The Rubber Soul

answer: Meteorology

2007-02-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

* Graham's band is on the front of the Pure Volume website for the next three days. If you likey the Beatles and anything with a killer pop hook then I highly suggest checking out their tunes. www.myspace.com/bryanscary

Wow, It's nice to know that people still check my blog. I feel special, no, not small-yellow-school bus special, but rather special as in cool. It's unfortunate that I don't update Rubber Soul too much, but I'm a busy guy and time is like a piece of wax dripping on a termite that's choking on the splinters. So, what is new these days you ask? Well the Warriors are certainly back to their sucking ways. There it is, I dedicated one sentence to the Warriors and now I'm done. So, enough about that tired franchise and now onto more important stuff. So, if you couldn't figure out last week's trivia then I should probably tell you what my new major is. Meteorology. Yep, that's right the study of weather. As I said before, if you've known me for more than 10 years then you know that I've always been fascinated by the weather. Currently, I am enrolled in three meteorology courses at San Francisco State. One of them is a 'real' meteorology course and the other two meteorology major satisfiers. To be more specific the other two classes are, physics with calculus and Calculus 2. Oh, I almost forgot I am also taking a class called Weather Forecasting where I get some experience in front of a green screen. Yay! Things are going well so far, and as it turns out my Calc 1 class from last summer transfers as a meteorology course requirement. Yay. I should also mention that I am not only interested in the weather, but I am particularly interested in broadcast meteorology. Yes, I am interested in becoming an on-air spokesman for the weather, just like my favorite meteorologist of all-time, Brian Sussman. Now that I'm two weeks into school, I'm going to try to finagle an internship at a local TV station. This process can be difficult so we'll see where it goes. In the meantime, I'm pretty stoked about where everything is headed. Anyway, That is all for now folks, thanks for continuing to read.

Two Words: Brian Sussman

2007-01-24T23:55:00.000-08:00

Well folks, its been 3 1/2 months since I last posted on Rubber Soul and I just finally got the itch back. A lot has happened in my life, but I thought I'd start with a rant regarding the proudest Bay Area franchise ever, the Golden State Warriors. I am a gigantic Warriors fan, infact, I have been an avid Warriors follower for about 20 years now. I'm not sure what intrigues me so much about the Dubs; maybe its the way that they lose with such style, grace and dignity, or perhaps its the way that they miss the playoffs every single year. Tonight the Warriors played the Jefferson/Kristic-less Nets at Oracle Arena and I am proud to say that the Warriors came away with a W. The Warriors played terribly for most of tonight's contest, but Monta Ellis hit a big shot to win the game. The Warriors now stand 3 games under .500 and 1 game behind the T-Wolves in the race for the playoffs. If the Warriors had lost, they would have slipped a little farther out of playoff contention. Tonight's win was nothing short of huge. Out of the new Warriors in the post Murfleavy era, Al Harrington has perhaps acclimated the quickest to his new team. He followed up his 29 point performance against the Lakers two nights ago, with 29 more tonight. In addition, he made some key plays on offense to help Don Nelson and his beer belly win the game. I could go on for hours about Harrington's floor game, but let me just say that he reminds me of Antawn Jamison (with less rebounding and better ballhandling) in the way he plays. Is Al a star? No, Is he a solid starter? Yes. Is he an upgrade over Tandem Troy Dunleavy? Damn right. I'm also pretty excited about Cabbages and Stephen Jackson, even though they've both been inconsistent so far.

There is a new woman in my life and I could go into a whole schpiel (sp) on how great the new lady is, but alas I don't want to embarass her. Ha. It is settled, I will talk school and only school. Last semester, as many of you know, I took two science oriented courses in the hopes of figuring some things out. Going back to school, as it turned out, was the best decision I could've possibly made. Instead of breaking new ground and moving forward, I am proud to announce that I am finally back to square one, and am pursuing my childhood dream. It's a long story and I'll get it into more detail later. If you know me well you will figure it out. If you do figure it out, please post a follow-up comment. I will give you one hint as to what my new career goal is: Two Words. Brian Sussman

Rich's B-Day Salute

2006-10-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a birthday salute that my friend Rich gave me. He is one funny dude.

not to be outdone, i too wanted to wish you a happy birthday, camrooooner! i want this birthday to be much happier than last year when we were surfing in mazatlan and you got stung on your face by a jellyfish and i had to piss all over your face just to ease the stinging pain. i mean, while that was happy for me, it didn't seem like it was all that happy for you. probably because of the asparagus. sorry about my lack of foresight and my abundant foreskin. this year, i don't see things getting all wacky like that. i think our planned dinner at that new restaurant in the tenderloin, Ming's Asian Massage, sounds great! i've heard they have great desserts there. and, in reading the menu, i thought that the 2 palm special sounded delicious. we'll be fine. happy birthday, you young-ass, suave-ass, super good-time, cool-guy rockstar you!!!

Niners win!

2006-09-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been long time since I last posted. How have y'all been? Today I had my Dad and Daniel over and we watched the Niners beat the Rams. I was pleasantly surprised with our defense, especially the secondary. It's never an easy task to cover Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce, but I thought we did an admirable job. It's safe to say that the team is definitely headed in the right direction under Mike Nolan and co. In addition, the offense is much improved from last season. The highlight of today's game was probably Antonio Bryant's 72 yard touchdown catch/run.

Perhaps the best news is that this year's Alex Smith hardly resembles Alex Smith from 2005. He looks poised, confident and focused out there. It's clear that the game is starting to slow down for him (it also helps to have some weapons out there). The best news: no interceptions yet. I can't finish this paragraph without mentioning Frank Gore, who has probably been the team MVP so far this year. Today he had some great carries and also a 30+ yard touchdown run at the beginning of the second half. So far he's shown that he carry the load of being San Francisco's starting halfback. The Niners haven't played a great defense yet so I don't want to overstate things, but Gore looks like the real deal.

School update: Since I last posted I've started Biology and Physics class at San Francisco State. The workload is heavy and the material can be very challenging, but so far I'm happy about my decision to go back to school. Anyway, I will try to update this blog more often. It seems like I say that every time these days. For now, go Niners and Go Giants

School Tomorrow

2006-08-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

Better set my alarm nice and early for some Physics. Hell yeah.

"The Last Waltz" *****

2006-08-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been cool so far. Graham is visiting from New York and tonight we're headed out to the bars again. The game plan is fairly simple: to drink beers and talk about music. Last night Graham, David and I went to 'Fly Bar' on Divisadero and drank some pints and then went to Daniel's house and chilled out. When we got back to my place Graham and I watched a Scorsese film called 'The Last Waltz' which is pretty much the greatest music documentary ever. Basically it's the shows 'The Band''s last gig ever at the defunct Winterland Theatre in 1978. (For those of you who don't know, the Winterland Theatre used to be on Divisadero and Steiner Sts in San Francisco). But that isn't it, the cool thing about the video is the way its filmed. Somehow Scorsese manages to capture every little detail of the show on camera. Perhaps the ultimate highlight is watching Robbie Robertson take over lead guitar duties after Claptons strap comes off. Another memorable part was seeing a doped-up Neil Young try to keep his composure on stage. The best part though is just watching how goddamn talented the Band was. For those of you who don't know, the Band got popular in the 60's as Bob Dlylan's backup band. In addition they wrote songs like 'The Weight', 'Cripple Creek' which displayed their penchant for writing great songs with innovative harmonies. Anyway, it is definitely worth a couple viewings, trust me. If you get the chance pick up a copy of The Band-Reissue, it'll blow your mind.

Friday

2006-07-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to say that section 8 of my calculus is done, or at least so for the week. Okay, the truth is that I don't know for sure if I passed the test yet (80% or higher), but at least I can move onto Chapter 9 with a relatively clear head. It was one of those tests where I felt like I had a good chance on every problem which is rare, because sometimes in this class there's a lot of educated guessing. Right now I'm in San Mateo at my parents house sitting outside in the sun. My real reason for coming home was to pick up my dry cleaning, charge the ipod and the cell phone, but now that these chores are done I'm ready to kick back a little. Unfortunately, I remember what happened when I 'kicked back' last weekend, and I really screwed myself over for the test.. Anyway, tonight I have a date, well sort-of, actually it's kind of a follow-up-date. We'll see how it goes, so far so good.

For now enjoy your weekend, and yes I am blown away that I was able to post two days in a row. :@)

History lessons...

2006-07-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Yay, I'm now updating this blog at an impressive clip of once every 5 years. Well, hopefully my writing ages like a fine wine, or maybe its just that you have to be liquored up to really appreciate it? Anyway, I hope that you are enjoying what little you are getting from me in recent weeks. Honest to god, I am not sure if anyone is reading my posts anymore, but hey, its still good writing practice for me so stay tuned. So, it is now July 27th, 2006 and in a one-week-span the Bay Area just shattered every heat record ever documented. Infact, it was so hot that there's now a little cactus growing right next to my bed that I feed every morning. I would've typed another blog entry last week but it was 85 degrees inside my Noe Valley house and I couldn't think straight. Anyway, excuses aside, I decided that today I'd give y'all a little background on what I'm doing musically this summer, but instead of just answering the 'what' I thought i'd give you a little more why, where, how and who, so here it goes:

For those of you who don't know, I once played in a power pop trio called The Turn-Ups! If you don't believe me, I have tattoos to prove it, and no, none of them are on my ass. Yes I was a rock n' roller and I still am at heart, but I've kind of moved on to different things for the time being. And for the record, the saying that "once you've gone Calculus you never go back" is completely true... I guess I'm kind of hesitant to speak about our band completely in the past-tense, but let's just that right now we are not playing together. Anyway, more about the band.... I, Cameron Loughlin, sing, play guitar and write songs. Brian Stozek, 'the backbone', plays the bass and sings and group Comedian 'Sonny C' Richard Corsetti provides the energy/humor behind the drumkit. From 2004-2006 we wrote, recorded and performed our music to local audiences at venues like Elbo Room, Great American Music, Bottom of the Hill and Cafe Du Nord. Over the course of our campaign to win San Francisco's collective musical heart, we experienced many successes and perhaps a few darker moments. As a short-lived local band we managed to establish a steady following of about 100-200 people thanks to a large family tree network and a nice email list compiled by Sonny C. Our sound, for those of you who don't know, is as predicted, a blend of our band's favorite musical acts. Nada Surf, Weezer, Superdrag, and the Beatles are a few of the names that immediately come to mind.

THE RECORD: Last November we convened in San Anselmo, California to record our first long play record. Armed with 11 songs in hand, mind and mouth, we laid down all of our drum tracks and most of our bass tracks in one long day. I should note that my dear Friend Graham Norwood and I had worked at this studio with the same engineer/producer, Daniel Daniel, that we're using this time around. After the initial November recording session the project stalled out. It was a combination of a lot of factors, the long distance drive and our busy schedules being the main stumbling blocks. Lucky for us good news has followed and I am very proud to say that this summer we've finally made a lot of headway on the record. In the process we've cut the song total from 11 to a more realisic 8, but things are going smoothly. 90% of the guitars are finished including solos on the songs 'Just For You' (Daniel calls it 'Just Eat Poo') and 'For the Show'. Sooner or later we are to begin working on vocals which is very exciting. Anyway, the project needs to be done by late August because as you know I am going back to school full-time. Anyway, I have to cut this brief history session short right now, but please keep posted for another blog entry. I promise you won't have to wait five years. Have a good day y'all.

Hola from Oyster Point

2006-07-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

Holy nice weather Batman. Right now in South San Francisco it's about 70 degrees with a slight breeze, and all day long I've been singing 'Heat Wave' by Martha and the Vandellas. I hope this Indian Summer lasts a few more days, but I wouldn't put money on it knowing full-well that a few foggy days are just around the corner...

In other news, I'm happy to say that tonight my friend Jesse Myers is in town from Denver. We're hitting up La Taqueria on 25th and Mission and I'm stoked because I almost never go there anymore. The plan involves some serious eating for some serious dudes, oh yeah and maybe some catching up of the verbal variety too. Truth be told, I'm more of an eater than I am a talker and when I'm hungry you can't expect much to come out of my mouth except for the occasional droolage. One thing is for sure, as far as tacos go, you really cannot beat La Taqueria, why do I continue to restate the obvious? The only issue is that it's relatively expensive, so I only go about once a month. Riiiiight.

