I am here to report on what happened at Anime Expo 2006 from my view. Overall, this was a successful event, with a record-breaking attendance of over 41,000 attendees. As a staff member of Registration, I had to learn how to get badges printed, refer attendees to where they had to go for group issues, comp badges, etc. The curve was steep, but I was able to get a full understanding of everything. Of course, I ran into my own set of issues along the way, in which most were eventually resolved.
Day 0 – Friday, 30 June 2006
Fresh and ready for staffing my first AX, I checked into the Hilton, getting a room on the 12th floor, Room 421. With a great view of the Anaheim Convention Center, I set myself up, getting my badge the 4th floor, before taking off for the ACC. No sooner had I checked into the Exhibit Hall C (which was were Reg was located), that I was pulled into taking care of those who pre-registered, thereby getting ahead of the bedlam on Day 1. There was a line that stayed long for about 2 or 3 hours, moving quickly before dying. Since the convention didn’t start until tomorrow, I took the time to look around me, getting familiar with the members of my department, and later in the evening I took part in an all-staff meeting. The people from AX Human Resources debriefed us on what to do and what not to do during the convention. I couldn’t stay for the film afterwards, because I had to get some rest for tomorrow.
Day 1 – Saturday, 1 July 2006
Canada Day! And the most grueling of days has arrived. Technically I didn’t have to work until 10:00 a.m. but I was on standby until then. The lines snaked, even going out of Hall C. I would work nonstop here, from 10:00 a.m. up until 5 p.m. I was able to manage getting my share of attendees’ badges taken care of. Sometimes I would joke around, singing to announce that I would take the next person in line. While all the others had bored looks, I seemed to be a bit perky. Blame it on the Starbucks Doubleshot that I drank early in the morning. Without that, I wouldn’t have survived. After I was finished with my long shift, I refueled at a bar called the pulse, where staff members can get food and drink with a card that needed to be stamped (I picked mine’s up yesterday), before looking for an event I liked. There was this event called “Anime Singled Out.” Even heard of the ABS-CBN game show Wowowee? One of the events, “Pera o Bayong”, vaguely resembled this event. One of the contestants asks a question to a group of people in the audience who participate, and if they get it right, those who do advance, those who don’t stay, and it continues until there are about 5 or less people. And then a special individual question is given to them. The audience can also play a key factor in determining who the winner is. One round had it reduced to one contestant from the audience, who was declared the winner, other times somebody would be eliminated personally by the contestant with the “Golden Ticket.” I did get to meet up with my friends from the CSULB Anime Club, including Mora Moth, and “DJ” Eric Le Du, the latter holding up a two-sided emoticon sign, something I would copy later in the convention.
Interesting footnote: Before attending Anime Singled Out, I attended a panel for this company called Mega64. Basically, they are a company that combines elements from Jackass into popular anime and Japanese video games. They were embraced more at San Diego’s Comic-con, primarily because the SPJA saw their AMV unsuitable for being bestowed any honors whatsoever.
Another footnote: this was the day CLAMP was having a panel. Unfortunately, I could not make it to the panel due to my shift taking place at that time. And I did not win a CLAMP signature from the staff raffle. Que sera, sera.
Day 2 – Sunday, 2 July 2006
Reduced lines meant a supposedly easier day, right? Wrong. I suffered frequent lapses of concentration, making small mistakes here and there. Of course, they turned into non-issues in a hurry. In between shifts, I checked out goods from the exhibit halls. Eventually, from there, I would buy a Rin Tohsaka keychain, a Tomo Takino plush, a Sakura plush, and the first volume of Full Moon on DVD. After my shift, and several shots of cosplay in between, I went over to the Newtype USA panel. I learned a few things from there: first, there was a 5-7 year window of what they can choose for their issue; secondly, they took what was popular in the USA, and then took what was popular in Japan, and blended them together; third, the reader population of Newtype USA turned from 70 male 30 female to 50-50; fourth, they had a lot of autonomy, meaning for the most part, they could do what they want, save for occasional advice from Kadokawa and Newtype Japan as to how to pronounce something this way, and what not. It’s a networking process that gives the magazine a consistency unlike any other. Afterwards, I was able to get an issue from the head honchos of the company, personally autographed too; albeit the ink ran off later in the convention. A photographer also took photos of those cosplaying. Those photos would be added in the September and October editions of Newtype USA.
Afterwards, it was off to the Yozuca* and Rino concert on the third floor. After taking a few video shots, I was told by the volunteers not to take any videos, so for the rest of the convention, I took photos with my cell phone (there was no flash on my phone, which was kosher). The two of them sand classic tunes from Da Capo, an anime series and also a popular video game series from a company called Circus.
Footnote: While taking care of the attendees, I was given a couple of balloon swords, however, a person from Viz Media (who created the swords, by the way) attached something to it. I later removed it, and stomped on the piece, to the dismay of one of the top people there. Later, an attendee who wanted any busted balloon took the stomped piece (actually some of it was still inflated, but then it was stretched out), and decided to have use for it, taking off. After which, I went back to the usual work without a hitch. One of the ACC staff members commented that the pink balloon sword looked like a dildo. His mind must have been in the gutter since he first arrived here, but that’s a given.
Day 3 – Monday, 3 July 2006
Aside from going back and forth to get my money from my cash box to send to the Finance Department, and nearly losing my badge and even my cell phone, this was another smooth day. I had to go to HR to get a replacement, but one of the top people in registration recovered my badge, but I forgot to get my cell phone. So, I asked one of the people from AX Access Control (of whom I have high praise for), to contact convention security to open up Hall C. After I had finally recovered my mobile, I went over to the Masquerade, which was a variety show. Many cosplay companies from all over the nation participated in providing a skit. The winner of the competition was a performance called “The True Power of the Clow,” in which Clow Reed revealed his true identity: Captain Planet.
I did run into a few rounds of hooliganry during the intermission, when a taiko ensemble from UCI played. I informed the volunteers to watch for any objects being thrown into the audience. I’m sure there is a zero-tolerance policy for objects being thrown during an event like this. I don’t know if they were caught and sent off, but I did tell this to my squad leader.
