"When I met you in 1990, you said that you'd marry the man who'd follow you around the world. We were just sophomores in high school, so I didn't know what to think. I thought it was just some school girl romantic fantasy. All I knew was that you were the girl for me. We were only 15 years old, but I had this feeling that you'd play a major role in my life. After we graduated from Aragon High School in San Mateo, you revealed to me that you were accepted to Berkeley, but you wanted to go to Germany for college. Remember that night we spent ice skating at Fashion Island? You said that you loved me, but you had to cut off all ties with to be able to move on. That was the last time I ever saw you. I said I'd wait for you, but you told me not to and to just move on...but I remember what you said sophomore year.
You were accepted at the University of Tübingen, Berlin. I left home for Berlin. For 4 years I looked for you. You made the impact you always did in Berlin. People heard of you, but didn't know where you were. Nobody helped me. I wasn't good enough for Tübingen, so I attended Technische Universität Berlin where I earned a degree. I am now fluent in German, a language I never intended to learn. After graduation, I returned to San Mateo thinking you returned as well. I called your mother on the summer after you graduated; she said you had left for grad school in Tokyo. I left again, this time, to Tokyo. Auf Wiedersehen.
Your father said you are studying business at Keio University in Tokyo. I looked all over Tokyo for you. From the morning rush at Shinjuku Station, to the last train on the Tozai-line bound for Nakano. You were never found. To make ends meet, I got a job at NOVA, and then in 1998 I got a real job at DoCoMo. I fell in love with Japan and its culture. I learned the language, and I am now fluent. Another language I never intended to learn. I went to the graduate office at Keio University's school of business seeing if you were set to graduate. There you were, on the list. I was denied entry to the ceremony since I had no tie to anyone graduating. That was the closest I had ever come to seeing you since grad night back in high school. Two months after graduation, I resigned from DoCoMo. I received an email from your cousin (You know, Jerry's ex-girlfriend) saying you had gotten a job in Hong Kong. I left my friends, my job, my home, my fiancé, and everything Tokyo gave me to search for you. I'm so sorry Mizuki. Kima wa itsumo kokoro no naka ni iru.
It was 1999, and I had just arrived in Hong Kong, and so did you. Six months later, I found out you had left Hong Kong because you didn't enjoy your new job. From Causeway Bay to Kowloon, there were traces of you, but never the real entity. Your father told me you went to India for training for a tech company, then were to be set up in London. I don't know if I searched for you for no reason, but then again, my searches have always been fruitless. I went to Seoul to take up a lucrative job offer at one of LG's sister companies, Hiplaza, Inc.
In late 1999, I had already been established in Korea. I worked for Hiplaza, then 3 years later, LG. For the first time, I was free of the feeling of having to look for you. I was in a place I knew you weren't It was like a dream. A world without you. The dream ended 3 months ago when I left LG. Now the curse of your existence has returned. An nyonghi jumuship siyo.
I'm now back in San Mateo. I haven't been here in the bay area since 1996. All my high school friends are either married, dead, or gone without a trace. I have nobody here but my dysfunctional family. Your brother said last month that you're still in London and will return to the bay area permanently this summer. I chased you around the world for 12 years, learned 3 languages, made quite an amount of money, just to meet you in the town where it all began. Fashion Island isn't even there anymore, but the ice skating rink is still there.
I'm not German, I'm not Japanese, and I am not Korean, but I can say anything in those languages, but I can't say anything to bring you back. You made the biggest changes in my life without barely stepping foot into it. I don't know if I should thank you or hate you, but one thing I'm sure of, I miss you dearly. Your cousin told me what your brother couldn't bring himself to tell me. 3 hours ago I received an email saying the reason why you're coming back is because you want to have your wedding in San Francisco, and that it was your fiancé’s idea.
Fuck you."
--Taken from Craigslist
12.08.2005
Pen pal? No...a pen foe
Remember having a pen pal in school? In grade school I exchanged letters to a Mexican pen pal in English, and in SD I had a Japanese pen pal whom I tried to write to in Japanese.
God, my letters were horrible. For any of you that knew me in school, Japanese was by far the most difficult class I ever took. If I hadn't taken it pass/no-pass I would probably still be there, trying to complete the stupid Revelle language requirement until the end of time. Anyways, if you thought speaking and listening to a Japanese was confusing, wait until you have to write it. Honestly, I beleive that the ONLY way to truly master the Japanese language is to be born and raised in a Japanese household, to a Japanese family, in Japan.
