Pieces of Bread

Bond, James Bond

2011-11-26T19:18:00.001-08:00

Finished "Moonraker" by Ian Fleming. It was alright. Now reading "Vernon God Little". A poem I wrote for someone, when I was hurting really badly:

"Silentium amoris"

How will I know,

Of your greatest joys, your deepest pains,

When you will never let me in?

For what does the future have in store,

Are the sunflower dalliances nevermore?

Will the winter's cold keep us apart,

Never to finish what did not start?

So stand softly, and listen, to the wind,

Whispering this song, from now till the end:

Filled with sorrow and dismay,

Amo te, mea cara, sed non amas me.

Day 02

2011-06-30T13:34:00.001-07:00

Biking: 7 miles (3.5miles to work and back)

Pushups: 200

Reading:

"Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Phillip K. Dick

From Fat to Fit

2011-06-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

Follow me on my journey back to land of people in shape! Today is the first workout:

Running: 1 mile
Pushups: 200
Sit-ups: 50

Reading Completed:

"Third Graders at War" by Felix G.
"Jarhead" by Anthony Swofford
"The Baghdad Express" by Joel Turnipseed

March Madness Begins with Books!

2011-03-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

Finished:

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll
"In the Beginning Was the Command Line" by Neal Stephenson

In Progress:

"Kim" by Rudyard Kipling
"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold

Coming Up Soon:

"Tender is the Night" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

New Year and More Books

2011-01-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

Finished:

"Disgrace" by J.M. Coetzee

"If I die in a combat zone: Box me up and ship me home." by Tim O'Brien

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

"My Dog Skip" by Willie Morris

On Deck:

"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold

"Kim" by Rudyard Kipling (seriously, this book really sucks and is boring)

Thoughts

2010-09-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

What is needed to make an impression? Thoughts to follow soon. And now, an excerpt from the short story entitled "Conversations After Dark":

It had been two weeks since I had last seen Johnny. He shipped out before I had a chance to say goodbye, so the I found myself apologizing to a phantom.

"Sorry, for that baby, I should have never doubted you. I was drunk, and I didn't mean it. Godspeed and good luck. No, I don't want anything. Just come back home. Baby, please..."

And then two weeks after that, I realized my pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Once again, I am left all alone in the world without sunshine on the horizon.

Haiku

2010-09-14T19:58:00.001-07:00

Little droplets fall,

Ink turned to art on paper,

The weary poet rests.

Biking and Summer Reads

2010-09-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

BIKED THE AMTRAK CENTURY!!!! YEAH!!!

Finished:

"Octopussy and the Living Daylights" by Ian Fleming

"Live and Let Die" by Ian Fleming

"Thunderball" by Ian Fleming

In Progress:

"Kim" by Rudyard Kipling

"Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

"The World of Nagaraj" by R.K. Narayan

Upcoming:

"American Pastoral" by Philip Roth

"Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand

Journey

2010-09-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

Walking in a cloud,
Painted by the rain,
Wishing for tears of sunshine,
To wash away the pain.

Tearing through the mist,
On a mountain by the sea,
Skating on beads of purple,
Hoping to be free.

Gliding through the fog,
Without a soul in sight,
Then spotting double rainbows,
Under the golden light.

Swimming in the ocean,
And swirling in the sand,
Catching falling Helios,
Finally feeling grand.

Embers

2010-08-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Embers

Two courtesans stand watch over the room,

First, a graceful dancer lithe like a loon,

And then a tin stranger, her stoic groom.

Silently he stares at his true love's face,

Thinking wondrous things of that little waif.

Again, his shy smiles grace her rose blush,

While he stands at his post, flush!

But an errant wind gives flight to her feet,

"Help!" she screams, removed from her seat.

Winter's capricious gust, leads her astray,

Into the hearth where embers play.

Paper crinkles and rose blush smears,

As the soldier exclaims. "I come, my dear."

So the tin man falls, sealing his fate,

Meeting his love, in the fire's grate.

Now wood is burning, as is tin,

Tears and sadness, masked in Inferno's kiln.

This was a final goodbye, but also a first hello,

Breaking the fury's sorrow with a warming glow.

Outside no one watches these melting hearts,

That shall nevermore, be kept apart.

Raps by the N.B.F.M.

2010-08-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

One:

Pretend for moment That I'm really legit,

Reppin' I-hood and giving rappers fits.

