Hockey night in Long Beach

I just talked with the people from Beachsort Technologies, a fledgling computer science club who are due to get some strong connections, and a bevy of projects on the way. Unfortunately, when I was accompanying the club president with another person, the advisor for the club, who was the Computer Science Department Chair, and a head of the World Wide Web Consortium, slammed the door in our faces when the president wanted to speak with him.
I hope he realized he was speaking to a business student as well. In a business setting, slamming the door on anyone can bring serious damage to relationships with people who you hire, people who want to do business with you, et al. It’s a polite way of giving the finger to someone, and telling them that they will not have any business or relationship with you ever again. I expect an apology from him very soon, because, again, that type of communication brings irreparable damage, no matter how big your plate is. Very unprofessional for someone like him. He should know better.

Anyway, I did say that I will talk about the trip I had to Glacial Garden a Saturday ago. Originally, after the Beach’s women edged UC Irvine in a rare conference win (or any win for that matter), I wanted to go home, but I thought to myself, I’ve got time to watch this game. So, I took the 20’s up to Cherry and Carson, and walked over to the Garden. There was a tryout going on before the main event took place.
Already there was some intensity going on, as a BYU hockey player made a critical mistake of breaking a fiberglass barrier during warm-ups. I hope he knew that this takes a lot of money to replace. So, as the crew replaced it with a wooden barrier, the game was delayed 30 minutes. The shrapnel were sharp, and my right thumb was unlucky to get lacerated. Fortunately, Neosporin and a bandage made it look nonexistent. But those guys will now have to pay for the damage.
A few young girls were selling 5050 raffle tickets. At first, I decided not to, but given that this could be the last Beach hockey game I see this season, I decided to give it a go. 3 tickets for 5 dollars. I ended up being the first number called, and received a $10 gift card from some local Italian restaurant in Lakewood. $5 well spent.
As for the game, it became very tense late in the 2nd period, with goals scored within 20 seconds of each other. It was 3-3, Long Beach over Brigham Young, whose team was called the IceCats. I was laying out every epithet about our incapability to finish. But four unanswered goals in the 3rd period left the home fans happy. I was even happier, because I was able to barely take the bus home, and when I got home, it was already Sunday morning.

I hope the volleyball team wakes up, and dusts Stanford, just like they did at the E-Bar Invitational earlier this year in Santa Barbara. Clap for the Chopman.

As the all-stars are recognized, the Beach soldiers on

Blog mood today. The entry after this will be my experience watching Long Beach State’s hockey team. Could you believe it: today is the day that Long Beach State’s academic all-stars for Fall and Spring 2006 are honored, and I’m blogging. I committed myself to one blog night per week if there are more than 4 games held that week at the Walter Pyramid. So here it is for the first day of February 2007.
Anyway, I’m a bit steamed that we’ve been having a spiel of futility against Cal State Northridge. Tonight, our men’s basketball team is facing them, and while I should be in Section 111 whooping it up, I want to save my energy for Friday and Saturday, where there will be action around every corner. After my blogging, I’m bent for a night of Visual Basic rundowns.
But right now, I’m hoping we can turn things around. The last game, our guys were snubbed at the end by Irvine, 88-84. Oddly enough, in my recent order for a couple of Famous Cheese from Carl’s Jr., I got an order #55, Aaron Nixon’s number. At the same time, I picked a couple of pennies, but that’s aside from the situation at hand.
Poor Kejuan Johnson, suspended three games due to team violations. That’s bad timing for the 49ers, who now have to find someone to replace him for the next three games, including the home contest against Pacific on the 3rd. Ouch. I’m also listening to the broadcast on longbeachstate.com. So, I’m getting the best of both worlds.
I don’t know what KJ did, but it placed us at a disadvantage, as the Matadors went on a tear after Long Beach State went to an early lead. Once again, I can see my fellow Super Fans enjoying themselves in the first two rows of 111. The 49ers are shooting themselves in the foot with errant plays. Cal State Northridge has been notorious for shooting the 3-pointer impressive, and they are spreading the ball around so far this first half. I am starting to be very disgusted with the 49ers’ defensive pattern, as it has been useless against the perimeter shots the Matadors have been putting out.
9:11 1st half, send help. The ill-advised play that killed us against Irvine is making its ugly appearance tonight. Interesting fact: the Matadors actually have a player named Austin Powers. Actually, his first name is Austen. E, not I. A shot-clock violation, even, and the Northridge is making us pay for our transgressions to the game. A traveling violation by Nixon. Thumbs down. I’m wondering to myself, what the bloody hell is going on here? We haven’t been able to catch up to them, and the closest we’ve gotten is tying the game at 37 with over 3 minutes left in the half, and 38 with less than 3 minutes left.
I nagged Nixon and Co., “Pretend that this is Long Beach City you’re facing.” The Vikings have similar, but more streamlined uniforms, to Northridge’s this year. We were finally able to get a one-point lead in the last couple of minutes. The sound system played the Black Crowes’ signature hit, “Hard to Handle,” during a CSUN timeout. That was the epitome of Northridge this half.

