A Farewell?... Or a Beginning?

For anyone who actually knows the web address and actuall y reads this thing, I would like to let them know that I am no longer writing here on Blogger. I shall be moving the blog to Live Journal, as previously proposed to by someone I know from my Lincoln days.

Why? Well a couple of reasons.

1. I have to much on plate these days to right on two blogs. I got classes, homework, employment, and just any free time to chillax.
2. Live Journal is nice. I like the options for backgrounds, I have better access to my friends' blogs, and love using the avatars (especially those of L and Link).

Well... I guess those are the only reasons. But as I write the final entry of Emit's Blog, I know that it's contents will not die. After all, it is the internet. I know I'll always come back to read my past entries, even dig up some quaility writing for a new entry in the blog that will be referred to as Emit's Journal, a combination of Emit's Blog and Emit's Extra, a Live Journal blog that I started a while back. I guess you can say it's a new beginning, which is the reason for the cheesy title.

I'd like to thank for those that took some time to check out my writing here on Blogger, and hope that they continue to do so with Emit's Journal. That'll do it for this entry, and this blog in general. Peace out; keep on keepin' on!

Fernando Enrique Garcia

a.k.a. Emit Remmus

All Play and Lil' Work

*Warning* This is a pretty long entry. Read at your own discretion.


I had a pretty damn good weekend. Not in the way that I normal have a good weekend, which is basically chillin' the whole day, play a bit of video games, and sleep in the next morning. My weekend consisted of a weekend retreat and a fun trip to place best suited for hot days such as yesterday (which was when the trip was). Unfortunately I didn't get much work done. I'll have to work my ass of now to make it up.

Friday night I went to the M.E.Ch.A. spring retreat, where we all go kick it a Mechista's place, go over the official documents that helped shape M.E.Ch.A., known as "Los Papeles." However, the main idea of the retreat is to bond. We arrived Friday night to Laura's aunt and uncle's house, who they left the house to for the weekend (really nice of them). That night we just kicked and decided to get everything underway when the rest of the Mechistas would arrive the next morning. Gabriel even brought his Nintendo Wii, so I once again got my Brawl on!!! On a side note, I should hang out with Gabriel more often, as he's a pretty cool dude.

The next day we all woke up at 8am, so it was clear that I would not be able to catch up on my sleep this weekend. Anyway, the whole day consisted of going over Los Papeles, like the UCI M.E.Ch.A. Constitution, El Plan de Santa Barbara, the Philosophy of M.E.Ch.A., and the more controversial Plan Espiritual de Aztlan. I really learned a lot from these documents, about what M.E.Ch.A. really stands for, what it means to be Chicano, etc. It was also made clear that all of us should also think critically about certain parts of Los Papeles, as these things were returned in a different time by a certain group of people (mainly men), and with a type of mindset. But that's with anything from the past, whether it be the Bible, the U.S. Constitution; it is up one's own interpretation, and should serve as a guide to form one's own beliefs.

But I digress, before we got to the fun, I also had two pretty good discussions. The first was about how many in the past have tried to infiltrate M.E.Ch.A. to further their own careers or organizations. There was a real complicated issue that the organization dealt with during my tenure at Lincoln High School (especially the good years of '05-'06, '06-'07). Apparently, there was this one self-righteous, hypocritical dude named Fernando [forgot his last name] that was using the organization to further some group named the WSA (Workers-Student Alliance), then tearing them up a new a-hole with a slanderous essay called Your Identity Should Revolve Around Your Politics, Not Your Politics Around Your Identity. And it's good that I hear about this a-hole and about another point of view of this issue, otherwise I might have believed that M.E.Ch.A. is no good, which I know is not true. After all, no organization is perfect.

The other discussion was among the men, as we were to draw how we saw male sexuality. Gabriel drew Chuck Norris killing ninjas while pushing a baby carriage, Jose drew a dog goin' for a small piece meat than a bigger one, etc. (if you want clarification on the drawings, ask in the comments). I drew a lion, which I believed that male sexuality can be a scary, strong, yet lazy beast. We also discussed some personal stuff dealing with some of own women problems, rap music, and the blurry line that seperates being promiscuous and being sexually active. I actually felt comfortable with these guys it was great. The jaccuzi we were in was great as well.

After a busy Saturday, it was time to kick it. We all chilled by the pool and jacuzzi, some gettin' their "drank" on or smokin' Black-Milds (type of cigar). I turned down drinkin' (which now I think was stupid, as it doesn't get as relaxing as this setting do so), but tried some of that Black-Mild shit. It smelled like strawberries, but it tasted like crap. I got to admit though... blowing the smoke from that cigar was fuckin' boss! It was about 3am when we all went to sleep for a morning of cleaning and final thoughts. And I gotta say that these were some deep words, especially for graduating Mechistas. Lot of love in the room (even I teared up a bit). This weekend showed me a lot of the good in this organization, which I hope to continue being part of, God willing.

