Puerco Bebil
   So anyone know how to cook puerco bebil? I DO! I learned it from watching a special feature on "Once Upon A Time In Mexico". How was the movie? It was "ehhhh" "Desperado" is a lot better. But watching how to cook puerco bebil just made me crave some pork. So last night I bought some kalua pork from L&L to tide me over. Mmmmmm...so freaking good. Now I can't wait until Mexico when I can have some puero bebil. DAMMIT!!! I just realized I'll be giving up meat at that time!!! Dammit!!! Maybe this giving up meat thing for Lent isn't such a good idea.
   So I've started to work out again. This time on Mondays, Tuesdays (well, Tuesdays are "optional"), and Fridays. I'm so freaking weak now. I haven't really worked out chest in a while and I'm so freaking weak now. It kinda sucks. My goal is to bench 225 lbs (2 plates on each side) consistently but I'm waaaaaaay far from that mark. Ok, I saw by the end of summertime I'll be up there.
   So maybe this Econ class at IVC is gonna be harder than I thought. At the last class we had to answer this question: "Between 1998 and 2003 tution fees for community colleges remained the same, but enrollment increased, explain". I was stuck on this stupid question trying to use freaking marginal cost, supply, etc. I was so stuck on this question for so freaking long. It turns out the answer was so freaking simple "the demand increased". WHAT THE HELL KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT! In order to get a good grade in this class i think I have to learn to think more simply. After all, this is only a intro class.
   So they're showing "Dude, Where's My Car" on TV and I remember watching that movie in the theaters. It's one of the worst movies that I've ever seen! I swear! I don't think it's funny at all!!! It's so freaking stupid!!! Ok, I admit that when I first watched "Zoolander", I thought it was alright....but then I watched it again and thought it was hillarous! When I first watched "Dude, Where's My Car" I thought it sucked...then I watched it a 2nd time...and I still think it sucks!!! I don't understand how some people (Jon) think it's funny. Oh well...to each, his own.
   Well, I'll talk to ya'll laters. Such is the life of Joe...

I can't wait until Summer
   I really can't wait until summertime. This cold weather isn't sitting well with me. Can't wait until Mexico and my mini-vacation. But I really can't wait until I get to go on the beach again. I've been playing my Bob Marley CD for a couple days now just to get me in the mood of summertime. Man, I just wanna go to the beach and chill and do nothing. And Corona Del Mar doesn't count...I realized last year that beach freaking sucks. It's all about Huntington, Newport, Salt Creek, or any SD beach. Oh yeah....or beaches in Hawaii...that'd be awesome.
   Anyone go on Friendster anymore? Remember that site? Friendster? HA HA HA! A couple months ago people were on it every single hour, now I go on it only like once a week or so. HA HA HA! It was a great idea, but now I think everyone's "collected" all their friends already so there's no point in it anymore.
   Do I wanna bitch again about how much I hate Monday thru Friday??? Well, I do. It's just that stupid job thing and that stupid school thing. Oh yeah, did I tell you guys I'm back at school??? HOORAY!!!! I GOT ACCEPTED TO IVC!!! I can't believe that they accepted me, being one of the top colleges in the nation! HA HA HA! Yeah, I'm taking stupid Psychology and stupid Economics class. Freaking stupid ass classes!!! I swear, I better not get anything lower than an "A" in those classes because they're so freaking stupid. I mean, I'd actually like the classes if it was a "real" class involving science or something. I'd actually like to take a Bio class...or even a Math class, at least that'll get me to think. But freaking social sciences? Come on! Serious!!! I'm falling asleep in the freaking classes since it's so freaking boring and I've already gone though 8 hours of work. BLAH! Maybe that's why I'm hoping for a big earthquake or fire to happen...just at my work that is, so I don't have to go there anymore. That'd be so awesome.
   Lent's coming up. And I've thought about what I'm gonna give up. I think I'm giving up meat, like last year. But unlike last year I'm gonna give up both red meat and poultry. Meaning I'll just be eating veggies, tofu, and seafood. Oh yeah...AND I'm gonna try to stay on my low carb diet. It's gonna be a bitch, I"m probably only going to last a week or so. But we'll see.
Ok, Thursday and Friday and I can go do nothing at all this weekend. Seriously....I can't wait until Friday when I can just go home and crash on my bed. Don't bother me, I'm sleeping. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... Such is the life of Joe...

