Nothing good ever comes out of Texas, except BBQ sauce.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
MY GROWN-UP CHRISTMAS LIST
Since my previous wishes didn't come true, I figured it was okay for me to ask for something else. From the heart of one of my greatest inspirations... this is what I want for Christmas this year.
Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee.
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies.
Well, I'm all grown up now,
But I still need help somehow.
I'm not a child,
but my heart still can dream.
So, here's my lifelong wish;
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself, but for a world in need.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely wrapped beneath the tree.
Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth!
There'd be...
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
This is my only lifelong wish...
This is my Grown-up Christmas List.
Thanks, Amy Grant, for putting into words what I feel.
Since my previous wishes didn't come true, I figured it was okay for me to ask for something else. From the heart of one of my greatest inspirations... this is what I want for Christmas this year.
Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee.
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies.
Well, I'm all grown up now,
But I still need help somehow.
I'm not a child,
but my heart still can dream.
So, here's my lifelong wish;
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself, but for a world in need.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely wrapped beneath the tree.
Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth!
There'd be...
No more lives torn apart,
And wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
Everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end...
This is my grown-up Christmas list.
This is my only lifelong wish...
This is my Grown-up Christmas List.
Thanks, Amy Grant, for putting into words what I feel.
Monday, December 20, 2004
What a LAME day!
I drove back and forth between my house and the ELA Courthouse because first the judge decided to recess for the whole morning. Then we finally reported back after our "extended lunch break" only to find out that the lawyers on both side decided to just settle so as to not let the case interfere with their X-mas vacations! How LAZY!!! It's a good thing I live close and drive fast!
After that anti-climatical end to my jury duty, the only thing that I was looking forward to was the Lakers game. I still can't believe they lost... to the Grizzlies! What an ugly game played by BOTH teams. And what the f.ck are the Dodgers doing? No Brad Penny, no Shawn Green, no Steve Finley, no Adrian Beltre, no Alex Cora??? No SportsCenter for me tonight!
I drove back and forth between my house and the ELA Courthouse because first the judge decided to recess for the whole morning. Then we finally reported back after our "extended lunch break" only to find out that the lawyers on both side decided to just settle so as to not let the case interfere with their X-mas vacations! How LAZY!!! It's a good thing I live close and drive fast!
After that anti-climatical end to my jury duty, the only thing that I was looking forward to was the Lakers game. I still can't believe they lost... to the Grizzlies! What an ugly game played by BOTH teams. And what the f.ck are the Dodgers doing? No Brad Penny, no Shawn Green, no Steve Finley, no Adrian Beltre, no Alex Cora??? No SportsCenter for me tonight!
Sunday, December 19, 2004
THINK POSITIVE
Being at home and around my brother and his friends, I am always so motivated to inspire them to use their energy and time towards positive things. Here is a group of such bright young boys, yet they're so lazy! All their parents (mine included) work so much that they don't have time to give them the amount of attention they need. Furthermore, they lack good, older role models. The current losers they look up to bum around and smoke all the damn time. Granted, I'm not the most ideal "cool" older person they need right now, but I do hope that my influence in their lives will be beneficial to them for the time being. In the two days that I've been around them, I've managed to gain a bit of respect and they actually enjoy listening to my corny stories... often equipped with a life lesson to be learned at the end. In the upcoming weeks, I hope to be able to engage them in more conversations and help them come up with a plan to get them to where they want to be in the future. The hardest part about it all is trying to figure out where to take them so that our mini-field trips can be educational and fun. So far, what I have planned include visits to the Getty Museum, the Museum of Tolerance and a biology expo. I really believe that they WANT to succeed. The problem is they don't know how. I have a terrible feeling that teachers look at them and think that they are lost causes cuz they look like a bunch of hooligans. Though they sometimes do... they're far from it. In fact, on their own, they engage in some very thought-provoking conversations. My challenge will be to strip the laziness away and be able to transform them so that others can see the great potential that I see in them.
My time with the boys will be a great preview for what's in store for me with Teach for America. I just found out yesterday that I will be a teacher next year! I'm very excited to find out where I will be placed and what subject and grade level I will be teaching. If I'm successful with the boys, hopefully it'll prepare me just a bit more in becoming a great teacher.
But for now... it's bedtime. Tomorrow, I must report bright and early at 9:30 sharp for my first-ever call to jury duty at the East LA Courthouse. I'm actually really stoked! As a HUGE fan of the movie, 12 Angry Men, I hope to be placed on the case and be the voice of reason in the deliberation room. However, I'm a little concerned that once I proclaim my Berkeley-ness and/or my soon-to-be degrees in Political Science and Sociology, they'll dismiss me from the jury panel for sure. Add my aspirations to attend Law School, and I'm definitely a goner. I'm thinking I may say that I'm a sorority girl from Rio Hondo and that I'm a Mass Communications major. But then again... perjury's not cool either.
Being at home and around my brother and his friends, I am always so motivated to inspire them to use their energy and time towards positive things. Here is a group of such bright young boys, yet they're so lazy! All their parents (mine included) work so much that they don't have time to give them the amount of attention they need. Furthermore, they lack good, older role models. The current losers they look up to bum around and smoke all the damn time. Granted, I'm not the most ideal "cool" older person they need right now, but I do hope that my influence in their lives will be beneficial to them for the time being. In the two days that I've been around them, I've managed to gain a bit of respect and they actually enjoy listening to my corny stories... often equipped with a life lesson to be learned at the end. In the upcoming weeks, I hope to be able to engage them in more conversations and help them come up with a plan to get them to where they want to be in the future. The hardest part about it all is trying to figure out where to take them so that our mini-field trips can be educational and fun. So far, what I have planned include visits to the Getty Museum, the Museum of Tolerance and a biology expo. I really believe that they WANT to succeed. The problem is they don't know how. I have a terrible feeling that teachers look at them and think that they are lost causes cuz they look like a bunch of hooligans. Though they sometimes do... they're far from it. In fact, on their own, they engage in some very thought-provoking conversations. My challenge will be to strip the laziness away and be able to transform them so that others can see the great potential that I see in them.
My time with the boys will be a great preview for what's in store for me with Teach for America. I just found out yesterday that I will be a teacher next year! I'm very excited to find out where I will be placed and what subject and grade level I will be teaching. If I'm successful with the boys, hopefully it'll prepare me just a bit more in becoming a great teacher.
But for now... it's bedtime. Tomorrow, I must report bright and early at 9:30 sharp for my first-ever call to jury duty at the East LA Courthouse. I'm actually really stoked! As a HUGE fan of the movie, 12 Angry Men, I hope to be placed on the case and be the voice of reason in the deliberation room. However, I'm a little concerned that once I proclaim my Berkeley-ness and/or my soon-to-be degrees in Political Science and Sociology, they'll dismiss me from the jury panel for sure. Add my aspirations to attend Law School, and I'm definitely a goner. I'm thinking I may say that I'm a sorority girl from Rio Hondo and that I'm a Mass Communications major. But then again... perjury's not cool either.
Friday, December 17, 2004
8 F.CKING HOURS...
...was the number of hours it took me to drive home today. I usually LOVE driving down the 5 freeway. However, considering that this is a drive that I can usually make in 5.5 hours, I am f.cking pissed! I don't normally get steaming mad about anything, but today, I'm BOILING at 100 degrees Celsius.