This was an interesting game, most definitely (Long Beach State University, established 1949). I wonder if we could open the gap a bit more. I think Kevin Houston may not be on pace to pass Ratty (Ed Ratliff)’s record of 410 assists, but mind you, there is still plenty of basketball to be played.

I got some Round Table for a midgame energy boost, and I’m checking the other conference scores. Actually, I prefer Papa John’s™, but this will suffice. Poor KJ, he wants to be on the court, but he has to serve his time. I feel for the guy. As a fellow Long Beach City graduate like him, I have to feel for him, because he’s one of the big scorers on the team. Had he not become suspended, he would have made the margin a bit more comfortable; we’ll never know.

Over 250 student athletes were honored-262, to be exact, as Academic All-Stars, spaning all sports. What does it take to be an Academic All-Star

The game so far has been a bit close, with the biggest lead from us in the 2nd half with less than 10 minutes to go being 5 points. It might become a defensive contest from here on, or it could be a race.

While I am seeing the other scores, UCSB is leading Davis 49-37. Apparently, the last result I saw was a typo. The usual business, and the quality win is holding firm, while Fullerton is off. With less than 8 minutes remaining, it would come down to who could do the charity tosses, and the finish the plays that turn the momentum better. A couple late team fouls by the Beach are making this run a bit sour, but some more big shots from #55, the one, the only, Aaron Nixon are making it a bit sweeter. Slowly, but surely, we were making the charity tosses, but I knew, it was gonna be a race. Just like the 95-85 win against Fullerton, who would be playing one game, against lowly UC Riverside, on Saturday.

This Northridge team would be a resilient bunch of scalawags, as they made a 3-pointer with less than a minute left. But, they ended up using too much time, and we won, 79-72. I found out that Mark Dawson also was suspended, which makes the win even more special. I think we’ll be able to replicate this on Saturday.

Talon Marks

Talon Marks: "Ignorant bliss blinds our generation"

USC - The University of Scumbags and Cheaters

As a USC [fairweather?] football fan, I have to say that the recent allegations against Reggie Bush are not surprising. Turns out, the yahoos from Yahoo! Sports threw the cat out of the bag.

If this is true, I say to the Heisman Trust to give the trophy to Vince Young, whose Horns won the crystal football, and is already making a name for himself as a rookie. Thus always to the podunk weeaboos of the University of Scumbags and Cheaters.

I hope the Beach wins tonight against UCI in men's hoops. Since there isn't a bus trip set for this, I'm gonna follow it on KVMD.

The good old days returned on Saturday night

It’s not very often the Superfan decides to go ahead and take a change from rallying the troops of Pete’s Posse to write something up for my favorite student newspaper in the universe. Key word: often. But I will let you know: It will be very, very often now. And while I am lamenting at the exploitation and bastardization of the mentally challenged in that piece of elitist Pharaisical obscenity 37 million weeaboos call American Idol, I speak of other, more tolerable happenings.

I love the Big Brown Music Machine. Their alumni band played at the men’s basketball game against UC Riverside on Saturday, January 20. It’s nostalgia at its best. When Long Beach State had its football team (a privilege taken away from us over a decade and a half ago), the BBMM was playing crisp, clean 70’s style tunes with a sound that typified the university back in the day.

Now they have become the BBMM Alumni Band, and last year I bought one of their CDs, which is in my possession, and on my iPod. Anyway, I can’t believe my luck in the men’s team picking up John Masi. The winningest head coach in UCR basketball is now with us. Naturally, the Beach guys wanted to indirectly show their gratitude. Maybe their AD is having second thoughts about dismissing him. While their female counterparts are playing like Riverside, the guys are playing more like “Weeabooside.”

