Project Homeless Connect is a one day event where homeless persons can receive a wide range of free services. It's held all over the country at different times, whether its once a year or once every few months. Services include food, clothing, dental check ups, hiv/aids testing, id cards, massages, foot washes, haircuts, childcare, phone home, and a list of other services that are not necessarily accessible in emergency shelters.
San Diego held its third Project Homeless Connect (PHC) on December 5th and I had the opportunity to help in this year's planning. The San Diego community came together in the form of organizations and volunteers who offered their time, donations, and services.
As with any event, there was a lot to organize. Unlike an ordinary event, we couldn't anticipate the number of people who would show up since our target audience were the homeless, a rather tough demographic to peg. With over 2000 homeless individuals in San Diego City alone, how many would show up? It's not like we can have people preregister.
Two years ago, the first PHC brought in a little less than 100 homeless. Last year, PHC brought in a total of 195 homeless clients. Since the numbers were seemingly doubling, this year we expected the number to double to 400 clients. Two hours after opening, there were 300+ clients already inside Golden Hall and more than another 300 lined up outside. At the end of the day, there were approximately 1000 homeless people that came and received services.
Although the event went extremely well, people ranging from homeless clients to volunteer agencies have asked a lot of questions including "Well, why didn't you plan for more people?", "Do you think we have all day to wait in line since we're homeless?", "Why didn't intake move faster?", etc.
Well, here's my point of view from the setup and organization perspective.
1.) Volunteers - This event is run entirely by individual volunteers and volunteer organizations. No agency or person has to be here to fulfill any obligations. These people are donating their time and they would not be here unless they cared. We appreciate constructive criticism on how to improve for next year, but if you're receiving free services, you have nothing to unconstructively complain about.
2.) Money - We don't have any. Our budget for this event is $0. Please understand this. We need everything to work within our budget and this includes the big costs of a location (normally $3000-$5000 per day - this year's place was donated by San Diego Golden Hall - thank you) down to the small costs of making copies or buying diapers (thanks to everyone that shelled money out of their own pockets).
3.) Intake Process - During the event I helped manage intake and our problem was that we weren't ready for 1000+ people. Yes, we had a massive line outside that stretched around a city block. However, the problem couldn't be solved by letting everyone immediately in. If we let everyone in, then there would just be long lines inside!!! If I let everyone in at the same time, we would not get the statistical information we need to apply for grants next year. More importantly, we would create chaos inside. Some booths (like food) were already overwhelmed with the rate of people coming in.
4.) Don't tell us your sob story while waiting in line. I'm not cold hearted, I'm fair. If you have a valid complaint like the lady who said she was diabetic and needed food while waiting in line, then we can accomodate. There is no disability where you have to be first in line. We're also dealing with the homeless population, quite frankly (and sadly) most of them are disabled.
5.) Why can't you get more of X service (food)? - It's a one day event; if we overestimate the number for X service (perishable), then we have a lot wasted. We took a good guess on the number of expected attendees, then went with that number for the perishables. We restocked as much as we could while at the event. We stocked as many non perishables as we could before the event. (See Number 2 - $0 Budget) If we didn't have enough, I'm sorry, but that's all we could do.
At the end of the event, an adult couple stormed out of the place crying. The woman was crying because they heard about the event late. At that moment, almost all the agencies had left already, and she matter of factly stated that it was just their luck. The woman had a visible limp to her walk and the remaining volunteers paused to watch this surreal event.
As volunteers, there was nothing we could have done since we had no food or other services left to provide. However, as soon as they left, a group of doctors and nurses chased after the couple. One of the doctors shouted that she was in no medical condition to go back onto the streets. They chased her across the street and helped her get medical care.
That last scene reminded me that we did what we could, but sometimes we must accept that we can only do so much. I'm glad that we are able to do something though; over 800 clients received the services they were looking for that day. It's tangible events like these that make me love nonprofit work.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hobo Travels
My buddy Jim finished his Peace Corps service about a year ago and ever since he's been traveling around the world. Just recently, he came back to the States to crash with his sister for a month in Los Angeles, CA. Since he was nearby San Diego and his birthday was coming up, we decided to meetup and go surfing at the San Onofre beach. We spent the day eating burritos, surfing, and chilling at a night bonfire.
I suggested that we take a trip over to Yosemite National Park. It sounded like a great idea so in October, I took a week off work, picked Jim up from LA, and we drove to Yosemite to do some hiking/camping 'on the cheap'.
Now let me say that I respect everyone's need to plan to different degrees; some people need to have an itinerary for every hour with reservations already setup and on the other hand, some people only need to know where they're going. Jim and I thought the same, we were the latter of the two trains of though and the only planning we needed was that we'd start driving on the 5 freeway to Yosemite.
Since I was going with Jim, a cheap ass almost to the extent that I was (and maybe even moreso), we knew that we weren't going to spend more than $10 a day. Since $10 a day for food and shelter wasn't a large amount, we knew we had to prioritize our needs; we needed to cover food, shelter, and fun with our $10 a day budget.
Shelter:
I had been to Yosemite National Park before and had stayed at one of the cheapest 'rooms', which was pretty much a canvas tent priced at $89/night in Curry Village. On my last trip, I was with some of my family (including some younger cousins) so I didn't hesitate on spending the money. Now, it was different.
For this trip, a friend from work let us borrow a tent for free (Thanks Sara). The problem was, where do we pitch the tent without park rangers coming over to give us tickets? We thought about pitching our tent out in a random trail, but knew that my truck would get a ticket (vehicles could only park in certain locations unless they had a wilderness permit).
The solution? We drove outside the park, parked on the side of the road, and slept in the back of the truck (although it was freezing outside). Despite the harsh conditions, we slept pretty well that first night. After that night, we got up early and registered a spot at Camp 4 (a well known spot for dirtbag rock climbers) where we were able to pitch our tent inside the park for about $7 a day.
Shelter - Check!
Food:
Being the bums that we are, we decided not to spend much on food. Instead we brought our own supplies. I had my camping gear (camping stove, pots, and fuel) and lots of food lying around the house; some clif bars, oatmeal, mac & cheese, and packets of instant noodles (the good kind - I spare no expenses when it comes to instant noodle!). Jim snagged a lot of smoked pork and chicken at his sister's party just before we left LA.
For meals, we would sit in the truck bed making our food while watching people walk by their cars. Instead of buying our food at Camp Curry, we shifted our food money and instead used it on what any other sane individual would've done; buy a beer everynight.
Food - Check!
Fun:
Our first full day in Yosemite, we decided to hike Half Dome... in flip flops. People advised us to start no later than 9 am. We started closer to noon and knew we had to hurry if we were to make it up and down that same day. We made it to the top (where its necessary to 'climb' up), rested a bit, and shared some of our spare water with others. The view was amazing. On top we met Godzilla, the park ranger lady who went around kicking people's stone shrines down.
On the way down, we passed by people who were already on the way down when we were still hiking up. We made it back to camp for our well deserved beer just as it got dark.
For the rest of the trip, we did a little bouldering, saw a bear cub close up on a trail, helped some German hitchhikers get to a far off trail (they laid on the truck bed hiding under our sleeping bags), met a hilarious French husband/wife, shared stories with an Irish rock climber over a campfire, never once took a shower, had farting competitions inside the tent, raced across trails, and incessantly made fun of 'punters' (tourists who spend a lot of money needlessly - for example, taking the bus tour through a trail)
Fun - Check!
After a week up in Yosemite while sleeping in a tent and hiking everyday, we weren't the cleanest of individuals (not to mention the farting competitions didn't help our cause). So on the way back to LA, we stopped by my first home, good ole Reedley! Even though Jim and I had our fair share of traveling the world, it was always nice to return home for a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and some home cooked food.
I suggested that we take a trip over to Yosemite National Park. It sounded like a great idea so in October, I took a week off work, picked Jim up from LA, and we drove to Yosemite to do some hiking/camping 'on the cheap'.
Now let me say that I respect everyone's need to plan to different degrees; some people need to have an itinerary for every hour with reservations already setup and on the other hand, some people only need to know where they're going. Jim and I thought the same, we were the latter of the two trains of though and the only planning we needed was that we'd start driving on the 5 freeway to Yosemite.