I returned to Mesa Court in the afternoon, took a small nap, and headed out with my hall mates for a beach trip and bonfire. It was really relaxing being out in Corona Del Mar. I would love to live in this area, so beautiful! I played a little bit of frizbee, soccer, and sipped some Julius (Gessie's word for any drink, in my case it was Sierra Mist). It was also pretty fuckin' funny watching Gessie run in the sand. His soccer skills are somewhat limited on sand, especially right now with his bad ankle. By 7 or 8, we got the bonfire goin', ate some s'mores, and played some campfire games. It was such a great way to close my weekend... if I didn't have work to do...

Once back in my room, I had a math quiz to do, and a blog entry to write for my Writing class. And I also burnt my finger with some hot water from Cup Noodles. But all the work and hot water aside, it was one hell of a weekend. One of the best I've had this freshmen year of mine. No doubt I will remember my time here Jardin once in the future, as well as no doubt that I'll be attending the next retreat. This is Fernando Garcia signing off. Peace.

Nine to Go!

Well, I'm back at UC Irvine in the midst of the brand spankin' new Spring quarter! And am I excited? Well, I kinda was.What it really boils down to is a series of trivial things, not to mention some rather odd ones.

First, I have to get up early for 10pm classes everyday. At first I thought that was okay, but then I realized where my Math 2D lecture class was located. If I were to walk, it would take a good 20 minutes to get there. And just when I'd think my bike was handy, it turns out that the hilliness that is the UCI campus works against me, so I'll have to do a decent amount of walking.

Then there's my Writing 39C class, Argument and Research, and Soc Sci 3A class, Computer Research in Social Science. In just 10 weeks, I have to write up some academic research papers based on a plant of my choosing, as well as make some web page and do some more research. One thing I can't do is make up my mind on project ideas. The other is a workload that contrasts with my lazy lifestyle. But then again, that's college for ya. Oh, I also forgot to mention that my labs for SS3A are at 8:30pm. Although I don't like the fact of not being done with classes by that time. I do enjoy the breezy night air.

All of my teachers are pretty cool, if not... okay to some extent. My only issue though is with my math and soc sci teachers, who seem to be kinda boring. I would even say their voices are somewhat soothing/calming. And if I don't get a good amount of sleep, then it's almost guaranteed that they'll help me make up those hours of sleep. Then there's my math and soc sci TA's (damn, I got the short end of the straw with these subjects). For math, the dude seems to not know the material very well, which may hurt my attention span. And for soc sci, the guy doesn't project his views, and he seems to go pretty fast. Oh, that and he's one of those white people who look red at times. I don't trust those people, for some reason...

Basically, my main beef is the actual workload that I have to do this quarter, in comparison to the vast amount of reading last quarter. There's a great chance that I might crack, especially if my triceps continue to hurt me and limit my arms' mobility (not sure what happened, either slept wrong or completely maxed out at the gym). Never realized how many things required the use of my triceps. Thankfully I got this weekend and a small bottle of Tylenol (as a pain-killer) to help me rest up. But I digress, no matter how hard this quarter will be, I shall persevere. Always do!

And with that, I conclude this entry of Emit's Blog. I'll leave you with this funny video of Butters in the latest South Park (hope it doesn't get taken down). Much luck to everyone in my position, my loved ones, and just everyone nice in general. Life's a number of things, you decide on what that thing is. One week down, nine more to go 'til freshman year is over. Fernando signin' off. Peace...

Arbitrary Observations: Spring Break Edition

Welcome to another edition of Arbitrary Observations. This time, the focus shall be on my spring break, so if you don't really are that interested in hearing it, then fuck you! I mean, what are you doin' on this blog anyway, if you're not the least bit interested in what I have to say. Damn, I guess saying such things doesn't come across as amusing online, as computers lack emotion. Haha... But anyways I had a nice break that was more satisfying than winter break...


Monday
First day back, I finally got a hold of my CMAA scholarship!!! AND THE PEOPLE REJOICED!!! $2,000!!! Took a walk down Lincoln Heights to cash in that bad boy. What did not amuse me, however, was Steven Xiao trying to get me to come to Lincoln High School to do my lil' bro's college panel for Asian Club, which he was postponing 'til he can organize it well (give him a break; it was the week of his birthday). But I didn't, not like I was going to attend anyway. I do feel sorry for those that were invited to the thing but couldn't make it. Damn Steven... hasn't changed a bit...

