The 07.27.07 Update!

Friday's Grab Bag:

- wow a 2-3 week lapse between posts! Well I guess that's better than a 2 year one as I transitioned from blogspot to myspace yeah? So theoretically speaking, I should have lots to write about.

- So last Friday Mark and I went on a man-date to naturally watch Chuck & Larry. And for the record, like all my movie man-dates, no popcorn is exchanged and there is a seat between us. Our girlfriends watched Hairspray, so it was a lose-lose situation regardless of our options. [Hey does that still count as a double date?] And I haven't seen a flick on opening night in a minute. Now I have the backdrop explained, I'd really recommend the movie! And not just because of Jessica Biel, although she helps [a lot]. Its not vintage or Classic Sandler, but its funnier than a lot of his recent work. So it was worh the .5twomp to me. Man too bad AMC would look at me funny now if I try to use my student body card, since I'm balding and all.

- So I designated yesterday as solo shopping day. I was strapped with my Friends & Family coupons, Macy's Gift Cards, and just a desire to spend money and help out the economy. I'm going to a wedding in a month and was looking for a dress shirt. Nothing specific or fancy, just a creamish, textured, slim fit, spread collar, no front pocket, mother of pearl buttons, stretch material type shirt, give or take one or two specs. To my dismay, I couldn't find anything to fit my criteria! Man I should maybe try different stores [but I had Macy's credit @ least!]. Later on in the evening, there was a fashion post on NT, and it talked about tailoring clothes and how buying OTR [off the rack] is so passe. I need to step my clothes game up.

- I needed - okay, just wanted – some new 360s to run in. I totally would've got them online but alas, no 10.5s for me. So I venture to the brick and mortars and see my kicks on display in a 10.5! But I skratch my head because the price is different? Bizarre I thought. So I ask an associate "hey, these are cheaper on the website. Whats up?" And he's like they don't match prices, because Foot Locker is different from FootLocker.com. Whatever – what horrible business practices.

- Also yesterday, I saw a Smallville episode for the first time since like I last used to blog! Loyal readers might remember my SV recaps. It was almost surreal watching, as it took me back to like '02, when Greg and I used to have man-dates and watched them together, along with a 6pack of the High Life and a Papa Johns pizza. Nowadays since it conflicts with Ugly Betty, which G and I just watch religiously [I sorta got a man-crush on Daniel Meade], SV has been an afterthought. But turns out Lana is engaged to Lex [whoa!] and is pregnant [double whoa!]. I kinda knew about that stuff…so maybe that's why I stopped watching haha. But I think I'ma add it to the DVR now.

- I need to renew my passport and they asked for a couple pictures. Maybe I'll send some myspace ones hehe. Okay that's not that funny.

- Woohoo Common's Finding Forever drops next 2sday! I think Be has been my fav hip-hop album of the last 1000 days.

- Garlic Festival this weeknd? Sounds tempting, even though we just went to Gilroy last weekend! Man I hate it when timing is off [with the exception being alarm clocks.]

- San Fran 5K this weekend! We run things, and I still haven't made that playlist. Actually I thought about it, and I'm not sure if I should run with a video iPod. I mean, the Kenyans don't and they always finish first.

- Las Vegas next weekend! Gotta love the pseudo-bachelor parties yo. Okay that's all I'll say about that.

Have a great weekend if I don't come back!
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7 to the 7 to the 7...

Oh yeah I can't forget about the events of last Saturday, 7/7/07, before heading into this upcoming Saturday. The group of people I run with is collectively called the Run Club [way original I know]. So last Saturday we decided to run @ Chrissy Field along the water. Turns out there was another Run Club there. They were a lil more organized and more experienced, and they apparently claimed the land before us Run Clubbers have. And if yall remember the Surf Wars where surfers get all territorial with their area, we didn't want anything like that to happen. So then like a scene out of Grease - errrr I mean the Warriors, since that's more gangsta - we confronted each other and had a showdown. Just think about the Autobots vs. Decepticons, but on a much larger scale. Unfortunately, their battle tested savvy and matching outfits was no match for our rag tag Run Club, so they told us to take a hike.

And that's what we did in the afternoon! After being banished to Half Moon Bay [ironically, no half, quarter, crescent, full or Warren moon was in sight], we ventured out on a 7 mile hike in the woods. Descending down there made me feel like Frodo, and not because of my hairy toes. It was pretty epic to see the foggy views and wilderness and the chance encounter with mountain lions and mudslides and poison spread throughout the trail, but the Run Club can also be called the Sav Club, since we're all savage beasts. So after descending down to the mantle of earth, we turned around and began the voyage back up. I guess it was like the anti-Everest climb, which would be then a 29,035 foot hike. [FYI Everest was remeasured at 29,035 feet, not the 29,028 as you'd find in your old social studies books.]

