Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year! From your friend Blake

The Message @ The Nile

NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS
As of Nov. 12, 2005 Cafe Nile has closed its doors we would like to sincerely thank all of our loyal customers that made Cafe Nile what it was. Thank You and we will miss you all.

Why God why!

Chico just lost a great spot to go and relax. On Saturday the 12th Cafe Nile shut its doors forever. Why?

California Spoke Yesterday

Well Arnold Schwarzenegger did not get his way yesterday. Everything failed, everything, not one proposition passed.

California spoke out last night, and they said there done, done with Arnold.

Google SMS

Nothing like a free service from google. After playing around with it for a day or two I can say that Google SMS rocks! I'm impressed at the simplicity of the interface and its effectiveness in getting you all the information you need. And best of all its FREE!! Well free on google's end, however standard text messaging fees apply.

My hat is off to you Google, your benevolence is welcomed!

Halloween is Dead. No Pun Intended

I would have to say that Halloween is officially dead in Chico. It was amazing being out on Halloween 2002. Downtown Chico packed with over 20,000 people all dressed in costume, all having a good time. Now compare that to yesterday, there were more cops out on the streets than people. Forget about driving through the city, with DUI checkpoints and closed roads placed in key areas made a five minute drive into fifteen.

Yet with everyone at the bars or house parties Cafe Nile was quiet and charming as always. I love how you can kick back, relax, smoke a cigar, smoke some hookah with panda, and shoot-the-shit with the owners. A relaxing ending to a very hectic day.

A Day of Reflection

So here I am. . .sitting in the BMU Basement. . .waiting for Stephanie to get off of work. . .staring at a crappy flat panel monitor. . .board.

Well, to be honest its not all bad. With the free time that I've had today (namely right now) I am able to think about this past weekend and the next couple of weeks to come. So here I go on the attempt to express my mind in an organized manner.

After two weeks of midterms and group projects (excluding Matt, Sac State is on a different schedule) we all ran down to the Bay Area for some relaxation. After Jason and Toph got off of class, we loaded the cars and we were off. Our desired destination: the Kolsky House.

I can't believe it has been LONGER THAN TWO YEARS since I've been to the Kolsky's. The last time we all went as a group I was still with Tracy. . . man that was a long time ago. Yet all the changes that 2 years hold, once you walk into that house you are welcome. It was as if time somehow held still and started up again once the front door opened up to welcome us in. There are little words to describe that weekend, only emotions. Feelings of joy, feelings of warmth, and feelings of love is was radiates from that household, and I am grateful for every moment I was able to spend there.

I was able to really relax. I spent most of my time in the kitchen because to me cooking for a group is a way to show love and compassion. You put your soul into what you cook, and when your creations take shape you are overcome with a sense of pride. By cooking for everyone I was able to tell them and show them how much I truly love them. I love all you guys: Linda, Alan, Loren, Steph, Panda, Toph, Matt, Jason, and Bailey. I love you guys more than you will ever know.

They Can't Tell It's Not Bacon!

At the beggin'ing

Beggin' For Wow

Bath Time For Baily

Nothing like a bath in the kitchen sink

Kooking @ The Kolsky

Blake making brownies In his dream kitchen Post by Stephanie

The Simple Things In Life

Nothing is more relaxing that reading the paper in the BMU basement in between classes.

Then you get to the comics.


What can I say, I found it funny.

A Look Back

Moving In
Aug. 23, 2002
Location: University Village, Building 22, Room 382, Chico, California
From Right: Pat, Unknown Smiling-Yellow-Head-Man with an iBook

A Look Back

A Cold New York Morning
Spring Break 2004
March 17, 2004
Location: Some train station in upstate New York
From Right: Kenny (Toph's younger brother), Me, Nancy (Toph's mother)

A Look Back

South of the Border
May 31, 2004
Location: Holiday Inn, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
From Left: Matt, Me, Stephanie
Please note: do to a recent agreement, I will no longer be able to show pictures of Toph.

Stolen At Last: Topher's Bike

Who would have known that a 4 year old $30 Kryptonite lock would be no match for 10 cent bic pin? Well we all know now.

Sometime over this past weekend his bike has gone missing. If any one is down in the Davis area anytime soon please be on the lookout for this bike.

