LEAVING SAN FRISCO

I was hungover and had to take a dump when I dropped Shirl off at work and bid her farewell. It was a fun weekend, but it was time to go back home. I texted Ginger that I was bummed I had to leave without seeing her again, but I'll be sure to stay in touch with her on Facebook.

I decided to cross the Bay Bridge to get back home rather than going through the Pacheco Pass. My gps told me to do that so I followed obediently. It was a refreshing change and I think it's actually faster. The weird thing is that it was raining and I remembered why I didn't mind moving out of the Bay and back to LA. I never really liked the weather up here.

The trip down wasn't too bad. I discovered that if you make a few stops along the way, you don't get as tired and it helps keep you from getting too sleepy. But I got caught in traffic and my clutch started to get bad. It's getting tougher and tougher to shift so I know it's time to get this damn thing fixed.

I got home before the game started so I was actually able to catch the first game of the NBA Finals. The Heat won pretty easily and it doesn't look so good for the Mavs. After dinner I just winded down.

(written 6/6/11)

MEMORIAL DAY IN SF

Shirl and I walked over to La Boulange for some lunch since she had to buy some smokes. I wish she would quit, but smokers will only quit when they are ready. I had the BLT and she had the club. They were both quite good as we were able to split the sandwiches between us. I am always shocked by the cost of lunch in the city. Normal lunch fare is around $9 with anything under it considered a deal. That's shocking to me because I'm used to paying around $6 for lunch here.

I just sat around while Shirl got ready for the party. She had to leave to buy more ingredients so she left me with the responsibility of cooking the macaroni for her Hawaiian mac salad. While Shirl and Dot were away, a few people started buzzing the gate to get into the party. I didn't know most of them, but the ones I didn't know went downstairs to where the grill was. Christina and her twin hung out in the kitchen with me so we got to catch up a little.

Soon, the party was in full swing. Everyone who was coming over had arrived, so there was nothing left to do but eat and drink. I drank much more than I ate and I regret that. The good news is that we had some shots for the fallen soldiers who have sacrificed so much for this country. Let us not forget them!

I tried talking to Tetyana, but she seemed a little too upscale and stuck-up for my taste. She had a cute, petite body however, so that made-up for her somewhat large jowels and ok neck and above. The funny story about her was that she was so excited to put some of her music on and when she did, it was so dark and gloomy, it was immediately taken off the speakers.

I'm not sure how or why, but we all ended up going to Sugar again. I guess it's the closest bar to their house and we had run dry long ago. So while we were there, we had more drinks but I had to start drinking water because I couldn't drink anymore. I wish I'd drank more water, but I ended up engaging and conversing with a cutie that was sitting at the bar all alone. It turns out she runs the place with moms, but that's not really why I was talking to her.

She had such a unique look to her face and she was really cute. She would smile sometimes and look Mexican or Pinay, while at other times she would look Asian. She's half Korean and the other half is white and something else. I don't quite remember. But it was so fun talking to her for some reason. Was it because I was really attracted to her or was it because I was pretty drunk? I'm not sure, but I got her digits and told her I wanted to talk to her when she got off work.

While I was in bed and Shirley was snoozin' and when I knew we had to get up to take her to work, Ginger called. I couldn't really talk since Shirley was next to me and I was already falling asleep. But I tried a little but had to say goodbye. I really didn't want to, but what could I do since I had to leave for LA tomorrow? I tried to see if she had anything to do in the morning, but she did so I wouldn't be able to stop by for breakfast or anything with her. Oh well, such is life. It's odd how some people can put a spell on you.

SF REUNION

It was rough getting up, but we did and we headed over to Suppenküche. It's a restaurant I'd been to long ago when I was dating someone who lived in Hayes Valley. As I walked through the restaurant, I was surprised by how monotone everyone was. I didn't see an ethnic face in the entire place, except when we got to our table where Dorathy was. There was also a black guy in the group, but I was pretty shocked.

Ethnicity really isn't my thing. That is, I'm not like super ethnic man or anything or think about it all the time. Hell, I'm admittedly middle-class and pretty white, but even here I was a little uncomfortable. Why should I be? Here's Dot who is Pinay and she's having a good time. But I guess it's different when you've obviously got a little immigrant in you, but more importantly, I think it's different when you're a woman. Asian females are pretty much accepted in white culture and I say that because you always see them in commercials with white guys.

Ethnic men are different. You don't often see them in the media and when you do, they're typically not doing what white people do. Of course, that's changing and it will continue to change, so that's why at the end of the day, I wasn't trippin'. I was more feeling tired from last night than anything else and a little shy since I didn't really know anyone (plus that's what happens when you smoke a few trees).

The group Dot knew were college types so of course, beer pong came up and as much as I want to be down, Dot said it best when she said they're just kids. The kids will do their thing, but it's nice to let the vets kick it down once in awhile so I may have to practice some beer pong to challenge Asha and the piece that Shirl's had who is her roommate. He went to Cal so I gotta be cool with the guy and not hate.

We picked-up a few things at the store then I started working on the kare kare for tonight's party at Vanessa's. I used a pressure cooker for the first time and I think it's great. It goes on top of the stove and you heat it like anything else, but it has a lock-in lid that keeps the pressure built-up inside. It's awesome. Normally, a three hour dish will cook in less than 30 minutes. That is super fast though I noticed that the meat did not really fall off the bone. It was still a little undercooked and I should have left it cooking on the stove normally until it got to that point I was looking for. Additionally, the only peanut Shirl had was a Pinoy brand that is actually very very sweet. Too sweet in my opinion, so I just put a little in. It wasn't the kare kare I normally make, but it was still good enough. I added some long beans and an eggplant and the dish was good to go.

Dot didn't want to roll, so Shirl and I picked-up Stephen from his place on our way to Vanessa's. It was in the Western Addition, a part of town people say is kind of hoodie. But looking around, it didn't look so bad. I was a little worried though when Derron, Vanessa's husband told us to hit the "roof" button on the elevator shaft. It was an old school elevator where it was one of those sliding cages to shut it.

