March 31, 2004
It's raining and I'm doing nothing. What happenned to "in like a lion, out like a lamb." I got paid today though (a day earlier than expected), so I may splurge on something. Or maybe not.

Friends & Family coupon for this weekend:
33% off coupon for Footlocker or Champs Sports.

March 30, 2004
Baseball season opens up today. I still enjoy the baseball season a lot, even if most of the people I know couldn't care less as they wait for football season to start. Hopefully my Mets can make some noise this year.

This Saturday Night, April 3, there is a concert at the Norva in Norfolk (the front part of Backstage Cafe) featuring a bunch of local bands. One of these bands Breakgreen, good friends of mine. If anybody wants to check them out, it's only $7.50 if you can tickets from the band, or you can get in touch with me and I can get them for you. Don't miss out, it'll be the place to be this Saturday night @ 9pm.

After a long and ardous weekend, I am pretty tired and I think I may be getting a little bit sick. I had a scratchy throat last night and now I've got a congested cough. It's probably the weather, with it changing from warm to cool back to warm in just a few days. And this is normal for me, I always get sick around to first few weeks of spring. It didn't help that I was busy all weekend and got little sleep. I tried to use yesterday to recouperate, but I still feel like sh!t. And then it was pretty busy at work last night. I'm off to get some preventive medicine right now before things get worse.

Did you notice, XBOX just dropped down to $149 everywhere.

March 26, 2004
It's Friday, the end of an unexpectedly busy week for me. I really had nothing planned but I ended up being "on the go" every day. I'm fuctioning on a very limited amount of sleep and I'm going to be out all day today too.

And this weekend may be just as busy. I've got a birthday party saturday at the Apelizan house for Maylea's 1st birthday, and then I've got a christianing party on Sunday for the Alegre's 2nd child.

And this also marks Randy Lansang's final weekend in Virginia as he is headed back to his home in San Diego. He's lived here for the past few months and now his job is offering him a chance to go back to the Pacific Time Zone. We played a round of golf the other day and I showed him who was boss. I beat him 102 strokes to his 104 strokes - Yeah!!! Who's the Man!!!(and those scores were pretty generous - and for those who don't know, 70 would be an average score and you want to get as low a score as possible).

March 25, 2004
Sadly today, I'm attending yet another memorial for the sudden loss of the grandfather of some friends of mine (story 1, story 2). This makes the 3rd memorial service I've attended in the past month. That's 3 too many.

He was struck by a vehicle while he was running across the highway to get directions. Years ago, before the popularity of cell phones, my car broke down on the highway one morning and I pulled over to the inner median (as I'm usually found driving the inside lane). I was right across from an exit that lead straight to an auto shop, where I figured I could use the phone to call a tow truck. I knew it was illegal to do so, but I wanted to get out of there. I got out of my car and looked down the road to a clear highway and I started to jog across the 4 lanes. As I crossed the second lane, I saw traffic coming down the highway fast, really fast. My jog turned into a sprint and I crossed just as the traffic past. I thought to myself "whoa, that was pretty dangerous there. I'm never doing that again." Of course I did have to do it one more time to get back to my car. I should have just sat in my car and waited for help to come, no matter how long it would have taken. But I realized how dangerous it was as cars coming down at 65 - 70mph can come out of nowhere. This was back in late 1996. The next day, I started shopping for a cell phone and I haven't been without one since.

March 24, 2004
Spring officially started this past weekend, but it's been cold all week, until today. It's supposed to be a nice day and I'm gonna try to get some stuff done today. I'm probably going to get a haircut today also. I've been trying to grow it a little bit long, but it's just not working out. It just gets "puffy". And with a haircut, I get to cut down on the amount of shampoo and hair gel I use.

For you redliners, here are a few racing events sponsored by the car makers. These are more than just test drives, but rather actual chances to race their cars:
Mazda has just started up their Rev-it-up tour. Basically, it's a competition you get to race one of their Mazda 3 cars and they give you some racing tips. Closest event to Va Beach is in Washington DC.

Volvo has a similar event in DC coming up.

