The Blah Blah Blag (Blog)

Leonard likes to...

2009-02-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

Rules: Go to Google and type in quotation marks your name and then "likes to" (eg. "Katrina likes to"). Type in the first ten things that come up and repost in your own note.

...sniff lip balm.
...put his characters next to one another on sofas and see what happens a little too much.
...explore the criminal world that lies just beneath the plain, boring lawful one.
...likes to draw animals and girls in pretty dresses.
...put on his old straw hat and cut the grass with his riding mower.
...come up with descriptive neologisms like "cult studs, " "Khmer Newts," and "Langley spooks."
...describe himself as a fine art photographer.
...dabble in writing fantasy storys and poems and she really wants feedback on how to improve her work.
...surf, he wants to fitting and be friends, he likes this girl Vicki Streeton.
...build a picture of his victims through photographing them suffering and forcing them to write a journal in the scrapbook.

Quite disturbing, aside from #7 I don't think I fit any of those descriptions. :P

Filipino Language

2008-04-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

Another goal of mine for life is to learn the Filipino language. My parents grew up in the Philippines, and regularly speak in Illocano (a dialect of the Filipino language Tagalog). Of course I can understand simple commands that they use every day, but I am far from speaking it myself. My parents speak to us kids in Illocano and English, and usually by the intonation of their voice and their gestures we are able to decipher what they are telling us.

The Tagalog language is somewhat similar to the English language; considering that the US occupied the Philippines for a time period. But also, the language has some influence from the Spanish, so many of their words are either exactly the same, or sound similar. Here are some examples:

How are you? - kumustá
Long Live (I wish you well) - Mabuhay
Thank you - Salamat
Delicious - Sarap
I love you - Mahal Kita

Link to Translator

Anyways, I've been unsuccessful in finding any good programs that will teach me Illocano, but I heard that Rosetta Stone was a good program to use for Tagalog.

Is there anyone else interested in learning a new language with me? I'm sure at parties we can small talk to one another, while everyone else there will have no clue what we are saying :)

Music

2008-04-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

I have been recently asked to create a playlist of 20 songs that I listen to. This was done so that people can understand my likes in music.

My favorite bands have changed an evolved in the years, but generally the genre of music that I enjoy stays the same. Simply put, I love rock music! Most recently my appreciation of rock music comes from the Guitar Hero series and Rock Band games. Currently my favorite band is Fall Out Boy.

Music festivals that I would love to attend:
Vegoose
Lollapalooza
Coachella

If anyone is interested in going to any of those, keep me in mind when you're getting tickets :D

Outside of playing the clarinet in grade 3, I have been slowly trying to teach myself how to play the guitar. Unfortunately I am unable to play any songs completely (unless its a Guitar Hero song). One day though, I hope to be able to at least strum the guitar, and sing something simple. Until then, you may keep your earplugs on as I attempt to play something.

Looking for a New Home

2008-04-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

Our homeowners association has finally pressured us to get rid of our pets ducks and chickens. So now they are looking for a new home to live in. Would anyone like to adopt them? :)

Legal Stuff:
http://tinyurl.com/246yyh

For a little over a year now we have had two ducks and three chickens in our backyard as pets. The neighbors until recently haven't complained about them.

I have a pair of ducks and chicken which were given to me as a gift when they were young. I raise them only as pets but do not breed or raise them for commercial purposes... My pets are not as noisy as a private plane hovering above our community for hours on end, a revving motorcycle down on El Toro Road, or a gardener's lawn mower.

We have suspicion that one of our neighbors got tired of the chickens making so much noise when they lay their eggs. The ducks aren't loud at all, so they aren't much of the issue. A complaint was filed and soon thereafter the community homeowner association took action after reviewing the rules and regulations. A letter which we received late last month finally convinced my parents to send them off to get adopted elsewhere.

What constitutes a 'common' pet? Only dogs, cats, and certain house birds? Filipinos keep ducks and chickens as pets often. They are not unlike other household pets. You still have to clean up after them, feed them, give them shelter. They make as much noise as a small dog and they don't go into other people's yards or mess with the local wildlife.

My friends and I have tried to figure out a way to build up an argument for this meeting, but my mother has decided it would be easier to just get rid of them. Who knows? Maybe it'll give a slight leeway into getting a new puppy pet. :D

WTT Gas for Arm + Leg

2008-03-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

$3.78

That's the price for 87 Octane gas in my area at the moment. I haven't seen prices for gas this high ever. Come summer time I wouldn't be surprised if the price for gas went over the $4 mark. I remember the days where I used to complain that the gas was $1.50, and now its over twice that price.

But what does this actually do for me? Luckily I don't have to drive often. The only times I have to drive are to get to and from school. So the amount of gas that I consume is still minimal, and yet every time I fill up my 16-gallon tank it makes my wallet scream. I feel like driving to go vacationing is more of a hassle and makes things much more expensive to do.