First of all, who gave big rigs the right to drive at 50 mph in the LEFT lane??? If I recall correctly, all signs read, "Slower traffic keep right." It's a simple concept... what's not to understand? If you're big and slow, just stay on your lane. Don't try to race with the big boys. But nooooo, instead, I got stuck behind all the f.cking truckers and the lame-ass drivers that were blocking up both lanes.
Secondly, there was fog. But fog's usually not too troublesome. Tonight, it was dense, but not to the point of being unable to see clearly. Yet, the f.cking people on the road tonight could not drive for sh.t! The 5 freeway going through Republican Land is STRAIGHT! It's not scary to drive STRAIGHT with a bit of fog. Just follow the f.cking taillights of the car in front of you. No need to go at the speed of a f.cking snail!
But perhaps the worst part of it all was the state patroller that STOPPED traffic in the middle of the 5 freeway and then proceeded to make us go at his pace, weaving back and forth in front of us with a flashing sign that read, "Drive at this pace, do not pass." I happened to be the third car in the pack. His pace? 40 mph in a 70 mph speed zone! This went on for an hour before the f.cker finally got off the exit at Kettleman.
It wasn't even like bumper-to-bumper TRAFFIC. It was just a bunch of cars that didn't know how to drive. Ironically, things FINALLY got better the second I saw the sign proclaiming that I had just reached the county limits of Los Angeles. Thank goodness for good ol' LA drivers. At this point, I was so sick of traffic that I think I basically flew home going about 100. (Shhh... Gabbo says I drive like an East LA boy.) Needless to say, my road rage was in overdrive, to the point of just wanting to run my car off the road. I can't believe how frustrating it was on the road today... especially cuz I was starving and alone. And believe me, I was UNFORGIVING with the horn.
Preach on, Luda. Move bitch, get out the way cuz you about to get ran the F.CK over.
...was the number of hours it took me to drive home today. I usually LOVE driving down the 5 freeway. However, considering that this is a drive that I can usually make in 5.5 hours, I am f.cking pissed! I don't normally get steaming mad about anything, but today, I'm BOILING at 100 degrees Celsius.
First of all, who gave big rigs the right to drive at 50 mph in the LEFT lane??? If I recall correctly, all signs read, "Slower traffic keep right." It's a simple concept... what's not to understand? If you're big and slow, just stay on your lane. Don't try to race with the big boys. But nooooo, instead, I got stuck behind all the f.cking truckers and the lame-ass drivers that were blocking up both lanes.
Secondly, there was fog. But fog's usually not too troublesome. Tonight, it was dense, but not to the point of being unable to see clearly. Yet, the f.cking people on the road tonight could not drive for sh.t! The 5 freeway going through Republican Land is STRAIGHT! It's not scary to drive STRAIGHT with a bit of fog. Just follow the f.cking taillights of the car in front of you. No need to go at the speed of a f.cking snail!
But perhaps the worst part of it all was the state patroller that STOPPED traffic in the middle of the 5 freeway and then proceeded to make us go at his pace, weaving back and forth in front of us with a flashing sign that read, "Drive at this pace, do not pass." I happened to be the third car in the pack. His pace? 40 mph in a 70 mph speed zone! This went on for an hour before the f.cker finally got off the exit at Kettleman.
It wasn't even like bumper-to-bumper TRAFFIC. It was just a bunch of cars that didn't know how to drive. Ironically, things FINALLY got better the second I saw the sign proclaiming that I had just reached the county limits of Los Angeles. Thank goodness for good ol' LA drivers. At this point, I was so sick of traffic that I think I basically flew home going about 100. (Shhh... Gabbo says I drive like an East LA boy.) Needless to say, my road rage was in overdrive, to the point of just wanting to run my car off the road. I can't believe how frustrating it was on the road today... especially cuz I was starving and alone. And believe me, I was UNFORGIVING with the horn.
Preach on, Luda. Move bitch, get out the way cuz you about to get ran the F.CK over.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
BASKETBALL DIARIES
As the weather gets cold, I get gimpy... lately, my ankle has been killing me! It was so bad today that I limped the whole 13 blocks home. It's the same ankle where I had a third degree tendon tear from a long time ago. I was supposed to be MIA for about 2 months after it happened. But at age 13 and dreaming about going into the NBA, I thought I was invincible. I think I stayed off my ankle for about 2 WEEKS! And now I'm paying the consequences. But whatever, it's like a battle scar and I cherish it and the memory dearly...
I had been going one-on-one with this guy, JB. He didn't think I could beat him in basketball. The score was 10-1, my lead. On my last point, I thought I'd get a little fancy and do a crazy crossover and hopefully break some ankles. Unfortunately, the only ankles that got "broken" that day were mine. I slipped on a puddle of water due to the rainy weather that day and ate it on the hardwood floor. I don't remember it hurting very much, though it swelled about five times my regular ankle size. It was so horrible looking that it made my mother cry, and she never cries. Needless to say, I never did get to finish that game... but we can reasonably infer that I won. :)
As an aside, I got my crap paper back today. The professor gave me an A. An A?!?!?! The one that I wrote in a rush so that I could go mingle with some hot boys?! I almost wanted to tell her to change it because I didn't deserve that high of a grade. Almost.
As the weather gets cold, I get gimpy... lately, my ankle has been killing me! It was so bad today that I limped the whole 13 blocks home. It's the same ankle where I had a third degree tendon tear from a long time ago. I was supposed to be MIA for about 2 months after it happened. But at age 13 and dreaming about going into the NBA, I thought I was invincible. I think I stayed off my ankle for about 2 WEEKS! And now I'm paying the consequences. But whatever, it's like a battle scar and I cherish it and the memory dearly...
I had been going one-on-one with this guy, JB. He didn't think I could beat him in basketball. The score was 10-1, my lead. On my last point, I thought I'd get a little fancy and do a crazy crossover and hopefully break some ankles. Unfortunately, the only ankles that got "broken" that day were mine. I slipped on a puddle of water due to the rainy weather that day and ate it on the hardwood floor. I don't remember it hurting very much, though it swelled about five times my regular ankle size. It was so horrible looking that it made my mother cry, and she never cries. Needless to say, I never did get to finish that game... but we can reasonably infer that I won. :)
As an aside, I got my crap paper back today. The professor gave me an A. An A?!?!?! The one that I wrote in a rush so that I could go mingle with some hot boys?! I almost wanted to tell her to change it because I didn't deserve that high of a grade. Almost.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
DEAR SANTA
'Twas the night before finals, but instead of studying, visions of Lakers tickets dance in my head... I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out how I'm going to get those coveted Lakers/Heat Christmas day tickets. There was once a point in my life when I was hooked up for all Laker home games, via the help of a former president by the name of Gerald Ford, AKA Jimmy Carter. Oh how I miss those 11th row courtside seats in front of Vanessa Williams. (I was spoiled rotten!) But as basketball season came to an end last year, so did my conversations with him. Hmmm... may it be time to rekindle old ties? Needless to say, I'm pretty desperate for some tickets. I'm dying to see Kobe in action again.
'Twas the night before finals, but instead of studying, visions of Lakers tickets dance in my head... I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out how I'm going to get those coveted Lakers/Heat Christmas day tickets. There was once a point in my life when I was hooked up for all Laker home games, via the help of a former president by the name of Gerald Ford, AKA Jimmy Carter. Oh how I miss those 11th row courtside seats in front of Vanessa Williams. (I was spoiled rotten!) But as basketball season came to an end last year, so did my conversations with him. Hmmm... may it be time to rekindle old ties? Needless to say, I'm pretty desperate for some tickets. I'm dying to see Kobe in action again.