Mercedes and BMW are also having races with their cars, but nothing close to VA.

March 23, 2004
Local Va Beach boys N.E.R.D. release their sophomore album "Fly or Die" today ($9.98 - Target, $9.99 - Circuit City, $11.99 Best Buy). They sure are giving this release some exposure, compared to the first album, which went virtually unnoticed on its release day (even if it was delayed several times). They are making the talk show rounds also. If you didn't see them on David Letterman last night you can still catch the Virginia Beach Trio on TV sometime:
Tuesday March 23 - Live with Regis & Kelly
Tuesday night March 23 - Last Call with Carson Daly
Wednesday March 24 - The Ellen Degeneres Show
Wednesday night March 24 - Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel
they are also making other appearances on MTV2, Fuse TV, and a bunch of other music venues.

If you want to listen to the full album (for free) first, you can check it out at VH1.com or at the listening party at launch.com as they are the March Artist of the month. If you liked the first album, you'll probably like this. If you didn't like the first album, you won't like this. It does have a heavy rock influence, more than a hip hop influence. There are glimpses of Steely Dan, Steppenwolf, and I even hear a lot of the Beatles on this album.

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This guy can probably beat you at DDR with just one leg - quicktime video

March 19, 2004
Okay, so day 1 of the NCAA tournament didn't exactly go so well for me. I went 10-6, and 4 of those 6 were close games that went to the last minute (and in one case, double overtime). But I'm still in good shape because each team that lost for me yesterday, I had slated to lose in the next round anyways, so my sweet sixteen is still intact. Day 2 should be much better.

I still can't get this Eternal Sunshine movie out of my head, which is ironic because it's a movie about forgetting stuff. But I just liked it that much. It opens today. I've just been watching this tripped out music video for the movie a lot too. And from early reviews, I'm not the only one that likes it.

Dunkin Donuts has got these new coffees,espressos, cappacinos and lattes and from the commercial they look pretty good. So I went to a dunkin donuts on my way home from work. Oddly enough, there's one right next to my work but I didn't go there because they are always busy and the one I went to is run by a bunch of pinoys (I likes to support). So I ask the "auntie" at the counter for one of the new lattes and she said they were out. So I asked for a cappacino and she said they didn't have that either. So I point at the menu poster that shows all the new drinks and ask what they do have, and she says none of them, but later on they might have some. I think she just didn't know how to make them and later on someone who does will be working. It was just the way she told me this that urked me. So I left and didn't get anything. What really sucks though is that I was going to also get a donut for breakfast but by leaving I didn't get anything to eat. Now I'm hungry.

March 18, 2004
The Big Dance starts today. My favorite sporting event of the year. The local CBS station is broadcasting every game via digital cable, so I'll be able to watch as many games possible today and tomorrow. I've cleared my schedule and I'll be parked in front of the TV for the next few days (at least today and friday). After a few HOURS of research, I've finished my brackets. A few rules I went by:
1. There will not be any major upsets in the first 2 rounds. Every year for the past several years , a number 12 seed beats a number 5 seed. This year, it's not going to happen. The upsets I do have are #11 Western Michigan over #6 Vanderbilt , #10 Dayton (formerly coached by ODU alum Oliver Purnell) over #7 Depaul, and #10 Louisville over #7 Xavier (I debated long and hard over that one). I do have every #9 seed beating every #8 seed except for #8 Washington over #9 UAB.
2. All 6 ACC teams will win their first 2 games, putting all of them into the sweet sixteen.
3. Aggressive low post teams will beat out teams that rely on outside shooting.

My Elite 8 breakdown: winning teams in bold
Kentucky vs. Georgia Tech
Wake Forest vs. Pittsburgh
Duke vs. North Carolina (I'm slightly biased here)
Stanford vs. UConn

Final Four:
Georgia Tech vs. Pittsburgh
North Carolina vs. UConn (it was hard to pick against UNC)

Championship Game:
UConn will beat Pittsburgh

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For those not watching basketball, let me persuade you to check out a rerun of the pilot episode of Wonderfalls tonight on Fox. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the first episode a lot. It reminds me a bit of the movie Amelie, but with a bitchy slacker as the leading lady. Some people compare it to Joan of Arcadia, but I wouldn't know. I don't watch that. But check it out because Fox has been known to cancel shows I enjoy and by giving it a timeslot of death, it just may happen.