We got out and there they were, the happy couple, waiting for us in front of their door. I shook hands with Derron first and noticed how tall and how silver his hair was and how piercing his eyes were in their light blue shade. Vanessa looked great, a little older, a few more grey hairs, but still the same shape I remembered. We hugged and then we were inside.

The place was like a yoga studio. It was incredibly peaceful with modern, minimalist furniture. There was no riff raff anywhere, unlike Vanessa's place in Upland when she lived down south. The rooms were small, but the place was very cool and the view was amazing. Someone had built the dwelling on the roof, so the view was a near 180 degrees of the city.

The party started with just the five of us hanging out and getting ready to eat. Then Vanessa told me that Leah was coming with her boyfriend Mike. The story goes that Vanessa decided to call Leah because she wanted closure from their falling out. She left a message, then called me next. She didn't know I was in town and when I answered, I said, "you'll never guess where I am." She actually knew! I thought she was in Oakland so I wasn't about to call her, but she had moved in with her man who lived in the city and that's where she was calling me from. Isn't it weird how things sometimes work? It's not that weird in this case, at least in my mind, because Leah and Vanessa both have very interesting and powerful energies.

With that said, more people came. Christina, a friend of Vanessa's and her two blondie friends Larissa and Joy. I was helping Vanessa in the kitchen when they came in so we didn't get much of a chance to introduce ourselves to each other. Later, after dinner, I was able to talk to Christina a little bit. She liked my shirt that Jansen had given me for Christmas and wanted to know where I'd gotten it. She said it was at one of her favorite stores on the Haight but that they didn't sell it anymore. I was in a good mood so I told her I'd give it to her as soon as I'd worn it out.

I needed a drink so I went to get mine which was in the main living room. I heard Joy, a petite girl with odd eyes that looked very round and kind of close together, ask Derron if it was ok to smoke. I said, "as long as you blow it out the window." But she answered, "I wasn't talking to YOU" pretty firmly. I wasn't sure how to take this. I didn't know if she was being belligerently drunk or if she was just a bitch. Maybe both?

I told some folks about this, but later ran into her. I had to see if it was one or the other or both. She told me I had to chill out and was surprised that I took her seriously. She was apparently a little bit of a jokester, but she was also getting pretty drunk and starting to slur and act stupid. I also think she was attracted to me because most people who hate actually like, just so you'll pay attention to them.

As I was talking to Leah on the couch, she sat between us and grabbed Leah's arm to hug her. I thought Leah knew her, but apparently, she didn't. Joy was just being dumb and insecure and trying to be friends with everyone. The funny thing about Leah is that this thing kind of happens to her a lot. She has no problem being mean to people, but it's not what she says, it's how she seems. I never see it, but I've heard people say that. Maybe it's because Leah is cool with me so I don't get the mean vibes, but Joy was trippin' and trying to be friends with her.

I wish I had been more assertive and taken control of the situation. But I just watched the train wreck. Before we knew it, Vanessa was already talking to Joy and letting her know she had to chill out. I had already warned Larissa that she needed to regulate because Joy was kind of getting stupid. But Larissa didn't really know how to do that I guess. Looking back on it all, I wish I had taken one for the team and just banged them both. I didn't bring enough sugar over there though, so I wasn't sure how I would have done it. Also, it was Vanessa's party and I didn't want to be that guy who took off early just to bang two coke whores.

The drama completely changed the vibe of the party. One minute it was feeling good, the next it was kind of dead. Joy and Larissa got kicked out and after that, the party was pretty much over. People started to leave so we decided to follow suit. But Vanessa jumped out of the wood works and convinced me, Shirley and Stephen to stay. I didn't want to make her feel bad since we hardly caught up, so we stayed. Poor Derron crashed and left us in the living room.

We talked about mommy issues, mind body connections, physical pain associated with exercise, proving things to oneself, golf, tennis, online poker (or lack thereof) and my new career as a background actor. Honestly, I hate talking to Vanessa about serious things because she really knows how to probe and I guess I don't really like going to those places. I don't think anyone does because it's confusing, a little disheartening, but I suppose in the end, it's what you have to do to conquer your fears.

As the night wore on, it was time to leave since we had to be ready for tomorrow's get-together. It was a fun, fun evening but I can only imagine how much more fun it could have been if things had worked out between everyone (and if I'd brought more yay).

REAL HOUSEWIFE OF SF

I slept in and finally got up around 12PM and realized it was time for lunch with Karen. I had her pick me up since she was at the De Young. We went to Zero Zero on Folsom, a fancy pizza joint where everything was expensive. I guess you could describe Karen as being used to the high life since she works for Oracle and is around corporate stuff all the time. But I suppose it's less that and more of her just wanting to have that kind of lifestyle. That's why I think she'd be perfect as a Real Housewife candidate.

Lunch was fun catching up on our life. I think I did more speaking and she did more listening which is usually not the case with me. I'm usually the one getting people to talk about themselves so I don't have to. So I made a lot of jokes and kept it light because who wants to talk about what kind of life we really have right now if it's not that great. I mean, don't get me wrong. I have a lot of things that I'm grateful for. I can't really complain. But I suppose it's really feeling that you could make more out of life and that's really what I feel like I haven't done to the best of my abilities.

I flirted shamelessly with her just to test her boundaries. I don't know if that's wrong, but I hear that you can look but can't touch so that's where I left it. I think I'd feel terribly guilty messin' with someone who's married, but is it wrong to flirt?

After lunch Shirl and I did some shopping at an Asian supermarket on Clement, her old stomping grounds. They had everything we needed for our potluck tomorrow. We bought some onions, tomatoes, garlic, short ribs, oxtail and string beans to make the kare kare and bbq for Memorial Day.

