oh the places we go

spending.

2011-09-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

i need to stop. just checked on my all time spending habits via mint.com. not good. ive maybe doubled my spending habits compared to this time last year. its baaaad.

i think too much about what other people think.

2011-09-30T10:12:00.000-05:00

it's been a common thought of mine that i really do care a little too much about what other people think of me. i don't really do it on purpose. i don't think anybody really does. but it is quite difficult to get out of the habit and just live how one wishes to live. it's just a thought process that i guess i'm so used to that i really don't know what it's like to not care. i often say that i don't care about what other people are doing or what other people think, but, by making the conscious decision to not care, I, in turn, care. does that make sense??

telephone.

2011-07-25T23:12:00.000-05:00

i made a series of phone/video calls tonight.

i need to do this more often.

i need to try and make the effort to stay in touch with friends and family. not only does this strengthen my relationships with the people that i do care about, but it also makes me happier. i often feel quite glum about my friend status here in nashville. i think one of the hardest things about moving here or to anywhere new is the fact that you're starting from scratch. you are choosing to leave what you know behind and to venture off into a completely new surrounding. coming to nashville, i didnt know a single person, and, to be quite honest, it has been rather difficult building lasting, meaningful relationships. i do miss having friends that i can count on and rely on for a good talking. i do have quite a few friends that i have no problem staying in touch with. but then there are others that are just not easy to keep. i just need to make a more conscious effort to stay in touch with some of these people. i need to find a way for me to be genuinely interested in their lives. for being so social, it is surprising to me how antisocial i can be.

all in all. i need to get on the phone.

grow up.

2011-07-20T22:43:00.001-05:00

growing up is difficult. when you're young, you only think about friends, recess, and what you're having for dinner. now, as a 24 year old, i think often about work, bills, and what i want to do with the rest of my life. really daunting thoughts really.

my house was recently broken into. over fourth of july weekend, my 2 roommates and i were all out of the house for one reason or another. when the first of my roommates returned, he found a window open, a television missing, and a laptop gone. the laptop. was mine. at first i was shocked and pissed because who ever wants there house to be broken into and their shit stolen. but at the same time, i couldnt help but be a little glad. my good ol' toshiba has survived the past 4 years. it has been a great 4 years but it was time for it to go.

ANYWHOOOO... so they took my computer and now i must deal with insurance stuff. i feel like it's not meant to be complicated, the whole process of dealing with insurance claims, but for some reason or another, it has turned to be quite frustrating. i have never dealt with insurance before. the only thing that i know about it is that i send a check to state farm every april to take care of my car and my house that i rent. i don't make payments, i just send one check because i don't want to deal with the monthly reminder that i am constantly losing money. because i don't really know how everything works, what i'm supposed to send to them, what i'm supposed to tell them, etc etc... i feel like i'm walking a little in the dark and the state farm people are not really helping provide a light. they've told me what to fill out and what to send them, but i don't really feel like they're giving me information on how to get the most amount of money back. on the other hand, my roommate diddy, whose television and wii were stolen, has had real helpful people... i think it's partly due to the fact that he knows a little bit more about this stuff than i do... which makes me think that i really need to start paying attention to this kind of stuff. problem is... i really have no interest.

i constantly have this conversation with my father. i have no interest in anything that has to do with money. i have no interested in learning how to invest... WAIT. scratch that. i do have an interest in learning how to invest, but i have no interest in the process of learning how to invest. i do feel like it's necessary for me to learn how to deal with money, and to learn how to work with my 401k (thanks to my mother.... 501k has now changed to the correct 401k)... but i just have no interest in learning about it. i don't have the patience and the desire to read a whole bunch of books. the problem is that i like results. i like to see my money grow. the fact that money grows rather slowly in banks and such makes it hard for me to have an interest when i can't see an outcome.

wow have i gone on a tangent.

good night.

mas tacos, etc.

2011-07-19T22:19:00.001-05:00

so i guess the first news of the day is the fact that i got a new macbook pro! pretty excited for this new investment (despite the fact that i got the new comp because of the fact that my house got broken into and took my old computer). but nevertheless... we look at the positive. we look on the bright side and the bright side is a beautiful new computer with a newly bought orange cover :o) you know i had to go there... although we have macs at work and dont use pc's often, its still a little weird and maybe surreal to have a mac at home. ive had a toshiba for the past 10 years or so. not only am i used to having the toshiba, but because my computer got stolen, ive had to reset all my settings on my computer, some which have come so naturally to me over the years that i probably didnt even know that they existed.

had a super long day at work today. we're working on this new project... the history of hockey in nashville. a look back at the past 50 years of hockey in the music city. my supervisor has been the main guy that's been working on it, but he's slowly started to need our assistance. and today was one of those days. we had a full day of interviews. our first interview was scheduled at 9.30am and because we couldnt set up the studio last night because of the britney concert at the arena (yes. i did go. yes. it was amazing. yes. she wasn't singing) we had to get to the arena early to set up all the equipment. as soon as we got everything set up, we started the interviews. didnt get home till about 7.30pm and was TIRED aka still am tired.
although it was an exhausting day, it was still kind of nice to hear all those stories about past teams that have gone through nashville. nashville has had quite a few teams come through the city. there was the dixie flyers, the knights, the nightflyers, the south stars, and i think that may be it. maybe another team, cant remember off the top of my head, but that's still quite a few teams in the past 50 years. so we interviewed past players, fans, people who now work for the preds, and people who are avid fans of the preds because of the hockey that they saw early on in their lives. it was cool to hear about people who have played, what the leagues were like, how it operated, how fans were, etc. it was cool to hear, but, towards the end of the night, i just wanted people to give one word answers. the last interview was especially long. felt like he was the best storyteller, but was telling really long stories. it was one of those... womp womp situations. yaddadamean??

i'm hoping that this new computer will bring more posts and more projects. i'm hoping to purchase a canon t2i soon... i really want to work on some at home projects. get to know the technology and the operating system of a camera. i feel as though by getting to know a camera, i get to know the mechanics of digital photography aka digital cameras aka videos. that's my hope. i had diddy (roommie) download some adobe software for me and i now have final cut. photoshop. illustrator. and after effects on my computer. i'm really hoping that i can utilize these new programs and really hone in on my editing/graphics skills.

lastly. on the topic of new places in nashville. courtney (other roommie) introduced me and diddy to THE BEST TACO/MEXICAN place in nashville. theres a place couple blocks from our place that is a little hole in the wall that is DE-LISH. they have maybe.... 5 options for tacos, a corn on the cob side options, couple of soup options, and some yummy fresh agua drinks. we went last friday night for din. the line was long. it was hot. dont think there was any AC. but it was amazing. i highly highly highly recommend it. me and diddy are going to go get it for lunch tomorrow and i am excited.

the end.

i am. le tired.

google chrome is...

2011-05-26T10:07:00.000-05:00

genius.

wowwwww.

oprah.

2011-05-25T23:35:00.002-05:00

so i just finished watching the last episode of oprah ever. 25 years she's been on the air and she's never missed a show, a total of 4,561 shows. can you imagine never missing a day at work? granted... oprah found her calling and i'm sure it was [almost] no problem for her to go to work... but... 4561 shows?! really?!

the reason for my post is not to praise oprah for the woman that she is (although i could because she really has done a lot for so many people). the reason for my post is to reflect on what she said today, the last day of her show. love her or hate her, oprah has really found and taught some invaluable lessons on her show. i've never really connected to the show or oprah herself and have always watched it for the entertainment factor. however... she explained today what she tried to do over the years, the foundation on which she developed her show on. and let me tell ya, it all makes sense now.

i think what i got most from oprah's shpiel today was the fact that... each individual person creates their own destiny. oprah talked a little bit about religion and God and how that all plays a part in her life. but the fact of the matter is, some people are not religious. i, for example, have never really believed in any sort of real higher power. i've always believed that if i want something or if i want to get somewhere, i have to make that happen myself. i thought that the message that oprah delivered today really supported the thought that i can make things happen and i am the only one that can make things happen for myself.

a few segments of the show that i found especially touching:

"Everybody has a calling, and your real job in life is to figure out what that is and get about the business of doing it... Because that is what a calling is. It lights you up and it lets you know that you are exactly where you're supposed to be, doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing. And that is what I want for all of you and hope that you will take from this show. To live from the heart of yourself. You have to make a living; I understand that. But you also have to know what sparks the light in you so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world."

"Here's what I learned from all of that... Nobody but you is responsible for your life. It doesn't matter what your mama did; it doesn't matter what your daddy didn't do. You are responsible for your life. ... You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself, and you're responsible for the energy that you bring to others... All life is energy and we are transmitting it at every moment. We are all little beaming little signals like radio frequencies, and the world is responding in kind."

"The show has taught me there is a common thread that runs through all of our pain and all of our suffering, and that is unworthiness. Not feeling worthy enough to own the life you were created for. Even people who believe they deserve to be happy and have nice things often don't feel worthy once they have them."

"There is a difference, you know, between thinking you deserve to be happy and knowing you are worthy of happiness... What I got was we often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough... the show has taught me you're worthy because you are born and because you are here. Your being here, your being alive makes worthiness your birthright. You alone are enough."

the past couple days i have really been thinking about balance. the balance between work, play, time to chillax... etc etc. how i feel like an old maid sometimes and dont feel like i'm 24 years old and feeling like i should go out and experience life and fun and just enjoy my time. people talk about going out... getting drunk and hammered and wasted and shwasty facety... and yes. i do miss that. very much. very very much. life is just not the same for me anymore. i guess its getting older. i guess its living in nashville. i guess its not being with old friends and being surrounded in that kind of environment. whatever it is and whatever it may be, its just not the same. someone asked me recently, "do you live to work or work to live?" and i had to reply that right now... i live to work. i wish it weren't so, because i would love to live by the motto that i work to live but i guess the biggest thing is that knowing what i want to do and knowing that my career is important to me... i really dont mind living to work. i love the fact that i enjoy my job and that i feel so fortunate that i know what i want to do with my life in terms of career. i worry about those people who are walking aimlessly on college campuses not knowing their true calling. and although i do not know if video production really is my true calling, at least i feel like my compass is pointing in the right direction.

so... long story short. oprah's show made me think. i thought a lot. and now i'm going to bed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE!

