A Quick Pic From The Lodge At Koele On The Island Of Lana'i

@ The Luau (Big Island: Week One)

Ok, as a side note I sent this photo to my blog via my cellphone on Friday, July 21st 2006, and it just now got posted. Why the long delay? Who knows.

Nevertheless, from left to right: My uncle Saul (pronounces sA-ull), his nephew Steven (in black), my dad (in red), my brother Robert (the head on my shoulder), and me.

I can't believe that was a week and a half ago. . . where does the time go?

The Final Hawaiian Frontier: Moloka'i Recap

Last Tuesday I got the chance to reach my personal final Hawaiian frontier; I set foot on the island of Moloka'i.

(By the way, that's Maui in the foreground)

After $170 and a hour and a half ferry ride we arrived on the island. We were met with our tour guide "Van" who, in all fairness, was as large as the van he was driving. (We later found out he was recovering from anorexia, well that's what he told us :P ) Our first stop on our guided tour of the island: the Kalaupapa overlook and the sacred phallic rock. Now, instead of boring you with pictures of the lepor colony where a strict quarantine was enforced till 1969, I'm going to show you a picture that I could not resist taking.

Yep, that's my dad, on top of a giant penis. The legend is if you touch the rock you will become pregnant and give birth to a son. I hope for my dads sake that the legend does not come true.

In a nutshell the island was different than the rest. As with all islands, there is a movement associated with them. Oahu is fast paced and bright, the Big island is vast and always renewing, Kaua'i is lush and inviting, Maui is rural and slow, Lana'i is exclusive and warm, and Moloka'i is friendly and leisurely.

We toured the entire island, from one end to the other. We ate a wonderful catered lunch, toured a coffee plantation and a macadamia nut farm. We spent the entire day going from one end of the island to the other, and hopefully next year we will be able to spend a night there. It took me 13 years to reach all the major Hawaiian islands. I wonder what is next?

Happy Late Birthday Panda!

Yesterday was Panda's birthday. She is now the ripe old age of 22. She was my roommate and is still the love of my life. I would do anything for her (and she knows it :P ).

I don't know if you are going to get the chance to read this before you come home but I want you to know that ever since you left you have always been on my mind. You know I love you Panda, and I miss you even more. I would give anything to be with a girl like you. I know your having a blast on your trip, and I am too. There really is nothing like the beauty the Pacific has to offer.

Until we meet again, one of your boys,
Blake

Hawai'i 2006: The Big Island Recap

To be honest our first week was simply a blur. A blur because having never been to the big island, we spent our four days there doing everything we could possibly do. But if there is one thing that I will never forget, and that is the time we spent at Hawai'i Volcano National Park. At first it is like every other National Park you enter, with the generic visitor center and a toll booth and the entrance collecting $10 per car. Yet you drive a little over the hill, and you are blown away by what can best be described as the beautiful sight of ongoing destruction. As you can see in the picture above and below an entire highway was wiped out in a lava flow in 2003 (plus 40% of a coastal town and several million dollar homes)

Now lava in its self is unlike anything I have ever seen. Its entire structure is mostly air, while the rest looks like a very dark glass. Walking on it is very interesting because it crunches and gives slightly, kind of like you are walking on bugs.

Now if you are wondering why they call it the big island, the answer is pretty simple; its over 4,000 square miles in size (roughly the same size of the state of Connecticut). For shits and giggles we decided to drive around the entire island in one day, well that took us 8 hours not counting stops. If you ask me it was a good first week. We went to see the worlds most active volcano, the church where my great-grandparents were married in 1916, I got a chance to tour the Kona Brewing Company's home location, plus I got to add to my pilsner glass collection. All and all I had a blast.

Ok, So Where Are The Bags?

I'm Leaving, On A Jet Plane. . .No Wait. . . Not Yet!

Family Time At The Luau

All You Need Is Beer

Wow, what a day. You have five sales floor closers (3 hard and 2 soft), 2 of which are cashier trained. Calling for back ups every five minutes, no one operator trained, all but one person under 90 days, and you are 15 minutes away from a five hour violation.

