Resting In Peace

I got a job at Staples as an EasyTech Associate.  So I will be selling computers and such.  This is a major triumph.

Sadly, it has come at a time when I feel like my options are running very low.  In less than 3 weeks time, I will no longer be staying at my current location.  No need to go into details.  But I have between now and then to secure a place to live, else I'll be living on the streets.

The issue at hand is that at my current pay rate, there is no way I can possible make any sort of reasonable payments of rent without sacrificing other necessities like food.  It basically boils down to this:

I find a suitable place to live on the salary that I have now, which would be ideal.  Or I find a much less suitable place and have to deal with it for a bit.  Or I find no place, in which case I live outside.

I want nothing more than a place for me to rest my head without the burden of stress on my (or anybody else's) mind.  That, in a nutshell, is what my current situation is.  It is not to the point of "unbearable", but it certainly seems damn close.

I like my job so far.  I'm glad I have it.  Getting that CBS job will make me feel even better, cause I can finally take that step to get closer to my dream.  But at the moment, there are a few things that are doing a number on me and to the people around me.  And I feel guilty about that.

If I could, I would pack up and leave now, if only to remove this feeling of inconvenience from them.  Although it has not been said outright, I know that it is there.  I see it on his face every day.  I see it in the way he converses with me.  I even see it in the way the little everyday things are done by him, from shutting a door to opening the fridge.  It's clear that I'm not helping.

So, regardless of where I am, by the end of the 2nd week of January, if I still have not found a suitable place for me to live, I will leave his place and figure it out from there.  At least then, the burden will be gone, and he (and the others) will no longer have to deal with me, because in my mind, me being here clearly is not working with him.  Which I understand.

In preparation for this, I have already packed my bags.  There are ready to go so that in a moment's notice, I can be off.  I've also am buying less food, and I'm trying to sleep in an intrusive area, so that I take up as little space as possible.

Since moving here, I have had few moments where I have been blissfully happy.  I would go as far as saying that I could count the number of instances on both hands.  I currently am in a depressed state of mind while trying to stay focused on my goal (I think I can be depressed and still be productive and goal-oriented at the same time).

I have no plans on going back to Boston yet, but currently I have no idea where I'll even be sleeping tomorrow.

Peace

Interviews? Word, Dawg.

There is one advantage to having a blog that virtually nobody reads:

You can write whatever the heck you want.

Sometimes there is something that you just wanna say, but you can't immediately cause either the right people aren't around to hear it, or it's not appropriate to say on, say, a social networking site (lest you want to start a fight or something).

*sigh* Now I feel much better. Let's get started.

I'll start with some good stuff. I had my first interview in Los Angeles today at the Staples down the street. The manager's name was Sal, and he was nice and very professional. He said that he was very impressed with the way I presented myself, as well as my resume, so I think I did a great job. I'm to check with him on Thursday afternoon. Why Thursday? I'll tell you in a bit.

Now the not-so-good stuff. This week alone has been probably one of the worst weeks so far. It's not because of the weather (cause I really like rain, and it has been raining for a bit). And it's not because Sallie Mae keeps calling me at 5AM (though that is very annoying for sure). It's mainly because I've been stressed and frankly angry. Stressed because I'm still looking for work (but it's looking up). Angry because my character was recently put into question. I nearly walked out at the beginning of this week, but thanks to some great friends, they convinced me otherwise. I'm still upset, and will probably be for a while, but I'm using energy to push me to be the best I can be. It's not exactly the way I wanted to be motivated, but it is indeed working, so I'll keep it going till it pays off.

It is not easy right now for most people, so I get annoyed when people make comments about how people are not making an effort to get things done, when in reality, many people are doing SO MUCH to progress and get results. Words have a profound power to them, and must be used wisely.

Back to the good stuff. Since the incident, I have been searching for work with a friend. I had already done this a few times before the incident, but it has been more important than ever, and it's working. We are both in the same situation, so I feel like we can be moral support for each other (which is what I think some people here fail to understand). She's a source of great information, and we've been keeping our promise of keeping each other in check.

Oh, and the reason why I must check in on Staples on Thursday? I have an interview with CBS that day for a spot in the Page position. THIS is the job I desperately want to get. I told Sal about it, and he told me that it is alright. I would ideally hold two jobs, so I hope this all works out. If it does, then I can finally focus on finding a place of my own in LA.

