Understandaby, as the number of TV stations grows prolificaly and the
number of TVshows grows exponentially every year, us viewers have our
attentions directed this way and that like a rag doll in a 15-way
tug-of-war between four-year-olds who really need a buddy for the day.
Therefore, we watch all kinds of TV shows and all kinds of TV
networks, including food shows, reality shows, movies, news, daytime
soap operas, Saturday cartoons, and don't forget the ever-present
sports market showing live sporting events. It makes it o so easy to
forgo any long-lasting loyalties with shows and just go to the next
big thing that gets your attention. Just yesterday I watched the new
"Storage Wars" show with the bidder who always goes "Yuuuuuup", "Star
Wars 24-hour marathon," and watched 4 hours of NFL football. There's
just a LOT of stuff on.
Which makes the inspiration behind this post even more important: to
revisit shows that you enjoyed, loved, and swore by while watching,
but now haven't contacted for a long time, like a far-away relative
who you spent a month bonding with but now barely even email. (Yikes,
I have a few of those) The Wire is still my favorite TV show ever,
full of real-life conflict, sums-it-up-exactly quotes, and brilliantly
developed characters, this show was a godsend for 5 epic season. Here
are my top 10 favorite moments of a show that had more than its fair
share.
(SPOILER ALERT)
10. Avon and Stringer fight it out. Frustrated, beaten (Stringer just
got scammed by Clay Davis, Avon just got shot by Chris), Avon
confronts Stringer about his perceived lack of toughness and Avon
retorts back with "I just killed ur nephew, son. How's that for
toughness?" What's awesome is that it symbolized so many things
leading to the climax of episode 3: the crumbing of the Barksdale
organization, the difference in philosphy of Bell and Barksdale, the
evolution of the game v. the game is always still the game, and also
just a gradual betrayal between guys who used to be friends.
Delicious, delicious truth, plot development and symbolism in one
scene that pretty much epitomized the whole series.
9. Anytime Clay Davis said "Sheeeeeeeeeeit." You knew it was coming,
but you laughed anyway. One of the classic punch lines and typical of
the humor of the Wire: very dry and thrown in in the midst of death,
political turmoil, and other deflating conditions, but still very very
funny.
8. When older Randy is revealed to have been a thug: Broke your heart,
but highlights the problem of places like West Baltimore: Kids are
thrown into the fire and just don't come out the same. 1 in a absurdy
high number (Namond, Wee-bey's son) get "saved," but the majority end
up like Randy: in a group home where he's forced to adapt to his
surroundings, and in most cases he must adapt negatively: hardened by
the brutal reality that is the streets, Randy no longer espouses the
good-nature values he shared in Mr. Prezbo's class and must adhere to
the rules of the street: make money by selling drugs, beat up or be
beaten up. Sad, sad state of affairs but necessary to the honest
portrayal.
7. Gus's speech to younger writer at the Baltimore Sun as she's
leaving: "The pond is shrinking; the fish are nervous; win a prize;
maybe find a bigger prize somewhere." Such a great quote that
reflected the newspaper industry but also fittingly most industries
everywhere. Jobs are scarce, economy's not great, people have to fend
for themselves somehow, and quality gets diluted in the process. This
after one of his writers, in conjunction with McNulty, fabricated a
story about a serial killer who murdered homeless people to satisfy
his sexual appetite. Great storyline to end the series on but an
important one; people will take drastic measures to get ahead; the
truth gets sacrificed.
(Notice the subtlety of these moments I'm sharing. The most powerful
scenes on the Wire were not the "bam-bam-someone dies" scenes like
most shows are, the most important ones were the conclusory
conversations between ordinary people revealing what exactly was going
on. Masterful).
6. Carcetti waits for meeting with Governor; left waiting outside.
Perfect example of bureaucratic waste; a mayor and his top aide are
left to do nothing by a governor of the opposite party who "sees him
coming for him" in a future election, even though the mayor of the
"broke-ass city" is trying to do the right thing by fixing the
broker-than-broken" school system. Can't imagine how many cities and
states in the U.S. operate this way and how many good-faith attempts
for money for needed projects like school, welfare, or other social
goods are sacrificed by politics and individual people's struggle for
power.
5. Marlo visits Avon at his court hearing putting him away; gets his
product out on the streets. A changing of the guard; "the Young Boy"
gets his way and starts to rule West Baltimore and takes all of Avon's
corners. Like "Game of Thrones" in which it takes seasons for changes
in power to take place and the build-up to the regime change is better
than the change itself, so much of the street wars leading up to this
were similar to historic battles in medieval days or ancient China, or
in fictional Westeros in Game of Thrones: just a battle of power.
Everyone wants it; you have to fight and risk death in order to get
it. "The king calls all the shots. And he stay the king."
4. DeAngelo teaching Bodie and Wallace how to play chess, in the
process showing who's who in the drug war. "The king stay the king."
And the pawns die early. Basically foreshadowing each character's
fate as a "pawn" who got used and was forced to die so that the king
could be safe. Bodie tried to be the "smart pawn" and get all the way
to the other side to become a king, and was often referred to as
"smart" by McNulty for his "entrapment" stuff, but ultimately still
gave way to the true kings. It's sad: Kings get all the
accommodations, but out of thousands/millions, there can only be one.
3. Detective Freamon figuring out the supply system of Marlo: More of
a "Career Achievement prize" for Detective Freamon's awesome detective
work; enjoyed it more than the highly-publicized Bunk and McNulty
"Fuck" detective scene, Freamon was a solid presence on the show that
was the definition of "career cop" but also epitomized someone who was
actually good at his job.....and of course never gets promoted, never
makes major or colonel, etc. due to the "what-have-you-done and
who-do-you-know" nature of the police system, as well as pretty much
all systems.
2. Omar, while limping around West Baltimore getting chased by Marlo's
guys, burns one of Marlo's cash transporters and burns the money.
"It's not about that paper. Marlo ain't man enough to come to the
streets with Omar." Honor, integrity, man v. man......Omar, before
dying, shows us what a true hero he is. I'm glad there wasn't a cheap
spin-off with the "Omar Tales" or something to cheapen what he was on
The Wire: simply one of the best characters in television history,
ever.
1. The ending. Obviousy the ending of any long-lasting series stays
with you for awhile, but The Wire's ending tied it all together by
showing that the pattern continues indefinitely: Marlo's empire is
destroyed, but the Co-op continues to operate the drug trade; Omar's
dead, but Michael is the new Omar; bureacracy continues as Daniels is
demoted and Krawcheck becomes the deputy ops; a once-idealistic mayor
with good intentions becomes a political animal by jumping ship and
becomes governor; everything goes on despite McNulty's best efforts
(which in turn will be carried on by Sydnor). It is realy the
inevitability of the cycle of events that gets me; it rings true.
