The Blake Show.

I'm a Laker fan but I've always cheered on the Clippers when they are not playing the Lakers. Had a chance to check out the Blakers, AKA the Clippers, tonight. As we anticipated, Griffith destroyed the Suns. He even had a typical Blake dunk on Channing Frye (postarized!). Nothing beats live sporting events! Even if it's soccer (which I don't know much about), I'd never pass up on tickets for a professional sporting event.

Believe in Magic.

I'm totally stoked about Magic's group taking over as new owners of the Dodgers. It has been a tough past two years having to deal with Frank McCourt's ineptness. I'm glad we'll soon have new ownership and hopefully they can get the team back on the right track. It would have been nice to have had the sale complete over the winter but better late then never. Go blue!!

Clocked out.

Today was my last day at work before going on vacation. I don't typically take two week vacations at work. Instead I like to split my time off into four or five shorter vacations throughout the year. Though, right now I feel pretty burned out and pretty happy to be taking the full two weeks. Starting tomorrow I will focus on only things related to my trip to Europe. First assignment is to figure out the transit system in Paris. We still need to figure out how to get around town. : )

Juxtapoz turns 18.

The Juxtapoz show at Copro Gallery (Bergamot Station) is well worth the visit. They had an eclectic mix of sculptures, drawings, and photography. Here are a few of my favorites.

Class in Sessions.

Lakers are a new team with Ramon Sessions running the point. Kobe is still not getting the rest he needs to be fresh for the playoffs but Sessions has already lessened his work load. Today's win was nice! Sessions is doing a great job of creating for himself and the team. It was tough to see Derek Fischer go but it is obvious now that it was a move that had to be made. We'll see how they close the last month of the regular season. : )

Vacation Mode

Just two more working days (tomorrow and Monday) before I officially start my two week vacation. I'm already getting in the vacation mode. Luckily, I'll be able to organize around my apartment for a few days before heading to Europe. I'm eager to take off but there are a few fun things to do before going. This Saturday there is an art show in Santa Monica and next Wednesday I'll be going to the Clipper game (I'm a Laker fan but I'll take any free ticket to watch live professional sports). Here is a link with info to the art show on saturday.
http://www.juxtapoz.com/Current/preview-4-juxtapoz-turns-18-copro-gallery-santa-monica

Interview.

After working six long years within the same department I've decided it is time for a change. I had an interview today and felt it went well. I don't interview enough so I still tend to get a little nervous during the days that lead up to it. Luckily, it went smooth and now its just waiting for a response. Looking for a change more than anything. We'll see how it goes.

Vegas Trip.

Had a nice trip visiting friends in Vegas (technically Henderson) this weekend. It was relaxing. Checked out some spring training baseball with the Rangers and Cubs being in town. Had the chance to chat it up with a Cub fan that lives in Portland.  He was telling us about the many things to do in his town. Looking forward to checking out Portland sometime soon. Vegas is great one you have the option of avoiding the strip altogether. Henderson is a great town just southeast of Vegas. The casinos there cater more to locals (and old folks) but they are clean and fun to play at.  I used to win almost every time we went to Vegas. Whether it be slots, black jack, or roulette I would often win enough to pay for our trip but I'm now on a pretty bad losing streak. I have not won in the past six visits or so. The good thing is that I know how to limit myself and play just for fun. I never go beyond my gambling budget which is important to set before heading out.  All in all it was a great trip! : )

Coachella.

My Coachella days are over. Not only because the price is ridiculous ($550 on stub hub for the first weekend) but because I can no longer stand the drunken crowds and the heat. I have to admit that the line ups are always enticing. They manage to put together an eclectic list of bands from several different genres. The festival has turned into a big money making machine. I was fortunate to attend the first one in 1999 and it was a blast. If I recall correctly the single day ticket was around $40. The price has now tripled. I haven't returned since 2008. Last year, I went to the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco. Even though it is almost as crowded as Coachella, the scenery and the cool weather make it a great venue. For anyone debating on going to either, I'd definitely recommend Outside Lands.

The Announcement.

I remember arriving home one afternoon to find my older brother huddled along with other friends discussing the day's shocking news. Magic Johnson had announced his retirement because he was infected with the HIV virus. I was heartbroken. It was the first time I had been introduced to the disease and as an eleven year old I was trying to grasp what it all meant. It is great to know that it has now been 21 years since that announcement and Magic is thriving health-wise. He has fought the virus with the same fearless attitude and leadership he displayed on the basketball court. ESPN's 30 for 30 series continued its great franchise last Sunday by airing The Announcement, a film that takes you through Magic's career before and after he announced that he was infected. There was an analogy used during the movie that I felt was right on point. One of the interviewees stated that the announcement was to the sports world what the JFK assassination was to The Nation in 1963, a shocking and sad moment.