Well, I also celebrated my $2,000 monetary increase with some left-over carne asada from Carlos' birthday party. Yum! And to top off the day, Francis and John came over with Carlos, with a Wii in hand. And of course, we got in a few hours of Super Smash Bros. Brawl!!! Pretty chill start to a pretty chill break!

Tuesday
This was the only day I planned on goin' to Lincoln, mostly cause J.Lew was goin' to be there. Kinda sucked that I couldn't arrive earlier, I was only able to enter until school let out (damn security). Anyways, I got in a few hi's, talkes a bit with Ms. Kwan, and had lunch with Jennifer at Carl's Jr. What took me be surprise was running into my friend Oscar (as old as Carlos) doin' pretty well for himself, on the football AND track team!!! Impressive.

Then after walking with Jen to her house, I went on a lil' walk around Lincoln Park, which always put my mind at ease. The funny thing, though, was that these dudes offered to sell me some marijuana, which I don't do. I told them I was okay, then they asked me for some of my left-over Carl's Jr. Well, since I wasn't gonna finish it, I gave it to them and they gave me some props. Then, as I was a few houses down from my house, my dumb friend Joel and his friend Adrian offered me a toke, which I declinedas well. And when Moses and Alex came to hang at my house, I asked Moses why the hell they would even ask me. Moses just told me that Joel is just dumb like tha. And I don't need any convincing on that. Haha...

Good to see some of my ol' friends and homies, and I do hope Alex gets his damn high school diploma. I wish I could help, but I'm not exactly great with encouragement, and even I could, I can do only so much. It's up him.

Wed. & Thur.
Well, not much to say here. Didn't do much other than play Call of Duty 4 with Moses on PS3, and rest up as I got a bit sick. I was gonna go to Elias' with Andy and play some Brawl, but he had a job interview at this law firm. Can't hate on him for that. And he go the job!!! Kudos to him!

Friday
Earlier in the week, Alex Hoang called me up to see if we could hang out on Friday. And we did. Met up with Alex and Darren, and we chilled at Bong's workplace, waiting for Danny, Nestor, and Dilbert... for TWO HOURS. It took two hours for Dilbert to make up his mind of whether he wanted to come or not, which he eventually decided not to. So Me, Nestor, his girlfriend, Alex, Danny, and Darren went to go see Semi-Pro, since many of us hadn't seen it, and there weren't that many interesting movies out that weekend. And I must say, it was a pretty funny movie. Love Will Ferrel! Then we all squeezed into Nestor's car and went to go bowling at ABC Bowling. Too bad we didn't get to, as we first ate some Wendy's, and it was getting pretty late for Danny, who was headin' for Las Vegas that weekend. So that wraps up my Friday. It was nice to hang with these guys.

Saturday
This had to be the best event of my break. I finally got to hang out with my homies Jonathan, Luis, Alfred, and Elias at Universal Studios Hollywood! Too bad Sifredo was in Louisiana for the break (WTF?!) and Daniel was nowhere to be found... again. Anyway, us guys, along with Wendy and Bessie, had a pretty damn good time. We got on all the rides, and saw most of the attractions, sans Waterworld. That sucked, but the girls needed to get home early, so we had to cut the evening short.

Did anyone know that the Simpsons Ride is replacing the Back to the Future Ride? That some ol' bullshit! I loved that ride! The Simpsons better deliver, cause if they don't... (shaking fists)

What I've come to realize is that many of the rides and attractions at Universal Studios come with wetness. Shrek 4D, Terminator 2: 3D, Jurassic Park, Waterworld, the Studio Tour, all can get you wet!!! The only thing missing is for someone to drentch you with a bucket of water at the end of Backdraft! Well, that was my Saturday; I got a few pics, and got a chance to hang with my homies.


...And Sunday, of course, I returned to UCI for the spring quarter. I'm re-energized, focused, and motivated, especially with the 3.5 I got last quarter. I hope all my readers had a great spring break, and if they'd like, they may share them with me in the comments, AIM chats, etc. Now, I must return to reality... haha. This is Fernando signing off! Peace.

The Week Before the Break

Wow! It's Spring Break time and I finally got a good night's sleep last night. It's been a while since I've done so, and where better else than my own comfy bed in Los Angeles. I feel great being back in my hometown, seeing as last week was a trip...

It started Monday with first final, for Math 2B (aka Calculus). And I must say that it was pretty damn hard. Even my friends Cynthia, Alex, and Kristen thought it was challenging. But I think I did well enough not to fail (fingers crossed). Next was my Social Problems final, which I did a decent amount of studying with my friend Andy. What sucked, though, was that all the terms for the short response came from one book, when we were told that it could encompass terms from all the readings. Damn you, Meyer! Anyway, most of the terms had to do with terrorism, so I'm sure I got some points there. And I think I did well on the essay portion. By the way, I also got my term paper back and I got an A-. Holla at cha boy!!!

