Shinster

In The Wake Of The Week- October 3rd

2009-09-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

October Already? - A few more months and we'll see 2009 come to a close. How scary and exciting is that? With the start of football, hockey, and baseball playoffs, yours truly will be camping out in front of the tv more than normal.

Grandma Kraft - It was nice seeing Grandma Kraft for Yom Kippur. She's the only grandmother alive on both sides of the family. At 87, she's looking forward to her great grandchild being born in 2010.

USF Council - It's quite a honor being nominated onto the board for my alma mater. I look forward to attending all the events with Brandy. The last event at Tom Malloy's Race Car Warehouse was quite fun and entertaining for my wife and for my in-laws.

San Jose Sharks - Hockey season's back in session. Go Sharks.

San Francisco Giants - Close but no cigar... Hopefully, they will make adjustments to solidify their positions for next year.

In The Wake Of The Week - Sept 26, 2009

2009-09-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

It's nice spending time in the desert with the Mrs... We are truly blessed to have the dual locations. How can you beat the ocean and the desert?

Speaking of the Mrs., because of her hormonal pregnancy situation and separation anxiety, we've decided to remain together (and not separated!) in either San Diego or Palm Springs. Whether the commutes back and forth shortens remains to be seen. Plus, it seems Baby Shin needs its father's hand and touch. Speaking of....

Baby Shin- What a joy. Whoever thought a new life could bring this much joy to yours truly? Baby Shin doesn't realize how much of an impact it's been to Brandy and I, our parents, my brother, and her brother. It's already a trooper with the stress that Brandy endures. Not to mention, it's already developing attitude in the womb. Payback surfaces itself from offspring.

TV Premieres- Didn't really watch any of them, except Two And A Half Men. I still see similarities with my life and the show....

San Francisco Giants - They're still in it. Humm Baby. Continue with the great pitching led by Timmy Lincecum and get the bats rolling and we'll have extended play in October.

Health Incident - It's still an emotional event that occurred almost 1 year ago. The other day, I brought Brandy to the UCSD hospital and she got emotional herself being in the same hospital room. I mean, without yours truly alive, there would be no "pumky" today. To commemorate this event, we've decided to bring donuts for the workers at UCSD and to bring cake at our next Connect event.

Football - Devastating loss for USC. It seems like last week's game happens every year. Washington this year. Oregon State last year. The Bolts are starting off slow again. I mean, the Oakland Raiders have the same record! However, you can't beat the aggressive play of the San Francisco 49ers. Go Niners!

Me Write You Long Time...

2009-09-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

It was excellent working and spending time in San Diego all week. The weather is much cooler than the desert (Palm Springs)...

Cardenas: Speaking of the desert, I miss Cardenas. There's really no place in San Diego where you can get fresh watermelon/cantaloupe juice. I mean, 40% of SD is latino and yet you can't get a Cardenas?!?

Family Update: Wife and soon to be born baby are doing well. Brother is doing well. Parents are doing well. In Laws are doing well.

High Blood Pressure: It's really important to keep your high blood pressure in check. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. That means no soda's and eliminating fast food out of your diet.

Ping Pong Playa: The San Diego Asian Film Festival showed "Ping Pong Playa". The movie is about some Chinese, gangster talking, basketball playing wannabe that has to step up to help his family by winning a ping pong tournament.

Rosh Hashanah: L'Shanah Tovah to all my fellow Jews. Yours truly is becoming more Jewish every minute. It was nice celebrating with Brandy and other Jewish brethren at the synagogue (Kehilat Ariel).

Hany Los Lobos: It was nice having lunch with the guy after all this time. You gotta give the guy props for managing his life the way he has. Just remember, La Bamba.....

San Francisco Giants: Humm baby. Continue winning and October / November will be great months.

Coupons: Ever since I've started a baby fund, yours truly has been cutting out more coupons. None of these, "save 25 cents" coupons, but it seems like every restaurant in San Diego has a promotion happening. That includes McDonald's! Not to mention, every grocery store is offering double and even triple coupons.

I think it's absolutely foolish by not taking advantage of these promos. "Such a time is this...."

In The Wake of the Week March 14th

2009-03-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Gualberto's Taco Shop - Bar none, the best Mexican restaurant in San Diego (Clairemont Mesa Blvd). This place is a hole in the wall but had a line out the door. It seems like everyone else has had the same experience. I think what makes a great burrito is the rice. Almost every tacos and burritos usually contain the same ingredients. I realized the rice can differentiate the products. Chipotle used a different blend by using jasmine rice instead of spanish rice.

I had a carne asade burrito at Gualberto's and was amazed at the quality of the burrito. They used saffron rice and not Spanish rice. Yum. Salsa was fresh as well.

