Alan

On Communal Bathrooms

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 21:42:19 GMT

Alright Folks, I felt like sharing a bit about my perceptions on the topic in question. When I first got to the dorms, I was so excited that I did not particularly care what exactly was going other than the fact that I was going away from home. The idea of a communal bathroom was a little odd to me, but like most other things in life you will be surprised at what you get used to. I am fortunate in that my wing, happens to have a male communal bathroom within easy reach (two doors from my room across the hall). The women in my wing are not so fortunate and have to go across to the NW wing (I am in NE) or up a floor.

Now, what is so darned freaky about a communal bathroom? Its the fear of having someone walking in on you. Oh its perfectly private and all, but there is still a little part of you that is whispering that some voyeur is going to come in while you are in the middle of something. Now, the showers are seperated from the stalls which is nice. There are three showers, each with its own seperate personality. I will go over them in some detail below.

Shower A "Miss Popularity": This is the shower that everyone in my wing loves. Its the left most shower and the reason behind its popularity is relatively straight forward. It works. It works well. The shower head is outstanding allowing for several degrees of customization, the temperature of the water is constant, all in all this is what a shower should be. It is a walk in design, there is no tub just a relatively roomie square allowing for a fair amount of maneuvering. Of course, if all showers were this good there would be no need to list the others right?

Shower B "Meanie": This was the first shower I tried and I have not gone back since. I admit, I bear some culpability in the exchange that led to my branding this shower and outcast but I disgress. Like Shower A, this is a walk in square design. However, unlike Shower A this one does not have a shower head at all! The very first time (and the last time) I utilized this shower, I woke up at 5:45am (its freaky, I wake up waaaay earlier here than I used to back home) and sorta dragged myself out of bed. I grabbed my towel, my flip flops, my bath robe, my soap and my shampoo and I headed in. My vision was kinda fuzzy, so I slid into the middle shower since the first one (Shower A) was being utilized. I got right under the shower head, and clawed for the water controls. A moment later, I moved it to warm water and peered upwards expecting a succulent spray of water to hit my face and drag me out of my still semi-asleep state. Instead, a thick stream of water ended up clobbering me in my left eye. (it did not hurt persay, but I stumbled backwards in surprise and almost fell in the stall right then and there. ~_~) It did not take long after that to realize that there was no shower head at all, and that the water was not being forced into smaller streams or anything of the kind. I left like a spurned lover and have not returned since.

Shower C "The Prankster": The right most shower is different from its sisters in that it is not a walk in square design. No, this is an actual honest to god tub with curtains and everything. I much preferred the way that this shower looked, although it quickly became apparent that not many people seemed to be using it. I took it upon myself to investigate the reasons as to why this shower seems to be the least used of all. It did not take long for me to find out. Firstly, unlike the left most shower (A) that faces a wall, this shower faces the street. That is to say, that there are windows that you can see through to a parking lot. Okay, that was a bit creepy. Slipping into that particular shower for the first time definately made me feel more self-conscious than most. It is true that the bottom half of all the windows are tinted, so you really cannot see much of anything...if you happen to be of average height. This is where being 6'3" tall comes to bite me in the butt. After getting into the shower and using it however, I quickly realized that something was amiss. The temperature of the water fluctuates -wildly- at apparently random intervals. The shower will be deliciously warm for five minutes before out of the blue, BOOM! it is ice water running down your back. Another time the water will rise to the point where it feels its grandma's tea brewing season or some sort of perverse global warming nightmare.

I am getting used to the whole communal bathroom thing, and in all honesty I am somewhat amused by the different personalities the three showers in the floor provide. Ultimately, I suppose I could down a flight of stairs and try the fabled bathroom therein. Perhaps eventually I will, right now, I am too danged lazy to bother. As one of my friends has been so fond of saying...

"So very poor...can't be bothered."

Alan

Dorms

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 06:23:59 GMT

Okay, I admit it I am horrible at updating this thing. :(

Anyways, now that I got that out of the way I have to say that the living in a dorm room experience is more or less what I expected. I have a single so I suppose that does take away from the experience but being a graduate student and a 25 year old I thought it was a step in the right direction. I am getting used to being in this room, which is really a bit smaller than I had in mind. I have my bed, a desk with my computer on it (may it live forever) and my clothing thingies and I am rapidly running out space. I did not even bring that much stuff! Still, the people in my particular wing have welcomed me with open arms and they really are a good bunch. Since I went for the room and board thingie, I have a spiffy little food card that I can use to eat in the school facilities. This is both good and bad. Its good because the food is very tasty. Its bad because the food is far from healthy and I am somewhat concerned about gaining weight. I am trying to balance out the good food/bad for you aspects of local eating by having good snacks at the dorm room. If I don't have junkie stuff in the room to tempt me, I should be alright...or so the theory goes. I will keep you all updated on how my battle against the bulge goes.

Alan

Well, that is a relief.

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 06:15:50 GMT

Heya All,

As usual I am pretty bad with keeping up with this thing, however over the last few days a few things of note have popped up and I feel like sharing a few of them. Firstly, I am happy to announce that I have been accepted to a graduate school. Mercy College has gracefully accepted my application for the fall of 2006, and I am quite content with that knowledge. The Mercy College is appealing to me due to its offering of the master's degree I am interested in and the fact that it allows me to go away for school. With my acceptance, a great deal of what has been stressing me over the last few months is lifted. Now, all I have to do is wait and see with my financial aid arrangements and hope for the best.

More to come later, I am sleepy. ^_^!

Happy New Year! o.O!

Mon, 03 Jan 2005 19:25:42 GMT

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Yeah, yeah, I know its late but did you expect anything less from moi? :P

Anyways, so how was my new year? It was a bit unusual but highly entertaining nonetheless. My original plan was to ditch the family, and head on over to Jersey where I would once again brave the evil biological warfare kittie named cody. Unfortunately, that dastardly plan was made null and void when my dear mother asked me to stay home with the family. I stayed home, and we chose to go to a local japanese restaurant (Sushi Yu II) for new year's. The entire party of people that went along were my own immediate family (mother, father, brother), and a whooping five neighbors. I am not a huge fan of sushi, but I figured this place had to have something that I could enjoy.

Making it to the restaurant was not a problem, and once inside we started our orders. My father ordered some seafood dish, my mother ordered Bento Scallops, I ordered some chicken curry rice primarily because I was thinking of the anime "Chobits" and wanted to try that particular dish. My brother ordered Chicken Teriyaki, and we all ordered sake! ^_^! The waitress lady, asked to see my identification which was sort of flattering. It just reminded me that my typical goatee is sorely missed.

The Sake arrived and I wasted no time in trying the beverage out. It was warm, which was sort of expected eventhough traditionally hot beverages and I don't see eye to eye. The glasses were also tiny, but hell that just gives the impression that you are drinking a lot. I have to say that all things considered I was not overly impressed by Sake. It was an okay beverage, but it certainly did not compare favorably to most of the wine I have tasted. I did hear my father comment that it was not the best sake he had ever enjoyed, so I suppose I am going to give Sake another shot in different surroundings.

