´t get to. He and his family were extremely nice and hospitable. There are several spots in and around Caraques with beautiful views, so I took a boat load of photos here (camera battery STILL hasn´t died!). This is a town that I will have to make it a point to visit every time I come back here (oh yes... I will DEFINITELY be returning!).

The sea water is so beautiful here. When we went to the beach at Platja D’Áro, I got in the water (which I NEVER do at the beaches at home!) and it was very comfortable, temperature-wise. The sand is much more coarse here, which make walking barefoot painful after a while, but on the plus side, it´s very easy to clean off your body.

We will be relaxing here at Platja D’Áro through Sunday, then returning to our host´s house in Granollers (near Barcelona). We will spend our last two days touring Barcelona before returning home on Wednesday. I can´t believe it´s almost over, but I´ve definitely been enjoying every minute. Not sure if I´ll have another chance to check in... if not, I´ll see you all when I return!

Vacation In Spain

2005-08-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

On July 7, 2005, I departed LAX for a fabulous 20 day vacation to Spain. I saw many incredible things, visited several towns and cities, ate a lot of really good food, and met a lot of nice people. On this trip, I accompanied some dear friends of mine, who have family living there. One of them grew up in Spain, and has several relatives there, and I got to meet most of them. His uncle was our "host". The uncle has lived in Spain all of his life and is very knowledgeable about Spain and it's history, and was able to explain the historical significance of every place we visited.

We arrived in Barcelona on Friday, July 8, greeted by several members of the family. We were taken to uncle's apartment (or "piso") in Granollers, where we ate and began to unwind from 13 hours on a plane. We spent the night there, and the next day we were off to Camping Riembau, a nearby resort/campsite located in Platja D'Aro on the Costa Brava (nearest major city is Girona), where the family spends their weekends and vacation. On the premises are swimming pools, a fitness center, tennis courts, game room, a grocery store, laundromat, a restaurant/bar, hairdresser, and a really clean community restroom/shower facility. Now, when I say really clean, I mean there was rarely a time that I went in there and did not see at least one cleaning person working.

We spent the weekend relaxing at Riembau, eating and drinking away the jetlag. On Sunday night, we returned to Granollers, and on Monday morning, July 11, we embarked on a road trip to the Madrid area, where we would spend the week touring several towns in the area. It took about seven hours to get to our hotel in Alcala de Henares, where my friend lived for several years. During the next four days we visited Avila, Salamanca, Toledo, Segovia, Zaragoza, and several other small towns along the way.

On Friday, July 15, we returned to Riembau (where we would be staying until July 25) to relax after our intense week of traveling. Several other family members and friends of the family joined us at "The Camping" on the weekends, so it was one big party. On Monday, July 18 we went into Girona for some shopping and dinner. The next day was my first beach experience. The Mediterranean Sea is so beautiful! I went in the water (which I never do at home) and it was very comfortable. Oh yeah... the beaches there are "tops optional". During the following days, we also took short trips to Tossa de Mar, and Cadaques (Port Lligat and Cap de Creus). Cadaques was probably my favorite day of the entire trip. We toured one of Salvador Dali's houses, and Cap de Creus (eastern-most point of Spain) is quite possibly the most beautiful spot I've ever been.

We departed Platja D'Aro on Monday morning, July 25 and returned to the uncle's home in Granollers. On Tuesday, July 26, we visited Barcelona (my second favorite day of the trip). Being the sports nut I am, I had to see the soccer (futbol) stadium. We then toured La Sagrada Familia cathedral (breathtaking!), then took a stroll down La Rambla. Early the next morning, we were on on a plane, back to the good ol' U.S. of A.

My only regret about this trip was that I didn't keep a daily, detailed diary on what towns/cities we visited, and the landmarks at each location and it's historical significance. Lesson learned for next time...

Next post will include various e-mails I sent to friends and family while I was over there.

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-07-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

"Time is not on my side, but having said that, I feel strong, very motivated and ready to go. I'm relaxed." ~ on the eve of the 2005 Tour de France

One-Liner of the Day

2005-06-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

If #2 pencils are the most popular, why are they still #2?

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-06-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

"I saw a sign: 'Rest Area 25 Miles'. That's pretty big. Some people must be really tired."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-06-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

"Once someone asked me what pleasure I got out of riding my bike for so long. Pleasure? I asked. I don't understand the question. I didn't do it for pleasure. I did it for pain."

An Actual Personal Post!

