that rosebud girl

wow!

2004 is almost over….it was quite a year….

i bought a new house.

i got married.

(that in itself was pretty crazy.)

i saw lots of weddings.

i traveled a lot.

the arc of my journalism career, well, wasn’t really an arc. it was more like a zigzag. it was an interesting evolution.

i had much to hate.

i had much to be thankful for.

here’s to an interesting 2005.

and now, the (loose) resolution list:

• be more organized.
• be calm.
• stop yelling unnecessarily at people. (ha.)
• save more money!
• make more time to chill out.
• keep the house clean. (ha again.)

i highly doubt i’ll do any of the above for very long, but here’s to hoping.

stupid lack of gas!

there’s nothing worse than stepping on your gas pedal….and watching the odometer in your car wind slowly down to zero….

or maybe it’s worse when the above happens to you just as you’re trying to get off the off-ramp from the freeway….

ugh.

let’s just say i was a dumbass today. i pushed the limit with my car. i wanted to see how far i could go with the stupid gas light on. obviously my thought and the reality were not close, as i found out on the way to work.

luckily, i did manage to get out of the ramp (it’s a really big curve) before coming to a total stop. and i restarted my car and managed to go farther down the street (when i decided it would be prudent to get gas). i stalled one more time about a quarter-mile near the station, but started again and got there. and got a full tank of gas. and got to work fine, albeit late. at least i had warned them.

stupid me. i know the gas light is there for a reason. sheesh.

merry christmas to all …

it’s been real chill lately….edgar came in on sunday, and we’ve mostly been chilling out and watching movies…..i forgot how fun it was to sit around and watch movies…..i used to be a movie buff….and yeah, that was a lot of fun….but edgar is here until christmas eve…..it’s been fun….we’re supposed to have a big dinner at 2 a.m……since it’s the only time we can all sit down and have prime rib….there’s nothing like prime rib and a big ass dinner in the middle of the night….

rizza is coming in tonight….but she is stranded in orlando right now….i think there is about a 1 1/2 hour delay right now…..i feel kinda sorry for her….delays suck…..but it’s all because of this stupid weather…..rain and whatnot….blah…..

maureen called me on tuesday to tell me she got engaged! yay! now the wedding cycle will begin again….i will have to see if the 2005 count rivals the 2004 count….

i am at work and i have a headache….sheesh…..

crazy people i call friends.

i’ve always known i have crazy friends….and that i know crazy people….’cause i’m a little crazy….so naturally i have crazy friends.

but this story takes the cake….it was edgar’s account of the events from saturday’s USC-UCLA game….from a missing person to a near-riot to some drunk ass folks….wow…..

i only wish i had been there to see this in person….and to partake in the mini-riot…..

it’s a long conversation but it’s HELLA funny….you have to read the whole thing, profanity and all….

