Monday, July 30, 2007

Am I Getting Too Old....

...for this????? This weekend was a throwback to my college days with a twist. Two nights of drinking heavier than needed, but not with a bunch of kids my age unwinding from classes and exams.

Kicked off the weekend with coworkers having a happy hour/going away party. Lots of free food, and some not so free alcohol. Started at 430pm and did a good job of pacing myself on the insipid liquid consumption limiting myself to only 3.5 beers. Problem was they were 20 oz. beers and 2 of them were dark (read: high alcohol content for you non-beer drinkers). By 915pm when I left I had a pretty good buzz goin on, but I couldn't hold a candle to what some of my coworkers were feeling. It's great to see that even your supervisors and older colleagues know how to unwind a little and have a good time. Go home, watch some TV, crash shortly after.

Saturday, you know the routine by now. Early morning rise because I have to run. The heat, humidity and sun were a brutal combo. Picked up my car and then it was off to see the parents. Free food as usual (they know how to get me to come visit) and some help with a few things in the process. Saturday night pre-party at my place (3 beers) and then off to the kickball house party. Yes it was an actual house party. For adults. Who weren't in college. Free beer, even though it was Miller Lite I indulged myself. I played drinking games that I had not participated in since junior year. Did a little drunk dancing, thats my MO. Then went with a crew to Ben's Chili Bowl. I LOVE CHILI CHEESE FRIES!!!

Sunday I paid for my action of the night before. HANGOVER! I blame the cheap beer. More free food with the 'rents and lots and lots and lots of sleeping off my hangover. I think I am getting too old for all this. Drinking two nights in a row is too much, especially when it was clearly more than I needed to both nights. Gonna get my act together. Jumbo Slice and Ben's are gonna be my undoing over the next two years.

Mini Vacation in SC starting Friday. Something good has gotta come out of that. Hopefully I can add a little more pigment to my skin. Maybe spark something up with an old fling, or mak a new one. Hahaha...we shall see. Stay tuned world, stay tuned.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Public Forum Does Not Equal Public Opinion

Contrary to the beliefs of some, a conversation held in a public forum is not an open invitation for public opinion. We all know the kamakaze opiners of whom I speak; they are instant miasmata to any good conversation. We find them lurking in both crowded and not so crowded subway cars, food courts around the world and ::gasp:: even on the job; these opiners can be the worst. Embolded by their psuedo familiarity with you and your fellow conversationalist, they have no qualms on adding unrequisited feedback. Why do people feel entitled provide input when none was garnered to begin with. Sir, it is great that you think Jim Carey was funnier in The Mask than Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, but I dont give two flying apeshits cause we were talking about Bruce Almighty! "You shouldnt make fun of people's virginty, it is their right." You know that is very true, too bad we weren't making fun of virgins; we were talking about the nicknames of High Schools nosy hoebag. Be careful when deciding to do your own, conversation tourism, one day someone like me just might snap and knock the shit out of you for it. Just because we are talking in public doesnt mean the public is welcome.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Revolution or Reform...

...are we ready? Can we handle it? What will it take to affect change? A generation of complacent, self absorbed, apathetic drones has been created due to the incessant consumption of mindless fodder all but force fed to us by media conglomerates like Viacom (read: MTV, BET, VH1, E!). We have lost touch of what reality truly is thanks to "reality TV". We spend hours and million$ obsessing over , and attempting to replicate "celebrity", because the media tells us being normal is not good enough. In a time when, more than ever, information is so readily available to all why do so many choose to remain ignorant. Does my mind deceive me? Is my perception we, as a society, are standing still? Or could it be that we are taking steps backward? We are taught in school about the struggles and triumphs of the past but do we actually learn from them? Do we truly grasp the significance of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, or the Declaration of Independence? If we do, how come we sit idlely while the government constantly misleads the public on crucial issues, excercises its own version of jurisprudence and openly ignores the plight of our countries poor, sick and suffering? I cannot speak on what it looks like in other countries, but I know first hand that the United States, is far from the glorious society of which it is so often depicted/portrayed.

I liken this country to aging empires of old. To my knowledge, change within an aging empire was brought about in one of two ways: Revolution or Reform. Will we go the way of the French with the blood of the poor, oppressed and forgotten filling the streets as they die for equality and acknowledgement? Will we collapse upon ourselves as the decadent and ostentatious behavior grow out of control like the late Romans? The Mayans, The Incas, The Ottomans, The Smuritans, The Britsh, have come and gone yet we learn not from the lessons of history. I myself am torn as to how I would like to see change brought about in our country. There is something that is so enticing about the passion invested in a violent revolution. There is no doubt of the significance when someone is willing to sacrafice their very existence for the betterment of themsleves and others. A peaceful resolution would speak volumes about our social evolution and set an example for future generations. It would provide hope for nations around the world embattled with similar issues. Collapse would be humbling as a nation but only further distance the "haves" from the "have-nots".