2011-04-18T21:54:00.001-05:00

happy birthday to my very old sister who turns 28 today. WEIRD.

once my big sister... always my big sister! LOVE..

power of facebook.

2011-04-12T22:50:00.000-05:00

its amazing what this site can do to a person. not just the electronic technical capabilities... im not talking about that. im more so talking about the fact that i've been looking at people's sites for the past, say, 30-40 minutes and it has turned into an unwarranted moment of self reflection. i dont know how it started, but i was just browsing (like everyone does) through people's facebook pages. there was a random update on the news feed which led me to look at their post and pictures, etc etc. that then turned into, "o let me see what mutual friends we have..." which turned into, "let's look at what mutual friends we have friend high school..." which finally turned into "let's look at mutual friends from high school whose lives i don't know anything about anymore."

its crazy what judgments one can make from a facebook page. you can let your friends, or strangers, see exactly what you want them to see and therefore you portray yourself exactly how you want to be portrayed. that, in itself, is mind boggling. however, it is not the reason for this post. looking through people's pages, i can't help but think how times have changed and how people have changed. yes... some people are just as attractive as they used to be (and some are WAY hotter), but what's crazier is where they're going in their lives, if they are even going anywhere, and what they're doing. i'm sure when people look at my facebook page they are probably thinking or think somewhat the same things as me, but i often think about how people are living such adventurous, high energy lives and i'm kind of... not. it's not that my life is any worse or their lives are any better. but i often have this sense of, i should be doing something. anyone else? and back to the first point that people put out what they want others to see... so it might entirely be the case that people are not really doing all these things all the time and are in fact, as boring as i am. but the fact that they put that image out there is something to think about.

rain rain go away...

2011-04-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

there is a storm brewin!! at least there is one in nashville. today has been on and off thunderstorm warnings and massive down pours. such down pour is upon us as we speak. but.... you'll all be happy to know that i am safe and sound under my new roof...

speaking of new roofs... our house is almost finally a home! we started our move last weekend (the 1st of april) to a new home not too far from our old one in east nashville. i definitely wanted to stay in east nashville because i absolutely love the area. its got more character and more of a neighborhood-y field. i feel like i'm in nashville, but yet, i don't feel like i'm in nashville. its got more of an urban city feel and i kinda like that. and this new home... let me tell ya. LOVIN IT! ill def have to post up some pictures once we get settled in. so far... its been diy central here. my parents came to visit me last weekend, as we were moving in, and they suggested the idea that instead of buying a shelving unit, i put up some shelves up on the walls. i thought it was a brilliant idea, until yesterday afternoon when i tried to build said shelves. let me forewarn everyone and anyone who wants to put up shelves... its not as easy as it looks or sounds! it took me all day to put up 4 stinkin shelves!! in the end though, it was nice to feel like i actually accomplished something and did something that makes it my own. i'm just not looking forward to the day i move out of this place... cuz im definitely have to do some spackling in this joint.

so in addition to the shelving units, i also had to get a dresser and a desk for my new ideal office space area. low and behold... a friend comes over to see the new digs and he mentions that his roommate is moving out and he's trying to get rid of his dresser. SCORE ONE FOR VICKIE!! so i've got my hands on a new dresser fo free!! definitely will have to replace the handles on the thing (cuz they are hid-E-ous) and will have to put a new bottom on the last dresser drawer (apparently the bottom drawer is bottomless), but other than that... FREE DRESSER!! as for the desk, found one on craigslist for forty buckaroos. real nice, quality, office depot desk that will definitely do the trick. picked it up yesterday and using it... as we speak! so in one day... i gots a dresser and a desk... for $40. job well done on my part if i do say so myself.... i think i'm going to like it in the new house :o)

OKAY. BEFORE I END THIS POST. CAN I JUST SAY...

if anyone has not seen parenthood... you must watch it.. NOW!!! just watched last week's episode on my dvr. and i can't love this show enough. i'm jumpin out of my skin with how much i love it!!! it's so well shot... such good editing... such good camera work and acting.... such good writing and directing... such good EVERYTHING!!! if i could find someone who loves this show as much as i do... id go crazy. its just such a good show! if you're in a good mood, bad mood, it has the story for everything! one of the funniest clips this season is below... WATCH!!!!

end of the season excuse.

2011-03-04T11:59:00.000-06:00

a little bored at work... waiting for my latest video to render out so i can make a couple more edits. i'm reading over the past couple of posts that i've written here and notice a reoccurring trend. everything that i want to do is after the season ends or when the summer begins. what an excuse i have made for myself!! there is really no reason why i can't start doing things now. although i am busier at work and although come next week the season really picks up... there is no reason why i can't... start up my blog or go sit outside more often or be more active or set more goals for my workouts. what a bad habit. i have used work as an excuse to be lazy and unmotivated. i need to get my act together...

on the upside... TOMORROW IS MY BDAY. the big 2-4. its so weird that when i was a mere 20 or 21... when people said they were 24... i thought they were so old!! o how the time has flown by. looking forward to a relaxing yet fun filled weekend. i hope i'm able to let loose and enjoy my time with friends... im ready to dance the night away!! :o)

orange.

2011-02-23T21:47:00.000-06:00

so anybody who knows me knows how much i love orange. i have no idea where this obsession came from but i can recall the time i bought my first outrageously orange item of clothing. i believe i was in 6th or 7th grade and at the time, i was really into limited too. i mean... what young girl at the tender age of 11 doesn't love the bright glittery attraction that is limited too? anywhooo... was shopping in limited too with my mother when i saw these bright ass orange weather proof sweat pants. now, i have always been a pretty big tomboy and in middle school, my wardrobe consisted of many a pair or weather proof sweatpants, sweatshirts, and the occasional jean. these orange sweats just stood out to me and i loved them. i think i probably loved them a little bit more when people commented on them. not sure if they said something out of love or hate, but either way, i took it. i wore those pants to death (and now that i think about it, i wonder if theyre in my closet at home somewhere). and that, ladies and gents, was the first orange item.

ever since then... ive been almost obsessed with anything orange. anytime i go to any store, and spot something in even the slightest tint of orange, i go to it just to see what it is. not only do i buy clothes, but i have an orange couch, i have an orange trashcan, orange sheets, orange towels, orange-themed gmail account... i dont know what it is about the color but it is what it is and i'm happy to have it around me.

reason for the post: decided to change the layout of my blog a little bit. partly because im kind of bored (waiting for top chef to come on) and partly because i've had the same layout for so long and wanted to change it up a bit. whatever the reason, i obviously went to the orange option that blogspot had and i think my little blog here looks amazing :o) along with my desire to better my professional website over the summer, i think i may spend a little bit more time on this one as well. make it look decently legit. maybe then people will want to actually read what i'm saying. like in life... it's what's on the outside that matters.

is that how the saying goes? :o)

goals.

2011-02-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

it's crazy how having a goal can impact how you go about your day to day life.

couple weeks ago i ran in a 5k. 3.2 miles is not a lot and i knew it was possible for me to accomplish, but still i realized that i had to run often. i had ran in this same 5k a year back and didn't really train for it. my thought process was that i exercised often enough that it would be easy for me to do. cue: huff and puff. i ran the 5k but it was so INCREDIBLY difficult. this year, i decided to put in a little more effort and run 30 minutes each day during the week and set a personal goal to finish the 5k in under 30 minutes.

at first i started a little slow. i didn't realize that running for 30 minutes straight was actually quite difficult. but after awhile, it definitely became easier for me to run for long periods of time and i my pace started to pick up. not only did the run become easier but it also became easier to get to the gym and have the mindset to run. the race went extremely well. i made the finish line in 25:40. was pretty proud of myself and wouldn't mind running another.

enter downfall

ever since running the race i've been pretty unmotivated at the gym. i've ran maybe twice and have hooped once (played last night and for the first time in a long time... played a couple really good runs). this lack of wanting to work out has led me to realize why i never feel like doing anything on the weekends or at home... i have no goal for myself, nothing to strive for. i was soo good the past couple weeks of running on a daily basis because i knew that i wanted to do well in the 5k. i haven't worked hard for anything like that in a really long time. moral of the story, come summer/end of the season, i need to figure out what i want to accomplish for the offseason and figure out a plan of action.

blogosphere.

2011-02-16T23:50:00.001-06:00

this past year... i've really been delving myself into a lot of blogs. first it started off as just some fad. google had an option for google reader and being a google fan, i clicked on the link and updated myself daily with posts from the new york times (which i never read) and espn.com. after awhile, i started finding fashion blogs due to the fact that i was coming into a new job and needed ideas about clothes to wear to work. although these blogs ultimately have helped little with my professional wardrobe, i think these blogs have definitely made a small dent on my everyday wardrobe. my taste as a whole, in my opinion, has gotten a little bit more fashionable. after the fashion blogs came the apartment blogs. moving into a new house, i wanted to find ways to decorate my new apartment and heretotherefore, interior decorator blogs here i come. recently, my google reader has been filled with the addition of inspirational blogs. i've been trying to find blogs that give me a sense of insight into how to live a healthier, happier life. this is not to say that my life isn't happy or healthy now, but it doesn't hurt to hear or read how one can improve one's overall lifestyle.

after reading a couple of blog posts just now, i've come to a couple of realizations. for one... blogs just have an unbelievable way of letting everyday people get there word out there. whatever it may be, once you get a following, and you get a good one, you can have a lot of power. not greedy hardy har har take over the world type of power. but just the amazing power to impact someone's life and to really shake their world.

second thing i've realized is that one of the reasons i probably like blogs is because i love the fact that people are listening to what random people have to say, and i wish that i had that sort of impact on someone's life. just to see how fashion blogs make an impact on ME, lowly ol' me... unbelievable. and these lifestyle blogs that i follow, some people say some really insightful stuff that blows my mind. how do people think up of these things and put them down on paper and make it sound so beautiful? i have learned that i do not speak so good :o) i am almost the opposite of some of these blog writers. i do wish that i had even the slightest bit of insightful thought and that i could articulate whatevers on my mind. but i have come to terms with the fact that i am not an english major nor will i ever be.

finally... i have come to the realization that although i may not speak good or articulate my thoughts, or really have any interesting to say for that matter, i do wish that sometimes i had people that were willing to listen. sometimes i find myself hesitating to speak because i'm either scared of how they might react to such simplistic thoughts or the fact that i can't create an argument and support my thoughts. i'm not saying i'm stupid and i'm not expecting pity... but it's just something to think about i guess. it's something that i guess i would like to work on for myself.

thoughts due to A-MAIZE-ING weather...