Since I was going with Jim, a cheap ass almost to the extent that I was (and maybe even moreso), we knew that we weren't going to spend more than $10 a day. Since $10 a day for food and shelter wasn't a large amount, we knew we had to prioritize our needs; we needed to cover food, shelter, and fun with our $10 a day budget.
Shelter:
I had been to Yosemite National Park before and had stayed at one of the cheapest 'rooms', which was pretty much a canvas tent priced at $89/night in Curry Village. On my last trip, I was with some of my family (including some younger cousins) so I didn't hesitate on spending the money. Now, it was different.
For this trip, a friend from work let us borrow a tent for free (Thanks Sara). The problem was, where do we pitch the tent without park rangers coming over to give us tickets? We thought about pitching our tent out in a random trail, but knew that my truck would get a ticket (vehicles could only park in certain locations unless they had a wilderness permit).
The solution? We drove outside the park, parked on the side of the road, and slept in the back of the truck (although it was freezing outside). Despite the harsh conditions, we slept pretty well that first night. After that night, we got up early and registered a spot at Camp 4 (a well known spot for dirtbag rock climbers) where we were able to pitch our tent inside the park for about $7 a day.
Shelter - Check!
Food:
Being the bums that we are, we decided not to spend much on food. Instead we brought our own supplies. I had my camping gear (camping stove, pots, and fuel) and lots of food lying around the house; some clif bars, oatmeal, mac & cheese, and packets of instant noodles (the good kind - I spare no expenses when it comes to instant noodle!). Jim snagged a lot of smoked pork and chicken at his sister's party just before we left LA.
For meals, we would sit in the truck bed making our food while watching people walk by their cars. Instead of buying our food at Camp Curry, we shifted our food money and instead used it on what any other sane individual would've done; buy a beer everynight.
Food - Check!
Fun:
Our first full day in Yosemite, we decided to hike Half Dome... in flip flops. People advised us to start no later than 9 am. We started closer to noon and knew we had to hurry if we were to make it up and down that same day. We made it to the top (where its necessary to 'climb' up), rested a bit, and shared some of our spare water with others. The view was amazing. On top we met Godzilla, the park ranger lady who went around kicking people's stone shrines down.
On the way down, we passed by people who were already on the way down when we were still hiking up. We made it back to camp for our well deserved beer just as it got dark.
For the rest of the trip, we did a little bouldering, saw a bear cub close up on a trail, helped some German hitchhikers get to a far off trail (they laid on the truck bed hiding under our sleeping bags), met a hilarious French husband/wife, shared stories with an Irish rock climber over a campfire, never once took a shower, had farting competitions inside the tent, raced across trails, and incessantly made fun of 'punters' (tourists who spend a lot of money needlessly - for example, taking the bus tour through a trail)
Fun - Check!
After a week up in Yosemite while sleeping in a tent and hiking everyday, we weren't the cleanest of individuals (not to mention the farting competitions didn't help our cause). So on the way back to LA, we stopped by my first home, good ole Reedley! Even though Jim and I had our fair share of traveling the world, it was always nice to return home for a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and some home cooked food.
The Insanity of Normality
I'll ask questions in the office about 'life outside the office'. They're not inappropriate questions, although I'm sure they are an absolute waste of time. It was a habit that I picked up from some friends and I'll sometimes ask "What if" or "Would you rather" questions.
Would you rather have super speed or super strength?
Would you rather live only in the US or live only outside the US?
I could ramble on and on. It's really to kill the time, but at the same time it helps me understand the people I work with a little better; I see how they think and what they value. A common subject is travel. People think it's insane to want to backpack and see new places on a budget.
I think it's equally insane staying in an office the majority of my life.
Would you rather have super speed or super strength?
Would you rather live only in the US or live only outside the US?
I could ramble on and on. It's really to kill the time, but at the same time it helps me understand the people I work with a little better; I see how they think and what they value. A common subject is travel. People think it's insane to want to backpack and see new places on a budget.
I think it's equally insane staying in an office the majority of my life.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Idealist vs Realist
I was just about to leave the house when I heard a shout come from the kitchen.
"William! The ants are back. They're in the trail mix." I came rushing in to assess the damage.
The ants were all around the kitchen, but mostly in the drawer where we kept a hidden stash of well sealed food. I sighed and replied "Ok, I'm gonna spray again" as I reached for the bottle of RAID.
Adrienne whimpered and complained about using the spray. I sighed again, this time with a hint of frustration building; I knew it was coming. Something as small as killing a few ants got us into arguments because our ideologies naturally clashed. Adrienne was an 'idealist' and I was a 'realist'.
To make it worse, we had this discussion before. The first time the ants came, I said I was going to get rid of them by going to the nearest supermarket, buying a can of RAID, and then spraying to kill. She complained saying that there was a more natural way to get rid of the ants.
I agreed and gave her a week to figure something out. A couple of ideas were thrown around, but no attempts were made to remove the ants. It doesn't matter how well thought out plans are if there is no execution. A week later, I sprayed and the ants died.
This time around I immediately sprayed. I heard the complaint again; it's poisonous. (Of course it is, that's why the ants die!!!) I argued that the amount of toxins were too small and indirect to really affect us, but were deadly to the small ants. All we had to do was open the windows, stay away, eat out for the rest of the day, then clean up. I asked again to find a natural solution, although I believe I can safely bet my left nut that nothing will be done until the ants come again.
The arguments are from the idealist versus the realist perspective. Adrienne has called herself the idealist and me the realist. I can kinda see that. A shining example of one of the things that we have constantly butted our heads on are our career goals.
I think a job is exactly what it is, a job. When it comes down to it and you need money, you need to put your ego and sense of entitlement aside. You don't have to be paid a lot and you don't have to enjoy it (even if you have a college degree); it's a job. It's not what defines who you are unless that is all you do. Now it could certainly be the opposite; you could love your job and you could get paid a lot.
However, it's usually not the case when you immediately graduate out of college and have no real experience. When you're straight out of college, you usually get to pick one; high pay or enjoyable job. When you get enough experience, you could be lucky enough to pick two.
Adrienne's an idealist. She wants both. I ask her to apply for all the ones she's interested in, but to remember that most of the time, it's either gonna pay well OR be something you enjoy. My logic is that since she's had so much trouble getting a job, she should start applying to more than her dream jobs. When she hears this, she gets mad at me for putting her down. I'll spare the details.
I admit that I might be wrong (and I really wish I am). Currently I'm in a job that pays decently and that I enjoy enough to stay at least another year. I think I got extremely lucky though. Adrienne also has a job interview next week that (based on the job description) she'll love and that pays very well.
Whether I'm right or wrong about how to pursue a job or how to kill ants... I don't care anymore. I'm just tired of it. I hate the constant arguing, the constant bashing of ideologies, and I wish there were a quick fix spray... but that's not realistic. I'll find a way to work on it.
"William! The ants are back. They're in the trail mix." I came rushing in to assess the damage.
The ants were all around the kitchen, but mostly in the drawer where we kept a hidden stash of well sealed food. I sighed and replied "Ok, I'm gonna spray again" as I reached for the bottle of RAID.
Adrienne whimpered and complained about using the spray. I sighed again, this time with a hint of frustration building; I knew it was coming. Something as small as killing a few ants got us into arguments because our ideologies naturally clashed. Adrienne was an 'idealist' and I was a 'realist'.
To make it worse, we had this discussion before. The first time the ants came, I said I was going to get rid of them by going to the nearest supermarket, buying a can of RAID, and then spraying to kill. She complained saying that there was a more natural way to get rid of the ants.
I agreed and gave her a week to figure something out. A couple of ideas were thrown around, but no attempts were made to remove the ants. It doesn't matter how well thought out plans are if there is no execution. A week later, I sprayed and the ants died.
This time around I immediately sprayed. I heard the complaint again; it's poisonous. (Of course it is, that's why the ants die!!!) I argued that the amount of toxins were too small and indirect to really affect us, but were deadly to the small ants. All we had to do was open the windows, stay away, eat out for the rest of the day, then clean up. I asked again to find a natural solution, although I believe I can safely bet my left nut that nothing will be done until the ants come again.
