Tired

As some of you know, my parents are in town and all we've been doing (I mean, they)
is shopping. I think I've been to the outlet stores anout 3 times within the last week and a half. Tomorrow I have to drive them to Macy's with my aunt who works for Macy's and get their 70% discount on stuff. Hmmm, maybe I can get a new shirt or two.

That's the reason that I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately. Anyways, I shall try and blog again tomorrow, or the next day or the next.......................

Ciao

Pope John Paul II

This past week, the beloved Pope John Paul II passed away. It's been a sad few days for the Catholic community and frankly the world community. He was one of the few spiritual leaders that actually reached out to the masses and tried to make things right, at least spiritually.

I was blessed and lucky to have seen him in person when came here to San Francisco back in 1987. My aunt and I hurried over to where the motorcade was going to pass by and was lucky enough to get there just as "Il Papa" was passing by. It was one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed. He really does have an aura around him.
He is a picture of HOPE that things can get better.

To the beloved papa, may you finally find peace and happiness up in the kingdom of the lord.

weekend update

This past weekend, I had to play the role of tour guide driver. As most of you know that my mom is in town, well one of my aunts from the Philippines was in town as well, and, just a little background on her, she is a promoter/music director. So she promotes a lot of concerts and composes music for a lot of filipino songers and groups. Well, she came by the house last saturday to visit my grandmother, she just happened to bring along Nora Aunor. I don't know if any of you out there know who she is, but from what I remember, she was one of the biggest stars back when I was a young -un. After their visit, they asked me if I could drive them to Cache Creek Casino. I really didn't want to, but when my mom said she wanted to go too, well, I just had to.
So off we went. We only spent about 3 hours over there (1 hour for eating) so on the way back we stopped by the Vacaville outlet stores, 'cause my mom needed to buy some baby blankets at Carter's for my brother new baby. Then we went home.

Sunday was practice at our new studio place in south city. It's bigger than our old studio and what's cool about it is that the storage space for all our costume, props and instrument is also in the same floor. So no more crossing the street to get something out of storage and we have 24 hour access to it. Parking sucks, but then again, this is not burger King, can't have it your way.

"He who has a stinky finger, has an itchy butthole"-unknown

Hot day

Today was HOT in San Francisco. It's been real nice having the sun back after all the rain we've been having. It almost as if I was in Seattle or Vancouver. Anyways I hope that it doesn't rain this saturday, I think I will take my mom out shopping again (no I'm not buying anything, with the 2 trips alone this year is really tapping me out) Don't know where to go though, Maybe the Napa outlets or the ones from Folsom.
Anyone got any suggestions?

Another thing, I finally bought my ticket, for Vancouver, today. Not bad got it for under $200 so I think I got a good deal. I guess constant vigilance pays off, considering that I checked how much the fare was yesterday and it was mid 300 dollars.

Now if we can only find a cheaper fare for Brazil.......

Hasta Pasta

Rain Rain and more rain

I hate the rain. It's pouring crazy right now and I just know that I'm gonna have a bad commute tomorrow morning. Oh well I better get to sleep early and just give myself a headstart.

I better get home soon.

Good eats....etc.

Well we had a BBQ at work today to celebrate our center for having a solid safety picture for the last quarter. We have reduced injuries by 60% compared to the same time last year and we have reduced accidents by 73%. I say that's a cause for a little celebration. So we had bbq'ed some some tri-tip steaks, prawns sauteed with garlic sauce, louisiana hot links, potato salad, green salad, blueberry and apple pies and chocolate cakes for dessert. I say it was a damn good BBQ dinner. I can't wait for the next one. I was thinking that if we would go six months without an accident and injury, I think either a day at SBC park for a giants game or Family day at Great America sounds nice. Which one do you think is better?

VJ from Vancouver also gave me a surprise phone call tonight. He was confirming if Ledge is actually going there in June. I said yes so he said that Ledge and I can stay at his beautiful house. WooHoo, I love staying with them, they are so hospitable and so kind. Plus Emily is so cute. I also told him that Mur and Laurie wanted to stay at his house and so they will (if they still want to).

Brazil update

Well, my mgr finally approved my vacations and I can now join the group for Brazil.
woo-hoo. Now to work some overtime hours to help pay for this endeavor.

It's been nice to spend some time with my mom. Although I'm working, it's cool to know that when I get home she will be there and she and I can talk about my nice and new nephew (for those that know my brother, he just had a baby boy). So now I have to drive my mom around so she can buy stuff for them. Maybe we'll head out to babies r'us and get some baby stuff.