Though better than some, I am far from a model citizen of our generation. The work I complete to affect change on a global scale wouldnt make a ripple in a rain drop. We must get up and do something. Change healthcare, environmental regulation, education and defense as a start. A slow start is better than no start at all! Viva La Revolucion! IT WILL BE TELIVISED, WILL YOU FIND THE RIGHT CHANNEL!?!

Get Informed

Monday, July 16, 2007

A Goal Differed...

...but not forgotten. At the beginning of the year I set two goals for myself: run a marathon (hopefully better than Lance Armstrong) and get better at my Spanish. I am well on my way to achieving the first goal with my registration for the Marine Corps Marathon at the end of October and the training that I have been doing. For the second goal I attacked it head on, studying like my future existence was dependent upon me mastering this skill set by the end of the year. Lately however it has become a sidelined by other ambitions, a goal that is only reflected upon when it is convenient. Gosh darn my undiagnosed A.D.D Though my Spanish is better now than it was when I started, its not where it should/ could be if I had stuck to my guns and actually kept working on it post April 1st. Its time to recommit. Imma do it yall.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Did I Really?...

..Yes, I am pretty sure I did. I just had a nightmare about college. More than 6 months from the rigors of college courses and I am still fully capable of fretting over my performance. The nightmare is emblazoned quite vividly in my brain, and even now 5 hours later I can still remember the tiniest details from within....

I find myself in the dorm room I called home for the last 6 months of me collegiate career. Enjoying the last few days of my academic experience, I am taking a nap prior to post finals party. I am aroused from my peaceful slumber by the horrid thought that I might have missed an exam. How could I have been so stupid?!? I rocket from my comfortable double futon and rush to find my finals exam schedule. I find it and stare blankly at it trying hard to interpret what appears to aramaic to my still foggy brain. After several minutes of scanning the paper, including at least one where I was sure I had missed a final that would result in my failure and requisite non-graduation,

...My subconscious brain clicked on and I realized that I was trapped in a world of my own making. I had already graduated and I was just knocked out from a long weekend of self inflicted body abuse. No more dreams like that one please, I am through with my days of stress induced by excessive studying and not enough socializing.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Saturday Is Alright For....

...just about anything. While Saturdays have generally been pretty good over the past couple weeks, with each passing one I cant wait for the arrival of the next. Saturday's for me usually mean up early (630, 7ish) to do my long run, then some relaxing or tennis before running off to visit the family and see what food I can scoop up in the process. With the eviction of my brother last week, the past couple weekends havent been ideal, but I know how to roll with things.

This Saturday was great for several reasons. I woke up early enough to get a good run in before it got hot and Wimbledon got underway. As discussed in a previous post, Venus was crowned the Ladies Champion at Wimbledon, and I was able to sit and enjoy the whole thing. I visited the parents but it wasnt long or drawn out as can happen sometimes. And I returned home to do more chilling, a Saturday night of movies and SimCity4 was in store for me.

That is until I got a call from my friend Brian hoping to do something and thus begins my interesting night. First stop was Local 16. Not a bad place, but the main draw was the rooftop deck which was packed and it was hot as hell out there. The $6 mini Drinks didnt help either, one a piece and we were off to venture into other spaces. Adams Morgan here we come. Drink Count: 1

Angry Inch is the destination decided upon after some perusing. Its still kinda early so getting drinks is easy, they're cheaper and larger. Combination for a good time right? Another of Brians friend joins up with us just as the crowd starts to pick up in the bar but the place is cool and the people are alright. Minus the douchebag who not only is drunk off his ass, but he is hitting on anything that is blonde and has a vagina and attempts to smoke inside the bar. Hittin on the blondes doesnt bother me, but the smoking had to stop. A tap on the shoulder, a few "nice" words and one cigarette gone. Drink Count: 4... Onward with a good night.

Enough time has passed and the ratio of cool people to douchebags is decreasing, time to bounce from this place. Still early so into the street we spill with the rest of the crowd looking for the next cool place to go. South on 18th Street we treak glancing within each establishment as we go. A decision is made on a bar/club whose name we are unsure of to this moment. We ascend the stairs cause thats where the good music and people are. This is where the real party starts.