The arguments are from the idealist versus the realist perspective. Adrienne has called herself the idealist and me the realist. I can kinda see that. A shining example of one of the things that we have constantly butted our heads on are our career goals.
I think a job is exactly what it is, a job. When it comes down to it and you need money, you need to put your ego and sense of entitlement aside. You don't have to be paid a lot and you don't have to enjoy it (even if you have a college degree); it's a job. It's not what defines who you are unless that is all you do. Now it could certainly be the opposite; you could love your job and you could get paid a lot.
However, it's usually not the case when you immediately graduate out of college and have no real experience. When you're straight out of college, you usually get to pick one; high pay or enjoyable job. When you get enough experience, you could be lucky enough to pick two.
Adrienne's an idealist. She wants both. I ask her to apply for all the ones she's interested in, but to remember that most of the time, it's either gonna pay well OR be something you enjoy. My logic is that since she's had so much trouble getting a job, she should start applying to more than her dream jobs. When she hears this, she gets mad at me for putting her down. I'll spare the details.
I admit that I might be wrong (and I really wish I am). Currently I'm in a job that pays decently and that I enjoy enough to stay at least another year. I think I got extremely lucky though. Adrienne also has a job interview next week that (based on the job description) she'll love and that pays very well.
Whether I'm right or wrong about how to pursue a job or how to kill ants... I don't care anymore. I'm just tired of it. I hate the constant arguing, the constant bashing of ideologies, and I wish there were a quick fix spray... but that's not realistic. I'll find a way to work on it.
Friday, June 20, 2008
The disillusionment of self by the self as pointed out by another
Sometimes I like to think of myself as a patient guy. I like to think that I'm open minded and respectful of how others live. I like to think I'm not judgmental. I like to think that no matter how someone else lives, I can coexist peacefully with anyone. That was before I moved in with my girlfriend.
That's one of the many 'perks' about being in a relationship; your significant other will without a doubt bring you back to reality and remind you how close minded, disrespectful, and judgmental you are (especially if you're in an argument). Ok, maybe I'm being a little harsh; she's a lot nicer than it sounds here and to her credit, a lot of times I am all of the above. The main point though, is that being in a relationship has shown me sides of myself, both good and bad, that I never would have guessed were hiding in the deepest recesses of my personality.
One of these traits that I discovered is how much I can't stand certain actions or beliefs being superimposed into my life. I could spend the night typing out an epic list, but I'll keep it short and addressed towards my main concern - Money. Like any typical couple, we have our disagreements about our finances.
My philosophy on finances is simple; don't spend it if you don't have it. Sure I use my credit card during emergencies, but it should ONLY be reserved for emergencies. I've been raised to think that there's a certain disillusioned mentality out there that believe they can use their credit cards without needing to pay the consequences of interest and debt.
I'm on the other end of the spectrum and am exceptionally wary about using credit. To me, credit is this fake magic money that appears out of thin air. As a personal rule, anything that breaks the laws of physics and creates something out of nothing is beyond my limited understanding of this world. I try my best to stay clear of it. Credit will forever be etched in my mind as this evil plastic card that's ready to trade your financial peace of mind for something like the latest laptop, a new car, or a crazy night with lots of hookers and pounds of unadulterated cocaine. (Of course this isn't realistic, I doubt hookers and drug dealers accept major credit cards)
Ok, after reading that last paragraph, some may argue that I might be the disillusioned one. I admit that that statement is very plausible. It's true that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of credit, but the result is that my credit card debt usually comes out to $0 at the end of every month. I adapt to my environment and I learn to be happy with what I have. Money helps, but it won't certaintly determine whether you're ultimately happy or not.
When I see someone living 'beyond their means', I have a hard time accepting it. Sure if it's a stranger, I couldn't care less how they live... but when it's someone you love, it's extremely difficult to see them digging themselves a deeper financial grave. It's even more difficult when they're so closely entangled with you that you become involved.
I guess if I were more open minded and not so judgmental, I could adapt and coexist with anyone. Well, I learned that I'm not like that; I really can't coexist with just anyone. I am adamant and unwavering about a lot of things, and finances is one of them. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to learn this about myself.
The reality is that there's a line that has to be drawn, and I'm definitely sticking to mine; I believe in living simply and within my means, even if it means picking either the hookers or the cocaine, but not both.
That's one of the many 'perks' about being in a relationship; your significant other will without a doubt bring you back to reality and remind you how close minded, disrespectful, and judgmental you are (especially if you're in an argument). Ok, maybe I'm being a little harsh; she's a lot nicer than it sounds here and to her credit, a lot of times I am all of the above. The main point though, is that being in a relationship has shown me sides of myself, both good and bad, that I never would have guessed were hiding in the deepest recesses of my personality.
One of these traits that I discovered is how much I can't stand certain actions or beliefs being superimposed into my life. I could spend the night typing out an epic list, but I'll keep it short and addressed towards my main concern - Money. Like any typical couple, we have our disagreements about our finances.
My philosophy on finances is simple; don't spend it if you don't have it. Sure I use my credit card during emergencies, but it should ONLY be reserved for emergencies. I've been raised to think that there's a certain disillusioned mentality out there that believe they can use their credit cards without needing to pay the consequences of interest and debt.
I'm on the other end of the spectrum and am exceptionally wary about using credit. To me, credit is this fake magic money that appears out of thin air. As a personal rule, anything that breaks the laws of physics and creates something out of nothing is beyond my limited understanding of this world. I try my best to stay clear of it. Credit will forever be etched in my mind as this evil plastic card that's ready to trade your financial peace of mind for something like the latest laptop, a new car, or a crazy night with lots of hookers and pounds of unadulterated cocaine. (Of course this isn't realistic, I doubt hookers and drug dealers accept major credit cards)
Ok, after reading that last paragraph, some may argue that I might be the disillusioned one. I admit that that statement is very plausible. It's true that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of credit, but the result is that my credit card debt usually comes out to $0 at the end of every month. I adapt to my environment and I learn to be happy with what I have. Money helps, but it won't certaintly determine whether you're ultimately happy or not.
When I see someone living 'beyond their means', I have a hard time accepting it. Sure if it's a stranger, I couldn't care less how they live... but when it's someone you love, it's extremely difficult to see them digging themselves a deeper financial grave. It's even more difficult when they're so closely entangled with you that you become involved.
I guess if I were more open minded and not so judgmental, I could adapt and coexist with anyone. Well, I learned that I'm not like that; I really can't coexist with just anyone. I am adamant and unwavering about a lot of things, and finances is one of them. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to learn this about myself.
The reality is that there's a line that has to be drawn, and I'm definitely sticking to mine; I believe in living simply and within my means, even if it means picking either the hookers or the cocaine, but not both.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Tired...
I have the urge to move and do something different. Travel the world by scooter? Volunteer for Doctors Without Borders as a logistician? Move to South America and brush up on my Spanish?
I'm getting tired of trying to make a difference by just sitting in front of a computer compiling reports. Maybe it's just a phase. Maybe...
I'm getting tired of trying to make a difference by just sitting in front of a computer compiling reports. Maybe it's just a phase. Maybe...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Pictures!!!!
I've been slacking on my writing... but hey, a picture is worth a thousand words and I've got plenty of pictures to make plenty of stories. I'll skip my normal dragged out style of writing and just make comments every few pictures:
William Before Hair Cut (I was going for the Homeless Guy Look - Success!)
William After Hair Cut
Although there was a recent death of a tri-athlete who got bit (and promptly died) by a great white shark in San Diego, everyone's still hitting the beaches. I got a chance to use my new (to me) surfboard and wetsuit. Hey, I know that some might consider it gross to buy a used wetsuit, but think about it this way: "It automatically gets washed everytime anyone uses it!"
Surfing uses a lot of muscles that I normally don't use so I'm trying to build up my 'spring up' ability by doing some pushups everyday. I normally do about 3 sets of 25 pushups. Despite the training, I have yet to stand on the board for more than a second. Thankfully Adrienne didn't get any pictures of me going under or getting smacked by my board after a nasty and unexpected second wave.
This is one of the older set of pictures lying around. Adrienne and I haven't gone rock climbing in a couple months and I'm really looking forward to the next time. I'm actually terrified of heights, but love scaling walls. (Climbing down is another issue) There's a great feeling when making a great dyno or figuring out a difficult problem. Here's Adrienne doing the beginning traverse and me playing around the padded bouldering section at Vertical Hold.