As the BBMM played “Jesus Christ Superstar,” I’m sitting next to parents, boosters, and yet more alumni, mixed with future 49er parents, boosters and alumni. One old alumnus was impressed, even in awe, by the UCR men’s shootaround. I concurred, nodding my head.
But back to Masi. He comes to the Beach with 462 wins, more than the top 4 winningest coaches at LBSU combined. Ouch. Should have second thoughts, should have had second thoughts…

The early going saw some early tenacity from UCR. Naturally, the home favorite wanted to set the tempo early. So, Long Beach City transfer Kejuan Johnson wanted to up the ante. I can see my fellow Superfans watching from my favorite section, Section 111.

The best teams are a bit rusty early, and then finish off businesslike afterwards. And the best of the best play like they haven’t missed a beat. At first, the 49ers were playing like the former, but then it turned to the latter as the game went along. The BBMMAB went with playing with one of their swing numbers. I seemed to be more interested in whether or not the Beach would cover the spread by halftime.

(The morning spread was the Beach by 18.5, the biggest of the spreads on the P-T.)

The pace was blistering. The guys, led by senior leadership, were shooting treys at will, with your usual high-percentage shots, like College Hoops 2K7 or March Madness 08. Add a last-second buzzer-beater, and the crowd was now realizing why this was “Weeabooside” and not Riverside. The Fountain Valley High School Stompers were doing their mix of jazz and funk, called “junk,” and now I was wondering, “How big are they going to stretch this?”

They stretched it all right- by 21 at the half. Spread covered for now. I expressed my gratitude to the UCR folks who came tonight.

By the second half, the Long Beach State guys were playing like an offshoot of the Harlem Globetrotters. It was now becoming a fun affair for the Beach, and especially the fans. It was also apparent that the players listened to the warning from the coach at the morning run-through, not to overlook the Highlanders. The BBMM Alumni Band played “Gonna Fly Now,” aware of the outcome that would be no longer in doubt.

The stands were trembling, as the Walter Pyramid became the epicenter of the action. I was wondering why Vonn Webb didn’t send in Riverside Community College. (They are the state’s #3-ranked team in the junior college rankings as this is going to press and blog.)

With the 2nd half halfway over, the lead stretched to 40. The Highlanders valiantly tried to stop the bleeding, but they were stuck in a hole they would never get out of. This game would be over in a hurry, because it was painfully clear (at least for the visitors) that there were huge discrepancies in skill level. UCR was no UCLA. I played a music video in my head playing AC/DC as the rout was on. “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

Long Beach State played like Long Beach State that night. Now I was thinking, are they going to crack 100 yet? Well, they were going to be one point short. The crowd disapproved the Highlanders sitting on the ball, as they left in gleeful approval, the kids auditioning in “The 49er Myd-Nite Apprentice.” Thank the turduckens Simon Cowell was nowhere to be seen.

This is supposed to be American Idol, not American Fraternity!

I am bemused that millions of prospective contestants from all over this reality-crazed shell of a country auditioned for American Idol, not knowing that they would be treated verbally like virgin freshmen pledges fresh out of high schools owned by celibate nuns in a convent. Even worse is that there are millions of viewers who feast on the futility of the millions of prospects who are given a verbal hazing by Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. And to add insult to viewing, the executives at FOX are not admitting that there could be, and will be, some lawsuits and some reprimanding going their way in a lame attempt to save face, and deny that they have issues.

If I was told those remarks, Randy and/or Simon would be sent into a coma. On TV. While I am disdainful, or simply indifferent to shows like this, there is no doubt in my mind that their upping the ante in front of parents with children will become as condemned as Bush continuing his futile plan against the Iraqi resistance.

Were the contestants even informed that they would be given this ridicule? Were they even prepared? Did FOX even know about this? If all three questions point to no, then I believe America has issues as to what is appropriate for television, and what is great for networks like Comedy Central, who like to expose, and mock, peoples’ shortcomings. In good taste, I might add.

Note: this is the same American Idol that won an award from Nickelodeon in 2005. Nickelodeon-a children’s network. I’d place heavy odds against them winning it this year.

Thank common sense I tune in to college sports and ESPN instead. While Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser can be downright Pharaisical in their PTI rantings, in terms of quality, Jackson and Cowell AND Paula Abdul (who I’ve even lost respect for) wouldn’t stand a chance. In fact, I’ve seen people on BigSoccer, hell, I’ve seen people at my fraternity talk even better smack than those two tards. And that, my friend, is the bottom line.