Another drink is had and my bladder is telling me to stop being an asshole. Upon entering the bathroom, I am greeted by three young ladies. Nothing new, drunk women are always in the men's room at clubs cause the wait is less. But the whopper is that two guys come out of the stall together. I take all this in while trying to piss. One of the girls goes "what were you two doing in there?" with an inflection in her voice that hints at the fact she thinks they are gay. Of course I burst into laughter and the guy promptly responds "none of your business, but if they arent gay, I dont think they convinced those girls or myself otherwise. Channing thinks they were doing drugs, but who knows and better yet who cares?!!?!? A random drunk chick who just got finished making out and grinding on some other brotha decides to try the same on me, but stringy blond hair, rolls hanging over your jeans and drunkily say "you're hot" is not a turn on. Thank God I am not an average dude. I see someone who catches my eye we rub elbows and she is close enough to speak to. Dark hair, good shape, and from what I can tell in the lack of adequate lighting she appears to be pretty cute, its too bad I dont have the balls to say something and test this "you're hot" theory before she disappears with her group of friends. Drink Count:6

Its around 2am and people are starting to spill out of the club. JUMBO SLICE HERE WE COME. Remind me why people bother to try and drive along this strip at this time on a Saturday?!? The place is packed but it is moving fast, they are pros at this. $4 slice of heaven, hot enough to burn the roof of my mouth and cause me to spill some tomato sauce on my white shirt. Nosy girls butted into our convo, Loud and Wrong. Thats the best way to be right?!?! But not even she could ruin my night. 230am and its time for home. The night awaits and I cant wait to fall into its embrace. If only I could afford nights like this more often.

And The Winners Are....

Miss. Venus Williams and Mr. Roger Federer. King and Queen of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club again (4 for V and 5 straight for The Fed). Ms. Williams, for the second time in her career, flew in under the radar and finished the tourney with reckless abandon. The way she gracefully and powerfully dismantled some players was astounding and magnificent to watch. As much as I love my future wife/ baby momma (I will take what I can get), Serena, it is always nice to see Venus perform on the surface she is most comfortable on.

My pre-tournament wish was for Justine and Shara-ho-va to go down early and big, and though the "early" part didnt come through, the "big" more than made up for it. The Thing glorified as gorgeous by the over zealous media, aka Shara-ho-va, was at the forfront of another Williams sister drumming. As you can imagine nothing made me happier than to watch Venus do to her what Serena had already done twice this year, strike fear into her bony-assed, stringy-haired heart. The Thing never threatened Venus for the match and despite its status as a match lasting two days play time was little more than an hour. Fittingly Justine also lost to a finalist, too bad the finalist was a 22 year old girl inspired by an actor taught and playing unconventionally and according to tennis player standards, well overweight. Thank You Tennis gods!

The mens Final turned out to be must see Tennis TV. There were moments when I was unsure who would win. Would "Boy Wonder" come through and dethrone The Fed Express? When is Roger finally gonna kick in to high gear and assert himself as THE King of Grass. 5 sets later and Roger slammed the point home. NOT YET BOY WONDER, ITS STILL MY TIME TO SHINE. Though Rafa annoys me on so many levels, (his OCD ticks, his ugly game faces, his incessant energy, his...) he has a big game and there is no doubt in my mind that barring an injury he will someday be number one and win a Grand Slam other than the French. The rivalry these two men have is nothing but good or the game. I hope to enjoy first hand this experience before their paths diverge.

Serena went down with an injury in the middle of the tournament. Won the match but was unable to finish the tournament in peak form. Hopefully she can get better in time for the US Open. Even if she is not a contender for the tourney as a singles player, let's bring back some of that good ol' Williams sisters doubles. You know aint no one out there better.

Next up on the tennis plate is the summer hard court season and the US Open Series Road Trip. Hows the cheesy commercial with the tennis celebs go? "6 tournaments, 8 weeks...." Do it justice ESPN or feel the wrath of an angry viewer. Maybe I will make it to Legg Mason this year, prolly not though. In need of some new strings and Shoes. Much better investment than a day at Legg Mason.

Whose House Is It Dammit????

...It's my house dammit! Or at least partially mine...

But more on that later, time for a little briefing. Its been a quick min since I was last on here and as a result there is quite a backlog of thought that need to be released from the prison of my skull. I often struggle with myself on what is TMI and how much should I truly put out there for the world to read, but then I remember the purpose of this is to abdicate myself of the mental torment that takes place by holding it in. Why not tell someone you ask? Mostly cause I am shy, despite what many of you might believe, and I often struggle expressing myself, truly expressing myself, in the presence of others. Besides there is nothing like reflecting to help you learn from the past. Bear with me as I reel off my thoughts of the past couple days over a few entries. This way you can choose to engorge on my life or just nibble at it. Prepare to be Domo-ed till your hearts content. Now back to your previously scheduled program already in progress.