The group made idle chatter as the food got prepared, and I got to know some of our neighbor guests a bit better. My father and my brother were quiet most of the time, as was their usual while my mother and I were chatting it up. When the food arrived, a hush descended upon our congregation. One thing that I immediately noticed was that the servings were very generous. My brother's chicken teriyaki was positively overflowing with chicken and my chicken curry rice was similarly stuffed into its plate. The presentation was also more than adequate, and a few minutes after the food arrived no one was talking on the table. The stuff was good.

What broke the silence was my mother commenting upon the fiery capabilities of wasabi and its effect on the human tongue. My father, puzzled by my mother's claims took a big chunk of the wasabi and without preamble placed it in his mouth. A moment later, his eyes were watering and he had a shocked looked on his face.

Father: This is good! I feel it here. *motions to his nose* It is making my eyes water.
Mother: I told you it was powerful.
Father: *closes his eyes and smiles* good stuff.
Neighbor: *watches the wasabi* does anyone know what this is made of?
Me: *smiles* actually. I have a story as to how the japanese found wasabi. *everyone on the three tables turns to look at me* Long ago, back during the time of the Shogun a japanese samurai found a cave, that led down to the fiery pits of hell. He entered the cave bravely, and followed the path all the way down the seventh layer. There, he found the floor coated in a waxy green substance which he scooped up and carried back to his shogun. The Shogun, tried the susbtance and blurted out "WASAAABIII!!". The name stuck, and it has been thus ever since.
Neighbor: *blinkblink*
Brother: *Laugh*

We kept eating, finishing up our main course and the vast majority staying for desert. Ice cream was the most appealing choice, although the restaurant had an usual item. "Fried" Ice cream, which naturally I immediately tried. Apparently, the ice cream is surrounded by some sort of shell which is then fried. You have to eat the shell in order to get to the ice cream, the shell was interesting. It sort of tasted like cake, and like most other edible things happily went down the hatch. We left the restaurant at roughly around 10:30pm, made our way to one of our neighbors apartments were we awaited the coming of the new year. The new year arrived as scheduled, filled champaigne glasses waiting in anticipation for when the ball in times square would fall.

With the arrival of the new year, we all made our resolutions most of which will likely not be kept (I am a realist). Afterwards, our lively group scattered back to their homes. All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience and I enjoyed getting to know five of my neighbors a bit better than before. I wish all of my friends a happy new year. For the ladies in particular, I assure you that this is merely another year for your beauty to grow. The guys, you don't get no love from me. :P

Alan

Tue, 30 Nov 2004 02:54:24 GMT

hello lovelies,

I have been working over the last month with national writting month, in order to conjure up a little novella of at least fifty thousand words. This has been part of the reason why I have not been participating in some of my usual roleplaying haunts with my usual regularity. I apologize to some of the people I have squandered during this time. However, I have accomplished my goal.

HOOAH!

^_~

Alan

fun and games

Mon, 22 Nov 2004 20:17:38 GMT

Well, here we go on a magical recap of what happened over the weekend.

For the first time in about three or four weeks I get the opportunity to pay a visit to my friend Cameron in New Jersey and of course I take it. Wake up early, well, sort of early, grab a shower, prepare my big bag of travel stuff and head out to the 34th street transit hub. The trop down the subway is perfect, the trip from NYC to New Jersey is perfect, and Cam lo and behold is actually waiting for me when I get off the train. I am feeling like a million pesos. Cam and I chat it up as we head to his place, located five minutes or so from trenton. We get to the joint, we have some fun for a while and he shows me Half Life 2 in his undeservingly potent computer system.

Now, the house in which Cam lives has a cat called Cody. The kitty is adorable, buuuut, he happens to be one of the cats that I am allergic to apparently. It is simply the way it is, and I will gladly put up with discomfort in order to see my friends. Nonetheless, by the end of Friday my lungs are bothering me, my breathing has that annoying whistle, and I am breathing through my mouth. This is with the taking of Benadryl in the recommended doses and puffing Albuterol every four to six hours. Obviously, I really like Cam and that damned Cody is irresistible but I disgress.

The roleplay game friday night had a few rough starts, but Cam was recovering from illness so it was expected. In the end, I think everyone was satisfied. I crash in the couch, and get ready for saturday. Saturday was a lot of fun, more Half Life 2, more catching up with Cam and other friends i had not seen in a while, more huffing and puffing coming from my part. Have I mentioned how irresistible Cody is? Anyway, Saturday comes and goes without anything standing out too much in my mind.

Sunday, was a fun and yet irritating day. Cam and I take place in a roleplaying via the internet game, and some things occurred that really irritated me. It all comes down like a house of cards, and I leave the game feeling more than just a tad irked. Cam likes to say that I have a hair-trigger, that I go flying of the handle with little warning and on hind-sight I have to admit that he may be right in some regards. I have roleplayed for so long now, that my tolerance for what I percieve as bullshit is limited. Meh, the situation is currently being resolved slowly but surely.

I got home, took a bath, and went to sleep. I also drank water, lots of water because water is a precious commoditie in Cam's house. The man has a stack of Pepsi One, and naturally it is what is drunk most of the time. By the time I got home, I was dehydrated and my veins were pumping pepsi instead of blood. o.O!

It was a good weekend though, and I appreciate the opportunities that having friends away from the city affords me. It is an experience that I wish my brother could experience, but unlike myself he has never shown an inclanation towards branching out. I look forward to the next time that I have the chance to leave the city behind and head over to NJ to see my friends once again. Next time, I will make sure to bring a paint-mask or something and see if that helps my allergies against Cody. Have I mentioned how adorable the black hairball is?

Alan

Meh

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 22:03:38 GMT

I have been so bad to you Live Journal. *cuddles it* I will be posting more I pwomise.

Heh

Sun, 27 Jun 2004 16:23:18 GMT

How to make a Verliel

Ingredients:

5 parts mercy

5 parts brilliance

3 parts ego

Method:
Stir together in a glass tumbler with a salted rim. Add a little emotion if desired!