Everything will go on; there's really no change. Perfect ending to a
great series of television, and recommended viewing for anyone over
18; learned a great deal about how the world works, and it's not the
lily-white surburban world that I normally live in. Thanks for the
memories, The Wire. May something else come along that can rival your
awesomeness.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Fantasy Landscape 2011
As we transition into 2012, I wanted a big post on what transpired in
2011, kind of like what Bill Simmons does (man, the more I read him
the more I appreciate his work, that guy knows what he's doing).
Although years in fantasy sports are difficult to describe because
each of us had a different "team" we followed (unlike, say, following
the Boston Red Sox) that we built a relationship with ( albeit a timed
relationship that we knew would end and we'd never hear from them
again), so it's tough to define events in fantasy because only a tenth
or so of us can say "Cam Newton led me to my fantasy championship" or
"Robbie Cano killed me again this year!" So I have to stick with
rehashing individual player performances or fantasy trends
This was certainly a year that reinforced the notion that fantasy
sports, like many other industries and professions, belongs to the
young. Back in the "good ol' days," I remember old veterans like Greg
Maddux, Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, putting up
prodigious numbers even at an advanced age, coining the phrase "aging
like a fine wine, the older the better." That, to put it mildly, is no
longer the case. Whether it's because athletes train harder in high
school or college and are pro-ready right out of school, or older
athletes burn out more quickly, there's more violent contact in sports
that creates wear and tear on the body that breaks down older players,
but young players are DOMINATING the scene here in the early 2010's-
and it looks like it's gonna continue.
For example, it's been 5 months since the end of the fantasy baseball
season, but I can still remember rookie breakouts out of nowhere:
Alexi Ogando's first half, Brandon Beachy, Danny Espinoza, Desmond
Jennings, Michel Pineda, Eric Hosmer, etc., etc. In many cases, these
guys started in Triple-A were just called up to the big leagues, and
started producing for fantasy teams like their 2nd-or-third-best guys.
Meanwhile, guys like Derek Jeter, 2009 MVP, hits like .240 before the
Al-Star Break. All singles. Kevin Youkilis. Injuries. Hanley Ramirez
(a veteran by all accounts: injuries). Established guys one and all
struggling, furthering bolstering the case of why you should reach for
the "possible breakout."
Also why you should scour the waiver wire all the time, 100% the time.
There is no telling who is on the wire. And young guys can win you
championships. There's a guy on the waiver wire in fantasy basketbal
that I'm calling right now will help some teams win fantasy
championships: Marshon Brooks, New Jersey Nets. No one's heard of him;
he's good. He's this year's Steph Curry/Ty Lawson. Rookies ready to
pounce. I'll forever remember my waiver wire addition of Victor Cruz
in Week 3 of the 2011 NFL season: watch Cruz burn Nnadmi Asmugha twice
against the Eagles for long TD's; pick him up off the free agent list
immediately after. Watch as he burns secondaries al season enroute to
a destructive 1400 yards despite not playing in the first 2 weeks,
just behind Megatron and Wes Welker. The thing with Cruz is, he's the
knockout fighter on your squad: At any given time he could land a
70-yard TD catch or two and what was once a 15-point deficit could be
a 3-point lead for you fantasy team. He had a 99-yard TD catch that
turned the momentum for more than my fantasy team on Week 16
Championship day. My o my.
2011 was also a great year for up-and-comers turning into elite
players, setting reminders for fantasy managers why they should draft
26-and-27-year-olds entering their prime. After a dreadful 2010
season, Matt Kemp basically "just hit" and won the NL MVP and basicaly
torn my heart out because I owned him in '10. Fast, strong, makes
contact, plays field. And not put randomly into the 7th-hole by Joe
Torre anymore. Yea.
Ryan Braun.....broke out, if repeating what he's been doing for the
last few years could be considered breaking out. Although, his season
was a bit tainted by revelations that he tested positive for a growth
hormone after the season; my fantasy baseball leaguemates are already
questioning the legitimacy of last year's championship Braun-led
squad.
Calvin Johnson just became a certified beast this year, exploding like
a firework (thanks, Katy Perry for that analogy) Basicaly, good WR's
had good QB's throwing to them this year (Nelson, Welker, Cruz, Roddy
White) and Calvin had the best for what he needs, a deep-threat like
Stafford. A cross between Welker's bludgeoning "I'm gonna catch 13
balls for 10 yards each but I'll still get 130 yards" and Cruz's "I
will go 70 yards right past you cuz I'm fast," Johnson could do both:
break tackles and sprint past people. Doubleteams always required,
triple-teams sometimes necessary. Optimus Prime should be glad Calvin
isn't actually Megatron, cuz I'm pretty sure the Decepticons would
have won that war.
Mike Napoli highlighted for me what was a "If you drop somebody who
still has value, you will be punished season." After batting .196
going into June and hitting the DL, I dropped Napoli to clear up
roster space, intending to pick him up later before he came off the
DL. Predictably, another league member had the same idea, picked up
Napoli and his big stick swinging in the bandbox known as Arlington,
and the rest was a 30HR, .330 avg that probably would have helped me
into the playoffs.... if I hadn't have traded Brian McCann
prematurely, dropped Tommy Hanson prematurely, etc. etc. In football,
Peyton Hillis punished me for dropping him too eary, as well as
Maurice Morris. An active manager can live with mistakes if he picks
up more good guys than he drops, but you will always get a "what could
have been" feeling that I will forever call "The Napoli."
Fantasy basketball have crapshoots at the end of the season. It's
called the "Week 16 Bench Curse" in football and widely publicized,
but fantasy basketball might be more extreme because the playoffs are
1-8 in each division and the playoffs are pretty much half the season
for some times that coaches need to rest their players for. Thus the
odd result this year in my fantasy basketball final of starting guys
with names of Allen (Tony, not Ray), Bynum (Will, not Andrew), Johnson
(James, not any of the good ones), Barea, Gortat, Dudley, Sessions,
etc. Basically, young players on bad teams playing out the string, not
your fantasy powerhouses like Josh Smith, Kevin Love, or Jason Kidd.
It's actually probably where the fantasy men are separated from the
fantasy boys: You know you're a fantasy basketball addict and thus
qualified to win a hoops championship when you can name what college,
position, jersey number, and upcoming 5-game schedule that Ramon
Sessions has.