For Memorial Day weekend Adrienne and I decided to visit my parents up North in my hometown of Reedley. It's easily a 300+ mile drive one way from San Diego to Reedley. To break up the monotony, we visited a few friends along the way. We visited some of my college friends and even one of the our Peace Corps Trainers from the Kingdom of Tonga, who just happened to be in Long Beach!
It's always great to see my family too! :)
Gas prices are up, world food prices have increased dramatically ever since we started doing all this research for alternative fuel, and our environmental issues now include this giant plastic clusterfuck that's somewhere in the Pacific. Sure there's growing demand in India and China that's causing food shortages, but we're also to blame for creating this demand. Why?
Ignorance; we just don't think about the global welfare (just in case people didn't get the clue when we invaded another country for their oil under the false pretense of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism). Anyways I disgress. We don't think anything past the number at the gas pump. We don't think about the food riots happening across the world when families cannot afford the doubled price of $.57 for the pasta that's necessary to feed their families. Our gas guzzlers are creating this shortage of grain and people are buying gas because they simply can. I wish people would try to find an alternative means of transportation, EVEN IF THEY CAN AFFORD THE INCREASED GAS PRICES! Try public transportation, try carpooling, try... scooters?
Today I bought a Buddy 125cc scooter. It gets 90+ miles per gallon and it's orange. What's there not to like?
125 cc Genuine Scooter Buddy
Haircut Donation Pictures (Before and After)
William Before Hair Cut (I was going for the Homeless Guy Look - Success!)
William After Hair CutSurfing
Although there was a recent death of a tri-athlete who got bit (and promptly died) by a great white shark in San Diego, everyone's still hitting the beaches. I got a chance to use my new (to me) surfboard and wetsuit. Hey, I know that some might consider it gross to buy a used wetsuit, but think about it this way: "It automatically gets washed everytime anyone uses it!"Rock Climbing
This is one of the older set of pictures lying around. Adrienne and I haven't gone rock climbing in a couple months and I'm really looking forward to the next time. I'm actually terrified of heights, but love scaling walls. (Climbing down is another issue) There's a great feeling when making a great dyno or figuring out a difficult problem. Here's Adrienne doing the beginning traverse and me playing around the padded bouldering section at Vertical Hold.
Memorial Day Weekend
For Memorial Day weekend Adrienne and I decided to visit my parents up North in my hometown of Reedley. It's easily a 300+ mile drive one way from San Diego to Reedley. To break up the monotony, we visited a few friends along the way. We visited some of my college friends and even one of the our Peace Corps Trainers from the Kingdom of Tonga, who just happened to be in Long Beach!
It's always great to see my family too! :)
Scooter
Gas prices are up, world food prices have increased dramatically ever since we started doing all this research for alternative fuel, and our environmental issues now include this giant plastic clusterfuck that's somewhere in the Pacific. Sure there's growing demand in India and China that's causing food shortages, but we're also to blame for creating this demand. Why?
Ignorance; we just don't think about the global welfare (just in case people didn't get the clue when we invaded another country for their oil under the false pretense of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Terrorism). Anyways I disgress. We don't think anything past the number at the gas pump. We don't think about the food riots happening across the world when families cannot afford the doubled price of $.57 for the pasta that's necessary to feed their families. Our gas guzzlers are creating this shortage of grain and people are buying gas because they simply can. I wish people would try to find an alternative means of transportation, EVEN IF THEY CAN AFFORD THE INCREASED GAS PRICES! Try public transportation, try carpooling, try... scooters?
Today I bought a Buddy 125cc scooter. It gets 90+ miles per gallon and it's orange. What's there not to like?
125 cc Genuine Scooter BuddyMonday, May 12, 2008
Yum, beer!
When Adrienne and I backpacked through Europe, we tried as many different, local beers as possible. There's no point in traveling without experiencing the rich culture that each country has to offer (and by culture I mean especially their beer).
Now there's so many beers out there and so little time to try and rate each one according to categories from best stout, pilsner, etc. I wanted to keep my rating system simple. I rated them all on a 1 to 10 scale based on one factor "After I have this beer, would I want another?". This is a quick breakdown of the scale and my findings based on my limited time traveling:
1: Do not ever drink this again...
1.5: Drink Listerine for the alcohol% instead
2-3:Coronas, Budweisers, etc. (American Beer)
4-5: French Beer
7: German Beer
7: Guinness
8-10: Belgian Beer
Now Belgian beer won hands down. The sad part is... I wrote all the beer names in my little black book and I somehow misplaced this precious information! I forgot exactly what great beer it was that I had in Bruges, Belgium!!!
That's why when we went to a Belgian Beer Tasting this weekend, I was hoping that I could be reacquainted with the mysterious beer whose name has escaped me. Sadly, we did not find it, but still had a great time. Thanks to Adrienne for suggesting this! I <3 her so much :)
Now there's so many beers out there and so little time to try and rate each one according to categories from best stout, pilsner, etc. I wanted to keep my rating system simple. I rated them all on a 1 to 10 scale based on one factor "After I have this beer, would I want another?". This is a quick breakdown of the scale and my findings based on my limited time traveling:
1: Do not ever drink this again...
1.5: Drink Listerine for the alcohol% instead
2-3:Coronas, Budweisers, etc. (American Beer)
4-5: French Beer
7: German Beer
7: Guinness
8-10: Belgian Beer
Now Belgian beer won hands down. The sad part is... I wrote all the beer names in my little black book and I somehow misplaced this precious information! I forgot exactly what great beer it was that I had in Bruges, Belgium!!!
That's why when we went to a Belgian Beer Tasting this weekend, I was hoping that I could be reacquainted with the mysterious beer whose name has escaped me. Sadly, we did not find it, but still had a great time. Thanks to Adrienne for suggesting this! I <3 her so much :)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Offices Wars!
So I inadvertently started an office prank war. It all started with April Fool's Day when two of my coworkers stepped away from the office.
I took a PrintScreen (PrtSc button) of their desktops. I opened up Microsoft Paint, pasted the picture, saved it, and set it as their desktop picture. I then hid all their desktop icons into a temporary folder. This way, they see a picture of their desktop, but the icons aren't actually clickable.
When they came back and started clicking on the desktop icons, they noticed that something was wrong. Another coworker and I played ignorance, but I'm so bad at lying. I ended up laughing and they finally caught on.
They fought back. They retaliated with blue tape. Let me explain; I share an office with one of the coworkers that I played the first prank on (technically, she's my immediate boss). As a joke, she used blue tape to separate the room between 'my office' and 'her office'. I slowly moved the tape inch by inch and 'my office' slowly grew larger.
It got to the point where our Executive Director, who was more than happy to abide by our 'office rules', finally pointed out that my office was much larger than my boss'. I confessed to moving the tape little by little.
I came to work on Monday and the tape on my side barely covered my desk. I didn't even have room for my chair. In fact, my chair was gone too. My boss hid my chair and in its place, there was a piece of blue tape with black text that said "STAND HERE". I laughed a hearty laugh while my mind raced with revenge schemes!
The pranks have gone on from taping the light to always on, a pretend Earthquake, taping a laser mouse so it won't move, and a lot of emails with fake complaints using an automatic complaint generator using http://www.pakin.org/complaint
On the latest prank I called in to the newest hire and told her I was sick. It also happened to be the day that we pulled in all our agency administrators so I could train them. I said she had to cover for me. She's really nervous about public speaking so she panicked. I walked in a couple minutes later. She was not happy.
The new and old Executive Director is on their side as well; they've been changing my seat height and unplugging my computer. I need to watch my back... and make allies fast... because this is WAR!!!
P.S. I have a secret weapon: They all drink coffee and I drink tea... someday, if push comes to shove, the coffee maker will be held ransom!!!!
I took a PrintScreen (PrtSc button) of their desktops. I opened up Microsoft Paint, pasted the picture, saved it, and set it as their desktop picture. I then hid all their desktop icons into a temporary folder. This way, they see a picture of their desktop, but the icons aren't actually clickable.