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

~~~~~

I am well aware of the fact that I have been very naughty for not keeping up with this thing, but now that I am back from my D.C trip I should have a more Verliel-like LJ post in the horizon. Until then, I am feeling silly and thus, I am just posting test thingies. HA!

LOL

Sat, 26 Jun 2004 06:21:05 GMT

The bitter taste of failure

Fri, 30 Jan 2004 21:16:34 GMT

It is true that no one likes to fail and I am no exception. However, today I have tasted the bitter taste of failure and can only take solace in the fact that it was not fully my own fault. I speak of course of my driving test which was scheduled for today. I journeyed into the depths of the Bronx, NY in order to seek that elusive prize which had escaped me in the past. A driver's license is something that I want and more importantly I now need if I am to be able to go to graduate school away from home. Of course, anything worth getting does not come easy. Or so the saying goes.

So, what happened today as I sought to earn the privilige of driving a car in the streets of New York? Fate intervened and all the sins I have committed in this and other lives coalesced into a creature unlike any I have ever seen before. My inspector turned out to be a woman of african-american descent which did not even had the manners to answer me when I introduced myself to her. On the contrary, my "hello" seemed to irritate her more than anything else. Through my driving exam, I found that she was made of ice, stoic, uncaring and totally detached from whatever humanity may have at one time resided within her.

My road test went along well enough or so I thought. I had little trouble with the turns, the parallel parking was for the most part a success and my broken "u" turn was quite smoothly done. However, my joy turned to dismay when at the end of the test I was informed that I had failed to pass. Indeed, I was bombared with a series of nuances from my poor handling of turns (which thinking back seems to be pure bullshit to me) to my lacking of jedi prescience when dealing with traffic (because mere mortals can see the future and react to things before they happen according to this woman.)

In the end, I accepted the judgement handed down to me as gracefully as possible. Still, a part of me realized that surely this was no woman beside me but she had to be satan itself in human form. As I glanced at the list of my so called transgressions, I could see nothing trully objective about them. My private fears were justified when I was told that my inspector happened to have a reputation for failing her students. Indeed, out of my three friends which had come to take the test as well, two had passed and myself and a girl had failed. The two students that had earned their licenses had been lucky enough not to take my inspector as their supervisor. However, the girl and I were not as fortunate.

I cannot help but feel that my failure today was orchestrated by the dark heart of my inspector, a woman whose very visage arises both contempt and irritating in my heart. I will take the test once more, I have no choice. However, I refuse to take the test with her along my side. I am certain that I will pass the test then, and if I do so my anger towards this woman shall be justified. Until then, I have to take all that I feel right now and compress it into a tiny ball. A ball which I shall seal in a corner of my heart. I will not allow to grow, I will not allow it to take hold within me. Nonetheless, it is a lesson that should not be forgotten.

Alan

Thanksgiving

Tue, 02 Dec 2003 22:11:44 GMT

My thanksgiving holiday was better than most in recent memory, the reason for the above average pleasure and joy that was derived from it was the presence of my grandmother. While my mother's mother spends a great deal of time with us (she practically lives with us for half the year or so) my father's mother has been a lot more difficult to be around. This has been due to the fact that she has spent most of her life in the Dominican Republic and we only got to see her when we visited her back on the island. Sadly, since both the boys got the College we have not gone back to the Dominican Republic and our memory of its inhabitants began to fade. My brother for instance feels distinctly uncomfortable around our family members that still live there. The reason is fairly straight forward. My brother is for all intensive purposes monolingual now, having lost a great deal of the spanish language that is for all intensive purposes our tie to our Dominican roots. I have fared a little better, but I cannot claim that Spanish is my primary language anymore. For better or for worse, we have been assimilated into the United States rather thoroughly, and that means speaking English far better than we do Spanish.

Of course, we both can understand the language. Furthermore, we both can curse like sailors in the spanish language. However, when it comes to speaking in Spanish things get a little complicated. I can get my point across easily enough, but there are words that are simply gone. My brother can barely get his point across as of late, but I disgress. What made this thanksgiving special was the fact that my father's mother travelled into the United States in order to be around her grandchildren as well as her own children. It was a rare occurance and it provided an opportunity to gather a considerable amount of family in one place. It was decided that the meeting would take place in my Uncle's house in Queens. Due to this, we would also be granted a chance to catch up with that particular branch of the family. Since I live in Manhattan and my cousins live in Queens, it is more or less a 90 to 120 minute train ride over there. As such, we have not kept in contact as much as we should have. My family revolves around branches centered on the various boroughs of New York City. The Manhattan branch I know quite well, while those in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island are a bit more distant.

The thanksgiving party was fairly straightforward, revolving unsurprisingly around my grandmother which I had not seen for slightly over four years. We talked, we laughed, a couple of my uncles and aunts got a little drunk and I got reacquainted with my cousins and my grandmother. Apparently, this meeting had been a wish of my grandmother's for quite sometime and we were all happy to having fulfilled it. The truth was that my grandmother had not changed that much, not from my memory anyway. Still, the fact that she considered this a wish was troublesome and upon digging a little bit deeper, I found out that my grandmother has been ill over the last year or so. I did not know the specifics, but it was apparently serious enough to warrant the trip to the US. Since I have no idea when I will return to the Dominican Republic again, and a few other factors, she decided that if her grandchildren could not go to her then she would come to us. I did not spend my time worrying about the future in the party, deciding instead to concentrate on a rare moment of peace as I was surrounded by people I had not seen in years.

The entire event lasted a lil over six and a half hours and when I left, I possessed memories that would last a lifetime. When my family and I arrived home at around 1am we said talked for a few minutes and then we all went to bed. My grandmother had been scheduled to return to the Dominican Republic the very next day, and she arrived safely back to her island home. However, within 24 hours of arriving she was taken to the hospital with water in her lungs and other phyisical problems. When I was told of this, I was shocked considering that a little more than a day before, I had seen her and talked with her. It was as if dealing with whiplash, one day she is there right in front of me laughing and the next, she is stuck in some hospital dealing with a situation that could be life threatening. I do not want her to go. I do not want her to pass, but I am thankful that her wish could be fulfilled. All I do now is wait and hope, that this will be only one more hill that she has to get through in her life.

Alan

passwords...

Tue, 02 Dec 2003 21:51:33 GMT

Passwords are lovely things, but I hardly ever write them down. The reason for this more than simply lazyness (something that I have plenty of) but the fact that I generally only use three distinct passwords for all my online stuff. There is the general low security "I could care less" password. The middle security "I sort of care" password that I use for this site, and the high security "nyaaaah!" password I use on a handful of online activities. The first two I have memorized, the last one I have written down. Apparently, there is a fourth password the "I chose this for livejournal and I have no idea what the hell it was password." Ungh. I just got my password back and decided to get back in the groove of writing things. With any luck, I will not forget this one. Heck, I am going to write it down right now.

Alan

The Rain

Tue, 24 Jun 2003 22:28:36 GMT

Okay, I admit the fact that I have a love-hate relationship with rain. On one hand, I absolutely love the sound that rain causes on a tin roof. When I was a child, hearing that sound was all I needed to fall asleep. I am also fond of running around in the rain under specific circumstances, allthough I have not done this in the United States. So why do I dislike rain? Because it tends to irritate me by confining me to my apartment. I generally do not like going outside of the house in the rain, and since my walkman is not waterproof it means I cannot enjoy my music in the rain. Furthermore, I trully dislike when it rains out of the blue. Case in point, two days ago I was in the middle of doing some greocery shopping when the skies simply opened up. I had not taken my umbrella and the end result was being drenched down to the socks. Urggh.