So that's the deal up to this point. My hard work is paying off. I have made it this far using my own way to get there. I would like to make it clear to anyone who is even thinking of moving here that there is no ONE WAY to get things done. And it's ok to go at it your own way. But do know who your friends are, and utilize them, cause the true decent friends will be the ones who will be there for you when you need it most.

The next time I write here, I hope to be writing with a CBS lanyard around my neck.

Peace.

Quickie (Yes!)

It's been about 3 weeks since I've dropped into LA. I'll give you the quick notes:

Dan opened his arms and has allowed me to stay at his place. Though I feel like a small burden, he has assured me that I am not. It makes me feel much better. And he's helping me find my own place. (I'll be better for both of us...) *smiles*

While I have no actual job, I've been bombarded with lots of listings. Only now am I getting to them. It's overwhelming to say the least. But I really hope I grab something good.

I've met a lot of Dan's friends. They are awesome. It's almost like I never left Boston. Karaoke has become a weekly thing. Most recently, I sang one of my favorites "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". You can't sing that one alone. So it's great that I sang it with this new friend of mine, Melissa. It was the most EPIC performance I can think of to date. Truly an awesome moment.

If I keep going the way I'm going, I'm never going to be comfortable sleeping on a regular bed. Forever will I be conditioned to sleeping on a couch.

"School Daze" is nearing completion. I'm almost done with creating an full episode. It's hard to do alone: writing the questions and such.

Halloween Parade: AWESOME! But I didn't find any other members of the Scooby Gang.

BUT: I did win a new "Mystery Machine" (AKA: A new bike).

If anyone from Boston is reading this, just know that I love you all and miss you tons. But I'm having a good time here in LA. I don't know when I'll be back to the East Coast, but rest assured that when I do, it'll be an event.

Ok. That's It For Now. Peace.

Post Party Ponderings

Last night, Lir hosted a goodbye party for me. I had invited as many friends as I could, and a huge number of them showed up. Never in a million years did I ever think I would be blown away by the support of people like them.

I arrived 30 minutes late (as is traditional for me), and was greeted by Mario (who had just gotten back from year in Arizona). He's always been there for me, so it was great to see him.

I rush upstairs to find the room adorned with balloons, a food table with pizza and cupcakes, and some of my friends milling about. It takes a lot for me to blush (mainly because I don't think I'm physically able to do so), but that moment was probably the closest I've gotten. The entire staff had put together so much effort, and it was all for me. I couldn't believe it. It was incredible.

I gave my hugs and chatted with people, while enjoying a beer or shot. I had asked my friend Fiona to buy a notebook for me so that people could write in it, for the sole purpose that I wanted something to read on the plane ride to LA. The only stipulation was that the only person not aloud to write or even look in it was myself. I'm not to open the book until I am airborne (currently, the book is in my backpack, wrapped in a plastic bag. It is very hard for me not to break my own promise...).

I could go on about everything that happened that night, but what I'm getting at is that it did not hit me till I woke up this morning that I really am going to miss this place and the people who are residing here. One person said that "this is not goodbye, it's just see ya later." I asked why, and she had a good response to it: "you're merely moving away; I say goodbye to those who have left this world." And I understood.

I am horrible at correspondence, so I've told everyone to hold me accountable for keeping in touch with them (if indeed they want to keep in touch with me). But I won't forget them. They won't let me.

Anyway, the entire night was a great success, and I feel great. At the same time, I feel uncertain about what the future will bring. I don't enjoy saying goodbye. Especially to those I care about.

So, if you are reading this, just know that I love you very much (Unless you're Lisa Loeb, then instead I love you very very much).

Thanks for the great experiences, and continue to be the awesome person you are.

Peace Out.

The Beginning Of The End: Part 1

On October 14th, 2009, the city of Los Angeles will be ROCKED!

This happens to be the official date that I leave Boston and head for LA. It will be a direct flight, which will be nice; the flight will be a long one. Flying JetBlue; first time, so I'm pretty pumped.

This officially means that I have less than a month left on the East Coast. So I want to pay tribute to some of the many things this place has given me over the past 23 years. Over the next few posts, I will be highlighting some of my favorite (and not so favorite) things about Boston, and the East in general [Boston You're My Home]

I'll also be sharing some of the stuff that has happened to me during the summer, since I've been pretty quiet about it [Summer of Stad 09]

Finally, I want to give a glimpse into what I hope to accomplish when I finally get to LA. I mean, why not? This is my blog after all [L.A.te Nite Plans]

Because I'm feeling nice, I'll do one quick one right now.