The color is blue and metal, if found a reward might be offered.

Well, maybe no the reward.

Eating the World

Jimmy Eat World @ Chico State

Recap On The Battle Of The Blacklist

Friends again.
Picture taken at Eagle Lake on January 15, 2004 @ 2:45PM

You know I do agree with Toph on the fact that it's his site and he can do what ever he wants with it. I posted the picture because it's my site and my pictures and I can do what ever I please with them. But don't run away from harmless questions. Disabling the comment section of your site will not stop the questions. All I wanted to know is what happened to the social that Heather was going to take you to this week? Why did you delete your past post? What harm can happen from telling us the truth?

Success, The Blacklist Has Been Removed!

After receiving 2 choice text messages (I can't believe you shake hands with those dirty fingers!) I am reminded of something I heard from my best friend last night at the Nile: "It's my site and I can do what ever I want with it!"

I stand by that quote my friends!

Yet, he made a concession, and the blacklist has been brought down. As a show of friendship the picture will be removed, and a new day of truth will begin.

We might have won the battle my friends, but the war of truth is about to begin!

The Truth Behind The Blacklist: The Untold Story

***Update: As a show of friendship I have removed the picture (2:04PM)***
As a side note the picture was up for 4 hours

I know what your all thinking, "What is this man hiding from the world?" It was not an accident, it was not some sort of a misconfiguration, it was on purpose that I was blacklisted. There is a story that Toph is not telling the world. And all I want to know is what that is. Was I blacklisted because I was getting to close to the truth? Did I scratch to deep?

Last week there was a post on Mighty Whitey Adventures that told the world what he was doing this week. Among the many topics was one that caught my eye: ". . . Heather is taking me to an Alpha Chi social. . ." Then, "poof," it was gone. After noticing the disappearance, I posted a comment, and then that was gone. I posted one more time, and still no answer.

I have been blocked from seeking the truth, but I ask you world to pick up where I left off. So I ask once again, what is this man hiding?

Toph, You Son-Of-A-Bitch!

All this because I wanted to know what happened to the Sorority Social that Heather was going to take Topher to. What's going on Toph? What do you not want the world to know?

Hawai'i Is Closer Than We All Thought.

Wow, what a weekend. First I went to my first concert (Santana was amazing!), and then I got great news from my parents. First to fill everyone in we (Panda, Jason, Stephanie, and myself) are planning to go to Maui for Spring Break 2006. Being that Chico State has there break From March 11-19 its tough to find other people to go, which would lower the price considerably. We've tried Matt, my sister, Topher, David, and Stephanie's brother. They can't go because of time or price.

Well back to the good news. My dad was able to secure a week at the condo where we always stay for $600 flat! Its a 2br, 2full bath where 6 can stay convertibility. With 4 of us going no matter what that's only $150 for the condo each. With airfare (through Suntrips) at $430, which is incredibly cheap to get to Maui, and a rental car at $100 (I'm guessing high) the total cost is a rough $600 each, which is a $200 savings for each of us over the cheapest package. Hawai'i here we come!

Santana with Los Lonely Boys

To put it simply, amazing.

Santana "Embrace Your Light" Tour

The One And Only Carlos Santana

Nothing like the classic "Black Magic Women"

The Great American Rip-Off

Nothing like stadium prices!

On The Inside

Inside ARCO for my first concert!

My First Concert EVER!

A Look Back

Ta-het-e
Spring Break 2005
Location: The Polynesian Culture Center, Oahu, Hawai'i
From Left to Right: Kevin holding Panda, Myself holding Stephanie

A Night @ the Nile

Nothing like ending a busy day at Cafe Nile. Best friends, hookah, hot food, free internet.

A Look Back

Diamonds In The Rough
July 26, 2005
Location: Punchbowl, Oahu, Hawai'i
From Left to Right: Dad, Mom, Robert (age 20), Me (21), Monica (16)

A Look Back On August: Hawai'i, 22, Chico

So here I am, Cafe Nile. Laptop in front of me, vanilla mint hookah on my right, a pack of American Spirit on my left. What a week. . . what a week. A week filled of stress, fucking freshman, and more stress. I know its been a while, so here my thoughts on the month of August.