2005-06-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

K... so I'm actually taking the time to write a personal post, instead of the usual quote from someone else. Well, I'm taking a three-week vacation to Spain next month, and it finally hit me last Friday when I opened a book about Spain (a birthday gift from a friend), saw a photo of Barcelona, and exclaimed "Oh my gosh... I'm actually going to be there!" I'm going with a friend (and his family) who grew up there, and he's been prepping me for the last six months (we purchased our plane tickets last November) on what to expect when we get there. So the excitement has set in, and the only thing left to do is pack! This will be my first international trip, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Had an enjoyable birthday a few weeks ago. Went to three Dodger games that week (and making plans to attend a couple more games in the near future... can't get enough of those Dodger Dogs!). A group of friends gathered at my favorite dance club on my actual birthday for a night of fun and frolic (thank you all again for going!). And, I treated myself to Giordano's pizza (shipped from Chicago), as I always do for my birthday every year.

I've been playing around with some video editing software for the past couple of months, and I'm having so much fun! I've done a few sports-related projects, and am quite pleased with how they've turned out (other than some DVD burning issues that are very frustrating). I will definitely do a video of my vacation, and I'm trying to think of a subject for another video project to work on.

Other than that, just the usual day-to-day stuff going on: going to the gym (I am going to gain so much weight while I'm in Spain!!), doing the weekly social dancing thing, and oh yeah... work. Getting ready for summer, which is my favorite time of year. I'll be busy attending outdoor music events, rollerblading at the beach, and spending time with the high school basketball team I volunteer with.

To whomever may be reading this, thanks for taking the time to do so. Signing out for now...

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-05-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

"I went to the hardware store and bought some used paint. It was in the shape of a house. I also bought some batteries, but they weren't included. So I had to buy them again."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-05-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

"Cancer taught me a plan for more purposeful living, and that in turn taught me how to train and to win more purposefully. It taught me that pain has a reason, and that sometimes the experience of losing things -- whether health or a car or an old sense of self -- has its own value in the scheme of life. Pain and loss are great enhancers. "

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-05-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

"As we walk into tomorrow (turning away from the path we know), holding the future with our hearts (we carry the weight of the world - we grow), it's up to you and I - we hold the key, we hold the answer." From The More We Live - Let Go, by Yes

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-05-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

"I installed a skylight in my apartment... the people who live above me are furious!"

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-05-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

"At some point, there will a time for me to say no more Tours de France, but that will be at the same time I say no more cycling."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-04-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

"So you call this your free country, tell me why it costs so much to live." - from Duck and Run, by 3 Doors Down

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-04-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

"I invented the cordless extension cord."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-04-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

"I will cut right to the chase and say that after a lot of thought, considering the season and the races I was going to do this year, and having decided to focus on the Tour, at the same time I have decided that the Tour de France will be my last race as a professional cyclist. (Lance was visibly choked up as these words came out.) So July 24th will be the last one after more or less 14 years in the professional peloton, it will be the last one - win or lose. Having said that, I am fully committed to winning a 7th Tour." - comments from his retirement announcement press conference, April 18, 2005.

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-04-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

"You can surrender without a prayer, but never really pray... pray without surrender. You can fight, fight without ever winning, but never ever win... win without a fight." From Resist, by Rush

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-04-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

On the Tour de France: "I love this race from the very depths of my heart. It gives me motivation and it transcends me like nothing else in the world."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-04-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

"There was a power outage at a department store yesterday. Twenty people were trapped on the escalators."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-04-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." From Closing Time, by Semisonic

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-04-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

"Cancer is my secret because none of my rivals has been that close to death, and it makes you look at the world in a different light and that is a huge advantage."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-04-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

"I love to go shopping. I love to freak out salespeople. They ask me if they can help me, and I say, 'Have you got anything I'd like?' Then they ask me what size I need, and I say, 'Extra medium."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-03-30T15:08:00.000-08:00

"These children... they're not really bad, most of them. Just products of rough neighborhoods and bad family situations." From Sixteen, by No Doubt

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-03-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

"Hard work, sacrifice, and focus will never show up in tests."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-03-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

"I went down the street to the 24-hour grocery store. When I got there, the guy was locking the front door. I said, 'Hey, the sign says you're open 24 hours.' He said, 'Yes... but not in a row."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-03-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

"Dare to dream, take it to the extreme, let your heart and soul lead the way. Live… love… seize the day! From Dare To Dream, by Jo Dee Messina

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-03-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

"La vie est courte... c'est mieux de gagner." (Life is short... it's better to win)