"Pweh Pweh, me Tommy, me tik"
   I was looking forward to Friday all freaking week. Why? Well, because it's the start of the weekend which means no work!!! HELL YEAH! AND it was lil Jay and Gee's birthday and they were celebrating at Zanzibar in Santa Monica. Cile, Tommy, Gee, and I got to Zanzibar early and we got choice seating right by the door where we could see everyone who came in and who left. The music was cool and chill...something very kick back and loungy. I don't mean it was lounge music...it was more downtempo kinda stuff. Stuff I like to just put on and chill to, which is perfect for me because everyone knows how much I dance. So here's the recap of most of the night: chill, say hello to people who chilled with us, drink, get Gee drinks, get Gee 5 drinks by the time Jay arrived, try to catch Jay up to Gee, etc. So needless to say, Jay and Gee were both freaking faded by the end of the night (not to mention freaking Tommy who you can tell is drunk when he starts yelling instead of talking, HA!)
   Ok, so at the end of the night Jay does his "Hulk" impersonation once again and rips his "Banana Republic size small, black (even though it was obvious to everyone else it was blue) long sleeve shirt" open. He then just chills and refused to move from first a parking meter, then a stoplight, and finally the hood of Cici's car. He was so out of it...he was talking French and everything. Too funny!!! Also Averell joking around with Jay was too funny too! HA! Oh...but Jay wasn't the only faded one. He was the one that took it the worst. Gee was freaking faded too. He had hella drinks and by the time that we got back to his place, I woke him up and told him to open the gate to his complex. He then starts to push on his freaking seatbelt button to open it! HA! Then I told him that wasn't the opener and he pulls out his wallet and starts to push on that! HA HA HA! Faded ass! Well, Happy Birthday both you guys! Hope you guys had fun!!!
   Oh yeah...so Tommy had a hangover the next morning. I don't remember him drinking that much...I know he had at least 5 drinks...but he probably had more (a combination of wine, mixed drinks, and shots BLEH!!!!). All I have to say is "Pweh Pweh, Me Tommy, Me Tik" HA! Such is the life of Joe....

Bitch Bitch Bitch
   Hump day today. That means there's only 2 more days until the weeked. 2 more days I have to struggle though. When my dad was down this past weekend he told me stuff about social security or something (I have no idea what he was talking about) but basically he told me if i retire right now I'll get paid so much money a month. After he told me that I've been having thoughts about retiring!!! HA! How much I would get a month isn't even close to what I'm making, it wouldn't even pay for rent...but I could always move back home...hmmmmmmm. HA HA HA! Work sucks, taking stupid classes at IVC sucks, feeling like my life is going nowhere sucks...blah blah blah...wah wah wah. Stop bitching...I know I know. No one likes a bitcher. It's just that I'm in one of those "i'm in a rut" and reflective, depressed moods where I look back and say "what if....". Bitch bitch bitch...blah blah blah...wah wah wah.
   Oh yeah...I forgot to mention that at the wedding, I saw Edgar Dormitorio there!!! Crazy! It turns out that him and the groom were old family friends. I thought I recognized him at the wedding, but I said to myself, "it can't be Edgar because how would he know Eric". Later on at the reception, it turns out that it WAS him! HA! It's a small world after all.
   Oh yeah...a couple of weeks ago I went to the back and smoked a Partagas cigar. Very nice. But the nicest thing is that not one did it ash!!! This is a 4 3/4" cigar and I smoked it to the very end leaving 3/4" of a cigar stub and 4" of ash! AWESOME! I think I'll add Partagas as a regular smoke. Oh yeah...thanks Gee for the Cuban Cohiba! It's great!!! I'll let it simmer in my humidor for a couple months before I partake in it.
   Did I mention this already? But the freaking Superbowl is gonna suck...ok that's it. 2 more days...until the weekend. Such is the life of Joe...