And about another FOX show: This Sunday FX will be showing a mini-marathon of what has become one of my favorite show on TV, Arrested Development. Starting at 2:30pm, FX will air 6 episodes of this underated yet hilarious sitcom. I luvs this show, but nobody else seems to watch it, and I guess the fact that it airs opposite of Alias doesn't help. But it would be good if one of you fools watched it so that we can "discuss". It is undoubtedly the funniest show on TV (with Scrubs coming a close second).

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Last night I went to see Kanye West and Little Brother in Concert. I was a little apprehensive about going because, although I'm a huge fan of hip hop, most hip hop concerts can be really lame. But I'd bought my ticket weeks ago and it cost a lot. And the show sold out a few days ago and so I went. And I'm glad I did. Little Brother (the critically heralded "underground" cats from North Carolina) was fun and they spoke a lot about how they weren't your run of the mill "bling" rap group, but rather a group that wants to elevate the minds of the crowd. I enjoyed their set. But then Kanye West tore it up. He did all of the "hot" joints from his album (which is almost all of them - great album!) and he worked the crowd really well. Most everybody knew the songs. And he even did the popular songs he produced for other people, but threw in his own verses to make them unique, and he's produced a lot of big hits - "You don't know my name" by Alicia Keyes, "Encore" by Jay-Z, "Stand Up" by Ludacris, "Get By" by Talib Kweli, and so many more. And he had John Legend (talented R&B arist known in hip hop circles) accompany him onstage by singing the background and playing the piano (i'm a big fan of live instrumentation at concerts). Kanye's songs were made to move crowds and it showed last night. I was wary to see how Kanye, the producer, would be in front of a crowd but he came off alright. I would definitely check him out again. He's at the 9:30 club tonight in DC. good times, good times...

And the show ended at 11:40pm, just enough time for me to get to work on time.

March 17, 2004
Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone. I don't really know anybody Irish though. I do drink heineken. And I enjoyed the movie "In America", the story of an Irish family immigrating to New York City.

I still haven't gotten much of a chance to study the NCAA basketball brackets because I was sort of busy at work last night. I was really tired too because I didn't get much of any sleep yesterday. I'm spending all day today working on my brackets though. I take this stuff seriously. If only I could have taken Calculus this seriously.

So why didn't I get much sleep yesterday? Well I went to see a sneak preview of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". There is so much I LOVE about this movie. It's a beautiful Love story unlike any other love story. This is the Jim Carrey movie with Kate Winslet where they go through a bad breakup and he wants to erase her from his memory. I don't want to say any more about it because I might start giving spoilers away and the movie is so good if you know very little about it. The screenplay is by Charlie Kaufman and everything he does is so "out-there" but I've loved everything I've seen from him. This movie can't be compared to too many other films, but one similar film that came to "mind" was "Being John Malkovich", also written by the kooky Charlie Kaufman. Both movies just have you guessing the whole time as to where the movie is going and almost anything can happen at anytime. This movie is just so original and creative. And to help that out even more is the director, Michel Gondry. For those that don't know him, he's a big time music video director. Most of his stuff is "out there" also. Videos he's done include the White Stripes (I think all of them), a lot of Beck, and a lot of Bjork. And you would think that an indie film with a weird screenwriter and abstract director would come off as something only arthouse folks would understand, but it is actually easy to follow and fun to watch. But the movie itself is just so cool and easy to like. It has so much to say about memories and loves and a whole lot more. Jim Carrey isn't his usual crazy, cartoonish persona. He plays a real person with real deep emotions in this one. I know he's done the dramatic stuff before, but this is probably the best thing I've seen him in. He just comes off as someone I really feel for.