jrosebud10 (4:19:49 PM): so how was yesterday?
el jacuzzi (4:20:08 PM): crazy…where do I start!!!
el jacuzzi (4:20:18 PM): do you have some time?
jrosebud10 (4:20:21 PM): yeah
jrosebud10 (4:20:27 PM): did phungus fuck anyone up?
el jacuzzi (4:20:32 PM): damn…let me see….
el jacuzzi (4:20:38 PM): I’ll get to that
jrosebud10 (4:20:42 PM): aight
el jacuzzi (4:20:54 PM): so….I’ll go over the high level details…
el jacuzzi (4:21:07 PM): so….first the regular details…
el jacuzzi (4:21:19 PM): we get there….tailgate….got crazy….the usual
el jacuzzi (4:21:43 PM): I brought a bottle of Jagr and me and the meevasins started pounding shots….
el jacuzzi (4:22:02 PM): I wasn’t drunk…but got faded….
jrosebud10 (4:22:11 PM): yeah
el jacuzzi (4:22:15 PM): we tailgated with some UCLA people….
el jacuzzi (4:22:19 PM): you know TI
el jacuzzi (4:22:26 PM): jonathon’s friend
jrosebud10 (4:22:34 PM): okay
el jacuzzi (4:24:01 PM): well he ended up hooking up with one of the UCLA girls…to make a long story short…he didn’t make it into the game because the girl started puking…
el jacuzzi (4:24:08 PM): and he stayed with her….
jrosebud10 (4:24:14 PM): damn
el jacuzzi (4:24:19 PM): then he ended up…as far as I know…..making out with her….
el jacuzzi (4:24:25 PM): but I think a lot more happened
el jacuzzi (4:24:37 PM): cuz they were all lovie dovie afterwards….
jrosebud10 (4:24:59 PM): holy shit
el jacuzzi (4:25:09 PM): yeah….
el jacuzzi (4:25:14 PM): so…..
el jacuzzi (4:25:20 PM): next major event….
el jacuzzi (4:25:36 PM): let me see….oh yeah…this is my brother’s story
el jacuzzi (4:25:51 PM): so check it out….
el jacuzzi (4:26:05 PM): so Jphung wanted to go kick it at the SC LBSA tailgate
el jacuzzi (4:26:19 PM): but they don’t find it…so my bro, jphung, and Ti are just walking around
el jacuzzi (4:26:59 PM): so they see these guys playing poker…so Jphung rolls up to them and proclaims…”I’m Johnny Chang….I’m Johnny Chang”….and like the dudes got wierded out
jrosebud10 (4:27:11 PM): whaaaaaaaaaaat? damn
jrosebud10 (4:31:30 PM): and the game hadn’t even started yet
el jacuzzi (4:36:49 PM): yup…sorry in the delay….I was on the phone…and taking a dump
el jacuzzi (4:38:37 PM): okay….so then Jphung and Co. are walking back…and they see this guy throwing the ball around with his son…
el jacuzzi (4:39:00 PM): so Jphung rolls up and hand the little kid his beer and tells him….”Let me show you how to throw the ball around”
el jacuzzi (4:39:16 PM): and his dad’s tells him to take the beer back….
el jacuzzi (4:39:33 PM): and Jphung respond’s back with….”Don’t worry….he won’t drink it”
jrosebud10 (4:44:51 PM): holy shit
jrosebud10 (4:46:10 PM): you gotta put that guy on a leash or some shit like that
jrosebud10 (4:53:48 PM): oh shit
jrosebud10 (4:53:53 PM): apparently i got logged off
jrosebud10 (4:53:54 PM): my bad
el jacuzzi (4:53:54 PM): there you are….
jrosebud10 (4:54:15 PM): i missed a whole bunch of shit probably
el jacuzzi (4:54:19 PM): so we head to the game….and we all break up in groups….but finally end up in our seat…
el jacuzzi (4:54:24 PM): no…you missed nothing
jrosebud10 (4:54:27 PM): oh okay
el jacuzzi (4:54:46 PM): so we get there and like everybody is there but Cook….
el jacuzzi (4:54:50 PM): only cook is missing
jrosebud10 (4:55:00 PM): okay
el jacuzzi (4:55:13 PM): and I mean ONLY cook is missing….
el jacuzzi (4:55:26 PM): Emma is there…so we all start calling him on his cell phone….
el jacuzzi (4:55:30 PM): doesn’t pick up….
el jacuzzi (4:55:53 PM): but before that….I guess they had a fight….cuz cook was like really fucked up
el jacuzzi (4:56:02 PM): like majorily fucked up….
el jacuzzi (4:56:56 PM): so we didn’t worry too much because we figured he somewhere sitting there made
el jacuzzi (4:57:01 PM): mad i meant
jrosebud10 (4:57:53 PM): damn
el jacuzzi (4:58:04 PM): so we kind of ignore it and watch the game….
el jacuzzi (4:58:10 PM): and then all hell broke loose
el jacuzzi (4:58:37 PM): oh shit…it’s 2….BCS show
jrosebud10 (4:58:50 PM): yeah
el jacuzzi (5:01:37 PM): so…back to the story
el jacuzzi (5:01:59 PM): so there’s this punk kid in front of us and he’s like mad-dogging us….
el jacuzzi (5:02:04 PM): at least according to Jphung
el jacuzzi (5:02:30 PM): so Jphung tells him….”Yo….turn around and watch the game bitch….stop looking at us”
el jacuzzi (5:03:00 PM): so the kid turns around and starts talking shit…and jphung responds
jrosebud10 (5:03:15 PM): like just some random kid? was he a fucla kid?
el jacuzzi (5:05:47 PM): he was wearing fucla colors…but sitting with SC people
jrosebud10 (5:05:56 PM): oh i see
el jacuzzi (5:06:32 PM): so they go at it….and it gets heated….and then something happens that I thought would never happen….
el jacuzzi (5:06:54 PM): Austria pushes through the crowd and points at the kids and tells him…
el jacuzzi (5:07:02 PM): “we’ll kick your ass”
jrosebud10 (5:07:09 PM): dayum!
el jacuzzi (5:07:24 PM): and points at him the whole time….so the kids just explodes and tries to jump at us….
jrosebud10 (5:07:34 PM): i would have socked that fucker right there
jrosebud10 (5:07:38 PM): dropped his ass about 10 rows
el jacuzzi (5:07:41 PM): but his sister holds him back….
el jacuzzi (5:07:52 PM): and then JPhung tries to go at him too….
el jacuzzi (5:07:58 PM): it got crazy…..
el jacuzzi (5:08:10 PM): so it’s almost like a riot…everybody is yelling….