I've had a busy week so far, what day is it today Friday? What year was I born 1987? One thing is for sure, my short term memory seems to be waning as the years go by.... I'm ashamed to admit that despite topical treatments and ointments, that I do still infact have a case of the Mooondays. If you didn't think that was funny then just imagine Milton Waddams from Office Space.

Today was a busy day. This morning around 10 I went on a 45 minute run in 85 degree heat, worked for 3 1/2 hours in the garage, then I spent 30 minutes or so in the post office, after this I went to my dentist's appointment at 3:30 (no cavities by the way) and finally now I just finished a 2 1/2 date with my new girlfriend, my Calculus textbook. Needless to say I'm tired from all the fun, but you should see how the Calculus book looks! The good news is that in 30 minutes I'll be inhaling some choice Mexican cuisine en mi barrio favorita, el micion.

PS: The Turn-Ups! record continues to 'howl and move'.... *Trivia*: In a playboy interview dated from 1980 did you know that John Lennon said that he could make his guitar 'howl and move'? To this day, I'm still not sure if he was talking about his Rickenbacker or Yoko? My guess is the latter. Anyway, it's kind of a cool rock n' roll term so I might as well keep using it to describe the progress that Daniel (our engineer) and I are making. Oh, and I also thought of a prospective title that I really like for the "LP to be" and it is : "Ice on the Rocks." Whatcha think?... I've always felt that the sign of a good album name is something that sounds good a week after you come up with it. Amazingly, this title still sounds somewhat decent after 4 days. Hey, don't get me wrong, it's really not that good, but it works, and in the end that's all that matters, right? Well, either way I've got to consult with the rhythm section before I make any major decisions. Hopefully I didn't inherit my Dad's inability to come up with good names. Let it be known to all blog-readers that my Dad wanted to name me either Rampart or Sojourn. He may have been a child of the 60's but c'mon this was 1980 and the Lysergic was on its way out! On the other hand who really knows? Maybe he truly thought that I'd be born with a moat connected to my belly-button instead of an umbilical cord? Either way, I'm glad my Mom had some say in the matter, and the disaster that could've been Sojourn or Rampart was averted. Good god man. Let's just say that I'm being very cautious with this album title since I know that certain tendencies, abilities and inabilities can get passed on through genetics.

I might add that we have ALL rhythm guitars finished plus one lead solo for 'For the Show.' I'm really stoked about the guitar parts, and I feel like we will infact have a finished product by August 23rd. More updates later, I gotsta run... I'm really going to try to update this blog more often in the coming days/weeks. Peacer.

3rd Try Today

2006-07-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

My study habits have sucked recently. Instead of doing all the odd problems in the textbook, I've boycotted everything except for the makeshift class study guide. I guess I just have felt too cool for school recently. The result: two failed tests in one week and a suffering ego. The first test I actually just glanced at and handed back to the teacher without even trying a problem. I was just too tired to take it and after I saw the 8 questions on it, I realized that my brain would turn into mush within minutes. It turns out it was a stupid idea to think I could take that test directly after Segment 5. Last night I took part B of segment 6, but I felt strung out from the morning caffeine and couldn't think straight at all. Yeah I know, excuses, excuses. Well the good news is that I get three tries for each segment, tonight I go for attempt #3.

I've learned an important lesson, with pre-med courses you cannot mess around and take anything lightly. The truth is, is I deserved to fail this segment so far, I tried to coast instead of really spend time getting to know the material. Ugh, oh well, tonight is the last shot for Segment 6. Unfortunately, I only got 4 hrs of sleep last night. Turns out that I my caffeine tolerance is way DOWN and my morning cup of tea yesterday really kept me up all night. That said, I did manage to meet up with Brian, Rich and Chris for a beer at the Noe Valley Tavern last night.

The good news is that for once it's not lack of focus that is hampering me. Its possible I did get a little overconfident for a bit, but I'm very humbled now. I still have a B+ in the class, but I need to bring it up to an A- at least. Anyway, tomorrow I've got jury duty, work, golf and then a fiesta at La Casa De David in Nob Hill. Can't wait until this week is finished, catch ya on the flipside!

The Sad Decay of this Blog

2006-07-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gents, sadly enough it seems these days that I only post about once a week. Truth be told, I've been real busy with school, work and chipping away at this long play record (rather than the golf course).

That being said, things are going well right now. We have a new guy named Yuri helping my sister and I with our business - he's a computer whiz and a good addition to Belts Buckles and More. On the school front, I'm currently about half way done with my Calculus class. At this juncture I have about 5 1/2 out of the 12 segments completed. Oddly enough, sometimes I find myself looking forward to the challenge of doing the homework. I think it's because my job is so mindless that I need something to humble the crap out of me. Bottom line is I recently I've felt like one hell of a nerd. Infact, after I finish writing this blog I'm headed out to buy a new pocket protector and a pair of suspenders...No seriously, I've pretty much decided to enroll at SF State in the Fall.

In addition to school, I've been busy working on The Turn-Ups! record. So far we have all the bass/drum tracks laid down and we have about 90% of the rhythm guitars done. It's a long process but I think in the end the hard work will pay off and we'll have a nice product....Sometimes I miss playing shows with the guys but right now there's too much other stuff going on. Lately, I've been working on some nifty guitar solos for the songs. For those of you who know me and my guitar playing well, I've never been one to play leads or even work on them, but alas it has been a summer of firsts and thus I shall try it.

Well, tomorrow I'm headed up to the recording studio in Marin. The cool part is Brian is in town so he can give a listen and share his thoughts on our progress. I actually haven't seen him yet but we are hanging out tomorrow. Tonight I'm going to the A's/Tigers game with the Chaninater. The Athletics are a young and exciting team and even though I'm not a fan its good to see two excellent, up and coming teams. Talk to you soon, enjoy your 4th of July.

The Tuesdays...

2006-06-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to my 4th calc test tonight. The subject: mainly graphing lines with extreme points, asymptotes, x intercepts and all the fun stuff. Making serious progress on the first and only Turn-Ups! record. All bass tracks are finished, have 4 tracks almost done for guitar. Pretty stoked. Hopefully we'll have the record done by the end of summer. Talk to you soon.

Back from Colorado

2006-06-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

....Just got back from Denver and I saw all the old friends, Jesse, Peter, Beth, Shawn, Kris etc etc, and had a great time. For the record, I hadn't been to Colorado in two years, so my visit was way overdue. One thing that I really miss about being out there is the comaraderie I had with my college buddies. Now that I'm 3 years out of College I find that I'm more isolated in terms of my friendships. For example, I'll go out with one or two friends instead of hanging out in a big group. The cool part about going to Colorado was feeling like I was a part of something all over again. Going out to the bars was awesome, and yes, I got suckered into drinking a lot of alcohol on more than a couple occasions (thanks Jesse and Pete). I also got sucked into a few other activities like whiffle ball, dining out and some other non-descript extra cirriculars that have something to do with drinking.... In additon I survived the Peter-Jesse, "drink or die," campaign which focused mainly on my liver.

..In addition to seeing the friends, I was also very pleased with with my weekend stay at the Denver Marriott. The bed was quite comfortable and the location was perfect. Oh and by the way, Denver is cooler than I thought. Sure there isn't anything that stands out in particular about the city, like an Eiffel Tower or an Alamo, but its just a nice city to hang out in and walk. Most of Denver feels like a suburb, lots of trees, porches and wide sidewalks, nothing like San Francisco which is much more unpredictable and urban... I should also mention that I like the weather there in the summer, it's hot and dry and you can wear a T-shirt at night (hard to imagine that as a San Franciscan).

Calculus Test

2006-06-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

Test #2 tonight, fun stuff. Yikes.

A beautiful Saturday

2006-06-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Goddamn it is beautiful out, I'd say about 80 degrees with a breeze. I spent the morning working with our new employee Yuri. For those of you who care, Meredith and I decided that we need an extra hand around to help us with our business. Lucky for us, Yuri repsonded to our first craigslist post and he is perfect for the job. He's very competent with Ebay but he's also a very easy-going personality. Anyway, we spent most of time reorganizing the garage and doing inventory. (In case you didn't know, my sister and I sell belts, buckles and bracelets online). Anyway, I just spent about 3 hrs with Yuri moving and counting buckles so I'm ready to blow off some steam. So I'm off for a run in this wonderful sunshine....I know this isn't the most interesting post ever, but I haven't had a weekend update for a long time and I thought I'd fill you in on my Saturday so far...

Enjoy the weekend! Yayah.

Friday

2006-06-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Busy as hell today, heading up to Marin to record with Daniel Daniel. A full report next Monday. Have a good weekend.

A Big Fish- Miguel Cabrera

2006-06-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last night I celebrated mediocrity by watching the so-so Giants take on the pitiful Marlins. The Giants won, but I found myself turning on the TiVO and fast-forwarding everything just to watch Miguel Cabrera. For the record, if I had to start a team with one player in either league it would be Cabrera. He's a legitimate super-superstar, he can hit .350 with with power and he's very young. Call me a bad fan or whatever, but it's just not that exciting watching The Giants if Bonds and Alou aren't in the lineup. I like guys like Vizquel and Finley, but they don't keep me watching.

Peter MacGowan and Brian Sabean need to cook up a plan to net a superstar in this upcoming offseason. Guys like Pujols, Bonds and Cabrera put buts in seats, and the Giants need that excitement. With no guarantee of Bonds being the Bonds of old, or Alou coming back, the Giants need their new superstar of the 21st century. Unfortunately, San Francisco doesn't have a farm system that's anything to brag about. Even if Bonds did sign with the G-Men in '07 he won't be making 20 million, and the Giants should have some room to sign a big name guy. The question is who?

Test #1

2006-05-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

89% on my first calculus test woo-hoo! Only 11 more to go! Now I'm cracking up an anchor steam and am going to watch Law and Order Criminal Intent. Lame update, but I had to.

Really Busy all of a sudden

2006-05-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

This new calculus course that I started on Tuesday has really kept me busy to say the least. The class fulfills a pre-med requrirement, and is intense and rigorous. In addition, its a self-paced course so I can go as fast as I want. (Though I have to complete 12 tests at 80% or above in 10 weeks to complete the class).

I'm pretty happy to have a new direction in my life. I've always been pretty good at math so long as my ADD doesn't interfere too much. Once I understand the way a problem works then everything starts to come together. That being said, its calculus, and the pre-med version of calc, so its supposed to be hard. We'll see.

The State of the Golden State Warriors Part I

2006-05-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

So how does GM Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors improve a squad that underacheived under the toupee of Mike Montgomery in 2005-2006? Let's start with taking a look at the upcoming draft. Can the Warriors legitimately improve their roster in this years crapshoot? My answer: Not likely. Contrary to the pipedreams of longtime Oakland fans, the lottery odds tell us that the Warriors will most likely end up getting the #9 pick. Unfortunately, for lawfirm Cohan, Mullin and Monty, there will be no franchise big man available to represent the Warriors in 2006. In a draft that's devoid of Duncans, LeBrons and Shaqs, picking #9 will ensure that the Warriors at best will get another Mikael Pietrus or Andris Biedrins - an intriguing prospect who's years away from being an impact player. Unless John Lennon comes back to life and offers up Paul and Ringo for #9, it is undoubtedly true that the Warriors are going to be getting a question mark rather than a complete sentence. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the 2005-2006 campaign was the play of chronically-injured point guard Baron Davis. Hobbled by a gimpy hamstring, a broken winshield and a flat tire, Baron limped into the regular season at about 50% health and stayed that way for most of the season. Baron lived up to his reputation as the Ken Griffey Jr. of basketball - a one-of-a-kind talent who spends more time off the court than on it. Even worse perhaps, is that BDiddy turned into a me-first point guard, who often eschewed team play in favor of jacking up unnecessary 3's early in the shot clock. One thing is for sure, Mike Montgomery needs to find a way to communicate with Baron for the team to be a success in '06. Can this happen? I have my doubts.

Chill day

2006-05-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Still recovering from Mom's B-Day last night, I got her six CD's, Rhett Miller (new), Red Hot Chili Peppers (new), Pearl Jam (new), Van Morrison- (Veedon Fleece) and Ryan Adams (Heartbreaker). The new Pearl Jam is particularly impressive....Headed out for the golf range after work and then a voice lesson/ Benihana's. Tomorrow I will post about the state of Golden State Warriors.