So what do you do, you head to Applebee's after to work to have a couple of beers with some coworkers. Nothing like shooting the shit with a couple of people who had it just as bad as you did.

From left to right: Allyn, Me, Brittan

Happy (Late) Birthday Topher

Being how I missed Toph's 22nd birthday and how I leave to Hawai'i on Tuesday, I thought it would be nice to take him out to lunch. So we waited for David to come home from work, and then we were off. Our destination: Casa Ramos

We started off with some beers (cerveza Sol, a throw back to our Mexico trip) and ordered our food. When the waitress came by and asked us if we wanted another round, I answered with and enthusiastic yes. Toph, of course said he was fine, but this being his birthday lunch I insisted. Little did I know that the waitress heard me when I sad it was Toph's birthday.

After our meal, and a couple of beers later they came out, singing. With the infectious singing they brought him a rubber chicken, a sombrero, and a camera.

This my friends is how our lunch ended. And what a lunch is was.

It Is True. It Is An Inconvenient Truth.

You owe it to your self to see this movie. If you don't think Global Warming is real, go outside and tell me its not happening.

Where Now?

So where do I go from here?

How am I suppose to feel?

I gave it my all just to make you happy.

You were on my mind every moment I was awake.

And in the end your not with me.

Why not me?

I feel pain, yet I know your happy with him.

Where do I go from here?

Click! And Your World Passes You By.

It is amazing how a movie will make you think.

It is amazing how spending time with your family will make you think.

It is amazing how just going for it will make you think.

It is amazing the stuff you think of when you do not say a word for two hours.

Thinking, spending time to analyze your thoughts. It's simply amazing what you think about.

I just went to go see Click! with my family (minus Robert because he is at a Spain reunion with a couple of buddies). It was one of those movies that shock you. Shock you because it was good, so good that your mind bursts into a million thoughts that you have been suppressing for quite some time. You start to look back at what has passed you by. You remember things that happened years ago, things you promised to do but never got fulfilled. Things you wish you had; love, companionship, true happiness. You wonder if you did one thing differently would where you are now change? If you did something differently would you be with that one person who you know would return the love you project towards them? Should you take a break and watch the world pass you by for just a little while? What do you do?

I did one thing that I never thought I would do; I went for a girl that I thought I never had a shot with. For the first time in my life I wanted a real relationship. I wanted to get to know her, spend time with her, go slow. Toph and David could not believe it, me not wanting to sleep with a girl till I got to know here. I never had a problem finding someone for that reason, and now that I look back at it all my girlfriends that I've had over the past 4 years ended up being my girlfriend after being "friends with benefits" for a couple of weeks.

But she was different. She was special. I forgot how it was to feel scared when you talk, thinking "Am I going to say the wrong thing?" Having butterflies in your stomach everything you are near her yet never wanting to leave her presents. She is the person I always thought I never had a shot with, until I got enough courage and went for it.

I spent so many years of my life living in a world thinking that so many things where beyond my grasp. But now I know that there is so much in front of me, within arms reach. Would I do things differently knowing what I know now? Hell yes, but the past is the past. I can only go forward.

I don't know how she feels about me, and in a way I'm glad about that. Its time I did something where I know its not a sure thing. To quote Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, "Is she worth it?"

Yes, yes she is.

Monica: Camping For The First Time

This past weekend I took Monica camping for the first time. Now I know what your thinking, how can she be 17 and have never gone camping? The answer is simple, my dad spent a majority of his youth camping and my mom grew up in Mexico. So when we were young we did other things for family vacations.

After picking here up in Marysville we left for Chester. Up highway 70 to 89, some of the most beautiful country you will ever see, we were there.

Our destination: Butt Valley, more specifically Butt Lake.

I would go into more detail on how it was and what we did, but I feel that the pictures say it all.

A Happy Night

Right as I walked in the door Panda gives me a call.

"Blake, Toph wants to go out with Erick and I. Can you come?"