When they came back and started clicking on the desktop icons, they noticed that something was wrong. Another coworker and I played ignorance, but I'm so bad at lying. I ended up laughing and they finally caught on.
They fought back. They retaliated with blue tape. Let me explain; I share an office with one of the coworkers that I played the first prank on (technically, she's my immediate boss). As a joke, she used blue tape to separate the room between 'my office' and 'her office'. I slowly moved the tape inch by inch and 'my office' slowly grew larger.
It got to the point where our Executive Director, who was more than happy to abide by our 'office rules', finally pointed out that my office was much larger than my boss'. I confessed to moving the tape little by little.
I came to work on Monday and the tape on my side barely covered my desk. I didn't even have room for my chair. In fact, my chair was gone too. My boss hid my chair and in its place, there was a piece of blue tape with black text that said "STAND HERE". I laughed a hearty laugh while my mind raced with revenge schemes!
The pranks have gone on from taping the light to always on, a pretend Earthquake, taping a laser mouse so it won't move, and a lot of emails with fake complaints using an automatic complaint generator using http://www.pakin.org/complaint
On the latest prank I called in to the newest hire and told her I was sick. It also happened to be the day that we pulled in all our agency administrators so I could train them. I said she had to cover for me. She's really nervous about public speaking so she panicked. I walked in a couple minutes later. She was not happy.
The new and old Executive Director is on their side as well; they've been changing my seat height and unplugging my computer. I need to watch my back... and make allies fast... because this is WAR!!!
P.S. I have a secret weapon: They all drink coffee and I drink tea... someday, if push comes to shove, the coffee maker will be held ransom!!!!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Motorcycle Class
What do you call a doctor that passes medical school with all D's? We still call them a doctor.
That's how I feel about me and my motorcycle class. After I completed the course, the Department of Motor Vehicles says that I know the basics of how to operate a two wheel vehicle with a 50cc or larger engine. Even though I passed their test, I really don't know why they let me; I AM NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD! I'm not even remotely close!
Throughout the riding portion of the class, I kept stalling my Kawasaki. I never learned how to drive manual on a car and let me tell you, riding a motorcycle is much tougher. Not only is there this 'clutch' and 'shifting' required, but you also have to worry about balancing a 350 pound bike.
I had no previous concept of balancing the clutch, throttle, or how to manually shift. Throughout the first day of riding, I was easily the worst guy to be around. I kept stalling whenever we stopped and my engine could always be heard roaring above the other motorcycles since I hated switching to higher gears. My foot kept missing the shift and in order to reach a higher gear, you have to tediously switch through neutral to get to second. Everyone was very patient and by the end of the day, I was doing all right.
We learned and practiced everything from the basics of starting up a motorcycle to advanced topics like how to brake while cornering. The one that had me a bit nervous was when we rode over large pieces of wood on our bikes.
By the end of the course, I had seen my first motorcycle 'accident'. It wasn't what I expected at all. I expected someone to take a spill on a sharp corner where the motorcycle and driver goes scraping against the asphalt across several yards and finally rolls to a dead stop. (And partly I expected that person to be me)
Well, it turned out to be quite the opposite (and thankfully not me). I was behind the unfortunate student on an exercise to practice quick motorcycle braking. The guy revved up his engine, started zooming along a straight line, shifted to second, and quickly braked hard when the instructor gave the sign.
The bike abruptly stopped similar to a car slamming hard on the brakes. The only difference is that the car has four tires to stabilize itself, whereas the bike managed to fully stop, yet the balance wasn't maintained. As if in slow motion, the bike fell slowly to the left. The rider extended his foot, but the power of the stop must have caught him off guard as he and his bike slowly hit the floor. (The student had bought motorcycle armor so he walked off fine; it was also a very slow fall)
Our final test started with a couple tight U-turns in a small box, swerving and changing paths, quick braking, and basic cornering. Again, all of us passed, but I don't know how. I easily rolled outside the box while doing the U-turns and if it were a real life situation, my abrupt stopping speed would likely land me into another car's rear window. Hmm.. maybe I'll check out scooters.
When we left the course, I saw the guy who had fallen and dropped his bike. The reason why he had motorcycle armor was because he already owned a motorcycle and that's how he got to class...
I guess it's no joke that California let's anyone get a license.
That's how I feel about me and my motorcycle class. After I completed the course, the Department of Motor Vehicles says that I know the basics of how to operate a two wheel vehicle with a 50cc or larger engine. Even though I passed their test, I really don't know why they let me; I AM NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD! I'm not even remotely close!
Throughout the riding portion of the class, I kept stalling my Kawasaki. I never learned how to drive manual on a car and let me tell you, riding a motorcycle is much tougher. Not only is there this 'clutch' and 'shifting' required, but you also have to worry about balancing a 350 pound bike.
I had no previous concept of balancing the clutch, throttle, or how to manually shift. Throughout the first day of riding, I was easily the worst guy to be around. I kept stalling whenever we stopped and my engine could always be heard roaring above the other motorcycles since I hated switching to higher gears. My foot kept missing the shift and in order to reach a higher gear, you have to tediously switch through neutral to get to second. Everyone was very patient and by the end of the day, I was doing all right.
We learned and practiced everything from the basics of starting up a motorcycle to advanced topics like how to brake while cornering. The one that had me a bit nervous was when we rode over large pieces of wood on our bikes.
By the end of the course, I had seen my first motorcycle 'accident'. It wasn't what I expected at all. I expected someone to take a spill on a sharp corner where the motorcycle and driver goes scraping against the asphalt across several yards and finally rolls to a dead stop. (And partly I expected that person to be me)
Well, it turned out to be quite the opposite (and thankfully not me). I was behind the unfortunate student on an exercise to practice quick motorcycle braking. The guy revved up his engine, started zooming along a straight line, shifted to second, and quickly braked hard when the instructor gave the sign.
The bike abruptly stopped similar to a car slamming hard on the brakes. The only difference is that the car has four tires to stabilize itself, whereas the bike managed to fully stop, yet the balance wasn't maintained. As if in slow motion, the bike fell slowly to the left. The rider extended his foot, but the power of the stop must have caught him off guard as he and his bike slowly hit the floor. (The student had bought motorcycle armor so he walked off fine; it was also a very slow fall)
Our final test started with a couple tight U-turns in a small box, swerving and changing paths, quick braking, and basic cornering. Again, all of us passed, but I don't know how. I easily rolled outside the box while doing the U-turns and if it were a real life situation, my abrupt stopping speed would likely land me into another car's rear window. Hmm.. maybe I'll check out scooters.
When we left the course, I saw the guy who had fallen and dropped his bike. The reason why he had motorcycle armor was because he already owned a motorcycle and that's how he got to class...
I guess it's no joke that California let's anyone get a license.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
100% Hippy?
Despite the hair cut, I still feel as hippy as ever. Since we moved here, Adrienne and I have made it a tradition to visit the local Farmer's market every weekend to support the local farmers and to buy inexpensive, good food. Farmer's market is only a few blocks away so there really is no excuse for us not to go.
Last week I tried a large spicy beef gyro that reminded me of when we went backpacking through Europe. This week I got a little carried away and tried a hearty British chicken curry pie, a well seasoned and beautifully grilled chicken kabob, and some sweet Thai coconut milk pancakes (rice flour, coconut milk, sugar and salt). Along with tasting the prepared food, we also bought basic ingredients that Adrienne's been turning into fancy delicious meals throughout the week! :)
Ok, maybe Farmer's Market isn't really that hippy, but it sure makes me happy. Whenever I pass by the makeshift tents, I get a certain sense of peace that's attributed to the stereotypical carefree and stressless hippy. Shortly after putting our groceries back home, we walked over to Balboa Park to celebrate Earth Day with 50,000+ of our San Diegan neighbors. Since Balboa Park was only a mile away from our house, it was only a simple walk for us. Within traveling two blocks, we immediately saw congested traffic and were once again thankful for where we lived.
The event was already gathering crowds of people and throughout the rest of the day, Earth Day sent two very different messages. The large signs, the laminated pictures, and the text on the brochures claimed how organization X was protecting and saving the environment. However, when one just looked past the messages and looked simply on the ground we stood on, you could see an entirely different message of empty wrappers and discarded fliers.