Cheetah's - I was walking around the smog place and noticed the parking lot at Cheetah's was packed full of cars on a weekday lunch. The cars in front were all very nice cars (maybe they belonged to the dancers?). I guess during the slow economic times, everyone's going to the nudie bar.

Fight Team Korea - It's good to see Team Korea in San Diego for the World Baseball Classic. I was fortunate enough to see them practice today and catch fly balls. It's going to be a tough match with the Mexican's tomorrow night.

Bernie Madoff - Looks like Mr. Madoff will be spending a lot of time in jail for his ponzi scheme. He deceited quite a few people and businesses and non profits. He'll have time to think about his actions in jail.

Muntader al-Zaidi - Looks like the journalist who threw his Iraqi Ferragamo's at then-President Bush, will be going to jail for 3 years. Looks like he lost a good pair of shoes and then gets jail time. Hope it was worth it, buddy.....

In The Wake of the Week - March 07

2009-03-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday To Rose - A very happy birthday goes out to my beautiful mother, Rose. She's such an amazing woman and I am thoroughly blessed to have her as my mom.

March Madness - I really enjoy this time of year as college basketball revs up for its playoffs. I will definitely be in Las Vegas for this event.

World Baseball Classic- I love the new world baseball classic. You have 16 different countries matched against each in different regional settings. Looking forward to the playoff games at Petco Park in San Diego.

San Jose Sharks - You can't forget about the mighty SJ Sharks. They are currently the West leaders and I look forward to great playoff action. I have my Sharks jersey ready to go!

"The Lights Aren't Flickering...."

2009-03-06T11:20:00.001-08:00

I was watching clips from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and noticed one of the scenes where Clark (Chevy Chase) gets the outside Christmas lights turned on his house and was so excited that he was hugging his wife, kids, parents, and in laws. However, his father-in-law wasn't pleased with the lights and said to Clark, "one of the lights aren't flickering!". What the....?

It brought me to think about people who only seem to point out the mistakes in your life versus celebrate on the many good things that's happened to you as an individual. I mean, just the other day, I stated something in email regarding one of my favorite movies (Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay) and someone immediately corrected me in public because I had not typed "escape" (ie one of the lights aren't flickering). Another time I was at a bar (drinking H2O of course) and catching up with some friends while some geek comes over and immediately corrects me about shapes (ie octagon and hexagon)...I can see why he repels women since his only line towards them is, "Hey baby, I know shapes!".

In summary, the key is to surround yourself with people that appreciate your gifts and talents and celebrate your victories while avoiding the people who are quick to point out your little faults.

Catch Up Time....

2009-03-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking on my blog and I have no excuse for it. All I can say is my writing has, um, sucked since.

Happy Birthday Chuck - What a wonderful time spending my birthday with friends and family in Las Vegas. Thanks to everyone for the abundance of gifts and 400+ well wishes. I also wanted to thank those that combined Valentine's Day with my birthday. Speaking of which...

KL - The Norwegian princess (and not the cruise line). Hopefully, you are enjoying your time back in Bergen... Look forward to seeing you shortly in San Francisco. In the meantime, say hello to PM Stoltenberg since you have 4 million people in your country. We'll make sure to have an ample supply of premium shampoos and conditioners at Wal Mart.

San Jose/Lake Tahoe - It was nice doing business in San Ho and cleaning up some of the manufacturing stuff as well. It was more of a treat skiing in Lake Tahoe. The added bonus was being upgraded to a suite at Harrah's. The place was HUGE. Not to mention, they provided complimentary Bulgari products. Now that's living large and in charge. Shout out to Ryno, Sheri and crew who I hung out with for sushi, skiing, and Tahoe. What's up with the shout out term? Am I like in high school?

Stock Market - What is up with the market? I know our economy is bad but 1997 bad? I guess it's a good time to buy since it has nowhere to go but up. I feel bad for those on fixed incomes. Their valuations have gone down half in the past 6 months.

A moment of silence - For the professional football players lost out at sea. One happened to be an Oakland Raider.

In The Wake Of The Week - February 7th

2009-02-07T17:47:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl - They don't refer to the game as Super for nothing. It came down to the wire and I'm glad the Pittsburgh Steelers prevailed. We all wonder what the conclusion would have been with Warner and Fitzgerald. None of the commercial ads stood out, though.

The different bets they offered were amazing. Besides the "who'll win" category, Vegas also offered different categories like who'll win the coin toss, first possession, and even how many yards a player will get during the game (over/under).

Boot Camp - I went to my first official boot camp work out at UCSD. The results were quite interesting. I kept up with the pack and will return for the 7 week training. I'll be very sore tomorrow.

