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thursday, november 16
i ran out of gas today
Well, kids! I'm back.
I've been trying to post entries today on blogger.com with little or no success. The only things I've managed to get through were my poem and the note regarding my "about page". Other than that I had a bunch of things to say but they somehow got lost from point A to point B... very, very frustrating.
Anyway, I ran out of gas on the freeway today. Can you believe that?
I think the last time I ran out of gas was during my college days. But a little explanation is needed. Last week I got the go ahead to borrow my Dad's pickup truck. He doesn't use it anymore, so he let me borrow it (sort of indefinitely) so that I could give my big, behemoth SUV a little rest, and save on gas as well.
My Dad's truck is old, but it runs well. He's one of those guys who faithfully maintains his vehicles, changes the oil precisely when required, gets the vehicle tuned up regularly, and everything else.
Anyway, on the way to pick up my son from school, I noticed the gas gauge was down to 1/8 tank and so I thought I'd opt to get gas AFTER I picked up my son. Of course, that turned out to be a wrong decision.
So, my son and I are driving down the freeway, headed for home, when all of a sudden the engine starts to sputter and we lose power. I coast over a couple of lanes and pull over to the emergency lane and turn on my flashers. I look at the gas gauge and it still says 1/8 tank. "Hmmm..."
I try starting the truck and the engine revs! And we drive for another mile until the truck AGAIN starts to sputter, and so we end up coasting into the nearest freeway exit, whipping around the corner and into this street. We come to a complete stop in the middle of nowhere.
Miraculously, I try to start the engine and ONCE AGAIN and it revs up! And we end up traveling for another half mile before the truck comes to a complete stop in front of this fire station!
Well thank God for stopping in front of a fire station. By then I figured out we were out of gas and that the gas gauge was inaccurate. Fortunately, we were able to "borrow" a gallon of gas from the fire station, and I thanked the fire captain for helping us out. We were able to drive to the nearest gas station where I filled the tank, finally!
Anyway, I was at the gas station pumping gas when this elderly lady on the other side was having trouble with her pump. Well, I guess it was my turn to help someone in need, so I checked out her situation. And it turned out that her pump was ultra sensitive, and whenever she try to squeeze the handle the pump would quit. So I told her the dilemma. She just needed to squeeze the handle ever so gently... and after explaining it to her, I left to check on the truck.
Well, the elderly lady called for me again and I whipped around the corner to give her a hand. And I just ended up pumping the gas for her. She was very grateful, and I didn't mind helping out an elderly lady at all. I noticed that she looked like she could've been very beautiful once, in her younger days. She had long flowing gray hair, seemed like she could've been in her 70s or 80s, but she appeared quite healthy for her age.
Anyway, I was just glad I did my good deed for the day. It's funny how someone was able to help me out, and just after that I was able to help someone else out. If I didn't make it to the gas station when the elderly lady needed help, I guess she could've asked someone else around her for help. But I was there, and out of all the people there she asked ME for help. It just made me feel good to help someone.
10:29 PM
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about me
Inspired by Meg's "about me" page, I redid mine again, so in case you're curious, check it out here.
7:20 PM
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late afternoon sun
A warm sun
caresses me, as I lie down
in bed
on this late afternoon.
I think of you,
as the sun's golden rays
bring a certain joy
to my soul...
I find comfort
in the sun's light,
even though it dims, as the
approaching night
casts eerie shadows
upon the land.
Yet your beauty
surrounds me
in many ways,
and keeps
me warm
within my heart.
If it is just a memory,
then let it become just that...
a memory...
that finds its place within,
where no harm can come to it,
as I keep it sheltered
from the storm.
For that is how
I will always remember you,
like the warmth of the sun, caressing me
as I lie in bed, dreaming...
into the late afternoon sun.
---carlos
2:20 PM
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As of 1.00am CST, Kaycee is listed in critical condition.
I'm praying for you, Kaycee!
12:39 AM
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wednesday, november 15
Kaycee mentions me again in her blog, and I'm that "groovey" guy who grew up in the 70's. Yes, I wore bell bottoms and paisley shirts, and yes, I had a crush on Marcia Brady. And yes, I remember girls wearing "tube tops" (boy did I remember that one). And that is my confession for today.