Now I'm not saying this is the fault of the organizations. No, I just find it sad that some San Diegans don't manage to see the true meaning behind Earth Day. They either picked up information packets knowing full well they wouldn't read them when they got home or they somehow couldn't connect Earth Day to recycling the wrappers from the food that they just bought.
They seemed too caught up with trying out meatless BBQ ribs or visiting the familiar Ben and Jerry Ice Cream stands located every 30 feet apart. Before I could create more judgemental thoughts, we met up with one of Adrienne's friends (and her parents) to explore the rest of the park. With the good company, my mind didn't dwell on the negative thinking.
We witnessed everything from pure electrical cars to organizations focused on saving our wildlife foundations. There were rock to reggae concerts, food courts, people simply lying around, and even some that were boldly and publicly celebrating 4/20 in true 420 style. There was one thing that I didn't expect though...
Just past the Clif bar stand and right before the political activists tents stood a large group of people holding picket signs. I walked in for a closer inspection and read the large billboard "WARNING: Protect Your Children - Gruesome Images Ahead: The following protesters are not part of Earth Day and have refused to leave".
Hmm.. who would put up gruesome images at a public event? Heck, just 30 yards away, there were Jedis and Stormtroopers putting aside their petty differences to pose for pictures with all the kids. Can you believe that; even Stormtroopers, representatives of the evil Galactic Empire, had a heart and thought about the kids first!
I walked over to see who was holding up the signs. There were people holding up pictures of half aborted children and even a group claiming that all worshipers of Islam were part of a political movement and that Islam is truly not a religion. I didn't even know what to say so I'll just type a bunch of dots...........................................
I wish I could describe their lack of respect or their ignorance better, but I really have trouble coming up with articulate words. I really think there is no hope for those people so let me throw in a few more dots...
As we were walking home, I decided that I wasn't a true hippy. I might have stopped looking the part after my hair cut, but even before then I knew I was way too judgmental of others. I'm definitely all for peace and loving, free speech, and anti-government, but at that moment when I saw the protectors holding up their ignorant signs... I would have no problems looking the other way if someone slapped some sense into them.
Last week I tried a large spicy beef gyro that reminded me of when we went backpacking through Europe. This week I got a little carried away and tried a hearty British chicken curry pie, a well seasoned and beautifully grilled chicken kabob, and some sweet Thai coconut milk pancakes (rice flour, coconut milk, sugar and salt). Along with tasting the prepared food, we also bought basic ingredients that Adrienne's been turning into fancy delicious meals throughout the week! :)
Ok, maybe Farmer's Market isn't really that hippy, but it sure makes me happy. Whenever I pass by the makeshift tents, I get a certain sense of peace that's attributed to the stereotypical carefree and stressless hippy. Shortly after putting our groceries back home, we walked over to Balboa Park to celebrate Earth Day with 50,000+ of our San Diegan neighbors. Since Balboa Park was only a mile away from our house, it was only a simple walk for us. Within traveling two blocks, we immediately saw congested traffic and were once again thankful for where we lived.
The event was already gathering crowds of people and throughout the rest of the day, Earth Day sent two very different messages. The large signs, the laminated pictures, and the text on the brochures claimed how organization X was protecting and saving the environment. However, when one just looked past the messages and looked simply on the ground we stood on, you could see an entirely different message of empty wrappers and discarded fliers.
Now I'm not saying this is the fault of the organizations. No, I just find it sad that some San Diegans don't manage to see the true meaning behind Earth Day. They either picked up information packets knowing full well they wouldn't read them when they got home or they somehow couldn't connect Earth Day to recycling the wrappers from the food that they just bought.
They seemed too caught up with trying out meatless BBQ ribs or visiting the familiar Ben and Jerry Ice Cream stands located every 30 feet apart. Before I could create more judgemental thoughts, we met up with one of Adrienne's friends (and her parents) to explore the rest of the park. With the good company, my mind didn't dwell on the negative thinking.
We witnessed everything from pure electrical cars to organizations focused on saving our wildlife foundations. There were rock to reggae concerts, food courts, people simply lying around, and even some that were boldly and publicly celebrating 4/20 in true 420 style. There was one thing that I didn't expect though...
Just past the Clif bar stand and right before the political activists tents stood a large group of people holding picket signs. I walked in for a closer inspection and read the large billboard "WARNING: Protect Your Children - Gruesome Images Ahead: The following protesters are not part of Earth Day and have refused to leave".
Hmm.. who would put up gruesome images at a public event? Heck, just 30 yards away, there were Jedis and Stormtroopers putting aside their petty differences to pose for pictures with all the kids. Can you believe that; even Stormtroopers, representatives of the evil Galactic Empire, had a heart and thought about the kids first!
I walked over to see who was holding up the signs. There were people holding up pictures of half aborted children and even a group claiming that all worshipers of Islam were part of a political movement and that Islam is truly not a religion. I didn't even know what to say so I'll just type a bunch of dots...........................................
I wish I could describe their lack of respect or their ignorance better, but I really have trouble coming up with articulate words. I really think there is no hope for those people so let me throw in a few more dots...
As we were walking home, I decided that I wasn't a true hippy. I might have stopped looking the part after my hair cut, but even before then I knew I was way too judgmental of others. I'm definitely all for peace and loving, free speech, and anti-government, but at that moment when I saw the protectors holding up their ignorant signs... I would have no problems looking the other way if someone slapped some sense into them.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Hair - A world apart
"Hey, he could cut hair." Trevor pointed towards a Tongan walking by his restaurant. "Malo e lelei, fefe hake?" I asked. The Tongan turned around and responded "Sai auptio!" After some small talk, I finally asked if the person wouldn't mind giving me a hair cut then and there at Trevor's restaurant. He happily agreed. Luckily Trevor had a pair of scissors and a comb handy. That was my last hair cut, which was well over a year ago...
That is until this past weekend. I measured my hair; it met the 8 inches minimum necessary for donation. I decided it was time to get a hair cut! Besides, the weather was warming up, not to mention the fact that I was finding enough leftover hair around the house to suspect a small phantom dog was hiding somewhere. Adrienne must have noticed my 'shedding' because within minutes, she had a list of salons nearby. A quick call later and I found myself sitting in a salon with my hair tied neatly in two long braids.
As the remaining pieces of my hair fell, I had the opportunity to view the bustling and very fashionable salon through its reflection. Even though it was my first time in a salon, it wasn't the hair wash, the massage, or the facial that fascinated me the most. I still couldn't believe that last year, I pulled a random stranger off the street to help me cut my hair...
That is until this past weekend. I measured my hair; it met the 8 inches minimum necessary for donation. I decided it was time to get a hair cut! Besides, the weather was warming up, not to mention the fact that I was finding enough leftover hair around the house to suspect a small phantom dog was hiding somewhere. Adrienne must have noticed my 'shedding' because within minutes, she had a list of salons nearby. A quick call later and I found myself sitting in a salon with my hair tied neatly in two long braids.
As the remaining pieces of my hair fell, I had the opportunity to view the bustling and very fashionable salon through its reflection. Even though it was my first time in a salon, it wasn't the hair wash, the massage, or the facial that fascinated me the most. I still couldn't believe that last year, I pulled a random stranger off the street to help me cut my hair...
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Love Adrienne!!!!
Hey! I love Adrienne. She's so hottttttt =)
Note: This may or may not have been written by Adrienne
Note: This may or may not have been written by Adrienne
My spider senses are tingling!
After moving into our new place on Sunday, Adrienne and I noticed that our apartment felt as cold as a cave! (Consider this a warning to all potential visitors! Our place is now dubbed "The Bunker")
Normally I would laugh and mock my girlfriend's inability to generate body heat while I would sleep warm and snuggly. This time I even felt cold so I decided that something had to be done immediately and that this was no joking matter.
I looked at the bunker's aging gas heater, wondering how to operate it. Where do I log in? Where's the power switch? Man, I wish I wasn't out sick laying on the ground drooling on myself when the landlord showed us the place.
With my numb fingers, I tried to ignite the fire with the small switches. We would try to turn the knob from an ignited pilot switch to the "ON" position, but with each attempt the fire would just die out. After numerous attempts, we finally understood how it worked. I just need to light the fire while pumping the gas! The heater rattled alive and we quickly rejoiced as our fingers regained sensation. We had conquered this ancient technology with our mighty brains of the future!!