Then we ate dinner at Domo, a fantastic sushi restaurant near Shirl's place. She said she's a regular there and the sushi guy behind the counter knew her immediately. He made everything for us and we paid a good arm and a leg for it. It was amazing though and delicious. Shirl hooked me up but Stephen and Dorothy threw in. It was Shirl's gift to me and it was awesome. I got into a nice discussion about cheating on married people with Dot and she made the argument that she puts the onus on the married partner to figure out whether they want to do it or not.

Then it was off to Sugar Lounge twice for the evening, once after dinner and once after kickin' it at home for a bit. Stephen, his boy and Kevin, Dot's friend who flew in from DC and us all converged onto the bar to get our swerve and drink on. It was a drink fest and it's not exactly the kind of night I dig, but that's not to say I don't have fun. It's just that I don't like the morning after, but I figured that it's a special weekend so fuck it.

A LIL HANGOVER

I woke up a little dry and a little fuzzy in the noggin', but not so bad. I ate an egg and Shirl and I got started on our project. The goal was to put together a piece she bought from Ikea that would allow her to hang some shit she wears often instead of having to use a closet in another room. We got started on it and took a break for lunch.

We went for some dogs in the Lower Haight. Then my old friend Vanessa called me and I told her she wouldn't believe where I was. She guessed it though and it's always interesting to me whether much of life is coincidence or pre-ordained? Anyway, we made plans for Sunday and we're excited to see each other since our lives have changed quite a bit since she left LA.

Shirl and I returned and completed our project. It's a little wobbly but it works and having that piece allowed Shirl to finally put some things away that were cluttering her room. Then Dot got home and left again to wait for us to get ready for our night out. After showering, we picked her up at the Bean Bag and went straight to Off The Grid.

Since we got there early, the lines weren't so bad. But as the night wore-on, it got more and more crowded. We had a drink and tried a bunch of different things. We had the sisig taco from HapaSF, another sisig taco from Senor Sisig, some buns from General Bao, some potstickers that were more like balls of meat from Happy Dumplings and a langsilog taco from Wow Silog. We finished it all up with some Horchata flavored kettle corn from Peter's kettle corn.

Then we left because it was starting to get cold and windy. We went to Lush Lounge for some Sweet Home Alabama Tea and I found out most of these bars are cash only places. I don't get that, but I guess it's just part of the City's quirks. We got a little toasty and got some munchies so Dot bought a bunch of chips to curb our appetite. We just went back to the apartment and chilled for what will probably be a long day tomorrow.

(written 5/28/11)

LEAVIN' LOS ANGELES

I tried to get another reconstruction company to get out to Pomona and create an estimate for the work that needs to be done, but they didn't have anyone available until the afternoon. I didn't want to leave so late and have to drive into the city so late, so I told them maybe another time. Besides, Turnkey construction doesn't know we didn't put any bids out to other companies so I suppose I could always come from that direction if their costs are way over the insurance company's estimates.

The drive wasn't too bad. I felt a little sleepy in the afternoon, but all the little breaks and stops I took along the way really help. I think I may have mastered the long drive. Also, I discovered cheap gas on the way at Lost Hills which is exit 278 I think on the way back from SF. It's about 250 miles from the city, so I think I'll stop there on the way back.

I didn't get a chance to see Marilu along the way because she was in a different part of San Jo and not really what I was driving through. So I kept going and got into the city around 7PM, right about the time Shirley was getting off work. So I went over to her work and realized she had driven her scooter to work. So we just went back to her place, took a little breather, then went out.

First was dinner at a sushi restaurant Ahn, one of her client's girlfriend started. It was dead and we found out only after the fact that it wasn't opening night. We missed it by one night. But we got to see the VIP room in the back and it's too bad we didn't get there a little later because we probably would have been hooked-up.

Then it was off to a bar called Jones where their cocktails were $10. This is on a Thursday night and I just find that outrageous since LA doesn't even charge that much on a weekend. It was a dead night too and now I realize it's just more expensive to live in this town. I don't see why because it's not like it's really that glamorous. It's just that taxes are probably higher and things are just generally more expensive since people get paid more. That's what it comes down to. But it was cool meeting one of Shirl's friends Stephen there.

Then we headed off to the Mission at Skylark Lounge to try to meet-up with Keyvan. But he had already left so we just had a drink and then took a cab home. All in all, a pretty good start to what will be a fun weekend.

(written 5/28/11)

HAWTHORNE #4

Woke up around 5:10AM and tried to leave by 5:45AM, but my ass was on the road around 6AM. That left me one hour to get to Van Nuys and I was starting to sweat when I parked and was about two minutes late. But they didn't sweat it and I was there with two other background admin types.

It didn't seem like they were too interested in using us again, so I tried to take a nap. But my nap was interrupted by Cindy the tenant because she was worried about the asbestos again. That got me calling PW Stephens to get an explanation to help address her fears. He was a little defensive and that caught me a little off guard. Once again, my suspicion that these guys are all working their angle was confirmed just a little more.

It turns out that State Farm had already closed their claim and approved payments to all of the companies used thus far. What was left was about $4600 for reconstruction and I just started to realize that I should have gotten bids for this reconstruction. But we already signed a contract with them and I don't think there's any backing out. I feel stupid for signing everything without thinking it through, but it just seemed like we were trying to move everything quickly. As they say, haste makes waste.

We never got used at all and that's the second time I've worked on Hawthorne now and wasn't used. I'm not complaining since work is work and I was fed breakfast and lunch. Still, it's a little challenging fighting boredom. The nice thing was that the nurses who came in at 2PM added some variety and we all got into a nice little discussion about politics. Of course, we all had differing opinions, but the amount of misinformation some of these people get really amazes me. I guess it comes down to where you get your information and how you interpret it. I tried to wrap the discussion up by saying it's important to have dialogue to solve things rather than just making up your mind without any additional discussion.

We were wrapped around 4PM and I thought I'd get a good start before rush hour. But when I got to the car, I noticed the front driver's side tire was flat and I noticed a nail right in the middle of the thing. So I used my faithful GPS unit to find a garage to fix it. It only cost me $10 and I got an estimate for a clutch job for $650. Not bad.