Dropping sick rhymes and groovin' to the beat,

People saying that the kid is ridicuosly street.

Never had to scuffle to make it to the top,

Never had to struggle to make my rhymes pop.

Then memberin' the things going so bad,

Praises come and went, left feelin' like a fad.

I'm all alone, wihout a single friend,

Joys ain't coming, so I gotta pretend.

Head hurtin' so I try a ball game swish,

Air ball, so thinkin' and waitin' for a wish.

and Two:

BFM, the name is what you gonna be feelin'

Don't dribble close cuz I be stealin',

Ball games, your girl, anything I seein'

You can't stop me, Cuz i'm in position,

To take over the world, one game at time,

Dude's be trippin', chick's sayin' im fine.

But they ain't frontin', they ain't lyin'

My sick rhymes got other rapper's cryin'.

Before you get on, stop and think for minute,

You'll get your chance, now juss lemme finish.

Came into the world, with 'Tucky on top,

Now running with The Wall, dimes on the drop,

Anything you can do, I can do better,

Like Em said in 8Mile, im runnin' with chedda.

So when they say they game me, I say let 'em

They'll try their best, and then get all fed up.

We'll see who stays on top of this lil rap mountian,

I'm the Niagara falls, baby you're just a fountain.

When you bridge falls down and you be drownin'

Come see me flyin high and start my clownin'.

Winds Blowin'

2010-05-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

A Fall Frolic

Summer serenity comes to a halt in the cold November breeze,

As I careen from my concourse to the street corner kiln.

I see the flickers of my soul coaxing flying sparks,

As a destitute chases the ephemeral flames,

Hoping to preserve the charitiable calidity, if only for a moment.

Lazing past the blacksmith, I share his quotidian woes,

I stop and see his futility:

Clanging incorrigible iron with resignation.

I shed a tear for his trouble,

And despite his imprecations, stumble silently onwards.

I waft past the weekend paramour, reminiscing on a love's lost refrain,

Cradling the progeny of loneliness from the pestilence of frost.

I see a beacon of shadow--nay, a lantern--by her side,

Revealing effete porcelain against the backdrop of misery,

And a touch of rouge, which paints the sky blood.

Finding no swallows, I drift aimlessly into the night,

Nipping at the coattails of a furtive titmouse,

Despite my malicious malingering, I am craven,

For I dare not approach my nemesis, brother Boreas.

No Delphi is needed for this portent: my hourglass turns no more.

All is quiet as diaphanous snowflakes blanket the ground,

At last! A tenuous slumber, like a callow youth in his mother's clasp.

Recollecting past opulence, and present penury,

I glimpse my vestige in the frigid river bed and cry.

I am many.

I am one.

Broken voices, like broken glass strewn across the sand, whisper:

I am summer's waif, now old and weary,

Forgotten in the wake of this autumn dreary.

Wrightfully Yours

2010-04-27T15:46:00.001-07:00

Into The Black

It is a quiet night, with not a gale to be heard,

Neither the chatter of men, nor the squawk of a bird.

The moon is but faint, and the stars hiding, shy!

Not even a firefly to light up the night sky.

The mariner looks out and sees a mirage,

Of a lovely lady; it must be a facade!

He sees bundles of joy, and the dinner table set,

Expecting flagons of ale, and many a jest.

He yells, "Be gone, young runts, get out of my sight!

In your mother's company, do I dine tonight."

Yet, with a jolt, he wakes up furious and wet,

At an errant wave that did his delusion upset.

Peering into the black, the lonely sailor screams:

"Where is my love and all of my dreams?"

Writing

2010-04-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Two Hands

Two tickets brought into question.

An unexpected answer:

Friendship.

Mirror, mirrors on the all the walls!

Chubby and then skinny,

Giggling.

Gluttony for the sake of bravado.

A challenge overcome!

One smile.

On the wheel, kissing the horizon.

Stuck at the very top,

Heart racing!

Watching the pregnant sun swell,

Appearing to burst into,

Burgundy.

Finally, a cotton candy ecstasy: sticky sweet.

Now two hands as one.

Bliss.