2011-02-14T09:48:00.000-06:00

so after last week's horrendous snowstorm in nashville that caused traffic up the wazoo (it took some of my coworkers up to 4 hours to get home... yikes!), it is now officially GORGEOUS. it is so sunny outside and it's about 60ish degrees... ughhhhh LOVIN IT. this beautiful weather just makes me want to go outside and lay in a park and just be. makes me happy :o)

the gorgeous weather has also got me thinking about things i want to do this next summer. i feel like this summer's going to be the first summer where i'll be able to do things almost freely due to the fact that i've saved up some moolah this past year and due to the fact that i do not have any work obligations on weekends. last summer, i still had the bar to think about and to schedule around. this year, i hope to be a little more adventurous and take weekend trips places. besides for visiting friends all around the country (oklahoma, dc, new york, la, michigan, to name a few) i also want to go to chattanooga, which i hear has a bomb ass aquarium. i also want to go to atlanta at least a couple times. not only for a couple of braves game but to go shopping and to just see their night life. i also wouldnt mind going to st louis, new orleans, or north carolina, and even maybe chicago.

not only do i want to travel, but i also want to enjoy this city. i feel like i say this every year and every year i really don't take advantage of where i'm at. i want to enjoy being outside and enjoy going to the lake, going hiking, and even making a trip to the smoky mountains and do a little hiking, maybe even camp out. it's no yosemite but i'm sure it's awfully close. i also just want to enjoy the little hole in the wall places here, the bookstores, coffee shops, diners, etc. i want to plan for weekends and look forward to them.

yes i want to be busy outside and doing things in the city, but i know there are going to be those times when i want to be at home. heretotherefore... i really want to create a space in my home that i can feel creative. i want to get a desk and an area in my room that i can plan projects for myself. not only will these projects be for my enjoyment, but i really hope that i can also create projects that will further my career. i want to create a website for myself that really showcases what i can do as an editor.

although im lovin nashville now, i know i'm not going to be here forever. i want to enjoy the southeast while i'm here and take advantage of the fact that i'm young and single and able to do what i enjoy doing most without any reservation... because it's very likely that i won't be back once i leave.

blank thoughts.

2011-02-09T22:59:00.006-06:00

sitting here at home, thinking that i should go to bed soon, but not really wanting to. i've watching bout 2 hours of tv and think that should be good for the day. something i realized whilst watching the television... i basically look at a screen for roughly 10-12 hours out of the possible 24 hour day.

7:30 wake up

8:50 im in the office and on the computer until lunch time around 12.45

12.45 go to the break area and watch an episode of family feud that runs between 1 and 1.30

1.30 i go back to my computer until the rest of the work day around 5.30

5.30 im at the gym. sole activity that i do without a screen in front of me, though from time to time i glance up at the television screens or if i'm on the treadmill, they have tvs there.

7.00 im back home and cooking dinner.

8.00 my good chunk of dinner/tv time till about 10ish

11.00 in bed around and on occasion, i watch tv in bed

so if i'm calculating everything correctly, thats roughly 10 1/2 hours ish and there are days that i stare at a screen more, there are days that i stare at a screen less. i dont know what to do. my whole job basically revolves around me staring at a computer screen. i know its a must but for some reason i really dont like the fact that im doing one thing for so long. i do wonder from time to time but then i feel like im just avoiding work.

i guess what it comes down to is what am i doing with my time when im not at work. obviously i cannot get away with not staring at a screen during the day, so i guess i have to concentrate on finding things to do that do not involve an electronic device. hopefully this will get easier once the cold goes away and ill actually be somewhat willing to go do things outside. i'm really hoping i can pick up some sort of hobby, especially after the season is over with. i have a feeling i might be slightly bored once the offseason comes. no work in the office, no baileys anymore (sunday was my last day!), and nothing really to do at home. i'm going to have to figure out something, but it just seems so far ahead.

i would like to try something that tests my patience. maybe not so much tests, but helps work on my patience. at work today, i for some reason got this sudden urge of frustration because a video that i have been working on for the past 2 days didnt really turn out the way i wanted it to and it's becoming kind of difficult to change what i've already done. i'm not sure if it's impatience or if i'm frustrated with myself not getting the best product out there the first time or if it's because i dont like criticism... but i really need to work out whatever's bothering me. the longer i think about it, the more i think it's me, not liking the fact that i have to start over because i couldn't get it done the first time. i have to learn to realize that this isn't a bad thing, it's just a part of the process. guess it's cuz i like to get it right the first time. but hello!!! not everyone's perfect. can't always just work on the video almost half ass-ish and expect great results. maybe that's what it was... the fact that i worked on it, but wasn't really fully invested in it and thought that i could turn in something that i didn't love, just liked, and was frustrated with the fact that someone saw right through my almost casual effort. maybe i just realize that this job is harder than i mentally see it; that i actually have to somewhat work hard.

till tomorrow...

unbelievable...

2011-01-26T09:39:00.002-06:00

"Michael Forcier, Tate Forcier's father, said he was disappointed that [Dave] Brandon said what he did.

'He could've used different words, but the new sheriff sent the media into a frenzy,' Michael Forcier said last week. "Tate didn't flunk out, but he had two incomplete grades. If he was given a chance by at least one professor to make up the work and get a grade, he would be eligible.'"

So i read this post on espn.com the other day and was infuriated. how can a father defend his kid for not putting being able to put in the grades?! here's my thing... i understand that it's difficult to be a student athlete and the professor is basically jeopardizing what may be his professional career by not letting him play in the bowl game... but... COME ON! as a student athlete coming into michigan, or any other DI university for that matter, you are accepting the responsibilities to become a student athlete and to be a part of the university, not just the athletic program. You are accepting that you must meet the requirements in the classroom as well as the requirements of your sport. i'm not saying that it will be easy or that people just don't understand, i personally cannot even begin to imagine what it must be like to have so many people pulling you in different ways. HOWEVER... you have the help of advisors and peer advisors and professors and coaches to help you succeed the best way you can. there is no excuse for someone to not be able to pass a class. DO NOT blame the professors for not allowing him to make up work. I cannot imagine any professor at the UofM who would not have given him a single chance. if you knew the professor was a stickler on late work, then dont turn in late work... that simple!! i just cannot believe tate's dad is backing this kid up on not finishing his school work... really??? my goodness gracious.

A New Year...

2011-01-17T11:13:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year!!

Yes I'm about two weeks off, but who's really keeping track. As always it's taken me a long time to re-update this bad boy and even though I don't really believe in New Year's Resolutions (what's the point if you're going to forget about them 2 weeks later??), maybe keeping updated with things should be something I need to start doing better. From keeping with this website, to my somewhat "professional" site, to things like calling my parents, I really need to start keeping on top of things. Maybe this isn't so much a resolution as a realization of what I need to do from here on out. Pat on the back for me.

So today is Martin Luther King Jr day and no work for me, yay! There are so many things I need to do that I don't really no where to get started. The act of starting things intimidates me a little bit. I feel like everything in my closet just needs to get washed, meaning 8 hours of laundry, which, in simple terms... YIKES!!

So last night, I actually did something that I haven't done in a really long time... I tried a new place to eat!!! yayyyyyyyyyy... i know it may not seem like much, but, I've been meaning for so long to get out again, to try new things and to explore nashville a little more that it actually felt really good! So yesterday, 2 friends and I went to a little place in Hillsboro Village called Belcourt Taps and Tapas. It's a cute little place hidden in the village, along with about 3 or 4 other small little restaurants, all that I really want to try out. I had a long day of work yesterday (8 hours of chicago football fans when the bears are playing = le tired) and so all i wanted to do is to relax, grab a drink and some food. Although service was a tad slow, it was actually quite fun/nice. The menu had a lot more than just tapas, which makes me want to go back from more. My friends and I decided on a cheese plate, some garlic hummus, and some sweet potato tots. When the kitchen had to make more hummus (good sign that all their food is freshly made, another yay) the waitress brought us out some fried artichoke to hold us over, fo free!! the food was super yummy and again, it just made me want to try all their other food. Don't quite remember what exactly was on their menu, but i think it was plenty of sandwiches and salad options. We also decided to get some bread pudding for desert which was A-MAZ-ING!! :o) sooo good, pretty filling, but deliciousssss. What probably was my favorite part was the fact that they had trivia last night. it was fun and seemed a little cult-ish, they seem to have specific things to yell out for different topics... people probably go there every week for trivia, which to me, is even more appealing than just the food. the 3 of us decided that we are HORRIBLE at trivia, and next time, we definitely need to bring someone that knows useless pieces of information :o) all in all though, it was an excellent night and i need to do it again...

update.

2010-10-18T10:01:00.004-05:00

so it's been an unbelievably long time since i've updated this good ol' thing... not that anybody is really reading it... that's probably why i havent really updated, now that i think of it. but... on to bigger and better subjects.

so what's been going on in my life... well.. first and foremost. i'm HIRED!! i got hired on with the nashville predators october 1st and have been working full time with the team. super excited for this opportunity. even though nashville is not what i imagined for myself in terms of potential cities to live in, i've learned to really love it here. not only do i love this city but i love what i'm doing and the opportunities i have of learning all that i need to learn. i'm operating a camera now and learning how to shoot, i'm getting more projects and getting to work on videos from start to finish, i'm making connections and getting to spread my wings a little bit and look at different aspects of this industry. it's really an exciting time for me.

i'm continuing to work at the bar and make a couple extra bucks every weekend. although i hope i dont over work myself, it's a weird feeling because i somewhat enjoy the busy life. i had a full day off yesterday, absolutely no responsibilities, and i had no idea what to do with myself. i didnt really want to do anything but at the same time, i wanted to be productive. but... there was nothing that i really wanted to do. it was an amazingly relaxing day i have to admit, but at the same time, i kind of wish i was at work. maybe i just need to start exploring the city again. i havent been to a new restaurant in so long, i havent done anything really exciting and really nashville-ish in a really long tiem as well. its time to get off my ass and do something. go to a vintage shop, go horseback riding, go do SOMETHING.

well... thats all for now i guess. back to finding stuff to do. it's been slow lately here at the office. although i've been getting a lot of work to do... there are still those days where i definitely feel like an intern... pulling teeth trying to find stuff to do. but at the same time i guess i need to create things for me to do. take that initiative and do something with myself. when things get slow, create a project for myself. USE MY BRAIN. that's definitely something else i need to start doing. i definitely feel myself getting dumber and i need to change that, somehow.

ok. back to work.

as should all of you who are reading this!!

all 3 of you!!

that means you mom!!