Friendships - People are always asking me about my friends. I respond that I've always been a believer in learning things from people and if they possess great hearts that you can make friends even with all the differences. I mean, to have a friend is to be a friend.

Happy Valentines Day - As a guy, what a great time of the year to spend time with that one sole person sharing your hearts and dreams. Though, I'm a believer in having a 365 Valentine's Day....

Obama Girls.....

2009-01-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

No not Malia and Sasha..... It's the many Obama girls supporting our newly appointed President. Gotta love Barack Obama.

The other day, I noticed a very curvy woman wearing a tight "Barack My World" tshirt. Since Southern California is known for its funky style (think UGG boots and skirts on women), I see another trend occurring.

In The Wake of the Week.... January 25th

2009-01-25T11:46:00.000-08:00

President Obama's Inauguration - What a wonderful sight to see our 44th President inaugurated on Tuesday, January 20th. We all know the significance of this monumentous occasion.

He's got huge tasks ahead of him and I'm confident that he'll succeed as the President of the United States. Seeing him go straight to work sends a message across that we have no choice but to work hard. Even though I'm not too thrilled on some of his policy decisions, I respect his position as President.

Super Bowl 43- To be held in Tampa, FL between the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers and the 9-7 Arizona Cardinals. Pittsburgh has an incredible defense that looked unstoppable and they will be tough. However, I have huge regards for Kurt Warner, the QB of the AZ Cardinals. How excellent would it be for him to win another Super Bowl ring this year.

Quite interesting to see that Mike Tomlin (Coach for Pittsburgh) looks quite similar to Dr. Foreman (Omar Epps - TV show, House).

Super Bowl Parties - Since yours truly finally upgraded to High Def, he will be hosting a party at his place. Football in high def + Poker. Does it get any better than that??

Federal/State/County/City Deficits - Times are tough. Seems like everyone is short on cash. Just look at our government. I'm not looking forward to receiving an IOU for my taxes nor am I looking forward to having no public library. I mean, they've already taken away the bbq pits.

Another one bites the dust.... - Circuit City stated they will close its doors once they liquidate their $billion + inventory. They join Mervyn's and Linens n Things for closures. Looks like Eddie Bauer, Timberland, and a few others are on the chopping block as well.

In the Wake of The Week - New Years

2008-12-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

2009 - Tonight I'm going to party like it's 1999.... Wait, all flights to San Diego from San Jose have been cancelled due to fog. Sleepy time at an early time.

San Diego SuperChargers - A few weeks ago, with a record of 4 - 8, they were left for the dead. Now at 8 - 8 and AFC West Champions, they take on the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs on Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium. The Bolts opt for the powder blue jerseys and I happen to have a LT jersey.

Facebook - You have to love this medium. I've had my Facebook profile up for a year + now and it's been amazing the number of contacts that I've received. Thanks to the urging of Tina O'Shea (my high school friend), my profile was created. However, I never thought about how useful Facebook would be so I initially applied it under my middle name, Peter. It was after 6 mo, when I received my 100th friend that I realized that this tool is bigger than I expected and went back to my original name. I've been so grateful to have as friends my first dance partner from junior high school (Sheri Seastrand), my first crush in jr. high (Andra Herman), my first kiss at 18, and other firsts.

Negativity/Cynicism - As I get older, one thing I have zero tolerance for is people who exert negativity and those that are cynical. We can all try to fake at one time or another, but after my health incident, I've realized that life's too short to associate with them. I think the fool is the one under this category and doesn't realize it.

To a great 2009 where we all achieve that great success....

In The Wake Of The Week Dec 14th

2008-12-17T11:42:00.000-08:00

Don Yoon - May his family rest in peace. I feel for my Korean brother as he lost his wife, 2 beautiful daughters, and mother in law when the F18 fighter jet crashed into his University City home. It's going to be all right.

Bernard Madoff - He finally gets caught with his $50 Billion ponzi scheme. I am hoping how he did it in his book that he writes from prison.

The Bolts- They are still alive. This Sunday, if Denver loses to Buffalo and the Bolts beat Tampa Bay in Tampa, the following week the Bolts would have to play Denver for the AFC West. That darn call from Ed Hochuli in Game 2 still haunts us.

In the Wake Of the Week - Dec 06

2008-12-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

OJ - It looks like OJ will be serving about 8 to 10 years in prison for his kidnapping and robbery involvement at The Palace Station hotel. The consensus is that most people feel no compassion for the guy after his innocent jury consensus of the killing of his ex wife and Ronald Goldman. The question is, if OJ's in jail, who's going to continue the search for their killer?

