War In San Francisco

Another quick update here. First and foremost, I’ve come to realize how quickly the start date for my school is coming up and that I still haven’t been really approved for any of the money to attend. In fact, I’ve been denied on two separate occasions. However, I have been approved for the “merit loan”, which the name alone sounds like something extraordinary and remarkable. Quite the contrary actually. This “merit loan” is, in essence, just like any other loan you would take out for a car or a house. Which means that you have to start paying it back immediately. Now don't think that I am, for one second, not grateful for being approved for the "merit loan". Apparently this particular loan is only awarded to one person each session. Quite the honor really.

Well, this is bad news to a student that would be using that loan money to attend school full time for a solid year. With being at school full time, it would prove to be rather difficult to work as many hours as he does already, barely make ends meet, and take on another loan payment....? Like any other loan, the “merit loan” requires a down payment. General rule of thumb for down payments is 10% of your total loan should be your down payment. If you do the math for that, 10% of $30,000.00 is $3,000.00.

If you are clutching at your throat right now, gasping for air at the thought of slamming down $3,000.00, then you and I are in the same boat. That, to me, is a lot of money.

The beauty of student loans is that you apply for the money to attend school, the loaners understand that you will be bettering yourself with an education and give you time to actually go to school. They don’t expect you to pay back the loan until you have graduated. Now that makes sense to me in so many more ways than the “merit loan” that expects payments immediately plus a hefty down payment.

I have high hopes. I also, thanks to my mother, have a good sense of reality and know when to stop mindlessly chasing your dreams. At least until your dreams are a little bit more attainable.

And speaking of dreams, pillows are usually where they take place. Which brings me to something a little lighter and not so depressing also the reason for the title of this post. Kendra over heard a couple of ladies talking about a huge pillow fight happening in downtown San Francisco. So naturally she Googled it and found out that it has been running for a few years now and is an annual thing every Valentines Day. Apparently thousands of people meet in the Justin Herman Plaza and when the big clock on the Ferry building stikes 6pm, the feathers begin to fly. I nabbed a video from YouTube (below) of previous years and ones in different cities, so you can get an idea of how big this thing really is.

If I can weasel my way out of work early I am going to pack my bag with my weapon and try to make it down there to, at the very least capture some video or photos. 

You can see more information for the craziness that is the Great San Francisco Pillow Fight right HERE

 

Quick Updates Are Easier To Write

Definitely not crossing my fingers but I am slightly hopeful.

I just wanted to give a quick update to everyone back home and to all those others that might care just because you love me anyway. Recently I reapplied for the ungodly amount of money that it costs to get into my school this coming March and it sounds like things are going really well.

One more thing that seems to be note worthy is Kendra passed around my name to a few people at work and it seems that I have gotten myself an interview for a much better paying job. If I get the job, it seems that the schedules won’t be conflicting so I’ll have to try and keep them both. Don’t want to jinx it by blabbing it just yet, plus if they happen to Google my name they might read this. Ha ha.

Anyway, wish me luck for that.

Looking forward to this weekend. One of our friends is coming this week before he jumps off to Hawaii. Just wish I didn’t have to work all day on Saturday. I’m sure we’ll be able to at least go out for a drink or dinner all together.

Seriously though, kind of nervous for this interview. I honestly don’t know if I’m quite qualified for this position but i am awfully crafty and creative so hopefully they’ll recognize that. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on the interview situation on Monday.

People These Days... Yikes

So if you know anything about me, you know that I love playing video games with my friends. Just about any video games that include some sort of multiplayer capability are the ones that I tend to lean towards but mostly the games in the Halo trilogy is where I have spent a majority of my nerd-dom.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve met some people online that I have played with and they have been really great guys and even girls... yes girls play video games... sometimes. But this morning, I found this video and believe that it’s gone a little too far in some peoples lives. Like, a little, way too far.

MTV Shows

In other news that makes me say, “Really?!? You’re gonna cry about this?”

On January 22nd, there was a story about a couple of private girls high school basketball teams in Texas that had a blowout score of 100 - 0 on January 13th. (click HERE for article) Apparently, the whole crowd was into the game minus a few whiney parents who say that the winning team should have let up. It’s stated that there is no mercy rule in girls basketball, but "they should have played by the golden rule”. Golden rule? Don't tell me they're referring to the attitude of "Aww, now Jimmy, don't beat your little brother too badly at checkers, or he'll never want to play again." Get over it.

Later on in the article, “Renee Peloza (mother of a player on the losing team) said the coach and other parents praised the Dallas Academy girls for limiting Covenant to 12 points in the fourth quarter. She added that neither her daughter nor her teammates seemed to dwell on the loss.”