May the lessons of fantasy years past give me strength, and may 2012
bring greater tidings (and luck) to all of us.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
2011, kind of like what Bill Simmons does (man, the more I read him
the more I appreciate his work, that guy knows what he's doing).
Although years in fantasy sports are difficult to describe because
each of us had a different "team" we followed (unlike, say, following
the Boston Red Sox) that we built a relationship with ( albeit a timed
relationship that we knew would end and we'd never hear from them
again), so it's tough to define events in fantasy because only a tenth
or so of us can say "Cam Newton led me to my fantasy championship" or
"Robbie Cano killed me again this year!" So I have to stick with
rehashing individual player performances or fantasy trends
This was certainly a year that reinforced the notion that fantasy
sports, like many other industries and professions, belongs to the
young. Back in the "good ol' days," I remember old veterans like Greg
Maddux, Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, putting up
prodigious numbers even at an advanced age, coining the phrase "aging
like a fine wine, the older the better." That, to put it mildly, is no
longer the case. Whether it's because athletes train harder in high
school or college and are pro-ready right out of school, or older
athletes burn out more quickly, there's more violent contact in sports
that creates wear and tear on the body that breaks down older players,
but young players are DOMINATING the scene here in the early 2010's-
and it looks like it's gonna continue.
For example, it's been 5 months since the end of the fantasy baseball
season, but I can still remember rookie breakouts out of nowhere:
Alexi Ogando's first half, Brandon Beachy, Danny Espinoza, Desmond
Jennings, Michel Pineda, Eric Hosmer, etc., etc. In many cases, these
guys started in Triple-A were just called up to the big leagues, and
started producing for fantasy teams like their 2nd-or-third-best guys.
Meanwhile, guys like Derek Jeter, 2009 MVP, hits like .240 before the
Al-Star Break. All singles. Kevin Youkilis. Injuries. Hanley Ramirez
(a veteran by all accounts: injuries). Established guys one and all
struggling, furthering bolstering the case of why you should reach for
the "possible breakout."
Also why you should scour the waiver wire all the time, 100% the time.
There is no telling who is on the wire. And young guys can win you
championships. There's a guy on the waiver wire in fantasy basketbal
that I'm calling right now will help some teams win fantasy
championships: Marshon Brooks, New Jersey Nets. No one's heard of him;
he's good. He's this year's Steph Curry/Ty Lawson. Rookies ready to
pounce. I'll forever remember my waiver wire addition of Victor Cruz
in Week 3 of the 2011 NFL season: watch Cruz burn Nnadmi Asmugha twice
against the Eagles for long TD's; pick him up off the free agent list
immediately after. Watch as he burns secondaries al season enroute to
a destructive 1400 yards despite not playing in the first 2 weeks,
just behind Megatron and Wes Welker. The thing with Cruz is, he's the
knockout fighter on your squad: At any given time he could land a
70-yard TD catch or two and what was once a 15-point deficit could be
a 3-point lead for you fantasy team. He had a 99-yard TD catch that
turned the momentum for more than my fantasy team on Week 16
Championship day. My o my.
2011 was also a great year for up-and-comers turning into elite
players, setting reminders for fantasy managers why they should draft
26-and-27-year-olds entering their prime. After a dreadful 2010
season, Matt Kemp basically "just hit" and won the NL MVP and basicaly
torn my heart out because I owned him in '10. Fast, strong, makes
contact, plays field. And not put randomly into the 7th-hole by Joe
Torre anymore. Yea.
Ryan Braun.....broke out, if repeating what he's been doing for the
last few years could be considered breaking out. Although, his season
was a bit tainted by revelations that he tested positive for a growth
hormone after the season; my fantasy baseball leaguemates are already
questioning the legitimacy of last year's championship Braun-led
squad.
Calvin Johnson just became a certified beast this year, exploding like
a firework (thanks, Katy Perry for that analogy) Basicaly, good WR's
had good QB's throwing to them this year (Nelson, Welker, Cruz, Roddy
White) and Calvin had the best for what he needs, a deep-threat like
Stafford. A cross between Welker's bludgeoning "I'm gonna catch 13
balls for 10 yards each but I'll still get 130 yards" and Cruz's "I
will go 70 yards right past you cuz I'm fast," Johnson could do both:
break tackles and sprint past people. Doubleteams always required,
triple-teams sometimes necessary. Optimus Prime should be glad Calvin
isn't actually Megatron, cuz I'm pretty sure the Decepticons would
have won that war.
Mike Napoli highlighted for me what was a "If you drop somebody who
still has value, you will be punished season." After batting .196
going into June and hitting the DL, I dropped Napoli to clear up
roster space, intending to pick him up later before he came off the
DL. Predictably, another league member had the same idea, picked up
Napoli and his big stick swinging in the bandbox known as Arlington,
and the rest was a 30HR, .330 avg that probably would have helped me
into the playoffs.... if I hadn't have traded Brian McCann
prematurely, dropped Tommy Hanson prematurely, etc. etc. In football,
Peyton Hillis punished me for dropping him too eary, as well as
Maurice Morris. An active manager can live with mistakes if he picks
up more good guys than he drops, but you will always get a "what could
have been" feeling that I will forever call "The Napoli."
Fantasy basketball have crapshoots at the end of the season. It's
called the "Week 16 Bench Curse" in football and widely publicized,
but fantasy basketball might be more extreme because the playoffs are
1-8 in each division and the playoffs are pretty much half the season
for some times that coaches need to rest their players for. Thus the
odd result this year in my fantasy basketball final of starting guys
with names of Allen (Tony, not Ray), Bynum (Will, not Andrew), Johnson
(James, not any of the good ones), Barea, Gortat, Dudley, Sessions,
etc. Basically, young players on bad teams playing out the string, not
your fantasy powerhouses like Josh Smith, Kevin Love, or Jason Kidd.
It's actually probably where the fantasy men are separated from the
fantasy boys: You know you're a fantasy basketball addict and thus
qualified to win a hoops championship when you can name what college,
position, jersey number, and upcoming 5-game schedule that Ramon
Sessions has.
May the lessons of fantasy years past give me strength, and may 2012
bring greater tidings (and luck) to all of us.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Saturday, December 31, 2011
The Last 10 Years--- Best Things
Sneaking in a post under the gun to at least tie my 2010 rate of posts, I offer this little number at almost literally the last minute:
Here's to an excellent 2012 for everyone! (I'll be at the Rose Parade on Jan. 2nd!!! Yay!)