Mmmm....

Tue, 24 Jun 2003 22:24:55 GMT

zerlyel
Magic Number	19
Job	Leader of the Free World
Personality	The Glass Is Half-Full!
Temperament	Angry - At Everthing
Sexual	If I Have To
Likely To Win	The Booker Prize
Me - In A Word	Devious
Colour
Brought to you by MemeJack

Graduation...

Wed, 04 Jun 2003 00:21:26 GMT

The idea of graduation has generally brought with it a mixture of emotions from me. On one had, it represents and achievement that is especially in our world significant. However, it also reminds me of past sins, of opportunities lost and perhaps of a time where I did not try as hard as I could have. Everyone in College has to graduate sooner or later, and now it was my time to do so. I admit that I considered not attending to my graduation for quite sometime. The reasoning? I had a very weak start to my Collegiate career. I found myself in a school that I was not happy of, struggling with classes that I did not wish to devote the time to. I suppose that the biggest problem was the fact that I was accepted into my dream school but could not afford to go to it. As a result of this, I was relatively careless in my first few years of school. I did not try as hard as I could have, and my grades suffered due to it. It was not until I was facing expulsion from school that the reality of my position finally clicked. I was a student in a school that while was not one I loved, was a school nonetheless and I would fail if I did not change my habits. With the fear of impending doom hanging over my head like a guillotine I turned myself around. My GPA climbing into the 2.98 which will be my final grade point average. In my last four semesters, I racked up 16 A's, 3 B's and 1 C.

My GPA is certainly nothing to be proud of, but it will hopefully show a pattern of improvement and maturity to those that care to look at it as I prepare to apply into various graduate schools. And thus I found that there was a certain level of shame in my idea of graduation. I had not tried as hard as I could have, I had not done as well as I could have so why celebrate it? Why celebrate mediocrity? It was due to this thought that I doubted that I would attend my own graduation and even the night before it, I had planned not to go there. It was not until my mother brought up the fact that I was supposed to be graduating soon and when it would occur that I found myself hesitating. I could have lied to her and told her that it was not to come still, I could have brought up a thousand and one excuses...but I did not. Instead, I told her the truth that I was to graduate the next day. She was surprised and asked me if I wanted her to be there. I had planned on going there alone, but watching her ask and not seeing shame or disappointment in her eyes I found myself wanting her to be there. I asked her to come as well as my brother, and they both agreed. And so when I went to graduate, I would not be alone.

The only thing that I dislike about graduation is the fact that I have to get dressed for it. I am not horribly fond of slacks and shoes and shirts with ties, and I avoid dressing like that unless I cannot avoid it. Still, I found that dressing up was not as difficult or tedious as I expected it and eventhough I had not given graduation much thought, I wanted to be there. It was I realized, the last chance I had to see some of my friends again. Afterall, we would scatter to the seven winds after this. Some of us would go to school again, others would join the workforce and so I am certain that those faces I recognize, will not be seen again for sometime...if ever at all. The trip to the commencement area was uneventful, and finding the spot was not difficult. We simply followed the masses of graduates and parents as they walked in their procession towards "goldman hall". I am a Psychology student and due to this, I was to gather with others of my field. The graduates and parents were seperated and we were marched into our seating areas. The bulk of the graduation ceremony was totally expected, a series of speeches about the future and pride that the teachers felt at the class of 2003. I still felt a bit awkward about being there, but accepted the fact that I could not change the past. What was done was done, and all I could do was make sure that my future accurately reflected my abilities.

After the ceremony was over, I found myself standing and looking about, feeling a sense of pleasure at having participated in the ceremony as well as for having graduated. I left the gathering area, making sure to take notice of the buildings that I would not see again for sometime if all went well. I found my mother and brother, took an appropriate amount of pictures and said my farewells to various friends that I recognized. In the end, I was thankful that I had come and thankful that I had not been alone during the proceedings. Even now I feel that eventhough I did not try as hard as I could have, I did earn my degree. I realize that it is only one hurdle to overcome, but character is all about getting up after one falls. There is no doubt in my mind that I feel during my first years of College, but there is also no doubt that I stood up and kept running. I may not have finished in first place, or second, or third...but I finished. And in the next race, I will give it my all...from start to finish.

Alan

Trips...

Tue, 03 Jun 2003 23:56:45 GMT

There are very few things that I enjoy more than leaving the city and going off on a trip. I suppose it is part of the reason why I am so fond of taking long walks through the city, a bit of wanderlust that resides within my heart. But anyway, every chance that I have to leave NYC behind and head out somewhere for a while I generally snatch up. This particular trip was to take me deep into New Jersey, into the lovely home of a dear friend where a lot of fun laid in store for me. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity and prepared myself for it. I packed as usually more clothing than I really needed, but I always like to have more than I need. The trip down the train from my home in the upperwest side of Manhattan down to the middle of the island was uneventful, except for the fact that the train was twenty minutes late. This is by all intensive purposes insane, but it was not a critical failure. I still made it to Penn Station on time.

The beauty of Penn Station is that it is generally always full, which can be both a good and bad thing. I made it there with half and hour to spare and got my tickets within five minutes of arrival. The secret for this? Avoid the lines and get to the automated machines. Afterwards, I settled to watch the 8 or so members of the national guard all armed with M-16's and a few carrying with them what looked to be grenades. Ah, welcome to the 21st century. Very friendly fellows though, I chatted with a couple of them for a minute or so before moving on and buying the New York Times. Getting to my friend's house takes around 90 minutes and that can be dreadfully boring. The train was loading through gate 3, which I had anticipated and I promptly found myself being along the first people entering the train. The beauty behind this? If you are the first in, you pick the seat and I did so. I am fond of window seats as well as seats that only have a capacity of two. I have found through my transit career that I can project a sensation of pure "new yawka" that can make other people shy away from me. When this "mood" I project is mingled with my 6'4", 198 pound frame and the fact that I wear a goatee and have been to look like (a cuban revolutionary) I generally end up with the whole seat to myself. Oh yeah...

The trip towards my final destination was smooth, the train plowing through its tracks at its usual pace. I took the time to take a look around the window and see the NYC skyline fade away and be replaced by the scenery of the garden state. 90 minutes later, I was getting off in my usual stop and heading straight for the phones. Since my friend lives less than five minutes away, we have come to the pattern where I give him a call when I get to the station and he comes over to pick me up. This time however, my friend's father picked up the phone and asked immediately "alan?" Which of course freaked me out. After I answered that it was indeed myself, I was promptly picked up and driven to what would become my home for a that day and the next. There is something impressive about my friend's house, from its ample front yard to the colors of the various trees about, it projects a very welcoming and pleasant sensation into the mind. If there is anything I miss from the old days of not living in NYC is the fact that apartment life does not grant one a backyard. The idea of being surrounded by grass and trees is still one that is very dear to me. I don't think I will live in the city forever...

After the vehicle was parked, I headed straight to within the house and up to the second floor. The guest bedroom is there and that is generally where I leave my "bag of stuff". Afterwards, my friend and I headed down into "the dungeon" (the basement of the house) where we spent the next few hours talking, plotting about various things and raiding his pepsi one supply. The next few hours revolved around being there talking about various things. There is something pleasant to be said about being together with someone whom you respect and admire, a friend that has known you for quite sometime and that you enjoy being around. We are not horribly similar when it comes to physical and background aspects but we do have a lot in common when it comes to our beliefs, ideals and perceptions. It is a connection that I don't share with many people, as I only feel that connection with the closest of my friends. It is strange, but I feel more comfortable around him and a handful of other friends than my own family. It is one of those little oddities that makes me who I am.