Los Gigantes!

2006-05-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great game last night.... Yeah, yeah I know, Bonds didn't tie the Babe, but the Giants won, and Jason Schmidt looked like the Schmidt of old. Armed with a devastating 94-95 MPH fastball, and excellent command of his pitches, Schmidt made the Cubs hitters look more like Care Bears than Grizzly Bears. Despite the masterpiece that Schmidt offered up, it seemed that only about 1/3 of the game's attendees actually stuck around to see Jason finish the game. Not so coincidentally, Bonds' last at-bat came in the Bottom of the 8th, and after his final plate appearance, AT&T Park, or the "artist formerly known as Pac Bell Park," emptied quicker than my bladder did in the seventh inning (after 2 beers and a lemonade).

The truth is, more people are concerned with Bonds than the team itself, and who can blame them? Despite the steroid scandals and the negative press Barry continues to be the most entertaining figure in all of sports. Hey don't get me wrong, I'm a Giants fan before anything else, but I have to ask, how exciting is this squad without Barry? Answer: Not very. Besides Moises Alou, who is more fragile than the vase above my desk, there aren't any other hitters in the lineup that strike fear in pitchers. Jose Vizcaino? Steve Finley? Lance Neikro? When I think of Giants lineup one classic quote comes to mind from Major League, "I've never heard of half of these fuckin' guys and the ones I do know are way past their prime." In addition to the Giants offensive shortcomings, the pitching is a whole 'nother issue that I don't have time for.

A central theme to the season thus far has been the lack of offensive firepower in the Giants lineup. More importantly, the lack of clutch hitting and situational hitting has really prevented the Giants from manufacturing runs on a consistent basis. In addition, the injuries to two of the Giants best bats, Moises Alou and Ray Durham, early in the season have enabled other teams to pitch around Barry Bonds more often that not. If the Giants are going to succeed then they will need Durham and Alou to be healthy.

The good news is that Giants ownership and General Management has assembled a team that should be competitive in this joke of a division that we call the NL West. Thanks to the genius of the "New York Mullet," Brian Sabean, the Giants are a patient, veteran ballclub, who are better finishers than starters. Even last year, albeit a season remembered more for its downs than its ups, the Giants were still able to make a late-season push. While younger teams tend to lose steam and focus as their season progressess, the Giants seem to come together year after year. Why? Because the team is full of veteran players who have been around the game long enough to understand what it takes to win. If most everything goes according to plan, the Giants should have a legitimate shot to get into the playoffs. But it begs the following question. Are the Giants that good, or is the division that bad? Sadly, I'm starting to believe the latter. One thing is for sure, if Schmidt pitches like he did last night on a consistent basis then its really going to help the Giant's chances.

Summer is a comin'

2006-05-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of meaningful updates recently. Things have been hectic and I've been knocked out of my rhythm, so to speak. I promise there will be more meaningful blog-lets soon....In other news, Bonds might not be playing tonight but my guess is if its a close game he will pinch hit.

week from hell!

2006-05-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

More on this later, for now enjoy your Cinco De Mayo, tonight David and I are hitting up the town. Giants play the Phills tonight, Bonds will hit #713, count on it.

Back from New York City

2006-05-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to say that I am back from New York City. The trip was nothing short of stellar and everything long of crappy. Perhaps the most memorable experience was going to see Yankees play the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Yankee Stadium with "Jay" Graham Norwood. I have to admit that I have new respect for fans of the pinstripe. A couple things I noticed:

a) When the Yankees are up to bat, nobody leaves their seats.

b) Yankee fans don't attend games to order a caesar salad, or to meet single people by the concession stands, they come to see the Yankees.

c) If you even mentioned the words 'casaer salad' at a Yankee Game you'd probably end up the main subject and victim of a Law and Order Criminal Intent episode.

Most surprsing to me was the respect that the fans had for the longest-tenured Yankees. When Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams came to the plate loud cheers filled the ballpark. When Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield stood up to bat there was relative indifference in the air. Why? Because Yankee fans, and yes I'm talking about the true Yankee fans IN New York, give a damn about their team and know a little something about their players and what they've done. (Don't get me wrong, there are still plenty of things that I loathe about the Yankees).

I should also mention a funny story that involved a Beer Man named Rich Goldfarb. After ordering 2 brewsky's from him, he said "Boy, if it isn't Roger Daltrey," (referring to my looks). Of course Graham and I were laughing for about 10 minutes after he said this. I mean I've gotten Owen Wilson, Sean Penn and Woody Harrelson but Roger Daltrey!!! For those of you who don't know, Roger Daltrey was the lead singer in the Who, and yes he does have a weird nose and blond hair.

Another funny incident occured when a 27 year-old Yankee fan named Brian, although he insisted we call him "Ocht," sat down next to Graham and I and started up a friendly conversation. Basically, he told us that we had paid too much for our tickets and that we should've spent $5 on bleacher seats and then snuck down into the better seats. I told him that I was from the Bay Area and was I just happy to be there. After ranting on about how much he hated Bonds and much he loved the Yankees, "Ocht" delivered a hilarious line. First off, he said that he'd bet $100 bucks that I was a stoner because I looked like one. The best line though came when he said that he'd "put $200 on the guy next to me" (referring to Graham). At the time of this hilarious incident Graham still had a beard going and of course had the long hair to match so Brian figured he had us pidgeonholed as the west-coast stoner types, lol.. Before we could stop laughing "Ocht" then went into a long story about how he worked as a TV guy for an ESPN show and had visited AT&T Park in San Francisco to film a show. He then explained how he had gone into the Giants locker room in San Francisco and had "faahted" (farted) inside of Barry Bonds' locker. By this time Graham and I were in stitches. A funny experience indeed.....

Most of all I was just pleased that I could spend time with my best friend Graham. After all these years of living on different coasts we're still as close as ever. Even Kate, his girlfriend remarked that we are just too similar sometimes, we both sing at inappropriate times, use our hands as drumsticks and load our sentences with as much wit, and sarcasm as possible (even if we're the only one's laughing).... The absolute highlight of our Manhattan ventures was going to a Bar called Yogi's in the Upper West Side. From the loud country music to the pistachio machine, the place was a hole-in-the wall masterpiece. I should mention that throughout the trip Graham and I did our share of cruising and boozing, and thus ended up with a steady succession of hangovers (it didn't stop us!) that we medicated with Ramen and Cup O' Noodles. In addition, I was happy to know that Graham has 2 really cool roomates and a great girfriend. Now, maybe I should book a one-way ticket to JFK next time I head out there?

NYC BOUND

2006-04-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I'm headed to New York City to visit my buddy Graham. I won't be posting until next Monday. Have a great week, see you then!

The Beanball

2006-04-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

I'm not into beanballing. Here is my rationale to support my anti-beanball stance.

a) If you are a pitcher retaliating and purposefully hitting the opposing team's batter (because they hit one of your guys) then you aren't really protecting your own team, infact, you are making the situation worse. The opposing team's pitcher if anything, is more likely to come back and hit a guy from your own team AGAIN if you do in fact retaliate. Ok, so there is something to be said about sticking up for your own team, and essentially saying that there will be consequences, but in reality it's just not worth it. If you are a pitcher who has just retaliated, you're putting everybody on your team at even more risk than before. More than anything this breeds resentment in the clubhouse, because nobody, except for Craig Biggio, really wants to get hit by a 90 MPH fastball. In addition, you are creating even more hostility and anger in a game that should be fun and safe. (Go to a football game if you want to see people get pissed off and physically hurt!).

b) you're potentially causing serious physical injury to somebody

c)you no longer have any moral highground to sit on. Instead you are stooping to level of the opponent when you hit somebody.

d) Case and point: Matt Morris couldn't even finish an inning because he was ejected from the game. A wasted start for the Giants #2 guy.

e) You give the other team more motivation to beat you because they are pissed.

f) You put a guy on base in a close game and well, that's just plain f*cking stupid

g) 'Beaning' somebody is as bad as a walk. You allow a runner to get on base and possibly score .

...Over the weekend we saw Jose Mesa of the Colorado Rockies purposefully throw at Omar Vizquel's upper back region. It made me sick to see it happen for the third time in recent years (since Vizquel's book came out). There must be stiffer penalties for throwing beanballs in MLB. All I know is that Jose Mesa said he 'would kill' Omar Vizquel, and this is totally unacceptable to say the last. Mesa should get a 3 game suspension for his actions in Saturday's game. That being said I wish MM wouldn't have done anything in return. I can be naive but I do know that Morris knew what he was doing when he threw at a Rocky. Beanballing is a stupid tradition and Bud 'Light' Selig needs to crack down on it.

Barry Bonds- A Legend

2006-04-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

A few interesting statistics about Barry Bonds. He is hitting .214 this year and despite his low average, his On Base Percentage is a staggering .522. Bonds still gets on base more than half the time. Last night, Bonds was intentionally walked even though he has 1 run batted in all season and no home runs...Conclusion: Pitchers are still incredibly intimated by Bonds even though he's started off cold as ice. He is still the most feared hitter in baseball. (I don't care what Cardinals fans say about Albert Pujols) Would I like to deal with Bonds on a day-to-day basis? No. Do I like Bonds as a person? Absolutely not. But the bottom line, is when I've got the remote controller in my hand in front of the TV, there is nobody I'd rather watch than Barry.

In last night's game Bob Melvin walked Bonds to load the bases in a crtical late inning scenario. Mark Sweeney came up and walked in the go-ahead run. You could argue that Bonds was the catalyst in the Giants victory. Even when he doesn't take one swing, Bonds makes a huge impact when he's in the batters box.

Tonight the Giants play the Rockies. Bonds will be playing. You can bet that I'll be watching the most entertaining figure in sports.

I feel like a picnic

2006-04-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Man, this weather is really fantabulous. I feel like rolling out a blanket (not a spliff mind you), cracking open a beer and catching some rays. Unfortunately, I'm stuck organizing belts on racks by size and color. This afternoon I have a voice lesson with my teacher Corey. I love my voice lessons. I like them because my teacher is so cool. He is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I find the lessons therapeutic in a way, I feel calmer when I leave. Mostly, we just work on different vocal excerises and crack jokes in between voice cracks. I've never met anybody has upbeat as Corey. Every time I go to his house on 26th Ave he's in a good mood. The first half of the lesson is usually dedicated to excerises and the second half to my own songs. I like jamming out my tunes and getting an outsiders perspective on my singing..Well, we'll see how it goes today I was supposed to work on some songs this week that I never got to. I feel like such a lazy slug....

The Giants play tonight. Recently I've just been really disappointed by their bullpen. Sure, they are in first place, but not by much. There are a lot of question marks that I will address later in the week.

First 'real' post in awhile

2006-04-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

I was sifting through some photos from my childhood. One of the piles had a bunch of shots from Fashion Island in San Mateo from the late 80's/ early 90's. Oh goodness the memories. Remember that ice skating rink? How much fun was that. I remember going to my friend Tommy's birthday and seeing Kevin Mitchell (RF for the Giants) and his cousin outside the mall. I remember those gold teeth etc etc. Too bad I don't actually have a picture of that. But oh the memories. The sbarro pizzeria, the arcade, the Ice Skating Rink! Yeah! Oh I should also mention I held hands with a girl that I had a big crush on for the first time at Fashion Island. What a little pimp.

It is nice to finally have some good weather. I just don't understand how Seattle-ians deal with overcast and rainy weather all year round. Right now its about 70 degrees with plenty of sunshine- I am about to head out to the post office. At 5 o' clock I have plans to play guitar with Jeff, a guy I met recently through my friend Mike. I'm pretty stoked to at least pick up the guitar and do something creative. Other than that I'm hoping I can watch Matt Cain pitch for the Giants tonight. If Bonds plays tonight, he will homer.

I'm excited because next week I'm flying east to visit my best bud Graham in NYC. He's been living there for a couple years now and I haven't made the cross-country trek yet. That being said, I love New York and can't wait to visit the city. Even more so I can't wait to see Graham, catch up and check out his pad in mid-town Manhattan. Did I mention playing a little disc in Central Park? Yeyah!

...I read about the Warriors possibly going after Jermaine O'Neal in the offseason. As far as I'm concerned if its O' Neal then anybody is expendable. The one guy I really don't want to part with is Jason Richardson. Clearly JR is the heart and soul of the team, sooner or later he will be one of the best 2 guards in the league.