LIFE CHANCES
Maybe I should get off my soapbox, but I am starting to believe that my Auntie and Uncle, as two former educators, have failed miserably in teaching. As my four-year education here at Cal comes slowly to a close, I have been met with pressures from all sides to continue with my schooling either at grad school or law school instead of taking a two-year hiatus. Even after I told my parents what I intend to do with my two years away from school, they try to hint, in any way possible, about all their wonderful friends' children that have already received acceptance to prestigous graduate programs. My latest critique comes from my Auntie and Uncle, whom proceeded to give my father the third degree as to why I would want to leave schooling to teach "those" kids. Both of them claim that "bad kids just aren't worth the heartache, so don't try so hard and you'll both be better off." With all due respect, those two are exactly what is wrong with the education system today!
It breaks my heart to think that my parents have been so brainwashed that they can't even hold their heads up high and proudly proclaim that their daughter wants to take time off to give back to her community and teach inner-city students. Because of all the negative connotations that come with putting one's education on hold, my parents must fidget about as they shamefully tell others that I want to use my Berkeley degree to be a teacher. It saddens me to know that choosing teaching as a profession is not looked upon with more respect. But the worst part is trying to get my parents to understand that going straight to graduate school isn't part of the plan for me... not at all. And that's OKAY. Going straight into grad school isn't for EVERYBODY. Frankly, I refuse to be like some of the losers from my class that can regurgitate information presented by the professor or from a book but have one heck of a time applying the same knowledge to real-life experiences. I say, give me the experiences. That'll beat your 4.0 GPA anyday.
Maybe I should get off my soapbox, but I am starting to believe that my Auntie and Uncle, as two former educators, have failed miserably in teaching. As my four-year education here at Cal comes slowly to a close, I have been met with pressures from all sides to continue with my schooling either at grad school or law school instead of taking a two-year hiatus. Even after I told my parents what I intend to do with my two years away from school, they try to hint, in any way possible, about all their wonderful friends' children that have already received acceptance to prestigous graduate programs. My latest critique comes from my Auntie and Uncle, whom proceeded to give my father the third degree as to why I would want to leave schooling to teach "those" kids. Both of them claim that "bad kids just aren't worth the heartache, so don't try so hard and you'll both be better off." With all due respect, those two are exactly what is wrong with the education system today!
It breaks my heart to think that my parents have been so brainwashed that they can't even hold their heads up high and proudly proclaim that their daughter wants to take time off to give back to her community and teach inner-city students. Because of all the negative connotations that come with putting one's education on hold, my parents must fidget about as they shamefully tell others that I want to use my Berkeley degree to be a teacher. It saddens me to know that choosing teaching as a profession is not looked upon with more respect. But the worst part is trying to get my parents to understand that going straight to graduate school isn't part of the plan for me... not at all. And that's OKAY. Going straight into grad school isn't for EVERYBODY. Frankly, I refuse to be like some of the losers from my class that can regurgitate information presented by the professor or from a book but have one heck of a time applying the same knowledge to real-life experiences. I say, give me the experiences. That'll beat your 4.0 GPA anyday.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
FOUR YEARS LATER...
The Priestley Clan
Derek was highly intrigued with his chocolate fondue.
The Boys
The Girls
It's a bit scary to see how much we've all aged. I guess Berkeley tends to do that to people. However, there's nothing like being with old friends. There are just some things that only they will ever truly know about me. Thanks for being there through the good and the bad. I can't believe next semester, I will be without Gabbo and Teresa.
The Priestley Clan
Derek was highly intrigued with his chocolate fondue.
The Boys
The Girls
It's a bit scary to see how much we've all aged. I guess Berkeley tends to do that to people. However, there's nothing like being with old friends. There are just some things that only they will ever truly know about me. Thanks for being there through the good and the bad. I can't believe next semester, I will be without Gabbo and Teresa.
Monday, December 06, 2004
STRESS, BE GONE
Wow, what has gotten into me lately? I find myself stressing about the littlest things. It's JUST a paper... it's be okay, Jamie. I promise. When did I start taking myself so seriously??? I've learned there's a difference between taking ONESELF seriously and taking THINGS seriously. Kris always tells me that it's important to get your sh.t done, but don't think you're the only one that has it the worst. It'll all get done... it has to... so it will.
I think I've also been especially moody because I haven't had very much good food lately. The post-Thanksgiving period is always the hardest. Your stomach has just gotten used to eating fabulous home-cooked meals and all of a sudden, it's stripped away. You're back at school and smack-dab in the middle of finals season with little to nothing to eat. Today, to alleviate my hunger pains, I had a disgustingly large Double Whopper (hold the mayo and onions) from Burger King. Forget regular-sized, I went jumbo. The guy ordering after me was a little shocked, asking me, "All that for... YOU???" Yes, sir, ALL FOR ME. Hey, sometimes, a gal just needs a burger. Obey the stomach and the body will do you good... cuz I'm feeling GOOD right now.
Wow, what has gotten into me lately? I find myself stressing about the littlest things. It's JUST a paper... it's be okay, Jamie. I promise. When did I start taking myself so seriously??? I've learned there's a difference between taking ONESELF seriously and taking THINGS seriously. Kris always tells me that it's important to get your sh.t done, but don't think you're the only one that has it the worst. It'll all get done... it has to... so it will.
I think I've also been especially moody because I haven't had very much good food lately. The post-Thanksgiving period is always the hardest. Your stomach has just gotten used to eating fabulous home-cooked meals and all of a sudden, it's stripped away. You're back at school and smack-dab in the middle of finals season with little to nothing to eat. Today, to alleviate my hunger pains, I had a disgustingly large Double Whopper (hold the mayo and onions) from Burger King. Forget regular-sized, I went jumbo. The guy ordering after me was a little shocked, asking me, "All that for... YOU???" Yes, sir, ALL FOR ME. Hey, sometimes, a gal just needs a burger. Obey the stomach and the body will do you good... cuz I'm feeling GOOD right now.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Dear "Bad Boy",
It's been awhile since I last wrote to you here in my blog. I used to think this my blog was safe from your eyes, but now I'm not so sure anymore. Either way, you confuse me just the same. I can't believe it's been 4 years since I've met you... and in a few short months, we will both be graduating. It's ironic to think about the random moments we have shared and the evolution of our friendship. It's a little disappointing to think that, come May, our paths may diverge forever. Will we keep in touch? My guess is probably no... but that's really your call. Maybe when you finally get over your "frat boy phrase," you'll realize how great things can be.
I won't lie. My roommates don't like you. My friends all tell me you're disgusting. But for some crazy reason, that hasn't fazed me. Believe me, there was a point that I tried to shut out all feelings that I had for you. Unfortunately, that hasn't worked, because like Keali'i Reichel sings, "Every road leads back to you." Trust me on this one, we run in the same circles. We have too many friends in common. This is why I've given up on dating Berkeley guys - THEY ALL END UP BEING ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS! But at the end of the night, you're the one I really want to take home. Why don't you share the same feelings as your friends about me? Or maybe you do? And this is all just a game. If that's the case, stop playing. You win. But do me a favor, don't keep my heart in limbo anymore.