Day 4 – Tuesday, 4 July 2006
My last shift was about 2 hours long. After the shift, I brought an emoticon sign (of which I would have to return the stick back to Convention Operations) that would use for the rest of the convention. At the “Whose Line Is It? Anime” event, a group of people played out some far-fetched scenes a la “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” starring Drew Carey. Of course, someone tried to sabotage my experience, and I had to shoot them. I was ready to cane him with my sign, but he left just in time. I personally don’t think he wanted to be owned by a staff member. Not worth it, big guy. If you don’t like it, leave.
Next, was an auction of goods at the Main Events Ballroom on the third floor. Some of the merchandise for auction were sold in the thousands. Rich bastards, all of them, to quote Haruhi Fujioka of Ouran High School Host Club. Even a water bottle drunk by the person hosting the auction was sold, for 20 bucks! Insane. I would have to win the lottery first before diving in.
And then the closing ceremonies came. As all of the GoH’s were given praise and applause, I went over and threw myself down at their feet. Some others did as well. Hiroshi Nagahama, of whom I would win an autograph from, brought work with him during the convention. Two other GoH’s brought work with them as well. Uh oh. There is a chance that I would not receive anything at all. If that’s the case, there shouldn’t have been a raffle in the first place. Stay tuned for an announcement from HR if those folks gave us our sigs….
At the end of the convention, I went off to the Pulse one last time, for the Dead Dog event. In this event, which is staff-only, unlimited food and drink is on the house, the games are set to free-play, and my folks just party all through the night, Trouble is, I couldn’t stay due to my sister picking me up at 8:00. After munching on span musubi for the first time, and discussing my future with Anime Expo with the director of registration, I took off for home, thus concluding my journey through Anime Expo 2006.
Pictures to come.
Anime Expo 2006
A Sunday jaunt
I love Right Said Fred. I like one of their recent songs, “You’re My Mate,” and it seems to be one of companionship while watching a football game. But that’s a different story. Last Sunday, I was bored, and I wanted to go ahead and take a trip to Los Angeles. So, I took the trains first to Little Tokyo, where I bought the recent issue of Megami magazine. A whopping 11 dollars plus change. That was the only book I bought.
But I decided not to just limit myself to visiting Little Tokyo. I wanted more. So, I went on the Red Line to visit Hollywood, stopping off at Hollywood and Highland. I shot pictures of stars on the Walk of Fame, while seeing various people cosplaying as superheroes, Disney characters; even a Freddy Krueger was tapping me on the head in a jovial manner.
After spending an hour shooting photos of stars, I decided to go ahead and take the Orange Line to Warner Center, in the San Fernando Valley. Along the way, I saw a group of Argentine supporters waving their flag and celebrating. I knew that the albeceleste has defeated Mexico. Later, I would find out that Maxi Rodriguez made the game winning goal in extra time. Curious, I made a pit stop at Pierce College. When I got off, it was like I was thrown in an oven. It was a scorcher. There was a festival going on at Pierce, and the heat made it unbearable to walk inside and visit the campus. Thank god the sprinklers were on. I was able to re-hydrate myself a bit!
Afterwards, I took the Orange Line to Warner Center, where I realized that I was starving. Thank god for Trimana Grill. I wolfed down a sandwich, fries, and a couple of Cokes like there was no tomorrow. I then stopped by the Barnes and Noble, where I stumbled upon a Thinking Man’s Guide to the World Cup. In the Australia section, I saw the story of Australia taking on American Samoa in 2001, where the poor teenage Samoan side was run over in world-record fashion 31-0. I personally hope American Samoa tries to make improvements in being a strong side in Oceania, but with American sports taking precedence, it’s highly unlikely.
Australia did make it to the Round of 16, thus sending Bruce Arena’s perceived comment that Australia was a weak side to hell, but they lost on a last-second penalty to Italy, 1-0, but not before a successful World Cup run.
When I was waiting for the Orange Line, a black teenage prostitute was asking if I had a cell phone. When I said “no,” she said, “Thanks for lying.” Well, yes sistah, I did lie, but, w3rd up, it was for good reasons, yo.
1. I was down to my last bar. Long calls are a no-no.
2. I charge people I don’t know $10 for using my cell. Exceptions are family, and people I work with or work for in a company of mine.
3. I am wary of theft. Ergo, see rule number 2.
I them decided to make on last stop, this time to visit LA City College. As I visited the campus, I realized that it did look like another high school. This college, only 2 years younger that Long Beach City, had one of the strongest men’s basketball teams in the state. But they were having a financial crunch. An old, non-functioning scoreboard presided over a parking lot, a sad reminder of the football team that used to linger at LACC. And the parking lot was called Snyder Field. I was disgusted to see that scoreboard in the parking lot. It made me realize, when will Cubs football come back? Compare this to Long Beach City, the Vikings have a much better athletics program.
And that’s when I decided to go ahead and head home. Maybe tomorrow I will head over to LA Trade Tech and see what they have to offer. Photos to come soon.
Las Vegas, and a new house moving ever closer.
Last weekend, I went on a Memorial Day holiday to Las Vegas with my mom and dad. It was very eventful, and an experience that had highs and lows.
Day 1:
While I watched a glorified depiction of the Vietnam War at the end of the night, I would like to highlight the first day of my trip to Vegas. This was my first trip in 5 months We set out for Caesars’ Palace, making a pit stop in Primm for gas, and gaining a few credits on the slots. We got stuck in traffic arriving at the strip, and I got lost looking for my hotel room that I lost my earpiece for my Motorola SLVR L7. The security at Caesars was made of fail and lose, as attempts to recover the item were unsuccessful. There goes a part of their paycheck. If I were to give a survey, I’d give them a 1.
But after settling down, I took the time to play some slots at Caesars’. One of the slot machines, Magic Forest, lasted a very long time, and I was able to get credits. There were a few other slots I decided to try out, and thanks to me and my mom’s efforts, I was able to obtain a free duffel bag. Actually, all 3 of us got tote bags. The last slot machine we went to for the night, a Powerball slot machine, paid off 91 dollars and change. It could have been even more.
To put it even further, this was the very first time I tried the slot machines extensively. In the last meeting, the machine wasn’t too keen to give, but this time, it was able to give, probably because Celine Dion was performing that night with her “A New Day” set. The generousness of the slot machines, who probable were happy Celine was performing, combined with a huge revenue from a casino operated by Harrah’s, probably explained why we went back to our hotel room in high spirits.
