Name:Rex Country:United States State:California Metro:Los Angeles Birthday:2/16/1981 Gender:Male
Interests:Watching movies, cooking/eating, reading, trying to change the world Expertise:Pop-Culture Occupation:Computer related (Internet) Industry:Education/Research
It's funny.. every so often someone posts on xanga and usually makes the comment, "man, I have been ignoring this thing. I should update it more often" and then nothing for a couple of months, if at all.
Anyways, I am very close to the maximum vacation days at work (I would have hit it next month, I think), so I decided to just take Mondays off for the rest of August. Decided to do this because with the mandatory furlough days coming, I just need to burn some days and could use a break for myself.
My plan for August is to really try to get into a more active pattern, since I have been such a lazy bum these past few months/year. I have started re-tracking my diet and trying to work out more often.
Goal is for the end of the month to do the Mt Wilson hike (~13 miles) that I have always been meaning to hike. It seems like a good goal and a good way to mark the end of summer. Thinking of hiking it alone, but if anyone else is up to it, let me know (might send out an email later, but planning for the hike on Aug 30th, which is Sunday and I doubt many people would be up for it).
So my workout/activity schedule is hopefully: Monday- running or going for a hike Tues/Thurs - swimming class; lift weights afterwards Weds - 2 dance classes (yeah.. it isn't that much of a work out.. but it is active moving)
While watching the 2009 Oscars tonight I saw that a short called "La Maison en Petits Cubes" won the best animated short and I had no clue what that film was about. I generally like the animated shorts, because they are usually silent films, in that they usually have no written dialog and I always find that intriguing.
I found the short chopped up into two parts on YouTube. I hope you all get to see it before it gets taken down. My thoughts on the short following the links:
Just such a beautiful story of visiting the past, with a subtle hint of environmentalism, melting polar ice caps to boot. What really got to me was that in the beginning I felt kinda sad for seeing an old and lonely man eating dinner by himself and felt sorry for him. So, when he loses his smoking pipe, I am like.. dude.. just get another one, or maybe you should just stop smoking. You know, the general asinine popular attitude towards smoking.
But that pipe was more than just a pipe, it was literally a gateway to his past. And he wasn't a lonely old man, in his life he found his true love. He has lead a full and complex life with so many layers of good memories. And it is true for hopefully all of us. We all grow older and our lives are built on our previous experiences, for the better or worst. So the best we can hope for is to fine someone to help built it with together. Right?
Chipolte opens in Westwood. Several co-workers and I went and stood in line to get free burritos and drinks.
March
Decided to go to Peru, so went on some hikes and started going to the Sand Dunes in Manhattan Beach.
Had my first oil change for my Honda Fit.
David's Bachelor Party Weekend up at Big Bear.
Went to Kaiser for the first time to get my vaccine shots and pills. Then called in sick the next day because the tetanus shot made my arms hurt so much that I couldn't raise them very high.
Went to San Diego to this very nice beach side condo for my nephew's birthday
Hiked Mt Baldy with snow still on the ground by myself (well, meet some helpful people along the way). Then went to a strip club for Jay's "pre-bachelor" party (don't know why). But was basically bad company that night since I was so tired and hurting.
Went to the UCLA Run/Walk, but ended up bailing on it, because I had a nose bleed right before the start of the race.
Saw "My Fair Lady" at the Los Angeles Music Center
Left for Peru and hiked to Manchu Picchu on the Salkantay Trail. Amazing views along the hike. I also learned I hate camping.
Was sick for the next 3 working days after Peru because of really bad indigestion.
Volunteered at the Festival of Books and got to guide authors to their speaking events.
Went to an on-campus salsa event for Cinco de Mayo
Watched "Emergence" at the Geffen Playhouse
Dragged Beckie and Stefani to watch the Hot Hot Heat (one of my favorite bands) at a free concert at the Grove.
Great free BBQ on-campus for Chancellor Gene D. Block’s inauguration
Did the Great LA River Cleanup Day
Went hiking again for the first time after Peru. Ended up hiking for 3 consecutive weekends and ruining my knees. The first hike was the "forever" hike with Vince Hua and Sherman. Then the Mt Baldy hike with Sherman and Mimi's friends. Then Zeeshawn's "getting lost" hike up at NorCal.
Had a pretty damn good clubbing experience at V20 for Memorial Day Weekend
June
Started selling my first of many items using Amazon Marketplace. I know this because I wrote down "Mail toaster" for June 2nd.
Went to a Real Estate 101 seminar for Recent UCLA Grads on-campus and learned what sub-prime loans were. I thought they were loans that had the interest rate under the prime value. Then became more interested in the economic system once it started crashing.
Watched "Shipwrecked!" at the Geffen Playhouse.
LA Film Festival!!!! My favorite time of the year. This year I got the package to go to the opening and closing movie premieres. So worth it!
Watched Wall-E. Amazing.
July
Watched a free screening of Tropic Thunder a month before its official release.
Started my first ever swimming lessons
Had my ears cleaned out at the doctor's because I was going deaf. I thought it was because I got water in my ears, but they were just dirty. Had tons of shots and blood drawn just to see the doctor.
Went to my first Luche Libre event & burlesque show for Jay's birthday.
Tried running after X-many weeks of not doing anything. My knee still hurt.
Went to the Annual All-Staff Picnic at UCLA
EAA Leadership Retreat at this very nice law office building in downtown
Went to the Dance Downtown event at the LA Music Center for salsa
Annual Vegas trip with Aditya and VinceM. Learned that you should not let anyone stand in front of your dreams. Meaning that guys can get into Tao without girls. But also learned that it is kinda overrated.
Went to my first Oktoberfest in someplace in Long Beach.
Went to the Queen Mary for Halloween. Got scared at times.. damn shadows!! Also found out that VinceM is literally fearless. Almost like a robot.
Took a leap and fell.
November
Went to Mass for the first time in many years. I was lucky that the first time I went they had a special program and played Mozart's Requiem with a full orchastra and it was soul moving.
Tailgated for the UCLA vs Oregon game. The tailgate was so much more fun than the game itself. I can now see why people can go to the stadium and just spend all their time outside and not watch the game.. well.. not really. Why not just BBQ at your own places? Oh, maybe because they don't have backyards?
December
Ray's going away dinners/events
Dim Sum
Christmas show at El Cid
Choose to go with AT&T and the iPhone 3G since my Sprint contract just ended