18 rules to live by - dalai lama

2010-09-02T23:14:00.000-05:00

thank you evin major...

18 rules to live by - dalai lama.... thank you evin major
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
* Respect for self
* Respect for others
* Responsibility for all your actions
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

destination

2010-08-03T09:18:00.002-05:00

what my room needs to look like
with orange
and maybe not so dingy
and the horse statue needs to go.

but the fact that this room has dark walls and pretty bold colors.
i like.

2010-07-20T09:54:00.002-05:00

i dont really know how i got to this subject but whilst i was in the shower this morning... i gots to thinking....

the only way to be creative is to practice being creative on a daily basis.

again... i dont really know what route i took to get here... but i was just thinking that for many of my days in the office... i just sit in front of a computer and roam the world wide web. while i do get projects from time to time, i dont have that many to fill my entire day and thus i am left trying to find things to do and end up just... roaming on the internet. i have been on this kick lately to find things to do in my free time (aka project room redecoration). but i think i need to start doing things in the office as well.

my job will require me to become very creative, thinking of new ways to visually inspire and motivate fans. ive gotten the basics down with editing and it is now my time to go further and to really be able to create on my own. this, for me, will be the hard part. trying first to think of how videos should end up and then figuring out how to build from scratch what i'm imagining.

it will also be tough practice being creative. i am not the most patient individual and it will make things tough because im not a big fan of not being able to do things. i like being able to jump in and just know. so to practice and to struggle a little bit will be difficult. i will need to use my brain and utilize to its full strength and potential... i have to not get frustrated and to sit and wait. my time will come.

so long story short... i am going to start and try to be creative on a daily basis. maybe on this blog. i know its almost elementary but im thinking of possibly doing news posts with little summaries (remember those book report days??)... maybe even doodling or taking pictures... i carry around a little notebook around with me for to do lists and directions and little things here and there.. i need to start using that more often but filling it with more thoughts and general ideas.

BE PRESENT.
BE CREATIVE.

project room redecoration

2010-07-14T23:34:00.006-05:00

ive been thinking lately that i havent really been doing too much with my life. dont get me wrong, i enjoy my work, the friends that i have made in the past couple months, and the time i've been spending in nashville... however, ive got to thinking that i really dont do much when i have nothing to do. there are times of the day and days of the weekend where i find myself wondering what i should be doing and whilst in thought... i end up on the couch. in front of the tv.

heretotherefore... i want to officially begin project room redecoration.

ive essentially been moved in to my new place for about 3 months now and my room still looks as dull as it did the first time i stepped in here. ive done a little bit, hanging up a couple things here and there, but... i feel like there is way too much space up here and i have no way of filling it. im not a big fan of accumulating things and am starting to consider myself a minimalist... but... ive recently subscribed to apartment therapy and the site has given me a little bit of a push to start changing my room... or at least.. redecorating.

i definitely need to get some furniture up in here... i found an orange futon (love me hate me you gotta love the orange!!!!) that i'm most definitely going to purchase with my first paycheck from the preds... and i would like to get two more armchairs if possible to make a little sitting area in my room. heres the deal... my room has ceilings that are quite low and the color of the walls are almost a grayish tone brownish type deal and its kinda hard to brighten up the room... i want my room to feel spacious and cozy... but its just not doing that and i have no idea how to do it. i definitely want to add some more decorations on the wall and, as i said, more furniture for a sitting area... but im just not exactly sure how to make the place more SPACIOUSSSS....

another thing is that i have A LOT of built in shelving space. and since i dont have that much shtuff... i dont have anything to put on the shelves!!! what to do????

project room redecoration... BEGIN!!

just trying to show you my low ceilings and the amount of awkward empty space that i have...

this is the part of the room where i think i need to put the most "stuff" in. my futon?? armchairs?? a coffee table?? something to make it feel cozier and more welcome... ideas???

swimming with the fish

2010-05-03T09:29:00.003-05:00

nashville has gone underwater. the biggest storm i've ever experienced came through the metro nashville area this past weekend and it seems like half the city has flooded. thousands of pictures and videos have been posted on websites and sent into news stations and thankfully i have not personally been affected by any of it. the roommates boyfriend, however, has not been able to go home yet and the status of his belongings is still to be determined. hopefully everything is ok and he does not find fish watching his tv.

it has utterly been madness around nashville. news stations were airing what seemed to be a 24/7 weather forecast yesterday. homes have been lifted off their foundation and moved into neighbors' yards, rivers overflooding, store windows breaking because of the pressure from water... madness!! the cumberland river, which is about 5 blocks from where i work, was projected to go 50 feet above where it usually stands. i'm not sure how much it actually flowed over but i do know that the first two blocks closest to the river definitely were flooded in.

current forecast:

70 and fair.

just a couple pictures from the weekend:

health care

2010-03-19T11:03:00.003-05:00

obama's proposal for a new health care bill.
for those of you that are like me and know little and don't quite follow politics but are somewhat interested to know what's going on... here are the 101's of obamas new health care bill..

USA Today Article - Highlights of health care bill

college basketball and graduation rates

2010-03-18T10:23:00.002-05:00

one of my biggest pet peeves about college basketball is the one and done rule. how are student athletes supposed to be STUDENT athletes if all they concentrate on is trying to get into the NBA? Take... for example... John Wall. Idolized for his athletic ability and treated like he is a god... I guarantee you that Wall takes decently easy classes, barely goes to them, and walks around campus like he rules the world. He is an amazing athlete and will definitely do well in the NBA... but are athletes really benefiting from getting out of college so fast? Many basketball players come from low economic backgrounds and getting into college is their one chance to get a decent education. But they are passing up this opportunity to play. I understand that they will be making millions of dollars later on.. but this is only a small percentage of players that can get into the NBA and really make a living out of it. or... at least... making a living that they've always dreamed of.

anyway. point of the story (because i could really go on and on about it)... is that the US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, just suggested a solution: low grad rates = ban from post season play. Duncan suggests that if 40% of a college basketball team does not graduate, then the team cannot participate in the post season.

my thoughts? initially a good start, but the plan definitely needs to be thought out and developed a little bit more. on the one hand i think its a good idea because these players/coaches/colleges need to know that there should be consequences for not putting a bigger focus on education. but on the other hand... i think it's going to encourage a lot more cheating and push athletes to less academically focused schools because those are the ones that can take them and heretotherefore... just ignores the rule altogether and what the government is trying to do.

anywhoo.... there is my little rant about that.

enjoy the rest of the day!!

one shining moment

2010-03-15T14:12:00.004-05:00

march madness if FINALLY here

and in honor of my favorite time of the year....
one shining moment.

eat.

2010-03-11T10:17:00.002-06:00

so once again i'm getting updated on current nashville events via my google reader and i find... Alphabedible Adventures... it's a blog that's doing an A-Z report on nashville restaurants. i'm actually pretty excited about this blog and the fact that it's going to probably give me some good little hidden gems in the area. STOKED.

SEC Tournament is in Nashville this weekend and I'm pretty excited for it, and pretty sick of it already. already seeing a sea of blue and freakin overly obnoxious kentucky fans. wouldn't be that perturbed by it but i'm working at the bar pretty much all weekend and those fans can get kind of annoying. o well... they are fillin up my pocket with a pretty good chunk of change so i should not be complaining.

and lastly... roommate, friend (future roommie) and i are planning to move into a house... hopefully within the next couple months. we've been looking all over, trying to live in west nashville... but our budget is not allowing it and we've been lookin around east nashville (aka not so nice part of town). HOWEVER... we have found a pretty nice little place that seems pretty safe (people goin on jogs, families walkin around, close to a REALLY good restaurant/cantina aka YAY) so i'm pretty excited. hopefully we get the house cuz it will be a lot of fun during the spring and summer.

i hate to report that i really haven't been doing much over the past couple weeks/months. just a lot of work and a lot of bad weather. i did go to new york last weekend for my birthday. spent time with the sister and stayed with michelle in brooklyn who has a GORGEOUS apartment. spent most of our days just chillin and relaxin, enjoyin the new york scene. kinda wish i documented it more but... kind of went on a whim-ish and just wanted to relax and not worry bout anything nashville. enjoying my time with friends and family. great weekend.

anywhooooo thats bout it. till next time.

NEW HILARIOUS OLD SPICE!!

2010-03-10T13:28:00.002-06:00

HILARIOUS!!

i hate birds

2010-03-10T10:11:00.003-06:00

apparently... the dense fog in Clarksville, TN was the reason why so many birds were found dead in the area. WKRN news reported that the fog caused low visibility and eventually led to birds running into trees and powerlines.

they're stupid... hahaha

poetry

2010-03-03T16:26:00.002-06:00

i dont know how i got on this subject again... but last year there was a moment in time when i was SOO into poetry slams.

new one that i just found.
holy crying at work.

sartorialist

2010-02-25T16:18:00.002-06:00

so i subscribe to many feeds via google reader. one of my favorites is to the Sartorialist... a blog consisted mostly of fashion through the eyes of a photographer. he takes some wonderful pictures and i love just looking at what people are wearing around the world. the following photo is taken from the blog and can i just say... i want to go to brazil.

:o) can you blame me??

google reader - explore

2010-02-25T12:56:00.001-06:00

cute.

news update

2010-02-24T12:05:00.003-06:00

TN may lift ban on fish tanks in barbershops... thank god! the world just was not the same with no fish tanks!