Day 2:
An earthquake in Indonesia, Riots in Afghanistan, more Americans committing voluntary suicide in Iraq…and a shitload of moolah highlighted the day. This morning, we set off for North Las Vegas, where we met this guy who works for Liberty Realty. At the end of the meeting, we moved one step closer to owning a house that is just a hop, skip and a jump away from one of the wealthiest communities in the nation, and soon to have the second-largest mall in the nation, Aliante, in North Las Vegas. The could not only be my summer home, but my new home should I consider getting a master’s degree at UNLV.
And after eating at the Rio Carnival World Buffet at the Rio, it was off to Harrah’s, where I struck paydirt at the Powerball slots, winning $400. I gotta look up North Las Vegas. This growing city might be adopted by me in a hurry!
Later that day, I learned from the Press-telegram that Long Beach City College defeated Sacramento City College to win the California JC State Championship in baseball. The first title in 30 years. Historic. Unbelievable. Enough fuel for my dynasty I am typing up on Utopia. And Miami went up 3-1 over the Pistons in the East Finals. I hope it’s Dallas-Miami in the NBA Finals.
We returned to Harrah’s to tinker with the slots. Unfortunately, the Powerball slots went dry, so I instead retired to buying a few gifts from the gift shop.
Day 3:
The day was rather short and quick, as we left Caesars’ Palace for Long Beach, but we made a stop in Primm. Not only did I eat up a feast at the Trail’s End café at Whiskey Pete’s, I won $70 on the slots, bringing me back up to $400. On the way home, I used up the remaining coins I won from Whiskey Pete’s (which were won by a spin on a Top Dollar slot machine that gave out quarters) to pay for gasoline. By the end of the day, it only filled half tank, but now I’m here, typing this up.
I enjoyed my trip to Vegas. I am really excited at what might happen if I’m able to stay in North Las Vegas at our new home. More time to see Vegas, Hoover Dam, maybe watch some UNLV games…but the next thing on the agenda is….Anime Expo 2006.
Alumni ignorance
While I am watching this new shoujo anime called Kirarin Revolution (some sto-ck footage for the moe shoujoholics among us), I am wondering why the alumni of my university that I’m calling don’t want to donate any amount of their money to the Annual Fund. See, I’m now in the second week of my work, and I have not been getting any paydirt since two Sundays ago when I got my first pledge. All the others in my group have had at least one per shift. I am currently 4 straight without a single pledge.
Some had their voicemails on, and for the purposes of my spiel, I am pretending that they don’t exist. The various alumni that I’ve been calling had their reasons. A few had their children going to universities already. Many cannot afford to donate, even though I was asking for anything that is comfortable for them. Some are angry with the university. Others think we’re the Alumni Association, which is a completely different entity. And the people I really dislike either don’t give a reason why they are not interested in donating, or just hang up when I introduce myself.
I then wonder why we have alumni that only use the university just to get a degree, and not even show a deeper appreciation for their alma mater. Do they not realize the consequences of not donating even just a measly $10.00? Have they no idea where they graduated from? Have they no idea what their purpose in life is? Okay, I suppose for the majority of my contacts, their purpose in life is to graduate from a university, get a job for 40 years, then vegetate and do nothing in their retirement while ignoring what got them there in the first place. How sad is that? Is this going to be how Generation Y will be: never learning the lessons of the Baby Boomers and X?
I mean, come on, this is Cal State Long Beach we’re talking about! This ain’t Dominguess Hills, or god forbid, Fail-erton. This is a university with the third-best value in the country! These alumni had the privilege of graduating from one of the best universities in the nation, donning the Brown and Gold (or Black and Gold if you want to be a technocrat) for 4, 5, or however many years they were a student. And for them not to even make any donation of any amount shows that they have chosen to take their education for granted. If every alumni on my Futures list donated 10 bucks each, we could be looking at many corporations across the USA and the world pitching in. See, alumni participation is crucial, because if the alumni donate, then the Fortune 500 companies will pitch in. This doesn’t take rocket science to figure this out. And many of the people I contact are Business majors, so this should not be something of an annoyance for them if they just donate $10 of their paycheck per year. It’s not much to ask. And these people don’t want to do it. While I do respect their decisions, shouldn’t these excuses-for-alumni realize that Cal State Long Beach’s status as one of the best in the nation is fueled by alumni like them who are frequent donors?
It really angers me that they don’t realize that a small donation doesn’t hurt. What’s worse is that many who will graduate this semester, or who will in the future, are going to do the same act of ignorance when they are in their prime of their lives, or retired and what not. May the spirit of Prospector Pete have mercy on their souls.
Un dia normal
I have had a rather good day today. Yesterday, in my first shift after a two-year stay in the desert of unemployment, I only had a few contacts, and it was rather fruitless. Today, I got a monkey off my back. I had 21 contacts, which was a personal best for me, and I got my first pledge, which gave me a cash bonus, since it was from a list that didn’t donate as much.
At the same time, the Lakers and Clippers are now 3-1 on the Suns and Nuggets respectively. One more win for both of them, and we got us a Hallway Series, one which will definitely divide a city in two. And while my 49er Men’s Volleyball team finished their season losing to UCLA in the MPSF Championship game, Long Beach City finished off a perfect season, going the distance against Pierce, winning 3 games to 2. That’s their fifth men’s volleyball title. And another set of number to put to Long Beach City’s list of accomplishments. Men’s Volleyball State Champions: 2006. Randy Totorp, you are a god.
Thus another good day for me. Did I mention the Galaxy won on the road against Real Salt Lake 3-2? Ooops, I just did.
Quick hits: April 19
I can’t believe that my Spring Break was boring. While my parents and older sister (she’s still a brat) were out working, I was stuck doing some studying and sleeping in. How boring is that!? I mean, why can’t Cal State Long Beach just do Spring Break the following week? I guess that would be bad timing….
Speaking of which, my mom checked out some new houses in Las Vegas the past few days. She’s planning on giving me a new home to live in. I don’t mind Vegas, but there are two things I have a problem with: cigarette smoke and the heat in the summer. The casinos and the one-arm bandits are a non-issue here…
Long Beach State’s volleyball team will take on BY-Who this Saturday in the quarterfinals of the MPSF tournament at the Pyramid. We defeated BYU twice this year, but will the third time be the charm for the defending national chumps? I hope not…
Just one more month, and I am done with this semester. But I got a grip of classes to go. Anyway, I’ve had enough posting. I gotta do some cramming for a couple of midterms coming up this week.