Apocryphal

The dream I had was apocryphal. My neighbors were dousing the flames that were burning other neighbors' houses, and I was riding with my sister on scooters, heading to Staples Center to watch an Los Angeles Avengers arena football game. It was a hot day. We were talking about the possibility of going to a few Los Angeles Galaxy games at Home Depot Center, but my sister did not want to sit with the Riot Squad section, because it as too expensive for her, so I decided, how about going to any games at the Home Depot Track, to which she agreed, because they were cheaper, and there was a beer garden.

The reason I say this was apocryphal was when I woke from my dream, I learned from the BBC that David Beckham had signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He will be joining the team in August.

IT'S A TRAP!!!

Apple picks wrong fight with Cisco; misfires on iPhone trademark by ZDNet's Larry Dignan -- Why didn't Apple work out the legalities of using Cisco's iPhone trademark before going through the Macworld song and dance? Very good question. But one that could be summed up in one word: Arrogance. The more Steve Jobs spoke at Macworld the more it seemed safe to assume that Apple worked out any trademark issues with [...]

The world is a challenging place, but the house gains immunity

I got into a heated argument with my mom over a trivial issue. It got so out of hand that I had to call a police officer. He came, and told us that since this is a dispute, it did not count as a crime. So he went on his way, and the house gained immunity from being raided by police.

However, I had to do this. I never like to get into arguments. I never got into any recent rows with my dad, but I had issues with my mom. She says I've been "ruining her day." I have nothing to do with it. But she uses me as a scapegoat. Where is the logic behind that? I wanted to prove a point: the world is not as safe as we thought it can be. Parents kill their children. Children kill their parents. Domestic disputes happen in nearly every city. I wanted my mom to realize that while I have my faults, I don't to be in a situation they put on themselves.

Sure, there was no crime committed. But I wanted t let my mom know that people in West Long Beach look out for each other, and if the neighbors see something go out of hand, the police will arrest them, and it can get worse.

It won't happen again because the house gained immunity from being interrogated by police. But while I have my faults, my parents should know that they have issues controlling their anger as well.

Count Olaf, for the love of god, why...?

It was, as Lemony Snicket would note, another of that “Series of Unfortunate Events.” Mario Danelo, the kicker of USC Trojans football team who won the Rose Bowl last week, has died of injuries from falling of the cliffs in San Pedro. And this was a few days after my aunt died of cancer.

Count Olaf must be grining from ear to ear right now, and dinking drinks with the Grim Reaper. That’s on the same night UCLA’s undefeated run crashed against Oregon, Hawaii’s teams in action that day were whitewashed, a few days after Australia whitewashed the Poms, and still, more people are dying in Iraq.
Gracious. I need to get some sleep. I’m glad I bought my easy button. And that Melbourne Victory snatched a tie from the jaws of defeat.

Blowout and relief.

I should correct myself: Ice Cube, who I know for hits like “Bop Gun” featuring George Clinton of Parliament and Funkadelic fame, was the one who quoted that “today was a good day.” Ice Cube, along with other stars like Eazy E, and the Arabian Sheik, formed the rap supergroup NWA. And these guys were street smart and defied authority for a reason. Their album “Straight Outta Compton” is one of my favorite Rap Albums, and it paved the way for West Coast rap, and gangsta rap in general.

But back to the point. It was a good day. I went into the Pyramid thinking, oh man, Long Beach State was going to have a rough match against UC Santa Barbara. I was wrong. It was so one sided, that the threes were easily made from NBA range by Aaron Nixon and the gang. It got so ugly that with a few minutes left, the boosters headed to the exits. Déjà vu? Not exactly. UCLA would cream Santa Barbara. They knocked us down by 30. We took it out on their little brother by 36.

And the best part is; we actually played like Long Beach State that night. If this holds up, the boosters, fans, and players will see a contract extension offer, or another big one from across the nation. Or Larry Reynolds could be looking at returning to San Bernardino in glory, knowing that he could win at the Division I level.

Things are looking up here, because the players are on a mission. Let’s see if every day will be a good day for the Beach, and every game will be an even better game.

Also, I finally got my last grade. I got a B in Economics 333. With that out of the way, I look forward to Spring 2007 more than ever.