Here are the pictures to describe the time I had. Oh the fun. . .

Believe it or not this is Toph, dancing. Yes, dancing at the Bear.

I love it when you bump into people on the dance floor.
From left to right: Topher, Lindsey, Jada, and my self.

After leaving the Bear, we all headed down to the U Bar. After getting another round of drinks, and really starting to feel the effects of the Stop Light that Panda got me, I knew I needed to get a picture. So here I am with my Panda. All liquored up.

And now for everyone's favorite, the aftermath. Well we all puked, everyone did. I even managed to get a little of it on Erick! God bless him for taking care of us. It's 11:20AM and Panda and I are about to get some food. We're fine, right as rain.

Toph on the other hand is hurting. Hurting like a dog that just fought a rabid snow lion in the backwoods of Mississippi. My prayers are with him.

Man, I Stumbled Into This One

After having a BBQ lunch at Erick house, I decided to walk home. It was a beautiful day, I was feeling good, Toph left earlier to play some WOW, and Panda went on a ride with Erick. I love walking through out Chico, you notice so much of the town when you are taking you time to get from point A to point B.

"Hey! Where do you think your going!?"

I was walking past Joe's Bar, it was Veronica, and today was here 25th birthday. So what did I do? I joined the party.

Veronica and I at the University Bar (A.K.A. U Bar)

I love Chico's drink prices. I started a tab at Joe's and the U Bar. When everything was said and done I only spent $27. Not bad to liquor myself, Veronica, and Vanessa. Plus I found a new drink that I like. It's called a "Quick Fuck," and its made with Mellon, amaretto, and Irish cream. Quite tasty and only $3.50.

In the end I bounced before everyone left for LaSalles for more drinks. Happy Birthday Veronica, and thank you for letting me join the party, I had a blast.

My Summer Goal

Today Panda and I went to the Honda Motorcycle dealer to look at some bikes.

This is what I found; a perfect starter bike!




It's the Honda Rebel; small, light, and not to much. For only $3,500 out the door, I could totally have one by the end of the summer!

A Real Life "Thank You For Smoking"

About two months ago, I noticed and advertisement in Newsweek from American Spirit, which happens to be the only brand I smoke. It was an offer for a FREE carton of cigarettes. Being an occasional smoker, I thought to my self "what the hell," and sent in for it.

All I had to do was mail them a copy of my driver license (both sides), a check for $6 to cover shipping and handling, a completed survey (question #1: What is your name?), and 5 upc's from any brand of cigarettes. I guess that's how they prove you are a smoker.

Well, on Monday it arrived. I will admit I was excited, and perfect timing to boot. I was about to go and buy another pack of blue. I opened the package and to my surprise there were two, yes TWO full cartons. That over $90 in American Spirits!

Here is what they sent. From right to left:

1 pack of Ultra Light (yellow and white)

1 pack of Light (yellow)

1 pack of 100% Organic Light (gold)

6 packs of Medium (sage)

6 packs of Regular (blue)

1 pack of 100% Organic Regular (maroon)

1 pack of Robust (black)

1 pack of Menthol Light (green and white)

1 pack of Menthol Regular (green)

1 pack of Non-Filter Regular (brown)

Now what am I going to do with a pack of non-filtered cigarettes?

I Need Boobs

The World Lost A Great Man Today

My Grandpa Rogelio



December 1958 (3 years before my mom was born)
1937-2007
March 26th, 1937 to April 23rd, 2006

I awoke to a phone call this morning. It was my mom. Being a Sunday, and Robert's 21st birthday, I thought she was calling to remind me to wish him a happy birthday. I was wrong.

"Blake, my dad just died."

That's all it took. I jumped out of bed, called in to work telling them I would be out for the next couple of days, and I was off. Topher came down with me which helped me because I knew I would not be alone.

Four years ago, when he was healthy as a horse, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. In four short years that disease robbed him of his body and mind, but not his soul.