9:51 AM
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in a dream-like state
Since Cyn, Cami and I have been sharing our old pics, I might as well show you a few more I'd found in a shoe box containing lots of old photos.
This particular photo was taken (circa 1980) at the Mission Beach Jetty in San Diego. It was sunset and slightly overcast, giving off a dream-like quality to the approaching evening. And it was sometime in January or February, so it was quite cold.
Below you can see the view that we saw, looking out to sea and what was left of the sunset.
3:51 AM
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a scene from our wedding day
As you can see, I was missing on my wedding day. Well, actually, the "groom's men" are blocking me out of the picture so they can have my wife all to themselves. If you look closely, I'm being blocked by Mario, the tall black panamanian fellow. The rest of the guys are just clowning around.
3:13 AM
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[ more blogger issues ]
Okay, kids. Looks like Blogger.com is back on track. I'm just missing my archives from the first week of November 2000. Hey, that includes the election time! Could George W. Bush have something to do with this? I mean, it's rather strange that all this HOOPLA is happening in Florida with the recounts... What if it was something George W. and brother Jeb had concocted? Hmmm.... Naw!!!!
Well, I saw the funniest sign at the Chargers game on TV. Some Chargers fans were holding up this sign that said something like:
Chargers 0 and 9. We demand a RECOUNT!!!
When I saw this I was literally ROLLING on the carpet with LAUGHTER! My tummy hurt after that one.
12:35 AM
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TESTING!!!!!
12:25 AM
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[ blogger issues ]
Boy, Blogger.com has really been screwing up in the last 24 hours! It looks like I was finally able to post something after trying pretty much all day. So now I have an entry up, but now I'm missing my archives for the first week of November 2000. Is anyone else having difficulties using Blogger.com?
According to the Blogger.com website, they've been having major problems with a recent large influx of new users, and it's been causing server problems. Apparently, they've had some high-profile publicity on a couple of national magazines, which more than likely has caused the huge influx of new users.
12:06 AM
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tuesday, november 14
the color of paradise
"...the blind are closer to God, because God is unseen."
---from an Islamic Tenet
I watched The Color of Paradise on video last night. I actually watched it twice.
For some reason I really found this movie very meaningful. And it's totally devoid of anything even remotely close to Hollywood, and that was pretty refreshing in itself.
And although the film comes direct from Iran, it's message seems more universal than specific to the culture of Iran and Islamic religion.
I was surprised and amazed at the beauty of the northern foothills of Iran. I guess we are led to believe that Iran is all desert wasteland, but that myth is finally proven wrong in this movie. Much of the countryside depicted in the film is that of lush meadows, streams, misty forests, and green mountainscapes.
The title lends itself well to the setting within the movie, which is about a blind boy leaving his special school to go home for summer vacation. The father, however, is reluctant to pick the boy up and even tries to get the school to keep him permanently, as he doesn't want the disabled boy to ruin his plans to remarry.
Between the father and son, one quickly learns who's the real "blind" one. As the father, because of his own selfish ways, doesn't see his own son's gifts and talents... despite his disability
I just like films that place an emphasis on the inner beauty of the individual, even though they may be disabled... even though they may look different. It comes back to the issue of inner beauty versus outward appearances, and how our Western culture seems to be obsessed with outward beauty and the superficial things in life, when there is more hidden meaning found within ourselves.
4:29 PM
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monday, november 13
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
---Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
8:55 PM
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the impending coldness
feeling: my sore neck and shoulders
wondering: about the impending cold
realizing: the weather forecast predicts freezing temperatures tonight!
Teri related her story about the freezing temperatures in San Diego, and mentioned having to pour boiling water on her windshield. And she also mentions the need to buy an ice scraper thingy. So, I'm not imagining all this COLDNESS. Well, I know full well this isn't imagination because I was freezing my butt off last night.
Okay, I promise not to complain about the COLD from now on... I will just endure it silently.
I'm here again at the public library, blogging away. And I have a few minutes left before they close, so I'm sort of half expecting them to start flicking the lights on and off to remind everyone to bring their books to the counter.
I guess we have been going to the library every Monday night for the past several weeks. It's becoming a habit or tradition, instead of Monday Night Football. I really like football, but I don't really know why I haven't been watching lately... perhaps it's because our home team, the San Diego Chargers SUCK big time??? Possibly... they are 0 and 10 for the season so far. That's downright embarrassing.