Finished Reading:

- "Octopussy and The Living Daylights" by Ian Fleming

Currently Reading:

- "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad

- "Clouds" by some Greek dude

Reading

2010-04-11T10:32:00.001-07:00

Finished:

"Dr. No" by Ian Fleming

In progress:

"Octopussy and the Living Daylights" by Ian Fleming

Quote on Yahoo Sports from some random person:

"Went to the game last night, and Kanter was really strong. He ditched Washington for Kentucky? Well F this kid for that. Calipari is running some kind of show there. Starting to hate that program more than Duke."

Ah Kentucky, its good to be back ;).

Nice Try, Thanks for playing.

2010-04-09T18:21:00.001-07:00

Goodbye title hopes. Goodnight, talks of a number one seed. Adios, NCAA tourney? Well, it may be a frightening possibility. Patterson, Cousins, Bledsoe, Wall, and Baby Face?? Yes! Even Daniel 3-points-3-rebounds-per-game Orton, is gone. That was one very brief shining moment. :(

Why It Hurts

2010-03-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

In Kentucky basketball is more than just a game. It is a source of inspiration and hope. Today was just painful. In Kentucky's shortcoming, we see our own. A dream deferred, a tear for its passing.

What It Means

2010-03-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo Sports (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-sweet16032110&prov=yhoo&type=lgns):

"At Kentucky, basketball is the school’s identity. No expense is spared for the finest in facilities, support, housing, travel and coaching salaries. It’s not just that losing isn’t tolerated, not winning enough isn’t either. UK has seven NCAA titles and is desperate to win its first since 1998. This is a program with blind ambition and its honesty in that pursuit is part of what makes the Cats so endearing."

Could I have said it better? Probably not.

How Sweet It Is!

2010-03-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Rock-Chalk-Championship? I think not. Why you ask? One word: Ali Farokhmanesh! I guess thats two words. Anyway you get the point. This season's tournament has been all about unpredictability. With Villanova, Kansas, Vanderbilt, and New Mexico, all falling against *significantly* lower seeds, no team is safe. Parity baby, its catching up! Now on to more important things. The Wildcats are coming on strong, and its Big Red against the gigantic, lovable, Big Blue. Go 'Cats!

Reading Recap:

- "Restaurant and the End of the Universe" by Douglass Adams

- "Glory Road" by Don Haskins

- "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" by E.A. Poe (Reread)

Dogs

2010-02-12T16:55:00.001-08:00

A touching story (and a must-read for dog people):

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/02/12/war.dogs/index.html?iref=allsearch

Beauty

2010-02-01T13:39:00.001-08:00

Just watch (thanks to Woodsy for the pointer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT2sQ7KIQ-E

Mirth

2010-01-18T17:49:00.001-08:00

Good weekend. Hike of epic proportions, making for a good story. Kentucky win (its Cat-City Baaaabeeee!). Catching up with *not just one* but TWO old friends! And now a poem that I wrote a while back for an previously mentioned friend (a small prize for whomever can guess who it is about):

Erro

I am a waif seeking my hearth,

In the middle of this blinding blizzard.

How do I find myself, withering in a tempest

That is beyond the bulwark of my lighthouse?

Where is the beacon amongst these furies?

I seek the lyre that marshaled the Agronauts.

But without a steersman, my rowing is in vain!

Amo te, mea cara, sed non amas me.

Tibi canto hoc carminem, mihi dices tamen nihil.

As lonely as a cloud: Erro,

Bound by the judgment of unrequited love.

Yet, I must forage ahead into the depths,

Into a mirthless madness, a tearful sadness.

Thinking

2010-01-10T21:01:00.001-08:00

Wrote this for my friend. RIP buddy.

Blessed

Dearest friend, on this lonely night,

To you, I thought that I may write.

Marvelous fun had we, many a time,

Be it capricious jests, or silly rhymes.

After countless joys, only now a tear,

Sadly I am without you I fear.

But to have known you: for that I'm blessed!

Content, that in celestial arms you shall rest.

And now this final sentiment I share:

Tibi, amice, semper pulcher.

The Reading Railroad

2010-01-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Completed:

- "The Enchantress of Florence" by Salman Rushdie

- "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" by Douglas Adams

In Progress:

- "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling

- "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" by Douglas Adams

Now another poem written about another dear friend:

Summertime

The sailboat clouds waft across the blueberry sky,

And I see the jacarandas sighing,

Giving away their children to the soft brown earth.