Where to start, Oh I know. . . turning 22.

My birthday was low key, just my family, and on my favorite island of Hawai'i, Lana'i. Looking back the best part was the getting all the calls from Stephanie, and the night I had. My mom and Monica left early that morning in order to catch the early ferry while the waters were calm (my mom gets very sea-sick). After wishing them a safe voyage my dad, Robert, and I decided to walk around. What prompted the exploration was the fact that for the past three years every time we go to lana'i we stay in upcountry, this was the first time we strolled around on the beach. What an amazing hike, there were view that words can not describe. I will post photos when I get the chance.

But back to that night. We ate at the Blue Ginger Cafe we headed to the Lodge at Koele, it was time to relax. All I wanted was an amaretto on the rocks and a cigar. My dad got me the drink and Robert bought me the cigar (which shocked me because my brother is very anti smoking). That night was a night I will never forget, the three of us sitting on the porch at a $500 a night hotel, talking about life and bonding like never before. That was the best part, that moment time stood still, and I truly realized how wonderful life really is.

Hawai'i was great, the greats time I've ever had with my family, but coming home to my other family (Panda, Topher, Stephanie) was the greatest feeling of all. I don't think they truly know how much I love them, and how much they mean to me. With out them, especially Stephanie, I don't think I could be who I am today. Panda is my sister, who I could always count on to be there for me. Topher is the brother who is always willing to offer help and will follow you to the ends of the world. And Stephanie, my love, my life, my other half. She is the one I want to travel the world with, the one who I hope I can grow old with. I love her so much. There are so many feeling that I have inside for her, I love her and care for her more than she will ever know.

It's great that school started. There is nothing like seeing life return to Chico. The think I love the most is seeing the ignorance of freshman. Young, first time on there own, all with momy and daddys money. Buying things that will break within a week, stuff that they will never use. They are all the same, they all don't have a clue how thing work. Walking around campus with their lanyerd around there neck, proudly displaying their ID card and dorm key as if it was a sign that they are adults. Walking around in their pj's as if they were pressed for time because they live 100 feet away from class. Walking around town looking for that party, once again with lanyerd in hand. Ignorance, its amazing.

Yet with all the fun that going on all around us, stress is at my doorstep. You open that door and there is everything. 18 units, 30 hour work weeks, finding time for the ones you love, all right there. Right now I need to find my stride, and I hope I find it soon.

Nothing Like Free Speech

If you can't read it clearly it says: "You wish your wife was THIS Dirty!"

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

Back in red and khaki!

A Look Back

Main St USA
June 15 2005
Location: Lana'i City, Lana'i, Hawai'i

We're On The Road To Lana'i

One last post before we leave to Lana'i. This will be the third and final island of this trip, and to be honest my favorite one of all. Why you ask? Because it is still quite there. One man owns the entire island, and because of that factor growth is controlled by him. I forgot his name but I know he use to be the former head of the Dole Company. When he retired he asked that instead of money if he could have the island because the company had no use for it any more. Lana'i use to be the largest pineapple plantation in the world, until growing the fruit became to expensive in the US. Today most of the pineapple grown in the world is from the Philippines. I cant wait till we get there, it reminds me of a quite mountain town. I can't wait to relax. I can't wait for the peace and quite.

One Island Down, Two To Go. A Waikiki Recap

First off wow, it is amazing how fast time passes you by when you do something everyday. The funny thing is the trip almost did not happen. We arrived at Sac Intl around 7:03AM on Monday, plan leaving at 9:00AM. After grabbing breakfast at the food court we thought we had time to kill, since it was around 8:30ish. Boy were we wrong, we all thought that boarding was at 9:00, not take off. Fortunately for Robert and I we heard the “final boarding” announcement over the PA. Unfortunately Monica, my mom and dad did not. So there we are, Robert and my self sitting on the plan waiting for the rest of our family, hoping they make it. Then we heard the one thing we were praying we would not hear, “Flight Crew, prepare the cabin for take off.” We looked at each other, wondering what to do. Do we get off and take the next plane? Do we stay onboard and meet them in Honolulu? At that moment we saw them, rushing to their seat. The made it in time. My dad told me later on that when they got to the gate the airline was in the process of giving their tickets away. So there we are, the whole family, on a plane, leaving Sacramento, on our way to Oahu.