el jacuzzi (5:08:38 PM): and the kid had like three other guys with him, but none of them backed the kid up
jrosebud10 (5:08:57 PM): that kid didn’t know who he was fucking with
el jacuzzi (5:09:25 PM): the kid wants to fight us all…..and supposedly he yelled at Austria and told him….”I’ll kill you and your whole crew”
el jacuzzi (5:10:14 PM): so finally the sister convinces the kid to leave
jrosebud10 (5:10:48 PM): man, i wish i had been there just to fuck that kid up and teach him a lesson
el jacuzzi (5:11:09 PM): yeah…and the whole time Jphung doesn’t shut up…..he busts out with the money line…
jrosebud10 (5:11:10 PM): even though i probably would have spent a few days in jail
el jacuzzi (5:11:42 PM): “What’s his problem…I don’t know about him but I’m chill”….the whole time pointing at the kid….and the more they point at him the crazier the kid gets
jrosebud10 (5:11:48 PM): hahaha
el jacuzzi (5:11:50 PM): it was funny
jrosebud10 (5:12:08 PM): i would have gotten up and been like, “you wanna dance, little man? i’ll beat you like the little bitch you are”
el jacuzzi (5:12:21 PM): damn…you and Austria…..
el jacuzzi (5:12:32 PM): why are you married people so fucken violent and crazy?
jrosebud10 (5:12:35 PM): hahaha
jrosebud10 (5:12:42 PM): dude, i’ve always wanted to incite a riot by saying that
jrosebud10 (5:12:49 PM): “you wanna dance, old man?”
jrosebud10 (5:12:56 PM): but anyhow
el jacuzzi (5:12:58 PM): shit….talk to
el jacuzzi (5:13:02 PM): Austria….
el jacuzzi (5:13:06 PM): so….back to Cook
jrosebud10 (5:13:08 PM): okay
jrosebud10 (5:13:12 PM): has he shown up yet?
el jacuzzi (5:13:55 PM): NO
jrosebud10 (5:14:02 PM): goddamn
el jacuzzi (5:14:58 PM): end of the game….everybody has called him….hasn’t picked up his phone….and the only message we got from him is to Emma asking “where are you?”
el jacuzzi (5:15:08 PM): but the message was before the game….
jrosebud10 (5:16:11 PM): and he never showed up the whole game?
el jacuzzi (5:17:26 PM): NO
el jacuzzi (5:17:38 PM): so we head out of the stadium and go back to the cars
el jacuzzi (5:17:48 PM): and when we get there…..guess what happened?
jrosebud10 (5:17:55 PM): uh oh
el jacuzzi (5:17:59 PM): or more like what we find?
el jacuzzi (5:18:07 PM): take a guess…
jrosebud10 (5:18:26 PM): i dunno….cook is all passed out in the car?
jrosebud10 (5:18:29 PM): naked with some chick?
el jacuzzi (5:18:35 PM): no…he’s not there!!!
jrosebud10 (5:18:39 PM): oh shit!
el jacuzzi (5:18:49 PM): but some of us thought maybe he did hook up with somebody.
el jacuzzi (5:18:54 PM): I thought he was dead
jrosebud10 (5:19:01 PM): dayum!
jrosebud10 (5:20:14 PM): i would have thought the same thing
el jacuzzi (5:20:39 PM): so we start looking around….
el jacuzzi (5:20:47 PM): and can’t find anywhere near us
el jacuzzi (5:20:51 PM): so….
el jacuzzi (5:21:29 PM): we start thinking positively and conclude….that we need to go back to the stadium because he might be waiting for Emma at the gate
el jacuzzi (5:21:50 PM): but he’s not there…so maybe we think he is dead…except Jb….
el jacuzzi (5:22:12 PM): so we decide to go to public safety and ask about him….
jrosebud10 (5:22:37 PM): yeah, i think i would have gone to the police too
el jacuzzi (5:22:59 PM): so we give his name….and they look on a list….and they tell us….
jrosebud10 (5:23:13 PM): he’s been arrested for public drunkeness?
el jacuzzi (5:23:19 PM): that he’s been arrested for PUBLIC DRUNKENESS
jrosebud10 (5:23:24 PM): damn!
el jacuzzi (5:23:25 PM): you got it….
jrosebud10 (5:23:27 PM): i called it
el jacuzzi (5:23:47 PM): he got arrested and taken to the Pasadena jail
jrosebud10 (5:23:55 PM): dayum!
el jacuzzi (5:24:26 PM): yeah…so we told emma…..she cried…..and that kind of was the end of the night at the rosebowl
el jacuzzi (5:25:13 PM): just so much shit happened….
el jacuzzi (5:25:36 PM): it’s like everybody has a story…..
jrosebud10 (5:26:03 PM): that is quality shit, man
jrosebud10 (5:26:11 PM): i wish i had been there
jrosebud10 (5:26:16 PM): especially for the mini-riot
jrosebud10 (5:26:25 PM): so did you have bail cook out?
el jacuzzi (5:27:18 PM): not sure….Jb and Emma went to pick him…
el jacuzzi (5:27:48 PM): cook has been trying to call me all day…but I’m not in the mood to talk to him about his drama….I’ll wait to later in the week
jrosebud10 (5:27:55 PM): i see
jrosebud10 (5:27:59 PM): that’s crazy though
el jacuzzi (5:28:41 PM): yeah….it’s funny because I’m usually in the middle of all these crazy events….but I’ve been on good behaviour this whole season
jrosebud10 (5:28:56 PM): you’re the cop
jrosebud10 (5:29:05 PM): i can’t believe austria was gonna go all apeshit on that kid
el jacuzzi (5:29:06 PM): yeah…I’m an adult now
jrosebud10 (5:29:13 PM): hahaha
el jacuzzi (5:29:19 PM): yeah
jrosebud10 (5:29:28 PM): but that is a quality story
jrosebud10 (5:29:37 PM): i made ed read it and he cracked up
el jacuzzi (5:29:56 PM): he’s there….nice!
el jacuzzi (5:30:12 PM): yeah….it had everything you wanted in a tailgate…..
jrosebud10 (5:30:24 PM): no kidding
el jacuzzi (5:30:31 PM): it had both drama and comedy
jrosebud10 (5:30:38 PM): it’s like a good movie
jrosebud10 (5:30:44 PM): kind of like the movie “go”
el jacuzzi (5:30:46 PM): yeah
jrosebud10 (5:30:54 PM): except without the drugs
jrosebud10 (5:31:21 PM): wow