Best Weekend Of 2004!
   I had such a great weekend! Hands down the best weekend that I've had this year (of 2004, that is). But really, it's gonna be in my top 3 of the year this year. Why was it so good? It just was. This Saturday was Eric Samson's wedding. Eric is an old friend of the family and pretty much "cousin" from Visalia/Tulare (back home). The funny thing is that I haven't seen him in probably 10 years but he lives in Fullerton and works at Irvine High School which is only 5 blocks from my apartment!!! So I was excited for this weekend because that means I got to see Dad and also I got to see the Samson's, Rodriguez's, and other friends of the family that I haven't seen in a long time (sometimes as long as 10 years). It's so bad that when I walked up to the church I recognized one of my "cousins" Therese, and gave her a hug but then this other girl gave me a hug to? I had no idea who she was. Then I realized that it was my godsister/"cousin" Kaylen. The last time I saw her she was maybe 4 years old and under 3 feet tall, now she's 15 years old!!! All the Tita's and Tito's looked the same, but it was the kids that just shocked me because of how much they changed. (Man, I'm getting old).
   The wedding was in Corona Del Mar at a small white chapel and it was a great ceremony because the pastor made it humorous along with spiritual. The wedding reception was at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Irvine and I had a great time there just drinking my Johnny Black, Grand Marnier, and Vodka Tonics (all low carb drinks!!!). Sharing drinks and drinking with my Dad alone made the night, but throw in seeing all the old familiar faces there made it really special. I really felt loved and missed at the reception. All my Tita's and Tito's would come up to me and they were genuinely happy to see me. There's no better feeling than knowing you're missed which means that you're loved. And that's what I felt this whole night. I felt loved, and I could feel the love that they had for Mom also.
   I know how much I talk about hating Tulare and dreading every time I go back there. That's because every time I go back there I just sit in my room and do nothing at all. Fun, huh? I would love to go back to Tulare/Visalia if I got to spend it hanging out with the Tita's, Tito's and "cousins". I see them and it brings back memories when I was a kid, going to their house and playing Nintendo, playing with the WWF wrestling toys, and just having fun. It also brings back good memories of going there with Mom and Dad and just having a good time as a whole family. It sucks that after Mom died that I became very introverted and quiet and basically lost touch with them. Back then (and even still a little bit now) I deal with her death by not thinking about it and so going to the Filipino parties wasn't for me. But now, I'm glad when I can think back to when she was alive, smiling and joking at those very same parties that I had avoided for so long. That's why seeing the Tita's, Tito's, and cousins made me so happy. It's one of those nights that you really didn't want to end, but knew had to.
   Did I tell you guys how much I love my Dad? He's the best Dad out there. When I grow up, I want to be just like him. If ever you see my Dad at a wedding or at an association dinner or any party or anything, then you'll love him. You also might question if I really am his son, because he's always the life of the party. He's always telling jokes, drinking, singing karaoke, and pulling ladies on the dance floor. It's so crazy to see him out there on the dance floor "cutting a rug" when I'm just standing there, holding up the wall. I guess there are no such thing as "dancing genes" or "social interaction genes" because if there are, then my Dad forgot to pass them down to me.
   I really hate going back to work after such a great weekend. It freaking pisses me off. I swear, I look at my life and ask myself if this is how it's supposed to be for the next 30 years? That when Sunday comes along you get all pissed off and hate that the work week is gonna start and that you'll have to drag through another 5 days of freaking work? Aren't I supposed to be happy or something? I mean, I think of all the career choices that I could make that would really make me happy, but honestly? I don't see one at all. Maybe I'm a lazy ass....actually, I know there's not a maybe in there, I know I'm a lazy ass. But I honestly wish there was something that I would really love doing for the rest of my life...someoone please tell me what it is.
   Well, here's to another work week. 5 FREAKING DAYS AND COUNTING! DAMMIT!!! Sadly, such is the life of Joe...

ILoveNY
   How was NY? It was cool, but at the same time, it sucked. Here's a quick summary get to JFK Airport at 8:00, drive to Montebello NY and get there at 10:00. Eat dinner and get back to the hotel at 11. Try to go to sleep but couldn't (I was waking up every like 15 minutes until I finally fell asleep at 4:00). Wake up at 5:30, go to work at 7:00, work until 2:00. Drive back to JFK and get there at 3:30, chill and wait until my flight home at 5:30. Get back to Irvine at 10:00. So I was in NY less than 24 hours.
   But being in NY for only 22 hours or so made me want to freaking come back and visit there! Life is so freaking different there. I wish I was near the big city so I could explore but I was in the middle of nowhere. Montebello, NY? Who's ever heard of that. The freaking hotel I stayed at was freaking too creepy. It was a Holiday Inn with an Indoor pool. But it seemed like it was in the middle of nowhere and it was totally empty. There were probably only 4 other guests there! Here are some freaking pictures:



FREAKING SCARY!!! HUH???
   You know what's cool though? Flying on a plane that isn't full and you can just wander and sit wherever you want. So having a whole row of seats to yourself is awesome. You can spread out and everything. All that I did was read "The Beach" which I've been trying to read for like 2 years. Oh yeah! And thanks to Ai's January 11th Blog entry (the one with the pager code) I had something to keep me occupied for an hour! Yup, I printed out her entry and took it with me on the plane and it freaking took me an hour to decode it! HA! Don't laugh...I never had a pager!!! Yeah, but thanks Ai and 1 6217'7 111217 1117717 1205603'5!!!
   Ok, well that's it for now. This weekend will be awesome since I'll see my Dad. He's comeing down to Irvine because a friend of the family is getting married. I can't wait because my Dad is the life of the party at weddings and gatherings. OTSO OTSO!!! Such is the life of Joe...