The next few days were a bit more relaxed, even with one more final to go. Wednesday, I turned in my Rhetoric in Practice paper for my writing class, sold my Social Problems books (I only a measly $14), and played Super Smash Bros. Brawl for many hours (which left me with fewer hours to study). Thursday was my Chicano Studies final, which was okay. I wish I was able to squeezed out a bit more information on my essay, though. by 3:30pm, I was officially done with the Winter quarter!!! And all I did afterwards was relax, eat, and play Super Smash Bros. Brawl 'til 5am.

The next day, I headed out to Sacramento with my fellow MEChistA's to Nationals. And boy, it is one hell of a drive. And although I lapsed into sleep several times that weekend, I still enjoyed myself. I never knew how big MEChA was from beyond the school. I met with high School MEChistAs, and many from colleges around the United States. What also amazed me was the closed-mindedness of some of the Arizona people, who don't feel that strongly about feminine equality within MEChA, specifically with the main issue being dealt with at Nationals: changing the name.

The problem was that the "Ch" (which stands for Chicano) doesn't encompass women of the group, as many women associate with the word "Chicana" instead. Then to take progressivism even further, some felt that the name should also encompass those that either don't associate with either gender name or haven't "come out". So the term "Chican@" was thrown out to solve that problem. Variations like "Chicana/o" were also thrown out, but all the SoCal MEChA chapters decided to go with "Chicano y Chicana" for the "Ch". Since MEChA de UCI doesn't have voting rights, we didn't stick around for the proceedings, seeing as we had a long drive back home. So I don't know how it turned out. I guess I'll have to see when I get back to school.

Overall, MEChA Nationals was a fun experience. Especially the dancing on Saturday night. Whoo!!!

After Nationals, we decided to go to San Francisco. I really didn't want to go; I was really homesick and wanted to get back to LA. But many have not been to San Fran, including myself, so to San Fran we were off! And I must say, that it is a very beautiful city. The hills, the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, were all a sight to behold. Since we did have a LONG drive back to SoCal, we only stuck around for lunch at Fisherman's Wharf. After that, we headed back home from the Bay Bridge (which is a fine piece of construction, to say the least). I would really like to return to the Bay one day, but on my own terms. All in all, it was a great trip for my first time in Northern California.

I got back at 11pm, to the welcome of my Family. Funny thing was that Francis brought a Wii for my bro's birthday party, and I arrived at the time he was leaving. Hilarity ensued. Anyway, I'm goin' to enjoy my spring break. If I get to see my friends, let the people rejoice. If not, it's not going to bring me down like it did during the Winter Break. I'm going to take advantage of all the extra sleep, free food, and time with my family. And with that, I hope my one or two readers have a great Spring Break as well!!! Peace...

Game is Tight

It's been a while that I've written an entry. But here I am now doing so. Let's see, what is there to discuss?

...

Oh, I know! School! I am now entering the final week of instruction here at UCI. With that in mind, it's wise to keep in mind that finals week is around the corner as well. And it kinda discomforts me. My writing class has been all right, but I still have Rhetoric In Practice project to complete. I'm basically critiquing Pan's Labyrinth, as well as a group collaboration on the movie. On a sour note, I didn't get an awesome grade on my Rhetorical Analysis paper, solely on the fact that I could not make the 6 page requirement. Fortunately, my professor will allow me to make up some credit with a small extra credit assignment due the week of finals... Too bad I've yet to hear from him about my assignment's prompt.

Then there's Chicano Studies, which I'm kinda falling behind in the e-reserve reading. Come to think about, I'm also behind on some of the reading of Sociology. Damn books. Although the book Strapped is quite interesting; the author looks in the troubles of the young adult and how it will be harder for us to get out of debt. Education is expensive. But I digress. It will be a hectic two weeks to get all this done, as well as study for Calculus and finals. And it could have been much easier to handle if only...

SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL WASN'T SUCH A KICK ASS GAME!!! IT FUCKIN' ROCKS!!!

The graphics are nice, the character roster is pretty good, and the final smashes are damn scary. Whether I'm playing as Mario, Luigi, Ike, Wolf, or my main man Link, it's one hell of a game to play with friends. As Yared would say, "My game is tight, son!!"