My clutch is really starting to get bad. I had to jam it in several times when I was in rush hour and it seems like it's getting tougher and tougher. Oddly, as soon as I start cruising, it seems to fix itself, so I'm not sure why that is. I just know, it's time to get it replaced.

When I got home I had a conversation with Kimi about life and tried catching up. I didn't tell her about my new friend Sahra, but I did talk about the weird coincidence between Rachelle's love life and mine. It's still weird to me how they seem to parallel. Why is that?

Then I did some laundry and packed to prepare for my journey up north.

RIZOLI AND ISLES

I did an 80% P90X workout for chest, shoulders and arms today. I felt good and feel like I can go full strength next time. Or at least try. But we'll see if I can really hang.

After lunch, I showered and got ready to head out to Paramount. I was a little stressed that I didn't leave as early as I wanted, but there was no traffic and I got there perfectly on time.

I was booked as an off duty cop and the scene was pretty easy. It was just one scene. One and done. I sat at a bar with another off duty cop and when we got back to holding, someone set-up a computer to show the Bulls/Heat game. The Heat one and the stage looks like it's set for a Heat/Mavericks final.

When I got home I ate dinner and did some laundry. I did a really heavy load of colors since I still have to pack for my trip up to the Bay this weekend.

RETURN TO THE P90X GRIND

I'm slowly wading back into the grind of P90X. I'm doing things at 50% and today was easier than I expected. I know I can go harder, but I decided I wouldn't push myself. I don't want to get some kind of injury that will put me out to pasture again.

Not sure what I did today. A whole lot of nothing again. I spent time on the iPad looking for some website that I could use to record all my old golf cards. What's the purpose of this you ask? There is none. It's just one of many many projects I've wanted to do and haven't done. A waste of time? Perhaps. But if there's one thing I have right now, it is that.

I had some conversations with Rachelle. She is pretty frustrating at times. I think she refuses to acknowledge the problems she has with debt, with men and her health. But who am I to call her out? She will probably just react the same way she has with Mark, and I do not want to go there. She's stubborn and until she hits rock bottom, I don't think she will want to change her lifestyle.

I think my decision to join AFTRA has been a good one. I got work on Hawthorne last week and I got booked on Rizoli and Isles tomorrow. I've never even heard of this show, but it's got Angie Harmon in it so that means it's a cop drama.

(written 5/24/11)

STAIRS AND A SHORT HIKE

I slept on the couch waiting for moms to get home and she came with T. Cecile. They had played mahjong until 4 in the morning. They went to catch-up on some sleep when K. Noel and fams came over. That's when the girls and I decided we would do some exercise.

But first was lunch, and we went to the Chinese place near Carl's that we always go to. It's such a good deal and the food is actually pretty good. I like it a lot but I think the kids are getting quite tired of it.

We rested a little and did some choreography on youtube and then it was time to do some exercise. Kylie, Karina and I did some stair work at the top of the hill. It's pretty easy, but a few times up and down really gets your heart pumping. Then we decided to hike and took some trails that didn't really lead us anywhere. We got sick of walking around in circles so we left and decided to do a little jog around the block.

I wanted to try running on the balls of my feet and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The last time I tried to do this, I got a cramp in my calf and it stopped me from running further than I wanted. But it was a short jog, and I was surprised how tiring it was. It's probably because of the stair work we did and the heat, but in general, I forgot how much endurance running requires. By the end of the jog, I felt good and I think the grade up the hill had something to do with it being harder than running on a track.

Then Kylie and I went to pick-up some pizza and wings and we all ate dinner. T. Cecile was picked-up by her friend before dinner so she didn't eat with us. After dinner, K. Noel had to leave because he will be travelling to Minnesota this week and he hadn't yet packed.

I took a shower and just rested knowing that I'd have to get-up early in the morning to see if I could be one of the first 100 at Buffalo Wild Wings. The first 100 get free wings for a year!

(written 5/23/11)

EATIN' AND POOPIN'

I didn't really eat a proper dinner last night, so when I got home, I was an eatin' machine. But first a shower to clean off the dirt from last night's fun. Then it was time to decide what to eat.

There were two packages of tofu that had been sitting around for awhile in the fridge that needed to be eaten. One was extra firm and the other was firm. I decided to fry the extra firm one in little squares. It's interesting how long it takes to fry these babies up, but when they finally did come out of the fat, they were nice and crispy. Actually a little too crispy for my taste as I do enjoy the silky texture of tofu. I made a soy sauce, vinegar, spicy pepper and garlic sauce to go with it and that was some good stuff. I also ate some leftover eggs and rice from yesterday's breakfast with T. Chit.

Then it was time for a nap. Not much sleep happened last night, so I was ready for dreamtime when I got on the couch. When I awoke, I was hungry again so it was time for an early dinner.

I fried up the other tofu batch, but this time, I decided not to fry it too long. The thin cut however, got the ends pretty crispy, but there was still enough of the tofu to keep it nice and soft in the middle. In the end, I think firm is good enough and I'd suggest cutting them into one inch square and frying just two sides. That allows for a squishy center that's just awesome for dipping. It's definitely going into my tapas menu.

I'm not sure why, but I had three movements throughout the day. It was like a continuous draining of my colon. I love that because you feel so empty and refreshed.

Then I pretty much chilled throughout the evening. K. Noel called to say he wanted to bring the kids over and I told him I didn't really know where moms was. It turned out she was playing mahjong with T. Cecile and the other jedis until 4 in the morning!

(written 5/22/11)

HAWTHORNE #3

Moms and I drove T. Chit to LAX for her flight back home. There was traffic but because we used carpool lanes the entire way, we got there pretty quickly. Poor T. Chit was early by two hours but she didn't seem to mind since she likes being early rather than being late.

When we got back, I took a very unsatisfying nap. After lunch, I kind of sat around waiting to leave for the Valley. I'd never shot Hawthorne at this location before, but it was nice to get my first AFTRA gig. Only about 10 more to pay off the AFTRA fee!