BYMH#1: the MBTA
Say what you will about America's oldest subway system, but if it wasn't in existence, Boston would be screwed. I have lived off this system since the day I was born. It's always been a love/HATE relationship between me and the T. I love that you can get almost anywhere in Boston via bus or subway. I hate that you have to budget a good 20 minutes to your traveling time (and that's just on a good day). Even today, the Orange Line caught on fire. Again. In the recent past, there have been many accidents (with a few of them being fatal). And the general manager/president has been ousted. The list could continue: rude workers, rude people, unfinished platforms, disgusting cabs, late buses, no A/C, the fact that it shuts down at 12:30 (like the rest of town; stay tuned for that post)...

But there are some great things about it, too. I've met some really cool MBTA workers through riding the same bus or train at the same exact time day after day. And a few of them have even been promoted to better jobs in the company. Although the system can be very slow, it DOES get you to where you want to go (eventually). I remember a time where the fare was 60 cents. Even now, the T is not that expensive compared to other cities. And it really can get you almost ANYWHERE in Boston. You could get from Fisherman's Wharf to the Burlington Mall if you wanted to (via a couple of transfers). I've never owned a car, and I've never had a need to own one because I can get to where I want to go via the T.

The system is a bit convoluted, the track record (no pun intended) is a bit spotty at times, and the tracks themselves have not changed since the beginning of their run (the antique trains on display at the Boylston T stop could run on the current track system today), but for what it's worth, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority is part of the pulse that keeps Boston moving.

And I'm going to miss that when I leave, as I can't get anywhere without a set of wheels in LA.

So there you have it. Now I'm off to bed for a work day tomorrow that should be interesting, followed by a outing at night that should prove to be eventful.

Peace.

Tick Tock Goes The Clock

Now, I'm not sure how many people actually read this. I barely read this myself. But with less than month to go, I've gotta say that I'm really excited.

I'm changing my OkCupid location to Los Angeles, CA as of tonight.

I've begun picking out my clothes for the new change of climate

The connections that I have are being contacted one by one.

I'm making more game show ideas.

I'm super excited to see Dan.

More To Come.

The Countdown Is On

There are 2 months to go.

Ups & Downs

I am currently walking home from what I am calling an early night. Normally, I'm at Lir having a few and enjoying myself. But tonight I'm just not feeling it. I went to tr ER last weekend so I am recooperating from that. I did go to Lir tonight for Katiey's birthday party, but I didn't feel too well. So a trip to thr pizza shop for 2 cheese slices was the next destination for myself. The oddest part was that I suddenly fell into a very dark mood, and I felt like I had no one to turn to. I sat outside tomb eating the slices alone in silence.

I don't totally know why I feel this way right now, but I do know that the reason why I am writing this here is because I don't want to bother anyone else. I fell like I've already done too much of that today. It is hard to explain.

I'm at a point in my life where I yearn for change. As such, I can't wait to move. And I've allowed myself to go outside my comfort zone and do new things. But at the same time, I've also made myself vunerable to the elements. And sometimes a wave of depression swallows me.

In due time, things will pass. But for the meantime, the only urge I have right now is to disappear (in any way, shape, or form). Who knows when I will return.

Peace.

Small Brain Dump

With a game chosen, Burnt Underwear Productions is gearing up for its first production. More on that in a later post.

I'm subcoming to peer pressure: I'm getting a twitter account, if for the sole reason that I can Instantly share all the crazy stuff I hear at the bar.

I've got a little over three months remaining until the big move. I've vowed to make the most of it by stepping out of my shell. Dangerous excitment awaits.

I spent last night with one of my favorite people. I can't wait to do it again.

The world is still reeling over the loss of Michael Jackson. But let's not forget about America's pin-up girl and America's sidekick. You will all be missed.

It's fairly quiet here at Lir tonight. But it's a bit refreshing, albeit not very profitable.

That's the report for this week. Andrew, you're a rockstar and if you know things will be ok, I know things will be ok. Love ya, bro.

Peace.

News News News

First, the not-so-great.

The Summer 2009 Game Show Series has been scrapped. It's mainly due to a lack of focus and support. Why do something if nobody is interested in seeing it?

Now, the slightly-better-than.

Even though the GSS is no more, that does not mean I'm giving up. In a collaboration with Shodan Productions, Burnt Underwear Productions (my "company") is in the works of producing one or two episodes of on of my games. It would be shot in August. More later.

Finally, the really-big-change.