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-03-22T18:39:00.000-08:00

"I went to a restaurant that serves 'breakfast at any time'. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-03-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

"I'll probably never hold a brush that paints a masterpiece... probably never find a pen that writes a symphony... but if I will love then I will find that I have touched another life, and that's something... something worth leaving behind." from Something Worth Leaving Behind by Lee Ann Womack

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-03-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

During the 2002 TdF: "I think it's important to be understood, to be honest, to be hard working, and ultimately the press, the public, the organizers... they'll decide. But I can only be myself. I can't be the guy that goes out and puts on a show... I can only be myself."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-03-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

"It's a good thing we have gravity, or else when birds died, they'd just stay right up there... hunters would be all confused."

Song Lyric of the Day

2005-03-09T07:44:00.000-08:00

"Remember... wherever you go, there you are!" - from Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland by The B-52s

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-03-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

"I have learned what it means to ride in the Tour de France. It's not about the bike. It's a metaphor for life, not only the longest race in the world but also the most exalting and heartbreaking and potentially tragic. It poses every conceivable element to the rider and more. During our lives we're faced with so many elements as well, we experience so many setbacks, and fight such a hand-to-hand battle with failure, head down in the rain, just trying to stay upright and have a little hope. The Tour isn't just a bike race, it tests you mentally, physically, and even morally."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-03-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

"When I turned two I was really anxious, because I'd doubled my age in a year. I thought, if this keeps up, by the time I'm six I'll be ninety"

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

"No one automatically gives you respect just because you show up. You have to earn it."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-03-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

"I had some eyeglasses. I was walking down the street when suddenly the prescription ran out."

Lance Armstrong Quote of the Day

2005-02-23T14:25:00.000-08:00

"But the fact is that I wouldn't have won even a single Tour de France without the lesson of illness. What it teaches is this: pain is temporary... quitting lasts forever."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-02-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

"The sign said 'eight items or less'. So I changed my name to Les."

You Just Have To Wait and See...

2005-02-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

There once was a farmer whose only possession was a prized horse. All the people of the village ridiculed him. “Why put all your money into a horse? Somebody could steal it and you will have nothing.” The horse did not get stolen, but sadly enough the horse did run away. “You fool,” the villagers said, “you should have diversified; not put so many eggs in one basket. Now you have nothing. You are so unlucky.” The farmer, being a wise man, answered, “Don’t say I am unlucky. Just say that my horse is no longer here. That is a fact. We don’t know what may happen next.” Sure enough, the next day the horse returned and with him was a herd of wild stallions. The villagers exclaimed, “You were so right! Look how fortunate you are!” The farmer replied, “You cannot possibly know if this is fortunate or unfortunate. We do not have the whole story yet. Merely say that we have got more horses than before.” The farmer sent his only son to tame the wild horses. He was thrown and broke his leg. The doctor said he would be crippled for life. The villagers again decried his misfortune, but again the farmer asked them to withhold judgment. Soon thereafter, a war broke out in their country and all the healthy young sons were drafted into battle. Only the farmer’s son was left behind. The fighting was fierce and most of the other boys in the village died at war. “You were right again, farmer,” the villagers said. The farmer shouted, “On and on you go, judging this, judging that. Who do you think you are? How is it that you presume to know how this is all going to turn out?”

The short answer is, you can’t. You just have to wait and see.

Time Flies...

2005-02-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Wow! Where did January go? Where did 2004 go?? Where has the last ten years gone??? I can't believe how fast time flies... whether you're having fun or otherwise. Seems like the older I get, the faster it flies. I'm not complaining, mind you, just an observation. Guess I should just have fun and get on with it.

My "busy" season is winding down, with the end of high school basketball season two weeks away. Still have a ways to go with my college team, however (hopefully until the second week of March!). I've already gone through my annual end-of-January burnout stage. Got through it better than usual this year, as a matter of fact. Once again, not complaining - it's all by choice, and I have fun doing it all. But as you can imagine, working full time, trying to get into the gym as much as possible, taking dance class, supporting two basketball teams and somehow trying to squeeze a social life in there somewhere takes it's toll. But... there are far worse things in life that can take it's toll. Guess I should just have fun and get on with it.

Speaking of dance class, in my continuing study of dance, I needed a change, so I enrolled in a Ballroom and Social Dance class at a different school this semester. Different location, different teachers, different dance partners... change is good. Not too happy with the teacher so far (a sentiment shared by several other classmates), but fortunately she's only temporary, and the permanent teacher will be there next week. I think it's going to be a good semester. Guess I should just have fun and get on with it.