I stare at the heavens, watching Zephyrus

Coax the marshmallow puffs to and fro,

Sitting with my darling, sharing a lolly,

Hoping summer never ends,

Like this shaggy-dog yarn, lazing about the lawn,

Or the single cherry blossom lingering on the big old tree,

Not yet ready to let go.

Ah! Those popsicle summers, with my lollipop lover,

And the dreams of a childhood, past and gone.

A New Year

2010-01-02T18:46:00.001-08:00

Woohoo! We beat Pitino! Another poem to start the new year. This was written a while ago for a dear friend:

A Vernal Waltz

As the morning dawns, we survey the stony path,
And we step gingerly upon the pristine ground,
Watching dew drops kiss fragile shoots.

The day is new, and we careen into the strange lands.
Furtive Apoidea flit unseen amongst our arbor neighbors,
While we frolic together in the springtime splendor.

Sweat beads on our foreheads as we weather high noon.
A reprise! The grand forest engulfs an emerald glade,
And we slip into the soothing embrace of a mountain steam.

Alas! The sun is falling, and time now belongs to the stars.
As the light bursts into brilliant orange, then soft burgundy,
We cherish a glimpse of a purple phantasm in the treetops.

Now night, the jacarandas wilt upon the velvet earth.
The path is worn, buttressing into a quiet end.
Yet, our friendship endures, a frieze upon the cornice.

Football

2009-12-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

We are 8-0 woohoo! Also, random tidbit: Notre Dame is the Duke of college football. They are overrated.

Another Poem

2009-12-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

Love is like a sad-faced clown

Love is like a sad-faced clown,

With salty tears that tumble down,

Her face, as they paint the world with cheer,

Trying to banish that awful drear.

Every day she prepares to play,

That false facade, that sweet charade,

Of happiness that can never be,

A wondrous joy that would set her free.

I am like a jester's frown,

Amiss amongst the vibrant life 'round.

Caught in this torrid misery,

Until my love returns to me.

I lived, I loved, I was her crown,

Yet, she left me and this town,

For that seductive tempter and his ilk,

Thinking greener pastures of that filth.

Now I hope to find that thug to strike,

He who stole my love, my life.

And so I famish, filled with tears,

With loneliness that only her heart could clear.

Day 05

2009-11-23T23:15:00.000-08:00

Sit-ups: 75
Push-ups: 43

Day04

2009-11-22T14:46:00.001-08:00

Sit-ups: 75
Push-ups: 30

For keeping a promise made three years ago (to one of the best Professor's I have ever had):
"The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" by Edgar Allan Poe

An essay to follow in a month or so.

Reading

2009-11-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Finished (at last!):

- "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Currently Reading:

- "Enchantress of Florence" by Salman Rushdie

Day03

2009-11-17T17:24:00.000-08:00

Sit-ups: 75

Push-ups: 30

Completed Reading:

"Shalimar The Clown" by Salman Rushdie

Still Reading:

"Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Learning At All Costs

2009-11-16T21:20:00.000-08:00

Today is a day for introspection, so of course, I will be talking about someone other than myself. This person happens to be one of my best friends: Mike. I met Mike back in high school; and though we did not go to same school or live in the same city, we both shared an interest in math and science (aha! you have discovered that we are n3rds, but I promise: no long equations in this post). After a couple years of meeting up at Cal State Long Beach or JPL for various mental fitness challenges, we developed a strong friendship. Luckily, Mike and I both ended up at Pasadena for college and we both continued to commiserate on eclectic cornucopia of problems: from the dearth of women to the dearth of good ways to solve that oh-so-pesky differential equation. Over the years, we struggled through problem sets, all-nighters, Firefly, and the requite college drunken-ribaldry. Through these travails, we both learned a lot from each other--about physics, electrical engineering, and life in general.

Now, here is the curious thing about Mike. Whenever he is presented with something new (or something plain interesting), he will try to understand it completely. No matter how much time it takes. No matter how many sleepless nights it takes. No matter how much effort it takes. Despite impeding deadlines, lack-of-sleep, and hunger (although the latter probably is a falsehood), Mike will understand away till he figures that thing out. As a result, in college, Mike didn't always end up with highest grade or the most timely solution to his problems sets; but he sure as hell learned more than anyone else.