Still, the heater was warming up too slowly for our impatient bodies so we pulled up our mattress next to the heater. We laid out blankets and I quickly fell asleep with only a small headache and sinuses, naively thinking that I'd be ready for work the next day.
I woke up worse. I called in sick. Adrienne had a sore throat, but left the Bunker early to take care of shopping and help clean up the remainder of our old apartment (she's so sweet!).
Throughout the day, I kept waking up feeling a bit worse. At 7 p.m., my body instinctively told me that I had to get away from the Bunker and get some much needed fresh air. I also secretly wanted some Kung Pao chicken. Even though I had been resting all day, it wasn't doing me much good. The more I slept, the more I felt.. tired.
When I stood up, my head become instantly dizzy and throbbed with pain. It was like I had a midget in my head kicking me every time I tried to get up. For the first time in a long while, I felt the surging sensation to throw up. I climbed the stairs leading to our apartment and was barely able to stop myself from puking all over my neighbor's plants. (I heard in some cultures, that's how you properly greet your new neighbors?)
A couple more blocks brought me to the local Henry's market. They didn't have any ibuprofen or Kung Pao Chicken), but my nausea was starting to disappear even without it. I started feeling remarkably better by the mere act of walking around and getting fresh air. After traveling a little less than a mile, I found a Ralph's that had some Advil.
Adrienne and I returned home pretty much at the same time. She had gone shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, and Target. She bought everything from color complimenting bathroom rugs to a carbon monoxide detector. She went on about how this color would match with this color, but my headache still drowned out her voice.
I had joked on the first night that we would die from carbon monoxide poisoning during our first night in the bunker. Since it was an invisible and odorless gas that caused death, we wouldn't know that that we were even dying! Adrienne didn't sleep so well after that joke. She couldn't find the humor in it (just like most of my Peace Corps friends couldn't find the humor in a falling coconut related death)
As soon as I plugged in the carbon monoxide tester, 4 high pitched squeals went off. Ouch, it hurt my ear!!! Moments later, another 4 chirps went off in quick succession. I looked at the instructions. 4 quick chirps mean that there is a harmful amount of carbon monoxide. Oh shit. As quickly as we moved our mattresses towards the loving warmth of the Bunker's friendly heater, we just as quickly opened our windows and pulled our mattresses from the invisible cloud of death.
With the carbon monoxide releasing into the open environment, we hoped that our new (and fairly distant) neighbors wouldn't catch a wiff of death mixed into their dinners. Due to the large amount of foilage, we doubt it would travel far (according to myNon-existing...Limited... well read knowledge about how lethal gases would dissipate through the air into non lethal doses). Ok, now with perfect hindsight, maybe we should have warned them and called 911. (Though we figured it was ok since the alarm stopped crying at us) At least I didn't throw up in their plants.
I learned a couple of very important lessons after all of this. Sure, you should be really careful about old gas heaters. However, you should really be on the lookout for danger if you ever have a craving for Kung-pao chicken.
Normally I would laugh and mock my girlfriend's inability to generate body heat while I would sleep warm and snuggly. This time I even felt cold so I decided that something had to be done immediately and that this was no joking matter.
I looked at the bunker's aging gas heater, wondering how to operate it. Where do I log in? Where's the power switch? Man, I wish I wasn't out sick laying on the ground drooling on myself when the landlord showed us the place.
With my numb fingers, I tried to ignite the fire with the small switches. We would try to turn the knob from an ignited pilot switch to the "ON" position, but with each attempt the fire would just die out. After numerous attempts, we finally understood how it worked. I just need to light the fire while pumping the gas! The heater rattled alive and we quickly rejoiced as our fingers regained sensation. We had conquered this ancient technology with our mighty brains of the future!!
Still, the heater was warming up too slowly for our impatient bodies so we pulled up our mattress next to the heater. We laid out blankets and I quickly fell asleep with only a small headache and sinuses, naively thinking that I'd be ready for work the next day.
I woke up worse. I called in sick. Adrienne had a sore throat, but left the Bunker early to take care of shopping and help clean up the remainder of our old apartment (she's so sweet!).
Throughout the day, I kept waking up feeling a bit worse. At 7 p.m., my body instinctively told me that I had to get away from the Bunker and get some much needed fresh air. I also secretly wanted some Kung Pao chicken. Even though I had been resting all day, it wasn't doing me much good. The more I slept, the more I felt.. tired.
When I stood up, my head become instantly dizzy and throbbed with pain. It was like I had a midget in my head kicking me every time I tried to get up. For the first time in a long while, I felt the surging sensation to throw up. I climbed the stairs leading to our apartment and was barely able to stop myself from puking all over my neighbor's plants. (I heard in some cultures, that's how you properly greet your new neighbors?)
A couple more blocks brought me to the local Henry's market. They didn't have any ibuprofen or Kung Pao Chicken), but my nausea was starting to disappear even without it. I started feeling remarkably better by the mere act of walking around and getting fresh air. After traveling a little less than a mile, I found a Ralph's that had some Advil.
Adrienne and I returned home pretty much at the same time. She had gone shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, and Target. She bought everything from color complimenting bathroom rugs to a carbon monoxide detector. She went on about how this color would match with this color, but my headache still drowned out her voice.
I had joked on the first night that we would die from carbon monoxide poisoning during our first night in the bunker. Since it was an invisible and odorless gas that caused death, we wouldn't know that that we were even dying! Adrienne didn't sleep so well after that joke. She couldn't find the humor in it (just like most of my Peace Corps friends couldn't find the humor in a falling coconut related death)
As soon as I plugged in the carbon monoxide tester, 4 high pitched squeals went off. Ouch, it hurt my ear!!! Moments later, another 4 chirps went off in quick succession. I looked at the instructions. 4 quick chirps mean that there is a harmful amount of carbon monoxide. Oh shit. As quickly as we moved our mattresses towards the loving warmth of the Bunker's friendly heater, we just as quickly opened our windows and pulled our mattresses from the invisible cloud of death.
With the carbon monoxide releasing into the open environment, we hoped that our new (and fairly distant) neighbors wouldn't catch a wiff of death mixed into their dinners. Due to the large amount of foilage, we doubt it would travel far (according to my
I learned a couple of very important lessons after all of this. Sure, you should be really careful about old gas heaters. However, you should really be on the lookout for danger if you ever have a craving for Kung-pao chicken.
Moving in
This past weekend I moved.
At first, I had a nice and simple plan for our move. I like simple plans; the pieces come together so easily. My plan involved only a few trips of Adrienne, me, and my small pickup truck. We wouldn't need a U-Haul since we were only moving 30 miles and we weren't going to bother our friends since we had so little stuff; I also hate asking people for things (it's something that I know I should work on). Since we didn't 'need' the help, we didn't ask for it. I figured that moving our stuff wouldn't really be a logistical problem.
Then I started having the sniffles on Wednesday night. People asked if I was taking medicine for the cold. I thought "Nah, let me try to fight this one out naturally by just drinking lots of water... ooh, and eating a burger. I have a craving for a juicy burger with swiss cheese!" My body is tough; after all, I'm young!
By Thursday afternoon, I had to go home early from work and ditch my Spanish class to rest up. I decided that maybe hamburgers weren't such a good idea and that I would try drinking more water, still keep my greasy meals, but add in vitamins into the formula to help balance out the bad.
That didn't work either and Friday sent me home early with a slight fever and sore eyes. By Saturday morning, my eyes felt like I was back in college trying to catch up on a semesters worth of reading at the last minute. My body felt cold, random, dull pains all over; the pains felt like Karma poking at me for eating that hamburger and thinking that I was above modern science and medicine.
The pain wouldn't go away, despite how much rest I got. On Saturday morning, we had our walk through of the apartment. In a normal walk through, tenants would have to sign all the necessary paperwork and point out the apartment flaws so that they are not held responsible for any preexisting flaws. Well, I was literally sprawled on the ground with my sunglasses and hoodie pulled over my head, trying not to drool on myself. I couldn't concentrate on anything and could barely put my signature on the papers. (As if legalwork wasn't boring enough, amirite?!)