Love,
Jamie
It's been awhile since I last wrote to you here in my blog. I used to think this my blog was safe from your eyes, but now I'm not so sure anymore. Either way, you confuse me just the same. I can't believe it's been 4 years since I've met you... and in a few short months, we will both be graduating. It's ironic to think about the random moments we have shared and the evolution of our friendship. It's a little disappointing to think that, come May, our paths may diverge forever. Will we keep in touch? My guess is probably no... but that's really your call. Maybe when you finally get over your "frat boy phrase," you'll realize how great things can be.
I won't lie. My roommates don't like you. My friends all tell me you're disgusting. But for some crazy reason, that hasn't fazed me. Believe me, there was a point that I tried to shut out all feelings that I had for you. Unfortunately, that hasn't worked, because like Keali'i Reichel sings, "Every road leads back to you." Trust me on this one, we run in the same circles. We have too many friends in common. This is why I've given up on dating Berkeley guys - THEY ALL END UP BEING ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS! But at the end of the night, you're the one I really want to take home. Why don't you share the same feelings as your friends about me? Or maybe you do? And this is all just a game. If that's the case, stop playing. You win. But do me a favor, don't keep my heart in limbo anymore.
Love,
Jamie
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
At the risk of sounding like a washed-up has-been in the world of High School Speech and Debate, may I just say... I'VE MISSED IT SO MUCH!
I have a midterm in less than 5 hours... which I probably should still be studying for, but instead, I've been sitting in my chair, getting more and more excited by the second, about the mock lesson plan I have prepared for my Teach for America interview on Wednesday!!!!
I'll divulge my lesson plan post-interview. This idea is SOOO good that it warrants the level of secrecy I'm keeping it at. All I can say is that it's very "expository-like," which was the event that I actually competed in back in high school... and LOVED. (Okay, I loved Original Oratory, too.) There's something about expos-ers... or rather, TRUE O.G. expos-ers (not the ones from Arcadia). They've all got a sense of flair to them. So in true Expos-fashion, I will teach by making learning FUN! OooOOohh, this is going to be so GREAT! Thank you, NFL and Tony (no, not football, National Forensics League!) for fostering these great talents in me.
I have a midterm in less than 5 hours... which I probably should still be studying for, but instead, I've been sitting in my chair, getting more and more excited by the second, about the mock lesson plan I have prepared for my Teach for America interview on Wednesday!!!!
I'll divulge my lesson plan post-interview. This idea is SOOO good that it warrants the level of secrecy I'm keeping it at. All I can say is that it's very "expository-like," which was the event that I actually competed in back in high school... and LOVED. (Okay, I loved Original Oratory, too.) There's something about expos-ers... or rather, TRUE O.G. expos-ers (not the ones from Arcadia). They've all got a sense of flair to them. So in true Expos-fashion, I will teach by making learning FUN! OooOOohh, this is going to be so GREAT! Thank you, NFL and Tony (no, not football, National Forensics League!) for fostering these great talents in me.
Saturday, November 13, 2004
MY PAST AND MY PRESENT
The NBA has changed so much this season that I hardly recognize any of the teams anymore. The teams I used to root for are no longer the same, leaving me very conflicted. For instance, I used to love the Heat. I loved that my Eddie Jones was finally finding his niche with the team (even though I'll always consider him a Laker) and the running game he had alongside Lamar Odom and Dwyane Wade. But now, Lamar is with the Lakers (yay!) and the Heat have picked up Shaq (boo!) How can I possibly, in my right mind, root for a team with that fat crybaby??? And yet, I have nothing but love for Eddie and Dwyane. Those two deserve to have a good season... I just wish Shaq didn't have to be in the picture for that one.
But to complicate matters, tonight was a real toughie. The Heat played against the Spurs... and we all know that after Derek Fisher hit that 0.4-second shot in the playoffs last year against the Spurs, it fueled an even stronger Lakers/Spurs rivalry. (In actuality, I think the rivalry is really between Shaq and Duncan.) So it's also really hard for me to root for the Spurs, even though I think Manu Ginobili is such a BALLER! I couldn't decide who I wanted to win more tonight - Eddie or Manu... so I left it up to the Basketball Gods.
But what happens when the Basketball Gods decide to torture me by making me choose my past or my present... my past being Grant Hill and my present being Kobe Bryant. Grant Hill was my favorite player since his first season in 1994, when he shared the Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. But when Kobe stepped into the basketball limelight in 1996, it's been Kobe the whole way.
My Lakers lost tonight... at the hands of Grant Hill. With less than 2 minutes left, Hill dropped two 3-pointers to put the game away. Against any other team, I'd be f.cking THRILLED! This poor guy has had soooo many ankle problems and surgeries to try to fix it all. He's basically been MIA for the past four years, but all of a sudden, he's making one heck of a comeback. Unfortunately, tonight, it was at the expense of my Lakers. Not cool. At least Kobe dropped 41 and taught young Dwight Howard a little lesson - to get out of the way when you see Kobe fly.
Said Kobe about Hill, "It's great to see him out there. It really is. He's always been a guy I looked at and patterned my game after, even when he was at Duke. I've been a fan of Grant Hill's for a long, long time." Oh, the irony.
The NBA has changed so much this season that I hardly recognize any of the teams anymore. The teams I used to root for are no longer the same, leaving me very conflicted. For instance, I used to love the Heat. I loved that my Eddie Jones was finally finding his niche with the team (even though I'll always consider him a Laker) and the running game he had alongside Lamar Odom and Dwyane Wade. But now, Lamar is with the Lakers (yay!) and the Heat have picked up Shaq (boo!) How can I possibly, in my right mind, root for a team with that fat crybaby??? And yet, I have nothing but love for Eddie and Dwyane. Those two deserve to have a good season... I just wish Shaq didn't have to be in the picture for that one.
But to complicate matters, tonight was a real toughie. The Heat played against the Spurs... and we all know that after Derek Fisher hit that 0.4-second shot in the playoffs last year against the Spurs, it fueled an even stronger Lakers/Spurs rivalry. (In actuality, I think the rivalry is really between Shaq and Duncan.) So it's also really hard for me to root for the Spurs, even though I think Manu Ginobili is such a BALLER! I couldn't decide who I wanted to win more tonight - Eddie or Manu... so I left it up to the Basketball Gods.
But what happens when the Basketball Gods decide to torture me by making me choose my past or my present... my past being Grant Hill and my present being Kobe Bryant. Grant Hill was my favorite player since his first season in 1994, when he shared the Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd. But when Kobe stepped into the basketball limelight in 1996, it's been Kobe the whole way.
My Lakers lost tonight... at the hands of Grant Hill. With less than 2 minutes left, Hill dropped two 3-pointers to put the game away. Against any other team, I'd be f.cking THRILLED! This poor guy has had soooo many ankle problems and surgeries to try to fix it all. He's basically been MIA for the past four years, but all of a sudden, he's making one heck of a comeback. Unfortunately, tonight, it was at the expense of my Lakers. Not cool. At least Kobe dropped 41 and taught young Dwight Howard a little lesson - to get out of the way when you see Kobe fly.
Said Kobe about Hill, "It's great to see him out there. It really is. He's always been a guy I looked at and patterned my game after, even when he was at Duke. I've been a fan of Grant Hill's for a long, long time." Oh, the irony.
Friday, November 12, 2004
ONLY IN BERKELEY...