Orochon Ramen Special Level 2: Easy.
As morning calls for Saturday, I am sitting at my computer typing on another eventful Friday. I had to sacrifice my Business Calculus class for the bulk of my day.
The first event was the Meet the Industries Expo, at the Grand. I managed to meet a number of companies that were interested in my resume. I sent 9 copies, one each to the companies that were hiring positions in Information Systems. With two years left, to go, I wanted to see if I could find work. However, the lure of the Leadership Academy proved too strong, and so I wanted to go ahead and register for as many workshops as I could go for the semester. Of course, I may be overworking myself in a way, but I saw this as an opportunity to improve on what I could do. And a sweet medallion to wear during graduation…I could get all this done in 1 year. By the time Fall 2006 is through, I’ve completed this.
The big part of the day was when I headed to Little Tokyo with my friends from the Anime Club. After visiting a few stores that sold anime, even getting ticked off by the fact that I could take a picture of a statue that had oversized boobs (the figure couldn’t see what was ahead of her---unrealistic), we stopped by Orochon Ramen for dinner. The fact of the matter was that there was this spicy ramen soup, the spiciest of the spiciest, called Special Level 2. I decided that I was going to conquer that soup, no matter what. My friend, DJ of E, aka Eric, also ordered one. It turns out the bowls we had were switched (different bases), but a Special Level 2 is a Special Level 2, so it was dig in or die.
As I took a sip, it was very intense. As if they had put in so much kimchi base and hot chili stock into it. After sipping down the noodles (which was the easy part), it was time to tackle that monster that was the broth. I saw this as my rite of passage. DJ couldn’t finish the broth, and his friend Jeff took a few sips, but couldn’t wolf it down. Even by friend Mora couldn’t wolf it down, either.
I said to myself, I’m not going to let my friends down, the restaurant down, or myself down. This is my rite of passage, and I will go through this, no matter what. Midway through, the broth was tearing through my tongue, my throat, and my sinuses, which cleared. My breathing returned, any my cough had disappeared. But the broth still remained. There was a little bit left. At first, I thought I had reached my limit (I had also drank 4 cups of water) but there was no way I was going to give up this fight. Taking a deep breath, I wolfed down the rest of the remaining contents, finishing the soup in less than 30 minutes. When I completed the trip, I thought I was going to puke. But I told my gut to absorb the richness of the soup, and take it all in. I didn’t get a shirt (they ran out), but I had staked my claim as a person who finished Special Level 2 in less than 30 minutes, and my photo was on the wall.
A few reasons why I completed this…
1. No complaints. I knew this was going to be a very intense one, so I looked at this as something to enjoy. I never flinched, I took my time, pausing when I needed to, and eventually wolfed down the contents. I had to be humble.
2. Dairy before. At MIE, I at a vegetarian lasagna that had some calcium in it. Calcium is a buffer that helps take out some acidity. That may have made it easier.
3. Divine intervention. Indeed, the caption of the soup said, “For the Glory of God.” I wanted the man upstairs to help me finish this, and I did it.
4. Heart and determination. I wanted to finish my food. On every plate (with buffets being the main exception), I finish it clean, I wanted to do the same for this. I was on a mission, and it took heart.
5. I wanted to motivate myself that I can accomplish anything. Even wolfing down a hot, spicy bowl of ramen. Now, I can go back and enjoy wolfing it down at Level 7 (non-spicy) as a form of “retirement.”
The rest of the day was easy. I got the books I wanted to order (though I owe my friends some money for the second book I ordered), and I watched my friends bang on taikos, play on guitars, and do the usual shooting rounds at the arcade.
But wolfing down Special Level 2, the spiciest of the Orochon ramens, has to be one of my favorite accomplishments today. And the good thing is, I’ll live to tell my kids about it. Maybe.
The dance floor is closed.
Long Beach State’s men’s basketball team had put in a valiant run this past weekend at the Big West Tournament. I was honored to be a part of the festivities the past 3 days.
Our men had a rough go at Cal State Fullerton, but we escaped with a 94-91 win. Against UC Irvine, we had a game-winning shot at the buzzer by Aaron Nixon, winning 75-73. We had gained a few more points on Irvine in the Black and Blue Rivalry Series, which was a plus at the tournament.
However, when I saw that Cal Poly lost to Pacific, I knew that our road was going to take a detour back to Long Beach the next day, barring chaos by Bob Thomason’s Fighting Tiger Team. See, these Tigers had some talent. Christian Maraker and Tournament MVP Johnny Gray would see Pacific defeat us 78-70 on a chilly Saturday night in Anaheim.
I was so exhausted from the past two days, that I saved my energy. To my surprise, I didn’t lose my voice, and I still had some energy left. I soaked in the whole experience that night. I was proud to have been at the Big West Tournament, save for the first day.
But during this run, the Beach’s embattled head coach’s job was on the line each game. As soon as the Beach Band and Cheer bus left the Anaheim Convention Center, I knew that there was no way that Larry Reynolds would keep his job.
I mean, let’s face it. In the Larry Reynolds era, we haven’t had decent records at all. Our coach has a terrible record at the Beach, a complete aberration of his success at Cal State San Bernardino. We simply didn’t have the right system, or the best group of players to give us consistency in winning. The outgoing AD, Bill Shumard, was responsible for having Reynolds as our coach still, even though he could have rode off into the sunset by giving him his walking papers.
I will note the pluses of this season:
* Best record since 2001-02
* First appearance in the conference title game since 1995
* School and Big West record 17 3’s in one game
* Two players on All-Tournament, Jibril Hodges (the career 3-points leader) getting All-Conference first team
* Two out of three taken from Irvine, including the semifinal, giving us a bigger advantage over the Anteaters in the rivalry series
* The best year in the Larry Reynolds era
* I was on TV (personal plus)
However, all these are moot if you look at the bigger picture. A seat at the Pyramid for a men’s basketball game hasn’t been a hot commodity when Reynolds was coach. The boosters, alumni and fans are frustrated with him not delivering wins on a consistent basis. And this year, we dropped our homecoming game, a game we were expected to win.
The decision would have been tough for the administration and our new President, Dr. F. King Alexander, had the outcome been different and in our favor. I think Pacific’s ticket being punched made the decision easier.