Police: Drunk Memphis mom runs through school with sword... crazy woman

michigan not in compliance

2010-02-23T17:08:00.003-06:00

NCAA finds the University of Michigan to be out of compliance with practice time rules. Although I do not condone this type of behavior, I am not surprised. Tell me one school that follows the rules line by line. Every university that fights for the national title probably requires their players more time in the weight room, in the tape room, or on the field, more than allowed. It is not only us, it is everybody. I can guarantee that most programs across the nation "require" their players to spend more time practicing... saying that they have an option whether they want to have extra sessions. However, when it comes down to playing time, coaches will most likely put in players who are making the most progress, aka those kids who are putting in more time. It is not only pressure from coaches, but pressure from fans, media, the university as a whole, and the professional leagues.

Why does it have to be like this???

remember him??

2010-02-05T10:28:00.001-06:00

ekpe udoh is apparently doing big things at baylor.
way to let another get away michigan....

google reader

2010-02-02T12:44:00.002-06:00

if you have google reader and you haven't tried your little explore option, you should definitely do it. there's always really cool stories, cartoons, and pictures that you normally would not discover. this picture was created by waldo lee. a really cool design that hopefully i can recreate. better yet... i hope to come up with my own designs that are just as cool. for now... i guess i'll stick to learning the programs and following tutorials...

google reader "explore" option...

2010-01-30T11:10:00.003-06:00

breakfast at tiffany's

2010-01-30T01:24:00.005-06:00

HELLA snowing today in nashville. since the minute i woke up this morning (8.30) until right now... (1:37) it has not stopped snowing. allright... i'm exaggerating a little bit... but its probably only stopped for an hour or something along those lines... absolutely ridiculous!!! i thought i was living in the south where it's supposed to be warm-ish!! o how i was wrong... was only at work today for a little under 3 hours when i receive an email saying that staff was allowed to go home early to avoid bad weather and bad traffic. surprised... but very happy. i was a little afraid that i was gonna come home and just sit on my ass for the rest of the day... but i was quite proud of myself. got a lot of random stuff done. got things paid, sent out, and checked off my to do list. very happy...

but it's now 1.40 am in the morning and i just finished watching breakfast at tiffany's. since weather was crappy, roommate and i decided to stay in and watch a movie... i forgot how much i love old movies of the 60's and 70's... where cinematography and story lines actually matter and the movie just feels so authentic. i'm so glad that my parents exposed me to movies like singing in the rain, an american in paris, charade, sabrina, gone with the wind, among other classics. i feel like i definitely have a great appreciate for movies as art.

anywhooo... so i really do love breakfast at tiffany's. audrey hepburn and george peppard. i havent watched this movie in AGES and completely forgot what it was even about. i just knew that i loved it. one MAJOR thing that i really wasnt aware of was GEORGE PEPPARD. hello handsome!!!! such a classically handsome man. simple suit, straight tie, and amazing hair and eyes :o) for your viewing pleasure:

o to live in the 60s and 70s... what an era. and how bout that audrey hepburn. every movie that she's in she's just an upstanding female icon. although she ultimately plays a hooker in breakfast at tiffany's... she does so in a very classy way. and talk about fashion sense!!! oy vay!!

simple and elegant. glamorous and classic.

LOVIN IT.

allright... thats all i had to say about that.

nighty night.

asian market

2010-01-28T11:51:00.004-06:00

so after four long months in nashville, tennessee... i finally decided to venture into an asian market. i've been longing for some dried tofu for quite some time now so i decided that it was finally time. i've been scared, up till now, to try and find asian markets or eat at chinese restaurants because there aren't that many asian people here. if there are no asian people... how do you open up asian markets? but after delving through yelp.com... i finally decided to visit k&s asian market.

my review of the place is that it's not bad at all and i will definitely visit again when i run out of the food that i really didnt need to purchase but did anyway (so typical). the place is pretty big with a good variety of foods. the produce section is quite gigantic and they have many of the things that i miss about asian markets. a good mix of bak choy and collard greens, string beans and daikon... i will definitely have to make up a list and plan out what asian dishes i will cook before visiting next time. the tofu selection was small but adequate as they had the soft tofu and the dried tofu which i'm TOTALLY excited to cook and eat. they had a huge selection of sauces, oils, and canned goods. they also had a good variety of frozen foods, which i purchased plenty of. some dumplings, rolls, and fish balls (to be cooked with the bak choy. sounds gross but really delicious.)

anyway. im quite excited for my purchases and cant wait to get a cookin!!!

DONATE NOW

2010-01-22T20:43:00.001-06:00

hopeforhaitinow.org

tayst lunch specials

2010-01-22T11:28:00.002-06:00

one more thing i almost forgot!!

as i was reading over my google reader for the morning... i discovered an article about tayst restaurant... its a super nice trendy expensive place to go eat in nashville. WELLLL... i found out that every tuesday-friday, they're now having $8 lunch specials which i'm super excited about. each day tayst head chef jeremy barlow will post on his twitter page the lunch special of the day. yesterday was the first day they had this quickbytes special and he featured Saffron and tomato braised chicken leg from emerald Glenn farms. Winter vegetable quinoa pilaf. Cornbread.

todays special

1/22. Sasparilla and stout lamb burrito, kale tortilla, black eye pea relish, cornbread

yum.

vintage shopping

2010-01-22T11:24:00.010-06:00

so i've recently gotten into this crazy vintage shopping addiction. i think it all started when i realized that i had to wear nice clothing to work everyday...

which led to my wardrobe being obsolete...

which led to doing a little of shopping here and there...

which led to my frustration with work clothes and how matronly it all looked..

which led to me going online and searching some online blogs and finding a couple that i liked...

which led to a liking of vintage clothing...

which led to me doing a little bit of online vintage shopping...

which led to even more online vintage shopping...

moral of the story...

http://www.etsy.com/category/vintage

some good clothing for decent prices.

once again... another day in the office...

2010-01-21T11:07:00.002-06:00

ringling brothers are in town this weekend.

just saw some elephants walking down the street.

just another day...

:o)

another day in the office

2010-01-20T10:09:00.004-06:00

so there's not much to do today. team's on the road for about a week and a half so its gonna slow down a bunch here in the office. heretotherefore... another day of news updates... ENJOY.

- if any of you are under bank of america, like i am, here's an update on their current situation aka not good. even though BofA is the biggest bank in the nation, theyve been having some financial troubles... ironic.

- what???? read this article... random man slapped a woman's child after the toddler began crying. what is wrong with people??

- San Diego mayor has a change of heart about gay marriage. Although his daughter told him in 2003 that she was a lesbian, the mayor had voted against gay marriage in California in 2008. Mayor Sanders apparently stated in a press conference that he was being prejudice and that he was shocked at the depth of hurt among the gay community. no shit sherlock!! youre telling gay people that they cannot have the same rights as the straight person next to them... of course theyre going to be hurt!! he's a smart one.

- and in politics today... obama wants more money put into education. our prez proposes putting $1.35 billion into the 2011 budget for the Race to the Top program, where states compete for grants. these grants will reward states that make the most progress and obama plans to open the competition to individual districts. im glad homeboy barack has made plans for education but i feel like people with money do better in progress and test scores anyway. so why reward states/districts that already have funds to do more when you can put the money towards those that are really NEEDING it. i know this is a difficult situation... but that's my 2 cents.

- lastly... on wednesday haiti suffered a 6.1 magnitude aftershock about 6.2 miles deep. this has been the largest aftershock since the 7.0 earthquake late last week. there are so many different organizations that you can lend a helping hand to just by donating a simple $5. every dollar counts. pick one and help!!

and one more thing.

kate hudson

my book.

best dressed.

GORGEOUS!!!

the following was posted on craiglist...

2010-01-19T10:58:00.001-06:00

Why I Didn’t Buy You a Drink – m4w – 22 (Downtown)

You: Cute girl at the bar.
Me: The guy you chatted with while waiting for our drinks.
The Topic: Why I didn’t buy you a drink.
The Audience: Women everywhere, please read this. I know it’s long, but I feel the length is expedient to truly illustrating and arguing my point.

I was waiting to order right as things were getting crazy. It was obvious that it would be a long wait. What can I say? I can’t compete with all the douches yelling for jager bombs. It was then that you appeared. A cute, petite, slightly hipster-ish girl standing next to me, waiting to order as well. The conversation began in the typical manner, simply relating on how frustrating it is when you spend half a night out just waiting for a drink. It then evolved into a true conversation. I spent the next twenty minutes finding out you have great taste in music, movies and literature. You laughed at my jokes, and that’s a big deal to average-looking guys like me.
Unfortunately, after we’d both finished our respective drinks, but were still immersed in discussion, you dropped a bomb that sent shrapnel into my heart.

“So are you gonna buy me a drink or what?”

I had been dreading this moment. I’ve learned from hard experience that any prolonged conversation with a girl at a club or a bar inevitably requires a fee of rum and coke, vodka tonic, or God forbid, a cosmo. As cute as you were, I felt obligated to retain my self-respect.

“Sorry, I don’t buy girls drinks. Just kind of my policy.”

You looked at me like I told you I was going to rape your dog Charlie (yes, I remember his name). Your face morphed from a beautiful smile into a twisted caricature of shock, revulsion, and utter disbelief.

“Seriously, you’re not gonna buy me a drink? What’s your problem?”

Well sweetheart, let me explain to you in detail my logic regarding this decision that you found so unbelievable:

1. I’ve been going to bars for a couple of years now. I enjoy meeting people when I do. I enjoy meeting attractive girls like yourself. I have, however, learned that buying girls drinks is a sucker’s game. Yes, it has developed into sharing my bed for the night a couple times, but 90% of the time, all it does is give me a higher bar tab. Now you might say I’m a prick for expecting a girl to sleep with me just because I buy her a drink. I agree an $8 cocktail does not and should not equal a sexual encounter. However, I believe spending time and money on a girl when I could be having a good night out with my friends does entitle me at least one of the following things: You reciprocating by buying me a drink, you giving me your phone number and/or going out on a date with me, where once again I will be spending time and money on you. Notice that sex is not a requirement or expectation that is coupled with any of these options. Now, of course, if I had offered to buy you a drink, and you accepted, you are not obligated to any of these things. The big distinction here is that you asked me to buy you a drink, and were shocked that I wouldn’t do so. This brings me to my second point.