MVP- Kobe
Sixth Man- Mike Miller
ROY- Chris Paul (unanimous!)
Defensive Player of the Year- Andrei Kirilenko
Most Improved Player-Carmelo Anthony (as much as I hate him)

Long day, tired.

2006-04-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

Good night!

Thank good for god weather

2006-04-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

Excuse me for my dyslexic title, I'm still in awe of the sunshine....Not much to update. Giants are tied with the D-Backs 9-9 right now. Mark Sweeney just hit a BOMB to right. Well, have a gnight.

Sour Grapes and Barrys

2006-04-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

*sigh*

"Even if Giants slugger Barry Bonds is charged with lying to a grand jury, it will be hard to convict him, former federal prosecutors and other lawyers said.
"It is a lot tougher to make a perjury case than most people think because it takes more than just proving that the person made a statement that was untrue," said Adam Hoffinger, a criminal defense lawyer in Washington D.C. "The government has to prove that he knowingly and willfully lied about a material fact -- it can't be a mistake, there has to be intent."

Uh oh, apparently there's a Federal Inquiry to see if Bonds lied to the Grand Jury in Dec of 2003. This is not good. I'm not a legal expert but I think I know a couple things about the law. Correct me if I'm wrong.

a) From what I've heard they (government) only investigate a perjury charge if they have a VERY strong case.
b) If Bonds did infact lie to the Grand Jury then he is most likely in more hot water than his daily pre-game jacuzzi soak.

Dear Barry, If you did knowingly ingest/rub/inject those steroids on your arm, butt, thigh, neck etc etc you shouldn't have lied to the Grand Jury. I'm not sure what Mr. Rains told you to say, but you should know the severity of 'perjuring' a Grand Jury.

XOXO
Cameron

PS: I don't want to be a shoot-first, think later critic, and I don't want to indict you until all the evidence is out on the table, but I truly hope you were honest in the face of the law. The more I think about it, the more its a fairly simple issue. If you lie then you will be punished and if you didn't then god have mercy on your soul for all of this pre-ejaculate condemnation. For now you're innocent until proven guilty in my book...(Back to reality) Now the question is, is what does Dr. Arthur Ting reveal when he takes the stand?

Finally a beautiful day

2006-04-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the greatest day I've ever known...Remember that song? Man, it's beautiful today, its probably in the high 60's or 70's w/ blue skies. Two words: Double Header....Go Giants! MM on the mound....

My future

2006-04-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

I had a good talk last night with our dear family friend Pam. There is nobody that understands me better than her. She knows that I'm a dreamer, that I'm essentially a right-brain thinker, and that I need to use my creativity. In addition, she knows that I'm unusually gifted in some areas but frustratingly limited in others (aren't we all I suppose). Much of the conversation had to do with my future and how I should balance going back to school with my creative life. To sum it up, I've had some doubts recently about 'jumping' back into school full-time and I think its better that I take it slow. I've come to the conclusion that I'm just somebody who needs to do a bunch of things at once since my attention is often very scattered. Since I'm constantly excited about something, and 'on the go' it's good for me to be able to multi-task and be able to do a little of a lot. My plan of attack is this, instead of going 'full time' into school that I should take a course or two and take it slow. This way I'm not overwhelmed. At the same time I can continue to play music and write songs. I'm somebody who thrives on making big spur-of the decisions, but this time around I don't want to lose perspective on the person that I am. One of the interesting points that Pam made was that I'm blessed to have a family that supports me in my creative pursuits. In addition, there's no 'hurry' and life should be enjoyed so why not take time and do a little from column A, B and C. Well, that's all the deep thinking for today, I'm sure I'll address it more in the future.

In other news, Matt Morris takes the mound for the Giants tonight. It's my first real glimpse at the Giants #2 and I'm excited to see what he brings to la mesa.

Another wet day

2006-04-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

I just can't believe how soggy its been recently. Yep, it's raining again in the Bay Area and no, I can't play Golf or even walk outside. This is really frustrating. Oh well. I just hope the Giants don't get postponed tonight, we'll see. Hmm, what else is new. I'm about to sign up for a Summer Calculus course. The cool part is it is self-paced so I can take the class at my own speed. Oh well, that's how it goes for those pre-Meds. Other than that, things are good, heading out to visit my best bud in NYC, Graham in a few weeks, and I can't wait! ....Right now I'm listening to a bootleged Nirvana record and I'm reminded again at how raw these guys were for the most part. 'Nevermind' was pretty much a fluke record and doesn't even come close to representing their true sound. At the same time, the songs are just oh, so good on that album. There aren't many LP's that I can listen to from start to finish but 'Nevermind' is one of them. Another thing I forgot was how connected Nirvana was to the punk scene, and how maladjusted they were. I mean they were really 'punk' in so many ways. In many ways Dave Grohl sticks out like a sore thumb in that band. I don't know I could probably go in to more depth about Nirvana, but I don't have the time or energy to write something that insightful. Talk to you soon.

Short update...

2006-04-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

Busy as hell today, so I can't spend much time on the blog...Watched the Masters yesterday afternoon at my parent's house. I was pleased to watch my guy Mickelson win. Also watched the Giants take 3 out of 4 from the Braves, very nice. Well, I'll update more tomorrow. Have a good one.

Lots O' Golf

2006-04-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Went out with some friends to Bar None last night, had a blast, lots of pool (especially of the pocket variety) and mingling. Woke up tired this morning but still managed to get some stuff done. Met Isaiah and Dash at the Olympic Club and played the Cliffs, shot a legitimate 35, not bad. Afterwords I played 5 holes on the Ocean by myself. What can I say, I love being out there all alone soaking up the sun. My putting still sucks, I need to try a new putter....Well, the Giants won today which is good news. The team looks really potent on offense. Not too much exciting stuff to report, heading off to Din Din (yikes) at Barracuda's in Burlingame with Neil, his girlfriend, Jenny and David. Have a good Saturday night. Yeah!

Giants game tonight

2006-04-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Supposed to go the game with Dave tonight, looks like a rainout to me. This weather sucks, man. Short update today, all is well on my front. Can't wait for the days to get longer and the golf course to dry out. Have a stellar weekend!

Home Opener

2006-04-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Today I saw the Giants take down the Braves at AT&T field. There is no team I hate more than Atlanta. From their straight-up dominance of the National League in the last 15 years, to their redneck fans, I just resent them in general. Either way, it was marvelous to see somebody finally pay for walking Bonds. Moises Alou and Pedro Feliz (Pete Happy) each had key hits in the Giants 6-3 victory...I can't say enough about having both Mo Alou and Barry Bonds in the lineup. Moises provides clutch hitting a plenty and also protection for Barry.

...I'm just absolutely pleased to have a solid team to follow night-in and night-out, and for that matter year-in and year-out. More than anything, I love being out at the ballpark, and no, I don't mind paying $9 for two bottled waters so long as I'm watching a good show. Lucky for me, this team IS a solid product and Brian Sabean should be congratulated and proud of the team he's assembled. From leadoff-meing Randy Winn to catcher Mike Matheny the line-up is consistent, and full of smart, patient hitters (with the exception of Pedro Feliz). It seemed like it was only a couple years ago when the G-men boasted swing-first, think-later guys like Marquis Grissom, AJ Pierzynski and yes, Pedro Feliz.

3 NEW ACQUISITIONS THAT I LIKEY

Matt Morris:
What an acquisition by "Sabes." I was listening to a recent interview with local sports-talk radio host Ralph Barbieri and Morris, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that MM is a really intelligent guy. He's not caught up in the spotlight, money or fame, even though he gets a solid amount of all three of these things. Infact, he's got a little self-conscious 'lisp' and seems to have a bit of self-awareness about him. In addition, he's down-to-earth, and seems excited to become a full-time Bay Area resident, and a Giant! I like his demeanor on the mound too. Granted, I haven't seen that much of him, but I like what I see so far. He boasts an arsenal of a few very good to excellent pitches, and he has good command almost all the time, what else could you ask for in your #2? Right?

Mike Sweeney
Another big Sabean signing. Sweeney may not make a huge impact on the field every day (he'll probably get 250 AB's at most platooning with Lance Neikro), but I think he's another high-character guy that will blend in well in the clubhouse. As many of you know it was Sweeney who organized the Pow-wow with Bonds dressing up as Paula Abdul in early March. All signs point to a happier and more cohesive clubhouse with Mike in the fold. In addition he seems like a decent glove at first and also a first-rate pinch-hitter.

Steve Finley
Ok, how old is this guy really? 41?? How about 21? John Basedow move over. Have you ever seen a 40 year old in better shape than Mr. Finley? Did you see him catch that ball the other night? Finley covered more ground than I thought possible. I think this is the best recent signing for the Giants. He brings leadership, focus and a little cockiness to the team. In addition, before last year, the guy was a real force to be reckoned with in the batters box. I'm looking forward to seeing him succeed in orange and black. .280 and 15 HR's with solid glovework would not surprise me.

MY TWO BIGGEST CONCERNS FOR THE GIANTS

JASON SCHMIDT
The biggest concern I have right now is Jason Schmidt and his loss of velocity. Normally, I wouldn't be so worried, but Schmiddty, more than any pitcher on the team, is known for overpowering hitters. With the inability to throw in the mid to high 90's, Schmidt can no longer strike fear in his opponent like he once could, and he also can't dominate guys on command. There have been some guys in the past who have lost speed on their pitches and become even better and more complete pitchers, but I'm not sure Schmidtty can make this transformation. Other pitchers like ahem Matt Morris have made a relatively seamless transition from power to finesse pitcher. One thing's for sure, Schmidt now tops out at 94 instead of 98. The difference of 4 MPH in the Major Leagues is nothing short of HUGE. I'm very concerned about Schmidt's loss of speed on his fastball because he's our #1 starter and we count on him to overpower not nibble.

ARMANDO BENITEZ
Another area of concern for The Giants is Armando Benitez. The guy has been a huge disappointment with all his injuries. All I can say is, thank god for Tim Worrell. The guy straight up deals. No he isn't overpowering, but he makes up for his lack of fastball, with tremendous focus and ability to stay on an even keel. There IS certainly something to be said about a power pitcher like Armando, he can come in and dominate people much like Schmidt can. That being said, I'd rather have Worrell. The guy is a competitor and wants to win, he's also a pleasure to watch as a fan. He's intense, but at the same time composed. He's emotional but he doesn't quite wear his heart on his sleeve. I dunno, there's just something about the guy that I really like.

Busy Day

2006-04-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Doctors appointment and then I'm volunteering at a Food Bank. Bummed about the rainout last night. Looking forward to seeing MM pitch tonight :@)

Tear Down Your Stars

2006-04-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm truly bothered by this 'holier than thou', 'hero to zero' attitude of the fans and media of Major League Baseball. For a culture that thrives on HD television and colorful commentary we often only perceive the world in black and white. We turn on our saviors with the blink of an eye, and we assasinate our heroes with one pull of the trigger. We read a book and assume its 100% true and don't even question where any of the facts came from. In addition, we skip pages and don't even think to read between the lines. What is this all about? Before we indict Barry Bonds, (and at least 50% of baseball for that matter) maybe we need to look into how we got this "information" in the first place. Who leaked the grand jury testimony? Isn't this illegal, shouldn't the person(s) be held accountable? Maybe it's not Bonds we should question first but rather our legal system. Who put this book, "Game of Shadows" together? Are they credible? Look I'm not stupid, like 99% of the world I believe Bonds took steroids. In fact I think the guy is STILL juicing right under our little (or in my case big) noses. But I think we should also remember that it is much easier and immediately satisfying to make a quick judgment then a well-thought out thorough one. Infact, we are so hellbent on making impulsive character assessments that we have ruined the lives of seemingly harmless people like Pee Wee Herman (who got caught bopping more bologna than a Manhattan Butcher). Jokes aside, let's take a closer look at our flawed legal system and ask why this testimony was leaked in the first place. Shouldn't we at least question the information itself and where it came from before anything else?