Collection of random milestones I appreciate from the last 10 years:
2001: visited China for the first time since leaving; "graduated" junior high and started high school...
2002: Started long string of chess victories; joined tennis
2003: discovered reality TV: Amazing Race, Survivor +....first fantasy football season ever
2004: JSA Summer at Stanford. Best finish in chess ever. SAT. Applied to Colleges
2005: Poker craze; last semester of high school awesome; Prom + WWE
2006: first summer as summer camp counselor; discovered beauty of college + trip to Germany and Poland
2007: First alternative spring break ever; Friday Night Lights + Heroes; wins class stock market game
2008: First fandom-inspired viewing of Spelling Bee; moved permanently to LA for law school
2009: First legal job(s); Laser Eye surgery; first 10K run;
2010: Chinese document review; serious working out; Chinese language intense review
2011: Graduated law school, passed the bar; first legal job; starting my career!!!!
2012: THE BEST IS YET TO COME.....KEEP WATCHING.
*********
You know when you're really dreading doing something and are fearful of it, like going to the dentist? (Yea, those turn out to be as excruciating as I expected).....but here are the biggest surprises in my life that inspire me to keep trying new things in 2012 (and why you should, too)
10.) Keeping in contact with friends.... underrated skill you gotta keep udpdated with.
9.) Living at home even in my early-20's: lots of percs, but can't do it forever.
8.) Investing in the stock market...It developed my financial sense.
7.) (Re-) hitting the books for Mandarin Chinese.......it's a really important skill.
6.) Meyer Law Organization: So far, surprisingly having a great time at my work.
5.) Living in L.A.: this place is really awesome.
4.) Working out/staying fit: haven't been sick in 4 years, probably because of my active lifestyle.
3.) Alternative Spring Break: Thought it was a nice way to spend a week, it's so much more. I wish I would have done two times, three times more of these great trips.
2.) Fantasy sports!!!! Never thought this game/sport/obsession would captivate my life as much as it had when I tried it by suggestion of a distant friend in 2002, about 10 years ago. I LOVE this game!!!!
1.) This blog!!! Never thought in 2007 I'd still be posting, and posting more prolifically, almost 5 years to the day. I think when I get old this will be one of my most prized possession. Thanks, past self, for starting this!!!!
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Here's to an excellent 2012 for everyone! (I'll be at the Rose Parade on Jan. 2nd!!! Yay!)
Collection of random milestones I appreciate from the last 10 years:
2001: visited China for the first time since leaving; "graduated" junior high and started high school...
2002: Started long string of chess victories; joined tennis
2003: discovered reality TV: Amazing Race, Survivor +....first fantasy football season ever
2004: JSA Summer at Stanford. Best finish in chess ever. SAT. Applied to Colleges
2005: Poker craze; last semester of high school awesome; Prom + WWE
2006: first summer as summer camp counselor; discovered beauty of college + trip to Germany and Poland
2007: First alternative spring break ever; Friday Night Lights + Heroes; wins class stock market game
2008: First fandom-inspired viewing of Spelling Bee; moved permanently to LA for law school
2009: First legal job(s); Laser Eye surgery; first 10K run;
2010: Chinese document review; serious working out; Chinese language intense review
2011: Graduated law school, passed the bar; first legal job; starting my career!!!!
2012: THE BEST IS YET TO COME.....KEEP WATCHING.
*********
You know when you're really dreading doing something and are fearful of it, like going to the dentist? (Yea, those turn out to be as excruciating as I expected).....but here are the biggest surprises in my life that inspire me to keep trying new things in 2012 (and why you should, too)
10.) Keeping in contact with friends.... underrated skill you gotta keep udpdated with.
9.) Living at home even in my early-20's: lots of percs, but can't do it forever.
8.) Investing in the stock market...It developed my financial sense.
7.) (Re-) hitting the books for Mandarin Chinese.......it's a really important skill.
6.) Meyer Law Organization: So far, surprisingly having a great time at my work.
5.) Living in L.A.: this place is really awesome.
4.) Working out/staying fit: haven't been sick in 4 years, probably because of my active lifestyle.
3.) Alternative Spring Break: Thought it was a nice way to spend a week, it's so much more. I wish I would have done two times, three times more of these great trips.
2.) Fantasy sports!!!! Never thought this game/sport/obsession would captivate my life as much as it had when I tried it by suggestion of a distant friend in 2002, about 10 years ago. I LOVE this game!!!!
1.) This blog!!! Never thought in 2007 I'd still be posting, and posting more prolifically, almost 5 years to the day. I think when I get old this will be one of my most prized possession. Thanks, past self, for starting this!!!!
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
How I Know there's a Higher Power
Here were my goals for 2011, the Year of the Rabbit:
1. Maintain a healthy interpersonal relationship with a certain someone;
2. win a fantasy trophy (get some hardware somewhere, almost don't care what type of sport it is)
3. graduate law school
4. pass the bar
5. obtain a full-time job (a job, any job!!!!!) sometime by the end of this calendar year
6. continue in my healthy, disciplined way
7. make some sort of signficiant breakthrough in my life.........something, anything!!
Did I achieve them?
1. Kinda...I didn't do it was that "certain someone" I had in mind, but continued to develop good relationships with other people
2. YES....won my main fantasy football league this year (the one I keep bragging about) and am getting a perpetual engraved trophy. Love the idea.
3. Check.
4. Check.
5. CHECK!!!!! That was big. Got it in September, continuing to work, didn't know how I felt about it at first, but now really relating to everyone and loving it. Can't express how gratefulI I am for having that job.
6. Yes, still healthy, although losing 5 pounds and getting back to 160/165 would be nice.
7. Kinda...made a BIG disciplined move to learn Chinese and converse well....think I've made major strides there.
So all in all, a good year! What's in store for 2012? I'll have a comprehensive 2011 sendoff in my next post as well as a 2012 preview. Call THAT a cliffhanger.
The title of my post: How do I know there's a higher power? There are little clues everywhere I go. Impossible coincidences happen all the time that remind me that there's something going on here; it all fits together too well. Funny thing is, when I encounter these "little coincidences" I always do a double-take and am no-doubt convinced that it's definitely a higher power at work, but I never document it or anything, and the thing is so minor that I forget after a few good nights' sleep (with vivid dreams....o I LOVE vivid dreams). However, for example, today I'm just clicking through facebook and pull up an acquaintance's page (we be-friended each other but to be honest we met once and it was one of those fringe-facebook-befriendings), and all of a sudden I see that THAT friend is friend of someone whom I met at CVS who I'd wanted to know about for the longest time (I know, it's a little creepy, but unbelievably serendipitous at the same time). I know the magic and mystique of Facebook and all that and how they can "connect" you with everyone, but there's NO WAY Facebook knew about this vague connection because it was purely in my head. I wasn't even actively trying to find a person, I was just "Facebook-surfing," if you call it then.