a whole lot o’ crap …

lots of things happening lately….and i’ve only been back a few days….

rizza is coming to visit for christmas! yay! i’m so excited. ed got her a ticket (first class, even) using airline miles….a lot more miles than he expected….but i really appreciated it. i really wanted her to come out and see us and see our house and hang out. hopefully she gets to see snow. but i’m just glad she finally gets to visit. yay.

edgar will probably come out too, but he’s still trying to get his ticket situation straight. but he and rizza would overlap by one day. cool. i love having visitors.

i taught my first dance class by myself on saturday. whew. it was kind of crazy. and a minor disaster. i think i really need to sit down and go through an entire class on my own to make sure i know what i’m doing. it felt a little discombobulated. teaching is a lot harder than most people think. it’s so easy to follow a dance teacher, but when you have to do the leading, it’s an entirely different story. i still have two weeks of teaching left before the break, and i’m pretty much on my own from here on out, so i better get my crap in order….

i know i still have to do a wedding blog….but i am waiting for pictures…..here is the 30-second synopsis, as told to doug:

sun broke out just in time….it was pretty….no one was arrested, injured, or punched out….the priest was hilarious….edgar gave a great speech and gave out his cell phone number…..rizza wrote a poem about me….i sprung a surprise duet on ed….ed’s parents got DOWN on the dance floor….it was hilarious….everyone had a great time…..vancouver was rainy…..we kayaked in 40-degree weather….did lots of cycling….and it was all cool.

(that’s really the synopsis i gave doug….i am not kidding….i had to sum this all up as we were walking down the stairs after work last night.)

so anyway, once i get pictures, i’ll put them up. but that’s all for now.

now i must go and watch football….and start opening presents.