I was waiting at an intersection on my way to campus today when I had a very strange encounter. I happened, for no apparent reason, to be singing "I Can See Clearly" and just minding my own business. The light was taking a really long time to change in order for me to walk across the street... so I kept singing. This old lady stepped up behind me and she turned to stare at me. So I politely smiled at her. All of a sudden, she grabs my face and pulls it close to her - so close that I can smell her breath - and gives me the coldest, scariest look and asks in a fierce whisper, "DO I LOOK DAMAGED TO YOU?" By this time, I'm a bit bewildered by the whole "up close and personal" encounter that I stare dazed at her for a couple seconds before I finally regain my voice to shake my head furiously to say, "No... no... you look... fine... " The light changes and I try to escape by crossing the street. This lady, given her old age, kept up with me pretty well. She walks right beside me and demands, "LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT ME!!!" And she pulls my face, again, towards hers and uses her other hand to point towards her eyes. For a brief second, I got so scared and my body turned cold. For a girl that did a lot of research on dark magic in high school, I totally believe in hexes and was very afraid that's what this lady was doing. I managed to break away from the deep stare and half run and skip down Telegraph with the crazy woman still calling out after me, "LOOK AT ME! I'VE BEEN DAMAGED!!!"
Okay, so what's the point, right? Well, lately, I've been reading a lot about issues dealing with poverty and homelessness. Just yesterday, I had a conversation with Caroline about how horrible the policies on deinstitutionalization have impacted the mentally ill. The mentally ill currently make up a large portion of the homeless. Furthermore, society's tolerance level of what is considered "crazy" has risen. As such, people who REALLY need help haven't necessarily received it. And part of the reason is because states keep closing mental hospitals and relying on federal support, which has been very meager. I know that the way I handled the situation today wasn't very tactful or sensitive. I think that lady really needs some psychological help (but then again, I think we all do, to some degree). And instead of trying to help, I ran the other direction as if my pants were on fire. Great... good job, Jamie. Social problems stare me in the face, and I just continue to ADD to the problem. What good is a Berkeley degree if I haven't even learned anything about social responsibilities? Hopefully others would have been the better person if faced with my situation today.
I was waiting at an intersection on my way to campus today when I had a very strange encounter. I happened, for no apparent reason, to be singing "I Can See Clearly" and just minding my own business. The light was taking a really long time to change in order for me to walk across the street... so I kept singing. This old lady stepped up behind me and she turned to stare at me. So I politely smiled at her. All of a sudden, she grabs my face and pulls it close to her - so close that I can smell her breath - and gives me the coldest, scariest look and asks in a fierce whisper, "DO I LOOK DAMAGED TO YOU?" By this time, I'm a bit bewildered by the whole "up close and personal" encounter that I stare dazed at her for a couple seconds before I finally regain my voice to shake my head furiously to say, "No... no... you look... fine... " The light changes and I try to escape by crossing the street. This lady, given her old age, kept up with me pretty well. She walks right beside me and demands, "LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT ME!!!" And she pulls my face, again, towards hers and uses her other hand to point towards her eyes. For a brief second, I got so scared and my body turned cold. For a girl that did a lot of research on dark magic in high school, I totally believe in hexes and was very afraid that's what this lady was doing. I managed to break away from the deep stare and half run and skip down Telegraph with the crazy woman still calling out after me, "LOOK AT ME! I'VE BEEN DAMAGED!!!"
Okay, so what's the point, right? Well, lately, I've been reading a lot about issues dealing with poverty and homelessness. Just yesterday, I had a conversation with Caroline about how horrible the policies on deinstitutionalization have impacted the mentally ill. The mentally ill currently make up a large portion of the homeless. Furthermore, society's tolerance level of what is considered "crazy" has risen. As such, people who REALLY need help haven't necessarily received it. And part of the reason is because states keep closing mental hospitals and relying on federal support, which has been very meager. I know that the way I handled the situation today wasn't very tactful or sensitive. I think that lady really needs some psychological help (but then again, I think we all do, to some degree). And instead of trying to help, I ran the other direction as if my pants were on fire. Great... good job, Jamie. Social problems stare me in the face, and I just continue to ADD to the problem. What good is a Berkeley degree if I haven't even learned anything about social responsibilities? Hopefully others would have been the better person if faced with my situation today.
Saturday, November 06, 2004
This is so frustrating...
I'm so sick of certain people in positions of authority this year trying to take credit of the things that I started last year! (For the sake of anonymity, I will avoid using names.) They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - that is, to imitate someone is to pay the person a genuine compliment. In that sense, I feel very proud that some of the things that I have started has had such a continuous force. But for crying out loud, GIVE CREDIT WHERE DUE! Don't STEAL my words and pass it off as yours! Don't rob my ideas and spread them around as if you created them. My only mistake was never taking credit for the all the work that I have done. I'd venture to even say that 85% of student life last year passed through my hands, either directly or indirectly, in some shape or form. But nobody would believe me anyway, since I never really talk about all the things that happen in a day... there just isn't enough time in a day to regurgitate the decisions and choices and influences I have made. Yes, it's true, I make things seem easier than they really are and I try as hard as possible to diminish the roles that I have played. Even my resume is a very watered down reflection of myself. Why? Cuz I don't believe in chasing after glory like some power-driven pig, which is why you will never find a laundry list of things I did last year written down anywhere. The only place where it exists is in my head. It'll blow your mind if you ever saw what's up there. But it isn't even WHAT I did, but HOW I did it. What I believe is that the work I do speaks for itself. And sadly, there is only but one person in this whole entire world that will ever truly know and understand. Nobody else ever will... so don't speak, cuz YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. But does it matter anyway? Will anybody ever understand to what extent I gave myself? How do you explain the endless hours? The sleepless nights? How do you measure the work done in a year? By the number of events? By the success of the event?... I'd like to think it's by the number of lives you touch.
A weaker person would've be broken after doing what I have done. All I ask is for a bit of appreciation... and yet you continue to act like a privileged spoiled brat.
I'm so sick of certain people in positions of authority this year trying to take credit of the things that I started last year! (For the sake of anonymity, I will avoid using names.) They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - that is, to imitate someone is to pay the person a genuine compliment. In that sense, I feel very proud that some of the things that I have started has had such a continuous force. But for crying out loud, GIVE CREDIT WHERE DUE! Don't STEAL my words and pass it off as yours! Don't rob my ideas and spread them around as if you created them. My only mistake was never taking credit for the all the work that I have done. I'd venture to even say that 85% of student life last year passed through my hands, either directly or indirectly, in some shape or form. But nobody would believe me anyway, since I never really talk about all the things that happen in a day... there just isn't enough time in a day to regurgitate the decisions and choices and influences I have made. Yes, it's true, I make things seem easier than they really are and I try as hard as possible to diminish the roles that I have played. Even my resume is a very watered down reflection of myself. Why? Cuz I don't believe in chasing after glory like some power-driven pig, which is why you will never find a laundry list of things I did last year written down anywhere. The only place where it exists is in my head. It'll blow your mind if you ever saw what's up there. But it isn't even WHAT I did, but HOW I did it. What I believe is that the work I do speaks for itself. And sadly, there is only but one person in this whole entire world that will ever truly know and understand. Nobody else ever will... so don't speak, cuz YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. But does it matter anyway? Will anybody ever understand to what extent I gave myself? How do you explain the endless hours? The sleepless nights? How do you measure the work done in a year? By the number of events? By the success of the event?... I'd like to think it's by the number of lives you touch.