2. You know exactly what you’re doing. You’re an attractive girl, and when you go out there is no shortage of guys offering to buy you drinks. You know that they are all doing so with the hope that it will lead to sex with you. You know that it’s not going to happen, but you will accept the free drinks anyway. I don’t hold this against you. If they’re dumb enough to think that buying you a drink is the key to your heart and that they are somehow different from the other Ed Hardy-wearing frat-bros then it’s their own damn fault. You’re using your god-given assets to get free alcohol, nothing wrong with that. But it is precisely because I know that you do this that I will not be another douche who thinks he can get into your pants with a mixed drink. It’s insulting to my dignity as a man and your honor as a woman. I noticed you when you first walked in. I saw you dancing with that hopeless collar-popper. I saw him go to the bar and bring a drink back to you on the dancefloor. I saw how the second the glass was in your hand, you gave him the “Thanks for the drink, it was really nice meeting you” treatment complete with the obligatory pat on the chest. I saw the pathetic, defeated look on his face as you walked away. He will enter the next round of bar hopping a little wiser I hope.

3. You took my unwillingness to fall into such a trap as an insult. You accused me of being stuck-up. You then said that I had a chance at fucking you, but that I’d ruined it by being an asshole. What exactly are you trying to tell me? That the asinine idea that getting a girl a drink will get you in her pants is actually true? That your decision of whether or not to sleep with a guy is based on him liquoring you up? We had a good conversation, and maybe you were actually interested in me. But the fact that any rapport we built was destroyed when I wouldn’t buy you a gin and tonic means that I am no longer interested in you. Not all guys are desperate sperm donors. Some of us actually value a good conversation, and we value girls who have enough respect for themselves that they don’t view sex as a transaction.

4. We established during our conversation that we are both broke-ass fine arts students. Why then would you expect that I, someone who shares your financial woes, would want to spend money on you, a girl I just met? I don’t believe that chivalry is dead. I’ll hold a door for you, I’ll pull out your chair or take your coat. I’ll help you change a flat tire, carry you over deep puddles, figure out the remote, reset your modem. I’ll even help you move when I know you a little better. Why? Because I’m a gentleman. I will not, however, buy you a drink under the pretense that it is what a gentleman does, because I simply cannot afford it. If you want a guy who can afford to buy you whatever you want, find a fifty year-old sugar daddy. There was no shortage of potentials at the bar the other night.

I hope this illustrated my thought-process clearly enough. I hope you realize that you seemed amazing at first, and that declining to buy you a drink was in no way an insult. Your reaction, however, revealed the self-entitled, game-playing she-devil that was lurking underneath. I thank god for the out that he provided at that moment though. Just after you finished your little rant on what I dick I was for not boozing you up, a group of girls emerged at the bar right behind you. Two of these girls were thin and pretty. They immediately got the attention of some bros and had free drinks within minutes. The third girl was overweight and out of place. She had clearly spent a great deal of time and effort on her appearance, but alas, she was once again forsaken by her prettier friends and left to stand by herself, looking miserable. Luckily, I know when the universe has given me a profound gift. There were two incredible moments that filled me with an elation that could not be rivaled by the orgasm I would have had while fucking you. The first was the sincere, excited smile that the chubby girl gave me when I moved past you and asked what she wanted to drink. The second was turning back and seeing the look of horror on your face. You pathetic “have fun with the fatty” remark as you walked away was priceless. I may be broke, but I was willing to go into the red to make this girl’s night and to piss you off. I’m sure as soon as you left you got plenty of free drinks and plenty of idiots drooling over you. I just hope that I got under your skin enough to prevent any enjoyment of those things.

I had a great night. I introduced the big girl to an open-minded friend, and as I write this they are across the hall having loud sex. Normally going to bed alone, subjected to the sounds of raucous lovemaking across the hall would be a serious downer. But tonight, as I crawl into my lonely bed, I will go to sleep comforted by the fact that I have retained my self-respect. Having encountered more than a few spoiled bimbos, I infer that sex with you would have consisted of you lying on your back expecting me to be so grateful that I’m seeing your “hot” naked bod makes up for the fact that you are putting absolutely no effort into this sexual experience. This may just be me trying to justify going to bed alone tonight, but hey, what can you do?

The moral: Ladies, accept drinks if they are offered. Do not expect them. And if you’re feeling particularly wild on a given night, offer to buy the guy a drink. He will be instantly smitten.

HILARIOUS!!!!!

bits and pieces

2010-01-19T10:21:00.004-06:00

some current events/news/info/useless facts...

- had no idea until this week that ke$ha is actually from nashville... apparently, she actually dropped out of brentwood high (bout 20 minutes from where i am) to pursue a career in los angeles. pretty interesting!

- does anyone know that lion market (i think that's what its called) in san jose?? that asian market near harker?? well... i saw a place calle Food Lion in Nashville for the first time and i totally thought i had found an asian market!!! but unbenknownst me.... it's just an everyday average market that apparently is slowly going out of business... SO CLOSE!!

- athlete woes continue. kenny britt, one of the titan's leading wide receivers, was arrested for outstanding traffic warrants. why is it that athletes feel like they can get away with things?? it doesnt make any sense... especially cuz these days not only are the po crackin their whips a little more, but their violations are becoming even more public. goodness gracious... why can't we just have some good athlete influences around herr??

- lastly... cuz i have to get back to work... BEP concert feat LMFAO FEBRUARY 12th... I CANNOT WAIT. nashville welcomes amie erin and aaron!!! tminus 25 days!!

oh... one more thing

i wish i had money...

vickie chien reels

2010-01-13T23:22:00.002-06:00

created a new website

http://vickiechienreels.blogspot.com/

basically my demo reel with videos that i've been working on

on blogspot

would love suggestions for improvement.

because i didnt want to spend money on a domain name :o)

rewind.

2010-01-07T11:45:00.000-06:00

it's snowing in nashville.

weather scare

2010-01-07T10:02:00.003-06:00

"Please note that our offices will be open tomorrow and we will have the game. We’ll keep you posted for the possibility of early doors. Please note the below winter weather status update from the Office of Emergency Management.

“Winter weather advisory was issued and goes into effect from 3am Thursday morning to 6pm Thursday night. Anticipating 1-2 inches of snow and it is expected to reach the Nashville area approximately 6am Thursday morning. Temperatures anticipated around 18-20 degrees tonight and approximate high tomorrow of 31 degrees with a low at approximately 8-11 degrees. Also expecting gusty winds 20-25 mph tomorrow after the front passes.”

Please be cautious tomorrow morning and use your best judgment when traveling in."

That is an email that I received from the Predators office. People around town are FREAKIN OUT bout this 1-3 inches of snow that we're supposed to be getting today. And apparently... what people in Nashville do when they're freaked out about the weather is go to Kroger and buy all the milk and bread that they can get their hands on. I guess they're afraid that they're gonna get stuck in and can't leave their homes... ridic.

it is 10.11 am
guess how many inches of snow there are on the ground??
zero.

unexpected movie review

2010-01-04T14:47:00.003-06:00

unlike many... i was one person that was not that interested in the new movie, Avatar. I thought that the hype was overrated and the commercials didnt seem that appealing. the fact that it was a 3d movie was even more of a turn off because... who cares if its 3d?? so alas... i was expecting to go through life, sans avatar.

while on vacation in good ol' san jose... both friends and family (aka sister) told me great things about the movie. although they didnt mention the plot or the point of the movie, they kept on saying how good it was and how many times they've seen it... that it was a must see in 3d and that they couldnt believe how good it was. heretotherefore, i thought i should spend the $14 to see this so-called blockbuster hit. the first time i tried to see it, tickets were sold out. a little disappointed but no hurt feelings. instead, i watched sherlock holmes (which btw... is a pretty good movie in itself). i didn't get a chance to see avatar until i came back to nashville.

this is my movie review..

GOOD LORD IT'S GOOD!!

as i said before, i was not looking forward to this movie nor did i have any expectations so that might have contributed to the enjoyability factor of this movie. however... without giving away any details about the story line, i would just like to say that all the rumors are true. this movie is aMAZING! not only is the story line good, but the acting is good, the animation is good, the action is good, the pacing, suspense, direction, all of it is good good and good. i was super impressed.

my absolute favorite part of the movie is its use of color and lighting. i think the 3d factor definitely contributed to the color's power and definitely added to its importance in the story line. the brightness and deliberate use of color made the movie even more enjoyable and told a story of its own. AMAZING. ive been trying to find a "making of" on youtube/internet about the movies use of color and lighting, but no luck so far. if anyone finds anything... holla.

and i must agree with my sister to go see the movie in 3d. not only is it a cool thing to be sitting in a movie theater and having things in the movie pop out at you, but you get this feeling like you're actually living in their world and that although youre sitting in one spot, you are fully immersed in their story, almost seeing life through the eyes of the characters. in addition, i think the 3d-ness of the movie really helps with the story. it adds another extremely dynamic aspect to the movie.

but again... the movie as a whole was super good. the development of the main characters was super good too. even though it was very predictable where the characters would actually end up, i think that James Cameron did a great job to develop them in a way that still surprised you in the end. he kept you waiting for the moment that we all knew was essentially coming.

long story short... go see the movie.

back to nashville we go.

2009-12-29T11:26:00.006-06:00

as i sit at the airport I realize that my Christmas vacation is now officially over and I need to start thinking about what I'm doing for the rest of my time in Nashville (however long that may be). i might not be back to san jose for awhile which is definitely a little bit weird and scary and it kinda makes me realize that im basically a real person and my home is not in the bay anymore. i permanently reside in nashville, tn. WEIRD. but enough about what i need to start doing :o)... these past couple days at home have been so amazing and relaxing and even though i didnt go out as much as i wanted to and definitely didnt play as much basketball as i wanted to... i still had a great time at home, as always i suppose. I always forget how great a place san jose is. i feel like the sunny weather just makes the place so relaxing and everything so happy. LOVE IT.

definitely had a lot of fun with the fam this break too. weve started this annual tradition of renting a cabin out in tahoe and spending a couple days eating great food and doing a little bit of snowboarding. does anyone else notice that now that we (aka the kids) have grown up a little, we tend to laugh with our parents a little bit more? i dont get why this really didnt happen before. i feel like i have a lot more fun with my parents these days when i see them. for example... we went down to castro street for dinner one night at this little japanese place and my family and i just had a lot of good conversation and just laughed a lot. i dont know if my parents have loosened up or ive become more tolerant or what it is... but i really like this new relationship that we have. dont get me wrong... they still hella annoy me sometimes... but... i think weve found this nice little balance in life and i'm really enjoying it.

the new year is right around the corner and its time to start thinking about resolutions. yes, these may not last, but i think its a good idea to think of some, just to get your brain thinking about what you can be doing.