So here we go with February. Time flies... guess I'll just have fun and get on with it.

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-01-31T16:19:00.000-08:00

"A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me... I'm afraid of widths."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-01-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

"You can't have everything... where would you put it?"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2005-01-18T01:45:00.000-08:00

"It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it."

In The Eye of the Storm

2005-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

First of all, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who lost either loved ones or property or both as a result of the recent rainstorms. Although I reside in an area that received a great deal of destruction as a result of flooding and mudslides, I was fortunate enough to have not suffered any losses or property damage.

I did experience what I hope will be my closest brush with a potential tornado. On Monday morning (January 10), as I ventured out on the road in my car to see if Highway 126 was passable, I noticed an erie combination of rain and wind and thunder and lightning, like I've never seen before. Upon my return home, I discovered that there was actually a tornado warning, and it had passed just northeast of my community. Never thought I'd see that, but I guess you just never know.

I proceeded to spend the next couple of days at home, as every road out of town was closed due to flooding and mudslides. I was able to get out of town and to work today, but what is normally a 25 minute, 23 mile smooth-sailing drive turned into a 2+ hour, 90 mile one-way trek. It looks as though this will be the case for several more days. But, considering the pain and suffering that many others are experiencing at this time, this is merely a temporary, minor inconvenience, and I am not complaining one bit. I have been constantly watching the news, seeing people who's lives have been turned upside-down due to the loss of loved ones, the loss of their home, or in some cases... both (both here and in other parts of the world).

Kudos to all of the emergency personnel and various volunteers who have been working tirelessly around the clock in rescue and cleanup efforts in all of these areas.

Happy New Year!

2005-01-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

Just in case someone actually reads this, I would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy and prosperous 2005.

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-12-29T21:50:00.000-08:00

"Officer, I know I was going faster than 65 MPH, but I wasn't going to be on the road an hour".

A Performing Arts Kinda Weekend

2004-12-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

I just experienced a very enjoyable weekend that included two of my greatest passions: music and dance. Saturday night, I attended a concert at the Universal Amphitheatre featuring my favorite musician, Brian Setzer, and his orchestra. This was the sixth time in the last seven years that I have seen them perform, and they never disappoint. They performed several Christmas songs from their Christmas CD, along with several classic BSO tunes, and a few Stray Cats songs for good measure. He is a very talented musician, with a great voice, too! I eagerly await a Stray Cats tour next year in the states, which is going around the rumor mill.

On Sunday I took in the Santa Clarita Ballet Company's rendition of "The Nutcracker" at the brand-spankin' new Vital Express Performing Arts Center on the campus of College of the Canyons. I saw my first "Nutcracker" last year, and enjoyed it so much that I decided to make it an annual event. Of course, this is all after experiencing (and surviving!) my first ballet class last year. I now appreciate the dance movements that much more, now that I know first hand how difficult they are. Anyway, it was a very entertaining production... a good time was had by all.

It's a treat for me to be able to experience one of these pleasures, much less two in a weekend! Now the question is... what to do for New Year's???

# 23

2004-12-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is here and basketball season is in full swing. The number 23 is synonymous with basketball greatness, but for the past two seasons, I have had the pleasure of witnessing first hand a basketball player wearing jersey # 23 play the game like no one else I've ever seen. She's a female junior college player at a local school. She's not 6'6". She'll never perform an acrobatic monster slam dunk. She'll never make millions of dollars playing the game she loves. She may never have her own line of athletic shoe, or endorse a popular brand of underwear.

But she can play! It's not so much the athleticism, rather it's the effort that she puts forth when she's "between the lines". She plays her heart out, hustling, giving 100%, diving for loose balls, sacrificing her body... the list goes on and on. So many times I've seen her hit the floor after taking a charge, then pop right back up even though she's writhing in pain. Other times, she hasn't popped back up so fast, but it's very difficult to keep her out of the game. Give her a short breather and she''ll be asking to go back into the game to help her teammates bring home a victory.

Plus, she's a great person off the court to boot! Always quick to give a smile, or offer a compliment. Ah, the little things in life... never underestimate the power of a smile.

Sure it's fun to drive the city to a 20,000 seat arena, plunk down $75 for a seat, and watch a professional basketball game (from a distance) with world class millionaire athletes merely reaching up and stuffing the ball through the hoop. But I would much rather visit my local junior college gymnasium and watch young student-athletes such as her do her thing. That's fun. That's exciting. That's young players playing the game the way it should be played. No whining about money. No fights with fans. Just good plain fun.