The one thing I will always remember about my grandpa is how he was my interpreter growing up. We would go up to Weed and visit for weeks at a time. He was the only one outside of my mom and aunts that could speak english. At the time my grandma did not know any english, and Nora being young was always away at her friends houses. He loved history, geography, and always had a good joke and an amazing story about his life growing up.

I love you grandpa, I hope you know that.

Thank You For Smoking: A Breath Of Fresh Air

Last night Panda and I went to go see Thank you for Smoking. It was a great film that all in all pushed the message that you, yes you, have to make up your own mind on the issues in front of you.

That's all I'm going to say about the movie. You have to go see it for your self. I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

Reflecting @ Upper Bidwell

By spending most of my day at work and school, I knew I needed to get out and enjoy the wonderful break in the weather. So I headed to Upper Bidwell Park to be out in the sun, away from all the traffic and the sounds of the freeway.

You know the should invent a tripod for cell phones. I'm all the way at the end of this concrete wall. I love listening to the wind blow across the tall grass.

...What can I say, there ducks...Chico ducks...swimming in Horseshoe Lake.

Nothing special. It's a lone white oak in a sea of green.

The nice thing about Bidwell Park is it's huge. As a matter of fact it is the third largest municipal park in the US. Here is the lone Middle Trail.

I love this area and Loomis after the long rains, everything is so green and the land is full of life.

Living Life In The Fast Lane!

Are you ready to race?

Easter Sunday will be Monica's 17th Birthday. So to start the celebration Panda and I took her to Pluto's for lunch. When we were done with our meals I asked her what she would like to do.

As you can see she chose wisely.

What we have done today:

Go Cart Racing

Lazer Tag

Miniature Golf

On a side note, Panda has never done any of the above things. Monica and I have not done anything like this since I lived at home.

All I can say is we are having a blast!

Happy Birthday Stephanie!

Happy 21st Steph, you finally made it. I know you do not read my blog, but I just wanted you to know that I wish you an amazing birthday. I know you are going to be hitting a lot of bars today, so have fun. I would tell you to be careful and not to drink to much, but I know you are with friends and you only turn 21 once. So go crazy and have a blast!

Something Afoot!

During an ice cream run after school today, Panda and I walked into Heel and Sole Shoe in Chico. We were waiting for 6 o'clock to roll around so it would be buck-a-scoop night at Baskin Robbins.


I came across this, a shoe and a bottle of beer. What is a shoe and a bottle of beer doing in a shoe store?


It's a pair of flip-flops with bottle opener on the bottom of each shoe! I mean come on. . . they actually made a flip-flop with a bottle opener on the bottom of the shoe! Plus their convertible to boot. I still can't believe it, but at $40 a pair, and lots of designs to chose from, I know I must get a pair.

A Look Back

What's to drink?
Spring Break 2006
March 12, 2006
Location: Kitchen of our condo, Kihei, Maui.
From right to left: Robert's hand on the blender (contents: strawberry margerita) Jason, Bottle of Kona Longbord Lager, six-pack box of Kona Longbord Lager (which you can now buy here, on the mainland, at Safeway), Bottle of Maui Dark Rum

What Do Tim, Uncle Fred, And Steve All Have In Common?

I am amazed on how quickly people enter your life. You get to know them, you start to enjoy their company, then all of the sudden they vanish like a fart in the wind. (e-mail me with what movie that last line was from and you could win a prize)

Take Tim for example. Panda met him and fell in love. We had him over for dinner, and at the end of the meal he was gone.

Tim's uncle Fred came over when we were back in Chico. He had a ruff life and traveled a lot around Maui and California. How he wound up in Chico he doesn't even know. But a friend of Tim was a friend of ours. He came over for a drink or two, and before you knew he was gone.

Then there was Steve. Now unlike Tim and Fred we knew Steve for a while. As a matter of fact I think Jason and I met Steve in Safeway on Nord during a late night beer run. I would bump into him here and there, never knowing his story. One night Panda and I were home alone and getting hungry. As I was about to leave for Safeway (about 100 yards from my front door) I bumped into Steve again. Unlike previous times were we would just say "hi, how you doing?," we actually had a conversation. Steve is your basic farm boy. Born and raised on the farm with a huge, and I mean huge family. He came to Chico because, to be honest, it was big city living. I knew I had to end the conversation soon (Panda + hungry = mad Panda) so I invited him over for dinner. And like everyone else before him, when the meal was over, he was gone.