It sucks that it's been raining a lot lately. It put a damper on our plans to have a massive BBQ for work. We have just achieved 1 month of no accident/injuries. I know it's only a month, but when you consider we put out about 80 drivers a day and they drive on the avg of 33 miles a day and handle about 300-700 pkgs a day, that's a big deal. Do congrats to my fellow Upsers, may the rain stop falling and the sun starts shining, and our bellies be filled with steaks and cranberries. Raise the glass (afterwork that is).

Peace out.

Brazil update

I just found out that I'm the cutoff guy for the second wave of the vacation bidding. Meaning there's 19 people ahead of me that can easily bump me off the weeks needed in aug. So keep your fingers and legs crossed and pray that I get 'em.

Peace out

Well, I'm happy to say that my mom is here. She arrived last sunday and will be staying here 'til april. So that's cool.

Well for my fellow likha performers, I just got my vacation bid sheet and judging by the schedule, there's a good chance that I just might get the weeks needed for the Brazil trip. It's not gonna be etched in stone until my manager signs off on it so keep your fingers crossed that I get it. Now if I can only find a way to pay for the trip.....

time to watch the Incredibles DVD. See ya.

Rondalla fraktis

well, it's friday and it's time for rondalla practice and here I am outside the chateau but I don't think anyone is home yet. so here I am blogging in my car.

This week has been so fraking HOT, I think we were in the high 80's all week long. It's been a nice change from all the rain that we've been having all winter long. It's good to have the sun back shining again. Time to bust out the shorts and tanktops.

The Oscars are........

Last nite, I was trying to watch some of the highlights of the Oscars, and all they could talk about was who designed this or who designed that. Check out how the lapel is different on this tuxedo as opposed to "regular" tuxedos. I mean c'mon, I think it just went a little over the top. I mean, I don't mind if they interview you about your career and how much it means for you to win or not win an oscar nomination. I mean, we (whether we like it or not) still have solders out in Iraq whose life is still on the line defending their warped president's view of world terror. I mean these soldiers are watching these highlight interviews and instead of hearing how these thespians feel about their nominations, all they are asked are, who designed your clothes, where did you get your jewelry and by whose design is it.

I just think that the fashion at the Oscars are way overrated and just seems to keep reminding every "middle-class" citizens what things they ARE NOT gonna be able to have. I mean who wants to buy a half sewn backless gown for $6000 just because it's designed by someone named Wang or Lauren.

Support the Troops!!!!!!
Peace (hopefully sooner than later)

Saturday

Last saturday, I went with a friend to Dixon to help 'em dropoff their boat for some minor repairs. After which we decided to go over to Cache Creek Casino, where I managed to again donate to their golf course fund, but at least it wasn't much.

Then I get a phone call from Ledge stating that he was going to Thunder Valley Casino, I told him that I wasn't interested in going 'cause I'm broke and that going with them would surely cause me to be bankrupt. If that happens, then I can't go to Vancouver for the show in June. Now that would suck, since my going to Brazil is still up in the air as it is already.

Sunny Weather

Ahh, finally the sun decided to visit us today. This is the first time in a while that we actually had a very sunny day. In fact when I got home and went into my room, it was actually warm from the sun shining into it all day. I hope it stays like this this weekend. I'm tired of wearing rain clothes. i rather save them for Vancouver. :p

Chateau peeps

Hey I did the personality testing according to the chateau peeps and I'm and ISFP.
I guess I'm more introverted than I thought.

Tired and other tidbits

This past week had been challenging at work, but I managed to get through it and glad that it is over. The safety fair went well, although participation wasn't as high as I wanted it to be. I think the rain had something to do with it. Man it's been raining like crazy, feels almost like you're in Vancouver or Seattle.

Anyways, yesterday I went with my good friends, the Davids, for a little table and bench shopping. We ended up going to Brentwood in order to get the bench that they were looking for and to Pittsburgh to pick up the table. Now if you're not from California, you would not be able to fathom how far this trek is. For you Vancouverites, it's like going to Langley and Crescent Beach (originating from North Van) and picking up the aforementioned items, all in one day. Now that's a lot of travelling. But at least it was spent with family.

I have relatives, from the P.I., that's staying with us right now. It's good to see them, since the last time I saw them was 8 years ago. My cousin is as tall as me now, and that's pretty tall for a pinay, (at least in my family)

I'm debating if I want to go to practice today. Hmmm, maybe if the rain would stop I will.

Oh yeah, my Bass guitar came, WooHoo, now I can really start learning how to play it.
Although Ernie says I throw him off during practice. I need to stop adding stuff to whatever it is that I'm playing. Sorry Dude, My Bad.