However, the game I'm referring to in the title is a bigger game. It's a game called life. And 'tis a very tight game it is. Very. The winter quarter is drawing to an end, and finals week will make or break people. If all goes well, I'll be made and I will break said finals to edible bits! And if not, and drop out of college, I'll have SSBB and myself to blame. Well, that'll do for now. This is Fernando signing off. Peace and love.


P.S. Fuck you daylight savings!!! Give me my hour back!!!

Arbitrary Observations IV

Welcome to the another edition of "Arbitrary Observations." Right now is the best chance to write this month's, as I'm goin' to be quite busy in the next few weeks. I'm in the 7th week of my winter quarter. Damn, does time fly or what? Anyway, I have quite a few projects, novels, term papers, quizzes, essays, and tests to face in the upcommingweeks, especially with midterms and finals comin' up. It'll be insanity to the tenth power, not sure if'll be able to keep above a 3.0 gpa. But you know me, I'm gonna try my best! I also got my lease for my stay at Vista Del Campo Norte next year. Man, I look forward to my sophomore year! But I'm here not to talk about school , as I'm sure many would find that boring as hell. So let's get into it, shall we...


Valentine's Day
We'll I hope my one or two readers had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I guess I had a good one; it was more of a regular day for me; I did buy a sweet jacket at the UCI Bookstore V-Day sale. But Basically, it was another Feb. 14th being single. A shout out to all my single peeps out there!!! Ay this point, I'm sorta used to it. I guess since I haven't been in an actual relationship, I don't buy into all the V-Day fuss. However, there's always that one part within each of us, including myself, that believe that the grass is always greener on the otherside. That's why you have people in relationships that tell those who aren't that Valentine's Day isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Or maybe it is? I'm not one to say. That's for the individual to decide. Although I do agree with the idea that we shouldn't just cherish those we love on one specific, commercialized day. It should be 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (366 this year, as it's a leap-year). But I do, nonetheless, express myself as only Valentine's Day allows, i.e. sending puppy dog cards, virtual candy, and well wishes to those I care about.

Point is, Valentine's Day might be very commercial, but it serves its purposes for the most part: sharing good feelings and gettin' people laid. =P

The Road to Wrestlemania Continues...
No Way Out 2008 was tonight, and the main events for the greatest stage in sports entertainment have been cemented, for the most part. The "Road to Wrestlemania" took a route through Las Vegas, NV!

There were two Elimination Chamber matches to determine the #1 contenders for the WWE and World Heavyweight Titles. For those that don't know what an Elimination Chamber match is, it's basically six guys fighting in an elaborate cage made of chain. Smackdown's was won by the Undertaker, which sets the stage for Edge v. 'Taker for the World Title (Edge defeated Rey Mysterio). That is fuckin' awesome, as I've been expecting this since last May when Edge took the title from 'Taker. Then we have Triple H winning RAW's chamber match, who is to face Randy Orton for the WWE Title... or so it seems. It appears that Orton got himself DQ'd in his match against John Cena, so Cena won but Orton retained. To throw in Cena into Wrestlemania XXIV, they might make the title match into a Triple-Threat Match with Orton, Cena, and H. That doesn't sound too bad; it's better than Cena v. H II or Orton v. H (seen that too many times) Kinda wish Jericho or Jeff Hardy had won the match though. When is it their time to shine?!

So that's how it went down tonight. Oh, and "Big Show" Paul Wight returned to the squared circle and got into an altercation with boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr., for some reason. I smell something cooking for Wrestlemania. It's shaping up to be an entertaining show; not sure if I'll get it though. The road continues...

Writers Strike Over!!!
And the people rejoiced!!! The writers strike has come to an end and things have returned back to normal on television. Sure, my favorite shows are off to a rocky start, but it's just some rust. In a few days, I'm sure we'll begin to see funny once again. That's not to say that there haven't been any good material during the strike. I'm referring to the "Triple-Threat Match" between Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert, where these three argued over who contributed to the success of Mike Huckabee in the Iowa Caucus. It was a classic TV moment, and WITHOUT WRITERS, SON!!! Good stuff. If you wanna see said event, go to this link. Welcome back writers. You got a lot to prove after such a great piece of entertainment.

Indecision 2008
It appears at this point, with him ahead of Hillary Clinton in the number of delegates, that Barack Obama might take the Democratic nomination.

Now, I voted for Hillary, but I really don't care who wins. Both seem to be great candidates and are better than Bush or Cheney. However, many have taken sides and taking them seriously, specifically with Obama supporters talking shit and going apeshit at the utter thought of Hillary getting the nod (specifically young people) . Now, I don't know why they have take a dildo up their ass about it. If you're Democrat, would you rather have Hillary or any of the Republican candidates? They prolly don't really see much of a difference. That's okay, but is there any reason to get so worked up about it; I mean this race is just to get the chance to vote for the person. Damn, McCain might end up winning the presidency in the end, not your prescious Obama or Hillary. What I'm trying to say is that people shouldn't be dick-riding their candidates and should keep their opinions and debates on an intelligent level. Don't be douches and divide the Democratic party.