Other small signs that I kinda remember: Thinking of an obscure word/town/name while driving in my car and suddenly the word will pop up on a street sign, an object appearing out of nowhere even though it was supposed to be somewhere else. I don't know, it seems like the blubbering ramblings of a mad man, but there it is, it's what I believe. I was born agnostic with my parents not really having any TIME for religion; always working and whatnot. What little religious background I have involves Chinese cultural legends about Buddha and Buddhism, hardly grounds for claiming I am a "believer" in any religion. I am probably the least educated adult out there about religion. I've never realy needed it, experienced it, or gave it a chance, it's always been one of those spheres that have been closed off from me, or I've closed it off myself.
I'm pretty sure the next "big change" in my life is supposed to be some sort of finding of religious experience....I've won my Fantasy football leagues, no need to be at home on Sunday mornings watching football anymore. And Jan. 1, 2012 happens to be a Sunday. I believe I will
(And obviously this is not an endorsement of any religion or a solicitation for readers, I don't even know which religion I'm going to "experiment with," but I do know I'm very curious about what there is to offer, and at this point I get very little value from watching bad movies and reading endless books that I forget about in a few days anyway.) So I'm ready to delve into this facet of my life. 2009: it was delving into my field of law; 2010 it was reconnecting with my family; 2011 it was engaging in a career and reconnecting with my Chinese roots; 2012 might be about religion (and getting on the Amazing Race/Survivor).
1. Maintain a healthy interpersonal relationship with a certain someone;
2. win a fantasy trophy (get some hardware somewhere, almost don't care what type of sport it is)
3. graduate law school
4. pass the bar
5. obtain a full-time job (a job, any job!!!!!) sometime by the end of this calendar year
6. continue in my healthy, disciplined way
7. make some sort of signficiant breakthrough in my life.........something, anything!!
Did I achieve them?
1. Kinda...I didn't do it was that "certain someone" I had in mind, but continued to develop good relationships with other people
2. YES....won my main fantasy football league this year (the one I keep bragging about) and am getting a perpetual engraved trophy. Love the idea.
3. Check.
4. Check.
5. CHECK!!!!! That was big. Got it in September, continuing to work, didn't know how I felt about it at first, but now really relating to everyone and loving it. Can't express how gratefulI I am for having that job.
6. Yes, still healthy, although losing 5 pounds and getting back to 160/165 would be nice.
7. Kinda...made a BIG disciplined move to learn Chinese and converse well....think I've made major strides there.
So all in all, a good year! What's in store for 2012? I'll have a comprehensive 2011 sendoff in my next post as well as a 2012 preview. Call THAT a cliffhanger.
The title of my post: How do I know there's a higher power? There are little clues everywhere I go. Impossible coincidences happen all the time that remind me that there's something going on here; it all fits together too well. Funny thing is, when I encounter these "little coincidences" I always do a double-take and am no-doubt convinced that it's definitely a higher power at work, but I never document it or anything, and the thing is so minor that I forget after a few good nights' sleep (with vivid dreams....o I LOVE vivid dreams). However, for example, today I'm just clicking through facebook and pull up an acquaintance's page (we be-friended each other but to be honest we met once and it was one of those fringe-facebook-befriendings), and all of a sudden I see that THAT friend is friend of someone whom I met at CVS who I'd wanted to know about for the longest time (I know, it's a little creepy, but unbelievably serendipitous at the same time). I know the magic and mystique of Facebook and all that and how they can "connect" you with everyone, but there's NO WAY Facebook knew about this vague connection because it was purely in my head. I wasn't even actively trying to find a person, I was just "Facebook-surfing," if you call it then.
Other small signs that I kinda remember: Thinking of an obscure word/town/name while driving in my car and suddenly the word will pop up on a street sign, an object appearing out of nowhere even though it was supposed to be somewhere else. I don't know, it seems like the blubbering ramblings of a mad man, but there it is, it's what I believe. I was born agnostic with my parents not really having any TIME for religion; always working and whatnot. What little religious background I have involves Chinese cultural legends about Buddha and Buddhism, hardly grounds for claiming I am a "believer" in any religion. I am probably the least educated adult out there about religion. I've never realy needed it, experienced it, or gave it a chance, it's always been one of those spheres that have been closed off from me, or I've closed it off myself.
I'm pretty sure the next "big change" in my life is supposed to be some sort of finding of religious experience....I've won my Fantasy football leagues, no need to be at home on Sunday mornings watching football anymore. And Jan. 1, 2012 happens to be a Sunday. I believe I will
(And obviously this is not an endorsement of any religion or a solicitation for readers, I don't even know which religion I'm going to "experiment with," but I do know I'm very curious about what there is to offer, and at this point I get very little value from watching bad movies and reading endless books that I forget about in a few days anyway.) So I'm ready to delve into this facet of my life. 2009: it was delving into my field of law; 2010 it was reconnecting with my family; 2011 it was engaging in a career and reconnecting with my Chinese roots; 2012 might be about religion (and getting on the Amazing Race/Survivor).
Top News Stories of 2012
1.) Child Molestation continues into early 2012 as the furor from the late-2011 sex molestation scandals of Jerry Sandusky and Keith Fine continues. Unfortunately, college football and basketball are not the only arenas as more allegations and accusers come out, instilling such outrage in the general public that it finally is addressed through Child Abuse Report laws, etc.
2.) Champions in the 3 major sports: Green Bay Packers repeat as defending NFL Champions ( I know, the boring but a very easy, safe pick and it’s almost 50-50 them vs. the field at this point)
I’ll say go with the Chicago Bulls as the surprise NBA Champion (over the Thunder), and the Los Angeles Angels as the 2012 World Series Champions (The latter 2: one can dream, I guess)
3.) Barack Obama is re-elected as U.S. President. This’ll probably happen unless the U.S. stock market tanks again, which is not out of the realm of possibility but I’m not betting on it. I’m guessing the market “magically” gains momentum throughout the summer, saving El Presidente’s job.