My first letter to my pal was the literary equivalent of Duplo - I pretty much only was able to tell him my name, where I lived, boy/girl, hobbies...the usual pen pal stuff. I can't imagine the laughs my pal got from receiving a poorly written letter from a then 20-yr old guy who likes videogames, pizza, and movies.
His reponse to me looked like an advanced Japanese textbook, in which it took me 5 hours to decipher that it was snowing quietly outside his bedroom and that his orange cat was rubbing the soles of his feet with his soft kitten pads while he was writing the letter. What a poet! I wasted 5 hours of my afternoon for you to tell me this? Couldn't you just tell me if you liked pizza?
Those were the only letters that crossed; I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to waste anymore time dumbing down his letters for me and I simply didn't have the brain power to read and respond accordingly. Besides, I completely exhausted my list of favorite foods, movies, and colors to him.
But thinking of pen pals reminded me how much I thought it was cool to talk to another kid somewhere else. I want another pen pal, but for it to be different. I want to verbally spar and abuse through these letters...I want...a pen foe. Of course it would be in English, but someone to match wits with and piss em' off. I don't need anymore pals, I want more enemies. A good enemy would be fun to write to. Will you be my pen foe?
God, my letters were horrible. For any of you that knew me in school, Japanese was by far the most difficult class I ever took. If I hadn't taken it pass/no-pass I would probably still be there, trying to complete the stupid Revelle language requirement until the end of time. Anyways, if you thought speaking and listening to a Japanese was confusing, wait until you have to write it. Honestly, I beleive that the ONLY way to truly master the Japanese language is to be born and raised in a Japanese household, to a Japanese family, in Japan.
My first letter to my pal was the literary equivalent of Duplo - I pretty much only was able to tell him my name, where I lived, boy/girl, hobbies...the usual pen pal stuff. I can't imagine the laughs my pal got from receiving a poorly written letter from a then 20-yr old guy who likes videogames, pizza, and movies.
His reponse to me looked like an advanced Japanese textbook, in which it took me 5 hours to decipher that it was snowing quietly outside his bedroom and that his orange cat was rubbing the soles of his feet with his soft kitten pads while he was writing the letter. What a poet! I wasted 5 hours of my afternoon for you to tell me this? Couldn't you just tell me if you liked pizza?
Those were the only letters that crossed; I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to waste anymore time dumbing down his letters for me and I simply didn't have the brain power to read and respond accordingly. Besides, I completely exhausted my list of favorite foods, movies, and colors to him.
But thinking of pen pals reminded me how much I thought it was cool to talk to another kid somewhere else. I want another pen pal, but for it to be different. I want to verbally spar and abuse through these letters...I want...a pen foe. Of course it would be in English, but someone to match wits with and piss em' off. I don't need anymore pals, I want more enemies. A good enemy would be fun to write to. Will you be my pen foe?
11.02.2005
Madeline is turning 8!
Happy birthday Madeline! Your family loves you! Except for me! And I guess Mom and Dad, too. And Roger.
10.17.2005
Slutty Cat
Things haven't been quite the same since Midnite died. And I was feelin pretty bummed at one point, though this was months ago. Anyways, so we still have approximately 1.3 metric tons of dry cat food left since he passed, and it just sits there in our garage.
So lately, I've been feeding one of our neighbor's cats with our leftovers. She seems to like it, and I've named her Slutty Cat.
Why? Well first off, she gets around. Seriously, our neighbor says she's less than 8 years, but she's had 4 litters of kittens, and 2 litters were within the span of a year or so. So yes, she is a slut.
She has the ugliest caterwaul which I'm guessing, somehow attracts the throngs of male cats to ravage her. And she never stops! She's constantly in heat. You slut!
Anyways, she's using me now. I totally see how she works it. Here's the routine:
1.) I come home from work and park on the driveway
2.) She trots over to the driverside of my car while I get out. She begins to *meow*
2a.) Translated she's actually saying "It's about time you got home bitch, now feed my skank ass with some kibbles!"
3.) I give her some food
4.) She eats the food like it's her last day on earth
5.) I try to give her some sort of affectionate petting
6.) She recoils
7.) I leave, feeling dejected and used
8.) Finishing her snack, she smokes a cigarette
9.) I cry myself to sleep
Slutty Cat, why do you haunt me?!? Leave a nice guy alone...