Halfway on our ascent back up, the arduous climb took its toll on Gene, and we weren't sure if he could make it! I contemplated carrying him on my back for the duration of the trail, but then I remembered I barely could carry my backpack. He fell on one knee near the Tree of Hope, made a wish, prayed to the Gods, probably peed in his pants, turned to his girlfriend Mira and proposed with the ring he retrieved from Middle Earth! [or maybe just the jewelry store.] Mira then responded with a resounding YES and Gene rediscovered the powers necessary to finish the hike. We then celebrated with some Bubbly and a cornucopia of edible delights, rejoiced in the woods, and finalized our voyage back to earth. Then we had pizza and called it a night. So congrats Mira and Gene on your engagement!

Oh yeah, we're getting our matching t-shirts too. So if that fugazi Run Club is reading this, don't say I didn't warn ya.
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The Singing Bee

So I was watching the Singing Bee last night, and I thought of an idea. Even though rap music is one of the best-selling genres, its not really accepted in the media [except for that Doug E. Fresh The Human Beat Box cameo on American Idol, but that's only because that dude who finished 2nd was trying his best to impersonate it. I totally forgot his name – see what happens when you place 2nd?] Naturally, there wasn't going to be any rap songs playing on the Singing Bee. So it would've been dope to have a rap-themed Singing Bee, and call it the Singing Bee-yaaatch! Naturally again, Snoop could host it. They can air it on BET, or maybe HBO if they have explicit versions shown. [Pet peeve alert! Don't you hate it when rappers are lazy to record a radio friendly version of a single? So when you're listening to your Clear Channel dominated airwaves, you just hear the instrumental and a jagged verse. Is it to hard to re-record the track? Damn lazy rappers. Makes me say ughhhh.] Okay back to the subject. Plus it would have an Apollo type crowd, and it you jack up a classic song, you'd get boo-yaa'ed. Man if this game show ever came to fruition, I'd be so over it like Katharine McPhee. At least I remembered her name!
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R to the R to the R...

As part of my Retro'fit Reegsta Regiment [will be referred to as R-qubed, also represented as R^3, from here onward], I plan on improving Mind, Body and Soul [yes that's Soul and not Sole for once!]. Can I just say I'm pretty proud of the R^3 name? As anyone who's been on an evite invite or email string or whatever with me can tell, I **heart** double entendres. And this is the perfect one: usually you'll find Reeg in a retro 'fit! Plus I just need a retrofit, not to be scraped or salvaged or overhauled. I'm quite an asset that can have added value! [accounting reference - check] Dictionary.com says that 'retrofit' means to modify equipment. I guess my body is a machine hehehe. By the way, I hated term papers that always started with the following line: "Webster defines [insert subject here] as blah blah blah." That's so unoriginal, so weak, so cookie-cutter. If I were an English teacher that would be an automatic 10 points off. I mean its not that hard to look up words in a dictionary. Okay now that I got that off my pecs lets proceed...

I swear there couldn't be a more appropriate, more succinct, more apt, or more [retro]fitting name. Its funny, because now I buy dress shirts that have a slim fit [well not @ H&M though, since their regular cut shirts feel like slim fits already, and their slim fits feels like I'm wearing a corset [not like I know how that feels though.]. Shoot I even wear less baggy pants. Uh oh, I think this is the first sign of EMOism! Well don't say I didn't warn ya..

Where am I going with this? Oh yeah…so on 2sday I went to the Gym! Yes it is such an event that I had to blog about it. I've used this before, but there's a sliding scale of type of clothes to swollness. Like out of shape dudes wear hoodies, then as you get in shape you can graduate towards long sleeve Ts, then regular Ts, then cut-off Ts, then wife-beaters, and if you're like a sav working out, you can wear those bikini tops that coverboys of Ironman Mag be rockin'. Hmmm I'd be happy to reach wife-beater status, no Freddie Foxx here [rap reference - check].

Oh yeah so what did I wear? I rocked a fleece, since I was so off the scale. Plus I needed a pocket to listen to my iPod, and I was listening to Gym Class Heroes [wow how fitting again…how does he do this??]. I need to find an armband for it I guess, but I'm not sure if they can fit over these guns here! **flexes arms**
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More than Meets the Eye...

Didn't want a week to lapse between blogs! But yeah, I guess it was quite an eventful semi-week yeah? Just like how Japanese people and I read magazines, lets start from the back to front [hence, Wednesday 7/11 – Sunday 7/08, kinda like that Nas 'Rewind' song on Stillmatic, which was inspired by that flick that starts with the ending…ummm the name currently escapes me.]