I have so much respect for UOP. They have quality players, an accomplished coach, and are the Gonzaga of the Big West. I congratulate Coach Thomason, their players, their fans, and even the mascot Powercat, and hope they make the BWC proud at the NCAA Tournament. But it will also be a moral win for us if Reynolds is fired next week or sometime soon. If he is still our coach next year, I think our season will surely have been below expectations.
I know this isn't fair to the coach himself, and with all due respect to his efforts, it should be a privilege to coach at the Beach because we have a tradition of playing at our best potential, and having it all pay off. To not deliver when it matters most is against the wishes of the students, the fans, the boosters, and the alumni. This is the same at any institution, in any sport. If you don't win as a coach over a period of time, in all likelihood you will be sacked (as the say in the football sense).
In any case, when Long Beach State went down against Pacific, they went down fighting.
Strength in numbers...
Wow. Today was a fun one.
I started my day going over to the rugby field to watch Long Beach State clash with UCLA in rugby. The Beach went back to their normal selves, scoring on opportunities, and stretching the defense wide. I had to leave the game to see the 49ers clash with UC Davis in women’s basketball at the Pyramid. It seems to me that thanks to the pep band, I do some signature dancing with my pompom sticks. I have fun watching games at the Pyramid, waving my banner when we win or when the game starts and the 49ers take the court. UC Davis is not yet in our conference yet, but if they were, they would be on top. We defeated them on Senior Day handily.
The only negative of the day was when I went to Blair Field, and when I got inside, the game finished, the baseball team taking the 3-game serried over the Flames of Illinois-Chicago, 6-0, with one game to go.
After commiserating on an opportunity that I would have missed anyway (both games were starting at the same time), I made a pit stop at Los Altos to eat, and then returned to the Pyramid to watch the Beach take on UCLA in men’s volleyball. This time, we swept the Bruins in 3 games, snapping (coincidentally) a 3-game losing streak (2 on the roads against Hawaii, last night against UC Irvine).
I met an aspiring actress, Lauren Glenn, who starred in a number of TV series, is a graduate of CSULB, and is a sorority girl (Alpha Phi). In fact, I was surrounded by sorority girls when I watched the volleyball game. It was a fun day.
Add in the men’s basketball team defeating UC Davis, women’s tennis toppling Denver for their seventh straight win, and a water polo win over…wait for it….UC Davis (the only real negative being their loss to San Jose State), and softball defeating Wagner (a negative a choke against Western Kentucky), and we have had a good day.
Several positives against a few negatives. That’s what you call strength in numbers.
PINK? Ano sa...
Yes, I got a pink phone. And it's not because I am gay (I am not, of course, but I am not homophobic either). Actually, I do like the color pink, but there were no blue or red Motorola RAZR V3s out there, so I stuck with this. I treat this phone like a girl, a mistress with moe tendencies. I call her Rosebud, and she is all mine. At least for a few years or until they are completely bettered by something else. Or a new provider and plan pops up.
Speaking of which, I had this insane dream that I was Harima Kenji of School Runble, and I was making love to Tenma Tsukamoto on the beach. Funny how Harima finally got his wish, without any inhibitions.
But me likes my Rosebud. I think me play with it. And it's a girl, so it must be treated with respect, as well as made love to. But then again, how can you make love to a pink cell phone, if it isn't human? Oh, the frustrations of an androgynous consumer...
One great day....
Today was fun. I woke up this morning fresh from envisioning I was my friend Steve Tran, and that my sister told me she won the lottery. (She was in angel white undies saying this //// ). My first wet dream in ages...I am saved. >_< I was impressed by Long Beach State's basketball teams defeating UC Riverside. Later that night, I taped the match between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales. Pacman took over in the sixth, and TKO'd El Terrible in the 10th. The Philippines rejoiced as a nation, and the song "Pinoy Ako" by Orange & Lemons kept playing incessantly. And I gorged on some chocolate in celebration.
Meanwhile, in another part of Las Vegas, Miss Oklahoma won the Miss America pageant. Her significant other should already be in Iraq by now, fighting a meaningless cause, or maybe he's already dead...I am a jinxoholic. Somebody save me, nyo.
This will set me up for a fun week, the first week of the Spring semester. I don't know if I got that position at the computer labs; I haven't received a phone call or e-mail....le sigh.
The trip to Vegas
It's now time for a little reminiscing. A 3-day holiday to Vegas during the Christmas weekend...
Day 1
When we took off in the air for Vegas, it felt like I was taken back into 1992, my last flight in an airplane. I was going on a trip with my mom to see my relatives in Pembo, Fort Bonifacio, Makati. Anyways, after my first taste of tonic water and Terra Blues, I tuned into ZZ Top, listening to bookend favorites such as Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man, and the like.
As we were about to land, I saw the Strip. It looked like the same old Strip from last time I visited. Only change I could see was that there was a new hotel and casino, the Wynn. More on that later. Also, Westward Ho was shutting down and would be imploded in January. It’s like I was just here yesterday. Though the shuttle took too long to get us to Stardust, I finally got to savor what I always wanted to do: play the slots. The last two visits here, I couldn’t play it, and they had to babysit me. That wouldn’t be the case this time.
After I quick change, it was time to take care of business. First thing me, mom and dad did was check out the Stardust slots. The paybacks were good for a few machines, but a lot weren’t that friendly. After a quick stop at one of the restaurants, we went to Circus Circus. Slots were nicer this time, and I nabbed $500 or so, while Dad netted $300. A number of slot machines had longer playing time. I call those machines “fighter slots,” because they fought to prevent the house from gaining the advantage.
My Cheez Whiz jar was almost full, and I got $53 in my wallet (pennies if you ask me, peanuts if you’re Supreme like McGriff or Irv like Gotti), and some confidence for tomorrow.
At the Stardust, there was a karaoke contest. One of the contestants sang like she was drunk. Think Jonathan, a female version (not unlike Jona-ko).
Day 2
To make a long story short, I gained 27 dollars. Now to make it long.