But I really like the Oakland Raiders for some reason. I've always liked their uniforms and their name.
OOPS!!! The library lights are going on and off... time to go... will post more later....
6:58 PM
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the rating system from 1 to 10
Well, Cyn wrote a very nice journal entry that brought up the whole idea of judging people (especially women) on their looks.
Now I can admit to being attracted to a lot of fine young ladies out there, but there's a point where that ends, and the idea of being attracted to the inner qualities of a woman begins.
And as we all know, these physical qualities that attract us to the opposite sex won't last forever, and that boils down to being attracted to the whole person, both inside and out.
Many people find online romances nowadays because they discover the inner beauty of the individual. And I feel that inner beauty is the most important. Superficial beauty is only secondary, inner beauty is soul-deep and everlasting to me.
Anyway, I quietly submitted a photo of myself to AmIHotOrNot.com and I didn't do very well. After all was said and done I had an average of 1.6 out of 10. Now that's pretty bad. Of course, it really wasn't my best photo, and I know of at least a handful of photos that could've given me a higher score.
So now there's another site called AmIGothOrNot.com, which rates you from 1 to 10 whether you are TRULY GOTH, or NOT!!!
Maybe I stand a much better chance submitting a pic here!
4:31 PM
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by popular demand
So, you kids can't get enough of the older pix, can you... Well, here's another one of my wife and I around 1979, back when I was rail thin and around the time I proposed to her. She was living at her aunt's house at the time and was also in law school.
I was a super strict vegetarian back then and actually had tons of energy to boot. Of course, I was younger then too, so that was a big factor. But I remember being very strict about my diet and I would constantly look at the food ingredients on packages and boxes of food to make sure there was no eggs, milk, animal byproducts and stuff like that. Boy, was I fanatical.
Anyway, here's another "oldie but goodie" for the photo gallery.
1:47 AM
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sunday, november 12
funny how the time just flies
My wife found this particular photo while cleaning out one of our closets. It is a photo of my wife and I on our first wedding anniversary in 1981. She noted how "dapper" I looked back then. (hmm, that remark was flattering AND depressing at the same time)... Nonetheless, this is one of my favorite photos of myself, back when I was the totally hip, cool jazz musician who also worked for a large Savings and Loan, back in the days of the Savings and Loans.
Well, I used to work at the headquarters of Imperial Savings. And I remember actor Eddie Albert was our spokesperson who did all the TV commercials. Yes, the man of Green Acres fame.
Anyway, you'll notice that in the photo we are cutting the cake, which was actually the top layer of a five-tiered wedding cake. Supposedly, the Filipino tradition was to save the top layer of the wedding cake and put it in the freezer for one year. Then during our first wedding anniversary we were to eat that top layer of cake for good luck, or something like that.
I remember tasting that cake on our first wedding anniversary, and let me tell you it tasted like CARDBOARD! It tasted terrible... UGH!!! So, paper is supposed to symbolize the first wedding anniversary, I think... well, I think they meant to say cardboard, judging by the taste of year old wedding cake!
8:36 PM
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more cold nights in san diego
Boy, it's been so COLD here in San Diego, it's not even funny anymore. I was coming home from the Valentino's gig a while ago with a nice, hot pizza. By the time I got home the pizza was totally COLD and I had to reheat it in the oven.
Cami is also in San Diego, and she mentions the COLD in her journal. Funny, she's using her "couch pouch" she got for x-mas last year from her parents. And I'm using my "hokey warm-up suit" I got from my parents a few Christmas's ago. I don't know about Cami's "couch pouch", but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing this warm-up suit in public, but it sure comes in handy during COLD weather.
Anyway, we're really boycotting the gas & electric company and trying to keep our monthly bill down at the same time. The gas & electric costs have skyrocketed here in the past few months. It's crazy. So right now we're trying to deal with the COLD the best we can... And like Cami, we're freezin' our butts off here... but I figure our bodies will adjust to the sudden temperature drop in no time at all.
If anything, I DID hear that it snowed in the Laguna Mountains, so that means possibly taking the day off to go play in the snow! We'll see if the snow lasts through the week.
12:59 AM
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go to the archives
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