Opening Day

2006-04-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, my internet decided to shut off for no good reason on Saturday.....Goddamn, I'm soooo stoked for baseball season! This afternoon at 4:05, Jason Schmidt goes up against Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres. Oh and I can't wait for the Bonds vs. Peavy matchup, Bonds is 5-20 lifetime against Jake the Snake, with 11 walks and 3 home runs. We'll see what happens. Well, I've got a busy week ahead of me. Tomorrow night I have a baseball draft and on Wednesday I have a doctors appointment and some volunteer work to do....In addition, I have some news regarding the Turn-Ups! I promise i'll fill you in soon...Have a good day.

an excerpt from "Driven to Distraction"

2006-03-31T08:27:00.000-08:00

Here are two excerpts from a book I'm reading called "Driven to Distraction." I think it's brilliant.

"They (ADHD Kids) are very likable, although they get into the most difficult of patches. They can be exasperating in the extreme-- one mother called me about her son, who had ADD and had just inadvertently almost set fire to his school, and asked me if could run over him in her truck -- but they can also be unusually empathetic, intuitive, compassionate, as if in that tangled brain circuitry there is a special capacity to see into people and situations" pg.10

"At last there was a term to explain the conversations I tuned out of, involuntarily, for no apparent reason. For the rage I felt, and the times I broke pencils and threw them around the room when I didn't immediately grasp a concept in grade school. For the seven attempts it can take me to read a page of a novel. For the nonsequiturs my girlfiend says I've offered in the midst of intimate conversation. For forgetting the task at hand as I go off on the wings of a new thought or off in search of what I forgot. For the love of the chase, the new project, the hot idea for the love of, the need for, something highly stumulating and riveting - whether it's doing psychotherapy with a paranoid, violent man or putting a high-stakes bet down at the racetrack. At last I had a name for these parts of me, parts I had chalked up to termpament or neuorsis. Now with a name rooted in neurobiology I could begin to make sense of, in a forgiving way, parts of myself that had often frustrated or scared me." preface

Goddamn this is one insightful book. The part about having to read a page of a novel over and over again rings so true with me. If the subject material is interesting it all magically makes sense, but if its boring, I can't seem to wrap my mind around it. The impulsivity is also something I can really relate to. The more I think about the more I realize how much I'm drawn to highly stimulating situations. One thing is for sure, I'll need a job that keeps my mind busy.

I'm all over the place this week.....

2006-03-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I feel so cool and think that my ADD is under control and then I am seriously humbled a few days later...This week has just been awful. I've been doing about 5 tasks at the same time and getting about 75% of each one done. It seems I'm getting more easily distracted than usual. Yesterday I was in the post office, and somehow I managed to fill out 10 forms while talking to the postman at the window and chatting up my ADD Doc on my cell phone. In addition to the short attention span, my level of impulsivity has been up recently. It seems like everything I think about turns into a long drawn out daydream. Well, I got a visit with my Med Doc next week and talk about getting a prescription for school. We'll see what happens there. Oh, in other news I've decided that I'm going to start with Calculus night classes this summer. The best part is its a self-paced class so I can correct my own tests and go at my own pace. Pretty excited.

Classes...

2006-03-29T08:38:00.000-08:00

So I'm purusing the online class schedule for SFSU right now. It looks like I'm going to be taking Physics starting in the summer. The counselor warned me to 'start gently,' so I'm going to get a tutor to brush me up on some Trig before I take the plunge in mid-June. I almost disagree with the whole principle of 'starting gently,' but I will heed his advice anyway.... If I wanted an experience without road-bumps I wouldn't be going the pre-med route in the first place, ya know? That being said, he knows more than me about this, so I should listen to him, right?

Thank you for Smoking

2006-03-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

I saw a good movie last night at the Embarcadero in SF called, 'Thank You for Smoking.' The film was about a lobbyist for Winston-Salem Tobacco named Nick Naylor. The most interesting part about the flick was that it was from the point-of-view of Nick. Over the course of the movie you learn that being a tobacco lobbyist involves more lies, sleaze, slime and deception then you ever thought possible. In addition, you learn the value of 'spin' in the business of cigarettes. Not your typical hollywood movie with a moral attached at the end, but rather a more an unbiased account. Most of all, I appreciated the sincerity of the movie. *spoiler* In the end Nick doesn't really change that much, but he questions his own morals once or twice along the way. I liked how it didn't have a sappy Hollywood ending. If you get the chance, check it out. 7.5/10 on the Cam scale.

Learning Styles of the ADHD

2006-03-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting conversation with an unnamed friend last week about our learning styles (which are very similar actually). A little bit of background on both of us: we're both quick-witted, highly creative and unusually passionate about our interests. In addition, we both struggle with directions, time management and organization on a consistent basis. Our biggest similarity perhaps is that school has always been difficult for both of us.
What's interesting to me is how there are people who just naturally do well in school. They go to class, they learn the lessons taught to them and learn/apply those concepts with relative ease on tests etc etc. Often times, these people aren't very creative thinkers, but are very adept at connecting point A to B and C and doing exactly what the lesson says. In addition, they can focus superficially on a multitude of different subjects, at least enough so to dominate a Scantron. No, I'm not talking about having a high IQ, but rather possessing something called 'booksmarts'. I'll be the first to say that I'm not a point A to point B to point C kind a guy. Over the course of my 25 years on this planet I've learned a few things about myself. First of all, I'm a slow learner at first, and especially so if the subject doesn't interest me. For many years I thought I had a learning disability and subsequently had IQ test after IQ test. What I learned ultimately was that I was capable even though I learned differently from everybody else. With that being said, it's important to point out that none of us learn the same way- but I guess in my case I felt esepcially unique in my learning style.

Here's some more in-depth info about what I've learned to be my learning style. When a new concept is presented to me I often to struggle to initially understand it. Often times I feel confused and totally lost. This has caused plenty of embarassing episodes over the years when I had to perform something (test, presentation) and I hadn't learned the material because I wasn't paying attention. What I have learned is that when I finally apply myself to one thing, I have an uncanny ability to hyperfocus and I usually become surprsingly adept at whatever I'm doing. When I was young I was obsessed with meteorology and I learned everyhing about it. If you wanted to know the snow level in the Sierra's, or the temperature in Bodega Bay I could tell you. When I became enamored with the Beatles in High School I could tell you which songs John Lennon and Paul McCartney sung and then pick out any lyric and tell you what it meant. In addition I became obsessed with chord changes and learned how to apply it into my own songwriting. It went beyond just normal information, it became an obsession- since the subject 'excited' me it became incredibly easy for me to focus and learn. I still remember looking at my highschool semester report where the teacher told me that "Cam learns in an idiosyncratic way and needs to focus more in class." This quote pretty much sums up my academic life. In my friend's case, he is able to recite exactly which number each San Francisco 49er wore from 1987-1995 and what position each of player played. In addition he is able to flawlessly quote movies with unbelievable confidence and accuracy. He can also has a remarkable auditory memory for what I said over 8 years ago in High School. Anyway, I want to expand more on this but I have to get back to work. Enjoy the typos and run-ons. If you have any insight please leave a comment.

Strokes Review

2006-03-25T11:03:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, last night I attended the Strokes show at the Concourse in San Francisco. Talk about an odd venue for such a concert- it basically looked like a smaller and more modern version of the Cow Palace. Located on 8th and Brannan in the South of Market district of San Francisco, The Concourse is probably known more for Green Party Festivals than Rock N' Roll shows. Of course to get inside the venue I had to run through a heavy downpour that got me soaked from head-to-toe, but I didn't care I was damn happy to be there. The venue had two levels, stage front being the lowest level, and stage left and right being 15 feet or so above the floor. The floor was a rectangular shape that spaned the length of two football fields. Pretty unorthodox dimensions for a rock show to say the least. Either way, by the time the Eagles of Death Metal were done there were probably 2,000 maybe 2,5000 hipsters chomping at the bit. Oh and by the way, the opener was nothing special, apparently the guy from Queens of the Stone Age, Josh Homme, was on the skins. To his credit he's a decent drummer, and a talented musician, but not dynamic enough to really give the band what it needed. Dave Grohl anybody? Overall, I felt like the set fell flat because it lacked inspiration and occasionally persperation too (cliche anybody?). After a ho-hum 30 minutes or so the Eagles happily deferred to New York's hippest quintet.

Enter Nick, Nikolai, Fab, Julian and Albert a little after 9:30. The first thing I noticed right off the bat was that guitarist Nick Valensi had grown his hair out a lot since the 'Room on Fire' tour of 2004. Other than that, the Strokes looked like, well, the Strokes. Fab sported his Vintage Coca Cola t-shirt, Albert rocked his white Strat, Nikolai had a green coat on and Julian dawned a leather jacket. They opened with two songs off their new record to start the night. Unfortunately, the songs didn't really do it for me. Why you ask? It is of my personal opinion that the Strokes are at their best when the guitars are at the forefront and everything else is buried a bit. Hey, its nothing against Mr. Casablancas and the rhythm section, I just think that the twin-axmanship of Albert Hammond Jr. and Nick Valensi is really the driving force behind the band.... Anyway, back to the point, the first two songs of the set were new numbers which showcased the raspy howl of Julian more than the steady guitar interplay of team Albert/Nick. It also didn't help that the first couple songs were more mid-tempo singalongs rather than 'wake-me up' guitar-driven rockers. The first bonafide 'rocker' that they did play was 'JuiceBox.' I'll be the first to say that I'm just not a very big fan of this song- first of all, there is no melody to latch onto, secondly it doesn't sound like the Strokes, and third of all, it doesnt' have the trademark guitar sound that I oh so desperately wanted to hear...Anyway, after 'Juicebox' the set picked up for the most part. For the record, I don't know the names of a lot of the songs, but over the course of the set the Strokes mixed in a lot of new with old which was good. The problem was that with the exception of 'Vision of Division,' which is, by the way, the best song the Strokes have ever written, they didn't really exceed my expectations. Sure there were bright moments, like 'SOMA' and 'Last Nite' from 'Is this It,' but overall the songs lacked a certain punch to make them really memorable. This might have something to do with Fabrizio Moretti, who just really isn't a good drummer. No doubt he's the group's prettiest face and most charasmatic interview, but I think he's an average percussionist at best. Another issue I have, is that lead singer Julian Casablancas seems reserved on stage. Instead of engagaing the crowd and parading around the stage like the rockstar he is, he seems content to hide behind the microphone, hair in his face, cigarette in hand, and heineken in his stomach. Surprinsingly, his voice was in good shape- he actually hit the high-notes in Juice Box 75% of the time.....The main problem is, this "I don't give a fuck" attitude that is central to the Strokes image holds them back more than propelling them forward, at least in a live setting.... One of the highlights of the show was watching Albert Hammond Jr. command his Jimi Hendrix stratocaster. Albert seems to be the one Stroke who is really comfortable being himself in front of the masses. In addition, he's a surpringsinly good 'live guitarist.' Specifically, the solo in 'Last Nite' was excellent. It's very true that the Strokes are marketed as a 5 equals, but it's clear that onstage Albert rises above the rest of the pack. It's nothing against the other guys, but they just don't make their mark like Mr. Hammond. (And quite frankly, I'm not sure that any of them would really give a shit if somebody told 'em that). I should also mention that I almost barely noticed Nikolai Fraiture who is clearly the George Harrison of the band (without the talent, ouch). Anyway, I have to cut this review short because I'm hungry. The bottom line is that The Strokes are still young and have a chance to be a really good live band someday, but they aren't there yet. The difference between The Strokes and a great live band is that great live bands (Rolling Stones, U2, Green Day) aren't self-conscious on-stage, and they are willing to engage the audience. I know comparing the Strokes to those three bands is unfair, but you've gotta keep the standards high. As a performer, you have to will yourself past the stage-fright and give a piece of yourself to the audience. From what I can tell Julian Casablancas just hasn't gotten comfortable enough with himself yet to do that. Lucky for him most of the crowd didn't care what he said or how he looked, they just wanted to hear some music. The good news is that they are still young and will get better...Well, I'm sure there are typos all over the place. Oh one minor thing to add, The Strokes 'encored' with 'New York City Cops' and another song from the first record which was a solid way to end the show. All in all I'd give them a 6/10.