Now for the Republicans, John McCain looks to be takin' hold of the GOP nomination. Mike Huckabee is still fighting, but I'm not sure for how long. It's shaping up to be an interesting race, as people seem to give a damn this time around. Seeing that McCain has got some (not a whole lot) liberal ideals (specifically on the issue of torture), I'm interested in seeing a race between him and any of the two remaining Democratic nominees. Huckabee might of had some help from Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert, but it's gonna take more than that to help him win the GOP nomination.

Looks to be an interesting race, either to finally boot the elephants outta the White House, or to keep those damn donkeys at bay. I know I'll be voting this November. Are you? Vote or die!!!

Damn Shootings!
There was another shooting at another university. This time it was at Northern Illinois University. It's actually quite sad. Seeing in my high school senior year a college shooting sure did frighten me a little, being that I was a few months away from starting your own college experience. But for it to happen again while I'm in college? And I'm sure I'm not the only one with these feelings.

It must be hard on those students and for those that have had similar traumatic experiences (i.e Virginia Tech.). My sentiments go out to them. All I have to say that white people can be crazy sometimes. Look at this and Columbine a few years back. You don't see Blacks and Latinos shooting up schools. Now the last dude was Asian, but he was just mentally unstable that people failed to help. And if you don't believe me that white people are crazy, just watch an episode of Jackass. Shit is real man.


...We'll I think I've ranted and rambled long enough. I hope my few readers were able to bare with me, or be entertained to some degree. Be sure to come back next time for another edition of "Arbitrary Observations" or any other random entry, whenever that will be. This is Fernando Garcia signing off. Peace and love.

Raccoon Eyes

Just as the raccoon has dark patches around its eyes (patches, rings, whatever), I too carry rings around my eyes from lack of rest. Due to the amount of reading I left collecting dust had finally catching up to me, as well as a Chicano Studies take-home Midterm, I am flat out tired and exhausted. The latest I've slept thus far was 5am, only to wake up two hours later for my math discussion class at 8am (which a quiz was administered). Now, I also have a big term paper for my Social Problems class due in a few weeks, as well as a rhetorical analysis paper for my Writing class. God knows what else will be piled on top of that. Most likely the next batch of midterms. Damn it...

Well, as I got a lot of things done today, I decided to take somewhat of a day off to recharge my batteries. I kicked back, did some reading, and relaxed. I even got a nice Valentine's Day letter from Jennifer Lew to brighten my sleepless day (2 hours of sleep = nap). Hopefully I'll get to sleep earlier tonight and catch some well deserved z's. I felt compelled to right this entry to remind myself, down the line, to NEVER PROCRASTINATE TO SUCH A HIGH DEGREE EVER AGAIN!!! My complexion suffers, as well as my stubborn yet sensitive psyche.

If I don't take better care of myself, I'll snap and end up chokin' someone, most likely Gessie. He didn't help in my plight of exhaustion, as I was to spend much of the day out of my room while he was entertaining for his girlfriend. But no ill will whatsoever, as it is a friend and roommate's duty not to cockblock! PERIOD! And if someone does, then that person is an ass who shouldn't get any "cake," as my friend Alex Hoang would say.

Well, I think I'm ready to tackle the next batch of work around the corner. LET THE INSANITY COMMENCE, CABRONES!!!

Boo-urns!

There have been a couple of interesting developments in several of my favorite hobbies. And I must say, I'm not sure whether to boo said hobbies, or give a hilarious "boo-urns" ala The Simpsons.

As I've said a few weeks ago, I've been antsy as the Royal Rumble was around the corner. It has come and passed. Who won? It wasn't 'Taker, the odds-on favorite (and most predictable); it wasn't Triple H, the juggernaut of wrestling; it was... John Cena? I was like, "WHAT THE FUCK!!!" Wasn't he injured!!! And he won the damn rumble at #30? ... AND he went over BOTH BATISTA AND TRIPLE H?!!! Well, it looks like Super Cena is back with a vengeance (storyline-wise as well) and it's only a matter of time before he wins back the WWE Title from Randy Orton, go on to main-event Wrestlemania XXIV (his 4th WM main event), and either have another long-ass title reign or drop it to H (for his 12th World Title). Damn, just when it was gettin' good with Jeff Hardy. At least there's gonna be two Elimination Chambers at No Way Out. The Road to Wrestlemania continues.