Wednesday:

Anyway, let's backtrack 21 years ago. I was a mature 7 year old, and the only toys I liked were Legos and Transformers. I guess I needed some toys that tested my mental aptitude, so sorry no GI Joes or Gobots or whatever. Anyway when Transformers: The Movie came out that summer of '86, my brother Ryan took me to watch it at Century Plaza 8 in South City, before it was rat infested as it is today. And at the time, it was the most amazing movie going experience I've ever had [Spaceballs wouldn't come out until the following summer, and I saw it with Ryan at the same theater too.] It was filled with suspense, thrill, drama and action, and I wasn't sure how any movie could top it. The flick became a cult classic soon after, and it passed the test of time, and those in the pre-DVD, pre-eBay era [pretty much the mid-90's] could never find the video! Copies were stolen from rental spots, riots were incited, bootleg versions were issued, as it was straight pandemonium to obtain a copy. So to anyone who has a VHS copy of this movie – props. And if you still have the toys sitting in a plastic bin in your current crib's closet, more props! **pats self on back**

Now hit the f-forward button 21 years to 2007, and the non-animated feature of Transformers comes out. A lot has changed in 21 years, but the Autobots and Decepticons are still mired in battle. And I don't want to hype this movie up or anything, but it one of the greatest movies ever, right up there with Citizen Kane and Casablanca. If this flick doesn't get studied in film classes or nominated for Academy Awards, I'd be shocked. But don't take my word on it, go watch it if you haven't done so already!

Lets see…I don't want to have rotten milk [aka spoilers], so I have to be selective with what I talk about. G said that Sam and I have similar personalities. I guess so, since I wanted to emulate him when I was younger. But then again who didn't? Megan Fox is appropriately surnamed. And she's engaged to David Silver for real? Steve Sanders was always my fav character on 90210. He was such a prick and was arrogant and just didn't give a freak, basically he was how I wanted to act but I had a conscious. I wouldn't mind if Ms. Fox was engaged to him, but to someone who's initals spell BAG? I guess you could say he BAGged her hahahaha. Oh yeah he put out a rap CD worse than K-Feds too? Megan was like 10 when that CD came out, so maybe she doesn't remember. Ehh I guess it could be worse. Anyway I love product placements in flicks – and I wonder how much D&T and KPMG and Citi paid for their spots? Man it would be totally awesome to see a movie's Income Statement!

Okay this blog is done as it fulfilled my 3 criteria: a hip-hop plug, a corny joke and an accounting reference! Talk about the rest of the week soon…
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If you're scared go to Church...

So this past Sunday, I went to Church like a practicing Catholic should. Funny how the people who went to Catholic school for 12 years don't practice going to Church, but my public school friends [ahem, yes I do have some] routinely go. Hmmm just an interesting generalization. Anyway, I'm used to going to Church in Burlingame, where G is a Eucharistic Minister, but that Church is filled with a bunch of geratics. I'm also used to St. Augustine in South City where I went throughout child'hood [emphasis on the 'hood part.]. But that Church always seemed more of a social outing than a celebration. Dudes be like chopping it up on the steps outside while the mass is going and such. But I have love for that parish since I was baptized there, word to St. John.

Anyway now that I'm in the sports apparel catalog [aka Eastbay], I didn't wanna drive back to the peninsula for Church, so I did what any other tech savvy person would do – I googled mapped one! The nearest one was St. Columba, in Oakland, and their mission statement states they have "a spirituality and commitment to service, rooted in Roman Catholic and African-American traditions." Interesting I thought – plus I have never even heard of St. Columba before [ssshhh don't tell my moms!]. I thought it was a typo, and they meant Columbus or Columbia, but whatever.

So G and I get to Church, and noticeably we're underdressed. I have my usual Sunday attire of jeans and a tee and fresh sneaks of course, but people are rockin' clothes like they're about to interview somewhere. Oooops. Anyway the opening song isn't even in a song book, shoot they don't even have song books, and the choir is getting all Sister Act on us, swaying and clapping and such. They even had a drummer there, and I don't think I've seen a drum set in a Catholic Church before! It was poppin'. Later on some dude did a solo act by himself with no one else except for him, which was fresh as well moved the crowd like Rakim.

The priest gave a pretty interactive and inspirational homily, like he was Tony Robbins or something. Calling people out in the crowd, moving around and such. It was so dope that I didn't even fall asleep! You know it was a cool talk when he goes "Yo I was trippin' when I was flying over Iowa!"

And during the Peace exchange, usually I go left, go right, go front and occasionally shake the person's hand behind me. Uh no not at St. Columba! People were leaving their pews and such [not me and G though – we didn't know anyone!], and I swear I've never shook hands with so many peeps. I swear it was a good 50 people that we've exchanged hand germs with no joke.

Oh yeah usually @ Church I'll give a buck - maybe 2 on a good day - to the collection basket. But this was such a moving experience that I threw down a 5 spot! Now I know how Warren Buffet feels like! [Hahaha I'm probably the only one laughing =/]

Towards the end of the 1.5 hour celebration, the priest called up all the first-time St. Columba goers, and he provided them lei's! [The priest was of hawaiian descent.] Of course G and I were too cool to go up there, but maybe next time. [but then it wouldn't be our first time…darnit!]

So the lesson here folks is that going to Church doesn't have to be an arduous task. As Kanye would say, "It's a celebration B*&^)#hes!!!"
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