A weaker person would've be broken after doing what I have done. All I ask is for a bit of appreciation... and yet you continue to act like a privileged spoiled brat.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Whoa... how silly am I??? I KNOW an international basketball superstar and didn't even realize it! I sat next to a tall, handsome guy in class today. This guy and I know each other as acquaintances from class and often exchange "hellos" in passing.
This guy is:
Randy Duck, former captain of the Brighton Bears, a basketball team from London. How trippy is that? Fun fact: He also used to play for Cal a couple of years ago. My friend told me that he used to really enjoy watching him play... which is what tipped me off if the first place.
This guy is:
Randy Duck, former captain of the Brighton Bears, a basketball team from London. How trippy is that? Fun fact: He also used to play for Cal a couple of years ago. My friend told me that he used to really enjoy watching him play... which is what tipped me off if the first place.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
I keep hoping to wake up from this horrible nightmare. Yet sadly, this is the reality... another four years of hell. My faith in humanity is currently being re-evaluated. I don't understand how 51% of the voting population can be so stupid. I'd leave the country, but my father has already forbid me from emigrating.
Monday, October 25, 2004
RIDICULOUS!
Marc Stein of ESPN came out with his predictions for this year's NBA season today. I have serious problems with this list.
I normally respect Marc Stein, but this is a joke! I'll agree with the first three... hey, I know talent when I see it. The Pistons, Spurs and T-Wolves didn't alter their rosters too much over the summer. Why change a good thing, right? But come on, ranking the Heat at number 4?!?! Shaq's good, but not THAT good! The players that helped the Heat get so far last season are now all on the Lakers, with the exception of their phenom point guard, Dwyane Wade. And please, we give number 5 to the Pacers? The Pacers are starting to look like an old team, with Reggie Miller still trying to lead them to victory. I'll admit, they may be able to rely on Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal, but seriously, they never really had a chance at the championships, and they haven't changed much since.
Rankings 6 to 10 are a bunch of Western Conference teams. I'll agree with some, though I honestly believe that the Lakers deserve to be up in the mix. And no, I'm not just speaking from a biased perspective... here's why. The Nuggets have a lot of potential, though Kenyon Martin isn't always the most consistent player. He couldn't perform very well with the Nets and always buckled under pressure in the finals with Kidd. Maybe a change of scenery might be good for him, though. We'll have to wait and see.
The Rockets think that their newest addition of T-Mac will improve their chances. HA! They are so wrong! I would venture to argue that the greatest duo to play basketball after the John Stockton/Karl Malone pair would be the Stevie Francis/Yao Ming combo. What were they thinking when they broke up the lethal 1-2 punch??? Yao's learning to become more dominant... let him continue to learn with Francis. But NOOOO, the Rockets decide to bring in T-Mac, who's probably gonna ball-hog, and lead them to Orlando Magic status... which is last place in the NBA.
The Kings are playing like sh.t.... and no, that's not more biased commentary. Even Sac fans realize that once they gave up Vlade Divac to the Lakers, the dynamic within the Kings team changed. Furthermore, Peja's dying to get traded. Hmmm... may that be because he doesn't like his team??? (Peja, you can come to LA and join your comrade, Vlade.) That leaves Mike Bibby (Kermit the Frog) and C Web. Maybe if they actually used Bobby Jackson as a starter, they may have a chance. Duh!
The Jazz was never a big threat in the playoffs... I've yet to be convinced that their new additions of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur will affect much change. And lastly, the Mavs... never had any much defense, only offense. And now Dirk must do it without Steve Nash. Maybe Erick Dampier will help a bit.
Nash has been moved out to Phoenix, who ranks at number 11. Okay, this is the Phoenix Suns we're talking about. The same team that sold tickets so cheap that Caroline, Elaine and I flew THERE to watch a Lakers game. And now even they're ranked above the Lakers???
Hahha, Grizzlies, what a joke. And finally... number 13 goes to the Lakers. I think the Lakers will, in the end, surprise everybody. The team is filled with a lot of raw talent. No longer is this a team full of superstars, a complete 180 from last year. This is a big reason why people are so skeptical of the Lakers' future. We no longer have 4 future Hall of Famers, we have like 1.5 (.5 being Malone, depending if he comes back). But what we have now may be better! Kobe may still need to drop a good 30 points every night, but we can also depend on our role players. Like I mentioned already, we picked up a good portion of last year's Heat team (Odom, Butler and GRant) AND the heart of the Kings team (Vlade). No word on who the Lakers will eventually keep on their roster, but I see a lot of promise in newbies like Tony Bobbitt, Tierre Brown and Sasha Vujacic. We're gonna to have a really good running team once everybody is healthy, mainly Kareem, Slava, and Vlade (all the veterans!). They almost remind me of the Pistons team that won last season... no big superstars, just a bunch of good, solid players that knew the roles they were supposed to fill. So yeah... don't count out the Lakers just yet!
In my book, the teams ranked 20-30 don't matter. I say disband half of them and combine all the players to make better teams... it'll do wonders to the sport of basketball. But no, let's create ANOTHER losing team, have Nelly be a partial owner, and call them the Charlotte Bobcats!!! Stupid.
Marc Stein of ESPN came out with his predictions for this year's NBA season today. I have serious problems with this list.
| Rank (Last Wk) | Team | Rec. | Comment | |
 | 1 (3) | Pistons | 54-28 | You know by now the treatment defending champs get here. Especially when their roster looks better, with Dice and Delfino, than it did in June. |
 | 2 (1) | Spurs | 57-25 | Pop says he 'hated' the Shaq trade because beating the three-peaters was the ultimate challenge. The bet here is he'll get over it once these Spurs start rolling. |
 | 3 (2) | Timberwolves | 58-24 | No one doubts them in the playoffs any more. The doubts of note are attached to Cassell's hip, because Sam I Am absolutely has to be healthy for Minny to stay up here. |
 | 4 (14) | Heat | 42-40 | The committee has always found South Beach to be a bit overrated. But that was before it became Shaq-apulco. |
 | 5 (4) | Pacers | 61-21 | Yup. That really is three teams from the East in the top five. And, yes, Pacer People: Your arguably underrated squad has to start out third after what Detroit and Miami did. |
 | 6 (9) | Nuggets | 43-39 | It's a big jump up here, true, but Nuggets' frontcourt rotation really is one of the biggest and best. K-Mart, Camby, Nene . . . before you even get to Melo? Solid. |
 | 7 (12) | Rockets | 45-37 | As with Denver, some will say this is too steep a climb, especially since Rockets have PG issues. But we like the T-Mac move that much, along with the Juwan throw-in. |
 | 8 (6) | Kings | 55-27 | Maybe no team is harder to assess at this stage. Kings still have C-Webb, Peja, Bibby, Bobby Jax and Brad Miller . . . but start anew with more tension and doubt than they've seen in years. |
 | 9 (10) | Jazz | 42-40 | Joining Jerry Sloan's overachieving kids this week: Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and the rehabbed Matt Harpring. Three boosts for a team no one liked playing before. |
 | 10 (7) | Mavericks | 52-30 | There's still too much there to drop Dallas out of the top 10 sans Nash. That said, looks like Mavs still have too many scorers and not enough passers, even if they do improve on D. |