We arrive and settle in at the Aston Pacific Monarch. We were on the 28^th floor, room 3. My dad paid extra for an ocean view, and boy was it worth it. Right when you walk in there was a huge panoramic view of the water, and to the right was the balcony. This was our home for the next four days. That was our Monday.

Tuesday started out early due to the time difference (Hawai’i is three hours behind California right now because they do not observe daylight savings time). We were off to one of the many ABC Stores in Waikiki to buy our bus passes. TheBus, Honolulu city and county’s public transportation, offers a four day unlimited rides ticket for only $20. What a system, anyone who has ridden it knows it is the best in the country, as well the Department of Transportation which has awarded the system “best in the nation” several years in a row. With the passes in hand, we were off to hike to the top of Diamond Head. While hiking with my family I realized that this was the third time I did this hike, even funnier was the thought that I did the same hike with Stephanie less than three months ago. I love the part when you think the worst is over, then bam! The 99 stairs. Finally after 45 minutes we all made it to the top, set up camp on the old observation platform, and relaxed, enjoying the spectacular 360º views. As we are hiking down to the bus stop Robert said he wanted to see the Punchbowl. So at that moment there we all are, one the bus going toward the Punchbowl. The Punchbowl is the United States Military Cemetery of the Pacific. It all started during WWII and is still in use today. What a sobering moment when you enter through the gates, the hollowed grounds of the crater have an affect on you that I can’t explain.

Wednesday was another busy day. On the bus again going to the flea market at Aloha Stadium. Now for all my friends in the 916 and part of the 530, the flea market is just like Dinios (sp?) Farmers Market in Roseville except with a Hawaiian flare. This is where everyone did their souvenir shopping. After about three hours we were off to the Ala Mona Shopping Center because my mom and sis wanted to go to the Coach store. What a day, filled with shopping, yea!

Thursday was the day we did what my dad wanted to do, and the reason he booked the week in Oahu: to see the Arizona and the Missouri. I find it neat that you can see where WWII started for the US and ended for the world in the same place. We got there early after a quick one hour bus ride. Got our tickets for the Arizona and decided to go see the USS Bowfin while waiting for our numbers to be called. It’s amazing how they could fit 80 men into the cramp quarter of a diesel sub. It’s amazing how they built that thing in the first place. After the sub we went back to the visitor center and were off to the Arizona. Now talk about hollow grounds, over 1,000 men went down with the ship, and are resting there today. They say the oil leaking is the ship crying for the bodies it holds. They estimate that there is still 500,000 gallons of oil in the ship, which mean it’s a ticking time bomb for the harbor. After paying our respect we hopped a shuttle and were on our way to the USS Missouri. GEES what a huge ship! The one thing that got me was that the main guns could hurdle a 2,000 pounds explosive shell 26 miles, with all 9 guns firing the guide told us that they could have 21 shells in the air before they hit the ground. Now two big things happened on that ship. The first is it is the site of the singing of the Japanese surrender ending World War Two. The second is it was the Missouri’s remote plane where during Gulf War One the Iraqi National Guard surrendered to, making them the first army to give up to a remote controlled plane. Oh, and before I forget Cher (sp?) made a music video on its deck back in the 80’s.

Friday ended up being a day of relaxation. Our first day at the beach and our last day on Oahu. We really got our moneys worth with those bus passes.

So here I am, on Maui, now finally able to relax. Oahu is to busy for me. 75% of the population of Hawai’i lives on that one island, and it’s one of the smallest. Maui is more laid back and rural to boot. Maui is my home away from home; I just wish Stephanie was here.

A Look Back

Hawaiian Sunset
July 6, 2002
Location: Kihei, Maui, Hawai'i

Last Weekend In The Sound Of Music

Well lets see, last weekend was the 15 through the 17. To make a long story short it was a blast!

Now for the long story. . .