Well, you might ask, what was the point of all this effort if he didn't get the top grade, or the most-coveted-fellowship, or some other reward? The answer is simple. He put in the effort to learn something because it bought him pleasure. Because he wanted to discover something for himself. Mike developed a penchant for trying to understand something for the sake of understanding it. Learning at all costs. This is the lesson I should have learned from Mike many years ago (certainly pertinent one as I deal with the consequence of a not-so-happy quantum midterm); an approach to life that I am now, after five years, happily taking. And since I did promise that were would be no long equations, I will leave you with a short one:

Learning for the love of it = Happiness

You can read about Mike's latest curiosities at his website cum blog: intellectualpornography.com (I promise, this is a legit link).

Day 02

2009-11-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

Sit-ups: 75

Push-ups: 30

Yesterday (Day 01)

2009-11-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

Sit-ups: 75

Push-ups: 25

Read:

- "The White Tiger" by Arvind Adiga

Reading:

- "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

3.14

2009-10-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

"Life of Pi" by Yann Martel is just one of those books that I couldn't bring myself to read again (for a while at least). I read this novel about 7 months ago, and was simply enchanted by the charming story. Yet, I was left with a lingering sadness after reading the conclusion of the book. Ah! the sweet irony. To write a book that it is pleasurable to read--though it leaves the reader haunted. I guess that is what defines an excellent novelist.

School begins

2009-10-03T16:25:00.001-07:00

Here goes the first term:

PH125a, APH130, EE187. Hopefully I will make it through! Now, at long last, a few words about my India trip. It was awesome and relaxing; the end result of the trip was that I developed a affection for Kingfisher beer. I leave you with a picture that I took in India during a thunderstorm.

Back to School

2009-09-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

So summer is finally over, and the work load is about to begin. In the spirit of back to school shopping, I finally bought a slipcase for my Dell 640m laptop. It's a black case logic one this is very similar to this one on Amazon. I figure that protecting my laptop (something that I haven't necessarily been doing for the past couple years :/) might make it last significantly longer--and by that I mean: keep my hard drive crash free for longer. Hopefully this guy as a couple more good years in it!

Reading update:

- "Malgudi Days" by RK Narayan

Still reading:

- "Shalimar the Clown" by Salman Rushdie
- "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Movie of the Year

2009-09-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

"District 9". Without a question. This is the movie that will make you think: "Wow, we humans can be real assholes." I'll admit, I am a definitely a fan of the war movie genre; whereas, the science fiction genre only strikes a chord for me if the story is ridiculously awesome (i.e. "Starship Troopers", the book and the movie). However, after seeing this movie, I am fairly convinced that this the best example of a science fiction/war-movie that I have ever seen or read--I tend to "read" movies on wikipedia when I don't have time to watch them. Most movies, and science fiction movies in particular, cast humans as the protagonists. Of course, this is a natural choice, as people tend to empathize better with whom they relate to (yes, I guess we are all natuarlly racist). However, what "Letters from Iwo Jima" did for the Japanese in WW2, "District 9" does for the aliens; it casts them in the role of hero. Furthermore, this is a rare movie where the main character is able to go through character development, resulting in a bildungsroman-esque plot. Unfortunately, the denoument is postponed for a sequel--or perhaps the viewers imagination. The emotional twists that this movie plays on the audience are indescribable; honestly, the only advice I can give is: see it for yourself.

Jackassery and Mothers

2009-09-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

In one swift stoke, Kanye West reaffirmed that--despite his musical talents--he is a grade-A-douchebag. By stealing a kid's limelight (let's not forget that 19 still qualifies you as a teenager) to make a scene (and an ass [of himself]) Kanye West alienated a whole new generation of fans. Some fast googling action will give you the inside scoop on his other gaffs. Incidentally, Michael Jordan did something similar a couple days earlier. Fortunately, I don't like Michael; unfortunately, I did like Kanye. There goes another would-have-been-awesome-if-not-for-a-fatal-character-flaw person. And speaking of character flaws, don't piss off Serena Williams, because she might just want to stuff a tennis ball up one of your orifices; but don't take my word for it---chances are she will tell you this directly! Too bad, Kim Clijsters's insane I-am-a-mother-of-a-child comeback win for the 2009 US Open makes Serena an afterthought. BOOM THO for the underdog, or the undermom as the case may be.

Song Of The Summer!