Holding was pretty chill as we were in a room where there were only about six of us. I napped a little, and before we knew it, they were wrapping us. As I was walking out, they asked me to stay since the guy they wanted to keep had jeans on. Anna Lia and I were fitted for a doctor's jacket and then we waited. And waited. And waited. People were already cleaning the place since it was about 11PM. We wondered if they had forgotten about us, but they hadn't. They just didn't need us after all.

So I headed down to The Bar on Sunset and Bronson. That's where Tam and Jansen were after their dinner somewhere in Hollywood to celebrate Tam's birthday. I'm glad I got out of it because of work, but I probably wouldn't have gone anyway since I'm trying to save money. It's tough not being able to do a lot of things, but I know it's tougher when you don't have any money when you need it.

There were some cuties in the bar and a Lindsay Lohan look-a-like was there. Her name was Stacy and she was really cute. My goal was just to talk to her and I did, but before I knew it, a cock-blockin' friend was already between her and I. Was he a boyfriend or was he just a friend? Who knew?

We then left for James' pad where the after party started. That's where Sahra was and that's when the party really started. Everyone kind of partied throughout the night, but then everyone was gone. Sahra and I kicked it in Tanya's room and we bailed in the morning.

(written 5/21/11)

L.A. NOIRE

I did the legs and back workout and 50% and it was pretty easy. It's nice to ease into the P90x system after you've been off it for a long time. But after the workout, I felt I could definitely work harder and the soreness from the last few workouts have felt pretty good. Best of all, I didn't feel any major back pain from yoga so I think I'm ok.

I wonder what happened and what is happening with my back? Is it just old age? Is it an injury that my body is trying to tell me about? Is it the same injury from that time I was moving furniture in Corona? I don't know and now I'm starting to realize that any major injury that happens to me will be a burden to my family. It's not right that I put them in jeopardy because I can't afford health insurance, or nearly anything else at this point. I think it's time to start looking for a full time job with benefits or at least something close to it.

I went over to Jansen's to go to Buffalo Wild Wings which just opened in Brea. But we couldn't get in because it was just for friends and family today. So instead, we went to eat some tacos at Fresca's in downtown Brea. They have a $1.25 Tuesday and Thursday taco special, so we grubbed on some of those. We thought about Berkeley Dog but I don't think you'd feel as satisfied with a dog in the tummy for the same amount as you'd spend at Fresca's.

Tam then went to get a tan while Jansen and I contemplated what to do. We finally decided to get L.A. Noire at Walmart. It's when I found out that he's got some debt to pay off and that surprised me. But the good thing is that it doesn't stop him from living life and that's what is important. But saving money and paying off debt is important too. Seems like everyone I know is in debt in some way or another. I hate that.

L.A. Noire is my kind of game. It has action elements, but it also has a mystery element. You have to solve a mystery and I love that. It also takes place in the old L.A. which is the perfect setting for any kind of noire. Its seedy underbelly, its violent, corrupt nature and required moral ambivalence is what I'm talking about. The deal is that when Jansen finishes it, I get for $25.

I went home before moms and T. Chit got there which is good because I got to wash the dishes. I also made some rice for the morning so T. Chit will have a meal before she leaves tomorrow morning for Jersey. My call time got pushed back to 5:30PM tomorrow so I'll be able to drive T. Chit to the airport and get back with plenty of time before I have to drive to Van Nuys.

(written 5/20/11)

YOGA-X AND X STANDS FOR NOT

It was time to do YogaX and although I didn't try my hardest, I felt way out of shape. It's going to take some time to get back to the fitness level I was at over a month ago. Plus, I still felt my back issues while doing the downward dog. It's my lower back and I'm beginning to worry that it's a pain that may never go away.

I finally worked on clearing the top of one of my dressers in my room. It's still got dust on it, but at least it's pretty clear. I had a bunch of receipts I hadn't thrown away, but now I'm in full form about dumping things. At least I hope I am.

No new news with the Pomona residence. I think the construction guys are out and won't be back until the 27th when the floor gets ripped out. Seems like such a waste of time to have to wait.

START OF SOMETHING OLD

I woke-up not feeling so great because of all the beer I drank yesterday. But I couldn't sleep anymore so I kind of staggered downstairs to see what I could do. I ate some watermelon and that curbed the growling in my tummy. As soon as I turned the tube on, the power went out. I had forgotten that Edison would be working on our power grid here in DB, so I was left without power.

Luckily, the iPad doesn't need electricity so I just played some games on it. But then Cindy called and said that she couldn't check-in the Extended Stay America hotel we had booked for her. I totally forgot to work on that this morning. I was supposed to sign some papers to book the room, but I hadn't. And with no power, I had to have them fax the papers to moms.

Moms had to leave early from work to meet-up with the Jedis before they all went back home. So there was definitely a lot of time pressure going on. Matt at Extended Stay got the wrong fax number, Cindy was left stranded and moms was waiting for the fax. Finally, everything got worked out and Cindy was able to check-in. Unfortunately, we didn't get the AAA discount on top of the Costco discount so that's going to add a few dollars per day. Hopefully I can visit them or talk them into giving us an additional discount since Cindy will probably be in there for at least two weeks.

I took a nap after the steak lunch and when I woke-up, I was hungry. I had some Cheerios and wondered if I should even work out. I felt kind of ill, but I think after I got some food in me, I felt better.

I did shoulders and arms and boy did I feel weak. I knew I would not be able to finish the workout so I only did half of it. It would take me another month to get back into my former shape, so hopefully, after a month of this, I'll be ready to start my half-marathon training.

DODGER GAME WITH SHAYNE

I was psyching myself up for working out since I hadn't worked out for nearly two months because of illness and a bad back. But then Shayne called and said he had a ticket for a Dodger game and it was on him. His girlfriend couldn't go so he asked me. Later I found out Jansen told him to ask me since he couldn't go.

Shayne drove us to Monterey Park where his buddy lives. They've been friends since high school, so there was a lot of shit talking throughout the afternoon. But first, beer pong was on the schedule. I was surprised that it was only going to be us since I always associate beer pong with parties.