Pet Peeves
   I know that I shouldn't be criticizing people at church, but sometimes people really annoy me. Is it right that I get annoyed at church? Oh well, whether or not you're supposed to get annoyed, I was today. Why? Because on my left, was some dude that every time that a freaking song came on he just started drumming on the pew the beat. It just annoyed me for some reason.
   On my right was something that's annoyed me for a long ass time though. I know that there's one in every church...and usually I find that the person is a Filipina lady. Can you guess what annoys me about them? Yup, it annoys me when they have to be the first person to respond or start a response/prayer. You know what I mean. They're the people who, when the priest says "Peace Be With You" they're already finished saying "And Also With You" before everyone else in unison even starts. Freaking annoys me so much. It's like they need to be the first person to respond, that it makes them holier or something. Forget that! Everyone else is praying together but they have to single themselves out and get their responses out first before everyone else. BLAH!
   So I'm going to New York on Monday. I thought that I was going to be going on Tuesday and coming back on Tuesday. But now I'm leaving on Monday and coming back on Tuesday. It's for freaking work, and you know what? It's pretty stupid because all that I have to do is relabel 500 or so boxes which really won't take that long. I'm gonna be in New York for all of less than 24 hours. It would be cool if it was actually New York City, but it's like an hour away in a city called Spring Valley or Montebello. Oh well, hopefully it'll be somewhat a break from actual work. But most likely it won't be. Damn, it's times like this when I wish I had an IPOD (like Jevon or Kenny), or a freaking Laptop (like Cici) so I won't be freaking bored, but I guess I'll just bring a book or something to read.
   Well, that's it for now. Hopefully everything goes well. Such is the life of Joe...

Hero
   Probably, hands down, the best movie that I've seen this year. (Well, considering it's only 10 days into the year that's no big deal). But seriously, it's the best I've seen even better than "Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King" and "Kill Bill: Volume 1". It's got everything, a great story, great cinematography, great action, great acting. Never heard of "Hero"? Well, it's because it hasn't come out in the US not yet (hopefully Miramax will get off their ass and put it out and promote it because it's Oscar worthy). It's a Hong Kong film that was released back in 2002.
   So how did I see it if it's not out in the US yet? Well, because it's already out on DVD in Hong Kong and Asia and I just got the DVD! But before you go out and buy it..be warned, it's a Region-3 DVD, it won't play on Region-1 (sold in the US) DVD players. I have the DVD, I'm so happy that I got this new Region-Free DVD player so I can play different region DVD's. (Actually, it's just a regular Philips DVD player I bought from Target but it can easily be "hacked" to be region free).
   Yeah, but this movie is awesome. Probably the first movie that you'll compare it to is "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" but I think it's better than that movie even though they're both great. The one thing that sets this movie apart is the great cinematography and the use of colors. Man, it's so colorful and each color has it's own meaning. Too bad that all the freaking extra's on the DVD are in Mandarin with no subtitles...I guess it's time to learn some Mandarin. Such is the life of Joe...

2fer2
   Is it the weekend yet? I seriously can't wait. I freaking worked 12 hours today. Hopefully tomorrow (Friday) will be a better day. Hopefully I get off on time so I can go home and sleep and be a lazy ass. Ahhhhh....I can't wait.
   So I bought some Hong Kong DVD's recently. "Shaolin Soccer" a comedy which is freaking hillarious, "Storm Riders" which is supposedly a great movie, and "Hero" which is like "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon". I've only watched "Shaolin Soccer" and its so freaking good. The subtitles sometimes don't make sense, but it's understandable. I thought it was a freaking hillarious movie when I watched it. Than one of James' co-workers came over who knows Mandarin and we were watching it and he was laughing at all these parts that I wasn't. It was becuase he was getting the jokes that I wasn't!!! So this movie would be 10 times more hillarious if I knew Mandarin.
   I'm now gonna make use of my camera phone and take random pictures of "stuff" HA! Gee knows what I'm talking about. It's all about being covert and stuff. But the only thing is that I don't really go out at all and don't really have opportunity to take pictures of stuff.
   So I've been MIA on AIM! HA! that was pretty cool, huh? My AIM thing says I've been online for 19 days, but I've probably been "away" for 18 of them. Just don't feel like talking, plus I'm busy at work, plus I'm busy playing Final Fantasy VII, but today I actually went back online. Pretty cool, especially when you get to talk to friends you haven't talked to in a couple weeks, months, etc. Ok, right now I'm talking to Iya and she says hello to everyone. So "HELLO" to everyone from Iya. Well, it's almost time to put back that "away" message. Ok, that's all I have to write about. I'll talk to you guys later. Such is the life of Joe...