I've been getting tips on good places for gas. There are a few stations north of where I live that are around the $3.50 price range. I also know that Costco gas is about $3.50 as well. So maybe if I find a Costco in the Long Beach area... I only have to pay my arm, as opposed to an arm and a leg for gas. :P

Friends

2008-03-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

I'll be there for you...

when the rain starts to pour.
like I've been there before.
cause you're there for me too.

Friends are always there for you. They're there with you through thick and thin. But, there are various classifications that we put our friends.

Your friends are the ones that bail you out of jail. Your best friends are in the cell with you saying "Damn, that was fun."

In my eyes my best friends are the type of people that I can open up and share my feelings with. My best friends are the first people I call up when I want to have some fun, or when I get in trouble. They've been the type to help me plan getaways & trips.

A lifelong friend is the friend that if you happen to get cut-off from for months at a time. You can just pick up exactly right where you left off. These are the genuine people that you will grow old together with. Someone that will know you when you are 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80. Recently I was able to have some lunch with Cami, who is one of my lifelong friends. I may call her a lifelong friend, but really she feels like she's part of the family.

I love my friends. They make me a better person, and recently I have become a much happier person. Some friends, I am willing to travel halfway across the country to go see, because they are that special to me.

Surprisingly though, the bulk of my friends are online ones. Most of which I have met through a game called World of Warcraft. This massive multiplayer game allowed me to meet & play with people who share some of the same interests as I do. Not only that but being able to "group up" together allowed me to further develop friendships with them. Funny thing is, I would probably never meet them in real life (because of them living so far away), so their personality would be mostly that of their in-game character.

But other than the game, my friends are all spread out now. The rest of my RL friends are my old college roommates. And even though I live 1-4 hours away from them... I still am willing to go hang out with them, even for only ½ day.

Church

2008-03-23T17:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Sorry for such a late post, but it was a holiday and I was mega busy. (Tuesday post vs. Sunday post - I promise that Wed will be on time)

For the Easter holiday, I went to Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church to attend the service they have there. I don't go to church often at all and aside from Easter, I attend the Christmas holiday masses. This gets me thinking about how rooted I am in the religion department.

I am a Roman Catholic, and have been since growing up. My beliefs generally base itself around the Church's views, but I do have my own differences. For example, I don't feel that Confession should be necessary. If I really wanted to confess my sins, I don't feel that I should have to confess it to a priest.

Now, back in high school days I for some time went to a church called Saddleback Church. Don't get me wrong it's a good church, but it totally is not for me. There was a time when I just went to the church with my friends because the meetings became more of a 'hang out' time, rather than learning more about the teachings. There would be table games & activities and a lot of 'feel good' time and singing. Growing up with a Catholic upbringing, gave my view of church as a more traditional, ritualistic one. That is what I like and it makes me feel more at ease. I don't like getting up out of my chair, dancing, and singing praise (it doesn't feel like me at church).

I should really be going to church more often again. They say that it might help me find guidance in my life. They say that it might make me a happier person. I'll try it out again, it'll take me back to a younger me ^_^

Rock Band

2008-03-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

One of the games which has recently been keeping me occupied & sane is Rock Band. This is a music video game with four different instruments that you can play: drums, vocals, guitar, and bass. The actual controllers that come with the game are shaped and played in similar style to their respective instruments.

Whats great about this game, is its role in social development. Being able to play with 3 more friends on a machine makes the game more enjoyable because you are all working together in a team band, in order to accomplish your goals. On top of that, you get to listen to some awesome songs:
Enter Sandman
Highway Star
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Detroit Rock City

Anyways, playing this game allows me to hook up with my friend over the internet as well. I have several band groups that I play together with. I have a band with my family, one with my SLO friends, and one with my WoW friends.

Starbucks

2008-03-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Post caffeine purge, Starbucks has become an influence again. Caffeine's effects on me has re-energized me many mornings. Considering the hour at which I wake up the coffee helps jump start my mornings. Not only do I get delicious coffee in the morning, but I am also able to get breakfast (which until recently, I haven't regularly eaten).

Caramel Macchiato: This yummy drink has got to be one of my favorites. Not only does it have tons of steamed milk, but it has CARAMEL! My usual order is a Venti (Large) one of these.

White Chocolate Mocha: If it isn't a Macchiato, it's gotta be one of these tasty treats. The sweet taste of white chocolate coupled with the bite of the mocha, helps keep me jittery all morning.

One of my usual customs while in a Starbucks, is to give them varying names every time I go in for my drink. It all started in Cal Poly, SLO... when 86r (a fellow CSer & office mate) used to tell me that he did it. Sooner or later the employees at the local Starbucks asked him what his name for today was, and eventually it just caught on.

Sorry Kiddo/Bala but they don't have any Kopi Luwak (a.k.a Weasel Coffee) for sale.