As enjoyable as our chat was, we had a purpose for our return to my friend's house. For quite sometime we both had been part of a gaming group which was composed of various people. This would be the first time in roughly a year that we would be able to get back together with them. It was a reunion that promised to be interesting, and I admit that I had missed seeing some of those people. And so we both prepared for the 90 minute drive down to our final destination. The drive there was mild, the traffic being pleasant until we hit the Princeton area but even then, it was not too bad. Eventually, we arrived back into our meeting spot and had an hour and change long talk with one of our friends there. I had not seen "Rob" for quite a while and my friend and I had fun exchanging stories of what had occurred in our lives since our last meeting. Afterwards, we were led down to a second home were we were to meet the others. Upon our arrival, and seeing those faces that I had almost forgotten I felt positively thrilled. Stories were exchanged, laughter ensued and promises were made that my friend and I would do all in our power to see the old group again. It was surprising how little people had changed, their personalities and outlooks relatively intact with the exception of the couples. One of the couples in the group a year before had broken up and remained friends, the other couple seemed to be struggling along. It was surprising to see in a sense, considering that at one time I really felt that both relationships were solid. Still, every relationship has its ups and downs and no one knows what the future will hold.

The night creeped away becoming early morning and a handful of friends began to trickle away. Some of them had work early in the morning and thus one of the couples, the one that remained friends but were no longer an item left early. Afterwards, we all moved into the living room and continued our talks about the past, present and our hopes for the future. Eventually, both my friend and I realized that it was 3:15 am and we still had a 90 minute or so drive before we made it back to my friend's home. We said our good byes and a bit sadly, we both got into my friend's SUV and embraced the road. Thankfully, since the road was nearly deserted we made it back "home" in remarkably good time. After we both were there, it did not take very long for both of us to pass out cold.

Traditionally, when I sleep in a house not my own I generally wake up very early. The reason for this is still a mystery, but I suppose that I do not get as comfortable as I do at home. This coupled with the fact that my friend is not a morning person generally guarantees that I will be up before he is. This time however, he was up before I was and that was a surprise. After getting up I took a shower and then headed down in the early afternoon to eat "breakfast". If there is anything I can say about my friend is that his family is a lot like my own. My friend's mother and my mother must be long-lost sisters, each having an intense and somewhat grating interest in their sons lives. The father on the other hand is a lot more passive and calm about things, which balances out the parent structure. The day once more revolved around our presence in the dungeon as well as my friend's father offer to me to take me and my friend shooting one day during the summer. I jumped at the idea, not simply for the thrill of shooting a weapon (something I have never done) but because I tend to embrace new experiences (as long as they are not silly or weird).

Eventually though, my "sort of allergy" began to kick in and I had to take some benadryl to keep it in check. The allergy is a response to cats I believe, but since I love cats it is something that I have to deal with. Furthermore, my friend happens to have a cat named "Tigress" that I simply love. As such, it is something I tend to put up with even if it makes my eyes blood red and makes me sneeze at a ridiculous rate. After my Benadryl pill, I was able to return to my usual and my friend and I spent most of the day talking about the chances for a return to the old group and other things. We had some microwaveable digiornio(sp?) pizza and as usual, guzzled down large quanities of pepsi one. Sadly, my trip had to come to and end and I was driven back to the station shortly before my chosen train arrived. I said my goodbyes with a mixed feeling of sadness (since I enjoy my visits to my friend immensely) and anticipation for what the future would hold. The train arrived, I moved within it and sat down to await the return to the city.

The entire trip back was uneventful with one little exception. I am aware that the trip back to NYC is 90 minutes or so long and thus I made sure that my bodily functions were taken care off before I got on the train. Due to this, I was rather calm and certain that I had taken care of all eventualities. Alas, it was not to be. Shortly before we arrived at Penn Station, I came to the sudden realization that my body wanted me to go to the bathroom. A bit irritated at this, I did so as we pulled into the station. I was in the train's bathroom for only 45 seconds or so but when I came out of it, I realized that the train was empty and the doors were closed. Immediaely, I realized the obvious problem of my situation and after cursing bitterly I knew what I had to do. I first tried every door in the train segment and after making sure that they were all locked, I moved to the middle area where I broke open the glass covering of the emergency stop handle (I did this to make SURE that the train would not be driven into storage with me in it). In the process of breaking open the glass covering, I managed to cut myself on the underside of my wrist and draw blood. I am getting ever more irritated by my situation, but at least I know for a fact that the train is not going anywhere. Afterwards, I remind myself that some high IQ engineer had to have foreseen this happening. I could open one of the emergency exit windows and crawl out that way, but the fall into the train tracks in one side is not appealing. Eventually, I find that there is a door that can be manually opened in an emergency. I do so, and within a minute I am out of the train. I mutter for a moment before walking off, deciding that the sooner I get home the better. My trip on the train back to my stop was uneventful, and other than the constant "sting" of the cut I received everything is fine. I got home, dropped my things off in my room and crawled into bed shortly after washing the cut in my wrist.

Alan

Just those sort of days...

Fri, 09 May 2003 05:42:04 GMT

Well, where am I to begin? My life this last week has been revolving around the impending end of my collegiate career in terms of undergraduate work. That is right ladies and gentlemen, Alan is about to get his bachelors in Psychology. Of course, this represents only the first step of many. In the Psychology profession, you need at least a Master to get anywhere and a Doctorate to trully be in the thick of things. As such, I have begun the process of getting everything ready for my applications. I need to take the GRE and get the letters of recommendation and all that fun stuff. If all goes well and it probably will, I will be applying to four different schools by the end of next week. After that, it is all in God's hands.

Other than the somber realization that I am getting older and need to take control of my own life, Life has remained fairly static. I still follow my usual routines of taking long walks through the local parks, and feel an evergrowing wanderlust within my heart. This is the primary reason why all the schools I am applying to take me away from my loved NYC. Yes, it is time for me to go away from my family. I know how important they are to me, but it must be done. I am not one to look back and regret past decisions, I am not into that sort of thing. However, I understand that this is my last chance to experience life away from home in a Collegiate environment. I have never experienced the Dorm life, and while it has its ups and downs I want to experience it. If that means taking schools loans and going into debt, then so be it.

My family has always been central to my life. Raised in the Dominican Republic a relatively "traditional" society, instilled within me a strong core of family values. In some ways, it has held me back. I could have applied for a college away from home for my undergraduate degree, I was accepted to a handful of schools that were...a significant distance away from home. Still, it was the fear of seperation from my family that kept me back. Above all else, I now realize that it has been my brother more than anyone else that has had the most impact on my decision to remain home. It was only when I was going into College that our "relationship" began to mend. It was also my fear that without me around, my brothers relationship with my parents would deterirate. He and I are not much alike, while I adore my parents and feel close kinship with them...he does not. In that sense, I felt that familiar inner strife would be a logical result of my leaving home. And so I remained, and I am glad I did. However, I am leaving now and the situation has not changed too much. I still fear for what will become of him when I am gone, for he trully lacks the friends and associations that I possess. I feel at times that I am his best friend and perhaps, his only real friend. He has others, but he does not have the connection I have with several of my friends. He seems adrift, and I can only hope that he will survive the storm of my apparently impending absence.