At 7 in the morning, I woke up, spent 9 bucks on breakfast from McDonald’s, much to the chagrin of my parents. Me, with my green scarf on and my hat, which I would lose later in the day (rats), went with my mom and dad to the Wynn. Now, here’s the thing. The Wynn is just like the Bellagio, only better. The food here is amazing, and the rewards card I got looked sexy like Haine. Red. Sleek, sexy red. The type of red Haine would look like a goddess in. The bane of my existence as a shoujoholic along with Sailor Moon. I treasured it. And the point are accumuilative and do not expire. Unfortunately, it was under my mom’s account, but I still treasured the card as a souvenir.
And even more so, it paid well. We got enough credits to get us one of the best buffets in Vegas. But we stopped there for a light breakfast. I grooved to Haddaway while snacking on a pancake. Ah, Steve Wynn. Your expertise and professionalism would make Bill Gates cry.
After rolling up the credits, it was off to Caesars’ Palace via Bloc Pary and “Helicopter.” This, though, did not pay well. Though I had a Players’ Club card as a souvenir, `the house was too strong. My parents bought some stuff at Abercrombie & Fitch, located in the Forum Shops. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything relevant to my interest. I’m stunned they didn’t have any LA Galaxy gear. Pete Rose was there to sign autographs, but I’m an LA Angels fan, and I could care less about buying Cincinatti Reds merchandise, and I still think Pete Rose is a cheater. Me, mom, and dad hightailed for the Bellagio. They didn’t pay well, either. The house was again too strong.
ZZ Top took over on my iPod, and as we ixed the Rio for the Tropicana, my mind began to wander about understanding Las Vegas. I came here to spend all my money on Vegas, to help make the dreams of the people who strived hard to work here come true, in my own personal way. It didn’t matter that I had money. I wanted to get rid of all of it by tomorrow. It wasn’t my own money. It was my mom’s, specifically made for Vegas. It would have been so easy for me to save the money, but this being the first time I could play the slots, I wanted to go ahead and get rid of all of it. This was my personal baptism into being a regular visitor to Las Vegas who can gamble.
I also observed one thing about Las Vegas people. They are hard-nosed folks who are frank, to the point, and won’t hold your hand. They’ve been that way for 100 years. Why should it change?
At last we headed to the Tropicana. Excitedly, I got my own account. And then it was back to the slots. Now, Tropicana had a lot of fightin’ slots. Meaning, they fought to prevent the house from gaining the advantage. No sooner has I gotten back from getting my account that to see my dad hit the jackpot. 135 dollars, to be exact. There was an instant swagger in my step.
One of the nickel slot machines, called Island Getaway, fought like crazy. I had spent an hour on this machine, gaining credits as I went along. Another slot machine, called “Go Big Money” paid well. All in all, I had over $120 bucks. After making up the blunders by getting back $5 from Winners Club, I was ready to treat my parents. But wait. The bag containing my mom’s Abercrombie gift for my sister was missing. My mom was panicking. I knew, though, that Tropicana’s security was paid tomake sure it was safe. After Mom rejoiced, I said to the security guard, “You rock!”
The Island Buffet wasn’t too bad. Granted, it was just a few selections, but the pasta was Aramark-quality. The pasta chef, coincidentally, was from West Long Beach, my neighborhood. Naturally, I tipped him, in hopes that he makes it big down the road. If people’s dreams are realized, I hope they maintain it.
As I got dessert, a shattering of ceramic could be heard across the buffet room. I thought it was bad luck for us. Actually, that wouldn’t happen until tomorrow, but Mom said it was bad luck on them. Whoops.
With the buffet down, it was ti0me to wander off to the MGM Grand Hotel, the City of Entertainment. Here I got another account, but only two cards.[ P+ayout was decent, but not as strong. We savoured the Star Wars slots.
We then decided to go to the Las Vegas Monorail. This was the first time I would go on a Monorail since Disneyland. But we had to go through something. There was not a crowd, or a mob, but a SEA of tourists from Asia flocking into the MGM Grand to celebrate the New Year. As a side note, in January, there will be a rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales. I would place my money on Pacquiao to set the judges right. That fight will be at the Thomas & Mack Center. But back to the sea of tourists. They just kept on heading towards the casino, There were so many of them, I swore I was in Tokyo or Singapore. It was unbelievable how many were coming in. It just didn’t stop. An endless sea of Asian tourists.
The Monorail ride was a bit bumpy, but I got to see some very good views of the Strip. King Kong and D. Jungle Girls provided background on my iPod. The problem was, we stopped at the Hilton Station, and it was one mile to get back to Stardust. While we haqd to trudge though a junkyard/contruction zone to get there, we stopped by the Riviera.
At the Reel Em In slots, my mom hit the jackpot, and on the same machine, I caused it to tilt. I savored my new winnings, in spite of the casino unable to convert dimes.
By the way, Nevada outlasted UCF in the Hawaii Bowl, 49-48. Lucky Reno stiffs.
Day 3
We slept like babies checking out of the Stardust. We returned for the buffet at the Wynn, but the line was ridiculously long. So, we left. I got so excited, I yelled at my dad for no- apparent reason. He got mad for no apparent reason either. I probably shouldn’t have taken my medication, cause it made me sober that morning. But my dad will get over it.
So after eating at the Harrah’s buffet, I got another account there, but after seeing low payouts, we decided to go to Casino Royale. I got my last account there, and tinkered with the Reel Em In slots. At that moment, I decided to go ahead and spend it all.
We then took a taxi from Stardust to the airport, where I finished off my supply of cash on the airport’s Wheel of Fortune slots. But by that time, I was elated and happy. I didn’t care about the cash-I didn’t need to anyway; it was my mom’s-I just wanted to finally do what has been 21 years in the making-play the slots.
Now that Vegas is finished, I can now focus on the Winter Session and Spring Semester at the Beach. I understood that what I’ve wanted to buy is not in Las Vegas, but in Los Angeles. Home. I’ll have to see tomorrow if they have any Galaxy gear available, so I can buy some. But, it was apparent that it was Mission Accomplished.
Viva Las Vegas indeed.
Happy New Year!!!
Cheers everyone. This photo is copyright me, and me only. You may not steal this piece de resistance, no matter how much you want to kill it with fuego.
LAS VEGAS!!!
Welp, next weekend, after a semester full of challenges, I now can take some time off to relax. I take a plane to Las Vegas to celebrate Christmas, and now that I'm already an 18-year old in a 21-year old's body, I can now enjoy sipping daiquiris while playing slots. Anyone asks my age, they can shove it, cos I am now able to gamble without anyone nagging on me.
