Gettin' Ill, Gettin' Merry, Gettin' Squirrely

Been sick.

And the holiday mess is in full swing.

Update possibly this weekend.

For now, enjoy:

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The Knife - Heartbeats

Ending Note: Drive safe folks.

Fuzzy Role Models

I should go to bed, but will post instead.

See what I did there? I rhymed. 

Went to catch a showing of The Muppets with Red last week, and was amazingly entertained – and not “amazingly” in such as I was surprised to be entertained, but my level of being entertained was amazing. Keep up folks, I can’t waste web space explaining everything for you.

Thought about fuzzy, multi-colored puppets for the following two days, and came to the conclusion that the Muppets are a great source of open minded motivation towards multiculturalism.

There’s a green frog that plays protagonist. Blue weirdo married to a chicken. Pink backup singers to a purple caveman rhasta. And flying penguins. Lots of flying penguins.

In the Muppet world, there is no color, national, ethnic, or even species based division. Their world is built on music, fun, and friendship. They teach us and make us laugh.

This may have been the most fortunate time for them to make a comeback.

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Odessa Chen - Deer Perspectives

Ending Note: Mahna Mahna

You Didn't Have To Be There

Just found some quotes that I wrote down a couple weeks back.

Was at the Giants, Niners game, and my friends are hilarious, so it just took a few beers and, well...

"What does that monkey mean to you?"

"Just because you can tuck it in, doesn't make it okay."

"The last free ticket I had, I went to a Christina Aguilera concert."

"How does one purchase a gold weenie?"

All the above came out as standard conversation, from various people of course, but in deadpan delivery. That's how my folks roll.

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Tool - Schism

Ending Note: Hug your friends. It's a good thing to do.

Looking Up From The Grave

I've got this whole post coming up on Muppets, but just can't get myself into that mode right now.

On a completely different mark, been thinking about death recently, but not on an entirely morbid, dark sort of way. More along the vein of the things I'd like to do before its eventual arrival. The things I can do now to postpone the finish line and enjoy the race. How much it'll cost, and what day of the week is best for a wake. You know, the mundane to shiny parts of death that we forget to touch upon when the gong hits, and you're faced with mortality, death rattles, and oh so many tears.

It can't be all negativity and bereavement - nothing is so absolute. 

There are the memories of the past; everyone loves a good story, and who better to be the hero than the newly departed?

Inspiration. Hell, it wasn't until after their deaths that Thoreau or van Gogh became the pieces of history we know them as today.

Tragedy brings people closer together. There's probably nothing that cures a family squabble faster than the mourning of a shared member.

This comes with the weight of sensitivity, but death brings not just financial responsibility, but also financial gain. An inheritance can help those in need, and in death, continue the cause of providing and protection that one had bestowed on loved ones in life.

Perspective folks. We need more of it.

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The Black Keys - She's Long Gone

Ending Note: When I go, I want folks to smile and laugh. But, you know, with me, not at me.

Finding Home: Part III

NY and DS came with me to my parents' pad for Thanksgiving.

My father's side of the family consists of my immediate family (7) + my grandmother (1) + six uncles and their children, and grandchildren (roughly 30) + an aunt and her children, and grandchildren (7). That makes about 45 folks, although about 30 make it to Thanksgiving each year.

Absolutely love the fact that I grew up with so many people that I got to see eight to ten times a year; now that we're older, the family gets together about half as often. To me, slamming mahjong tiles, sounds of bullets flying and swords clashing from a big screen TV, a never-ending onslaught of food, and too many bodies in a house, well, that makes family. And family is synonymous with holiday.

In less than a month, we do it all again, but at my uncle's place instead.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, family, home - it doesn't matter where, it's all the same to me.

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An Horse - Dressed Sharply

Ending Note: My mom is a better cook than your mom.

The Cost of Living

Spent today with my old roommate DW in the city. We're looking to combine forces once again, and find some housing - preferably in Potrero, Hayes, or anywhere mid-city really. Tough going though, with the housing market the way it is.

We're looking $2300 or lower for a two bedroom apartment, and only had two viewings today. I guess that's not so bad - I can remember college in Santa Cruz where I shared a two bed, one bath with three other guys; we would each pay $600 a month. 

Supersaturated markets are the pits.

On a different note, I have a couple cousins that live in the Davis area, and this seems to be causing some concern. Occupy stance aside, I found the concerns over the role of the police an interesting point of the article.

In the times of terrorism and economic strife, we probably need more of this protect and serve, rather than distrust and fear.

Think back a bit - what did you first think or feel the last time you saw a cop on the street?

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Silversun Pickups - The Royal We

Ending Note: Short week coming up. And pumpkin pie.

Running In The Night

Just got back from a run down the street. I was gone for fifteen minutes.

Now, this isn't news to most folks out there, but for me, it's kinda cool.

Not since high school (outside of a test run, when I became a cyborg five years ago), have I run a continual distance that you wouldn't consider less than a sprint. My trips to the gym consist of weights, and in the past, twenty minutes on the bicycle machine.

I've always had this somewhat damaged heart (insert melodramatic awwww! here), that kept me from prolonged cardiovascular exercise. In high school, I did find out that I was a decent sprinter; but I acknowledge that to being 5' 11" and 130lbs. more than anything.

I decided on a run tonight because I had talked myself out of going to the gym after work, had dinner, and followed that up with a dessert of guilt and self abhorrence.

It feels good though, the exertion. This brings me back to a time in my years just after high school when I discovered weight training, but I'll get into that another time. For now, I'll just enjoy the endorphins. You? You should go for a run.

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Snow Patrol - Spitting Games

Ending Note: Empty streets are nice at night.