ReToBA: Return To Baltic Avenue

In the words of the legendary Tupac Amaru Shakur, today was a good day. With USC bouncing back over Michigan, Long Beach State and UNLV going on a tear in men’s hoops, Bob Knight passing Dean Smith on New Year’s Day, Boise boosting the WAC’s credibility with an OT win over those Okies from Norman, and the Anaheim Ducks are still the best team in the NHL so far, it was not ust a god day, it as a great day. Oh, I almost forgot, the San Diego Chargers wrapped up home field advantage throughout the playoffs, save for the Super Bowl, of course (which will be hosted in Miami).

So now, I’ve returned home from North Las Vegas to my official home in West Long Beach, via an overnight stopover at our house in Murrieta. The Murrieta house, which my sister owns, does not have internet capability yet. I hope that on my next visit that inconvenience will be fixed.

I was rudely welcomed when my software detected a couple more Trojan horses on my desktop. I’m going to have to give it a restart, update and scan.

Another little video I made...

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I decided to make this one to welcome 2007. I hope you enjoy it.

Inner peace at Aliante to close out 2006

49 minutes till a New Year starts, and I am already spent as I begin writing this entry. I used to like being on the Strip to see the fireworks, but now that I have residency in North Las Vegas, I don’t feel like being on the Strip again because I feel like a tourist. I feel like I’m not seeing Las Vegas the way I want to see it: an ordinary American city that accommodates to everyone and anyone.

North Las Vegas was the answer to finding a suitable house for us to move to. Last year, when we filed escrow for it, the realtor told us that we are in a great neighborhood. Aliante, a planned residential community, is an elite, rich, luxurious place to visit, shop, enjoy entertainment…and we were just right next door! When he told me about this, I was grinning. But then, we had to leave the Valley. I had my Fall semester classes to take care of at Long Beach State, my mom had her preschool classes to teach, my dad and sister had to take care of patients at their respective hospitals.

The New Year’s Eve weekend was the first time we could settle in our new home, if only for a few days. As I walked inside and set my room up, I had a wide smile. No more hotel reservations. No more need to reserve a room on the Strip months in advance. We just had to drive down I-15 a few minutes to get to the destinations. I was enjoying myself.

But then, bad news happened. One of my mom’s friends who is also a surrogate aunt to me, was on the verge of dying from cancer. It had metastasized so badly that she was terminally ill. I was stunned. She was 65, and she was terminally ill. My mood became silent as I went through my rounds on the slots. I lost focus, and just a few hours ago, I broke down as we went back home to our house. The cold reality set in. 65 years old. I was anguished by the fact. She’s not technically a member of our family, but given her close ties with my mom, she might as well be. I hoped that she would be able to be alive enough to at least see 2007 begin, but my mom told me that she will be able to see it. She would just be bed-ridden.

Even so, I was anguished, and wanted to find a way to come to terms with it, and accept it. So, knowing that my family and I would leave for Long Beach early New Year’s Day, I took a walk up the street to Aliante. There was a park there where I could do some reflection and be at peace.

It wasn’t an easy walk. The path up was not finished yet, so my shoes had to trudge through dirt, a stone walkway, more dirt, and an unfinished crosswalk. This was nothing new; I knew North Las Vegas was still growing, and so it was. At last, I saw the entrance, with the community’s official logo: the silhouettes of two birds flying, combined with the letters enhanced by floodlights: ALIANTE.

I passed by houses, more houses, up and down winding paths. A young resident took a smoke as he cleaned his large SUV. But I was alone, by myself. The police weren’t there. Aliante, from what I know, didn’t have any intruders invade their property. But, knowing their status being residents of this community was a privileged one, I walked by, looking at the houses, eating some popcorn along the way.

Finally, I saw the park. Nature Discovery Park was a small park and activity center at the corner of Aliante Parkway and Deer Valley Road. Just across the street were shops and places to eat. The park had tennis courts, basketball courts, and courts where the young and young at heart would play shuffleboard. The park was sometime reserved for parties, weddings, and other socials. But no one was using it. Heck, they wouldn’t dare do it at this time of the night! Many of them were at home: they were either sleeping, surfing the Net, or watching the news or the New Year passing through other parts of the world. By now, most of the world had seen it pass through. The West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii and Samoa were yet to see it.