Hometown Tourist
   Yeah, this new year sucks. I'm freaking busy as blah! I thought it was gonna get better after the new year...nope. So that's my excuse for not updating as much as I should. I really really really can't wait for the weekend. Ahhhhhhhh.....
   So this past weekend was a grand time hanging out with friends as I mentioned in my last post. Pig N Whistle is an awesome place. The ceiling itself is awesome, plus it isn't packed, and I had my first cigar in like a month or so. Ahhhhh.... Anyways, it also marked my very first time I've ever seen the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and it's Stars on the sidewalk. It was so awesome. Every time I go to LA I turn into a freaking tourist...I'm constantly just looking out the car window at all the sites. When Cile drives us around her neighborhood I'm just amazed at the houses there, when she takes us to LA, I'm amazed at all the recognizable buildings that you see on TV, but now I'm seeing them in real life! Crazy how it's only like 50 miles away and yet I've never explored that place. I wanna do the touristy thing and walk around Hollywood taking pictures of me doing my double peace sign at all the sites like Mann's Chinese Theater (which I also saw for the first time), the Hollywood sign (which I still get excited at seeing), the Stars on the Walk Of Fame, etc. It's not just Hollywood either, Sunset, Santa Monica Promenade, and other famous landmarks that all the tourists visit...I wanna go there. Yeah, I know...it's kinda weird that I haven't been to or seen these places, but I guess you figure that, "i'm from southern california and I dont' wanna be one of those tourists".
   But this sense of exploration really isn't just confined to LA, I wanna explore around Irvine, Orange County, Las Vegas, etc. I've never done the "tourist" thing...these places have always been places to just live, hang out, or have fun at. Is it a sign of me getting older? Dammit...yeah, it probably is. Such is the life of Joe...

HELP!!!
   It can't be true!!! She had to be freaking drunk!!! Supposedly Britney Spears got married to a childhood friend in Vegas Saturday night!!! You don't belive me? Read This!!! WHAT!!! That's just crazy! I agree with Cile, she must've been drunk or something. I mean, it IS Las Vegas. So hopefully in a couple days you'll hear that she gets divorced...blah blah blah...drunk when she got married...blah blah blah.
&nbps  Tonight was a grand night. C&O Tratorria for some good eats with good friends and then Pig N Whistle for some chilling and dancing. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Leia!!! Always a good time just spending time with these people. But I did realize one thing. Wine tastes good...but it'll creep on you. I think I had maybe 5 glasses of wine...I didn't think anything of it because I felt fine and it tasted good...but later on after dinner I wasn't feeling grand. Yeah yeah yeah...."pweh pweh wine huwts my tummy". Same thing happened New Years Eve with the Champagne. I need to watch myself with wine and champagne. No, it's not that I felt like yacking...it just felt like I didn't want to drink anything else. Oh well.
   So coming back home from LA, Cile was driving on the 5 back to Irvine and we pass these two cops just chilling on the side of the road. We thought that a cop had just pulled over another car, but we were shocked when that other car was another cop. We didn’t think anything of it and Cile kept on driving down the freeway and as we were getting closer to Culver St. exit we see this White Lexus IS300 just freaking speed right past us at maybe 100mph then we see police lights come on and sirens and I see a cop following him. I immediately thought, “man, that guy just got caught for speeding” but the Lexus kept on going and then I see another, and another, and another, up to 8 cop cars freaking fly past us following that Lexus!!! CRAZY!!! It was so crazy! I actually was witness to a chase! It wasn’t until we got off the freeway when Cile said that we were lucky that we were almost to our exit and we were on the right most of the freeway. Think if we were still far from our exit and over on the fast lanes where the Lexus and the cops where! I seriously went from being so excited to being witness to seeing a chase to thanking God that he was watching over us. That really humbled me. I think this was probably the first time that I've actually witnessed and realized how much He looks after us. Thank you God for being our protector and keeping us safe and for looking over us. Such is the life of Joe...

Happy 2004!!!