2009-09-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Real quick: There is no song (currently) that is better than Keri Hilson's "Knock You Down". Aaaaaand, she's cute ;).

Summertime Reading

2009-09-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

A short update on my reading:

Casino Royale - Ian Fleming
For Your Eyes Only - Ian Fleming
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Speaker For The Dead - Orson Scott Card
Catcher In The Rye - JD Salinger

Currently Reading:

Shalimar The Clown - Salmaan Rushdie
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

A Tear For Its Passing

2009-09-01T22:29:00.001-07:00

Pasadena is on fire, and my India trip was good. More on that later. But now, what should have been written two months ago, I now present:

Echoes

I am an urn.
Fat and squat.
Filled with the ashes of dreams gone by.
Stuffed with a diamond that has lost its luster.
Alone in this sill, yet surrounded by joy.
A cruel consequence of eternal life.

I am a tombstone.
Old and gray.
Preening, marking, the not-so-hallowed earth.
Where memories lay buried, beneath the soil.
Where flowers, reverence, and tears are served.
Where I alone must weather. that which life could not withstand.

I am the noose.
Flaccid and rough.
Tired, because it has been so long.
Crying, craving, that warming touch:
A human warmth, and that bittersweet caress.
Knowing, that in but a few moments, that too will pass.

RIP man, we will miss you.

Ode Part III

2009-07-08T14:58:00.001-07:00

Ahab: congratulations and thank so very, very, very, very much for making me bankrupt! ;)

Ode Part II

2009-06-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooo Crazy! You know who are ;).

Start of Summer

2009-06-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Good news and bad :(. Jesus, life is so damn random.

What actually got done:
- "Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
- "Devil in a Blue Dress" by Walter Mosley
- "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger

In progress:
- "The Catcher in the Rye" by JD Salinger (A re-read)
- "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Summer Reading

2009-05-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

What was read so far:

The Last Don - Mario Puzo
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Swami And Friends - R.K. Narayan
The Second Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
Logan's Run - William Nolan and George Johnson
Prey - Michael Crichton

In progress:

Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

Yet to come:

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
Kim - Rudyard Kipling (Yes, I promise I will actually get to this!)
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Solaris - Stanislaw Lem
Disgrace - J.M. Coetzee

Gator Bait'ed

2009-02-10T20:23:00.001-08:00

6 seconds left, 5 seconds left.....Jodie Meeks gets the ball and.........SCORES! A trifecta, he shot that all the way from Atlanta! Lights out baby, its OVER! Seriously, take a look outside: even the Moon went home. The Skid is over, it's Cat City right now in Rupp!

Ode to the White Whale

2009-02-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

AHAB! WELL DONE!

Books so far:

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
The First Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Yet to come:

The Second Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling
Kim - Rudyard Kipling
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

No Talent All Heart

2009-02-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

So the verdict is in. Seems like I made it....barely. I guess I still need to sweat it out and get the fundamentals. It's fine: if you coach benches you, you just have to practice twice as hard. Finally, a peculiar observation: it seems like my fortunes and Big Blue's fortunes are inexplicably coupled. Here's to hoping for a good March run for the both of us.

Like A Wave

2009-01-20T21:20:00.001-08:00

Things good and bad:

- Jodie drops 54 BIG ONES against the Vols! Goodbye Issel, hello Meeks!
- Obama! Finally, a president that I actually voted for!
- First one didn't go so well. Hopefully the other two will be better.

Like a leaf upon a wave, I must ride the ebbs and flows.

Waning Poetic

2009-01-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

Dusk

Finally: all is quiet in the world,
Blanketed by a deafening silence.
The day is old and weary,
And waves its final goodbye.
Neither a bang, nor a whimper,
But a tear for its passing.
The tangerine-reds linger,
clinging, clawing against futility,
Like a sticky, sweet syrup,
Refusing to climb down the throat.
Finally: the sun melts into the horizon,
Waning like the candle by the bedside,
Resisting the night's assault,
To keep from being snuffed, but for a moment.
I rest my head on my pillow,
At last embraced by quiet shadows.

Sportsdude of the Year

2008-12-26T17:41:00.000-08:00

Dwyane Wade (yes, it's sorta spelled backwards). The dude bought a waifed family furnishings and made several house payments for a new house. Not hesitant to spread the Christmas joy, he also threw a party for 350 kids and hosted another 100 on the December 23rd Heat game. What a good a dude!