But for Shayne's friend who Shayne jokingly referred to as an alcoholic and which I generally believe is the case, beer pong was just an excuse to drink a lot of beer pretty quickly. We played four games and Shayne won them all. First he won against me, then he won against his friend, then his friend beat me and then Shayne won the last game with the 5-cup playoff (which is like a soccer game in which each team gets one shot at a time up to five tries). Shayne won 1-0 I think, but needless to say, we were all pretty smashed.

We drove to Dodger Stadium and sat field level. His friend got in line and bought like $150 worth of food and drinks while Shayne bought some fries for us. His friend wouldn't take my money so I ended up just thanking him profusely. I had a Doyer dog for the first time which is a Dodger dog with chili, cheese, onions and jalapenos. It was awesome but a little difficult to eat because it's so messy. But it was huge and plenty for dinner and not bad for $8.

Then we each had two beers to kill and that took pretty much the entire game. At one point, Shayne and I moved-up and luckily we didn't get caught. No one asked us for tickets and I was surprised to see some security people actually asking fans for tickets. One guy in front of us got asked and he got pissed-off.

The Dodgers lost and even though Shayne's friend wanted to keep drinking, Shayne and I just went home. I drove back for the poor guy who had to work till 6AM this morning. Then I texted Jansen since he left something here that he needed back. He couldn't stay long so I just told him about the day and he took off.

(written 5/17/11)

TACING & CHITANG'S 60TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

T. Bebot and T. Chit came to the house about 11AM and they were ready to go. Moms and I got ready and off we went to catch the mass that was only announced on Facebook. It's funny how people who are not on FB have no idea about a lot of things that are happening or how people are feeling. It's almost as if they don't care when they say they don't have an account.

Anyway, we went through mass and then people started to arrive at Danny & Beng's house in Fontana. There was an incredible amount of food and much of the time was spent eating it. After eating, I went for a drink and I think that was probably a bad idea because I immediately felt sleepy. Good thing I had some antidote but then I had to say goodbye to eating more food.

The party started going and everyone was socializing. There was picture taking and it was turning out to be a kind of West Coast reunion. It was great to see everyone and we all were having fun. People even started dancing later in the evening, but of course, I was interested in poker and got a game going.

Javier was definitely on a crazy drunken win streak because he was playing all kinds of garbage and winning. But he was also playing good cards and winning too. Eventually, that kind of play got him eliminated, but it was still a lot of fun playing with him.

Soon, the night winded down and I ended up in a long argumentative discussion with Beejay about two things. First was how he was shorted as far as the money distribution came out. Second was how everyone was making fun of him being the first one out all the time. He got pissed but he showed everyone because he ended up winning the second game. Luckily, I came out even steven coming in 3rd to Jansen's 2nd. I'm not sure who won the first game, I think it was Bill (A. Meg's boyfriend), Shayne and some other guy.

We got home pretty late, but all in all I thought it was a grand party. I'm already believing that another reunion is in the works.

VISITING THE DUPLEX

I woke-up sleepy but early enough to meet with William from Turnkey Construction. These guys are the ones who will be putting everything back in place once the floors and walls are removed. He seems to know what the hell he is doing and a very professional and likable guy. I suppose that's how he makes the cash. Con is short for confidence and as long as they have your confidence, you can be conned.

But I could tell he cared because he got the toilet up and running as well as the sink. He even checked the work his guy did so it was easy to leave him with Cindy. The poor girl had to go to work and we were delaying her, but what else can we do but just take things one day at a time?

I just crashed when I got home and took a super long nap, as did moms.

(written 5/17/11)

THE NEW GREEN RIVER

I was a little stressed about all the work going down in Pomona, so I figured a little relaxation was in order. It's funny how golf can be relaxing even though it's a sport. I don't feel that way about poker, tennis or bowling, but I do feel I can relax and have fun with golf. I've actually begun to feel good about the game again, but essentially, it's still a money issue.

I drove to Jansen's and met-up with Tyler. Then off we went to Green River. I noticed on GolfShot that there are no longer two courses. Green River used to have Orange and Riverside, but there was some erosion and damage that left one of the courses too dangerous to play. So they've combined what is left from the two courses.

Our foursome was Mr. Cho who looked like he was 70-80 years old. But let me tell you, this guy could hit! And he had great touch around the green too. He spoke no English, but you could tell from his expressions how he felt about our shots or his.

Later in the afternoon, the wind started to pick-up and with all the trees and pollen as well as the gnats, it became a tough back 9. I had like 5 pars in a row on the front, but the 9th hole shattered my streak when I tripled. It was all downhill from that point because of the wind, fatigue and frustration. I ended up shooting a 94.

Then we went to Hooters to use the coupon you get from Click4TeeTimes. It's great. With a threesome or foursome, you get 20 free wings. Tam, Allison and Jude met us there and we all grubbed. During this time, Cindy was calling to let me know about the toilet issue. It was tough trying to get an answer from the construction guys as to why the toilet was pulled. They assured me that the toilet would be put back in place tomorrow. Since Cindy's son went to sleep and it as late, she just said we could figure it out tomorrow.

I'm disappointed with Nick from Watergon. I like the construction guys, but this guy Nick doesn't seem to really give a shit about our tenant. I think I said this before and I'll say it again. I think he's only in it for the money.

After Hooters we went to downtown Orange for some dessert. We went to a root beer stand that had a huge variety of drinks. After some floats, ice cream and drinks, Allison and Tyler and I stopped by Rocky Mountain Chocolate or something. They had some caramel apples that were pretty good, but $1 more than Disneyland and unfortunately, the apples were pretty mature and not very crispy.

(written 5/17/11)

WHAT A PAIN

I spent the morning and afternoon again fielding calls for the Pomona problem. It seems like it's one thing after the other.

So the asbestos company needed to come in to check where work would be done. That meant getting him in touch with the tenant. He called and said he couldn't get in touch with her. So I had to leave Cindy messages that the guy had to come in.