But how goes my life? It goes very well, allthough these last few days have lacked any real note worthy events. I have been feeling sort of ambivalent towards doing much of anything, even in my primary release which is roleplay. It has been as if I inspiration has been sucked out of me. Which is strange, considering the enjoyment I derive from writting. It is hard to explain, but I have not been feeling as I felt previous weeks. I can't put my finger on it, but I am sure it will pass. I have also hoped that I do not become a victim of my own apparent popularity. I enjoy roleplaying immensely, but due to certain time constraints I can only roleplay with so many people at any given time. Due to the nature of my posts and the fact that it takes me generally anywhere from ten to twenty minutes to post, I am very self-involved. This means that at most I can generally handle two characters at once, and some of my characters demand all of my attention. At the same time, I realize that there are multiple that I "owe" plays to. I do not see as a chore, and I dearly enjoy every single storyline that I am part of. However, there can be little doubt that someone will desire to roleplay with me and I will be either too busy to do so, or allready engaged. I hope that those that I play to understand that, and see it not as a rejection, but as part of the juggling act that I must deal with. Remember loverlies, I love you all. ^_^

Oh, there was one thing of note that occurred to me in school tuesday. I was approached by an acquaintance-friend who asked me if I would consider going to a party. I was ambivalent about it, not being much of a party person but asked what kind of party. I was then told that all participants had one requirement, to dress in drag. Firstly, I was like "WTF?" considering that I am not comfortable with my body and try to show as little of it as possible. I would not consider going anywhere in Drag. ~_~; Soooo, I polite declined. I am still wondering what my acquaintance-friend was thinking. I would not wear women's clothing...not now anyway. Maybe 6 months from now...maybe. urgh. okay, this is over. bye!

Oooof. ~_~

Mon, 05 May 2003 12:51:26 GMT

I have been very bad with updating this thing, and I am making strides to update it more frequently. It is 8:51 am though, and I have never been much of a morning person.

Feh,
Alan

General Update along with some other stuff. ^_~

Sat, 24 Aug 2002 03:42:02 GMT

Hello All!

So what have I planned in store for this exciting journal entry? *smile* Well, I plan on talking about some of the stuff that has happened in my life as of late and then ponder a few deep thoughts that came to my attention through the wisdom of a friend. Firstly, let's talk about my summer school grades. I have to say that I am fairly proud of my grades (two A's and a B) especially since this was the first time ever that I bothered to take classes during the summer. Granted, I learned that one does not take a four credit course over the summer (it's hell on earth...*shudder*) but overall, I think I did as well as I could have. Before I move on to the interesting topic at hand, I want to talk a bit about some of the stuff that I have been up to as of late. I spent three days over at my friend Cameron's house. It was memorable since this was the first time that my brother tagged along for my ritual summer trips. It was interesting to say the least, and I felt quite happy that my brother was around during this trip. When we got to Cameron's home my brother and a friend of mine were welcomed with open arms. It made very happy that everything went so well. We spent from 7pm to 6:45am playing a roleplaying game. *hees* when we came out of the dungeon (cameron's basement) we ran into his mother in the kitchen making breakfast! *snickers* It was quite amusing, as Cameron's parents woke up we were going to bed. We slept for about oh, four hours before we woke up again, played a bit more and then we had to take my brother and my friend to the train station. They both returned to Manhattan while I stayed behind with Cameron for another day. Cam and I then proceeded to going four our last official meeting of our gaming group near Hamilton, New Jersey. It was a sad affair, since I like the people of the group...nonetheless, neither Cameron nor I would be able to continue gaming with them over the semester. The game we played was Dungeons and Dragons, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. After the game was over, we said our goodbyes, hoped to see them again and returned to Cameron's home. We then talked for a couple of hours, and went to bed around 4am. I slept well as usual, allthough I had to take some Benadryl in order to not sneeze. I woke up to find Cameron holding his cat Tigress about six inches from my face! O.O that woke me up allright, eventhough I adore the cat. After enjoying a good laugh at my expense, Cameron let Tigress down on the bed and left to do his thing. I of course spent the next twenty or so minutes adoring Tigress, who just loves to be scratched behind her ears. (have I mentioned that I love cats? I am sure I have. *_*) After twenty or so minutes of sheer adoration, Tigress was placed down on the floor and I went to take a shower. I then dressed and Cameron and I talked for a little while, before I had to come back home. ^_^

Well, that is a bit of background as to the memorable things that have happened to me in the last week or so. Now, on to the topic that really inspired this update to my journal. A friend of mine and I had an interesting conversation yesterday. The conversation evolved from simple greetings and hellos into well...my romantic ideologies for lack of a better term. It was a surprising conversation for a variety of reasons. The first being that my friend and I had never really talked in a topic such as this, and that it caught me by surprise. Nonetheless, it got me thinking and I could not stop thinking about it through that night and even today. I want to write it down on paper, and since my LJ is my own personal ranting space I felt that placing it here made a bit sense. Even now I find it amusing that I am the psychology major, and yet my friend led me along a series of questions that really got me thinking about the subject at hand, a topic that I usually don't pay a lot of attention towards. It was his skill in leading me along that impressed me, and my friendship with him that allowed me to be honest in my answers to him. I found it rather remarkable actually, and now without further ado some of the topics discussed!

The first question that my friend asked me was purely rhetorical, "if you had a wish. what would it be?". A simple question really, and it took me only a few moments to come up with the answer. If I had a wish, I would wish to have the good fortune to find my soul mate and live a life of relative comfort. This is what I would wish for. I do feel that marriage is in my future, perhaps not my immediate future but my future nonetheless. I also like to think that there is someone out there that is my soul mate, someone that I will be able to love without reservation and will love me back in the same manner. My parents have been married for twenty six years, and I know they love each other dearly. Nonetheless, I do not think they are soul mates. Yes, love and marriage will bear with its friction, that is in many ways unavoidable. Nonetheless, my parents have distinct views on the future and I am not sure that they will remain "together" forever. I don't overly mind it though, for they have been a good example for me to follow. In a world that seems dominated by divorce and fickle marriages, my parent's union has been an inspiration. It is, in many ways what I desire to have. I only plan on marrying once, that is it. Which is why I hope that I find my soul mate. During the long days and dark nights (corny I know...but work with me here. :P) it is a pleasant thought to have. As for the relative comfort part, I want to explain that. I don't need or desire a million dollars, a half a million dollar home or seventeen cars. A perfect life for me would be one where everything that I need will be provided. I want to have a house, a car or two and a family. That is all I need. A life of relative comfort is a life where financial pressures are not a constant fear. If I can provide for my family and grant my children their reasonable desires, I will be content. I am a believer that money alone, irregardless of how much you have will bear with it hapiness. I also believe that for life to be full, it must be shared.