HOOPS

2006-03-24T07:57:00.000-08:00

Last night was awesome. From Duke to Gonzaga to UCLA to lesser known teams like Bradley, it was an action-packed night for NCAA Men's Hoops. For me however, it all started with those pesky Golden State Warriors and the recently-slumping Dallas Mavericks. Lucky for you impatient non-basketball fans, It's fairly easy to sum-up Golden State in the past decade with 2 words and one contraction: 'they've sucked'. Infact, they've caused so much pain and suffering in the Bay Area, that I hear Chris Cohan is trying to implement a plan to put up a suicide barrier on the West-Bound side of the Bay Bridge.... A few little pieces of information about the WNBA basketball team named the Warriors. They are from Oakland, California, they have had a handful of great talents over the years such as: Mike Dunleavy Jr., Alton Lister, Tim Young, Uwe Blab, Justin Timberlake, Vonteego Cummings and Air Bud...No seriously, since the team's inception in the 1960's, the Warriors have boasted talent ranging from Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlin, Al Attles, Nate Thurmond to Chris Webber, Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin. Sadly, the squad hasn't made even a legitimate 'run' at the playoffs since MC Hammer frequented the Oakland Coliseum in the RUN TMC era (92,93,94). At least somebody was legit enough to quit at the right time (awful). Oh and I should also mention that the team hasn't had an all-star since Latrell Sprewell in the mid-90's.... What happened last night is something you don't see very often, a Warriors road win in Dallas. With 4.5 seconds left on the gameclock Jason Richardson dribbled down the court, spun around a couple defenders, and nailed a 3 pointer with no time remaining, to win the game. After the play, J-Rich (short for Jason Richardson) ran into the stands, reached into Mark Cuban's chest and proceeded to pull out his pulsating heart and throw it at Dirk Nowitzki who was heading towards the Mavericks locker room. Oh, sorry I started fantasizing for a second there, but seriously, the Warriors won and it felt great...More importantly perhaps, it was another special 40 point outing for Jason Richardson who seems to be knocking on superstardom's door more often than not. Case and point, JR has been carrying an inconsistent squad down the stretch while averaging 27 points per game (since the all-star break)! Hey, I know The Warriors are supposedly not in the playoff hunt, but we're only 4 1/2 behind the 8th seed, The Queens (Kings). It's a longshot with 16 or so games left, but it can be done, oh yes it can.

After the Warriors game, I Saw Gonzaga lose an absolute heartbreaker to UCLA. After the game Adam Morrison was seen shedding tears on the halfcourt hardwood. Honestly, for a second I felt like crying myself, I mean the kid really cares. Honestly, how refreshing is it to watch this guy play? I love the kid. What kills me are the inevitable NBA player comparisons that Morrison seems to elicit on a regular basis. For the record, The guy is nothing like Mike Dunleavy, Keith Van Horn or Mike Miller. Morrison possesses something that those guys only wish they had; heart. While MDJr is often scared to even take a shot, Morrison is constantly looking to be aggressive and take over games. How about that moustache by the way? My friend Daniel recently pointed out that even Rosie O'Donnell can do a better impersonation of Tom Selleck than Adam can. I love it.

Can't wait for Baseball season

2006-03-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

If you watched the Giants game last night then I'm sure you saw Barry Bonds clobber a 400 FT home run in his second at-bat. The most remarkable thing about the bomb was that it looked like he was slightly fooled by the pitch, yet he still managed to hit it a mile. Even more impressive was the plane of the ball - no, it was not a towering drive, but rather a line drive that cleared the right field fence by at least 30 feet. Bonds continues, in his early 40's, to exceed expectations. He is a staggering 9 for 12 in spring. I'm sorry but there's no empirical evidence to prove that steroids improve plate discipline and hand-eye coordination. LOL..Bonds has perhaps suffered the worst sports media backlash in the past 10 years and is still performing at a higher level than anyone in baseball. I'm a Big Giants fan, but I'm an even bigger baseball fan, and I truly appreciate the entertainment value of somebody like Bonds. What's getting clearer everyday is that Bonds isn't slowing down yet. If Bonds plays 120 games, the Giants will see plenty of postseason action this year for this reason only; when you have to walk Bonds 2 or 3 times a game it gives your team a distinct advantage. Just look at how Billy Beane loads his team with high OBP guys; if you have lots of guys on base you score lots of runs, its very simple. I should also mention that having Moises Alou in the 5 slot really gives the G-men a chance to put some runs on the board. Can't wait!

The Mid-Week Blues and Greens

2006-03-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I played 7 holes or so at Olympic with Mike Abendroth. I've finally gotten to the point where I'm hitting my irons solidly 75% of the time. I wish I could say the same about my chips/putts. It doesn't help that when I try to think of a valuable saying or spirtual lesson to guide me through bad shots, that I always come up with Yogi Berra-isms like, "90% of the game is half mental," and "80% of the balls that don't reach the hole, don't go in," etc etc. LOL, not helpful at all. Anyway, after our round and thanks to Mike's recommendation, I ate at a great burrito place called, "Ocean Taqueria," on Ocean Avenue. What makes the place so good is that they grill everything in front of you. Very fresh, very tasty, and yes I will be back.... When I got home I watched the Warriors put up a nice effort against the San Antonio Spurs. Of course in the end I knew we'd lose but still I thought we gave a spirited and resilient effort. It was interesting watching Derek Fisher try to guard Eva Longoria, oh I mean Tony Parker. Talk about inseparable, John Lennon/Yoko Ono comparisons anyone?By the way, its painfully obvious how much better the team plays without Baron Davis. I hate to say it, but Baron's concept of a half-court set is hoisting up 3's with 20 seconds on the shot clock. No doubt he possesses superior talent at the PG position, but if he can't learn from his mistakes then what good is he for this team in the long run? In my mind Baron is the 2nd most talented PG in the league, next to Nash, but he hasn't shown that he's willing to improve and put his behemouth ego aside.

Oh, I should also mention that I'm seeing those NY hipsters the Strokes on Friday. I've heard mixed reviews of their live shows. For the record, I will be keeping tally of how many times Julian Casablancas drunkenly trips over his microphone cord.

Not a good day

2006-03-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

It's easy to take life for granted sometimes, but when somebody gets really sick you realize just how fragile our existence is. My friend's mom is in the hospital. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Back home

2006-03-20T16:28:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm listening to a record called "Pretty Together," by a Canadian power-pop outfit named Sloan. If you like Superdrag, The New Pornographers or Teenage Fanclub you will love Sloan. If you like melodic bands who write killer tunes then you will love Sloan. If you like songs that knock you out with great hooks then bring you back to life then you will love Sloan. Pick up a copy, 'nuff said.

The trip to Spring Training went by way too fast. As you know my Dad and I are huge Giants fans and love baseball... Another reason to go to Scottsdale, was to play some great golf courses....However, the main reason we went to Scottsdale (near Phoenix) is because, my Dad and I, participate in a Fantasy Baseball league with some guys from the Bay Area. Basically, we travel to Arizona every year, meet up with 15 other guys (7 teams) from the Bay Area and do a fantasy draft in a conference room to kick off the fantasy season. Pretty nerdy huh? A little bit more about the league... About 15 or so years ago a group of lawyers assembled a fantasy baseball league consisting of 7 teams. As it turns out my Dad was very good friends with Ken Finney, an SF attorney, and they started one of the seven teams called 'Los Tigres.' Sadly three years ago Ken passed away and my Dad didn't have a partner. Enter Cam into the equation. I could get more into the whole draft process but it'd be incredibly boring to you non-Baseball folk. There are actually two leagues, one of them is a team you keep year-in and year-out the other league changes every year. What I will tell you is that during the draft we had a conference room, a continental breakfast and a whiteboard at our disposal. NICE.

I saw two Giants games while in Scottsdale. Honestly, I loved being outdoors and at the games but I couldn't really properly assess the Giants farm system in such limited time. In reality, I really saw only 1 game because I showed up in the 5th inning to the first one and left in the 5th in the second one. The truth is I wanted to stay but there was a group itinerary and I had to stick to it. I must say one intriguing guy for the G-men is non-roster invitee Tyler Von Shell. Even though he went 0-4 with an error, there was a lot of buzz surrounding him. Apparently the kid can really hit and field his position (first base). He also had quite the entourage of friends and family cheering him on.

I also got a look at Matt Morris, the new #2 in the Giants rotation. He looked pretty rusty to say the least. Being a notorious late-bloomer, I'm expecting Morris to really start punishing hitters around June or July. Not much good to say about MM; his curveball didn't curve, his sinker didn't sink and his fastball didn't blow anybody way. He gave up 5 runs and sprayed some hard hits to all fields including a home run and a couple doubles.

BTW, Ray Durham is going to have a huge year, bank on it. The guy is in his contract year, is in better shape then ever. He is going to hit .315.

Well enough about baseball and Golf for now. You've heard about the twin eagles and such. I'll try to get back on my AM update schedule. Laters.

Spring Training Day #3

2006-03-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

Too tired to type. Shot a 91 today. Dad and I had an eagle on the SAME hole at a course called Wekopa near Scottsdale.

Trip is great. My face is sunburned. Good night.

Spring Training Day #2

2006-03-17T11:45:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, I love Arizona. The women down here are beautiful. Man oh man. Cam Heaven. Last night I went to my favorite teppanyaki joint called Kyoto's. One of the things I notice about being in Scottsdale, is that there are a lot of young people. Perhaps I'm a little jaded by the predominantly middle-aged Bay Area population, but almost every person at Kyoto's seemed to between 20 and 40 -and to say the least it was a festive, if not drunk, atmosphere.

Anyway, true to the itinerary, I haven't actually seen a baseball game yet. That said, I don't think there is a game in Scottsdale today. Tomorrow and Sunday I will be seeing the Giants play at Scottsdale Stadium, which is conveniently located 5 minutes away from our hotel(walking)..... This morning my Dad and I played Lookout Mountain Golf Course in Phoenix and now we're off the Arizona Country Club to play another 18. The morning round did not go well- I didn't break 100. It was difficult because I had never played the course before and there were some hidden bunkers/water hazards. By the way you like bunnies then come to Phoenix, jackrabbits be everywhere yo,.

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Well I gotta go, if you're lucky you'll get a further update tonight, if not then tomorrow for sure.
Peace.

Spring Training Day #1

2006-03-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

Quick update. Last night I bit into a piece of Olive Bread and my front left crown came out. I had to haul ass up to see my Dentist, Dr. Nii in Daly City and get it glued back on. Pain in the rear, but very nice for him to stick around afterhours and help a brother out. I will chew cautiously all weekend...Well, In a couple hours I will board a flight to Phoenix, Arizona. Yeh! The plan is to check into the hotel and then hit up the golf course for an afternoon round.... There is a Giants game tomorrow and on Saturday, so I'm real excited. I'll try to update the blog at least once during my trip....Have a good one!

An Ode to Dennis Wilson- why not?

2006-03-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

I've finally got Dennis Wilson hair and I'm damn proud of it. A little bit more about Dennis: he was the main drummer of the Beach Boys from 1960-1983 (or so). He was the middle child in the Wilson family (Brian, Dennis, Carl) and was the only real surfer in the group. If you've read any of the Beach Boys biographies then you probably know of Dennis as the reckless heartthrob who lived everyday to the fullest. I hope I can briefly shed some light on why I think he was the coolest Beach Boy ever. Unfortunately, I don't really have time to proofread or go into detail, so I'll be brief.

First of all, there is no doubt that Dennis was troubled to the core, he was a womanizer, he was notorious for his drug and alcohol intake, and from day one he exhibited a penchant for risk-taking. He grew up with an abusive father, Murry, who set unattainable standards for all three of his children. No matter what Brian, Carl or Dennis did they could not please Murry. When Brian was in the studio recording 'I get Around,' his father lamented on how bad his singing was. When Dennis cut class to hang out with his biker girlfriend, Murry berated him in front of family and friends. Sadly, in later years, all three brothers developed a pattern of self-destructive behavior that can be directly traced to their abusive father.

What I liked about Dennis in particular, was that he attacked life with an enthusiasm, fire and passion. While the rest of the band hid behind the super-clean, super-straight image, Dennis always stood out as an individual with his shaggy hair and carefree demeanor. His behavior could be unpredictable and impulsive, and especially so towards women, but in the end there was a likable puppy-dog quality about Dennis that endeared him to everybody. I should also mention, that when you read old interviews with the Beach Boys, it is always Dennis who is the most insightful, candid and forthright. While Brian was no doubt the genius of the band, and Mike Love the showman, Dennis was always the most able to connect with the audience in ways the others guys couldn't- as a real Beach Boy. Awww, how sweet...Anyway, I gotta get to work, but I'd just though I'd tell you why Dennis Wilson is so cool. Next month my hair will be modeled after Sean Penn from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Why did I go into a schpiel on Dennis? Because goddamn it I felt like it!