Prop 8 - I'm really getting sick and tired of all these protesters supporting the gay marriages. Not only are they wasting tax payers money but they're also creating traffic havoc and I'm also getting sick and tired of them standing in front of the Mormon Temple in La Jolla. The voters have spoken where 52% of the CA voters, voted yes on Prop 8 to repeal gay marriages. If you do the math, only 7% of the CA population attend church and of that percentage, a lower percentage are Mormons. So, why protest in front of churches and Mormon temples? Is it a good way to meet chicks?

Plaxico - Speaking of guns, it looks like Plax Burress is going to jail for carrying a handgun and shooting himself accidentally. Again, if you do the math, he recently signed a $35 million contract and because the NY G - Men (Giants) plan to cut the guy after the season, the shot to the leg really costed him $27 million. That's an expensive bullet.

The Big 3 - Looks like the Big 3 need about $27 billion to continue operations. They've even said the CEO's will take $1 salaries and they all drove from Michigan to DC. My suggestion is to get a better negotiator with the union leader and you'll start seeing real savings vs mice nut savings.

It's the Little Things....

2008-12-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had a heart angiogram test done at UCSD Medical. It was then that I had realized my life was being controlled by this little piece of cartilege that continues to beat back and forth. My heart which is one of the center pieces of my body was literally determined by this little flatulant piece of my heart that continues to beat back and forth for hopefully 100 years. If it stops, I stop.

It was then that I realized that the little things in life does matter and we are ultimately judged by what we do with the little things to determine if we can handle the bigger things.

I think about my toes. We really don't pay much attention to our toes yet when we jam it, we really can't function properly. I also think about athletes that suffer turf toe and how it puts them in an injured reserve status just from a little toe.

It's all about the little things that really determine if we can handle the bigger things in life. We need to master and overcome the small stuff first before going to bigger and better things.

As we enter the Christmas season, let's help out people in need with the small stuff so then we can go into 2009 achieving bigger results.

In The Wake of The Week - Dec 1st

2008-12-01T12:05:00.001-08:00

RIP Phillip Koh - I recently found out that Phillip Koh passed away this weekend. Mr Koh had suffered a stroke 4 years and he died through complications with one of his organs. Mr. Koh was a good, generous man. He and his wife, Mary, would always provide dinner for my brother and I in high school when my mother would have graduate school classes. They lived very close to us in Cupertino, CA. and I am very grateful for the many great things they've done for our family.

Shop till you drop - It sounds like retail sales were better than predicted. Though, my mother and I went shopping in Las Vegas on Saturday and didn't see anyone carrying shopping bags? How could that be? Well, it turns out that most people were bargain hunting and after Black Friday morning's specials, no one was returning to the malls on Saturday or Sunday. That's quite scary to know since there's 24 days left before Christmas. Good luck getting any gifts this year.

Gobble, Gobble - After the food comatose and the football games over the 4 day weekend, who's ready to go back to work? I'm certainly not, though, I'm officially going to one office now....

Huntington Beach Operations - Well, it's official. The $$ has hit my offshore account and the Huntington Beach operations is now sold. Good bye, Orange County! I've made so many OC connections and really enjoyed the lifestyle that Huntington Beach had to offer. The show must go on.... But where? How? When?

In The Wake Of The Week - November 22

2008-11-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving- As Americans, we all have so so much to be thankful for. We should all be having Thanksgiving 365 days a year! Gobble-gobble.

For the immediate Shin clan, we've started a very un-traditional holiday routine where we go and travel to different places. This year, I'm hoping it's Lost Wages as I really want to play a little poker....

Entrepreneur of the Year- For the second year in a row, yours truly was nominated for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. And for the second year in a row, yours truly has lost that category. All to great company, though. It's quite flattering being labeled as a loser (now I know how Susan Lucci felt all those years). In all reality, it's honorable to have your business peers nominate you for such a prestigious award. It's also quite flattering having the Editor of the publication congratulate you personally and state that "I had the characteristics of the model Entrepreneur". Would those character be young, talented, and handsome??

Podiatrist of the Year- Unlike me, we do have some winners in the Shin household. Congrats to my brother, Hank, for winning the Podiatrist of the Year. This is a very prestigious award given by his doctor peers in SD County. It's quite interesting to see the award given to my brother. Now picture this. My brother enjoys wearing shorts, tshirts, and baseball hats on backwards while the other doctors fit the usual doctor mold- white, boring, grey haired, educated (not that my bro's not), and professional (again not that my bro's not).