During the week, Japan was the first to get their hands on the brand-spankin' new Super Smash Bros. Brawl or Dairantō Sumasshu Burazāzu Ekkusu (Great Melee Smash Brothers X). And based on all the footage goin' around YouTube, IT'S FUCKIN' BULLSHIT THAT THEY PUSHED IT TO MARCH 9!!! WHY?!!! I wanna play that damn game! In addition, my friend Mikael has made a good observation that the date of its release falls upon Finals week... POR QUE?!!! DAMN YOU SAKURAI!!!

I really needed to get that out of my system. BOO-URNS TO ALL OF THEM, TO SUPER CENA AND TO SAKURAI!!! BOO-URNS!!!

That'll be enought for this round. I got a weekend at home to enjoy, so I better make the most of it with midterms still lingering. I'm gonna go check out my bro and his decathlon team kick some ass at UCLA. Go Tigers!!! And the Superbowl is this Sunday, hopefully I get to see that. I normally wouldn't route for New York, but the Patriots have got to lose. So I would like to see the Giants win, but those damn Patriots will prolly take it home. As by how much, I haven't gained enough knowledge of the sport to answer that question. So there's my prediction. Anyway, have a great weekend and a pleasant tomorrow! Peace...

To the King

Well, back at good ol' UCI. It's week three and with plenty to do. I got an essay to do for my sociology class, a FAFSA that's on the verge of being complete (waiting on my dad's PIN that I ended up deactivating), and a buttload of math problems and sociology reading to catch up on. But I don't want to just yet. I would like to talk about something for a bit, it being a special day today.

Today is dedicated to a certain individual who's done much good during his time on this earth. His leadership and charisma helped bring justice to this country of ours: a country that exists on the basis of liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness, yet practiced slavery and later segregated an entire race from white people. This man is none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He took the Civil Rights Movement to new heights, from winning the bus boycotts in Alabama, to walking up to the nation's capital demanding change. He led a movement that gained such great momentum that it allowed others to seek the fairness as well, such as the Feminist, Farm Workers, and Gay Rights movements (I learned that from my Social Problems class when dealing with claims). MLK deserves respect as not only a revolutionary, but as a great human being. The way he moves people was amazing. Just look for yourself... (see video)

His speech always moves me. It can say more than anything I could ever utter from my mouth. And so, I salute you, Martin Luther King, and to all the good you did for this country. God bless you. Just as you deserved your on day, you deserve an entire entry to dedicated to remind everyone why we have a free day from school.

Arbitrary Observations #3

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, women and children of all ages!!! Pardon the cheesy introduction, but welcome to another edition of "Arbitrary Observations", where I discuss several unrelated topics instead of just one. As I've noticed, I've done several of these monthly, so I will continue said trend with January's edition. Let's get into it then...


Back @ UCI!
My winter break ended not to long ago, and I have finally returned to the University of California, Irvine! And it's great to be back!!! And I believe the feeling is mutual for most of Jardin. I missed many of my friends here during the three-week hiatus, and I'm glad to see them all healthy and in good spirits.

But with being back, there's this little nuisance called classes. But for the most part, they aren't so bad. My Chicano Studies and Writing class are pretty cool (the theme for Writing is horror). Sociology 3 isn't much fun, but it's bearable. And with the exception of an 8am class on Tuesday, my classes take place between 11am and 4pm. Thus I have lots of free time during the evening. I put said free time to use yesterday as I went with some of my dorm peeps to go ice-skating. It was my first time, so it was no surprise that I fell on my ass about 4 times. And boy, were my ankles hurting like a bitch afterwards! Good times though!

I look forward to see what this winter quarter has in store for me. And just as I have started my second quarter of college, I would like to wish the best of luck to all my friends in their respective schools. And if you would like to know a little more about a friend of mine at Berkeley and his interests, be sure to check out http://andibobe.livejournal.com/*.

The Road to Wrestlemania
Since for some reason I'm still a wrestling fan, I can't help but notice that the Royal Rumble is coming up soon. And boy, this is the best time of the year for wrestling fans. With the Royal Rumble comin' up soon, the "Road to Wrestlemania" is about to begin. It starts at the RR, where one of the most exciting match concepts takes place, the Royal Rumble match. 30 guys fight in a battle royal of sorts, where two guys start it out and every minute and a half another guy enters the match until all 30 have entered. One must be eliminated over the top rope, and the last guy in the ring wins the match and a title opportunity at Wrestlemania! An hour of craziness

What's interesting for me besides the match is the storylines goin' into the WM24. With the title matches being decided, the other storylines fall into place and the fans get to see what other feuds will be decided and/or begin, what gimmick matches will be at WM, etc. There's about 2 months between RR and WM24, so plenty can happen to shape up an awesome card for WM, which will be held out-doors in Orlando, FL! I have my fingers crossed for an Edge v. 'Taker match for the World Title!