Then, Zach from Watergon called to say the valves underneath the sink had to be replaced. The cold side wouldn't turn off and he had already removed the sink. I asked why he removed the sink without first checking to see if the valves were any good. He said he had a job to do and he had to get it done. So we argued a little and I couldn't really get a straight answer. It was frustrating because I was asking them why they were doing something and they felt like I was trying to tell them how to do their job.

So I called his boss Nick to ask him the same thing. Then Nick starts explaining the same things to me. My feeling is that these guys just want money from the insurance company and they don't really give a shit about anyone else. They don't care about the tenants, they don't care about the policy owner, they just want to get paid.

Anyway, the point was that they needed a plumber to come in and replace the valves. I called Don and Scott the handyman, but they weren't in. So Nick says he's got a plumber that is cheap and called him in to do the job. Don called later and I asked him what the fair price was and he said $130. So the plumber did it for that price and it was done.

But then, I get a call from Mitch from the asbestos removal company. He says all that shit didn't need to be done because he didn't need access through all that. That really bothered me because it showed that there wasn't any communication between companies, especially between Watergon and the asbestos company. That's not right and I mean to complain about that.

Later, Cindy the tenant called to say how bad she was feeling about not having a toilet. It sure is tough to stay patient and I did the best I could but she hung up on me when I told her it wasn't our responsibility to find a place for her to stay while work was being done. But I finally understood her plight and I think because she's such a good tenant, it's only fair that we give her some accommodations while the place is being worked on.

So I booked two nights for her at the Best Western in Diamond Bar. I had to drive there to give them my credit card and license. I stopped by the bank to get some cash for golf tomorrow. I hope I don't get a lot of calls while I'm on the course.

UPDATING PROFILES

Since I joined AFTRA, I had to go to Central Casting to let them know. It's an easy process. You go, you wait in line, tell them you've joined, show the proof and that's about it. They updated my photo as well, but I didn't really like the picture but was too lazy to say anything about it.

I'd lost my GPS so I had to print stuff out to get to my next destination. Joey's List had moved offices, so I had to go to Sherman Oaks to let them know I'd joined AFTRA. I could have just emailed them, but it's always good to visit them to let them know you're still alive. Besides, the last time I dropped off a payment, he said I should re-take a photo.

Joey was there along with his new hire Hans. Joey showed me how casting directors use his database. He said I should submit some pictures so the casting folks have additional looks to use to possibly book me on gigs. I told him I would. Hans also complimented me on the suit. That's the second time someone has said something. I guess it just fits real good because it's so tight and tailored. It's old school though and I wonder if it was my dad's or my brothers'.

Then I had lunch at some bakery. I had a pastrami sandwich that was about $5 but the damn drink I bought was $1.75 which made the total over $8. Oh well, I figured I'd treat myself since I was out and about. It's funny how I consider that a treat. That's how cheap I am.

The next stop was Jeff Olan's office where I told them I was AFTRA. I showed them my card and heard Milton in the background. I asked if he got in trouble when he cast me on Private Practice but I got up late and didn't make the call. The night before was when I got into the first fight with Janet so I suppose that might have been an omen. He didn't see me, but said everything was cool.

Finally, the last stop was Sandi Alessi. I haven't ever gotten any work from them, but since I'd registered with them I figured it wouldn't hurt to increase my chances. The funny thing was, I saw the same guys from Central work their way to the same casting offices. I guess everyone does it since you have to try to get work any way you can.

ACTUAL STRESS FELT

I am pretty used to physical stress when working out, but I haven't been emotionally stressed for quite some time. That is, the feelings of stress you feel when you're working or doing something for someone.

What got me stressed today was working with the insurance company over the Pomona duplex, the restoration company and the plumbing company. I had to get the report from the plumbing company first so the restoration company could figure out what their plumber needed to say to the insurance company. It's shady, but I was sick of the insurance company denying our claim the last time and I had no problem working with them so we could get the claim approved. In all the years we've had the insurance company, not once have they approved a claim.

It took all of the afternoon to finally get things in order. Afterwards, I didn't really know what to do with myself so I started to clean and organize some of my room. I usually do very little then quit so hopefully I can start to do more work in the future. Famous last words as I always say.

Tomorrow I will be going to Central Casting to let them know I'm with AFTRA now and re-take a picture. Then off to Joey's List to let them know the same thing.

MOTHER'S DAY PAIN

I had to take moms to the Pomona duplex right before dinner because Watergon needed us to sign some paperwork. I felt bad for Cindy and I felt bad for moms since K. Noel and Amanda were over and we were just about to start eating.

So we got to the duplex and poor Cindy was all dressed up but had to deal with the water. This is the third time she's had to deal just like she says and what else can we do but say sorry? We also thought about having someone go over the place to determine if there are any fixes we should take care of before it goes bad.

After signing some papers, we went back home and had a sweet carnitas taco dinner that had us all full.

(written 5/9/11)

PACMAN KNOWS

My brother ordered the fight today, but there was a lot of preparation before it happened. First, moms and I went to Rancho Cucamonga to pick-up a ping-pong table that goes on top of a pool table. I bought some paddles and balls to go with it, but then realized the table wasn't going to fit inside the Accord.

I had to go to my back-up which was Jansen's Prius. He told me he could pick it up so off we left to K. Noel's after eating lunch at Carl's Jr. There wasn't much going on so early in the day since the party wasn't going to start until near the fight. So Kylie and I played some card games until the first guests arrived.

Soon, more guests came and Jansen and the table finally arrived. We set it up and immediately began playing some ping-pong.

Then the fight started and it was actually pretty boring. Pacman won unanimously and now there's no one left for him to fight. Sahra called to see if she could come over and party but it was so late I thought she was crazy. But what do you expect from a fun party girl? It should be interesting to see what happens the next time I see her.