4.) Natural Disaster hits the West Coast. I really hope not, but if one area of the world is ripe for being ravaged by fires, mudslides, and other natural disasters, it’s California. And I don’t even want to mention that dreaded word, but “Earthquake” is always a possibility.
5.) Another public trial of a big political figure/celebrity puts the Casey Anthony/Lindsay Lohan/Conrad Murray to shame. I’ll take a very wild stab and say…. Tiger Woods. Sorry, bro.
6.) New revolutionary invention changes the way we do…..work. First it was Youtube, then it was Facebook, then it was smartphones….2011 promises to be another innovative year with something that will change the way we WORK forever….just not sure what it is yet. Work is the new frontier for new innovation, I believe.
7.) Something definitive happens in the China-Taiwan relations in reaction to the 2012 Taiwan elections…Either a peaceful deal is hammered out, or the countries explode into irreversible conflict. More likely the first will occur, especially with President Ma likely to be re-elected… let’s hope so.
8.) Stock Market rockets back up above 13,000……Maybe it’s cuz it’s Christmas, maybe cuz my personal life has taken a upwards turn in the last few months, but the economic forecast seems rosier…..job reports are better, people are spending….This may be my desperate “Man I hope we don’t have another recession and can recover by 2018,” but 2012 may finally be “the year” we were waiting for since 2008.
9.) Justin Bieber out, new boy wonder is in……In this new age of one-hit wonders and the “Next Big Thing,” a year is a long time, and we’ll look back on Justin Bieber as his greatest year as he goes the way of Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus, etc., etc. and a new babyfac e is introduced into our collective conscious.
10.) The World Does NOT End in 2012 at the end of the Mayan Calendar. Way too many people concerned about that. If the world’s gonna end, enjoy it while you can. If the world’s not gonna end, enjoy it while you can. Do what you normally do. DO NOT stress about it. The more you worry about it, the more you’re letting it affect you.
11.) Something silly (like Angry Birds in 2011 and Silly Bandz in 2010) becomes really big inexplicably. My guess is....fantasy baseball. Call me crazy. Maybe I hav something to do with it? Let's do it!!!!
12.) We find out something we've been doing for a long time is bad for you and causes cancer.......like brushing your teeth or something.
13.) The South becomes the new "place to live" in America.
14.) USC vaults over UCLA in all undergraduate and graduate school rankings. AND becomes the
15.) A law student wins a successful lawsuit against a law school. Not an indictment of law school, just the nature of the economic climate we're in: law students graduating law school with tens of thousands in debt, in need of someone to blame. It's a sad state of affairs for unemployed lawyers everywhere.
2.) Champions in the 3 major sports: Green Bay Packers repeat as defending NFL Champions ( I know, the boring but a very easy, safe pick and it’s almost 50-50 them vs. the field at this point)
I’ll say go with the Chicago Bulls as the surprise NBA Champion (over the Thunder), and the Los Angeles Angels as the 2012 World Series Champions (The latter 2: one can dream, I guess)
3.) Barack Obama is re-elected as U.S. President. This’ll probably happen unless the U.S. stock market tanks again, which is not out of the realm of possibility but I’m not betting on it. I’m guessing the market “magically” gains momentum throughout the summer, saving El Presidente’s job.
4.) Natural Disaster hits the West Coast. I really hope not, but if one area of the world is ripe for being ravaged by fires, mudslides, and other natural disasters, it’s California. And I don’t even want to mention that dreaded word, but “Earthquake” is always a possibility.
5.) Another public trial of a big political figure/celebrity puts the Casey Anthony/Lindsay Lohan/Conrad Murray to shame. I’ll take a very wild stab and say…. Tiger Woods. Sorry, bro.
6.) New revolutionary invention changes the way we do…..work. First it was Youtube, then it was Facebook, then it was smartphones….2011 promises to be another innovative year with something that will change the way we WORK forever….just not sure what it is yet. Work is the new frontier for new innovation, I believe.
7.) Something definitive happens in the China-Taiwan relations in reaction to the 2012 Taiwan elections…Either a peaceful deal is hammered out, or the countries explode into irreversible conflict. More likely the first will occur, especially with President Ma likely to be re-elected… let’s hope so.
8.) Stock Market rockets back up above 13,000……Maybe it’s cuz it’s Christmas, maybe cuz my personal life has taken a upwards turn in the last few months, but the economic forecast seems rosier…..job reports are better, people are spending….This may be my desperate “Man I hope we don’t have another recession and can recover by 2018,” but 2012 may finally be “the year” we were waiting for since 2008.
9.) Justin Bieber out, new boy wonder is in……In this new age of one-hit wonders and the “Next Big Thing,” a year is a long time, and we’ll look back on Justin Bieber as his greatest year as he goes the way of Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus, etc., etc. and a new babyfac e is introduced into our collective conscious.
10.) The World Does NOT End in 2012 at the end of the Mayan Calendar. Way too many people concerned about that. If the world’s gonna end, enjoy it while you can. If the world’s not gonna end, enjoy it while you can. Do what you normally do. DO NOT stress about it. The more you worry about it, the more you’re letting it affect you.
11.) Something silly (like Angry Birds in 2011 and Silly Bandz in 2010) becomes really big inexplicably. My guess is....fantasy baseball. Call me crazy. Maybe I hav something to do with it? Let's do it!!!!
12.) We find out something we've been doing for a long time is bad for you and causes cancer.......like brushing your teeth or something.
13.) The South becomes the new "place to live" in America.
14.) USC vaults over UCLA in all undergraduate and graduate school rankings. AND becomes the
15.) A law student wins a successful lawsuit against a law school. Not an indictment of law school, just the nature of the economic climate we're in: law students graduating law school with tens of thousands in debt, in need of someone to blame. It's a sad state of affairs for unemployed lawyers everywhere.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Rivalries
Like to take this time to address the importance of rivals.
We all hav erivals: rival co-workers going for that promotion, rival sports teams playing each other all the time, rival neighbors battling for the best Christmas light decorations, rival students going for the best grade in the class..etc., etc. Usually rivalries have a negative connotion, met with a little bit of negativity or uneasiness. "O man, he's your rival, huh? Well.....good luck."
I disagree. Rivals tend to instill fierce competition and with that, motivation to push yourself. Rivals not only make themselves better to battle you, they make YOU better. And it doesn't really matter if it's a healthy rivalry or a "Man, I hate that guy's guts" rivalry: the result is beneficial for both parties involved; a mutually symbiotic relationship at its best. (Granted, of course, that no one kills themselves working too hard or makes it a personal feud about other things). I maintain that a hard-fought dogfight to see who offers the most solely based on the merits is great for you and your rival.