After finishing training at Target for receiving I hoped in my car and was off to Grass Valley. My destination: California WorldFest. Stephanie was the manager of the Ice and Drink Booths this year, and offered me a chance to work. The nice thing about volunteering is if you work three shifts (4 hours each) you get free admission to the festival and a free T-shirt, a savings of over $120. Now I know what everyone is thinking, the festival is filled with a bunch of pot smoking hippies listing to the beat of a steal drum. To be honest that is what I also thought, boy was I wrong. The festival catered towards everyone, not just hippies.

The music was simply amazing. There where so many artists of many different styles. Stages were set up all around the fairgrounds with a huge one right in the middle. That stage was for the main performance which happened at night. Just look at the website for more info on who was there.

So there was music, and then there was camping. Nothing like camping at a fairgrounds. Since I was working on Friday Stephanie set up camp (since she got there Thursday). The site she picked I believe was the best one on the whole grounds. It was in corner of the "quite zone", near the pond. Nothing like living out of a tent for several days. Being hot and dusty all day you learned to love the showers.

The best part of the festival was the crowed. I saw a lot of faces I see in Chico, along with a couple of professors. While mentioning this the Steph she said "It like Chico comes down to Grass Valley every year and throws a party."

Next post will be from Hawaii.

A Look Back

Meal Time
June 26 2002
Location: McDonald's at the Galleria at Roseville

A Week Recap, A Week And A 1/2 In The Making

So here I am, writing about last week. But first lets recap this week. For the past 3 days I have been in receiving at Target. I am covering for my coworker who has been in that position for the past 6 years; she is finally getting married to the guy she has been with for the past 14 years. I will admit time flies by when you are back there. You are always doing something, and with no guest around you can actually complete your projects.

But now for last week. First, as you all have heard by now Topher turned 21. . . and that is all I'm going to say about that (lets just say that Toph was not the only one seeking a refund).

The next day Stephanie woke me up at 7AM, we were headed to Feather Falls for a 4th of July weekend party. The history of this "get-together" is amazing. This family in Feather Falls has been inviting people to their property for the weekend since the late 70's (I think). Their property is a slice of heaven, they are placed in a little valley with a stream running right through it. There is a large clearing where they made a makeshift baseball diamond (because like any other red-blooded American they decided to play baseball on the 4th of July weekend). There is a pond towards the back of the property, this is where all the fireworks take place. What they do is nail a bunch of them to boards, connect all the fireworks together with blasting fuses, set the boards on at the end of the dock, light the end of the fuse, and presto! your own privet show. This was definitely an experience that I will never forget, tons of food, great people, and an even better night life (they set up a stage at the end of the porch jam every night).

Sunday was a day of rest. You know just sleeping. . . eating. . . watching TiVo. . . and so on. . . OH! I almost forgot, Stephanie and I went up to Redding to see the Sundial Bridge. Don't waste your time, its just a bridge

Monday was the fourth, woke up late and went to work at 2:15PM. Noting like holiday pay ($8.15 x 1.5 = $12.23 before taxes) to make you WANT an eight hour shift. Thank you Topher.

Tuesday, the last day of importance. The day started early: 6:00AM. We (once again Stephanie and myself) had to leave Chico by 7 because I have a dentist appointment at 9 in Roseville. To make a long story short, we made it in time. I love cleanings, there is nothing like that deep clean feeling when you leave. It makes you feel, well, clean. Then we were off to San Francisco. Why you ask, because Steph informed me that she has never been to Alcatraz. Plus I love the bay. The weather, the sights, the liberalism, it all rocks. We arrived around 1 and parked at the pier 39 parking garage (the rate was $6 an hour with a max at $30). At the end of our 8 hour day cost was only $18, because we ate at Bubba Gumps (I love that place) and they compted us 2 hours ($12). But back to the island. It was the second time I've been there. The tickets were cheap ($16) and the audio tour is amazing. I like how you are allowed to roam the island for as long as you want, as long as you get on the last ferry @ 6:30PM. There is so much history on that island, did you know that one of the major reasons they shut down the prison was because after 20 something years the figured that its not the best idea to have ALL of the major and violent criminals in one place?

Can I Have My One Phone Call Please?

A Drunk Game Plan

Can I Have a Refund Please?