Lethargy

2006-03-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

Well my dream of visiting the ER yesterday never did materialize. Apparently, I needed to jump through a few hoops (TB Test, interview etc etc) before getting my feet wet. Totally understandable..... Now, I almost never complain of being bored, but last night I was really, really bored. I'll start with a brief synopsis of my Monday. Around 4 o' clock I got home from work early just so I could fill out the SF General Volunteer application. As it turned out, the app was nowhere to be found and I couldn't pick one up because the office at the Hospital was closed. As I mentioned earlier, I had expected to check out the ED but I couldn't because I hadn't gone through the proper protocol for training. Normally, I wouldn't let the 'boredom' fester and I'd head out to the golf range to hit some buckets. Unfortunately for my sake, there's kind of an unspoken rule to steer clear of the Olympic Club on Mondays and let the Club Employees(Club Pro's, Caddies, Bag Shop Boys) enjoy a round or two on their own, without members interfering. It's a definitely great idea, by the way, to reward the guys who bust their tails 7 days a week for our spoiled asses.

Anyway, what I ended up doing last night was watch an aggregate total of 5 episodes of cable programming including: 3 episodes of Law and Order Criminal Intent, 1 episode of Law and Order Special Victims Unit, and 1 episode of Real World/Road Rules challenge. In addition, I saw about half of "Along Came Polly," another Ben Stiller classic. Why Do I love Ben Stiller so much? To me he is the epitomy of good Jewish Humor. He's smart, nuerotic and complicated. But above it all, he always plays a genuine person (ok maybe not Dodgeball) who is perpetually 'wronged' in some fashion. With the exception of maybe Robin Williams, Stiller is probably my favorite actor right now. Unlike a lot of the actors of our time, Ben Affleck and Lindsay Lohan come to mind, Ben Stiller although prolific in his output, doesn't suffer from over-exposure in the media. To put it bluntly, I appreciate him because he's not a paparazzi-whore and doesn't appear to be too caught up in the whole Hollywood scene.

In other news, The Forty-Niners signed Free Agent Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant to a 4 year 13 million dollar contract. Nice signing, he'll definitely be the #1 guy ahead of Arnaz Battle "of who could care-less." Now if we could just get a general manager, an Offensive tackle, a couple lock down corners, a tight-end, a linebacker, another wide reciever and a couple Defensive ends we should be just fine :@)

HBO Hangover

2006-03-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

I can't say enough about the new HBO series, 'Big Love.' Talk about a show that truly lives up to being 'groundbreaking' and 'original.' LOL. Hey, don't get me wrong, the kick-off episode for the Sopranos was very good, but, 'Big Love' certainly held its own, especially for being in the unfortunate position of batting cleanup behind the most popular HBO series ever. This new hour-long extravaganza, is about an unorthodox, to say the least, family in Utah consisting of one husband, three wives and three children. The show gives us a close-up look into the personal struggles of each wive and especially the main character Bill Henrickson. From sexual dysfunction, to lack of sleep, you see the side-effects of trying to give too much too often. As a viewer you get the sense that Bill will never be able to reconcile the two main forces in his life; a relentless work schedule and the immense pressures of supporting/ nurturing a needy family. I'll be the first to say that this lifestyle isn't for me. The most interesting part of the show is the that Bill Henrickson isn't the domineering Mormon male figure that I imagined, but rather an average-Joe type who simply wants to put the bread on the table for his family.....By the way, Sopranos was very good as always. Most of all, I'm looking forward to see how Tony handles the newly appointed New York Boss Phil Leotardo.

Oh, and tonight I'm going to follow my good friend Isaiah into the Emergency Department at SF General to see what it's all about. Excited.

Back from O-Club

2006-03-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

I am happy to finally be indoors and out of the rain and wind. The only plus side to the nasty weather today was that the golf course was absolutely deserted and perfect for the blazing tempo of Michael/Cam....I have to say, I'm getting to the point where I simply can't stay away from the golf course for very long. LOL. Anyway, today I played the lake with my Dad and ended up somewhere in the mid-90's even though I didn't keep track of each shot. The best news is that my putting has really improved in recent rounds. It seems the further from the ball I stand, the better my follow-through is. I think it's because it allows my arms to dangle and I feel more relaxed in my overall approach to the hole.

I should also perhaps mention that I found my pitching wedge and sandwedge today- Both of the clubs had mysteriously disappeared last Thursday and I was worried. Thank you the bag shop! Gave 'em a 5 buck tip for that one. (Are you bored enough yet?!!)

Tonight is the season premiere of the Sopranos. Thank god, it has been way too long.

Snow in San Francisco? I think so.

2006-03-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

The following is a brief excerpt from my latest novel, documenting the local snowfall and cold weather in the Bay Area entitled,"March 10th, "The Day the Jet Stream F*cked us." Ok, obviously I'm just kidding here, there really is no book, just an upcoming rant about the recent changes in our once all-to-dependable microclimate.....If you didn't read my entries below then you probably don't know much about my unusual interest in meteorology (the study of weather). It is because of this intense passion that I will now talk about my first experience with snow in San Francisco, California..... I first learned about the 'apparent snowfall,' last night as I was on my way back from Steve's 24th birthday dinner at a North Beach eatery called 'Citizen Thai.' At the time, all I had heard was that there was some 'frosty looking stuff' on the tops of parked cars, and that it "could possibly be snow." To my slight disappointment, when I arrived in Noe Valley 10 minutes later, I found out that the 'snow' was actually a mixture of sleet, hail and ice that had actually disguised itself as the former gold-glove first baseman of the San Francisco Giants. (Only Giants fans will get that). True to form, and without an ounce of defeat I might add, I decided that I would find my snow before the night was over, even if I died trying. After snapping some pictures of Mother Nature at its finest, namely taking photos of sleet on top of cars, I finally managed to coerce my sister and Steve to shuttle me to the top of Twin Peaks. Hehe.... Knowing full-well that air cools at a remarkable 5 1/2 degrees per 1,000 ft, (read my blog below), I realized that I finally had my chance to witness the unthinkable, the possibility of a snow-capped San Francisco hill-top. As my sister drove onward and upward the temperature dropped from a cool 42 to 40 then down to an unheard of 35 degrees. As we made the last turn around a bend I saw a white patch next to the road, sure enough this was what I was looking for. After the intial shock wore off, and after a series of screams, we descended down the hill again back to Noe Valley. I'll end the story there because I have to get onto other stuff. Pure bliss I tell ya, pure bliss.

The bad news was by this point, the best part of the night was over. After picking up the Friday night crew, David and Jamal, at a local watering hole called the Noe Valley Tavern we decided (Steve, Meredith, Jamal, David) that we'd head over to a bar in SOMA called the Holy Cow. What was going on at the Holy Cow? A party. What kind of party? A dance party. Cam's type of scene? Not at all. As I entered the club the first thing I noticed was that my hair was the longest of any male in the whole damn place. This wasn't really a problem per se, just a casual observation. So you get the picture right? Guys with button-down shirts and abercrombie tattoos, girls with too much make-up and fake tanning solution etc etc. Quite frankly, I felt more out of place than Dick Cheney at a gay pride parade. Thankfully, Steve showed us some sick breakdancing moves and kept us entertained. He is GOOD by the way.

What can I say, I just don't understand the whole concept of 'clubbing,' anymore. To me it seems like such a hollow and uninteresting way to spend a night in the city. I guess its clearer to me now because I don't drink and I see the consequences of too much alcohol, testosterone and hair gel. In particular, I just don't understand how you can have a meaningful discussion or relationship with somebody when you're A) Wasted and B) can't hear yourself/others talk. To make matters worse, I've been told many a time that my dance moves recall Elaine Bennis more than Ricky Martin. Sad.

Cold Rain

2006-03-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

I'm proud to say that I'm still recovering from a surprisingly spirited and energetic practice session last night with The Turn-Ups! A lot of times when we come back from a prolonged hiatus, we spend more time scraping off rust rather than actually jamming, but last night was a pleasant surprise. After catching up on each others whereabouts for the last 8 weeks, Rich had grown a massive beard and then shaved it and Brian had worked his tail-off, we proceeded to rock some old tunes and breath some fire into the new ones. We covered a considerable amount of territory from early stuff, 'Discontent' (2003), to the more recent 'For the Show' (2004), to the relatively new, 'Yeah Yeah' (2005). I mention these three songs, because we are trying them in new keys. To make a long story short, over time I realized that I needed to move some of the songs down in key/pitch to accomodate my increasingly distressed vocal chords. Naturally, I was apprehensive about telling the band that I needed to possibly make some adjustments, since everybody was used to the songs in their old keys. To my pleasure, I was happy to find out that Brian and Rich were most accomodating to my concerns, and willing to at least try a new approach to the old tunes. Out of the arsenal of key-changed tunes, I have to say that 'Discontent,' sounds the best and has the most potential....In other news, we are finally making more solid progress on the record. More on this later.

Well, its cold and wet today. I checked my Lexus-mometer earlier this morning and it said 47. Now, if its raining and 47 at Sea level then that can only mean one thing. Snow in the local Bay Area hills. I once learned that for every 1,000 feet you gain in altitude the temperature cools 5 1/2 degrees fahrenheit. Now since you can actually get a wet snow around 37 or 38 degrees, this means that the snow level is probably somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 feet right now. (But it's probably only really sticking above 3,000, so Mt. Hamilton watch out!) What does all this mean? Not much, just a nice little segue into a childhood story that I must divulge to my blog readers. Before I tell the story, you must know that I was absolutely obsessed with the study of weather (meteorology) as a kid. Infact, I'm proud to admit that I checked the weather page in the SF Chronicle on a daily basis from 1986-1994. Anyway, back to the story.... When I was 12 or so my Dad drove me and some friends (Graham, Beto and Brendan) up into the Santa Cruz mountains on a rare snowy occasion, to check out the mayhem at hand. I remember being really overly-enthusiastic about the snow, and I went up to a woman who was getting out of her car and I blurted out,"CAN YOU BELIEVE IT IS SNOWING, OH MAN, THIS IS AWESOME!" I remember the look of surprise and utter shock on her face. My untempered enthusiasm for the elements had caught her completely off-guard, enough so that she almost slipped and fell into a pile of ice. Sadly, all she could muster was a little, "yeh its neat, you weirdo" sort-of response. Lucky for me, this little incident didn't squelch my inner-pride or my passion for weather (Mel Gibson sequel?). Other than this little incident, I remember having a glorious time chucking snowballs at cars and busting out the badass purple sled. And of course I still wish it would snow in San Mateo. For the record, it hasn't happened yet. Well, anyway, the rain means that I probably won't be living the spoiled life today, (playing golf on a weekday). Bummer. Well, I gotta get to work, big-time procrastination today.

Carpe Diem!

2006-03-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

Since most people don't care about my ever-evolving passion for golf I'll keep this part of my entry brief. I shot a 99 yesterday on the Lake course, 47 on the front (first nine holes) and an ugly 52 on the back. I played the first 8 with Mike Abendroth, who is the son of local golf legend John Abendroth (Hooked on Golf). I played the next 10 holes or so with my Dad who met up with me near the half way point. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that my short game is abysmal. Before I get significantly better I've got to work on this facet of my game. Ok, enough about golf.

Last night I watched an excellent movie that I should've seen a long time ago called 'Dead Poets Society.' If you haven't watched it, definitely go out and rent it. If you have Comcast Cable/On Demand, its in the 'Free Movie' section. The movie is about a group of highschoolers struggling to find their own identities at a strict, prep school on the East Coast. My favorite actor, local SF resident Robin Williams, is the real star of the movie. He plays an abstract, freethinking teacher who's only passion is to teach poetry without guidelines and boundaries. The movie probably takes place in the 50's/60's (filmed in 1988/89), but there's a certain timeless quality to it, that will make it just as good 20-30 years from now. There are a lot of very inspiring scenes including the one where Robin Williams whispers, "Carpe Diem, " to his class as they smirk and wonder what he's talking about. We find out that "Carpe Diem" means "Seize the Day," as I'm sure many of you know (I didn't!). Other than this scene there are moments of triumph, sadness and loss that I won't get into, because I don't want to spoil the fun for those that haven't seen it. I highly recommend this movie, a must-see!