What brings this on? This week I am in my fantasy football championship game facing my own rival ( who happens to read this blog and who used his knowledge that I loved Tony Romo before the season against me). I have known this particular manager for 3 years, since law school started. I will never forget knocking on his door 1L year of law school to invite him to join the USC Law Fantasy Football league, not knowing that this guy probably loved fantasy football more than me and was just as gun-ho and cutthroat as I was about fantasy sports. Every season since, we have played in every fantasy football and fantasy baseball season without fail; any memorable matchups have resulted. I ended his football season our first year; he beat me in a tight fantasy baseball playoff matchup en route to his one and only title. The times we match up do not go silently; we talk a lot of smack before, during, and after matchups. It is relentless. Losing is unacceptable; winning feels like winning 2 games. Because I can't stand losing to my rival, I'm constantly willing myself to get better, to put in the research, to get that extra edge on him. And I'm sure my rival does the same. Outside of fantasy football, we are on great terms; colleagues, fellow law students, watch football together on the weekends, talk freely about life. The epitome of a healthy rivalry; I'm hoping it'll continue for a long, long, time. (and that I can carve another "W" into my column this week).
Healthy rivalries in sports:
Ravens- Steelers in the AFC North. These 2 perennial powerhouses battle it out every year, and both usually make the playoffs, sometimes even meeting in the playoffs.
Kobe-Lebron in the NBA. These 2 openly do not like each other. It's the young Anointed One with the Superstar that's running out of time.
Yankees- Red Sox: These 2 probably don't have a healthy rivalry and are bitter enemies, but their records and championship counts are better for it.
Federer/Nadal/Njokovic: All 3 have pushed each other way past the rest of men's tennis.
NFL/NBA/MLB: challenging each other as to which leagues can get calls through instant replay. So far, as usual, NFL winning.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
We all hav erivals: rival co-workers going for that promotion, rival sports teams playing each other all the time, rival neighbors battling for the best Christmas light decorations, rival students going for the best grade in the class..etc., etc. Usually rivalries have a negative connotion, met with a little bit of negativity or uneasiness. "O man, he's your rival, huh? Well.....good luck."
I disagree. Rivals tend to instill fierce competition and with that, motivation to push yourself. Rivals not only make themselves better to battle you, they make YOU better. And it doesn't really matter if it's a healthy rivalry or a "Man, I hate that guy's guts" rivalry: the result is beneficial for both parties involved; a mutually symbiotic relationship at its best. (Granted, of course, that no one kills themselves working too hard or makes it a personal feud about other things). I maintain that a hard-fought dogfight to see who offers the most solely based on the merits is great for you and your rival.
What brings this on? This week I am in my fantasy football championship game facing my own rival ( who happens to read this blog and who used his knowledge that I loved Tony Romo before the season against me). I have known this particular manager for 3 years, since law school started. I will never forget knocking on his door 1L year of law school to invite him to join the USC Law Fantasy Football league, not knowing that this guy probably loved fantasy football more than me and was just as gun-ho and cutthroat as I was about fantasy sports. Every season since, we have played in every fantasy football and fantasy baseball season without fail; any memorable matchups have resulted. I ended his football season our first year; he beat me in a tight fantasy baseball playoff matchup en route to his one and only title. The times we match up do not go silently; we talk a lot of smack before, during, and after matchups. It is relentless. Losing is unacceptable; winning feels like winning 2 games. Because I can't stand losing to my rival, I'm constantly willing myself to get better, to put in the research, to get that extra edge on him. And I'm sure my rival does the same. Outside of fantasy football, we are on great terms; colleagues, fellow law students, watch football together on the weekends, talk freely about life. The epitome of a healthy rivalry; I'm hoping it'll continue for a long, long, time. (and that I can carve another "W" into my column this week).
Healthy rivalries in sports:
Ravens- Steelers in the AFC North. These 2 perennial powerhouses battle it out every year, and both usually make the playoffs, sometimes even meeting in the playoffs.
Kobe-Lebron in the NBA. These 2 openly do not like each other. It's the young Anointed One with the Superstar that's running out of time.
Yankees- Red Sox: These 2 probably don't have a healthy rivalry and are bitter enemies, but their records and championship counts are better for it.
Federer/Nadal/Njokovic: All 3 have pushed each other way past the rest of men's tennis.
NFL/NBA/MLB: challenging each other as to which leagues can get calls through instant replay. So far, as usual, NFL winning.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
Monday, December 19, 2011
A Night to Remember.....or Forget? What are we talking about again?
Makes you wonder: Are "memorable" nights advertised by beer companies/ vodka distributers/nightclub owners really worth it? Here's one "memorable" night that I just endured:
Yesterday was a big orchestra day: 3 concerts in one day, including 2 at the California African American Museum near USC for the kids, and then the annual holiday concert for the LA Lawyers Philharmonic. Joining the LA Lawyers Philharmonic is quickly becoming one of the best decisions of my life; it, along with some other events, made 2011 quite memorable and not totally tarnished by unemployment/ taking the bar exam, etc. It justifies all those years I spent practicing violin and going to violin lessons, etc. because that's all been translated into being able to play freely and enjoy myself in an orchestra that I fit in with and like playing in : lots of different pieces, cool pieces, not too challenging that I have to practice a ton for....
Anyway, had a great concert, then afterwards hit up some law friends in Santa Monica.....now, these friends have a solid reputation for "going out" and "getting around town," so I knew what I was getting into. Start out with some Beirut drinking games, then go to a club in West L.A. 'Twas probably a bad sign that one the way to the club, I was already so inebriated that I had no idea where we were: what the name of the club was, what street we were on, I just got out of the cab and went in. Probably not a good idea. ALSO probably not a good idea to carry around a phone that you know doesn't have power and really has no usefulness. Yea.
The club went well; I remember most things that happened (I don't "black out," as they say) including a pretty intense fight that happened right in front of me...girl threw drink at guy, guy got upset, girl's boyfriend jumped in, things get heated fists were punching, except my reaction, which normally would be to try to separate the combatants or try to inhibit the fight from worsening, was due to my inebriated state, to ENCOURAGE the fight to continue by screaming "yea!" and waving my hands in the air as well as doing some shadow-boxing on the side to non-verbally voice my approval. That's the bar/nightclub process in a nutshell: everything about it encourages you to want some violence, some sort of release, something different from the norm; inhibitions are totally set aside, you act without any regard for consequences and let the brutal inner nature of human beings come out. That's one part of a "memorable" night I certainly don't approve of: physical violence with other human beings and the risk of lawsuit/imprisonment/physical dehabilitation is much too steep a price to pay for a "memorable" night...there are other ways for memories, especially good ones, to be created.