The House is Spinning

Leaving the Bar

Another Drunk Check-In

12:30 Check In

Topher's 21st Birthday: In the Beginning

A Look Back

Poker Time
Sep 12 2002
Location: Room 400, Building 22, University Village, Chico, California
From left to right: Former roommate, Topher (age 18, Comp. Eng. Major), Pat (Rest in Peace my friend, we miss you)

Cigars and Afterthoughts

After a busy day at work, I grabbed a pitcher of ice tea and a cigar out of my humidor and went outside. There is nothing like a cirgar and a drink after work. When you are in a state of relaxation you cant help but think of things. Thoughts run through your head like a swarm of bees looking for a flower. I looked at the cigar, admiring its craftmenship, wondering where in Mexico it was made, who made it, and where the tobacco was grown. Looking into my humidor now, I have 18 left. Of those I count seven host countries: US, Mexico, Cuba (I brought back from Mexico, I'll smoke that one when I graduate), Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Brazil, and El Salvador. What stories could they tell? What was the person thinking when they rolled them? Do they take pride in their product? Do they even know what a cigar is?

Then I start to thing about the future. I have 2 years left in Chico. Time is racing by. In that time I need to find a new roommate (Panda is graduating Spring 2006), boost my GPA, start applying to colleges for my masters, and then find a place on earth to settle down on. It's amazing how time can just pass you by, and when you notice all you have to show for it is emotions and images of the past. For me that past had some tough times, but I would never change a thing. The past was astonishing, but I'm sure the future will be breathtaking.

A Look Back

Spur of the Moment LAN Party
Aug 4 2002
Location: My House
Event: My 19th Birthday Party

Nothing but a BBQ

Yesterday was a relaxing day. You know there is nothing like sleeping in on a day that you have nothing to do. After waking up at 11, I slowly started my day. I guess you could say my day started around 2, before then all I did was eat leftovers from last night and walked across the street for the paper.

It was a beautiful day, so I brought out my chair, grabbed a cold beer, and settled with the paper. After reading an article on the possibility of the Dam road being reopen during commute hours, Stephanie returned from her orientation. Its been tough on her to find a new job since she quit Target. For those of you that are not familiar with Chico the job market is very tight. Since Chico is out in the middle of nowhere with the nearest cities being an hour in every direction, you can't go outside the city for work. Luckily for her she found a job, as an inventory counter, you know those companies that a store hires once a year to count everything. I guess it is not as bad as we all think, they get paid $1 more than the average for Chico (the average is a monstrous $6.75), and they get to pick when they want to work. How it works is they get there schedule mailed to them with a list of dates/times/locations, after which you call the company and tell them the jobs you want to work. Not bad, it beats fast food.

After gallivanting around Chico we returned back to my house. Dinner time. When I woke up I took two steaks and two chicken breasts out of the freezer. I placed the chicken and steaks in ziplock bags and filled the bags with half spicy pineapple marinade and the rest beer. After sitting in that mixture for a good chunk of the day the meat was just to the point of falling apart, time for the grill. All I could say about dinner: perfect.

A Trip to Enloe

What can I say about yesterday, it sucked. The day started out like any other Saturday. I was off to work my eight hour shift like I usual (2:15P to 11:00P). Everything was fine up until one hour into my shift. All of the sudden my stomach started to hurt, nothing major, kind of like the feeling that you get when you have bad gas. But then it got worse, I broke out with really bad cold sweats. The pain became unbearable, like my stomach was going to explode. Heidi (the ETL-HR) took one look at me and told me to go home.

Thank god for health insurance. Straight from work I headed to the Enloe Prompt Care Clinic at California Park. Walked right and asked to see a doctor. They took me to the side and took down all my information: name, age, race, contact information, ext. Now I have Kaiser Insurance, which is no good up here in Chico because the closest Kaiser is in Roseville. The great thing is they have to cover me; they are required to cover me. So there was no out of cost to me, as a matter of fact they will bill Kaiser the total cost, and then Kaiser will bill me later.

After giving them all the information I was off to see the doctor. Here is where the fun began. After taking my blood pressure, pulse, and having me describe how I feel, I puked, all over the place. I puked, a lot, more than normal. So they took me to another room, gave me scrubs to change into, and a shot for the nausea and then they put me on oxygen. 10 minutes past and then they came in with a tool kit. They were putting me on an IV. The one thing a nurse should not say when she sits next to you with a needle, "I'm sloppy when I do IVs, so bare with me."