 | 11 (21) | Suns | 29-53 | Yet Nash is rated highly here, which is why Suns have risen so dramatically. The glut of swingmen, mind you, could be a trouble spot unless one of them (Marion most likely) is moved. |
 | 12 (8) | Grizzlies | 50-32 | Hubie's back and Grizz might be even deeper than they were, but the surprise factor is gone. Memphis won't sneak up on anyone any more, which makes that next step even tougher. |
 | 13 (5) | Lakers | 56-26 | It's only out of respect for Kobe's prodigious talents and Rudy T's ability to connect with stars that LA is this high. Seriously: LA's smallish roster is no lock for a playoff spot. |
 | 14 (13) | Trail Blazers | 41-41 | West is so ridiculously deep that Portland is hardly mentioned anywhere as a playoff contender, even after landing Van Exel to join Zach, Theo and Reef. |
 | 15 (16) | Warriors | 37-45 | This really isn't a top-15 team, but Warriors had a better summer than most clubs in this vicinity, just by hiring Mully and empowering him to start changing the culture up there. |
 | 16 (15) | Bucks | 41-41 | Milwaukee can handle not being able to sneak up on folks now. The bigger problem is replacing the guard play of T.J. Ford, a quietly huge factor in last season's breakout. |
 | 17 (22) | Cavaliers | 35-47 | You would have expected a steeper PR drop after Boozergate, but that's the state of the East outside of Detroit-Miami-Indiana. With LBJ, a playoff spot is forthcoming even without Booze. |
 | 18 (20) | Celtics | 36-46 | We might be shortchanging Boston. Doc Rivers has lots to do, but the volatility (GP/Ricky Ricky) is talented, and joined by Paul Pierce and a good frontline by East standards (Blount/Raef). |
 | 19 (11) | Nets | 47-35 | Like its opponents in the '02 Finals, Jersey lost a lot of its soul since the spring. And with Kidd unlikely to rush back from knee surgery, the first six weeks could empty out what's left at the Meadowlands. |
 | 20 (17) | Hornets | 41-41 | They have moved to the West. They have a franchise player (Baron) who wants to relocate. They have lost Mash for the season already. Summers don't get much worse. |
 | 21 (18) | Knicks | 39-43 | Instead of capitalizing on NJ's disintegration, look for NY to go the other way. That means a Lenny Watch, Steph passing sparingly and the usual logjam of undersized PFs. |
 | 22 (29) | Magic | 21-61 | The names sound somewhat appealing: Stevie Franchise, Cuttino, Hedo, Dwight Howard . . . maybe even a Grant Hill sighting. Of course, they're just names 'til we see some games. |
 | 23 (23) | 76ers | 33-49 | With Iverson, Dalembert and Coach Obie, you have to give Philly a chance to grab the eighth spot. But that's really all we can give. |
 | 24 (24) | Hawks | 28-54 | In talent and ticket-selling terms, Atlanta isn't any better off than it was. But just enough happened in the offseason ('Toine, Harrington, Woodson) to make us curious, if no one else. |
 | 25 (26) | Bulls | 23-59 | Kirk Hinrich is worth watching, and so is Andres Nocioni, but we're not going to be gullible again. Baby Bulls can expect little to zero slack from the committee. |
 | 26 (27) | Raptors | 33-49 | Vince is another guy who has exhausted our patience, which explains why a team that added two committee favorites -- new coach Sam Mitchell and Cal State Fullerton draftee Pape Sow -- is lower than it probably should be. |
 | 27 (25) | Wizards | 25-57 | Antawn Jamison will help, but only so much. It's tough to do well in the Power Rankings when you look so thin at the power positions. |
 | 28 (28) | Clippers | 28-54 | Last time Lakers cratered, after Magic Johnson's HIV-forced retirement, LA actually became a Clips town ever-so-briefly. Don't expect that miracle again. |
 | 29 (19) | SuperSonics | 37-45 | Only two teams in the West have no shot at the playoffs, and this is No. 1 on that list. The return of Nick Collison will help, but it was another way-too-quiet summer in Seattle. |
 | 30 | Bobcats | - | Emeka Okafor is a nice kid and a decent prospect . . . but that's probably the most positive thing we'll be able to say about these guys for a while. |
I normally respect Marc Stein, but this is a joke! I'll agree with the first three... hey, I know talent when I see it. The Pistons, Spurs and T-Wolves didn't alter their rosters too much over the summer. Why change a good thing, right? But come on, ranking the Heat at number 4?!?! Shaq's good, but not THAT good! The players that helped the Heat get so far last season are now all on the Lakers, with the exception of their phenom point guard, Dwyane Wade. And please, we give number 5 to the Pacers? The Pacers are starting to look like an old team, with Reggie Miller still trying to lead them to victory. I'll admit, they may be able to rely on Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal, but seriously, they never really had a chance at the championships, and they haven't changed much since.
Rankings 6 to 10 are a bunch of Western Conference teams. I'll agree with some, though I honestly believe that the Lakers deserve to be up in the mix. And no, I'm not just speaking from a biased perspective... here's why. The Nuggets have a lot of potential, though Kenyon Martin isn't always the most consistent player. He couldn't perform very well with the Nets and always buckled under pressure in the finals with Kidd. Maybe a change of scenery might be good for him, though. We'll have to wait and see.
The Rockets think that their newest addition of T-Mac will improve their chances. HA! They are so wrong! I would venture to argue that the greatest duo to play basketball after the John Stockton/Karl Malone pair would be the Stevie Francis/Yao Ming combo. What were they thinking when they broke up the lethal 1-2 punch??? Yao's learning to become more dominant... let him continue to learn with Francis. But NOOOO, the Rockets decide to bring in T-Mac, who's probably gonna ball-hog, and lead them to Orlando Magic status... which is last place in the NBA.
The Kings are playing like sh.t.... and no, that's not more biased commentary. Even Sac fans realize that once they gave up Vlade Divac to the Lakers, the dynamic within the Kings team changed. Furthermore, Peja's dying to get traded. Hmmm... may that be because he doesn't like his team??? (Peja, you can come to LA and join your comrade, Vlade.) That leaves Mike Bibby (Kermit the Frog) and C Web. Maybe if they actually used Bobby Jackson as a starter, they may have a chance. Duh!
The Jazz was never a big threat in the playoffs... I've yet to be convinced that their new additions of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur will affect much change. And lastly, the Mavs... never had any much defense, only offense. And now Dirk must do it without Steve Nash. Maybe Erick Dampier will help a bit.
Nash has been moved out to Phoenix, who ranks at number 11. Okay, this is the Phoenix Suns we're talking about. The same team that sold tickets so cheap that Caroline, Elaine and I flew THERE to watch a Lakers game. And now even they're ranked above the Lakers???
Hahha, Grizzlies, what a joke. And finally... number 13 goes to the Lakers. I think the Lakers will, in the end, surprise everybody. The team is filled with a lot of raw talent. No longer is this a team full of superstars, a complete 180 from last year. This is a big reason why people are so skeptical of the Lakers' future. We no longer have 4 future Hall of Famers, we have like 1.5 (.5 being Malone, depending if he comes back). But what we have now may be better! Kobe may still need to drop a good 30 points every night, but we can also depend on our role players. Like I mentioned already, we picked up a good portion of last year's Heat team (Odom, Butler and GRant) AND the heart of the Kings team (Vlade). No word on who the Lakers will eventually keep on their roster, but I see a lot of promise in newbies like Tony Bobbitt, Tierre Brown and Sasha Vujacic. We're gonna to have a really good running team once everybody is healthy, mainly Kareem, Slava, and Vlade (all the veterans!). They almost remind me of the Pistons team that won last season... no big superstars, just a bunch of good, solid players that knew the roles they were supposed to fill. So yeah... don't count out the Lakers just yet!