Health - Doctors have given me the approval to end rehab. Woo hoo. As a cocaine addict, that's words to live by. :) It's nice not having to do a regimented exercise program and instead go out on my own and do my own thing. Last night, I was able to play water polo again, but not for long. I had realized that I'm still quite weak in the body and the mind. Having a high school girl turn me and make me look foolish summarizes it all. Though, "Big Momma" did have some advantages over me.

No need to worry about my 10 LB Thanksgiving / Christmas holiday weight increase this year since I've had to change my diet since the "incident". Still a big fan of salads and soups and no coca cola. "No Soup For You!" But maybe, a Souplantation gift card?

Keeping Up With the Kardashians - Recently, one of my neighbors lost his home to foreclosure. It was sad to see the family go. One of the vultures swooped in and immediately bought the home from the bank and decided to rent it out to none other than UCSD students. Yes, there's 3 Kardashian girls that moved in and one of them never bothers to close her blinds. Since my guest bedroom faces hers, you can imagine the shows. Thank God I don't have to sleep in that room (unless my parents are in town) because Ms. Show Girl is no Kim Kardashian.

I do have to give them credit, though, as they routinely bring over chocolate chip cookies.

My Sales Director - I had an opportunity to speak with my Sales Director after a year and a half hiatus. That was when his wife passed away......God bless Marsha's soul. We still keep in touch because as an ex-School Superintendent for the second largest school district in California, he does have lots of connections.

Politics- People and especially Republicans still can't understand how Barrack Obama is President. Well, he worked hard and the American people obviously thought his initiatives were better than McCain's. Enough said.

The Republicans had the Presidency and the House during the Bush era and couldn't do anything about it. Is it any wonder that was taken away and given to the Democrats? We're judged with how we manage the little things before any big thing is given. Quite simple.

I talk to many Christian Republicans and the words that come out of their mouths is criticism. Personally, I'm a firm believer that once you take care of the hate, including racial and negative issues, and support our new President of the USA, you will start receiving blessings.

In The Wake of the Week - Nov 01

2008-11-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Halloween- Unfortunately, Halloween isn't a holiday that I go out and celebrate. However, I do enjoy giving out choco's (and yes even to the older people who trick or treat). I was thinking that I should tax the people next year. I mean, there's a tariff for everything in life.... Next year, for every 10 pieces of candy, I want 2 candies back.

Every year for Halloween, I dress up as a nerd (ie myself) and it fares well. This year, I have to say the most creative and simple outfit was a girl who dressed up as an Orbitz (gum) girl. She really "fit" the outfit very well. To the Orbitz girl who's reading, "Potty Mouth?"

Elections- This Tuesday is big day for Senators McCain and Hussein Obama. My vote is for Hussein. I agreed with General Colin Powell (GOP), who recently endorsed Hussein Obama.
"McCain hasn't showed any initiatives for the Republican party. Plus, I don't think Palin is ready to be President." My words exactly.

As for the Propositions, YES on 8 and no to everything else.

Phillies- Congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies as World Series Champions. Cole Hamel the MVP pitched amazingly. Not bad for a San Diego kid. I see big $$$$$ for the next Steve Carlton during contract negotiations.

If I didn't have my health issues, I'd be ordering up some poutine.

MedicASIAN

2008-10-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Since my incident on Oct. 12th, I've had to take medication to ensure my survival. The doctors at UCSD Thornton (the Smart Ones) recommended a blood thinner and steroids. No, thanks as I don't want to be ineligible to play baseball nor do I want my jewels the size of raisins.

So, I saw a Chinese herbologist in San Jose who prescribed me herbs. They are quite............ nasty. One of them has to be mixed with hot water and tastes just like kava with no buzz. Think dark and dirty water. After downing the kava-like herb, I always chase it with few pieces of Reese's Pieces to wear off the taste. Atleast, it's a huge treat before Halloween.

The Smart Ones...

2008-10-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

What another gorgeous day in beautiful San Diego. I awoke early to drop off my past due Home Owners Assoc fees to the property management company (they understood given my health incident) and on my return fell into traffic on the 805 freeway. The 805 in San Diego, 405 in Orange/LA, and the 101 in the bay area are the nastiest, backed up traffic gridlocks in CA. When I mean nasty, I'm talking Arsenio Hall's "give me some of that funk nasty".

As I sat in traffic, I noticed a Honda Civic that possessed a license holder that read, "UCSD - The Smart Ones". I've seen the license holders before as UCSD is known for its smarter people. A little pompous are we (given that it's not an Ivy League school)??