If ANYONE still reads this blog, you know that I've always wanted to get my career off the ground. And the only way to do it is to be immersed in what you love. So...

At the end of this summer, I'll no longer be in Boston, MA. I'm selling most of my stuff, taking some clothes, my compy, and a lot of gumption, and moving to Los Angeles, CA. This is a big move for me, and I don't know if it will work, but I won't know unless I go for it. I'll keep you updated as I know more about my plans, but I'm buying the ticket this weekend.

Peace.

Two Words.

At Lir. It's Saturday. Drinking alone. Long week. Good times. Many people. Kinda hot. Scoping around. Not much. Some potentials. No guts. No glory. Young night. Rekindling friendships. Been absent. Love bartenders. So nice. Always kind. Good music. Love them.

Many changes. Big Announcement. Coming soon. Life changing.

Distraction needed. So stressed. Want happiness. Desire fruitfulness. Ceasing complaining. For now.

Bering different. Attempting to. This summer. Break shell. Dangerous ambling. Growth needed. New experiences. New destinations. Really excited.

Terminating post. Good night.

Expertise Application Is Ready

The link to the application is HERE. Fill it out and submit. If you need more information, please contact me.

S09GSS #1: Expertise

I'm happy to announce the 1st episode in the Summer 09 Game Show Series.

Well, I'm announcing auditions for the 1st episode for the S09GSS.

Everybody in this world has one thing they know more about than anyone else, thus making them a self-proclaimed expert. The question is whether they can prove it.

Game Show Number One is: Expertise: a quiz show which goes to great lengths to prove (or disprove) that a contestant is an expert on a specific topic.

I'll upload a application in the next couple of days.

Thanks in advance.

A Perfect Relationship

I like R&B. It relaxes me whenever I feel wound up. It soothes me whenever I feel hurt. It rejuvenates me when I feel run down. It does a lot for me.

You know what? Scratch that.

I love R&B.

Summer Busy Work

I know that I do a lot of projects, mainly because I like to keep myself busy. I "update" 4 different blogs, and I spend time creating game shows as such. So it makes me very happy to announce a new endeavor that will hopefully last all summer.

I'm working on something called "Summer Game Show Series (2009)," a showcase of both classic game shows and new game show ideas. Every so often, a notice will come out about a new game night that people can attend. At the end of the summer, one of the games showcased may even become a regular series (provided that a proper venue is found).

As I said above, some of the games will be classic, though I suspect that only a few of them will fall in this category. Most of them will be either twists on old favorites or completely new ideas of my own.

My only worry is that I won't get the support that I need, i.e. audience and participators. I think that's been one of the biggest hurdles to overcome. I hope that this will be a good way not only to showcase my talent, but to bring people together and have fun (which is what a good game show should do).

A word game, general trivia, specialized trivia, and even a battle of the sexes is in the works. As more information is developed, I'll be sure to relay it here.

Do You Have Change For...

Not much to say. I'm really feeling more like a different person everyday. And while some of my friends wish I wouldn't feel like I should change myself so much, I feel like I need this. It's a new era.

My party is next week, live at Lir (which is where I am tonight ha ha). Everyone is excited, including myself. And why the crap not? Being around my closest friends in a place I love. It's a win win.

Other news:
I'll be at tomb mostly all week this week.
A rearrangement of my room is in order.
Dutch Wife. Nuff said.
Don't pick a fight with me this week. You'll lose.
Got a new blog. I'll link to it on the side of this one.

I might write more later, but probably not.

Peace.

Oh Boy.

One Week To Go.

2 Drink Minimum Musings

At Lir. Detoxing from a massive work week that will continue for the next five days.

Jeremy's party was fun. Did some bowling and did well the second game. Met some of his friends, of which one I was interested in talking go more. We'll see what happens.

The transformation is going pretty well. I'm slowly feeling like a new person. Which is exactly what I want. Just a few more days.

Computer games have been keeping me happy the past few weeks, specifically YDKJ. They make trivia fun and humorous.

The current number here at Lir is about 300, which is pretty good. I hope my party will be fun. I want it to be somethingthat I won't soon forget. And apparently the staff is getting excited as well.

Have you ever watched the hustle and activity at a bar? It's pretty interesting. You should try it sometime.

I have Easter dinner with my family tomorrow. I have not seen them in a little while. I guess it takes Jesus to bring us together.

I miss you every day. If you don't know who his applies to, that's ok. I do.

Time to finish this beer and get ready to go home.