So lately, I've been feeding one of our neighbor's cats with our leftovers. She seems to like it, and I've named her Slutty Cat.
Why? Well first off, she gets around. Seriously, our neighbor says she's less than 8 years, but she's had 4 litters of kittens, and 2 litters were within the span of a year or so. So yes, she is a slut.
She has the ugliest caterwaul which I'm guessing, somehow attracts the throngs of male cats to ravage her. And she never stops! She's constantly in heat. You slut!
Anyways, she's using me now. I totally see how she works it. Here's the routine:
1.) I come home from work and park on the driveway
2.) She trots over to the driverside of my car while I get out. She begins to *meow*
2a.) Translated she's actually saying "It's about time you got home bitch, now feed my skank ass with some kibbles!"
3.) I give her some food
4.) She eats the food like it's her last day on earth
5.) I try to give her some sort of affectionate petting
6.) She recoils
7.) I leave, feeling dejected and used
8.) Finishing her snack, she smokes a cigarette
9.) I cry myself to sleep
Slutty Cat, why do you haunt me?!? Leave a nice guy alone...
9.04.2005
8.29.2005
(racing cont.)
Aside from the on/off again A's (currently 'On' and holding the pennant) it's been a pretty sad year for norcal sports. Luckily, automotive racing continues to surge in popularity, and so last weekend I went to the IRL Grand Prix at Infineon Raceway.
Overall, it lacked the festive atmosphere of downtown San Jose's GP, but the race itself completely blew San Jose out of the water. This was the first time I've seen Infineon (GT4 does not count) and I was impressed that you could see virtually 80% of the track at any spot around it. I got a grandstand seat behind the pit this time, more expensive, but worth more by the fact that we got to sit in the shade; shielded from the hot Sonoma summer sun. Will defintely return next season, and I wouldn't even mind watching next year's NASCAR run here, too.
Next up: American Le Mans at Mazda Speedway - Laguna Seca in October.
Presenting: The Black Chainlink Fence at Infineon Raceway - Sonoma
Green flag and the rolling start.
Down the 'S's - drivers averaged about 150 mph on this stretch.
Last chicane before Turn 10.
Turn 8 - AJ Foyt leading Tomas Scheckter.
Turn 1 - Where it starts to get tricky...
Scott Sharp going outside towards Turn 2.
Turn 2 - It's hard to tell from the photo, but it actually banks towards the outside. You have to watch your speed coming up this hill.
Giorgio Pantano watching his speed while I watch the plumes of dirt as he completely screws up his exit out of Turn 1.
Emergency crews got there FAST.
Overall it was a very tight race with not much passing. Drivers were forced to rely on fuel and pit strategies. And the winner is...
...Tony Kanaan! Patient driving pays off as the top field pretty much eliminated (crashed) themsevles little by little throughout the race.
The Winner's Circle is actually is more like a square.
Overall, it lacked the festive atmosphere of downtown San Jose's GP, but the race itself completely blew San Jose out of the water. This was the first time I've seen Infineon (GT4 does not count) and I was impressed that you could see virtually 80% of the track at any spot around it. I got a grandstand seat behind the pit this time, more expensive, but worth more by the fact that we got to sit in the shade; shielded from the hot Sonoma summer sun. Will defintely return next season, and I wouldn't even mind watching next year's NASCAR run here, too.
Next up: American Le Mans at Mazda Speedway - Laguna Seca in October.
Presenting: The Black Chainlink Fence at Infineon Raceway - Sonoma
Green flag and the rolling start.
Down the 'S's - drivers averaged about 150 mph on this stretch.
Last chicane before Turn 10.
Turn 8 - AJ Foyt leading Tomas Scheckter.
Turn 1 - Where it starts to get tricky...
Scott Sharp going outside towards Turn 2.
Turn 2 - It's hard to tell from the photo, but it actually banks towards the outside. You have to watch your speed coming up this hill.
Giorgio Pantano watching his speed while I watch the plumes of dirt as he completely screws up his exit out of Turn 1.
Emergency crews got there FAST.
Overall it was a very tight race with not much passing. Drivers were forced to rely on fuel and pit strategies. And the winner is...
...Tony Kanaan! Patient driving pays off as the top field pretty much eliminated (crashed) themsevles little by little throughout the race.
The Winner's Circle is actually is more like a square.