Spring Break

2008-03-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's finally coming for me, Spring Break. A wondrous magical time, filled with more sleep. ^_^

Current plans (theoretical) include:

Pacquiao Boxing Match
Jonah's Birthday party
Andrew visiting from SLO
Beach Day
Rock Band @ Burbank
Dinner/Lunch with Cami
Cross-State road trip

With the break comes the heat. Things have been ever so slowly warming up here in The OC. Temperature starting to climb into the 70s, so my wardrobe is no longer including sweatshirts.

Sleep Debt

2008-03-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

This past week, I have collected a fair amount of sleep debt and it has recently come to bite me in the butt. Most of my Wednesday (5-Mar) night was spent studying for midterm examinations, with the bulk of my focus on my American Government class. I decided to bank my sleep debt and pull an all night study session. Armed with Rockstar energy drinks, Skittles candies, and Lay's potato chips, I was able to study and ready myself for the exams the next morning. This would have worked, and I would have been prepared if it weren't for my decision to go to sleep for 3 hours to regain my energy. Next thing I know, I'm repaying my sleep debt and I wake up way past my alarm.

Brief timeline of events:

7:00 = Power-nap
9:45 = Alarm goes off
11:00 = Class Starts
11:30 = Len wakes up
12:30 = Class Ends

Given it takes 30 min to get from my house to the college, I would have only been able to take the test for 30 minutes. (in my burnt-out state)

With no chances for a re-exam and the mid-term taking a large part of the class grade, my options for a solution are minimal. With my best path being to drop the class with a withdrawl, and taking more classes during the summertime [according to Bala & Ringil it's O(n log n)]. Not only does this give me something to do during the summer months, but it also gives me some leeway into transferring units into CSUF.

Anyways, that Thursday I ended up taking the remaining 2 mid-terms that I needed to accomplish with no problems. Eventually this weekend I was able to repay the entirety of the debt, and have returned to a normal sleeping schedule. THANK GOODNESS. ^_^

(I know that this was supposed to be published on Sunday - It was originally written on Sunday, the post was on my screen for 2 days, and finally posted today [Tuesday])

(A ∩ B) ≠ Ø

2008-03-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

For the mathematically unclined... The title refers to the intersection of 2 events not being exclusive with each other.

So I got trump carded on my quest to get a puppy. I finally got the opportunity to plead my case with the parentals. Of course my mother sided with me, but my father did not. His main stipulation being... I'm allowed to get one after I graduate, because getting one now would interfere with my ability to graduate right now.

Now lets model this with math:
Let A = Owning & Caring for a puppy
and let B = Ability to Graduate

Last time I checked... (A ∩ B) ≠ Ø
My ability to graduate is not dependent upon my ability to have a puppy.

Here's the trump though: "If you would have graduated in the first place, you could have gotten one."
Blah - this pretty much guarantees me not getting anything, EVER. So my only other alternative is to move out, find my own place, and then I can get a puppy. I hear that Kiddo is looking for an apartment... wonder if he has room. :P

An Earnest Proposal

2008-03-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

Ever since coming back from the Philippines at the beginning of the year, I have been thinking of getting myself a new puppy (or as I call them "Girl Attractors"). I've gone to many stores & most recently a kennel to figure out what breed to get. I don't really want a small dog, like my first one. They seem to be yappy, and easy to trip over. So after careful consideration, I decided to go with a Golden Lab.

Why get a dog though? Aside from my family, whom I live close by to, all my RL friends either live 1+ hours away from me or game friends which are planes rides across the country. Dogs are like little companions that give you their undivided attention, and unconditional love. It would give me a chance to interact again and play around with like I wasn't able to with "Princess" (my first dog). I seem to have a lot more free time lately, so it would give me a chance to get off of the computer and get some fresh air. On top of that, it gives a sense of responsibility of taking care of another entity, the doggie would have its master to take care of it.

The problem? Considering, right now I'm living in with my parents, my father is not very excited to me finding a new pet for the house. I haven't exactly had any time to sit down and discuss the situation behind his disapproval, but I have a feeling that it has to do with thinking he would have to be the one to primarily take care of it (like he does with our ducks).

The solution? I figure sometime this week, when my parents get back from vacation, I would sit down with my dad and reason out a way to make things work. Maybe I should put it in a way that he would understand... A business proposal. I'll put together some sort of multi-page report (with pictures) outlining the benefits of having them around. I can garner the support of my mother, my brother, and my cousins. ^_^

Counter Arguments which could be used:

Noisy => Guard Dog against invaders, getting a dog which isn't loud & barking all the time
Expensive => I would assume responsibility of the dog myself, for its care, vet visits, bedding, food, everything
No time for it => Even through school & work, I would have plenty of time to take care of it. And on top of that, after I move out, I would bring it with me, so it wouldn't burden my dad.

We'll see how it goes, and what becomes of it, but as for now I should get to writing.

CTRL + ALT + DEL

2008-02-28T20:52:00.001-08:00

After some coaxing from Bala & Cami, I have decided to restart my Blah-g. I will start updating every Wed & Sun, and do a complete revamp of the site. Stay tuned! ^_^
~Len Out