Peace.

Outside The Lines

My birthday is slowly approaching, and I'm having mixed emotions. I'm excited for my party, but I'm a little dissapointed in my transformation process. I'm trying to make a full change and it's going a little slower than I want it to. But I cannot focus on the ills; got to focus on the thrills.

Work is very exhausting as I have been working nearly everyday. This is not meant to be a complaint per se; there are people who currently don't have a job. We've just been having a rash of some not-so-great groups come in lately. Here's hoping for change.

Ever get the feeling that you are being tested sometimes?

Recently, I've rediscovered my intense love for "You Don't Know Jack" which is hands down my favorite trivia game ever made. And I'm happy to find out that one of the people I met on Denver, Lydia, is a fan of it as well. It's nice to know that there are other people who share my sick humor.

Speaking of Denver. I haven't talked to Ariel in over two weeks (which she politely pointed out). If you are reading this, Ariel, I apologize. I've been swamped with a ton of stuff. But I haven't forgotten about you. We'll talk soon.

Time for work...

Ch-Ch-Changes...

My birthday is approaching next month, so I've decided that for 23, I'm going to make some changes to myself.  Big changes.  An Image Overhaul, if you will.  I'm not sure how big the changes will be, but I hope to become a totally NEW person by my birthday.  Sorry to those who think I'm great as I am.  I just don't feel that way right now.  In fact, I kind of hate myself right now...

I hope to keep a log of it between now and my birthday.

First up: I'm rearranging my room. 

Then: haircut.

(Gotta start small)

Today, while sitting at work, it dawned on me that I have made a transformation in the last few months. But that's for another post.

We had a blizzard on Monday. Close to 15" of snow. Now there is dirty snow everywhere. Boo to that.

Tomorrow is the day that I test out my first new game in almost a year. Maybe longer. It's an improv trivia game show. I'll let you know how it goes.

I really have the urge to leave this city of Boston sooner rather than later. I need to spread my wings.

Lent is going to be an interesting experiment this year. That is also for another post.

The Daily Grind is calling my name, so I'll be back at dome point.

Peace.

What Am I Working On These Days?

Working on two new games, maybe three.  Working everyday this week at TOMB.  Working to change myself.

Now I should work on going to bed.

Working Long Hours...

So I'm here at work, getting ready for another work day. Should be an easy time today. I've got some very important stuff I need to do today. Not much else is going on.

Peace out.

Right Now...

I feel melancholy and solitary. More to come.

(P.S.: I Miss You A Lot)

Ugh Is A Deep Valley

Aggravation is the current state I am in now. It's as if the entire world is conspiring against me. At least, that's how it feels.

When 2009 started, I wanted to have a feeling of optimism; a feeling that everything was going to work out and be OK. I mean, to begin a new year with a pessimistic view, in my mind, would be unsavory. And I wouldn't call myself a pessimistic person. Well, not always. But for the most part, I would like to say that I have a fairly good outlook on things.

But lately it seems like almost nothing is going the way I need or would like it to go. Which sucks. Big time. And when things like this happen, I shut down. I don't talk to virtually anybody. I hang out alone. I go out to Lir alone (although I do that anyway regardless of my mood). I keep to myself.

I've been told that doing that is not healthy for a person. People need to have other people around them for "support." While I would agree with that statement, I wholeheartedly advocate alone time. Maybe not to the extreme that I take it at times, but there is just something about taking time for yourself that make it worth while. I dunno.

It has also been said that "A bad day'll make you really notice ones that's good, And that'll make things a little better understood" (Blackalicious "Make You Feel That Way"). Truer words have never been spoken (well, I'm sure there a many other quotes that qualify). The low points in life can make you appreciate the great things in life. But part of the problem is that sometimes you don't realize it while you are in the low points.

I'm rambling a bit. Ok, a lot. But there is a point to all of this. I think.

I think I may have hit another low point in life. The good news is that it is not very low. In fact, compared to other times, I guess you could call it a "shallow" point. It not terrible, but it certianly can get better.

I'm very tired. Let's see if I can sleep all of this away...

Anatomy Of A Morning

Whenever I have to work early at Tomb, I usually go through the same routine for getting ready. And since I'm not ready to talk about Parte Tres yet, I've decided to just write about what I do in the morning. As an added bonus, I'm writing this entire post on my iPod Touch. Pretty sick.