Of course, the alcohol is always in moderation.
This has been quite a year for me. Getting kicked off a forum, joining a new one and shunning the old one, graduating from a JC and starting again at a university, a tough semester being a wake-up bomb (sorry REM), and always available, MySpace...I think this year was definitely a year of changes.
Now, it's on to Las Vegas and some partying on the Strip.
Australia in the World Cup finals! YEAH!
Talk about making it big. The Socceroos have pleased me to a T. They took out Uruguay in penalties 4-2, after getting a n equalizer at Telstra Stadium a few weeks ago. I am so elated that the Aussies have purged themselves of any more futility. Now they can rip it up in Asia...and ASEAN. Kudos, you Aussies! Oi Oi Oi!
The Galaxy: 2005 US Open Cup AND MLS Cup Champs!
Who would ever thought that an underachieving guy like Guillermo "Pando" Ramirez would be the unlikely hero and lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to their second MLS Cup crown? In overtime, Pando became the hero, and after the game, the LA Riot Squad flooded the field, Shooter, Gunner and the gang, to celebrate the win. the only drawback is that the unpopular manager, Steve Sampson, will be signed for the long haul due to the success. Now we expect him to lead us to Tokyo next December, and hang out with the likes of, I don't know, Liverpool and Sao Paolo, for example? I don't mind winning against those squads. We're there to be the best in the world.
As a Riot Squader. I can't be more prouder of the fact that our team is now the best soccer team in America. We didn't have the best record in regular season play in the West; heck, we barely got in. But this Galaxy team dug deep down the home sretch, defeating top ranked San Jose, Landon Donovan busting out a couple of goals against Colorado, and finally, Pando Ramirez becomes the man of the day, the MVP of the MLS Cup, with a beautiful goal past the keeper to life LA back to supremacy.
Next on the agenda...getting back the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The Riot Squad will be there to see that happen for sure! Congratulations Los Angeles for being the associated football capital of America once again!
As a Riot Squader. I can't be more prouder of the fact that our team is now the best soccer team in America. We didn't have the best record in regular season play in the West; heck, we barely got in. But this Galaxy team dug deep down the home sretch, defeating top ranked San Jose, Landon Donovan busting out a couple of goals against Colorado, and finally, Pando Ramirez becomes the man of the day, the MVP of the MLS Cup, with a beautiful goal past the keeper to life LA back to supremacy.
Next on the agenda...getting back the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The Riot Squad will be there to see that happen for sure! Congratulations Los Angeles for being the associated football capital of America once again!
So long, Fightin' Bob!
Boy, it’s great to be at the Beach these days. But, it’s also a bittersweet affair, because Dr. Robert Maxson is leaving as university president. So I went on a little walk with him, his lovely wife Dr. Sylvia Maxson, my friend Jamie Pollock, some other acquaintances from the Beach Patrol, a party of about 800 or so other students, all who are now my friends and comrades for a certain cause (even those people from DSP, or whom I have decided to settle my personal feuds with for just this one moment; I’ll consider reconnecting with them as a member of ISSA in the Spring), and the inflatable Prospector Pete, and we walked as a unit, trudging toward that blue structure that has been perhaps the bane of my existence as an athletics supporter in black and gold, that actually has a first and last name: Walter Pyramid, or Wally for short, or for those who are nostalgic…simple “The Pyramid.”
The air was brimming with nostalgia as all the past ASI Presidents during Dr. Maxson’s tenure were there, and I was feeling so ecstatic as the pep band played like a gem. You see, Dr. Maxson changed the way Cal State Long Beach was viewed. He placed the students at the highest priority, something that I don’t think LBCC’s Dr. Kehoe emphasized as much, or that the LBCC Student Life would attest. The teams as general would be referred from now on [informally, albeit] as “The Beach,” and the world famous phrase “Go Beach!” became everyday lingo at the campus on the hill. I think it’s an indirect tradition after talking with an alum of the university, a 49er athlete, or just a prospective student for CSULB to say to them, “Go Beach!” because the phrase itself shows a clear identity where you come from. Within the past decade, Dr. Maxson has successfully placed the Beach on the map. An award was named after him. A plaza next to Brotman Hall was named after him. State University Drive is now Beach Drive, with the newly created phrase “Maxson Plaza at Beach Drive” or “Maxson at Beach” for short. (Wonder what W. Campus or E. Campus will be renamed? Can’t wait to see how that turns out.) And a lot of other things were named after him.
And there was a contest for the best Beach cheer. I like one of the band’s cheers, going like this.
When I say Go, you say Beach! Go! Beach! Go! Beach!
When I say Go, you say Beach! Go! Beach! Go! Beach!
It’s one of those, “Why didn’t I think of that?” type of rally calls. And then we walked, me listening to the Eagles as background, as to make this look like a throwback film from the 70s. The CSU University Chorus sang one of my favorite Ivy League numbers, “Gaudeamus Igitur.” As we saw a film chronicling Maxson’s tenure as the big cheese, all of us were cheering his name. “Max-son! Max-son! Max-son!” The students were quite rowdy, which is what I would expect.
As the celebration ended, I had to flock over to the soccer game, heckling the UC Davis supporters with “Win In A Minute, We’re Gonna Win In A Minute,” to the tune of “Guantanamera,” a tribute to my friends from that ragtag group of Galaxy diehards known to all the LA’s Riot Squad, which I am still an auxiliary member. A few joined in, while others had to laugh. I paid them no mind. I even asked the Davis people to “warm up the bus.”
But back to what the next president should be. I think there will be some repercussions when Dr. Maxson leaves. I don’t think he’ll be replaced. He was, is, and always will be the man behind Cal State Long Beach. But whoever the new President is, I will support him all the way, and honor the legacy he will forge.
But I assure you, that person has very big shoes to fill.
Highs and lows
I think this weekend has had a balanced set of highs and lows. First, the lows. I received a 62 out of 100 for my Geography midterm, the same score as my Accounting midterm. Since the grade is not weighted, I’ll need to bounce back on the next midterm and paper if I expect to bounce back. I think something needs to be in order with how I do in my classes. I was quite disappointed at how much I remembered the concepts. This was the second hit-and-miss midterm I had. The US Men’s Soccer Team dropped a game to Costa Rica. Also, the Angels lost Game 4 of the Division Series to the Yankees, so a Game 5 is in order.