Fuck You Dattebayo!!!
Apparently, do to the fact that people take the fansubbed product that the fansubbing group "Dattebayo" put out online and stream it on websites such as YouTube, they say that they will stop fansbbing production indefinitely.

What a bunch of bitches!!! Personally, as much as I love Naruto and Bleach, I could give two shits if I miss out on a few episodes, especially since I read the mangas (which are chapters away from where both shows are at the moment). What makes me irritated is that they're just assholes. They complain that showing the material they put on YouTube and such will out them and get caught by companies that legally own the shows. Well, that comes with the territory. And I've read some of the other shit they put out on their website, and they sound like a bunch of high-and-mighty nerds that they're above the other idiots in the world just 'cause not everyone is techno-savvy. I know I'm not. And if they're not gonna be fansubbing, I'm sure someone else will eventually.

And what amuses me the most is the computer nerds that can't live without the shows doing Dattebayo's bidding and flagging or spamming videos of their product (i.e. English-subbed videos of Naruto Shippuden and Bleach). It reminds me of what Stephen Colbert said once on his show, where these days people organize online and complain, as opposed organizing publicly (not that this event requires such measures; that would be stupid).

Funniest thing is that they put up this message a few weeks ago, and yet I got to see the latest Naruto Shippuden yesterday, fansubbed BY THEM!!! So much by doing so indefinitely, unless all the YouTube and Veoh videos are gone. Well, those were my two cents on the matter, and if you'd like to hear more about anime, shows I prolly don't watch, go check out http://andibobe.livejournal.com/. Fuck you Dattebayo!!!

The Show Must Go On
Well, despite the writer's strike, several talk shows have returned on-air. Shows like The Daily Show, Late Night w/ Conan O'Brien, and The Colbert Report are back!!! Kinda sucks that they had to return so not have some of their crew fired. Shows that they care about their workers. But it's also great to see them back on my TV. And they're quite entertaining even without their writers. However, I do wish the strike ends soon, so we can go back to they're hilarious sketches and segments.

To Expand or Not to Expand?
Well, my friend Jennifer Tso suggested that I do my blog on LiveJournal, as many of our friends write on that website. Well, as much I would like to write on LJ, I've written so many great entries here that I'm too lazy to go elsewhere. I already cut and paste from this blog to the one on my MySpace, which I started first. I don't think I can go abandon this one and move to another page, as well as cut and paste there too! So for now, I'm goin' to stay here on Blogger, and if my LJ friends really want to comment on my stuff, they can still do so with their LJ accounts (no need to have a Blooger account). And speaking of LJ friends, you can read more about one of them at http://andibobe.livejournal.com/.


...Well, I think that'll do it for this month's "Arbitrary Observations". Be sure to check out next month's, as well as the other occasionally interesting entries I do. 'Til next time, this is Fernando signing off. Peace.


*Andy mentioned me in his last blog, so I thought I'd shamelessly plug his blog for the fun of it. =P

El Futuro

Welcome to my first entry of 2008! Well, my winter break has come to an end, and it wasn't exactly the winter break that I had envisioned weeks ago. I could go on and on about its flaws, but I'm tired of even thinking about it. So now, I look to the future and what I plan to do in 2008. I guess you can say they're New Year resolutions...

1. Do Better @ UCI - I was able to stay above a 3.0 g.p.a. in school, which was pretty cool. However, I am a little upset of my performance, as I know I can do much, much better. Especially with 16 credits, I can't be fooling around like last quarter. It's about time I kick it up a notch... BAM!!!
2. Go to a Club - I'm 19 damn it!!! 'Nuff said!
3. Find Work - Some people might be fine spending their parent's money, or any form of financial aid for their dumb purchases. I'm not one of those people. Therefore, I gots to look for work to have some disposable income for my own dumb purchases. Even to have some scratch for next Christmas.
4. Go to Mexico - It's been a while since I've gone out of the U.S. so why not do so to go visit my grandma in San Luis Potosi. I'm thinking of taking the summer off, look for work, and go visit Mexico. Need to get my passport though.
5. Find a Girlfriend - Wish me luck with that one.
   

I think these are my current goals for '08. Doable, right? Let's hope so. It's about time to put the past behind me, for the most part, and move forward. Memories and familiar faces are good and all, but they should not be of great focus. I learned that during the break. Time to divert my energy to where I can get some reciprocity. And on that note, I'll be signin' off. Hope everyone has a happy and healthy New Year! Peace out!