As we all sat in traffic, I noticed a sistah in a Dodge Stratus merging into traffic from the Clairemont Blvd Exit. Nothing was out of the ordinary until the "smart one" in front me decided to honk her horn for a period of 20 seconds and tried hard not to let the Stratus in. Obviously, "the smart one" wanted to maintain that precious pole position on the 805, leading to nowhere. The honking scared the gal in the Stratus and alerted all the other drivers. I have to give the sistah kudos for not seeking revenge nor giving "the smart one" the half a peace sign.

As we travelled up a bit, I had a chance to change lanes and look over at the driver. I had my usual Asian-Tom Cruise smirk and shaking of the head, while mumbling the ole proverb "Seng ging guh gat chi" which translates, "you act the way you look".

I would probably describe "the smart one" about 5'2 in height and weighing in at a buck eighty. You have to love "the smart ones".

In The Wake Of the Week- Oct 25th

2008-10-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Recession Yes, we're "officially" in a recession folks. My tip is to keep a watchful eye out for promotions at restaurants. Afterall, eating out can be less than cooking. I'm a believer that if you're paying full price, you really need to evaluate why, as almost all restaurants are providing some kind of promotion(s).

Speaking of promos, I have to reveal the best place to watch college and pro football games. Pt. Loma Sports Bar recently opened at the Liberty Station and they offer 23+ HD tv's across the entire bar. It's a sportsters dream! Not to mention, they are offering 2 for 1 entrees (check the Reader) and they even have great salads.

New Chapter I have to be constantly monitoring my blood pressure and abide by a strict diet post the "incident". Thus, I've had to go through my refrigerator and throw away all the goodies and replace with fruits and veggies. The saddest part was donating my 3 crates of Mexican Coke (cokes made in Mexico containing real sugar vs High Fructose Corn Syrup made in US).

Another new activity for the new chapter has been Yoga and Pilates. I have to ensure my body stays limber and flexible for the remaining years of my life. I feel sissy like since I'm one of a few men in the class but it's a great substitute for boxing (which was terminated due to doctor's orders).

SNL I guess Sarah Palin made such an impact in her first cameo appearance, Barack Hussein Obama will also be making an appearance on Saturday Night Live. His reasonings, "the SNL double of me doesn't resemble me and he's not as funny".

Walk This Way....

2008-10-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

It was nice returning to San Diego on my own without any guardian since I've required a 24/7 guardian. Even though, I'm still not at 100%, I'm able to use my left hand and leg freely for walking, grabbing, etc. From a strength standpoint, it's a different story. However, I'll regain the strength, eventually. I'm just grateful to be walking, grabbing, and using day to day functions with my left arm and leg.

Being my crazy self, I forced myself to walk the beach this morning. It was a gorgeous morning walk and watching the sunrise was priceless. As I was leaving the beach, I noticed my keys had gone missing from the pocket of my hooded sweatshirt. I panicked and re-traced my steps on the beach for the 2 mile walk. Nothing. I did it again, another 2 miles. Nothing. Keep in mind that I'm still in rehab and my walk is still not straight.

I decided to stop by the ranger station to see if any good samaritan had returned the keys. I wasn't successful with that option since the ranger station was still closed. So, I went back to my car (and fortunately it was still there) and stood there figuring out what to do next. Keep in mind that I had no wallet, phone, and "keys".

I decided to retrace my steps again (partially this time) and again found nothing. As I returned, I saw the ranger station had opened and asked if they received any lost keys. The ranger smiled and said someone had turned in a set of keys about 2 minutes ago..... They turned out to be mine!!!!!!!! I was celebrating in my own way and a big thank you goes out to the good samaritan for turning in my keys. First round is on me (water for me though).

Big John

2008-10-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Going through physical therapy in San Jose has been going very well. I'm so grateful to see the progress made from being a vegetable and lifeless on Sunday PM to almost having full motion of my arms and legs. Being at the stroke clinic, I've come across many people who haven't advanced as fast. One of them is John. He and his wife, Mai, drive down from San Francisco two to three times a week. He's been improving at a very slow rate after receiving the stroke four years ago. He's a good looking 58 year old man that has a zest for life but has been down as of late from the lack of improvements in his left arm and left leg. Seeing him try to do the exercises reminded me of where I was almost a week a half ago.

I decided to help him throughout his session since I had gone through it. We quickly became great friends throughout the session. I kept telling him to continuously use that left arm and left leg and do whatever it takes to do those excercises no matter how dumb it looked. It's all about circulating blood through the affected areas. I've concluded that having another chance in life is much more important than what people think of you doing the silly exercises.

When I felt his hand I felt power and I knew he was going to heal. I just kept feeding him life as that energy would release itself one day. I mean, it happened to me! I know I made an impact since he stated that he would hunt me down in San Diego and we would go for a walk on the beach. I believe in him and I know one day, I'll get a knock on my door for a walk!