I didn't see the landlord when she walked away to do the rest of the walk through with Adrienne, but I'm sure she must've had second doubts about renting the place to us. Here we were, two pretty young adults, both fairly new out of college, and the person with the only source of income was lying asleep on the hardwood floor drooling on himself. Somehow, the landlord trusted us with the keys...
Now that we had the keys, my simple plan wasn't going to work. I was sick. Although there wasn't that much stuff, there was no way Adrienne could pack, load, and unload all our stuff herself. With some last minute phone calls, we had a few friends come over on Sunday and lend a helping hand! I started to get feel better and by late Sunday, I was back to lifting things myself.
As we plopped all our stuff into our new apartment, we wanted to say that it's nice to be able to count on friends when you need them. Thanks guys.
At first, I had a nice and simple plan for our move. I like simple plans; the pieces come together so easily. My plan involved only a few trips of Adrienne, me, and my small pickup truck. We wouldn't need a U-Haul since we were only moving 30 miles and we weren't going to bother our friends since we had so little stuff; I also hate asking people for things (it's something that I know I should work on). Since we didn't 'need' the help, we didn't ask for it. I figured that moving our stuff wouldn't really be a logistical problem.
Then I started having the sniffles on Wednesday night. People asked if I was taking medicine for the cold. I thought "Nah, let me try to fight this one out naturally by just drinking lots of water... ooh, and eating a burger. I have a craving for a juicy burger with swiss cheese!" My body is tough; after all, I'm young!
By Thursday afternoon, I had to go home early from work and ditch my Spanish class to rest up. I decided that maybe hamburgers weren't such a good idea and that I would try drinking more water, still keep my greasy meals, but add in vitamins into the formula to help balance out the bad.
That didn't work either and Friday sent me home early with a slight fever and sore eyes. By Saturday morning, my eyes felt like I was back in college trying to catch up on a semesters worth of reading at the last minute. My body felt cold, random, dull pains all over; the pains felt like Karma poking at me for eating that hamburger and thinking that I was above modern science and medicine.
The pain wouldn't go away, despite how much rest I got. On Saturday morning, we had our walk through of the apartment. In a normal walk through, tenants would have to sign all the necessary paperwork and point out the apartment flaws so that they are not held responsible for any preexisting flaws. Well, I was literally sprawled on the ground with my sunglasses and hoodie pulled over my head, trying not to drool on myself. I couldn't concentrate on anything and could barely put my signature on the papers. (As if legalwork wasn't boring enough, amirite?!)
I didn't see the landlord when she walked away to do the rest of the walk through with Adrienne, but I'm sure she must've had second doubts about renting the place to us. Here we were, two pretty young adults, both fairly new out of college, and the person with the only source of income was lying asleep on the hardwood floor drooling on himself. Somehow, the landlord trusted us with the keys...
Now that we had the keys, my simple plan wasn't going to work. I was sick. Although there wasn't that much stuff, there was no way Adrienne could pack, load, and unload all our stuff herself. With some last minute phone calls, we had a few friends come over on Sunday and lend a helping hand! I started to get feel better and by late Sunday, I was back to lifting things myself.
As we plopped all our stuff into our new apartment, we wanted to say that it's nice to be able to count on friends when you need them. Thanks guys.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Trip
Screeech!! - the tires squealed across the highway concrete. A gray patch of smoke appeared from under the SUV, followed by the distinct thud of cars colliding. A small pickup truck started to fishtail, but quickly lost all control as it swung 180 degrees across 4 lanes of busy California traffic. Large pieces of wood and debris flew out the truck bed, scattering itself across the lanes.
Within seconds the SUV rested on the far right hand side of traffic, its horn unable to stop blaring and its front bumper laying a lane away, while the truck remained motionless on the far left hand side of traffic, directly facing the oncoming traffic.
I saw the accident from about 100 feet away. By the time my vehicle stopped, it was near two shattered pieces of the 2*4 and within 30 feet of the SUV. I knew my phone was dead, as it had died minutes earlier while I was listening to a friend's voice mail message from New York wishing us a Happy Easter. I asked Adrienne to let me borrow her phone, which she promptly handed over and warned me about running into traffic.
I scanned the scene and noticed that all traffic had halted. I was a bit careful since I was the first one coming out of a car. I ran past the wreckage, past a few stunned cars still in shock, and towards the SUV to check if the passengers were ok. Inside were two Hispanic adults and their child, all who responded that they were ok and appeared without any visible injuries.
I looked across the highway and saw that someone had started checking on the driver of the truck. He seemed to be all right, considering he was rear-ended at 70 miles per hour. Adrienne had come out of my truck and I passed her the phone to call 911 while I helped to clear the lanes of debris. A few others hopped out of their vehicles and started helping as well. As soon as the wreckage was cleared and the call was finished, a Highway patrol car finally appeared on scene and took over.
After the adrenaline rush was over, I noticed that my foot was slightly bleeding. I was only wearing my Chaco sandals since we were out at the beach with some of our Peace Corps Tonga friends this morning. They were behind us and navigated through the traffic to check if we were ok. We signaled that we were good. After I got back inside the truck, I felt a stinging sensation in my foot and noticed a cut.
Looking back, I have no idea how I could have helped. Adrienne was the actual EMT and if the SUV family didn't understand English, my Spanish could only direct her to the nearest library. I'm glad it didn't come down to anyone needing medical attention. If they did, Adrienne would have been able to help. I don't know why I became so overprotective of her.
Within seconds the SUV rested on the far right hand side of traffic, its horn unable to stop blaring and its front bumper laying a lane away, while the truck remained motionless on the far left hand side of traffic, directly facing the oncoming traffic.
I saw the accident from about 100 feet away. By the time my vehicle stopped, it was near two shattered pieces of the 2*4 and within 30 feet of the SUV. I knew my phone was dead, as it had died minutes earlier while I was listening to a friend's voice mail message from New York wishing us a Happy Easter. I asked Adrienne to let me borrow her phone, which she promptly handed over and warned me about running into traffic.
I scanned the scene and noticed that all traffic had halted. I was a bit careful since I was the first one coming out of a car. I ran past the wreckage, past a few stunned cars still in shock, and towards the SUV to check if the passengers were ok. Inside were two Hispanic adults and their child, all who responded that they were ok and appeared without any visible injuries.
I looked across the highway and saw that someone had started checking on the driver of the truck. He seemed to be all right, considering he was rear-ended at 70 miles per hour. Adrienne had come out of my truck and I passed her the phone to call 911 while I helped to clear the lanes of debris. A few others hopped out of their vehicles and started helping as well. As soon as the wreckage was cleared and the call was finished, a Highway patrol car finally appeared on scene and took over.
After the adrenaline rush was over, I noticed that my foot was slightly bleeding. I was only wearing my Chaco sandals since we were out at the beach with some of our Peace Corps Tonga friends this morning. They were behind us and navigated through the traffic to check if we were ok. We signaled that we were good. After I got back inside the truck, I felt a stinging sensation in my foot and noticed a cut.
Looking back, I have no idea how I could have helped. Adrienne was the actual EMT and if the SUV family didn't understand English, my Spanish could only direct her to the nearest library. I'm glad it didn't come down to anyone needing medical attention. If they did, Adrienne would have been able to help. I don't know why I became so overprotective of her.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
New Job, New Travels
I quit working with Sony about a month ago. I'm now working with a nonprofit for the homeless. It's definitely a different environment going from a corporation to being one of only two full time employees in a nonprofit.
Before I started the new job, I took a couple weeks off to travel. I went home to Reedley for Christmas and later went to VA to meet Adrienne's family and friends. We made quick trips to New York City and D.C. to visit friends and sites. We did the cliched Times Square at New Years. It was very interesting; somewhere during the trip we all ended up wearing adult diapers (that's for another post). I'm really thankful for all the great company.
Before I started the new job, I took a couple weeks off to travel. I went home to Reedley for Christmas and later went to VA to meet Adrienne's family and friends. We made quick trips to New York City and D.C. to visit friends and sites. We did the cliched Times Square at New Years. It was very interesting; somewhere during the trip we all ended up wearing adult diapers (that's for another post). I'm really thankful for all the great company.
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