I can go on, but I won't. Just know that I LOVED this movie and I just found myself smiling throughout the whole thing. Remember, it is an "indie" film (released by Focus Films, the people behind Lost In Translation) so you can't have any expectations going in and an open mind is needed to watch it. And if you're unfamiliar with Charlie Kaufman, you may need to watch "Being John Malkovich" or "Adaptation" or "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" first before you know what you're getting into. Or you can just check the Website. There is a music video that is very "unique" and sort of encompasses the feel of the movie. If it's too weird for you, then this movie may not be for you. Don't worry about the video or trailer giving away anything from the movie because it doesn't make sense until it's put into the right context.

Here's another video to give you the kind of stuff that Michel Gondry does -Walkie Talkie Man. Again very unusual, very cool.

And it looks like I may not be getting much sleep again today. I'm checking out Kanye West and North Carolina's best kept hip hop secret, Little Brother tonight in Norfolk.

March 16, 2004
The NCAA brackets are set and I'm trying to take of everything that needs taking care of early this week so I can dedicate my Thursday and Friday in front of the TV to watch 30+ basketball games. At first glance I thought that these brackets would be easy to figure out, but after a few minutes I'm realizing that there are a lot of close matches that can go either way. I'm going to need another day to break things down and I'll return tomorrow with my complete breakdown of the tournament.

I do know one thing, it's that I like the North Carolina tarheels chances this year. They've got a favorable seeding and I feel confident of their early round chances. But of course, last time I felt good about them they ended up getting upset in the first round.

I hope everyone survived the unlucky Ides of March yesterday. E tu brute?

I get paid today!!

I've got a free movie pass (admits 2) for a sneak preview of Scooby Doo 2 this Saturday morning. I'm not going to be using it, so if anyone wants it, let me know. First one who asks can have it.

March 13, 2004

A word for the UNC tarheels basketball team to learn:

de�fense ( P ) Pronunciation Key (d-fns) n.
(often defns) Sports.
1.Means or tactics used in trying to stop the opposition from scoring.
2.The team or those players on the team attempting to stop the opposition from scoring.

These guys are killing me. They make a tremendous comeback in an important game and take a lead, only to lose it with 1.4 seconds left by leaving a guy wide open.

At least, without having to watch UNC in the ACC tournament, I've got more free time to do nothing this weekend. Hopefully they can learn from this and do better at the NCAA tournament.

We're now a few weeks into lent and my no soda sacrifice is still holding up. My coffee intake has increased this week, especially for someone who doesn't normally drink coffee. Coincidently, my trips to the restroom have also increased.

While on the topic of coffee:
Buy one get one free coffee - at any starbucks inside of Barnes & Nobles.

March 12, 2004
It's Friday, the end of what seemed like a short week to me. That's probably because I didn't do much this week. And what's on the agenda for the weekend? Nothing right now. But I'm up for whatever...

Virginia Beach's N.E.R.D. will be on Saturday Night Live tomorrow night (with Ben Affleck). Their new album, Fly or Die, comes out in less than 2 weeks. I've heard most of it already and I'm excited for its release. If you liked their first album, In search of..., then you'll enjoy this.

The next few weeks I'll be occupied though... with college basketball and all the Madness!!! Conference tourneys this weekend and the NCAA tourney selections on Sunday. I study brackets more than I've studied for any test in my life. I'll give it a breakdown next week when the selections are made.

Another sale at KBtoys this weekend. 20% off of everything. Similar to last weeks 3 hour sale, this time it's all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Although most of their toys are expensive compared to other stores, this sale includes video games and consoles, which are usually the same price as other stores and never go on sale. Last week, I went there and was unsure of what, if any, game to buy. With it being a 3 hour sale, I walked away thinking that if I really wanted something, I'd come back before the sale ended. I didn't go back. But this time, I think I'm buying something. I need a new game - I've just about done everything I can with Tiger Woods Golf 2004 and it's about time for me to retire it.

And for next week - a reebok outlet coupon.

For you to peruse - Work Safe Porn (depends on your work place I guess). Ok, maybe not work-safe for some, but rather pg-13 and funny.