Of course that question tied into what I like to call the "million smile" question, just how do you identify your soul mate? This is a question that I don't have an answer for, except to fall back on my overall perception of how love works. While I do think that "love at first sight" is possible, I feel that love really is an evolution from friendship. I can't see myself falling in love for a woman that I don't know, and hence why I feel that love is an evolution of friendship. I feel that love starts from friendship, a mutual attraction between both parties involved and a feeling that it is "right" somehow. I can't say that I am extremely experienced with the topic. However, both of the long term relationships that I have entered in my lifetime have followed this procedure. I have known people that have met, fell in love and lasted...but those people are few in comparison to those that I know that have met, become an item and realized that they really knew nothing about their significant other. I want to know someone for a bit of time, see what I have in common with them, how they act, what they like, and what they don't before trying to push things any further. The problem is of course, that it will hit a point where I feel hesitant to try and push things forward, since my question may "damage" the friendship allready established. Nonetheless, if one does not ask....one does not know. It is something that my friend and I talked for a while, and it does make sense to me. You have to risk it or someone else may have the courage you lack. Nonetheless, it is hard. I hope I will have that courage. Because if I don't, I may lose what I want to another. I don't want to have regrets.

The second question that evolved from my talk with my friend was rather interesting. The famous "what kind of girl would you like?". I know the question is valid, but it does make it seem as if boys are going shopping for girls or something. Nonetheless, everyone has their own preference for partners. I like to think that my own preferences are not that different from the "norm". When I gave my usual extremely broad and unspecific answer, I was asked to be a little more...specific. O.O so I was. I am six feet and four inches tall, and weigh usually in the 190s. As such, I would prefer someone that was 5'4" or taller. That is the height of my mother more or less, and while my parents are adorable together. I am not sure that I would feel attracted to someone that I absolutely towered over. The weight issue is very easy for me as well. As long as I feel an attraction towards the person, I am very open. I am not skinny myself, and I admit that I am not very fond of the projected "ideal woman" frame. I personally don't know many size 6 women or lower if I know any at all. On the other hand, I am also not overly attracted to an overly stout woman. Moderation in all things fits nicely here. The next question dealt with umm...cup size, and this is something that I could care less about. It is simply not something I pay a lot of mind to. Once again, this is one of those things that I lay partly to blame on the "ideal woman" issue that seems to be ever-present in the media. A,B,C, whatever. It is not an issue for me. And then, came the question of...sexual preference. x_x Okay, let us nip this in the bud. I have no problem coming out and saying that sex in my mind is not something that will make or break a relationship. I have been involved in two relationships that have lasted a considerable amount of time,and during these relatioships I have learned the following. Yes, I like physical contact. I enjoy holding hands, I enjoy cuddling. Sex is another matter entirely. I can live with abstinance, especially with all the problems that run around in the world. I live in NYC, I attended public school, a public high school and for all intensive purposes a public college. My parents are teachers, and I know how the song goes. I know 16 year old women whose lives have been "ended" for lack of a better word due to unexpected pregnancies. I don't advocate abstinence as the end all be all of the world. I support sexual education, I know how condoms work, and the pill and so on. Nonetheless, I am in no rush to hit the sack with my significant other. I would be lying if I said that I have not thought about it. I like to think that I am...passionate. I don't think that sex is reserved solely for procreation, but I am perfectly satisfied without it. Nonetheless, when I marry someone I don't want to jump in and start having children either. Sex is something that I am capable of waiting for and I want to wait for. As long as I can have my arms around my significant other, looking at her eyes...what more can you ask for?

Those were the central questions that my friend and I talked about over our conversation. But it did not end there of course. We talked a bit the present and the future. At the moment, I am about to graduate from college and then, I will leave the city and go -somewhere- for graduate school. I have come to that decision primarily because it is my last chance. I have never gone away to school, I have never been on my own. It is something that I have seen my friends deal with and enjoy, and this may be my last chance to do it. I don't want to have any regrets, so I plan on leaving the city and going somewhere for my master. At the moment, I am leaning to go into upstate New York. It is far enough that I will be satisfied by the distance, but close enough that I will not feel totally alienated from my family. Family has always been very important to me. So what is my future and what is my present? it is still up for grabs. I am happy to say however, that I have avoided the horror stories of the internet. Every person I have met in the internet has turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It is something that I am very grateful towards. Some of my closest friends are friends that live in different states and I communicate with primarily over the internet. I don't find that weird, just a bit different from what I expected. But back on my future plans, the biggest thing hovering in my future is of course my decision as to where to go for my master's. I have a few friends in schools in New York State, and there are several schools that I allready have in mind. Still, I sit down sometimes and wonder if some of the schools that I want to go...I am going for the right reason. If my friend was not there, would I still want to go? Still, as it stands now there are two schools in particular that stand out in my mind as possible future homes for me. All I need now is the courage to pick, and make the decision stick. It is still, a work in progress.

Well, this is all that my mind wants to talk about for the moment. I could probably say more, but I would be repeating myself. This last half of 2002 feels as if it will have a special significance in my life. I am not sure why I feel like that, but I do. This is the year that will open the path to my future, and I want to be ready for what comes...good or bad.

Alan

General Update!

Sat, 03 Aug 2002 23:16:07 GMT

I have been feeling very lazy as of late, but that was because my air conditioner was broken! It was hot and muggy over here in Manhattan and I really did not feel like posting. However, my air conditioner is fixed now. WEEEEEE!!! *bounces* anyways, a few things had happened lately that I want to briefly talk about. ^_~

The first thing I want to talk about was the evil Wednesday, where I had to take my three finals for my summer college classes. The first class, cross-cultural psychology had the trickiest essay. First of all, the class was great and the teacher wonderful, but I did not study it as hard as I should have. When the final came, it was a whooping 50% of the grade. This meant of course, that if one failed the test, everything before did not matter. I really, really, dislike those tests. I think I managed to get a "B" grade on it at worst, which is good. A B on the final will almost certainly give me an A on the course. Next came the pain of my existence, Experimental Psychology. Taking a four credit course in the summer is not a good idea...I learned that from this class. The class was four hour longs, and met three times a week. If you missed a day, it felt as if you missed a week! O.O thankfully, the final in this class was only worth 15% of the grade. It was an annoying, blue book, short answer-essay test. Ungh. Once again, my grade should hover between a B and A. I would settle for a B on the class, I believe I should have that. The final test was incredibly easy. My theories of personality test was multiple choice and relatively straight forward. I was done in 30 minutes! NWAHAHAHAHA! I should have an A on that particular test and certainly an A on the class. ^_^

What else is ther to talk about mmm? How about...OTAKON! woot! This year I had the privilige and ability to go to Otakon, under the invitation of my dear friend Cameron. At first I was not sure if I would make it (I was not given a lot of warning and it was all a last minute kind of thing that I could go to begin with) but things worked out. Cameron and I were driven to Baltimore from his hometown of Bernardsville and we stayed in the Sheraton Hotel for the three days. The first day was memorable, simply because it took us three hours to register! The line for registering coiled around and around like a snake. It was hillarious! Cameron was irritated by this, but took it all in good stride. After we registered, we started to run around and see what we could do. The costumes that we saw were excellent. It was very heavy on Final Fantasy, Trigun, and Cowboy Beebop. Most costumes were very nice to look at, some more than others (yes, Shiva, Morrigan, Faye Valentine and Moogle ladies, I am talking about you. :P). I was able to get more or less everything that I wanted. I got a few mangas that I could not find anywhere else, some original artwork from Otakon artists and a handful of gifts for some of my friends. The experience of seeing the Baltimore inner harbor, the USS Constitution was unforgettable. I did not regret for a moment having attended Otakon 2002, and bought a shirt to remind me of the good time I had. I definately have plans to atttend another Otakon, maybe even in costume.