The highs balance things, though. St. Anthony, Lakewood, UCLA, and USC won their football games. Also, Long Beach State’s soccer, men’s water polo and women’s volleyball teams swept their competition this weekend.
I think, though, that I’m going to have to recheck how I approach the material. When it comes to knowing the subject, it sinks in, but I seem to think I already know the concept, when there is so much to remember, that it goes in one ear and out the other.
I seem to enjoy the games more than classes. Go figure.
Must...GET...orgasm...
Current mood: blah
I have been in a bit of a funk these past few weeks. I didn’t get a look from the bastards as Delta Sigma Pi, so I decided not to join any clubs. Also, I had to drop one of my classes because I could not stand the instructor in that class. As far as I know, he’s old, speak with some crappy Bantu accent, and should teach somewhere, literally some good university in Africa (if there is one, I don’t think there is one).
Also, I wasted $5 watching my 49er volleyball team get assraped by Santa Barbara on Friday, and the next day see City get nipped by Cerritos. So now I’m touching up on some non-academic work before starting my Career Autobiography, as well as some stuff for my Geography research paper.
It’s hard to be humble, but I suppose if I change genders, it wouldn’t change anything. I'm bored. Really.
Please help me.
A fake press release...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
18 September 2005
The “White House”
To whom this may concern,
The “White House” and our leader, Jo-Ryan Salazar, received a message from one of the executive board members of the International Fraternity of Delta Sigma Pi, Lambda Phi Chapter that a letter regarding whether or not Jo-Ryan Salazar has been invited to be a provisional member of the chapter will be distributed at the ABSOC office on 19 September 2005, at 2:00 p.m. PST. The 40-member staff of the “White House” is excited about this news, and is anticipating the outcome of this letter with wondrous anticipation.
Should the letter be that of an invitation, an official press conference will take place at the “White House” press room at approximately 6:00 p.m. PST. Jo-Ryan is expected, upon receiving this invitation, to formally accept it, as well as state his goals for the Alpha Nu pledge class, which is where Jo-Ryan will be grouped with this semester. Also, Jo-Ryan will be present at the first event of this process, which will be 4:00 p.m. PST, Friday, 23 September, at a location to be determined, albeit it will be on campus.
Should the letter be that of a rejection, an official press conference will take place at the “White House” press room, at the same time as that of an invitation. Jo-Ryan will then announce his next steps after this rejection has been affirmed. As this is the worst-case scenario, the “White House” team will schedule a 30-minute meeting following the press conference to evaluate other options for Jo-Ryan.
While we will not expect the chapter’s letter to be that of an invitation or that of a rejection, we are confident that the chapter will make or has made a decision that will place the future of this esteemed organization in the best direction possible.
Jay R. Boogimon
Press Secretary
The “White House”
Looking for changes
Time for something quite serious. Yeah, I know, for most of the time it’s been upbeat, but it’s time for a change.
Yesterday, I felt quite down. I don’t know if it was the caffeine withdrawal or something, but I was overwhelmed by the many opportunities I have on campus to get involved. I wanted to get involved with Delta Sigma Pi, and as I met all these different people from various walks of life, I felt like I was the odd man out. I didn’t know anyone who graduated from LBCC that wanted to major in Info Systems that was a member of DSP. That was what really caused the cold, harsh reality to sink in: I don’t know anyone at Long Beach State, save a few, but they’re already accomplished in what they will do, and the mindset was that I had to start over again.
I realized I left behind a college that was left in shambles, at least student life-wise. The student government basically collapsed in a way, and the trends of people not being involved in the student life programs at City continued to diminish. The ASB President resigned, the Administration has ruined the role of students having a voice in how choices are made, and the future of LBCC’s students seems to be bleak in a way, unless something drastic changes. I actually broke down after realizing this.
I was told by my old friend Ashley that I shouldn’t worry about this dilemma. But let’s face it: how can’t you worry about a community college that you’ve been involved in for 3 years, and realize the direction it is headed is that of a regular, run-of-the-mill high school? I sometimes get scared that the Student Life programs of Long Beach City College will no longer exist. Instead, it will just become another glorified high school, run by baby boomers that do not care one bit about the integrity and solidarity of their students.
I wonder if I will be able to get past this first semester at the Beach. With an unfavorable schedule, and some loose ends to tie, plus JCFN, and Delta Sigma Pi, I think I’ll want to take this semester one day at a time. Or something like that.
It’s like I’m a freshman all over again.
Saturday: Mission
Yesterday was fun. Before I went to the game between LBCC and Moorpark, I went over to eat with my mom over at Genghis Khan. I piled on the meat, the pineapple, the mushrooms, carrots, peppers, cabbage, and to my surprise, I got the wrong plate when it came to me, and some other customer, this African-American lady, comes over and switches it with the one I ordered. And then she tells the folks I want a new plate. There go a few dollars worth of food wasted, and maybe a few jobs lost due to poor service. I finished the meal with my sinuses cleared, my eyes watery, and my mouth burning with chili.
Afterwards, it was time for the game. I went onto the field, and talked with a lot of people, I discussed the season with the Cheer Team, I reunited with Dr. Kehoe and Dr. Fylpaa, as well as Larry Reisbig, and I took photos of the teams practicing. I also met my friend Chris Ruiz, who is LBCC’s sports information director, and he gave me a few passes: one for the game, and one for the season. I would return to the press box later for a halftime snack.
I met some very cordial people from Moorpark College. The guys there acknowledged that the Vikings had some players with good speed. LBCC’s team’s depth will be key for them throughout the season. I kept this in mind as I wrote notes, interviewed the coaches, and then wrote my report, with some statistical and photogenical assistance from Chris.
Later that night (I had drank a few too much Diet Cokes that game), I saw this hilarious photo that said “M-F- stole my sammich.” I laughed like crazy after seeing it, I don’t know why. But after I saw a comment post that said “Sage Failure,” I said, “FIRST DOWN!” After a bit of some sensible flooding, I finally became a first-teamer on The Onion Bag.
And so ended my night, although now I gotta sleep in and try to do some accounting homework. Typed. Clean. Less use of mess and more use of fingers. I guess I gotta give my props to Habitat for Humanity not giving me a slot today: they gave me more time to do the thing I like: The Internet.
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