When I think of jersey number 23, she'll always be the first athlete that comes to mind. But that's just me...

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-12-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

"Cross-country skiing is great... if you live in a small country."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-11-28T22:05:00.000-08:00

"If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you".

LiveSTRONG

2004-11-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

So a friend of mine hasn't been feeling well for quite a while now, and when I saw her last week she mentioned that she had the results of her latest blood test. When I asked her what the results were, she calmly told me that before she disclosed the results to me, that she didn't want me to "freak out" like everyone else did that she had told. I instantly knew that it wasn't going to be good, and sure enough, she then told me that she has been diagnosed with leukemia. Of course, I was shocked and speechless, but as she requested, I did not freak out.

Now this person is in her mid-twenties and a very strong person, so I sincerely believe that she will come out of it OK. She's in excellent spirits, and even as we talked about it, I had to smile at her will and courage and sense of humor about the situation. She showed me absolutely no negativity or self pity or anything at all except how determined she is about doing whatever she has to do to beat this thing.

So once again, I have encountered yet another situation that makes me stop and think and realize how grateful I am to be alive and healthy and able to do all of the things that I love to do. Another "wake up call", if you will. Just another reminder that at any given moment, these things that we take for granted can be taken away from us.

Of course, I offered my support to my friend, and look forward to helping her get healthy again. I've been proudly wearing my Lance Armstrong Foundation authentic (as in ordered directly from lancearmstrong.com) "Livestrong" wristband for several months now to show support for my favorite professional athlete's cause, but I now wear it in my friend's honor.

So, with a deep breath, let the recovery process begin...

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-11-17T13:36:00.000-08:00

"When I'm not in my right mind, my left mind gets pretty crowded."

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-11-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

"I intend to live forever... so far, so good!"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

"Everyone has a photographic memory... some just don't have film".

Not Just Another Monday...

2004-11-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

So my buddy calls me last Tuesday night and says "Let's go to Vegas this weekend"... and the rest is history. I like to get over there to play a couple of times a year, and I haven't been there since February, so how could I say no? So we did the 'ol road trip, just the two of us, leaving Friday night and returning Sunday afternoon. The weekend was full of fun and frolic... I got my fill of the Vegas scene to hold me over until next spring. We also had tickets to Sunday night's Lakers game against the Atlanta Hawks at the Staples Center, so it was quite the event-filled weekend! I will enjoy one last quiet week before basketball season begins next Monday. Have a great week!

Just Another Monday...

2004-11-01T13:30:00.000-08:00

Had myself a fun-filled weekend. Started it off by wearing my baby costume to work on Friday, as we had a Halloween "fun day", complete with catered lunch. Got a lot of "cute" remarks from the women, but had my manhood questioned by a few of the guys in the office. After wearing that costume all day and getting those few negative remarks, I had to go straight to the gym after work and lift some weights!! That night, I went to a costume party at the school where I take my dance classes. It kinda reminded me of a high school dance, and one gal I was talking with wouldn't even give it that much credit, saying that it reminded her of a junior high dance. I had to go though, as a requirement for my classes. It wasn't so bad...

Saturday night, a couple of buddies and I rented a limo and went out for a night on the town in Hollywood (sans costumes). Among our stops was Morton's restaurant (where the Oscars after-parties are held), and the Viper Lounge, where one of my buddy's friends was performing. We then ventured back to home-sweet-home Ventura County to our favorite dance club, and all hung out at my friend's fabulous home in Newbury Park before calling it a night. My clock read 4:00 when I got home, although I hadn't yet reset my clock for Standard Time, but I was pretty pooped none the less.

Looking forward to a birthday party this weekend at Gotham Hall in Santa Monica for a former basketball player friend of mine that I once photographed. Speaking of that, only two more weeks until basketball season starts!

Oh, one more thing - I heard from a friend of mine who recently moved to Maui. Sounds like things are going well for her over there. Glad to hear that, since she is one of the nicest people I've ever met, and she deserves nothing but the best.

Well, hasta luego!

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

"When everything is coming your way... you're in the wrong lane!"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-24T10:21:00.000-07:00

"Do you think that when they asked George Washington for ID, that he just whipped out a quarter?"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

If toast always lands buttered side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happen if you strapped toast on the back of a cat and dropped it?

How Was Your Weekend?