Slackin

Well, I know I've been slackin on this blog thing, it's just been too crazy at work. We are a week away from possibly getting audited by an outside agency (passing score of 95% or higher) so you can just imagine the checking, double checking and triple checking of all the OSHA regulated paperwork and training. I being the hourly co-chair for safety is of course in the thick of things and trying to make sure that everything will at least have a good chance of passing. Then I have a safety fair to prepare for this thursday. I have to make sure that the vendors are all clear on the time they are suppose to show up and make sure that Plant Engineering has everything that needs to be set up be done so the night before. Hoping that at least the raining stops that day.

Anyways here's my weekend update in a nutshell.

Friday had rondalla practice at the Cruz's in Freakmont. Good Food, Good Company, God Times. I actually played the Bass for the first time ever. If you want to know how I did, ask Ernie as he was the one teaching me.

Saturday went to Cache Creek Casino and proceeded to donate money to their building fund. Maybe I will have better luck next week.

Sunday I went fishing and caught 2 largemouth bass's. fishing was tough as there was a tournament going on at the same time so the fishing pressure was high. It still beats working though.

Peace out.

If you leave the sticker on your tv screen after you take it home from the store...you are hella pinoy.

Weekend update

Last Friday, I get a phonecall from my friend Brahma Bull, and tells me that his car got stolen. Man, that sucks. They then finally finds it saturday morning with the interior all stripped, I mean seats, panels, floor lining everything was gone. all that was left was the steering whell, gear shift and the instrument panel. I know the feeling as how my truck was broken into last year, you know the feeling of being violated. It's not a good feeling.

Saturday, was my friend's wife b-day so I went there for dinner. It was nice to hang out with people, some of whom I haven't seen in a while. Then my buddy and I decided to go to Cache Creek Casino that same night. It's sacary how you can just go to a casino this close to the bay area. Oh the temptation of it all, but at least this nite I came out on the winning end, so it ended up being a good nite.

Sunday we had practice,it was BLAH. I sat most of the time as the musicians weren't used up that much. It was cool as I was still a bit groggy from the long nite out and the 5 hours of sleep that I had.

When I got home, I tried to watch the Superbowl, but as my teams were not in it, I lost interest and fell asleep. Oh well, at least my prediction of New England winning came to fruition, even though I didn't bet on the game.

"If you have your working television sitting on top of your non-working television
you just might be a redneck"-Jeff Foxworhty

Rondalla / Gallactican

We had our weekly rondalla rehearsal tonight. I think it went well, we learned 2 songs, acutally re-learned 1 song and learned 1 new song. It was cool. then we just went through the rest of the songs that we've been playing for this season so far.

After the rehearsal, we watched Battlestar Gallactica on Sci-fi channel. I thought that I wouldn't be getting hooked on it as I wasn't that big of a fan with the original series (the one we watched is part of a brand spanking new series)well as I've seen the last two episodes, i think I'm hooked on it. The only things is that I don't have the sci-fi channel at home. Well, it's a good thing that rondalla is on friday nites, so I can watch it with the chateau peeps after we get through with rehearsal. Dang B, what have you gotten me into!?!

May the Forcenit be with you.
(Snoop dogg gone star wars)

Percussion Music

Last nite, I met up with Ed to go over the structure of the percussion music that we were planning to teach the musicians. We focused on music from the Northern Luzon area of the Philippines. We came up with basic structures for the music and I think we are going to make it the standard for Likha's music repertoire. It was interesting to notate the music on a music program on the computer (called musictime, I think) and hear the gansa music being played by a program that sounds like a piano. It took me a while to get used to it, but after a while, you kind of bypass it and actually hear the structure of all the music parts being played as one. It was long a nite and by the time I got home it was 11:00 pm already and I had to get up at 5:30 to go to work. I'm surprised I'm still up tonite. Anyways I better get some sleep. I don't think I can et through another day with less than 8 hours of sleep the night before.


Bang A Gong
Get it On!

Concentration amiss

Today at work, while I was attempting to finish an audit in the office, one of my co-workers decided to put on a cd in the computer and let it play as loud as possible. Problem is, there was nothing on that cd but fart saounds. I mean the gross wet hard sounding ones,(who the heck would put out a cd that has nothing but fart sounds). Man it was funny and it was pretty hard to concentrate on what I was doing. So after about 5 minutes (which seemed like 5 hours) I decided to get out of the office and work in the adjacent room and closed the door so I won't be able to hear it.