Snowboards and Cameras

Two things of note happened this last week.

I got that DSLR I wanted, and I went snowboarding for the first time.

In the December of 2008, I recall picking up a couple of photography magazines at an airport newsstand on the way to Taiwan. Prominently featured in both magazines was the then-new Nikon D90. It was my single greatest desire to own one of these cameras for the next six months or so, until gradually it was replaced in my mind with the new Canon T1i. As I had been using a Canon point-and-shoot at the time (see post : So I went to the beach and killed my camera), I figured it would be nice to have a DSLR set up to match.

As time went on, and my camera lust stayed bottled up inside, the T2i was released, and two of my friends, SuburbanDweller(who still has my tripod) and Phamtom purchased those, I thought I might get one myself to match.

Now, several months later, I finally scrape up enough money to get a camera. I head over to Costco, and see there, on the racks, the D90. Two years after it's release, it's still competitive with the newer Canon T2i(unless you're shooting video, cause then, the T2i excels). At 1279USD, it comes with a standard 18-55 kit lens, and a 70-300 telephoto. At 1409USD out the door, and 1500USD still burning a hole in my pocket, I cast my dice and made my contribution to the improvement of the economy this year.

Snowboarding yesterday, for the first time, was remarkable. I've never been so cold, yet so warm.

I've come to several conclusions:

1: Snow is cold. Snow pants are a worthy investment.

2: Wrist sprains are bad, and wrist guards are a worthy investment. I had Dakine Nova Protector glove/guard combos. Best $50 bucks I spent for this event.

3: It is cheaper to rent a board than it is to buy one, unless you plan on going snowboarding 20+ times within the usable life of that board.

4: Many short runs are easier on the legs than a few long runs, and using your feet to move a snowboard along the line to the lift is more tiring than actually going down a run.

5: The morning after, my legs feel fine, but my arms are sore. The complete opposite of when I went to sleep last night.

That's all for now.

Thankgiving and Brotherhood

Had Thanksgiving dinner with my friends again. Not nearly as memorable as last year, but still worth going.

Shuffled between two separate parties, and the 5-0 did show up to one of them.

Finished Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, which was a bit short. Ending is a mind****.

Planning on getting a DSLR. Perhaps a T2i(550d).

It's either that or a new set of tires, and I'm sure I'll have more fun with the camera.

Still looking to get out of the house.

Work is as usual. No school next week, but I'll barely notice.

Not much, just life

Got and played Black-ops, did not like. Will likely sell it back. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood comes out tonight. Yay.

Ate at Sushi Koyo, excellent as usual.

Tried Honda-ya in City of Industry. Tasty, Costly, Would Do Again.

Finished "The Pacific." Excellent. Even better, I was warm that night/morning.
 Best night in quite some time. Morning even more fun.

Makes me want to move out even more now.

Painted the fence I've been putting off for the last two weeks.

Met a neighbor/friend that I hadn't seen for a while. Updated mental fact sheet.

Work is as usual. 

Need to catch up on my homework.

Need to do Christmas shopping, even if I won't be around for Christmas.

What I did this week

The one thing I did not do this week, that I said I would, is go to the titty bar.

And I can't decide whether or not I regret it.

David/Constantin had a party last night.

Jeremiah plays the bongos.

And if mead was viking beer, the vikings had a hell of a good time in their party halls.

Gave a looted surfboard to Frank at DK Cabinets.

Visited the last Irish holdout in Diamond Bar, Happy's Bar and Grill.

Nerf gun war at Tiffy's apartment on Wednesday, where their "ambush" on unsuspecting innocent was countered by said innocent prepared for an assault. Had Icewine.

Assuming nothing great happened on Monday or Tuesday, because I can't remember either.

Oh, wait. I voted. And pretty much everything/one I voted for did not pass or get elected except for Cali assemblyman and House representative.

Phantom of the Opera, Oinksters, and Halloween

Watched Phantom of the Opera today, apparently their final day in Los Angeles. Seats were alright, row V in the far left.

Didn't like the Christine Daae much, but the Phantom, a Stephen Tewksbery, was pretty good. The Twins that I had brought along were much more critical, though I suppose I'm just more forgiving and laid back like that.

Went to Oinkster for late lunch afterward. That was excellent, had the "Dark Night" brew, was dark and chocolate-y.

Spent the evening at David's. Conversated with David's father, drank a little, and gave trick-or-treat'rs lemons, because we totally forgot it was Halloween. Took Bombay home, and answered a question that she didn't believe the answer to, but hey, meh.

Will be voting on Tuesday.

I think I'm going Meg Whitman. Actually, I'll likely go Republican down the line.

And the Propositions? I'll think about it tomorrow.

First Encounter with Energy Drinks

For the first twenty-one years of my life, I have abstained from drinking...

Energy drinks that is, I would never give up alky.

Well, yesterday, as part of the procedure to procure a ride to a friend's birthday(which, from the pictures and the parts I remember, was awesome!) I was made to drink a 24oz can of Four Loko(Blue Rasberry), and my results can be summed up in a haze of disgust, fun, and inability to sleep.