RESOLUTION #1

roommate and i already have one more our little household: stretch every night. my roommate used to be a gymnast and i a dancer and we were talking the other night about how we used to be able to do so much and now.... i can barely bend down and touch my toes. its actually hella sad and heretotherefore... our goal is to stretch.

RESOLUTION #2

obvious resolution that every other female in the world has: get on a workout schedule. i played a game of basketball at the local nashville Y before i came home to san jose and let me tell ya... HUFFIN AND PUFFIN. it was majorly hard and majorly depressing. remember the days when we could run up and down the court for hours (well... not exactly hours but close enough) and be on the court playing entire games?? yeah... those were the good ol' days. i still try to go to the gym on a consistent basis but it gets hella hard when i gotta work preds during the day and waitressing and night. i have to tell myself to get off my ass and just go to the gym on the weekends, which i havent been doing. i just gotta do it... get back in shape, play more BASKETBALL because i definitely miss it

RESOLUTION #3

i definitely need to cook more. i've been slacking just cuz... again.. its getting hard. when i get home i just want to do nothing. but i need to start cooking... healthy and start buying good groceries. maybe get csa and buy some local grown fruits and veggies. i miss stir fry and good food. need to start cooking.

RESOLUTION #4

i think i've been pretty good about finding things to do... but... i think resolution #4 is that i need to be inspired. talking with one of my bests at home... she has all these magazine clippings and pictures of clothes or apartments that inspire her to create her own creations. i need to start getting inspired and wanting to create things or go try things or go do things. i think this is the biggie.

ok... theyre calling us to board

here are some cute ass pictures from home.

enjoy.

HOME.

2009-12-17T18:59:00.001-06:00

home.

current events

2009-12-16T10:26:00.010-06:00

just a couple stories from my google reader:

Ben Bernanke is person of the year... 56 year old Ben Bernanke oversees the Fed which controls the nation's money supply and sets short term interest rates, which, has a huge impact on unemployment, inflation, and the strength of the dollar... I guess I should remember that times can be worse.

Enjoying Breakfast at the White House... I want to go to DC and randomly visit the white house so I can be invited to a breakfast!! Remember... sex appeal :o)

More bad news for Tiger... Man... this man just cannot get a break! Doctor passes out drugs, more girlfriends, and now his wife moving out?! Geezus... this whole mess is exploding right in front of his face!! sorry tiger but you deserve it! But the one thing I find the most hilarious is that TMZ is apparently the most reliable source for this whole shbang. I feel like every tom, dick, and jane of the news industry relies on TMZ for their information. Funny.

Same Sex Marriage Approved in DC!!! Congrats to DC for legalizing same sex marriage. Now if only the rest of the nation can get on the same page. It's interesting how DC, the capital of the United States, has legalized same sex marriage and the government, which is located and centralized in the same city, has yet to do the same. Interesting.

Comcast putting shows on the internet... To further follow up on my previous post about comcast taking over the media industry... Comcast is allowing those who subscribe both to their TV and internet services to have access to shows on the internet. Once Comcast gets their hands on NBC... all hell will break loose.

AND FINALLY...

Top Features Photos of 2009... The Tennessean posted their photos of the year today and some of them are pretty cool... Here are some of my favorites:

enjoy.

nashville inspiration

2009-12-15T13:42:00.002-06:00

was surfing my google reader per usual and came upon this the other day:
Worldwide photo shoot turns camera on those often overlooked

Photographer Jeremy Cowart from Nashville, TN started out with a simple idea to basically have free photo sessions for just everyday people. His local project turned into a global event. On December 12th, people from all over the world volunteered to provide 24 hours photo services. Some came to take pictures for themselves while others took a jump start to the holidays and took familiy photos. Thousands of people came to take advantage of the opportunity. The project allowed thousands of those less fortunate to feel beautiful. I always find it amazing when people start out with such a simple idea but it spreads like wildfire and turns into this great big thing. Love what he's doing.

On another note... roommate and I were really excited for this new show that's on just this week... NBC's the Sing-Off is basically an accappella version of America's Best Dance Crew. It's a little cheesy in it's format but the singing is AMAZING. It's on every night this week on NBC so if you're the least bit interested in any form of musical performance... check it out because it's honestly REALLY good. these people are super talented. plus... groups are performing recent pop songs tonight and some of these mens are... yummy.

big 12?

2009-12-14T10:16:00.002-06:00

i know that the big ten is already really the big 11.. but another team? the big 12?? we'll see how that goes. i'm torn on how i feel about notre dame coming into the conference. on the one hand... it'll be great for rivalries. we already play them every year so them being in the conference would just add to the hype and importance of the game. hate to say it but they're a great program with great tradition, every thing a big "10" team is all about. pro. BUT... ugh. just don't want to be affiliated whatsoever with notre dame. con.

photos of the year

2009-12-11T10:06:00.001-06:00

sports illustrated just came out with their photos of the year issue.... which is basically my favorite issue. here's a pretty good one... GO BLUE.

bcs playoff??

2009-12-09T14:26:00.002-06:00

i agree.... congress has much better things to worry about than the bcs playoff system. although i personally dont like the bowl system... i don't think that congress should worry about it. it's not up to them. politics and sports don't mix. let it go.

clothes.

2009-12-08T14:54:00.001-06:00

obsessed.

monday news update

2009-12-07T11:16:00.005-06:00

cows lick home, owner calls sheriff
only in tennessee

urban meyer hospitalized with dehydration
o florida... how i dont really care

hillsboro village offers bounty of christmas shopping possibilities
kinda wanna go check this out... definitely on my to do list

are these gifts on your list? we don't want them
snuggie please...

Tennessean of the Year Nominees
i need to do something with my life...

bep.

2009-12-04T11:40:00.002-06:00

BLACK EYED PEAS COMES TO NASHVILLE!!

i want tickets!!

taking over the world

2009-12-04T10:38:00.003-06:00

comcast has just bought a 51% share of NBC Universal. Does this make anyone else just a tad bit nervous?? The debate is mainly concerned with whether comcast will charge more or less because of this new relationship... but what i'm mostly thinking about is the fact that comcast now has the power to decide what gets distributed on one of the most powerful media networks in the world. nbc has a huge say in news, sports, entertainment, EVERYTHING. comcast has a huge say in what we see on tv, internet, phones... it just makes me nervous.

inspiration

2009-12-02T16:47:00.003-06:00

talk about goosebumps.

so i'm trying to find some highlight music videos at work to draw a little inspiration from. one shining moment is an obvi... but i had trouble thinking of other sports that do anything remotely close to the ncaa basketball tournament. so i asked around and i thought id share with you a little thing called inspiration. thank you to michael lowe who provided me with my new favorite video of all time. HOLY MOLY is all i gotta say....

fun filled food day

2009-12-02T10:26:00.006-06:00

urbanspoon.com is now my favorite website (well... not absolute favorite but its definitely up there). it has most definitely helped me in the quest for new and local places to eat. every time i want to explore something different, urbanspoon is my go to. i realize that i might be a late bloomer and people probably already know of the site... but if not... i definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to try something new to eat but just doesn't know where to go.

but on to the good stuff... yesterday was quite the exploring-nashville-food day. im getting a little sick of my turkey leftovers so the roommate and i planned to go out for lunch. thanks to my new bff urby... i found a little place called the garden brunch cafe. i was a little hesitant to try it out becuase i couldnt see the menu online but the place looked nice and urby said that the dishes were under $10 (holla!!) so roommate and i decided to try it out.

the cafe is only about a 5-10 minute drive north from downtown and its in an area that i havent really visited before. i made a wrong turn once and found myself in a nice little neighborhood and considered possibly moving (but that's a completely different story). roommate and i met up and walked in. the place looked like it was a house converted into a little cafe and was quaint and cute. lots of dining tables with a small bar area in the back and a fire place area to the right. in the dining room was, as courtney commented, "the smallest stage ever," but i thought it was perfect considering the amount of space there was, or lack thereof.

anywho... walked in and sat down. waiter brought us the menus: a breakfast and a lunch menu. the menus were limited but all looked delicious. the breakfast menu had everything from omelettes to pancakes to plain sausage, toast, and egg plates. the lunch menu mainly consisted of paninis but also had some other sandwich and soup options. what made everything look so good was that they were all made with fresh ingredients (as stated on the top) and when another table's food walked by... it looked DELICIOUS. i decided to go with a spinach omelette and added a little ham with it while roommate ordered the fiesta omelette. as we waited for our food... i noticed the laid back, jazzy ambience. the music playing was like a john coltrane... mary j blige sort of mix. i especially loved the paintings on the wall, there was a painting of muhammed ali... a vince young painting... some gig posters that were random but nice. the wait was quite long and considering that both roommate and i were on our lunch breaks and ultimately only had one hour to eat... i was getting quite impatient. but once the food came, i became quite satisfied. the omelette was quite perfect in size and came with a side of potatoes and toast. again... you could taste the freshness of the spinach and tomatoes and it was an overall quite delicious meal. the potatoes were really good, enjoyed them, and wish i had more. but the best thing was the portion. i left the garden brunch cafe quite full, yet, still wanting more. wouldn't mind going back.