On oxygen, anti nausea medication, and an IV, I was now starting to feel better. After being on the IV for an hour I was released, they told me they would call me if my blood work came back abnormal. Drove home and passed out. Stephanie came over and took care of me. What a girlfriend, she stayed by my side all night, fixed me breakfast this morning, and is still there for me.

I'm feeling better. Drinking a lot of water and Pedialyte is keeping my hydrated. I'm still not 100%, but we will see how I do tomorrow.

Well, I'm going to go broke this fall

I saw my doom today, they just put up the sign: Starbucks Coming Soon. Come this fall I will be able to walk out my front door, and in under 5 minutes be drinking my primo coffee. The end is near for me, and I am ready to accept my fate.

Me and my big fat glass

It Takes Two to Tahoe Recap

Just over the Horizon, there we were. . .

What a relaxing trip. We left Chico around 10AM for Tahoe on Monday. After getting to I80 we stopped in Truckee for some lunch. Stephanie loves Port of Subs, so she was excited when we found one. My how Truckee has grown. If there is one thing that driving around this summer has shown me is how much Northern California has grown.

After lunch we proceeded down CA89 to South Lake Tahoe, stopping along the was to admire the scenery. The one thing I love about South Lake Tahoe is the border. On the California side you have most of the hotels and all the restaurants. Yet right on the border, and I mean right on the border, you have the big four casinos (Harvey's, Harris, Caesars, and the Horizon). We stayed at the Horizon because after an hour searching the web last week it had the cheapest rate ($65 tax included) for a standard room with two double beds. Once we settled in (@ 4PM) we explored the area, but first I had to gamble.

While walking to the car we passed a roulette table. I looked at Stephanie and said "I feel like I want to put $20 on red and walk away." She shocked me when she said ok. So I went to the table, showed them my ID (since Stephanie is only 20 they made her leave the floor), and around the ball went. After a minute of my heart racing (I hate making big bets, and to me $20 is big) the ball dropped: . . .12. . .RED!

So with an extra $20 in my pocketed we hopped in my car and were off to Safeway to get some gatoraide. The one thing I find neat about Nevada is there is gambling everywhere, EVEN IN SAFEWAY! I could not resist, I mean come on, who could turn down the urge to play slots in safeway. That had to be the best $4 I've ever spent there.

From there we proceeded to the lake shore to watch the sun set over the mountains. There is something about a setting sun that makes you love the one your with even more, there really are no words to describe that moment.

After sunset it was off to Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. To be honest the only reason I wanted to go was for a good bear (Hefeweizen) and for their logoed pilsner glasses. After the poor service and crappy food we had at the Honolulu HRC I decided to give them one more shot. I'm glad I did, the service was great and the food was the best we have ever had at an HRC. Another pilsner glass to add to my collection.

We returned to the room and I waited for Stephanie to fall asleep. Once that happened I was going downstairs to gamble. A half an hour later I returned, down $35, yet happy. I like playing the games, they're fun. In 30 minutes I played single deck black jack, roulette, even slots.

The next day was just as fun as the first. Woke up and we were off. Checked out, got in the car, and were off to Emerald Bay. I thought the tour of the Vikingsholm would be fun.

After the tour and the hike back up to the car we stopped at Richardson's Camp for some ice cream. I love it, there "child" size is the equal to the size of a three scoop ice cream at Basken Robbens.

Ah what a trip! I wonder what next week holds instore.

We Made It!

Almost There!

It Takes Two to Tahoe

During this summer I want to get away from Chico on my days off. Last year my summer life was just work at Target and a big vacation here and there. This summer there are still the big trips, yet some small ones sprinkled in here and there. This is one of them. My girlfriend and I are off to South Lake Tahoe for the night. I'm not looking forward to the drive from Chico (99 to 65 to 193 to 46 to 50). During my stay for the night I will be posting audio notes. Enjoy!

Changing the world, one person at a time!

The First of Many

Hello world! I have finally created a blog! It is liberating having a forum where the hole world can read my posting and supply feed back!