Born to Run.

It has gotten pretty hard to get my usual runs in with my current hectic schedule. Today I went for a late night run after class let out early. It was great weather for a run but it was getting late so I only ran three and a half miles.  I typically run five miles. My friends and I post our runs on facebook via our Nike Plus run tracker. Although it would be nice to run with a partner, distance and different work schedules force us to keep track of each others progress via the web. Two of my friends ran five miles each today so I fell a little short. I was just happy to get out there. : )  On the subject of running, a friend of mine recommended a book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It points out the ability of humans to run long distance. Our physiology is built to do so. The author studied the great distance runners of the world, Kenyans and the Tarahumara indigenous people of Mexico. He points out that they excel by running with a barefoot technique that is natural to humans. The barefoot trend has really caught on as of late. If you are interested in the subject, I highly recommend the book.

Click here for Chistopher McDougall's website.   

Save the Bees.

   I googled the topic of bees dying and read two interesting articles with theories as to the cause. The articles gave several theories and possible explanations as to why the bees are dying. They gave examples on how Genetically Modified (GM) seeds can affect the health and production and deterioration of bee colonies, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). In particular, the GM seeds can affect the bees ability to fight off parasites. Another factor mentioned was the radiation waves being emitted by cell phones which affect the bees internal navigation and prevents them from finding their hives. Both articles suggested that there are also other factors involved and the specific reason has not yet been agreed upon by scientist.
   Bees are a crucial part of agriculture here in California and help in pollinating over 130 crops such as almond trees. Unfortunately, many scientists did not take note of the bee population until they realized our dependency on them. It is scary to think that such a small insect can have a huge impact on our Eco-system but I'm glad that humans have taken notice and are working to find a solution. It goes to show that despite modern technology and genius design, we still need to allow nature to flourish on its own. Eliminating an insect, like a bee, from the eco-system can have a upward effect on other species including humans.

Here are some of the article links I read from:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/01/why-are-bees-dying-your-cell-phone-may-hold-a-clue/

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5356.cfm

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/07/disappearing-bees-progress-or-frustration-1.html

Song of the day.

One of my favorite songs of 2011 was John Maus' Believer, the last song on his album titled 'We must become the pitiless censors of ourselves.' I thought the whole album was great and this is one of the songs that stands out. : )

Perris? No, Paris!

My girlfriends family lived in Perris, California for several years and we would often visit on the weekend. On Mondays, when co-workers would ask what I did for the weekend I'd tell them I went to Perris. "Wait, Paris?," they would ask. "No," I would clarify,"Perris, California," disappointing them. : (
During spring break I will be traveling to Europe with a three day stop in Paris, France! With less then a month to go I am pretty excited about it. Now when I return I can tell my co-workers I went to Paris! Not Perris....Paris! Haha : )

Certain things make me feel old.

There are a bunch of things in my day to day life that remind me that I'm aging. Though, what always works in making me feel old is when I'm watching a game and the announcer points out that one of the players on the court is the son of a former player. Often it is a former player that I grew up watching. Stephen Curry of the Warriors, Damien Wilkins of the Pistons, and Austin Rivers of Duke are a few examples. Even worse is reading the obituaries on the Sports Illustrated and seeing a name that could have been found in my deck of football cards circa 1993. It certainly makes you think about your own mortality and allows you to be thankful for the time you spend with loved ones. : )

Movie: Undefeated.

I got a chance to check out 'Undefeated' and I'd recommended for football and non-football fans alike. It's truly an inspirational story. It follows a high school football team from a poor town in North Memphis and shows how tough kids in Memphis have it. The majority of the boys came from single parents or were being raised by a grandparent. It focuses on a coach that helps the kids mature and believe in themselves.  Along the way the movie captures some sad moments in the kids lives and how they work hard to bounce back. It is not so much a football movie as it is a social commentary on the disparity between kids in America.  People in the theater were cheering and I couldn't help but be moved by some of the scenes.  It was the best sports documentary I have seen in recent years. Go watch it!  

Weekend.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Plan on checking out the new documentary 'Undefeated.' Sports Illustrated gave it a good review and it also drew an Oscar nomination. Other than that I'll be catching up on homework. These first four weeks of school have gone smooth. It's my forty hour work week that make it tiring. I appreciate my weekends much more now. : ) Stay in school kids!