later that night... i met up with a michigan aquaintance to watch the Michigan State vs. North Carolina basketball game. again... i wanted to try something different so i went to urby and looked up local sports bars and found this place called the Melrose. At first, I was hesitant (i guess i'm always hesitant) because it sounded so bouchy and haughty but decided to trust urby and go with the flow. once i got there, i took a seat at the bar and took a look around. the bar was quite spacious and had a lot of bar and booth seating. they had some really big booths that probably sat around 10ish people but also had smaller booths that sat bout 4. they had an adequate number of tvs and ultimately was a really good place to watch a game. their menu consisted of some basic appetizer options, some salads, burgers, sandwiches and wraps, your essentials for bar food. the bartender recommended some loaded fries, which he said, were quite popular because of the fact that they serve waffle fries. so... we decided to try it out. they weren't bad, a little much on the sour cream, but definintely filled me up, wish i tried a wrap. their beer selection was a little sub par, only having about 8 or so beers on tap. but.... i guess it gets the job done. the best thing about my experience last night was not only did they have the msu unc game going on... but they also had TRIVIA NIGHT!!! it was essentially pizza house styled trivia where you have to wager a number of points per question and a lot of their questions were pretty tough. definitely want to grab a group of friends together and try it out sometime. for all my michigan trivia going friends that are reading.... the team names at this place were def sub par. we can do better :o) but... i really enjoyed the feeling of the bar and will most definitely visit again... i can definitely seeing myself going there quite regularly :o)

but yes... that was my fun filled food day.... i am quite satisfied.

fun theory

2009-12-01T16:14:00.004-06:00

mom sent me this the other day....

http://www.thefuntheory.com/

making recycling fun

damsels in distress

2009-11-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

so went to go watch the new moon twilight movie last night. roommates birthday and she easily convinced me to go. i went with an open mind because i don't judge :o)

after watching the film, i didn't mind it so much. obviously it wasn't the greatest movie ever but what bothered me the most was the main female character. she bothered me o so much. let me give you a synopsis of the the three things she said during the movie: i need you, i'm lonely, don't die. what a damsel in distress and what a GREAT role model for all the little girls that are watching the movie. i absolutely hate when girls in movies are this type of character. main story line goes as follows: edward (vampire) leaves her to "protect her" and they don't speak. then... jacob (werewolf) comes in because she loves the girl obviously and tries to "protect her" from the vampires. the girl and jacob hang out together yada yada ya... but she won't love him because she's still so hung up on edward. so my little bone is a.) why do people have to protect her?? she can take care of her own shit. and b.) girlfriend needs to move on. if some boy left me and after so long i was not over him... i would hope to god that my friends would slap me in the face.

so life lesson: damsels in distress annoy me.

on another note...

ohio state sucks.

i hate them.

holy video.

2009-11-19T12:10:00.003-06:00

michigan vs ohio state

best rivalry
ever.

sushi.

2009-11-18T11:54:00.005-06:00

Last night I ventured out and had my second sushi tasting since moving to nashville at this place called Kobe Asian Restaurant which was essentially in the middle of nowhere. I'm guessing Tuesday nights are def not the most hoppin time to go cuz when we stepped in... it was ghost town USA. But enough chit chat... on to the food.

The sushi menu was actually pretty extensive. They had your usual california rolls, cucumber rolls, etc etc. I was actuaally quite impressed with the menu. Not only did they have sushi and all the essential japanese dishes such as udon and chirashi etc etc... but they also had thai dishes and the basic chinese dishes, which, after going and eating there, definitely want to try sometime. Seeing as how we are in nashville, I guess its crucial that Asian restaurants cover all Asian food. Kinda sucks... but we must deal. As always I decided to go with the philadelphia roll (gotta love that cream cheese) and the crunch roll. The crunch roll is Nashville, as it turns out, is apparently a little different. in the past, i've experience crunch rolls that were covered with these awesome little fried pieces (have no idea what they are) that made the sushi INCREDIBLY delicious. however... the roll i had last night had only a fried shrimp in the middle. although it was still good... a little disappointed. Another disappointment: choice of soup OR salad... not both?! good thing i wasn't TOO hungry... but i guess to make up for it... they do offer a little eggroll with your soup (which was quite delicious)

overall.. the experience was good. i liked the food and the place was actually quite comfy. although i couldn't understand what this one guy was saying (his accent was MAJORLY thick)... the people were friendly and i liked the place. the area is a little sketch but def a little hidden find... sushi was much needed :o)

GO BLUE.

2009-11-12T00:58:00.001-06:00

Five programs tasked with handling higher expectations:

. The Wolverines went from missing the NCAAs for 10 straight seasons to making the field this past March to suddenly appearing in most preseason top 15s. John Beilein has brought a lot of programs along in short order, but the current Michigan players certainly are unaccustomed to such preseason billing. The students are hearing the hype, having increased their season tickets purchased from 480 last year to 2,534 this year.

back home to nashville tomorrow.

what the...

2009-11-05T12:47:00.003-06:00

body was found in a trash can on MTSU's campus... holYYY!!!

brown's diner

2009-11-05T12:24:00.003-06:00

so a couple days ago... roommate and i decided to go out for lunch and try something new. after looking through a couple of websites, i decided on Brown's Diner off of 21st/Hillsboro Pike... aka near Vandy. I didn't see anything negative about the place and it seemed like a good place to go for lunch. so we went.

driving up to their parking lot it seemed hella shady. the place is right behind a small gas station and the diner itself seemed a little bit like a trailer. access to the parking lot is through a tight little driveway and courtney and i were both a little nervous to go in. however, we were pleasantly surprised with the insides. Brown's Diner is a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. It was a quaint little place... a good number of tables and a couple of booths and it also had a little bar area that was separate from the dining room. The menu was very simple with a few sandwich and burger options, as well as a couple of sides. Roommate and I both decided to get the bbq sandwich, which, as the waitress told us, is homemade.

on a side note... although the waitress was kind and quite good, she was a little off. i really don't know how to explain it she was definitely in her own little world. i liked it :o)

so back to the food. the pulled pork sandwich was delicious. i could've maybe used a little bit more in quantity, but i have to realize that i do eat on the excessive side. anywhooo... the bread was soft and the meat was just right. the bbq sauce that they had on hand was a perfect touch. overall... it was a very satisfying lunch at a really good, quaint, little restaurant. first exploration = thumbs up!!

jesus

2009-11-04T12:36:00.002-06:00

it's called... wash your windows.

101 days till the winter olympics

2009-11-03T11:09:00.005-06:00

getty images has archived some great photographs of the olympics over the years. from the very first games in athens in 1896 to the most recent in beijing (yay china!), getty has collected some of the coolest and most memorable photographs. i could spend hours looking at all their albums... but i obviously cant do that. however, here are some of my favorites that i have seen...

current events

2009-10-30T10:24:00.003-05:00

no one's in the office. my boss isn't here cuz he decided to take a day off to do some freelancing in memphis. the other 2 guys that i work here aren't here because... i have no idea why. i was gonna do a half day anyway but now... i'm thinking a quarter of a day will do just fine. alas... i will resort to do some casual reading on the web. here are some current events for today.

what makes people want to have sex with animals?? i clearly don't understand the appeal of it. i can't believe they have to create a law to say that this is illegal shtuff. shiver.

i have found my newest project: world's largest rubber ball. this man spent 6 years making a 400 lb. rubber ball. who has that kind of time?! 6 years!!

jay-z and alicia keys performing during the world series??!! so unfortunately i just read about it today... but you can watch it here. nice touch fox... nice touch. i absolutely ADORE alicia. what a voice and look at them boots... hey girl heyyyyy!!! and just a mental note... please look at the drummer. at around 53 seconds... you get a clear shot of a smile. heyyyyyyy. HAHAHAH... and please watch the whole thing. derek jeter... joba chamberlain... groovin. HILARIOUS.

bay area bridges are falling down... falling down. not only is the california economy falling apart, but so are our bridges. it was reported that pieces of steel were falling off the bridge and onto the roadway and have closed the bay bridge for now. but in all honesty... who wants to get to oakland anyway?? love you aaron chow!! :o)

on a more enjoyable note... my nashville predators had a shutout last night. 2-0 against the blackhawks!! moving up the rankings baby!! i shadowed our in house replay guy last night and saw how he operated the little machine thinga ma bob (technical term). apparently... people are in dire need of people who know how to use the EVS (real technical term) and have this skill. he said that the memphis grizzlies sometimes hire people from nashville, set up transportation for them and everything, because there is no one in broadcasting in the memphis area. not only that, but its a skill that is in need by a lot of teams. so i figure... if i learn how to do this... i can be a hot commodity. hopefully i can get good at it. it's quite confusing. lots o buttons.

that's all.

on the way home...

2009-10-26T21:42:00.012-05:00

it was a beautiful day in nashville today and it kinda sucked that i didn't feel like doing anything. since getting to work at 9.30 in the morning, all i could think about was getting home. as i left downtown nashville around 5.00pm... the sun was just starting to go down and the scene from the parking garage was incredibly beautiful. started taking pictures heading to my car and continued to do so as i drove home. might've been a little dangerous but it was just so nice outside... considered going hiking but then thought. eh :o)

michigan

2009-10-26T11:15:00.005-05:00

this past weekend i made the 8 hour drive to my beloved michigan. i've basically been looking forward to this trip for about 2 months, ever since i've moved out to good ol' nashville. although i've loved being in this new city and starting a new life, sometimes you just need to get a taste of the old. luckily, many of my friends felt the same way and so we had a little reunion of sorts, which made me even antsier to get there. although the bars were packed, weather was gross (typical michigan i guess), and the football game was less than satisfactory... my weekend was overall amazing. i was fortunate enough to see virtually everyone that i was looking forward to seeing and i was so happy that many of my friends took the extra effort to all come back on the same weekend.

walking around campus sunday morning, the sun was out and it was a beautiful fall morning in ann arbor. the trees were shades of orange, red, and brown and it was just a great day to be out and about. while it felt great to be back, it also felt incredibly weird. we had no agenda and no backpacks. we walked through the law quad, down south u, and through the diag. man o man do i miss being in ann arbor. i'm so glad that i went back and i really hope i can do it again soon...

oh the places we go...

2009-10-22T12:31:00.004-05:00

Seeing as how i've moved to nashville and don't know what there is to do around here, i've recently went on the web in search of some good local blogs that could give me a heads up on some good nashville culture including food, fashion, and general fun. apparently and unfortunately, there is a lack of blogging in the nashville area (or maybe i just cant find stuff).

so what i've decided to do is take it on myself... explore nashville and see the sights and sounds. On the occassion that I do have some free time from work, I think it'll be a good hobby to start taking some pictures, exploring the city, and go in search of those 3 fabulous F's. in addition... i've been lookin up a lot of current events lately so this would def be a good place to showcase a couple of interesting pieces... i sure do hope that i continue this little quest and get myself more acquainted with the city i now call home.