...so who told you, little bastard, that just because you were allowed into our home as an alternative to living on the street you should feel free to make yourself comfortable. As a guest in someones house there are certain standards anyone with good home training knows to follow. And dont say you dont have good home training cause we come from the same home, problem is that shit prolly didnt stick with you. Using my bathroom to shower does not indeed entitle you to spend 20 mins in the bathroom "texting" someone prior to your shower, that is just sketchy. You dont take a shower so hot a vapor cloud escapes as you open the door and any entrants that shortly follow are made to feel like they have gone on safari. You do not eat up all the food, especially of someone who likes to eat. And most importantly (at least in my book) YOU DONT FUCKING DRINK A BEER, HIDE IT IN THE TRASH CAN AND "...DONT REMEMBER DOING IT." YOU FUCKING PATHALOGICAL LIAR!!!!!!!!

Actions such as these in my household lead to the hastening of your eviction date. Yes I love you, though sometimes its merely because I am supposed to, and yes I will do my damndest to help you if I can but you WILL NOT bring me down in the process. Get your shit together so you can get out and do what you want to do. You can be a fuck up on your own time, in your own space like our cousin that is gonna be a daddy "cause its something new." October 1 is the date that has been setforth, and it is based on behavior. Act right and try to get yourself together and we consider letting you stay longer. Continue down this path and you will find your belongings sitting on the stoop when you get back from work. When I signed my lease I knew I was moving in with one member of the royal family, a second member was not part of the deal. This "stable boy" only cleans up the shit of his own making!!!!

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Time...

...To Come "Home". Its not where he should be, but the little bugger did manage to make it safely to a point of refuge. He is now staying with me, not the ideal situation since I can barely support myself, let alone my somewhat incompetent younger brother. I couldnt leave him on the street though. He was welcomed into the home of the princess and myself, with stipulations of course. House rules have been laid down, and I hope to God he respects them cause I dont want to have to put him out too. Don't know how I am gonna make it over the next couple months tryin to support the both of us and still have a normal life. I am not ready to be a "father" figure to an 18 year old. God give me strength. In the end though, it is better to struggle with family than to live like royalty alone. Adios y Buenos Dias

You Might Win Some...

...But they just lost one. Today started as most Saturdays have recently, me not running. This marathon is gonna suck. Plans had been laid for tennis in the evening, which means my entire day was filled with anticipation. I hadn't played too well all week so I was hoping to salvage my tennis game before weeks end. Life had other plans for me though.

Saturday also means time with the family with the first stop being my Gparents place. I hadn't seen them in a couple weeks and I had an ulterior motive, stealing the tennis ballhopper my grandfather had and no longer used. Shortly after entering the refuge, I briefly called home, my grandmother informs me of the latest chapter in the Dante Saga. Love my brother to death, but Dios Mio he is a fuck up.

Apparently last night he "borrowed" the car once again without asking. A metaphor as lame as "the straw that broke the camel's back" does not do justice in this instance. This was literally the end of my father's patience. Upon his return from his excursion, per my father's insistence, he was promptly evicted. Keys, phone and welcome were seized. He would be left to fare for himself on the sometimes hard streets of our city.

I knew my mother couldnt be taking this too well for she was the only reason he stayed in the house as long as he did. I thanked my g-rents for the proper warning they had provided me concerning the powder keg I was venturing into and headed to the home I fled for this very reason. Silent prayers uttered on the way to my parents house did little to comfort my soul that was seething in pain from my newest revelation. "Please Lord, grant us strength to survive and protect Dante on his perilous journey ahead."

I arrived home and much to my surprise, everyone appeared to be taking the situation rather well. Mom's facade cracked shortly before my exit, when my brother's boss called to ask why Dante hadn't showed up to work. Though neither of us could hear what my he was saying on the phone, based on my dad's responses we knew it wasn't good. At this point mom made an exit of her own. What is it about those walls that just drives people out? Being a momma's boy I did all I could to console my mother including guarantee her that my brother had space in my place should he come looking for it. I hate seeing tears flow down her cheeks.

I write this with, to my knowledge, no change in my brothers MIA status. Prayers are appreciated but not required. I am holding together fine so dont worry about me.

They just lost one.
 
"The Man Who Knows Something, Knows He Knows Nothing at All"