Right after the fight broke out, I went to get some air and suddenly felt VERY VERY dizzy and disoriented... sat down to rest and next thing you know I was passed out outside the bar, without my friends' knowledge and without their ability to contact me via cell phone. The next few hours consisted of me trying to get comfortable on a concrete step by the bar while trying not to puke, getting heckled by fellow clubgoers coming out of the club looking for a cab, shivering in the cold 3AM West Los Angeles weather, falling asleep for brief stretches, and then finally, after sufficiently recovering from the drunken dizziness, wandering about the area mindlessly looking for a cab, finally hitting a McDonald's that was open at 5AM in the morning, buying a Sausage McMuffin and a Powerade, then finding a cab to get home. Very derelict use of the evening and pretty dangerous if I had been in other parts of LA (I'm probably really fortunate I did not have my wallet stolen/robbed at knifepoint or gunpoint, but a memory I will have for the rest of my life, how I spent the night of Dec. 17/morning of Dec. 18th. Was it worth it? Certainly I didn't cause violence or do damage to anybody, other than myself whose side is a little bruised from sleeping on the concrete for awhile, and my friends might have been a little worried about me going off on my own. The main tradeoff is the dizziness/drunkenness that occurred. During that time, it's a very helpless feeling; you can't help but become inebriated, you want to do things but you can't, you are at the mercy of the alcohol coursing through your body and when it wants to stop the relentless attack it afflicts on your body/head. It was a VERY tough 3 hours, those 3 hours I spent on that sidewalk not being able to move for fear of dizziness/throwing up, as well as being insanely cold to the point of wondering if I would get hypothermia or not. Not a life-and-death situation, but one where I put myself in harm's way. But certainly it was different, and that's what beer companies/vodka distributors want you to do: something risky, something way out of the ordinary scope of your life (like try to punch someone and inflict damage or let loose of your inhibitions without fear of consequnces). Given what I had to deal with, though, I'll pass. My greatest memories are when I'm sober, like orchestra concerts or chess/fantasy football victories. I'm just a nerd, I s'ppose. (Avon Barksdale converted quote).
Fantasize on,
Yesterday was a big orchestra day: 3 concerts in one day, including 2 at the California African American Museum near USC for the kids, and then the annual holiday concert for the LA Lawyers Philharmonic. Joining the LA Lawyers Philharmonic is quickly becoming one of the best decisions of my life; it, along with some other events, made 2011 quite memorable and not totally tarnished by unemployment/ taking the bar exam, etc. It justifies all those years I spent practicing violin and going to violin lessons, etc. because that's all been translated into being able to play freely and enjoy myself in an orchestra that I fit in with and like playing in : lots of different pieces, cool pieces, not too challenging that I have to practice a ton for....
Anyway, had a great concert, then afterwards hit up some law friends in Santa Monica.....now, these friends have a solid reputation for "going out" and "getting around town," so I knew what I was getting into. Start out with some Beirut drinking games, then go to a club in West L.A. 'Twas probably a bad sign that one the way to the club, I was already so inebriated that I had no idea where we were: what the name of the club was, what street we were on, I just got out of the cab and went in. Probably not a good idea. ALSO probably not a good idea to carry around a phone that you know doesn't have power and really has no usefulness. Yea.
The club went well; I remember most things that happened (I don't "black out," as they say) including a pretty intense fight that happened right in front of me...girl threw drink at guy, guy got upset, girl's boyfriend jumped in, things get heated fists were punching, except my reaction, which normally would be to try to separate the combatants or try to inhibit the fight from worsening, was due to my inebriated state, to ENCOURAGE the fight to continue by screaming "yea!" and waving my hands in the air as well as doing some shadow-boxing on the side to non-verbally voice my approval. That's the bar/nightclub process in a nutshell: everything about it encourages you to want some violence, some sort of release, something different from the norm; inhibitions are totally set aside, you act without any regard for consequences and let the brutal inner nature of human beings come out. That's one part of a "memorable" night I certainly don't approve of: physical violence with other human beings and the risk of lawsuit/imprisonment/physical dehabilitation is much too steep a price to pay for a "memorable" night...there are other ways for memories, especially good ones, to be created.
Right after the fight broke out, I went to get some air and suddenly felt VERY VERY dizzy and disoriented... sat down to rest and next thing you know I was passed out outside the bar, without my friends' knowledge and without their ability to contact me via cell phone. The next few hours consisted of me trying to get comfortable on a concrete step by the bar while trying not to puke, getting heckled by fellow clubgoers coming out of the club looking for a cab, shivering in the cold 3AM West Los Angeles weather, falling asleep for brief stretches, and then finally, after sufficiently recovering from the drunken dizziness, wandering about the area mindlessly looking for a cab, finally hitting a McDonald's that was open at 5AM in the morning, buying a Sausage McMuffin and a Powerade, then finding a cab to get home. Very derelict use of the evening and pretty dangerous if I had been in other parts of LA (I'm probably really fortunate I did not have my wallet stolen/robbed at knifepoint or gunpoint, but a memory I will have for the rest of my life, how I spent the night of Dec. 17/morning of Dec. 18th. Was it worth it? Certainly I didn't cause violence or do damage to anybody, other than myself whose side is a little bruised from sleeping on the concrete for awhile, and my friends might have been a little worried about me going off on my own. The main tradeoff is the dizziness/drunkenness that occurred. During that time, it's a very helpless feeling; you can't help but become inebriated, you want to do things but you can't, you are at the mercy of the alcohol coursing through your body and when it wants to stop the relentless attack it afflicts on your body/head. It was a VERY tough 3 hours, those 3 hours I spent on that sidewalk not being able to move for fear of dizziness/throwing up, as well as being insanely cold to the point of wondering if I would get hypothermia or not. Not a life-and-death situation, but one where I put myself in harm's way. But certainly it was different, and that's what beer companies/vodka distributors want you to do: something risky, something way out of the ordinary scope of your life (like try to punch someone and inflict damage or let loose of your inhibitions without fear of consequnces). Given what I had to deal with, though, I'll pass. My greatest memories are when I'm sober, like orchestra concerts or chess/fantasy football victories. I'm just a nerd, I s'ppose. (Avon Barksdale converted quote).
Fantasize on,
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