I found a gazebo, well lighted, near a senior community center, in the park. I sat down, ate morsels of the Orville Redenbacher Kettle Corn I popped earlier in the morning, inhaled the clean, crisp Nevada winter air, devoid of the pollutants of cigarette smoke that swirled all over the casinos and hotels in Las Vegas and the Cannery (North Las Vegas’ hotel and casino). And I reflected on the good things and bad things that went wrong, and I realized that when my time comes, will I be ready? And what if my dad’s time comes, or my mom’s or my sister’s? Will I be ready when that happens?

I knew that there was no way my aunt would be denied her opportunity to see the new year before she let go. Confident, refreshed, and with a smile on my face, I walked back home.

I passed by a couple of residents, saying, “Good evening. Happy New Year.” They said in unison, “Happy New Year to you too.” These residents have class.

It’s now 20 minutes to the New Year as I finish up this blog entry. As I went down, I could see the Strip and Downtown, and I know that I will be able to see the fireworks from out there. I can’t wait.

This being the last entry of 2006, I wish a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all of you.

Video of Saddam Hussein being executed

Originally posted as a link on the Something Awful forums, I saved and uploaded it to google video before the it died.

Saddam Hussein...is dead.

And so, 2007 will open with another less tyrant to worry about.

Viva North Las Vegas!

I can now use my laptop for the Internet. I'm posting here from North Las Vegas, and in the words of James Brown, "I feel good!" I’m watching the archived 2006 Hawaii Bowl downloaded via torrent from my iPod, which is charging as we speak (with my SLVR L7 and my Love Generation, my laptop), and things are looking up.

I found out that I got a C in FIN 300. I got the bare minimum. I know that I will get at least a B in ECON 333, but if I did well enough on the final to get an A, it’s gonna be a 3.0 average for Fall, because the A and C cancel each other out. Fine by me, as long as I get that core stuff out of the way, because an Info Systems-heavy Spring with BeachSort, Anime Club, and Rugby on the side, as well as Super Fan duty (at games and with the Union), topped with a shot at selling my talents at the Job Fairs, are on tap when 2007 begins.

For the meantime, I’m gonna soak enjoying life as a Nevada citizen, and get to know my second city a bit more. Viva North Las Vegas!

Weird dream, but a colorful one.

This was one of the few dreams I can remember in full.

The dream started with the Moon Angel Troupe going on another of their missions, Milfeulle was hanging on to a ladder connected to a truck that Vanilla was driving. The truck was passing through a boggy swamp that was 6 foot deep of mud and water. She almost lost her grip, but when they got to the other side, the ladder lowered so Milfie could land.

So the team went to this house that had another of the lost technology tidbits they were looking for. Forte, Ranpha, and Mint were searching one room, Vanilla (with Normad) in another, and Milfeulle was looking in one room, where she stumbled on a large pink, cute, bag. Hey eyes were turning to stars, and she was madly blushing, because it was the cutest, most gorgeous looking bag she had ever seen. So, Milfeulle was about to touch it, when…the bag swallowed her whole! Save for a flower from her headband that the bag spitted out.

The bag had grown eyes and a face. Indeed, Milfeulle (as the bag) was pouting, saying, “Nande~~~!? Why the heck am I inside this bag?” So she opened herself to find some appendages. She used a scissor and pliers for arms, and two scalpers for legs.

Soon afterward, the bag swallowed everyone else, and it turned into Ranpha wearing a gorgeous, long-flowing yellow dress, and she was wearing high-end lipstick. She was about to be engaged to this hot guy that the was talking to-her “dream guy”-but the lost technology was about 6to be destroyed, so she kissed the guy and whispered as tears flowed from her eyes, “I’m sorry.” She vroomed like an engine, spat out a little bit of blood that turned into a shadow impression of Ranpha dancing in her dress, with a ribbon underneath, and blasted off, going through the guy and killing him in the process, and blasted through the roof off the house.

From there, Ranpha exploded, turning into her and the other angels flying their respective frames, and the ending credit of that scene was the original Galaxy Angel game logo, with the Moon Angels’ emblem, accompanied by the anime series’ typical fanfare music.

In this dream, I watched all of A, AA< st="on">Vatican, on Via Fiorentina, whatever that was. But GA in the Vatican? Unbelievable.

The final part of my dream was that me and the other members of my fraternity were climbing up and down this large jungle gym. One part of the course had me go through a hole, crawl through a gauntlet, and go out the other hole. Unfortunately, I couldn’t squeeze through the hole (due to my large size, perhaps), so I went out a bigger hole to the side. The others were laughing. At the end of the course, we tied pink paper ribbons, each ribbons with our favorite maxim, on to end of the jungle gym. A large number of pledges were waiting for their first event on their road to being new members. We would lead the way.