And then I came home, back to Washington Heights, Manhattan. My first day back was rather disappointing however. Our Air Conditioner was damaged and we had to spend our nights with only a ceiling fan to keep us cool. Ungh. That sucked big time. Nonetheless, we survived and today our AC was repaired. Huzzah! I am now content to enjoy the rest of my vacation until school starts once again. After that, I have to start shopping around and seeing what school will have the good fortune of having me for my Master's in Pyschology. I have a few places in mind, one in particular where I would like to end up. I hope I can make it there, at the moment...that is my wish.

Well, not much more to talk about and I am getting a bit hungry. I will try to post more often now that I am back in the groove of things. Bye!

Alan

What a Day...

Tue, 23 Jul 2002 04:53:28 GMT

Have I mentioned how much I dislike mondays? It is a dislike that stems from the fact that Monday's are a day of adjustment. The joy of the weekend is gone and the weekdays have returned. I always have a hard time waking up mondays. It feels like shifting gears from fourth gear to first and hearing the grind of the engine. Bah. Mondays...*mutters*

Anyway, today I managed to catch the news of the Samantha Runnion case and found myself finding a dilemma. On one hand, my sense of justice and fairness desires that the person that they have charged for the crime, Mr Avila is indeed the person (allthough animal may be more fitting in this case, barring incredible mental illness to the nth degree) responsible. I do not want the person responsible to still be out there, praying on other children. On the other hand however, I am aware that Mr. Avila is hispanic and shares a family name that is painfully similar to my mother's maiden name. The last thing that I feel that hispanics need in the world, is to deal with a crime of this magnitude. And thus, there is the conflict. As a hispanic male, I hope that Mr Avila is innocent. On the other hand, as a human being I hope that if he is responsible, that he should pay for his crime. I have confidence that the truth will come out though. DNA evidence has evolved to a point where it is in many cases, the smoking gun. Nonethless, if Mr Avila is responsible...It certainly will be a sad day for hispanics everywhere. This is certainly a crime that will linger in the mind of many, for better or worse.

On a brighter note, I helped out a friend today in school. He had missed the previous week of classes due to certain arrangements that he had made that could not be changed. Our teachers were told of this well in advance, but he still could not help but find himself well behind the rest of the class. I took the time to guide him back on course, emailing him certain key papers that he had missed and guiding him step by step through a few procedures. Yes, it took a bit of my free time to do it...but the smile on his face and the sense of gratitude and friendship that ensued from my action was more than worth it. ^_^

Several of my friends are out on vacation from today onwards. I can't quite help but wonder how they are doing right now. I hope that they are doing well, and they probably are. I miss them allready, but I am sure I will see them again soon. I look forward to seeing them again, and hearing how their vacations played out.

that is all I can think of at the moment. I am tired, I am going to nap soon.

Bye.

Current Mood: Reflective
Current Music: Loreena McKennit "Remember Me"

Love Signs!

Wed, 17 Jul 2002 05:18:17 GMT

Okay, I admit it. I love stuff like this. Especially when I feel that it does fit me fairly well.
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hot earth
If you're hot earth, this means you probably:

* love hugging and cuddling
* like romance but aren't so keen on all the sappy trimmings
* play it safe when choosing a partner
* tend to let your amour take the lead
* aren't overly bothered about having a boyfriend/girlfriend
* don't handle rejection very well
* are rarely unfaithful
* take love and romance pretty damn seriously

Your good looks, charming personality and easy-going ways make you a highly attractive individual and you have little trouble in snaffling smooching partners. And because you're so practical and steady by nature, you take an uncomplicated approach to everything - including matters of the heart.

in love: You have an innate need for security and start looking for love at an early age. But you rarely rush into relationships, and you like to take time to think things through carefully. It's not that you never fall head-over-heels, it's just that you don't need to show it. You need to know someone before you make a commitment, but once you're convinced he's the one, you'll be faithful, attentive and adorable.

watch out: When you first meet someone you like, you come across as being pretty cool, but once you get involved you're not-so-cool, insecure and possessive side comes to light - definitely something to keep well under control!

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Well, What sub-type of Hot Earth I am? here it is. ^_^

hot earth capricorn: You're the least possessive Hot Earth type. You only throw a fit when it's well and truely justified.

I think it does fit me very well actually. Which I find a bit weird, very interesting...but weird nonetheless. ~_^

Love Signs Thingie! ^_^

Wed, 17 Jul 2002 05:03:23 GMT

Okay, I love taking things like this. I derive a great deal of enjoyment out of them.
------------------------------------------------------------
http://shescrafty.bitchy.nu/you/signs/lovesigns.html
------------------------------------------------------------

hot earth
If you're hot earth, this means you probably:

* love hugging and cuddling
* like romance but aren't so keen on all the sappy trimmings
* play it safe when choosing a partner
* tend to let your amour take the lead
* aren't overly bothered about having a boyfriend/girlfriend
* don't handle rejection very well
* are rarely unfaithful
* take love and romance pretty damn seriously

Your good looks, charming personality and easy-going ways make you a highly attractive individual and you have little trouble in snaffling smooching partners. And because you're so practical and steady by nature, you take an uncomplicated approach to everything - including matters of the heart.

in love: You have an innate need for security and start looking for love at an early age. But you rarely rush into relationships, and you like to take time to think things through carefully. It's not that you never fall head-over-heels, it's just that you don't need to show it. You need to know someone before you make a commitment, but once you're convinced he's the one, you'll be faithful, attentive and adorable.

watch out: When you first meet someone you like, you come across as being pretty cool, but once you get involved you're not-so-cool, insecure and possessive side comes to light - definitely something to keep well under control!

advice: Try to remember that like doesn't always turn into love - not over night, anyway - and that people don't always like the full-on approach. In other words - chill!

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Oh yeah, I also happen to be a Capricorn (Sea Goat). So what does this have to say about me?

hot earth capricorn: You're the least possessive Hot Earth type. You only throw a fit when it's well and truely justified.

^_^ I like the sound of that and it does seem to fit.

A day in the life

Wed, 17 Jul 2002 04:46:42 GMT

Well, what can I say about yesterday? The day started off been fairly lazy, since Tuesdays I don't have classes. I woke up at a decent time for me, since my eyes snapped open around 9:45 am. I did not leave the bed until 10:30 or so however. I find it very appealing to just lay in the bed, consciously aware that you are awake and yet unwilling to leave the confines of the covers. I just stretch and lounge in bed for as long as I can get away with it. ^_^

At 10:30 I did leave the bed though. I stood up, stretched a tiny bit and slipped into something a bit more comfortable. I then headed to the kitchen and had a bite to eat. At 11:30 or so, I began making preparation to give Chelsea a dear friend of mine a call. I enjoy talking to Chelsea, since I feel that we get along very well and our conversations are not forced. Chelsea is a joy to talk to. We talked for about 90 minutes before we both had to pull the plug.

After the call ended, I sort of drifted around the house and neighborhood for a few hours. Walks were taken, plots were hatched, and overall mayhem ensued. Eventually, I sat down to do some homework and then, dinner came up. The day was fairly blurry after the call, and before I knew it, The day was near and end.

I tried to cheer up a friend today as well, it is something I always try to do. My friends are special to me, especially those that I feel very close to. It is a bit odd, but I have found myself feeling depressed when my friends are feeling like so, and occasionally I have cried by simply knowing some of the things that have happened to some of my friends. I like to think that I am a bit empathic about such things. When my friends are happy, I tend to be happy. When my friends are sad, it does affect me as well. I hope that her situation stabilizes a bit, for she really is a lovely person and deserves the world.

Well, that is all I can think of the top of my head.

Music: "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack and "The Mystic's Dream" by Loreena McKennit

Weee!

Mon, 15 Jul 2002 23:15:05 GMT

Hello All!

Well, I finally have managed to get a Live Journal account! Sadly, I am not sure what to write about right now. Hehehehehe...I will work on it, I promise!

Alan