All three of them were great individuals. All of them had great stories and great personalities. Yet from the start we all knew that a life long friendship could never happen.

Why?

Because they were all food products. Tim and Fred were Maui Pineapples and Steve was a farmed Rainbow Tout. What can I say, I love to cook.

Sprig Break 2006. . . No, Wait. Spring Break 2006

Ok, I know I have to finish the story on Tim (Panda's Hawaiian Lover) and post on the week in general. But first things first.

Last year, the TSA and FFA banned all lighters and matches on flights. By doing so the Zippo market collapsed. All the sudden you were able to buy a $50 lighter for only $10 bucks. So what would a cigar/cigarette smoker like me do? Simple, I bought the legal carry-on limit (the limit is two per person) for myself, Steph, and Panda. All in all I bought 4 lighters (4 because Steph and I each brought a lighter with us).

Well to make a long story short I decided to get one of them engraved. On the front it's engraved "Spring Break 2005," and on the back is all our names ("Blake, Stephanie, Panda, Kevin). I thought this is a nice little tradition I started, so from then on out, every time I go on a big trip with my friends I buy a Zippo where ever we are at, and when we come back to Chico I have in engraved.

I must have spent countless hours searching all over Maui for a Zippo 2 weeks ago. I found nothing. Knowing that I was coming home empty handed I decided to get one of the lighters from last year engraved. You know "Spring Break 2006" on the front, and "Blake, Stephanie, Panda, Jason, Robert" on the front.

Well, I went to go pick up the lighter today from Things Remembered at the mall. There was the lighter, all out names on the back, and "Sprig Break 2006" on the front. Notice anything? SPRIG BREAK!!

So what now you ask? Well thank God that the Zippo had a brushed nickel finish. They are going to take it to a jeweler and see if they can buff it out, and then re-engrave it.

All in all I now have my doubts about getting irreplaceable items engraved. I'll be happy once everything works out. But for now, I play the waiting game.

There's Something About Tim: A Quick Post

I know that I still have to post about our week in Hawai'i, but first I must tell the story of Tim. It was a warm Tuesday afternoon. An afternoon Panda would never forget; the day Panda fell in love with a local.

We drove to the Costco in Kahului to get some film developed, pick up some cheap hamburger meat, and to buy a snorkel set (the one I bought at Sharper Image finally broke after 4 years). It was around the meat department, no, the produce section where Panda noticed him.

She knew that he was the one for her. Here, right in front of her was the one hookup she wanted during spring break.

Shyly, looking right at him she asked "What is your name?"

He simply replied "My name is Tim."

I will have to admit that at first Tim was like all the others I have seen. You know, very generic and stereotypical for a native. But once we all got to know him we knew what Panda saw in him. He was special.

Tim grew up on Maui, born and raised at the base of the West Maui Mountains. He came from a big family (who, after seeing pictures, all look the same), enjoyed the weather that only Maui had to offer, and loved playing in the rain.

We all couldn't resist, so we asked him over for dinner. . .


Well I must be of to campus, I'm meeting Panda for lunch. I'll finish the post after school.

A Look Back

Spring Break is fast approaching! Only 2 weeks left untill we are there!

The Most Beautful Sunset I Have Ever Seen
Family Vacation July 6, 2002
Location: Kamaole Beach, Kihei, Maui

Starbucks Has All The Answers

Now I drink a lot of coffee. And out of all the coffee cafe's in Chico Starbucks is by far the best. Recently they have been putting commentary on there cups, you know the kind of commentary that warrants a disclaimer at the bottom. Well today's "The Way I See It" was by far the best.

And here it is. . .word for word.