In another related article from the New York Times (found HERE), I found out that the head coach of the winning team who was stated as being “unapologetic” for the win, was fired. Now Covenant (the winning team) never answered if the coach was let go because of not being apologetic, but earlier they said that, “This (the coach’s email stating that he’s not apologetic for the win) clearly does not reflect a Christlike and honorable approach to competition.”

Now please tell me if I’m being a complete asshole here but last time I checked, competition is competition. It takes a great deal of honor and dignity to win and not be boastful, which the article says the winning team wasn’t. Equally, it takes a great deal of honor and dignity to not be a sore loser, which the article also states that the loosing team didn’t “dwell on the loss”.

So, congrats to Covenant for the amazing victory and better luck next time to Dallas Academy.

I wish I had more to tell you guys about my life and how amazing it is down here but lately I’ve been working and trying to get the loan thing figured out. It’s looking good, except that my loans from my Lane Community College back in Eugene are due for payment and I am figuring out how to defer those so I can pay them back later... say, when I actually have money.

However, I am very excited for February 20th. My good friend Michelle is flying in and Kendra and I are going to show her around town. I can’t wait. Hope all is well with everyone up north.

So... I made a list.

Things To Do On My Days Off (that don’t cost money):

• - Go on a bike ride on the many bike trails around Berkeley
  
• - Write another blog
  
• - Explore the surrounding neighborhoods
  
• - Clean the apartment
  
• - Go harass the two strung out bums that seem to think that they need to sing and yell at the top of their crusty old lungs (possible videos to come)
  
• - Give Thug Passion a bath
  
• - Kendra says volunteer (fuck that)
  
• - Play through the Halo Trilogy on my X-Box (laaaaaaaaaame)
  
• - Drive to the ONLY Gold’s Gym in the East Bay to work out
  
• - Try Yoga at the yoga shop up the road on Tuesdays (did my wiener just fall off)
  
• - Walk up to the Berkeley campus, which is completely up hill and ride the longboard all the way back home and pray to God that - I hit all the green lights all the way down College Avenue
  

I can't express how happy I am (in words) that I have a job now. Perhaps, I've had a lapse in creativity, but I've resorted to having to make a list for my days off so I don't just sit around on my ass.

Been very busy with work lately, seems that I'm sort of the new guinea pig, for the way that they are training people now. Problem is, that it gets so damn busy there that when we start to do a little "peer training" session, we have to pause and take care of the customers. More often than not, we never actually get to do the training so I've kind of gotten to do a little here and there but basically just skip the actual training and I get a super summarized version of the training. Oh well... I guess. 

I wanted to apologize to each and everyone of you because I totally forgot to include a picture of our tiny tiny tiny bathroom in the post with all the pics of our new place. Deep down in my heart, I know how each and everyone of you were wondering what it looked like. So here it is.

I would have included the shower and the toilet in the picture but I was standing on top of them to take the photo. So just take that into account if you come to visit us and have to clean up or throw down the number two.

Mac and Cheese Equals Mythological Creatures?

Yesterday I mentioned that Kendra and I have been cooking at home, but last night it was brought to a whole new level. Not necessarily a higher level of complexity but more of a higher level of, “Oh my god this tastes like little drops of heaven sprinkled with unicorns and fairy dust”. A couple of nights ago Kendra had this craving for some mac and cheese and if you grew up like I did, the first thing that would have popped into your head would have been the crap that tastes like the cardboard box it comes in. You know the one, blue box, gold lettering... damn it I used to love that garbage.

Well apparently her mom makes this amazing homemade mac and cheese so she got the recipe and let me just tell you, ho-ly-crap. Needless to say I was saddened that my bowl was empty but that just meant that breakfast and lunch was going to be filled with warm, cheesy, gooey goodness.

Earlier today I was seriously contemplating on walking across the street and applying at Burger King but Ian randomly called me and cheered me up a little bit with some encouraging words. With spirits knocked up a few notches I made my way out to a few places that I had applied and made it known that I am freaking awesome and they should seriously consider hiring me. Which actually helped calm my nerves because I was honestly teetering on a razors edge of pulling my hair out from being so stressed.

Also, I contacted the head of the financial aid department of my hopeful school (SFSDF) and set up another meeting to figure out how to get my hands on $30,000. By the way, I’m still taking suggestions, other than exchanging sexual favors for money. However I am thankful for that suggestion Ian.

One more thing, I got bored late last night and started making new iPhone/iPod Touch wall papers on Photoshop. What do you think? Slightly conceded? Let’s just say that if I were to rule China, this would probably be the replacement of their silly and boring flag.