"You can doooooo it......."

Chapter 2

2008-10-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

The time was 5:30 PM on Sunday Night. I had my #21 LT jersey and was awaiting the start of the San Diego Chargers vs New England Patriots football game at The Pizza Port in Solana Beach. My brother and I had not been to The PP in a very long so the idea of digging into a pepperoni pizza felt quite exciting. Not to mention, our SD Chargers was about to kick off on Sunday Night Football on NBC.

As I was about to drink my glass of Coke, my left arm goes numb. I thought nothing of it until I tried to get up and my entire left side goes numb. That was odd. I thought nothing of it again until my vision started to give way and my right eye felt like someone had stabbed it with a knife. I stated to my brother, that I had no feeling on my left side and my vision was giving way. Being a doctor himself, he knew there was something clearly wrong. As I held onto him for dear life, we went back to his car to drive me home. My rationale was, I thought I could just sleep it off. How wrong was I....

When I spoke to my mom a little later, she noticed my voice was slurring greatly and that was when I knew it was time to go to the Emergency Room at the UCSD Medical Center. I couldn't drive myself so my mom had arranged for my brother to pick me up. We checked in and the next thing I knew, I had every tube sticking into every orifice of my body. I felt motionless and lifeless as I laid in the ER bed. The ER docs felt I needed to stay overnight so they arranged for my room in the Stroke Center.

My parents flew in from SJ the next morning and supported me while I was taking every available CT Scan and MRI of my body. Not to mention, my arms looked like a heroin addict as they extracted blood almost 20+ times during my stay. It was that afternoon the doctors stated that I had suffered a stroke. Yes, a stroke. A 30+ year old male, healthy, non drinker/smoker/drug user, had suffered a stroke out of the blue. What had the doctors even more baffled was my parents were the healthiest people on planet earth and there was no genetics involved.

The 6 nurses assigned to me all say that I was fortunate to have improved greatly without any prolonged permanent damage nor death. The doctors on the other hand have no reasonings for what had happened except that I faced "bad luck".

After staying in the hospital for 4 nights and being discharged on Wednesday night, the 6 neurologists assigned to me couldn't come with a conclusion except that "it could" be this or "it could" be that. To support that conclusion, they wanted me to be on blood thinners and steroids. No thanks (as I'm aware of the side effects for both).

I flew to San Jose the next day to meet with my family doctor. I was also recommended an Acupuncturist specializing in strokes. After more testing and a session in acupuncture (think 10 needles on my head), I've started to improve. With the progress in my health, I am hoping to return to San Diego later this week.

I am truly grateful for the miracles, prayers, and support during this transitional event into Chapter 2.

HOOTERS GIRL

2008-10-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Hoot Hoot. Some people, including ex-girlfriend's, think I'm gay but definitely metro. That's cool and I'm ok with that since I'm comfortable with myself.

Years ago, I was set up on a blind date by Candice (CL) . She and I went to high school together and at the time, CL was working at Adobe. One of my colleagues, Doug (DM) resigned from SGI and went to Adobe and of course started hitting on her (think of CL as an Asian Princess). DM finds out CL went to Monta Vista for high school and asked if she knew me. She stated yes and asked him for my phone number. Poor Doogie got Chuck Blocked.

A few weeks later, CL and her cousin Darlene (DC) and I go out for sushi at Miyake's. The next morning, DC leaves me a voice message at Silicon Graphics, Inc. saying she had a great time and for me to call her back urgently. I returned DC's call and DC proceeds to tell me that she wanted me to go out with her co-worker, Erin (EP). Erin's a cute/hot blonde skier, runner, and candlestick maker that looks very similar to the actress, Reese Witherspoon. Being a single guy, I had a choice- Asian Princess or sporty Reese? I chose Reese and we go out the next week which leads to 3 years of being spoken for.

About a month ago, my brother and his mates go to Hooters in Rancho Bernardo and as my brother was intently watching the game, the female Hooters manager comes by and asks if all's well with their service. He looks back and it was EP!!!! Think deer in headlights, awkward moment. What are the odds of meeting up in San Diego from the bay area? My brother stated she still looked "hot" and being that I remember EP not as endowed in the top region, my bro states she definitely received fake hooters.

To date, I still have not gone into Hooters in RB even though I play water polo weekly at Mt. Carmel HS. Why bring up the past? The most important thing is that I dated a Hooters girl....

Stay Thirsty My Friends....

2008-10-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Adam Ant says, "Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?". I stopped consuming alcoholic beverages after my college fraternity days due to being too fat and spending way too much $$$. Not to mention, the numerous drinking and driving moments that I got away with- think 20ish Superman. My parents caught me a few times and said that if they caught me doing the D-N-D again, they'd report me into the police themselves. They'd rather have me alive in prison and someone's bitch vs being dead.