In my book, the teams ranked 20-30 don't matter. I say disband half of them and combine all the players to make better teams... it'll do wonders to the sport of basketball. But no, let's create ANOTHER losing team, have Nelly be a partial owner, and call them the Charlotte Bobcats!!! Stupid.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
It scares me to know that I hold so much hate in my heart for one person. Maybe it's not the person that I hate... but rather myself for believing. I always thought I was smarter than that... smarter than to fall for a bunch of pretty words and false promises. Maybe it was because I really wanted to believe that this time, things would be different. Silly of me to think that you were special. Instead, you're the worst one. Thank you for up and leaving me like a "psychotic jackass." I regret the day I met you, because you have made me hate myself. I can't walk down that road again. You have been expelled from my life. Goodbye.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
F.ck. I am going to fail not one, but TWO midterms! How can I read day in and day out and still be soooo far behind?! Sociology 180 is American Society. I'm an American... how hard can it be, right? WRONG! I'm behind 3 books for that class! I thought I didn't have to read one of them because it's about government, and hey, I'm a Political Science major. Big problem though... it focuses on international politics! Darn me for shying away from IR!
For my Sociology of Poverty class, there are only 2 books to read... yay! BUT, I've only read one of two! And yes, that will be a problem when the midterm only has 2 questions. You can be sure that each question will cover the two books. F.ck... I'm so screwed.
And lastly, guys are SO flakey! So I'm supposed to be in a study session instead of writing an angry rant on blogger. But no, here alone is where I sit. I can't trust anybody around here! It's just more calls forwarded to voicemail. Can someone just throw me a frickin' bone?! I'm in dire need of some human contact instead of reading between the lines of piles and piles of dead trees. I'm starting to hallucinate objects and hear voices in my head. It may be the fever that's talking though... and the Red Sox are playing right now, as are my Lakers. I hope, at least they have a good night. Good night, moon.
For my Sociology of Poverty class, there are only 2 books to read... yay! BUT, I've only read one of two! And yes, that will be a problem when the midterm only has 2 questions. You can be sure that each question will cover the two books. F.ck... I'm so screwed.
And lastly, guys are SO flakey! So I'm supposed to be in a study session instead of writing an angry rant on blogger. But no, here alone is where I sit. I can't trust anybody around here! It's just more calls forwarded to voicemail. Can someone just throw me a frickin' bone?! I'm in dire need of some human contact instead of reading between the lines of piles and piles of dead trees. I'm starting to hallucinate objects and hear voices in my head. It may be the fever that's talking though... and the Red Sox are playing right now, as are my Lakers. I hope, at least they have a good night. Good night, moon.
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Wow, he REALLY is a family guy and was even voted Father of the Year by the National Father's Day Council. I know it's not exactly Christmas yet, but for anybody that cares, I know what I want. Haha, yes, this year for Christmas, I want Andy Pettitte. But if I can't get the real thing, a poster will suffice.
Is it just me or does anybody else think he looks like Tony Reali, AKA Stat Boy?
Monday, October 04, 2004
I had dinner with Mo last night. Mo and I always share deep thoughts. He serves as my therapist, as I do for him. I always take away from these conversations at least one important "universal truth" (at least in Jamie and Mo's world... but then again, what do we know? we're both f.cked up in the head). This time, I learned that we live in patterns and these patterns are hard to break. More simply put, bad habits die hard. So true, as I find myself resorting to my old ways. It seems that I am MOST attracted to the things that I know are so bad for me.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Saturday, October 02, 2004
LA MAY just redeem themselves in the world of sports after all. Despite a disappointing basketball season (which we won't talk about and will forget from hereon after), both the Dodgers and the Angels have clinched their respective division titles today! (And just for the record, yes, I DO consider the Angels to be partly from LA, though I will allow Anaheim to claim them as well.) If I'm not mistaken, this is the FIRST year that both the Dodgers and Angels took division champs in the same year. Nobody had faith... except me. Everybody KNOWS these were my teams from the VERY beginning of the season: Dodgers, Angels and Astros. I'm just waiting for the Astros to clinch the NL Wildcard, and I'm set to have a great post-season playoff.
Hero of the day - Steve Finley!
Hero of the day - Steve Finley!
Friday, October 01, 2004
KERRY ALL THE WAY
At least that's what I think. Despite all the mixed reactions from last night's presidential debate, I got a bit of privileged insider information today from a little birdie in DC that told me Bush's camp of people were NOT happy at all after the debate. Actually, make that all DURING the debate. Everytime Bush said something stupid or ridiculous (basically, every time he spoke), his entire campaign staff standing (or rather, dying) backstage wanted nothing more than to end the debate and drag his sad, pathetic monkey face offstage. Said one campaign staffer, "Can't we just CREATE a terrorist attack here?!" I won't analyze too much... I may scare off people like Alan. (Bad date, ask me or Gabby if you want the full story.) At least I know that we're not too insanely crazy about politics. There are people worse than us... according to Gabby, they are called PAID political analysts.
At least that's what I think. Despite all the mixed reactions from last night's presidential debate, I got a bit of privileged insider information today from a little birdie in DC that told me Bush's camp of people were NOT happy at all after the debate. Actually, make that all DURING the debate. Everytime Bush said something stupid or ridiculous (basically, every time he spoke), his entire campaign staff standing (or rather, dying) backstage wanted nothing more than to end the debate and drag his sad, pathetic monkey face offstage. Said one campaign staffer, "Can't we just CREATE a terrorist attack here?!" I won't analyze too much... I may scare off people like Alan. (Bad date, ask me or Gabby if you want the full story.) At least I know that we're not too insanely crazy about politics. There are people worse than us... according to Gabby, they are called PAID political analysts.
WONDERING
I know I have what it takes. I can make you better. But how do I break out of the role of political consultant or life advisor and transform myself so that you can see me as something more? Will you allow me to make you better? Can you make ME better? I know everything about you, and at the same time, I know nothing. Is it personal? Impersonal? Is this still a strictly professional relationship or have we passed that phase?
You're MY Stat Boy from New York.
I know I have what it takes. I can make you better. But how do I break out of the role of political consultant or life advisor and transform myself so that you can see me as something more? Will you allow me to make you better? Can you make ME better? I know everything about you, and at the same time, I know nothing. Is it personal? Impersonal? Is this still a strictly professional relationship or have we passed that phase?
You're MY Stat Boy from New York.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Wow. I think I'm high on sports right now. There's nothing like coming home to find out that ALL your teams won today! My Dodgers have really been on a roll lately. Gagne apparently had two big innings late in the game today against the Giants. (Boo to the Giants... bunch of LA-haters!) And Angels are kicking some A's butt! It was a good weekend for the Nor-Cal/So-Cal rivalry. (Of course, So-Cal came out on top!) And lastly, my dark horse of the season, the Astros... all the sports commentators initially left them out to die, especially after Andy Pettite couldn't produce the way they had anticipated. But regardless, they're hanging on in the NL Wildcard race. I STILL believe they have a chance. Boy, it would make my season if the Giants got left in the cold. Either way... great day! Dodgers, Angels and Astros all won today! It would've been better if I was ACTUALLY at the Dodgers/Giants game... but watching it on TV by myself isn't so bad anymore... I've been doing it for quite some time already.
Sunday, September 19, 2004
Friday, September 17, 2004
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