And thus ended my dream.

Props to the local boys from Hawaii

Let me give my Christmas shoutout to the people of Hawaii.

First off, I want to extend my congratulations to the University of Hawaii football team for bouncing back to win the 2006 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl over Arizona State. That was a sensational performance and this puts the 2006 team as the best since 92. Hawaii, you bloody beauty!

Secondly, June Jones. I have placed you at the top of my favorite football coaches at the college level. Now you are one of the greats. You are now the winningest head football coach in Hawaii in the modern era, passing Dick Tomey, whose Spartans won last night, by the way. Let's see if you can solve the mystery against Boise next year.

Finally, Colt Brennan. Man oh man. Words can't describe how important you are not only to Manoa, but to the state of Hawai'i. You decided to change your life the day Coach Jones opened the door for you, and you took advantage of it. Where you go from here is up to you, but I advise you: make the right decision that you will be happy with in the long run. And also, you have made the Mission Football Conference, and especially Mark McElroy and the Gauchos of Saddleback College, very proud to have seen an alumnus break Klingler's record.

And to the staff of the Honolulu Advertiser, the Star-Bulletin, KKEA 1420 AM, and everyone who follows the Warrior football team, you are the best. Keep it up, and keep believing. Enjoy the holiday, enjoy life, and let's do it all over again next year.GO WARRIORS! Aloha to you all.

One good shot leads to another!

There’s this song by the Fixx called “One Thing Leads to Another.” It’s a great tune, and it’s one of the few songs from the band I actually like.

But let me cut to the chase. If you were here in the Spring 2006 semester (yes, the Spring before this one), you will have been familiar with a guy by the name of Aaron Nixon. Combined with Kejuan Johnson, they are touted as “The Next Big Thing.” Well, if you saw the Big West Semifinal against a group of players from that shithole known as UC Irvine, Nixon made the game-winning shot that sent the Beach Nation into frenzy, the likes which I want to be accustomed to every fucking day.

Well, Déjà vu can be an angel. And it came on the night of December 22, 2006 against Loyola Marymount at Gersten Pavillion. 1.8 seconds left in the game. Kevin Houston lobs a pass from mid-court over to a certain guy wearing number 55, who drains in a three-pointer from 35 feet outthat sends the visitors into orgasmic heaven and the home fans into celibate, Scrooge-like [sic] impotency.

And you know who was wearing the number 55? Yes, you probably know now. It was none other than Aaron Nixon. The guy made the zots orz, and now he made the Lions orz. By the way, in this paragraph, orz means “fall to their knees and bed over in failure.” It’s a Densha Otoko thing.

But anyway, I thought that this was going to be one of those typical collapses, but instead, the Fixx came to town and said, “One Good Shot Leads to Another.” Aaron Nixon, you bloody beauty. For once, there was a glimmer of hope for Larry Reynolds after all.

(And I got another song to put to my iPod, the SUV of media players…)

Coincidentally, or even apocryphally, the title of the album that includes the song in question is called, “Reach the Beach.”

Super Fan comic by J.R.: Volume 1

I open my comic strip side with this piece.
I will never forget my club's URL again.

World, ease your mind and Kananize!

My mind's been eased with reading Galaxy Angel. And that, I think, is the power of seeing the art of the greats in shoujo manga. From Miho Obana, to Arina Tanemura, to Naoko Takeuchi, to Kanan and between, the best mangaka create characters that are immortal in appearance, memory, and character. It's those characters, and their development into something special that make them unique.

Kanan's rendition of Galaxy Angel (which is different from the Galaxy Angel anime for a few obvious reasons: continuity, character development, and the type of storyline that mixes comedy with drama, romance, and great art) is no exception to this rule. I have all volumes of Galaxy Angel 3rd (or Galaxy Angel II) to date, as well as all 5 volumes of the first arc so far, and I love how she molds the hooks with the uniqueness of the characters. The scenes with little of text are the best parts of the chapters for a number of reasons (mostly, having to do with graphic design ideas for your sites), and after my iPod charges up (it died just a few hours ago; I had to get over to campus to charge my iPod, iMilfeulle, up), it's off to a few more rounds of scanning before stuffing up at Round Table.