2004-10-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

It was good, thanks for asking! On Saturday, I went to the USC-ASU football game. Hadn't been to a college football game in a couple of years, and it was fun to share the experience 90,000+ other fans. On Sunday I went to a dance concert at Moorpark College (where I take my dance classes), then went to see the movie "Shall We Dance?", with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. It was good, I suppose. It wasn't boring, but it didn't bowl me over, either. I only go to the movies about twice a year, so I probably won't be seen in a theatre again until next spring.

Looking ahead to this week, nothing earth shattering planned. I get to go to the dentist today, and I resume my dance classes after a week off.

Have a great week... hope yours is more exciting than mine!

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

"If a word in the dictionary were misspelled, how would we know?"

Funniest Saying Spotted On A T-Shirt Recently

2004-10-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

"If You Choke a Smurf, What Color Does It Turn?"

Go Lakers!

2004-10-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

Got a chance to see the new look Lakers in person last night in their first preseason game, thanks to a good friend of mine. The game was at the Arrowhead Pond against the Seattle Supersonics, and several of the players (i.e. Brian Grant, Caron Butler, Luke Walton, Vlade Divac) didn't even suit up, so it's way too early to see how how "life after Shaq" will be for the boys in purple and yellow. Kobe grabbed a microphone and went out to midcourt before the game to say a few words. Just a little welcome to the "new era" and everything's gonna be good kinda thing. He then went out and lit up the scoreboard for 35 points, although they lost the game 87-80. I think it's gonna take a while for all of the the new teammates to gel and for some chemistry to be created, but I think they will be formidable, as usual. I followed the Miami Heat very closely last year (my favorite NBA player, Rafer Alston, played there) and Brian Grant, Caron Butler, and Lamar Odom are all top caliber players. Next up is another preseason game, to be played at the Centenial Garden in Bakersfield on Sunday, October 17, against the Golden State Warriors and our old friend, Derek Fisher.

Out of all of the personnel changes that occurred after last season, losing Fish was the biggest disappointment to me, since he was my favorite Laker. But, that's the business of professional sports. I'm anxious to see all of the L.A. boys full strength to see how much damage they can do on the court (and hopefully keep their noses clean off the court!). I will be at Staples Center on November 7 for the fourth game of the season against the Atlanta Hawks. Tickets for the Xmas Day matchup against the Miami Heat sold out in five minutes, but I may have to splurge and grab some tickets on eBay to be there for that one.

Well, happy hump day to everyone... have a great rest of the week!

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

"OK... so what's the speed of dark?"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

"If you're in a spaceship that is traveling at the speed of light and you turn on the headlights, does anything happen?"

Steven Wright Quote of the Day

2004-10-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

"What's another word for 'thesaurus?'

T.G.I.F.!

2004-10-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! We've survived another week! I spent yesterday at the office wrestling with finding a solution to another virus attack on our network. What a pain! Don't these virus authors have anything better to do? Don't get me started on that subject. Anyway, I stayed a little late working on that yesterday, then went out for my usual Thursday night of socializing and dancing at my favorite dance club. Had a great time, as usual. Have my Swing Dance class tonight (midterm), then a relaxing weekend of doing as little as possible. Hopefully we can squeeze another warm weekend or two out before fall really kicks in and we have to break out the long sleeve shirts and sweaters in earnest. Have a great weekend!

Steven Wright Quote of the Day: "How can you tell when you're out of invisible ink?"

Hello... and Welcome To My Life!

2004-10-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to share some of my daily goings-on with the world, so WELCOME! I'll be posting anywhere from several times a day to once a month. Sometimes I may write one line, sometimes a mini-novel. I dunno... whenever the urge comes over me. Anyway, nothing really exciting going on in my life at this point in time. I'm a dance student, and I had my midterm in my Ballroom Dance class last night, which consisted of performing a short tango combination with my partner that we've been working on for several weeks now. Piece of cake! Tonight will consist of laundry, and dismantling a drum set that a friend of mine let me borrow for a few weeks. I played a little when I was a kid, and thought it might be fun to bang around a bit again, so he brought them over a set them up for me a few weeks back. I thought it'd be "like riding a bike"... boy was I in for a rude awakening! Oh well, it was still fun. Anyway, he needs them back, so no longer will I be torturing my roommate and my poor cat Stinky (and my neighbors as well!) with loud, offbeat drum fills.

Well, it's Wednesday, and we're "over the hump", as it were, so enjoy the rest of the day. Signing off until next time...