However, I do enjoy a cold beer when playing poker, watching sports, or attending a bbq. Nothing beats an ice chilled, cold Corona.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Grand Cherokee

2008-10-05T00:23:00.000-07:00

I just got the report for the cost to fix my Grand Cherokee. It's not a good report. Consider a few broken cylinders not covered under warranty. Ouch.

Anyone that desires a Grand Cherokee and wants to drive it off to Mexico, the windows will be opened half way and a key will be on the floor mat. It's still in great condition - V8, sunroof, leather.

Enjoy.

Religious Victims + Team Shin + OJ

2008-10-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Religious Victims
The bible and Charlton Heston in the movie 10 Commandments says, "Do Not Use The Lord's Name in Vain." Growing up, I was told not to swear or use God Damn or Jesus Christ when you stubbed your toe.

Well, I had a revelation in the shower the other day. The statement was applicable when you used God's name in your plan of action like "You need to invest in my scam because God told me to tell you" or "You (being married) need to marry me because God wants me to provide you the ultimate happiness."

Don't be a religious victim. Be upfront without getting God into the picture- like the guy on the corner with a sign that reads, "WHY LIE? I NEED A BEER".

Team Shin
It's all about living a quiet, drama free, and private life. Family and relationships are very important and I honor the privacy associated with those relationships.

I had one gal (we'll refer to her as fat mouth) who didn't understand the concept. She enjoyed rummaging through my emails and phone bills and would follow up even with my hairstylist about my happenings. My recommendation is, instead of screaming the loudest so you can be heard, use that mouth of yours for more productive results.

OJ Simpson
I remember being at Silicon Graphics Bldg 1 and staring at the big screen when the verdict of "not guilty" was given. Recently, OJ Simpson was caught with robbery at the Palace Station Hotel and was slapped a guilty verdict by the jury. Maximum jail time is 19 years. Trial date will be communicated later.

Karma, karma, karma......... karma chameleon.

In The Wake Of The Week.... Oct 4, 2008

2008-10-04T10:33:00.001-07:00

Being that this is my first post, I wanted to give the PR (proper respect) to Coach Bud Geracie of the SJ Mercury News. I've been reading his sports section "wake of the week" article for many years. The guy is funny. Even when I was working for KR, it was a honor meeting up and playing basketball during the lunch hour at The Merc.

Vice President Debates. Why do so many people fear Gov. Sarah Palin? She's a Vice Presidential candidate people. That means she's running for 2nd in command. Yea, she's one heart attack away but at the moment, she's vying for #2. The silver medal, Avis, dos, #2.

Some people also think she's a moron and these same people wanted to see her fail during the debates. Who's feeling moronic now?

Gov. Palin lacks the international experience vs Biden but I respect her for her tenacity and execution. She's less political than Biden and I believe she would generate far greater results than her counterpart. That's good character in my books.

So, when I see the McCain - MILF bumper stickers, there's consideration on Nov. 4th.

Elections. I'm a registered Republican who's voted twice for Billary Clinton and would consider voting for the Hussein Obama on Nov 4th. Why? The Maverick hasn't showed a policy that's deviated from the current Bush regime and I don't believe in voting Republican just for the sake of doing so.

I consider McCain's strategy the "Bush Regime Part Deux". There needs to be radical changes and it looks like it could be Hussein and Biden in '08. Lip service and lack of execution is another story.

Bailout. $700 Billion to save our financial sector and economy. Winner- Warren Buffett. He received favorable terms with both GE and Morgan Stanley where his $3B and $5B, respectively, will reap big with very little risk. Here's a great example of Buffet's investment with Morgan Stanley. He'll receive a 10% dividend + a lock in price of $115 per share. Currently, the MS stock is trading at about $140 share. Multiply the lock in and divide by $5 Billion and do same with current and you'll see Mr. Buffett, who owns Dairy Queen and See's Candies (both very profitable companies), wipe his bung hole with $100 bills.

Football. It's football season. Saw the Oregon St. vs Utah game on Thursday. Upset #2? Well almost..... Looooooooooouie Sakoda kicked the game winning field goal with 1 sec. left. Sweet Lou will be experiencing the "hot chick" syndrome where he won't ever need to buy drinks.

Come to the light. I respect DA OAKLAND RAIDERS fans. Here you have a team that hasn't won very many games in the past 5 years and an owner who continues to dwindle the market value of the franchise. Yet, the fans continue dressing like clowns come game time.

Go Bolts (against Miami Dolphins).