Wings are the type of attribute that I have embraced to most of my recent drawings. I like how Kanan draws the wings on Milfeulle. I gotta try doing some tone one of these days; she's a cut above a number of other mangaka, but in the league of Arina, Naoko, you know, the Bishoujo Mangaka Masters...If the plotline in the manga follwed in the anime, I know that GA as an anime would have been in the top 30, instead of the middle of the top 100 list by Anime News Network. Maybe top 20, even.

And that's why Sailor Moon, even though it's seen by people in North America as a mere stepping stone for those who were first exposed to anime and manga in the 1990's, is in the Top 30. It doesn't have the strongest following, after ending its run nearly a decade ago, but the impact it had in blazing a trail for the bishoujo plotline (led by a certain pigtail-and-bun immortal in a fuku and her company of soldiers doubling as a princess of the past and queen of the future) makes it a memorable one.

If only Galaxy Angel's anime plotline followed this, using what Kanan came up. At least my mind is still at ease before Big Thursday comes rolling in less than, I don't know, 40 hours.

Buy backs are love.

I am so glad I was able to buy back my Management textbook. I got enough money to buy a new set of headphones that replaced the worn-out ones I had for my current iPod, which I call iMilfeulle. (I call my SLVR with iTunes iApricot, and my current USB iNano-Nano, all Galaxy Angel characters.)This new set of headphones is from this company called Skullcandy, and it's called GIs. This headphone set was designed for those who want the best out of their headphones. It's much better, and more stylish and versatile, than the other ones I currently have. It's cooler than those earbuds, and easier on my ears.You can see these headphones, plus the many other Skullcandy logo stickers I posted around the Beach, on my updated gallery at SeiyaUsagi.net

(Note: you may have to register to view it.)

What I want for Christmas

I have a list of what I want for Christmas 2006. Here is a partial (but not complete) version of the list.

Nutella
All the Galaxy Angel manga volumes available
More pictures of Milfeulle Sakuraba's younger sister Apricot-she's a study in drawing the moe aesthetic!
A PS3. For obvious reasons
A power-conserving mp3 player, the iPod is like an SUV
Jackpots at the slots in Vegas
Taking a break at my other house in North Las Vegas
Prepare for 2007 the right way

More to come...

Finals on the way...

Hmmm, let's see, now...I've already come up with a list of what I want for Christmas. It's not much, but then again...it is much. I'm posting on an empty stomach, my face burning from breathing on the Horn Center sofas while sleeping, and feeling rather miserable (for now), because I haven't gotten my Spring tuition paid yet.

For starters, I want to ace all my Finals. At least this will put me in a position to have an A and 3 B's for the semester. I was so thrilled to have another score of 90 or more on my recent Econ exam. I feel awesome when I receive a score like that because it shows that things have turned around for me.

I don't want to sit on my laurels too early, because those Finals will be what I'll have to focus.

There's more stuff I want for Christmas. See my next entry.

So this is why the suicide rates are through the roof...

Oh man, am I such a sour mood today. I’m not even in a mood to type on this blog, but I am.

After receiving another gut-cringing exam score, (18/30, FIN 300), I am hoping that my professor can adjust it to give me a better shot at passing the class with a “C.” There is nothing worse I hate that having to drop two classes after getting scores that made this class look like a waste of money. I told this to my instructor that I want to pass the class. He told me, “Getting a C in this class should be very easy.”

That is a load of bull. I don’t believe in such horseshit if I receive scores like this. When these scores add up, it adds that much stress because the chances of failing the class increase drastically. I can only hope that my instructor decides to go ahead and do this. I don’t like finishing this class with a “D,” a “W”, or god forbid, an “F.”

I went to class still feeling miserable after seeing this news. I lost focus, wasn’t interested in learning Chapter 14 in HRM 360, and what’s even more fucked up is that I have an ECON 333 exam today! This is bad timing times infinity because I have to talk to my Finance instructor about this after my second ECON 333 midterm.

I’m going to look into taking FIN 300 again later this year with an instructor that can actually give me a shot at passing this class, and whose exams are open-book. I have too much on my plate.

Somehow I don't think there's a rock big enough for Reynolds to hide under. I hope I'm not the only one who has lost faith in our coach. This isn't like the JCs, where you're not as much a liability, especially if you can be on tenure. And this isn't the DII level either.

With losses like the one our guys faced tonight, the calls for his dismissal keep growing to the fact that it was a bad decision to have him finish it out, but can you blame Vic Cegles?

God. I leave it to you to figure that out.