The Way I See It #61
Imagine we are all the same.
Imagine we agree about politics, religion and morality.
Imagine we like the same types of music, are, food and coffee.
Imagine we all look alike.
Sound boring?
Differences need not divide us.
Embrace diversity.
Dignity is everyone's human right.

~ Bill Brummel
Documentary filmmaker.
His programs focus on human rights issues.

Now that's a good cup of coffee.

Drunk @ Jack's Part 4

A happy and hungry Jason.

Drunk @ Jack's Part 3

A very drunk and a very hungry Katrina...steeling Kevin's onion rings.

Drunk @ Jack's Part 2

Nothing like a cup of black coffee when your fuzzy.

Drunk @ Jack's

What do you do when you've drank to much and your in downtown Chico? You head to Jack's of course!
This one is of Kevin. He is trying to remember how much he had to drink. He never remembered

A Night @ Normal Street

From Left to Right: Kevin, Jason, Katrina, Me

We're all just a little intoxicated...and it was great!

Bar Hopping Live!

Friends And Religion: Part Two

I finally got a response. Mailed Feb. 4th, 2006 @ 3:54PM

"Blake, drop it already. There is a reason I haven't brought it up all
these years. You won't change how I see Catholicism or other
religions. I try not to press it on you, so don't force my hand.
The reason i didn't post this to your blog was because I couldn't get
to it - the server isn't responding."

I think your missing the point. You forced our hand. Do you think we like having you come up here as our guest to tell Panda and I that we are going to hell. That we're catholic because our parents are? That the Bible we read is wrong?

Do you think I enjoy the fact that you went through Panda's room searching for a Bible, and when you came up empty you told her that we she is loosing her faith because doesn't go to church as much as you do? Who are you to question our faith in God? Who gave you that right?

You know where to send the key, C.O.D. it for all we care.

You Can't Leave Without A Tour T-shirt

Ticket: $20
T-shirt: $20
Having one "cantelope" good time: Priceless

The Man Himself!

Is There A Cleese In Your Shirt?

Look at Toph, all excited!

Religion And Friends

Apparently I was raised differently that some of my friends when it comes to religion. I was always taught to be proud of who you are, yet respect other beliefs. For me, I am proud to call myself Roman Cathloic. But there is one thing that alienates me more than anything else, being told I'm not good enough for God.

Matt, this post is for you.

We all have our own unique beliefs and religions. But where do you have the right to preach that your on the winning team when no game is being played? We are all told that we belong to the one true religion, that the way we worship God is the only and right way your suppose to. You know we are all getting tired of being put down for who we are. We should be ashamed of being Cathloic? Panda should convert to Protestantism so she could accepted into your family. What kind of horse shit it that!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2004-2005 Statistical Abstract of the United States, Page 55, Question #67, there are 159.5 million self identified Christians in the United States.

Out of that 50.8 million are Cathloic, the largest of the Christian Religions, and only 9.5 million are Lutheran, and according to you there are non-Lutheran Lutherans, and true Lutherans. Not to mention the fact that the Roman Cathloic church is over 2000 years old, a church that the Lutherans left in the 16th century. If you are part of the true religion how come you account for only 6% of the total Christians in the US? How do you like being put under the microscope?

You know what else is sad, knowing that your going to hell. Sound familiar, that's what you tell us every time your up here. Yep, that's right, you and every other non-Cathloic in the world has a one way ticked south simply for not believing in the one holy Cathloic and apostolic Church. Especially you, for preaching the wrong word and trying to convert his children. Now doesn't all this sound narrow minded.

We were taught to be true to our self and respect others. I'm Cathloic because I choose to be. Panda is Cathloic because she chooses to be. Are you Lutheran because your parents are? That's not a polite question to ask is it?

It is not my job to turn others to Catholicism. Its not my job to preach, to convert, to tell people that they are wrong. For all we know we are all wrong and Buddhism is the way to go. You can't force people to believe in what you believe, when they are ready they will come to you.

Matt, your a good friend, and I love you like a brother. But, you are not the same person I grew up with, hell your not the same person we gave the key to.