Wheezing the Juice

2008-12-22T09:42:00.000-08:00

The weather has decided to wage war against California. Using an evil power called rain, the clouds have launched an epic attack on the ground, leaving us all cold and wet. In fact, it is so cold outside that it's almost like an ice age. Now, ice ages remind me of weasels: the mildly-retarded kind from "Ice Age", and the fully-retarded kind from "Encino Man". Heeeeey buuuuuudy........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1hEKqZz-OY

Goles

2008-12-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

New goals for this month:
1) Pass Classes
2) Figure out that stupid coin trick
3) Beat Sameer at tennis like OSU whomped on Michigan.

Leaves Turning Blue

2008-11-30T20:24:00.000-08:00

With another fantastically horrible end to the college football season, one thing is for certain: Kentucky SUCKS at football. In better news, we won the Las Vegas Invitation in basketball. Boom Tho!

A Quick Recap:

1) T. Hans is too good for college. Like JJ Reddick before him, he has ascended to the throne of "The Most Hated Player In College". Hopefully he will get drafted by the Pistons.

2) S. Curry is INSANE. So insane that a team decided to double team him for an entire game, regardless of what he was doing. Yes, you read that correctly. He stood in a corner the entire game, and they still doubled teamed him. He whistled himself a dandy tune, and they still double teamed him. He ate some popcorn Bill Walker style, and they still doubled teamed him. You get the idea. Lesson Learned: Playing a basketball game 3-on-4 will result in you losing by 30 points.

3) Michigan State, as usual, is overrated. Good job 'Terps on defeating a fantastically over-valued team.

Keepin' Up With the Joneses

2008-11-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

One interception, and 10 yards away from the biggest win of this season. Yet, we came up a little short. I hope that ridiculous 2009 recruiting class will change things for next year. In other news, November always brings basketball--which is sorta like a early holiday present! Go Billy G! Go Cats!

Southern Hospitality

2008-09-01T11:41:00.001-07:00

Visit to the mother-state was good. It's refreshing and humbling to know how kind people can be. In other news: five recruits, one at the last minute. This is a completely NEW team. Only three players are competing from last year's active roster (Patterson, Porter, and Stevenson). Watch as the Cats come strong!

Like Paper Before The Poem

2008-07-27T21:30:00.001-07:00

So far:

"The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde
"The Inheritance of Loss" by Kiran Desai
"Contact" by Carl Sagan

Yet to come:

"God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
"The Famished Road" by Ben Okri
"Sophie's Choice" by William Styron

Summertime

2008-07-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

"I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry = AWESOME.

Pasadena Part II

2008-04-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

After a long recruitment process, I've decided to play football for............the University of California....Just Kidding! I've decided to play four more years for Coach Scherer. Hopefully, Part II will be more fun than the first round. In other news, Memphis lost!! Rock. Chalk. Championship. I think next year will be great for Big Blue. With big PP leading the way, and some ridiculous incoming recruits (a la 2004), we should be a solid Tourney team.

The First Of Many?

2008-04-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Decisions loom. Whether to leave or stay, that is the question.

Pieces of Bread

Bond, James Bond

Day 02

From Fat to Fit

More Reading!

March Madness Begins with Books!

New Year and More Books

Thoughts

Haiku

Biking and Summer Reads

Journey

Embers

Raps by the N.B.F.M.

Winds Blowin'

Wrightfully Yours

Writing

Reading

Nice Try, Thanks for playing.

Why It Hurts

What It Means

How Sweet It Is!

Dogs

Beauty

Mirth

Thinking

The Reading Railroad

A New Year

Football

Another Poem

Day 05

Day04

Reading

Day03

Learning At All Costs

Day 02

Yesterday (Day 01)

3.14

School begins

Back to School

Movie of the Year

Jackassery and Mothers

Song Of The Summer!

Summertime Reading

A Tear For Its Passing

Ode Part III

Ode Part II

Start of Summer

Summer Reading

Gator Bait'ed

Ode to the White Whale

No Talent All Heart

Like A Wave

Waning Poetic

Sportsdude of the Year

Wheezing the Juice

Goles

Leaves Turning Blue

Keepin' Up With the Joneses

Southern Hospitality

Like Paper Before The Poem

Summertime

Pasadena Part II

The First Of Many?