7.29.2005
Day 1 - Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix (San Jose GP)
I've never been to a live open-wheel racing event and was pretty excited for this weekend to start. First off - these open-wheel cars are LOUD. After watching races on TV so much I never imagined that the cars would have such a high-pitch scream. I'm talkin bout ROCK concert loud. Even the sweeper used to blow debris off the track after every race was loud. Second - the smell. First was the faint smell of burning methanol followed by the aroma of scorching rubber. The F-D drifting, especially. Can't wait til Saturday.
7.25.2005
My Very Own Holiday
Thanks to everyone who called, emailed, and sent cards to me the other day. And extra special thanks to those who bought me something. Those people I place on a pedestal higher above all others.
Friday night was Amanda's Fiesta de Adios...she's going off to Yale to be a doctor and hopefully provide me with various pharmaceutical drugs. Thank you, Amanda. We will miss you.
The crew outside Maggiano's - I'm very happy...mainly because I know Amanda is leaving.
Amanda, Me, and G.Solis.
Saturday the good folks from Leland held a BBQ at Crissy Fields. From what I recall, Alex picked me and about 14 other people up to cram into his Toyota and we proceeded to take the extended tour of the lovely penninsula and Marina district of SFO. While it was a beautiful tour, it took us several days to reach our destination. Seriously though, it was an awesome day - great weather, good food, and the exhausting game of Ultra Frisbee on the side. Thanks guys and to everyone who came.
The shitty view from our BBQ spot. This picture makes me wanna vomit.
Roger admiring my keen ability to devour a hot wing. Notice my focus...my concentration...my zen...
I was totally not impressed with Annie's jokes. Also continue to note the terrible view we had at our picnic spot.
Jaime has excellent form and follow through as the frisbee glides towards Vanessa. However I should also add that she was aiming for Marcus.
Like the timeless classic 'Football in The Groin,' life imitates art as Gene successfuly interprets 'Aerobie to The Face.'
Alex - after throwing said 'Aerobie' to said 'Face.'
Laura getting skin cancer.
Daniel and Richard - I can't really think of anymore clever captions.
My Spiderman bicycle. Also the same bike Lance uses in the Tour. Note that I have also graduated from 2 wheels to 4, enabling me to tackle any terrain.
On Sunday I got a pleasant email from Ayuko wishing me a felíz cumpleaños! In case you didn't know, Ayuko is the girl who helped salvage my Japanese grade at school. Also, she is now married! Omedetou!
Kawaii desu ne...(I have now used up all the Japanese I currently know, and have ever learned)
Ayuko and Minoru. Lucky bastard!
Friday night was Amanda's Fiesta de Adios...she's going off to Yale to be a doctor and hopefully provide me with various pharmaceutical drugs. Thank you, Amanda. We will miss you.
The crew outside Maggiano's - I'm very happy...mainly because I know Amanda is leaving.
Amanda, Me, and G.Solis.Saturday the good folks from Leland held a BBQ at Crissy Fields. From what I recall, Alex picked me and about 14 other people up to cram into his Toyota and we proceeded to take the extended tour of the lovely penninsula and Marina district of SFO. While it was a beautiful tour, it took us several days to reach our destination. Seriously though, it was an awesome day - great weather, good food, and the exhausting game of Ultra Frisbee on the side. Thanks guys and to everyone who came.
The shitty view from our BBQ spot. This picture makes me wanna vomit.
Roger admiring my keen ability to devour a hot wing. Notice my focus...my concentration...my zen...
I was totally not impressed with Annie's jokes. Also continue to note the terrible view we had at our picnic spot.
Jaime has excellent form and follow through as the frisbee glides towards Vanessa. However I should also add that she was aiming for Marcus.
Like the timeless classic 'Football in The Groin,' life imitates art as Gene successfuly interprets 'Aerobie to The Face.'
Alex - after throwing said 'Aerobie' to said 'Face.'
Laura getting skin cancer.
Daniel and Richard - I can't really think of anymore clever captions.
My Spiderman bicycle. Also the same bike Lance uses in the Tour. Note that I have also graduated from 2 wheels to 4, enabling me to tackle any terrain.On Sunday I got a pleasant email from Ayuko wishing me a felíz cumpleaños! In case you didn't know, Ayuko is the girl who helped salvage my Japanese grade at school. Also, she is now married! Omedetou!
Kawaii desu ne...(I have now used up all the Japanese I currently know, and have ever learned)
Ayuko and Minoru. Lucky bastard!
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