March 10, 2004

Ryan, Randy, & Gil

I really have nothing to write about right now. So lately I've been throwing up pictures just to put something up. This picture is from a little daytrip we took to richmond to check out the new malls - Short Pump Town Center& Stony Point Fashion Park.

March 9, 2004
On March 9, 1997 Christopher Wallace aka Biggie Smalls aka Notorious B.I.G was shot and killed in LA. It doesn't seem like it's been 7 years.

A slow news day, which is sometimes good.

Schindler's List hits the DVD shelves today. In my opinion, one of the greatest movies of the past decade.

And off to Best Buy I go...

March 6, 2004
Tonite at 9pm - North Carolina Tarheels vs. Duke Blue Devils. March is my favorite sports month.

While on the topic of sports, the Redskins are wheeling and dealing. They are spending lots of money and getting my hopes up. But I've been here before, so I know better than to think that this streak of really bad seasons will be hard to break.

So we're a little over a week into lent and I still haven't had any soda. It's been a very busy week and I've had very little sleep, so I just miss that easy kick to keep me going everyday. Now I'm just really tired a lot. I'm still getting a little caffeine from other things, but I'd become dependent on the soda. I don't drink coffee that much either. I've also given up alcohol as my backup sacrifice, but after this weekend, the backup plan may just be beer. I tried to give up swearing, but that lasted about 1/2 a day. It's not like I'm spewing vulgarities everywhere, but certain "exclamations" have just become second nature to me.

Martha Stewart is going to jail. Now who's gonna help me coordinate my draperies with my table settings? Those Queer Guys? Oh it may be the end of civilization as we know it. We are headed towards a society of chaos and mix-matched flower beds. They should put her in the same cell as Saddam Hussein and just let the cameras role. Now there's a reality TV hit in the making.

March 5, 2004

The Nephew and the tired uncle!!!

It's a pretty nice day today, it's friday, and the weather forecast calls for a sunny day with temperatures in the 80s. This weekend should be nice too. I don't know what I'll be doing as I've got nothing planned, but I do know that I don't want to stay home. Maybe it's time to dust off the golf clubs and try out the driving range.

Today from 6pm to 9pm at KBtoys - 20% off everything. It looks like videogames and consoles are even included with this sale. Obviously, if your KB store is one of the several that is closing down, this sale doesn't apply.

Currently in the rotation:
1- Norah Jones "Feels Like Home"
2- Kanye West "College Dropout"
3- Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Fever to tell" ("Maps" is my favorite song of 2004 so far)
4- DJ Dangermouse "The Grey Album" (for those that don't know: Jay-Z's "Black Album remixed with the Beatles' "White Album". Pretty creative given the restraints put on the remixing. It's been in the news lately due to the "illegal" use of beatles samples. Banned from being sold in the US, however, its all over the internet. Next week, another of the 20+ remixes of this album.)
5- One Voice "Luvin You" (I like to keep at least one pop album in there)
6- Chops "Virtuosity"(a production album, chops is a member and beatmaker for the popular underground asian rap group, the Mountain Brothers. Popular underground? Now there's an oxymoron)

March 4, 2004

Happy Birthday Mike Jose!!!

The new nephew is doing fine. If things continue in this positive direction, he will be going home with his mama tomorrow. It's always a joy to see a new life born into the world.

On a very sad note though, a week after attending services for the mother of some friends, I will be attending a service for the passing of another friend's father tonight. In such an odd and such unfortunate situation, many people who mourned last week will be mourning again this week. Combined with the tragedy of the sunken tanker full of filipinos, these passings have created adverse times for some.

"Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart."
-Myla Kabat-Zinn

"But in the mud and scum of things
There alway, alway something sings. "
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

March 3, 2004
Welcome!!!
Jeramy Porteria Marcelo was born yesterday at 12:28pm.
5lbs. 7oz.
Baby are Mama are healthy and recovering.

Uncle Elbert is doing good too... just really tired.

March 2, 2004
I was going to write something here, but I just got a phone call.

It looks like my sister's delivery date of March 5 just changed to March 2. Gotta go!