My internal clock usually gets me up anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30 AM. If that is not working, my alarm on my phone will go off 1.5 hours prior to call time. Either way, I will spend five minutes getting myself to ACTUALLY get up. When the battle is over, it'll be time for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, cereal, or a sausage McMuffin with cheese is on the menu. I try to force myself to cook breakfast and stay away from fast food. Anyway, when it is ready, I sit in my room and watch some tv (by the way, "Arthur" is still one of the best shows on the air).

If I didn't do it the night before, I'll take a shower and put on my work clothes. By this point in the morning, it'll be about 1 hour before call. If it is not, I will burn some time by watching an episode of "Password" on the DVR. Learn a few words or something. Check the email, check my clothes, and grab my items (wallet, ipod, phone, and backpack) and it'll be time to go.

I live roughly twenty-five minutes away from work via walking. I'm not a lazy person per se, but if there is a train or bus nearby, I'll hop on it for sure. Part of the problem is that either I'll miss the T or it'll be too packed to get on. Gotta love the reliability of the T. Headphones on the entire journey ensure that I am not bothered by anyone. Plus, I like walking to my own soundtrack.

From the fina T Stop to work is about .7 miles away. I like to jog that entire distance to get a little exercise. And when I do get to work, I can stop and stretch. So far, when I do get to work, nobody is there. So I'll listen to music and just wait. Eventually someone will come and sooner than later, the MOD (Manager On Duty) will come and open the door.

Well, that's mainly how it works. There are a few variables, but none that I'm going to tell you about.

Let's get this morning started... (ugh)

Morning Drab

It's 6:30AM.  I leave for work in less than 2 hours.  I've been doing this every weekday this week.  It's been fine; quite refreshing actually.  We've had school groups every day this week, which is why we are open so early.

TOMB has gone through some changes within the last week.  The biggest change is that we have more open shifts.  While I'm not going to go into all of the details, what I will say is the following: it's important in this day and age to think things through before executing them.  There's been a bit of bad blood recently and it spilled into work, which should never happen.  Long story short, two employees had, for lack of a better word, a vendetta between each other.  Both of them were let go last week for different reasons.  So take note: no matter how long you've work somewhere, you are never above the rules.

It's Thursday, and I've yet to make a Dish of the Week.  I've got till Saturday.

Jon is going to start grad school at UMass soon, and he'll be using that gym.  Which means...  I've got a new gym.  Well, almost.  When he starts at UMass, he'll let me use his current gym membership.  The drawback?  The gym is by his house in Newton, which is a bit of a trek.  But it'll be worth it.

I haven't really talked to anyone this week, since I've been so busy with everything.  The end of the month tends to be the busiest part of the month for me.  I've also needed some "Me Time;" there is a slew of Password Plus and Super Password that I have TiVo-ed that I can't wait to watch (when I get a break).

Oh, and the only reason why I haven't written Part Three of the Denver Saga is because I'm awaiting some pictures so I can post them here.

Congratulations to President Barack Obama.  I'm happy beyond all recognition.

Well, I've got to get ready for work.  Hooray...

A Quick Story For The Ages. Well, Sorta...

Part 3 is on its way, but I'm not ready to write it yet.

Yesterday I went to Lir (which is where I am headed to as soon as I'm done with this post; no surprise there).  The plan was for me to meet up with two cool friends of mine, Stephanie (Sim's girlfriend) and Vicki (Steph's Roommate).  Both of them were babysitting till 11PM, but said they would come afterwards.  Sounds like a plan.

If you didn't know this already, I love Lir.  It's my absolute favorite place to go to get a drink.  I can safely say that I've never had a bad experience there.  I love the atmosphere, the drinks, and especially the people who work there.  Many a story I could tell you about Lir.

Anyway, It was the first time I had been there since I left for Denver (side note: when I told them (them being my bartender friends) that I was leaving for Denver, they thought I was leaving for good; I set the record straight, ha ha).  Greeted with smiling faces, I took a beer, and stood in my usual spot, watching the game and watching the people who were there.

11:45 rolls around, and I realize that neither Steph or Vicki are coming.  Understandable, because you can't control when the parents will come back to their kids.  After giving them a call and rescheduling, I return to my spot a bit depressed.

I then receive a text from someone who I never thought I'd talk to again.  I won't go into the details, but let's just say that after the last hangout, I was pretty safe to assume that the two of us would no longer speak to each other.  The text states that I was on her mind because she was at Lir earlier that night on a date, pointing out all the people that I knew.  I texted her back telling her that I was still there.  Apparently she looked for me but couldn't find me (which I found funny cause I rarely move from my spot and it's not too hard to pick me out from the crowd).  