We don't know who you are, we need our key back.

Looking For Signs During A Troubled Week

Have you ever looked at a cigarette burn when the wind blows? It burns in layers. Evenly burning as the gentle wind carries the smoke into the distance. As you stair into its red glow you notice that its progression towards the filter is never ending, aided by the wind. The wind is time all around us, the red glow is its affect on us, the cigarette its self is our life. Time affects us in more ways than we would like to admit it. At first we feel that we can do anything, that first puff. Then we take another drag, and another till we feel that high. We are in a place where things start to make sense. You look down, your almost at the filter, the end of the road. Do you savor what is left or do you throw it away?

Friend come and go. Relationships begin, then fade away. Puff.

Another East Coast West Coast Rap War?

East Coast Offensive

West Coast Counter Attack

Who will win? Only time will tell.

Why All The Jason Pictures?

Some of you are wondering "what's up with all the posts last night?" Well, the answer to that is simple, it was Jason's 23rd birthday.

What did we do for him last night? Nothing major. All we did was blindforld him and take him to Centerfolds.

Why Centerfolds? For the Birthday Package.

What's the Birthday Package? Well, just see the past posts.

Jason The Man

In the end, after we realized that he did not hate us, it's all ok. Really, really ok!

A Marked Man

The Aftermath of a dry-humping orgy!

The Story Of A Lifetime

Screw Tag, Old Spice Rocks!

Willing and Waiting

A Message From The Inside

Dead Man Walking, Still Blind Folded

A Blind Man Does Not See

Steph and Panda blindfolded him as he buckled up. Toph, the driver, took as many turns as possible to throw off his sense of direction.

Jason, Before Becoming A Man

So today is Mr. Raybin's 23rd birthday. We have been planning this day for about a week now, and have been doing our best to keep our plans to our self. From what we can tell he does not have a clue what is in store.

Spring Break Is Only 6 Weeks Away

I know that school has only been in session for 2 days now, but I'm ready for a break. Right when work was starting to slow down and break became a little more enjoyable, BAM!, vacation over.

However, there is something to look forward to: Spring Break.
And not just any spring break, spring break Maui.

Finally, I get the chance to show my friends what Hawai'i is really like. As most of you know last year we (Steph, Panda, Kevin, Myself) spent spring break on Oahu, in particular Waikiki. Now don't get me wrong, Waikiki was great, the bus system is awesome and you don't need a car, but the true Hawaii is not filled with high rise apartment buildings on an island with 75% of the total population of the state. Hawai'i is rural, quite, and slow moving. And with the rental car companies lowering the driving age to 21, going to Maui for 2006 became a possibility.

So, after convincing Stephanie, Panda, and Jason who has never been outside of California to go, the trip was born. And by adding Robert (not my brother, Panda's friend since sophomore year) to the list of travelers and finally booking a car, which was harder than I thought, we're ready to go.

March 11th is only 6 weeks away!

The Final Cost of the Trip Per Person

Condo: $120 (Kamaole Beach Club)

Airfare: $433 (Suntrips.com)

Rental Car: $77 (Priceline.com, Avis took the bid of $45 a day)
Total: $630

The Truth Behind Blogging

Enough said.

Finals, Holidays, Cigarettes, And A Movie. A Recap On The Past 2 Months

As a sit here, waiting, for Jason to get out of the shower so we can grab lunch on a rare day off from work I try collect my thoughts on the time past.

Do I post about finals, how they were long and stressful for not just me but for everyone I know?

Do I mention how, after a long pre-Christmas day at Target, there is nothing in this world more calming than a beer and a cigarette.

Should I tell everyone how my amazing Chrismas and Thanksgiving was, with family and friends that I only get to see once in a blue moon?

Do I write a review about Brokeback Mountain, and the tragic love story that touched me and everyone else?

Do I write about how Panda, Jason, Stephanie, Katrina, and myself drove down from Chico just to see the movie?

I don't know what I will write about, but I fell this small post has filled the gap between entries.

Merry Christmas!

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