a month already?

i guess it has been.
how quickly it passed.
yet how long it seemed..

unknowingly, i had quite an eventful month!

i moved on the first to a new room in a cool apartment in north oakland/temescal. i'm right by a bike shop, a pizza spot i frequented even before the move, and tons of korean restaurants. not to mention quick riding distance from downtown oakland, berkeley, and the macarthur BART station and bike shuttle. my life definitely got a lot easier.

an interesting note on the move though: i shared the room for the first week with ellie, the girl who previously rented it. she hadn't a new place yet and i couldn't possibly put anyone out, especially someone who seemed (and proved to be) pretty cool and nice. so we hung out a bunch and got to know each other. she eventually found a place in berkeley and seems to be doing well. the funny thing is, we met legitimately in the evening of january first, having already had an exchange earlier that day when my cousins (who helped me move) and i went for pizza at the aforementioned spot where it turns out she works.

i went to a gun show with a bunch of friends. we were among the few minorities in the place, sticking out like so many sore thumbs. they had old guns and new guns and knives and antiques and swords and really just all sorts of junk. it was pretty neat. especially how the NRA was at the entrance proposing to buy our ticket if we signed up with them. to do what? i'm not quite sure. i was impressed they even approached us, a chinese guy, five latins, and one half black half japanese fellow.

i worked a shift at a bingo parlor. my friend frank works there one evening a week and last week they were shorthanded, so i came through. oh my goodness was this an experience. selling tickets to all these intense gamblers of all races, backgrounds, and generations with all their good luck buddhas and teddy bears.. what a sight. within a few hours i had the splittingest headache, and i can't remember the last time i'd gotten a headache. i doubt i'll ever do that again.

donut shop robbers were apprehended a block away from my house!! okay this story is nutters. so late last week a couple guys robbed a donut shop about half a mile from here. they were tailed back to a house where they holed up, but the police showed up, shut down eight square blocks and were able to get him out. my housemate daniel and i were talking about the situation and heard the POP POP shots that we later found out were the bean bag rounds they used to subdue the guy. oh oakland, you make a brooklyn boy feel right at home.

i joined a team for the tour de cure, a bike ride fundraiser to fight diabetes. this is going to be cool! it's a ride through napa valley in may. i'm doing the 50 mile route, unless i man up by then and push for the century. we'll see how long rides on my ss cx bike go in the next months. you can donate/sponsor me here: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/TDC557228030?pg=personal&fr_id=5065&fr_id=5065&px=4027477 i'm on team lanesplitter! (the lanesplitter is the pizza spot mentioned twice already. daniel my housemate also works there and is captain of the team. woah!) i'm gonna rock a lanesplitter jersey! sweet! but i'm still doing the ride in baggy shorts.

for my job i am beginning to do work at other sites, and feeling like a real construction management rep. with my own master key and everything. i also applied to another job at a fabrication studio. but i don't want to jinx anything so i won't say more.

and lastly, for my art i am shooting more, and working on images more, and i picked up a printer so i can hopefully print some good images for a portfolio or something of that nature.

okay i'm hitting the mental wall now, and i feel like i've said enough anyways. like my life is really that interesting? the most important thing is having the right attitude and spending your time well. that is the purpose. if i can be so convicted..

lack

sorry for no posting.
things in transition, in limbo, in development.
i'll fill it all in soon. and add photos too.
in the meantime watch my brother's big head.
and me and my wonderful sis-in-law.

this is just another day

days like these, in between years,
how are you looking back?
and how are you looking forward?
it feels like the time to reflect.
accepting the tribulations,
learning from the mistakes,
priding the accomplishments,
cherishing the good times,
and most importantly:
planning the new ones.

this is just another day.
that happens to be the new year.
full of opportunity. and potential. and promise.
will you make this year what it could be?
for yourself and those around you;
do well and you will be well.