The young couple next to me noticed how sad I was (I wish there was a word for being sad, but not "Sad Sad" just "less-than-Sad") and the guy offered to buy me a drink because "You shouldn't drink alone when you are sad."  I suppose he's right, though I've done it before, and if history is any measuring stick, I'm sure to do it again.  The girl he was with was very nice, and we talked about my plans to move to L.A. sometime in the near future.  She was 2 years older than me, and had a pretty good head on her shoulders.

As the night drew closer to the end, the guy (Andre) realized that he lost his phone, so he went to go search for it.  The girl (Katie) said that she doesn't like to see people sad, especially someone as cute as I was (which was nice of her to say, although I didn't totally buy it).  She wanted to exchange numbers and suggested that we have brunch sometime.  I agreed, so we exchanged numbers.  As I left, she pulled me aside and whispered in my ear "Seriously, don't be down.  You are a good person who's very cute.  Things will turn around for you soon.  I know it," accompanied by a sweet kiss on the cheek.

I said goodbye to Kiley, Debbie, and Jade (the bartenders), and walked to the T to go home.  Pondering about the events that just transpired, I couldn't help but smile just a little bit.

And that's one of the reasons why I love Lir so much.  I never know what will happen.

(Then I proceeded to watch Japanese Games Shows on YouTube till I fell asleep)

Peace.

"Feelin' High" (The Denver Trip) Part Three: Everything Else, Part Two

I said at the end of my last post that I would continue talking about the events in Denver.  And I will.

I've always heard of Dave & Busters, but never been, manly because we don't have any here in Boston.  I think the closest one is in RI or CT or something like that.  Well, there happens to be one in Denver.  So we went.  And I'll be honest: it wasn't as glamourous as it seems in those advertisements.  It's like Good Times Emporium in Somerville, but without the gang violence.  I had fun there, and we had amassed a little over 400 tickets.  We ended up not getting anything, though.  All of the cool stuff was at least 1000 tickets.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.

The classic Black and White photo booth is an untapped resource for fun.  The Shortlist contained an entry for taking photos in a photo booth.  I located on on Broadway at a place called Sputnik.  It was like a diner/bar place.  Ariel and I drove there, found the place, and went inside.  The booth was out of order.  Really disappointing.

Naan.  It's such a beautiful food.  And Ariel knew of this great place to get Indian food.  I can safely say that my good experiences at Indian restaurants has remained flawless.  There was this sweet mango drink (the name of which I have forgotten) that she suggested, and it was really good.

That's it for Part 2.  Part Three is coming soon.

"Feelin' High" (The Denver Trip) Part Two: Everything Else, Part One

I’m on the plane, headed back home to Boston after a wonderful vacation in Denver. What a way to start 2009. I had so much fun exploring what The Mile High City had to offer. But more importantly, I so happy that I got to be with Ariel. We had both been looking forward for the day that we would reunite. And even though 5 days seems like a good chunk of time, honestly, the time flew by very quickly. So quickly in fact that we did a lot of great things (which is part of the reason why I didn’t actually write in my blog those days). But now that I’ve got a ton of time till I get home, there’s no excuse why I can elaborate on some of the stuff we did.

Lollicup. Awesome. Nuff Said.

I had a shortlist of things I wanted to do with Ariel while I was with her in Denver. Let me say this right off the bat: I could care less what we did as long as we did it together (I don’t want that statement to come off bitchy; I’m just stating that what was most important to me was spending time together). So we went to the local supermarket, Safeway, and purchased items to make dinner. And apple pie. Both came out delicious.

The night I got in, Ariel and I went to the local bar that she and her friends frequent, Jordan’s (not to be confused with Boston's Jordans, which is a furniture store) which is just down the street from her place. Some of my friends will be happy to know that on Fridays, they have $4 Car Bombs. A popular establishment (or at least what I could gather on that night), I had the pleasure to meet many of Ariel’s friends. One in particular, Hannah, knew my friend Ted (aka Teddy Ruck-Spin) who I went to Newton North with (By The Way: Ted, you STILL owe me that CD). It was great to unwind with in a great atmosphere after a long journey.