We got some poker going after the fight, but we didn't really have too many people. During the first game, Cindy the tenant from Pomona called to say there was some flooding going on in the duplex. Thankfully, it wasn't a major pipe burst but instead a drain issue. It's going to cost over $700 to repair it plus the cost of the drying. K. Noel ended up finishing in both games which is good because at least he can re-coup some of the costs of the party.

Moms and I got stuck in traffic when the freeway was being worked on late at night. It was a one lane bottleneck that was so frustrating.

(written 5/8/11)

NO HANGOVER REALLY

I saw moms up when I finally got home this morning. But I didn't see her when I woke-up. It was one of those no hangovers but kind of messed up feeling days. I just chilled the entire day and snacked on crap and watched tv.

(written 5/8/11)

CINCO DE MAYO IN HOLLYWOOD

I called Jansen to see what he was doing for the day and he said he was planning to go to a free party at The Room on Cahuenga Blvd. I was down since I hadn't been out for some time.

Our first stop was James' and Jansen warned me of a chick that had just broken up with her boyfriend. Sahra is a party girl and shared some shots of vodka with us when she arrived. We left in James' girlfriend's new car for the club but stopped by the store for some liquor first.

The tequila was terrible, but we had some Poweraide to help us gulp it down. Then it was party time at the club where we saw other friends like Tyler and Giang. It was a pretty long night since we ended up crashing at James' where Sahra and I kicked it on the couch.

But then Allison woke us up to tell us that Jansen had to go home. It was a bitch getting up but thankfully it wasn't bad driving home as I didn't feel too tired. But driving home anytime around 6AM is not pleasant.

(written 5/8/11)

CHILLIN' WITH MARITESS

My cousin from Philly and I kicked it in the afternoon today. She'll be leaving this weekend, and we decided we should hang out before she left. I picked her up at my uncle's house and we left for Albertson's so she could pick up some medication from the pharmacy. Meanwhile, I went shopping for some ginger, corn and mangos.

Then we drove off to find something to drink. Our first stop was Diamond Bar SuperHMart area to look for some boba. There was no real boba place so we ended up at Lollicup where I first wanted to go. It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be there, so we just chilled there and talked about life and other things.

Then I took her to T. Fe's house where she would be having dinner with some of the other cousins. T. Fe shared some interesting stories with me. She said she was very close to my dad and that they were supposed to go to Las Vegas that day. She wondered why he hadn't called Saturday and that is when she received the call from my mom. She had even taken the day off on Monday since they would be there for a few days.

Another interesting thing she told me was how much my dad loved my mom and couldn't get over her. He'd rather kill her and I guess that's why he bought the gun. I thought he bought it to kill her boyfriend, but who knows? It never happened though, and I thank T. Fe for calming him down enough to let him let go.

(written 5/8/11)

FIRST BIKE RIDE IN A LONG TIME

I woke up with a massive gut ache. I was a little worried that it was one of those killers because I wasn't feeling so good when I sat down on the toilet. I was a little light headed but that may have been from getting right out of bed. Anyway, my movement was bad ass and after I let it go, I felt much better. I swear those psyllium husks are amazing. It's like an inside cleanse!

After lunch, I entered a few more scores on the Golfshot app. I love that app. It's got every course I've played and it shows all my stats. I just wish I'd recorded which way my drives went because it actually has stats for that too.

Then I took a nap. I woke up and was determined to exercise today. So I did the easy bike ride to HMart and bought some carrots, celery and Fuji apples. I think they were all organic, but I'm not sure about the carrots since they were loose but within the organic section of the market. I forgot the ginger though so I couldn't juice when I got home.

The bike ride was easy since I was in a lower gear on the ride back. It's the ride back that's tough since it's on a slight incline. But it was easy and that was okay with me since I want to take it easy on my return to working out.

I did the usual night time poker playing. I usually try to play some cash games and then some kind of tourney. Nothing interesting to report as my poker seems to be just for fun now since I don't think I can withdraw any of this money that I have in UB.

SLEEP, OH PLEASANT SLEEP

I woke up really early today wondering why. I guess I ended-up falling asleep last night pretty early and woke-up after having had about eight hours of sleep. So I kept trying to go back to sleep but couldn't. So I finally got up and just decided I wouldn't fight it.

I wanted to play poker in the morning, but instead, I found myself busy editing the professional photos Kylie and I took together at Disneyland. I also joined AFTRA finally and kind of worried about the $1600 fee, but like most investments I've made, I always make my money back and more (except for live poker). So before I knew it, it was lunch time.

My body has a natural sleepy rhythm about 3PM. This pattern is not good because that's about the time I want to try to exercise. I was really wanting to bike over to SuperH to buy some carrots for my juicing, but I found myself taking a very nice nap instead.

I felt bad about not working out today and began to feel how I always feel when I stop working out. I feel lazy and I relish all the extra time I have and use it for wasteful things like napping or watching my beloved tv and porn. My gut is getting larger as a result and I mean to stop this.

So I took the trash out and worked on my compost bin. At least I did something, but it sure is getting hotter and hotter and I'm beginning to worry that I won't be able to chop down those damn trees in the back slope without dying of heat exhaustion.

After dinner, I played poker and finally lost on UB. I'm really bummed that I can't play on the other sites because UB just doesn't have enough players to play the tourneys I want as well as the games I'm interested in. Oh well, I guess I shouldn't complain since it's better than nothing.

DISNEYLAND WITH KYLIE

I went to Disneyland with Kylie and we were kind of nervous about getting in because she was using her friend's pass. But it was no problem at all and since we got there pretty early, we ended up riding a bunch of rides before the afternoon came long.

Then it got hot and unpleasant and I started to complain about it all. Kylie is really good about taking the bitching and whining probably because Karina does it so much. So we took the Monorail to the Sportszone and had some iced tea to cool us down. Then we headed to California Adventure to ride California Screaming and Monsters Inc. That's pretty much all we could do there because everything else was super crowded and required a really long wait time.

We missed all the shows like the fireworks and World of Color which I kind of regret. But Disneyland isn't leaving so I'm sure we can make it there again one of these days.