Well, today I've got a voice lesson and a band practice on the Cam itinerary. Indeed, I haven't jammed with the dudes (Brian and Rich) in a long time and I'm very excited to get back into the swing of things. Not only do I like playing music with these guys in the small practice cave, but I enjoy the comararderie and the overall creative process of pouring our little hearts into our instruments. I guess I'm lucky 'cuz I feel like I'm sharing something with those guys that's pretty unique and special. Awwww. We've been playing together now for almost 2 years and like a fine wine, I feel like we're getting better with age..With that mentioned, I haven't written a new tune since 2005 and I need to re-establish my friendship with Mr. Taylor, my acoustic guitar. The worst thing is when things get stale and there's no passion in the music, this often happens when you overplay old stuff and don't have new material.... At the same time though its important to not force the songwriting process- I always find its better to let the songs come to me then vice versa. In more disappointing news, we're still working slowly on our first record. It's been a really frustrating process and I don't really know what else to say. I could go on about it for awhile but it'd just make me more frustrated than I already am. To be honest, my mind has been off music lately, which I think is healthy. I've been thinking about other things. I'm sure come April/May we'll be gigging out again and The Turn-Ups! will be in full effect.

Well that's all for now, I'm definitely looking forward to my upcoming trip to Scottsdale, Arizona next weekend to see my Giants in early-Spring form. Most of all, I just love the laidback vibe of Arizona. Of course waching baseball, catching some sun and relaxing by the hotel pool come in as a close 3-way tie for second. I'm also excited for tomorrow night as there looks to be a fun little 'Cowboy style' party going down SOMA. David, Daniel and I have some pre-party Tiger Woods PGA Golf plans (nerds). Needless to say, there should be some alcohol involved somewhere along the line and probably some coca cola for me. We'll see how that goes. Take care.

Oh, Barry

2006-03-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

Is anybody else sick of hearing the same old story about Barry Bonds and his steroid/HGH intake? I certainly am. Maybe it's just me, but it feels like I've been listening to the same opinions rehashed over and over and over again. If you are however, interested in some genuinely authentic insight (pardon the redundancy) on the issue, please check out my friend Graham's SF Giants Blog. I have it linked on the right side of my page. He updated it yesterday and its a very interesting read. While I can't really shed new light on the Bonds debacle, what I can say is that I honestly feel bad for the guy at this point. No doubt he's responsible for most of his own misfortune, but at the same time the media has created a front page monster out of something that should only warrant first class service in the Sporting Green. Does it need to be ahead of Iraq, the North Korea missile testing and the attacks in India? Absolutely not. Basically, it feels like they took a magnifying glass and zeroed in on the easiest target possible- Bonds' oversized head. To make matter worse Bonds is probably more deficient in social skills and Media posturing techniques than he is in testosterone. 'Nuff said. Next.

In other news, yesterday I got in touch with Renee, who is employed in the ED (Emergency Department) at SF General. The next step for me, is to send in my application and get an interview with Ariel Chan, the Head of the ED. Basically, I'm looking to volunteer once a week (5 hr shift) and get some hands-on experience in the ER. Predictably, I'm excited, but also a bit nervous. If I do infact become a volunteer, I will witness things that some people will never get to see in their lifetime. Note: SF General is not a White Collar hospital, but rather a place for the lower-class, underserved people of San Francisco, a place where one person can make a huge difference. Chances are, I'll directly experience the negative consequences of poor decision-making, the vicious cycle of poverty, drug-abuse and violence and I'll see first-hand how our choices impact our well-being. I will also come face-to-face with serious injury and even possibly death. Then again, it is also possible that my experience will entail more PG-13 aspects of care-giving, like changing bed sheets, moving patients, running from place to place etc etc.

Before I go on further, I should perhaps mention that on my personal resume, I do have a significant history of visiting hospitals. When I was very young my sister had open heart surgery at UCSF (San Francisco). Unsurprisingly, at this young age the mention of the word "hospital" brought up more feelings of anxiety than comfort. Nonetheless, over the years I've managed to develop a certain level of appreciation for Medical personnel. Especially so, after I had my appendix taken out Sophmore year of highschool.... With all that being said, Nerves aside, I'm really excited to work with other volunteers, nurses and doctors and learn more about medicine. Most of all, I just want to give back and feel like I'm making some sort of difference that isn't just totally self-serving. On the other hand, I feel like this is a great way to find out if Pre-Med is something I'm really serious about. Believe me, I know the headaches that Physics, Chemistry and Calculus can cause for non-science oriented people like myself, so I just want to make sure its a well-thought out decision before I take the academic plunge...Well that's all for now, I'm playing Golf this afternoon with my friend Mike Abendroth and maybe my dad. Hopefully I can break the century mark, I'll fill ya in tomorrow on how I do :@)

An apple a day keeps the doctor away...

2006-03-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a nasty start to the day! About 45 minutes ago, I was driving down Cesar Chavez St. in San Francisco and it started hailing. It was so loud that I could barely hear Tony Bruno on KNBR 1050! For the record, if you like witty Italians who know their sports, you just might like this guy. Anyway, the mini-monsoon lasted for 10 minutes and now there's just a steady, driving rain that I'm watching from inside my parents garage (my workplace). And yes, of course I'm sipping on my English Breakfast Tea.. Anyway, I thought I'd ramble on about how and why I decided to go back to school in the Fall. Rewind 9 days. I get home from my trip to Las Vegas and notice a large envelope sticking out of my mailbox. It was an abnormally large and thick envelope, and somehow I knew my fate was enclosed inside. I opened it up and sure enough there was a letter of acceptance into SF State as a Biology-Physiology major. Yay! Why Biology you ask? Because it will allow me to take pre-med courses. Why take Pre-Med courses you ask? This question begs a more careful, well-thoughout answer that will undoubtedly end up a disorganized rant of some sort. I guess I'll start right now. My whole life I've always imagined myself as some sort of therapist/counselor type. Specifically, I've thought long and hard about psychiatry. After all, there's nothing like prescribing medications and pumping people up full of Xanax and Clonipin on a weekly basis. Joke! No seriously, the thought of going to Medical School has crossed and uncrossed my mind more times than I'd like to admit. For the record, I've heard about the hardships one endures as a pre-med/Med-Student: Sleepless nights, little or no free-time, a highly competitive atmosphere, hard classes, the trials and tribulations of MCAT studies, excessive hrs. spent doing hospital/clinical volunteer work etc etc. That being said, I feel like I'm at a juncture in my life where I can give a lot more to my studies than I ever could before. I'm more mature, I'm more focused, and just a more together person for the most part (at least I think I am, lol)... Truth be told, Pre-Med or not, I know I want to do something where I'm helping people in some manner. The other thing I'm considering is trying for my PHD in Psychology. I guess there are still a lot of routes I could take. I do know one thing. I am certainly not the 'business type,' and I can't see myself running a business like my Dad or Sister. At least not at this point...On a little side-note: there's an interesting little dichotomy going in our family between Group #1 (DAD/SISTER) and Group #2 (MOM/ME). The former being business-oriented and the latter being drawn to more to nurturing fields like teaching/counseling. This is why my sister and I run such a good business (will get into it later); our personalities are different yet surprisingly compatible. Anyway, because I'm the Group #2 type it's all about finding my niche in the small world of non- type A personalities. I feel like going back to school is a win-win because it will afford me that chance to figure out what I want to do- even if it isn't medicine. Anyway, I will write more in the coming days about school etc etc because it is on my mind all the time. For now enjoy your Tuesday, I've got to get to work cuz I have a Mason meeting tonight and an afternoon appointment.

If liquor's a lover, you know I'm a virgin

2006-03-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

FYI, the real lyric is from a Two Gallants song and it goes, "If liquors a lover, you know I'm a whore." A great lyric and a perfect segue into my topic for the day: Alcohol. Indeed it has been 5 weeks since I consumed my last alcoholic beverage. Coincidentally or not, I feel more clear-headed, motivated and driven than anytime in my life. Why you ask, at the ripe age of 25, would somebody all of a sudden stop drinking? The main catalyst in my decision to stop imbibing was plain and simple- I realized that I felt better when I didn't drink. Actually, there are a lot of reasons why I'm ordering Cokes without Jack these days. First of all, it disrupts the ultra-sensitive alternative therapy I've been receiving called Nuerofeedback (I'll get into this more later). More importantly though, I'd rather be doing something productive then wasting my Saturday/Sunday mornings in bed with a hangover. Moreover, I feel like there's something changing inside of me that I'm just beginning to understand. I want to move forward with my life, and inevitably I feel like there's some things that have to be left behind in the process. Ultimately, I've realized that alcohol is more a hindrance then a help. There is no doubt that 2006 has been a huge year for me so far (relatively speaking). I've decided to go back to school, I've sworn off red-meat and alcohol and now that housing prices are going down, I feel like I have a new lease on life, (apologies for the lame sentence there). At some point soon I'll delve more into Nuerofeedback and my decision to take Pre-Med courses in the Summer/Fall. I promise. Enjoy your Monday.

Golf

2006-03-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

Great, I just wrote a whole schpiel (sp) on my golf game and it got erased with one flick of the finger. Anyway, a couple minutes ago I got back from the Olympic Club after playing 9 holes of golf with my Dad and his buddy Mike Rossi. It all started at 10 AM this morning when I received a call from my Dad telling me to get my ass out of bed and onto the golf course. Turns out, he had been trying to get a hold of me all morning and I was fast sleep, somewhere in the process of getting my usual 9 1/2 hrs. I ran down the grassy knoll and met Mike and Mike on the middle of the 5th hole on the Lake Course and proceeded to play the best 9 holes of my life. I hit a drive on 6 that almost landed on the green (300 yards) uphill. This was a very encouraging par for me especially because I ripped my chip high up onto the three tiered green and had a nasty downhill putt that neccesitated a near perfect approach. (Just so you know, I am a 21 handicap which isn't very good, but I am getting better, I think ;). By the time we made it out to the 14th hole the big storm that was supposedly causing flash floods in Guerneville hit us and we headed in for the day. After the uphill trek to the clubhouse, I ate lunch with my dad and watched David Toms sneak up on a frustrated Tiger Woods at Doral. Not a bad way to start off the Sunday, espeically with the Cambo Soup special: Turkey Noodle soup and a Turkey Swiss sandwich on the side. Tonight is family night so I will spend the night at my parents house in San Mateo and lay on the couch while my Dad lights a fire and my mom cooks up a storm. Something big is on the tele tonight but I can't remember if it is the Grammy's, Emmy'sor Golden Globes. Talk about not paying attention, heh. The worst part is, I have to wait ONE MORE WEEK for the season six debut of my Sopranos :( Who's going to get clipped? Definitely Pauly or Moltesante.

Allow myself to introduce my...self?

2006-03-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

Hello all, and welcome to my brand new blog!….My name is Cameron Loughlin and I am a 25 year-old 'dude' from the hilly confines of San Francisco, California. I stumbled upon 'blogging' because I saw my friends doing it, and decided that I could do a little bit as long as there were no side effects like dry mouth or nausea. A little bit more about me...My greatest gift in life is also perhaps my worst vice- I am unusually self-reflective and honest. I'm very curious and introspective and for the most part I would call myself a pretty “open” person. In fact, at times I have been too forthcoming about my personal life, and have let more people in than the offensive line of the San Francisco Forty-Niners. Either way, the chance to finally 'blog' is great for me, because I can improve on my writing skills and express my feelings/emotions on a variety of subjects.

Recently, I suffered through a ‘quarter-life mini-crisis' and somehow came out a better person. It’s been nearly three years since I graduated college, and the time-off has allowed me to fix my own potholes and also develop further neuroses. I should also mention that I have attended progressive private schools my whole life, with the exception of college, and therefore have little or no understanding of proper syntax, grammar or punctuation. (Really, they don't go over this unless you go to a prep or public school). Keeping that in mind, I hope that you get a healthy kick or at least a slight pinch out of my attempt at writing witty, cohesive and well-structured sentences. A few more tid-bits about me; I live and die for my local sports teams (Giants, Warriors, Niners). I am close to my family. I love Sunday night HBO…Oh, and I also enjoy collecting Coca-Cola memorabilia, writing and performing my own music and eating salty foods. Other than that, I'm taking some pre-med courses in the fall to figure out if it's something that holds my interest.