On Friday morning, Ariel had to go to work at her cool new internship (which, now thinking about it, I never got to see…), so I had the honor to have lunch with her roommate, Jessica. A budding psychologist, we went to Cherry Creek Cricket, a burger restaurant that kind of resembled Boston’s Sunset Bar & Grill (sort of). While waiting for a table we played pool, where I would take a 3 ball lead, just to screw it up by scratching on the 8-Ball. The food was good, except for the small, albeit very small, fact that they got my order completely wrong. I ordered a cheeseburger wit American cheese, barbeque sauce, medium well. What I got was a well don’t burger, with no sauce, but with American cheese. I ate it. It was good. For a Mistake Burger.

Did you know that Denver has a basketball team? Did you also know that I love chicken nuggets? Did you know that didn’t see any chicken nuggets being sold at the Denver Nuggets game on Friday? That’s besides the point. Ariel had purchased tickets for us and some of her friends (specifically Jessica, Nathan, Leo, and one other, whose name escapes me at the moment *ugh*). I’ve been a fan of B-Ball, though I don’t follow it religiously. But I knew enough that this game would be intense because they were playing against the Detroit Pistons (who just got Allen Iverson, who used to play for the Nuggets. See, now?). Ok, I knew all of this a good 20 minutes after the game started, but who’s counting. It’s at this game I got a new background for my phone. SO much better than the other one I had.

Oh, and the game? It was a good game, though the boys wanted to leave 4 minutes early to avoid the rush. When we left, Denver was up by 6. When we got home, we found out that Detroit had tied the game, brought the game to OT, where Denver would lose the game. Whoops.

The Light Rail in Denver is very clean, and fairly fast. However, their fare collection system is a bit peculiar. From what I can gather, some security guard comes around and checks that you bought your ticket. The thing is, they are not on every train. The go on some, come off, and then board another one. I’m paraphrasing a huge bit, but it’s odd…

The DU Gym. Where anyone who has the drive to be fit can come it and work out. And when I mean anyone, I mean ANYONE. I mean, they let me in. Ariel is what I would call a running enthusiast. She runs great distances and has even done a few marathons and half-marathons. So on Saturday morning, after a few days of not running because of my arrival, Ariel and I went to the gym to run on treadmills (this activity, oddly enough, was on my shortlist).

Now, I do some running: run to the train before it leaves, run to work before I’m late, run home to catch Password Plus, stuff like that. In all seriousness, I did a little running back in high school, and managed the Cross Country team for 2 years. Ariel has been doing this for years. Needless to say, expectations were not very high.

Long story short, on Saturday I ran for 6 miles, a good 3-4 miles more than expected. And on Sunday, I ran 7.5 miles. Oh, also on Sunday, I had sore legs. But other than that I felt fine. I’m actually going to try to run more often in Boston, though it will be tougher during the cold season.

From a purely game-playing perspective, this vacation sucked. Of all the games we played (Pool, Rummy 500, Blokus, and Skip-Bo), I won 2 separate rounds, but lost all the matches. I attribute this to Ariel having home field advantage. Just wait till she comes to Boston…

There is more that I want to say, but I’m super tired. So I GUARANTEE that I will finish this tomorrow. Or Wednesday. By the end of this week. If I don’t, every lady that I know will get a lap dance.

Guaranteed.

"Feelin' High" (The Denver Trip) Part One: Airborne and AirBored

From now until the 12th, I'll be in beautiful Denver, Colorado.  Why?  I'm visiting one of my closest friends in the world.  There is a whole back story, which I will get into later.  But I'm forcing myself to write in this blog for the duration of the trip and post some picture up here as well.  Most of the pictures I'll be taking will be on my Facebook page.   Let's get started.

So, at 5AM in the morning on January 8th, I'm up and about, getting things packed and checking my list of things I need.  My roommate Sim drives me to the airport, and I check in and all that stuff.  Logan Airport itself is not very exciting, so I took no pictures of that.  And rather tell you about everything that happened between Boston and Denver, I'll just show the few pics I took with my camera phone.

This is me on US Airways at Logan.  It's about 7:15AM.  This is just before takeoff.  The sort of glazed look on my face is due to the fact that I've had no sleep or food.  It's pretty sweet.

Once we did get airborne, looking outside my window, I couldn't help but to take a picture of "Boston: Lightly Frosted"  Just like my donuts.

This is Philly, right before landing.  I have nothing else to say about this.  The airport was just as exciting.

Denver International.  I had to wait two hours for Ariel to come pick me up (because she had class).  So for a good 1.5 hours, I rode the moving sidewalks.  With a good soundtrack, it can be quite fun.  God, I'm so pathetic.

Next Up:  The Reunion...