That and I hate myself right now; if this is what normal people's hangovers feel like, give me back my quick and dirty, high-metabolism hangovers!

Pics from the night can be found of FB, for those that know me. For those that don't, well, you wouldn't be interested anyway.

What I would like in my new place

Putting together a list of things I want/need in my new place. The list is quite telling.

Want: 2-3 Bedrooms, 2+ Bath
Need: 1 Bed, 1 Bath

Want: 1000+ SqFt
Need: 500 SqFt

Want: Private, country-ish location, with acres of land and a view
Need: Private, 1/2 acre

Want: FiOS and DirecTV
Need: FiOS

Want: Location between LA/OC counties, within 10 miles of home and school
Need: Location between LA/OC counties, within 10 miles of home and school

Want: <$150,000
Need: <$300,000

Want: Many hot nubile females in neighborhood
Need: No gangs in the neighborhood


Anything else, I can either get, fix, or build by myself.

Growing Pains

Sitting at work while musing over the near future. I'm wearing a suit for work, an increasingly common occurrence. Today, after auction, I'll be going to a hearing and the county tax assessor's office.

Getting older.

Some differences I've noticed just in the past few years:

I work more than I play now.
School is no longer my first priority(not that it was before).
My alcohol of choice is now scotch, which I used to hate, kinda like how I used to dislike salad. Be it as it may, Choya plum wine will still maintain a bastion in my liver.
I no longer write in pencil. I can't even find a pencil when I need one.
And I can now seriously entertain the idea of moving out. Probably the only good to come out of all this, although the "good" is debatable.

Other concerns I've laid to the side:

Girls: I don't really think about them as females as much as I used to, but now focus my thoughts more on the social networking aspects instead. That's not to say I'm now ignoring girls entirely, just that I no longer simply judge them by how attractive they are and what my chances are at hooking up with them. I also no longer actively pursue new relations.
Games and movies: there's a stack of untouched disks on my shelf, and I find myself unbothered by this fact.
Friends: I know I've been ignoring some of them in favor of my work, and it shows in the number of events I am (not) invited to. At the same time, the fact that I feel the need to invite myself to those events I can attend annoy all parties involved (including myself) to some degree and further worsens my relationship with those friends that still remain.

At this rate, I will likely become a workaholic hermit living alone in my house in the suburban backwoods.

I'm growing up, and I'm not sure I'm enjoying it.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Shooting Star

I saw a big ass shooting star tonight. It made my day.

Tonight, Nan, Tiffy, and me laid out on the big concrete pad in Tiffy's back yard till each of us saw a shooting star. Success.

Also went down to SD. Made it down there, but was quite bored. David shipped Kristine all the way from Baltimore to be his date for tonight's Navy Ball, and we went down to SD to hang out for the precious little time Kristine had in California. Not so much of a success since it was dull. Ate David's purple birthday cake roll, went to Extraordinary Desserts and had tea.

The night was the best part of the day, I think.

Kevin crashed his bike again.

Tired. Sleep now.

Over a year...Status Update 1

Y'know, I just realized that it's been little over a year since I launched this record of my life. And I'm proud to say that I've kept up with it. My, what changes in such a short time...

All the adventures of the past year, all the new responsibilities of a developing adult, all the new abilities acquired, and all the old habits left by the wayside. The signs of my growth(or my decay...).

Here's a quick glance at the status menu:

Age: 22
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 138lbs

Strength: 15 Pull-ups, 35 Push-ups(Perfect)
Stamina: 10 minute mile
Intelligence: Not yet a BA
Luck: So far so good
Status Ailments: Lactose Intolerant, Scoville Tolerance = 0,

Overall Physical Shape: Could be better

Armaments: 11 firearms total, 20+ blades
Current Firearm Choice: Kel-Tec SU-16CA (Kali), Remington 870 Tactical 12ga (Triela), Citadel 1911A1 .45 (Taylor)
Current Blade Choice: Cold Steel Recon Tanto, Benchmade Osborne 940, Leatherman Charge Ti

Apparel of Choice: 5.11 Tac-lite Pants, Condor Soft-Shell Jacket, 5.11 Advance Boots, Misc.

Political Views: Libertarian (Live and let live, and leave my guns alone!)

Relationship Status: N/A

Drink of Choice: Scotch Whisky

Currently Reading: The Alchemist, The History of the World in Six Glasses, Hill of Swords(FF), KBDH!(FF)
Favorite Book: Atlas Shrugged

Currently Watching: Castle S2, How I Met Your Mother S6, Top Gear S?

Current Abode: At home

Current Active Hobbies: Ocarina, Rock Climbing, Archery, Backpacking, Shooting

Newly Acquired Skills: Lockpicking, Rock Climbing, Archery

Currently Playing: Starcraft 2, Assassin's Creed 2


Goals for the coming year:

Move out, preferably by summertime
Get income to 200k+, catch up to my taxes (Unlikely goal, but shoot for the moon)
Get into a suitable relationship
Make more reliable friends
Maintain this blog.


See y'all this time next year!