December/End of Year Top ten lists

The year is over, so I think I will make this my last blog entry of 2006. Right now I am sitting in Portland watching more television then I thought I would.

The first few Top Ten lists are requests! Which is awesome!! So sit back and enjoy!


Top ten "Norman Rockwell" holidays traditions

1. Unwrapping presents
2. Trimning the Christmas tree
3. Making a snowman
4. Picking out the tree
5. Wrapping your Christmas gifts and hiding them
6. Snowball fight
7. Collecting money for the Salvation Army
8. Having Christmas dinner
9. Putting cookies and milk out for Santa to eat
10. Sleeping with new Xmas gift

Top ten "My life" holiday traditions

1. Trying to drive across town with untied tree on top of car
2. Digging through boxes trying to find Xmas decorations
3. Returning gifts I bought for loved ones because they decided to buy the gift for themseves this week! (Grrr!)
4. Waiting for snow...any snow
5. Wrapping Christmas gifts without family member looking over my shoulder
6. Family member always over my shoulder
7. Watching TV (Which I wasn't expecting, however it has sadly become a family tradition...at least I get to watch the Daily Show!)
8. Fighting with mom over...something
9. Getting a gift I know won't fit, or will fit on my feet (and aren't shoes).
10. Sleeping!

Top ten favorite athletes

1. Muhammad Ali
2. Ozzie Smith
3. Brett Hull
4. Terry Bradshaw
5. Willie McGee
6. George Foreman
7. Mean Joe Green
8. Michael Jordan
9. Slobo (Ilijevski)
10. Joe Namath

Top ten favorite teachers/Prof.

1. Prof Givens
2. Mrs. Beig
3. Prof. Haynes
4. Mrs. Lemkie
5. Mrs. Shultz
6. Prof. Hamilton
7. Prof. Leeper
8. Mr. Watson
9. Ms. McNiff
10. Mr. Beezley (R.I.P.)

Top 10 things I did to celebrate my first day of the Holiday season

1. Sleep in (Till 9am!)
2. Work out
3. Listen to 10@10 at KFOG
4. Make myself a real breakfast
5. Go to the resource center to go over my diploma check to make sure EVERYTHING is in order so I have no "screw ups" between now and May 12th (aka Graduation Day!)
6. Mail out al Holiday cards I haven't sent yet.
7. Finish Holiday shopping
8. Go to Postoffice and ask them to start holding my mail on Friday
9. Try to say goodbye to people before they leave (including one friend who is off to Casablanca!)
10. Check Email and blogs (Hello!)

Top 10 Favorite Underrated rock/pop artists

1. The Kinks
2. Tom Waits
3. Frank Zappa
4. Soundgarden
5. King Crimson
6. Humble Pie
7. Tool
8. The Band
9. Concrete Blond
10. Johnny Rivers

Top 10 Greatest Rock drummers

1. Keith Moon (The Who)
2. Neil Peart (Rush)
3. John Bonham (Led Zepplin)
4. Alex Van Halen (Van Halen)
5. Stuart Copeland (The Police)
6. Ringo Starr (The Beatles)
7. Ginger Baker (Cream)
8. Dennis Wilson (The Beach Boys)
9. Danny Carey (Tool)
10. Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones)

Top 10 Greatest Rock Bass Players

1. John Entwistle (The Who)
2. Paul McCartney (Beatles)
3. Flea (Red Hot Chilli Peppers)
4. Geddy Lee (Rush)
5. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
6. Les Claypool (Primus)
7. Jack Bruce (Cream)
8. John Deacon (Queen)
9. Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone)
10. Chris Squire (Yes)

Top 10 Greatest Rock Guitarists

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Eric Clapton
3. Jeff Beck (Yardbirds)
4. Chuck Berry
5. Jimmy Page (Led Zep)
6. Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy)
7. Eddie Van Halen
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan
9. David Gilmore (Pink Floyd)
10. Ritch Blackmore (Deep Purple)

Top 10 greatest Rock frontmen (Yep, I was in a musical mood)

1. Jim Morrison
2. Freddy Mercury
3. Mick Jagger
4. Bob Marley
5. Robert Plant
6. David Lee Roth
7. Ozzy Osbourn
8. Mike Love
9. Johnny Ramone
10. Roger Daltry

Top 10 things I like on a burger

1. Ketchup
2. Cheese
3. Mustard
4. Lettus
5. Thousand Island Dressing
6. Pickles
7. Tomatoes
8. Onions
9. BBQ Sauce
10. Bacon

Top 10 things to do with paper money besides spend it

1. Make a paper airplane
2. Wallpaper your bedroom
3. Burn to keep warm
4. Make a scarf
5. Make a miniature Empire State Building by pileing the money
6. Cut out the Presidents faces and put yours on them
7. Use the cut out Presidents faces to make a pop-up book
8. Put in a bathtub full of water and pretend it is the world's smallest lifeboat
9. Put two dollars on your bed and walk away to see if they make little baby dollars
10. Just Donate It

Top 10 really bad hairstyles

1. Mullet
2. Mohawk
3. Elvis-like puffy in the front
4. Gericurl
5. Writing letters in your head (aka 1980's Vanilla Ice)
6. Awkward comb over (Donald Trump)
7. Marine haircut for people who clearly don't look like or have never been marines
8. Pigtails for anyone over 18
9. Lion Mane (with our without beard)
10. Hairplugs (YOU CAN TELL!)


I had more, but I think that is enough! Have a Happy Happy Holiday and Great New Year!

~Peace

And this little piggy had none

My family is an odd bunch. But I couldn't help to laugh at this email I received a few hours ago.

"Saw the movie Charlotte's Web this evening, the new Gary Winnick version. Having never read the book I wish i had preparation as I cried my fucking eyes out over a spider! Only E.B. White could have done that. Great movie.

And then I went to Winn Dixie, you know the redneck supermarket. Passing the butcher's section, what do I see for the first time ever, at least in memory? A whole pig, eyes staring at me and all, wrapped in plastic. I just patted it on the hind and walked on in misery! World is a conspiracy! Anybody want to guess why? I do not have a clue!

Clearly I won't be having bacon with my eggs anytime soon.

One to go!

The school semester offically ended! Already the town is half empty and I notice it is much easier to find parking.

So I am cleaning house and packing and should be in Portland (Home of the current blackouts from a recent storm!) by Sunday.

So I have a few traditions when I am away on vacation...

-Very little internet. Not so much checking Emails just not going to websites to kill time.

- No fast food. I like local joints.

- No driving unless I have to, and right now I don't have to.

Unlike past trips I don't have an agenda. Even if I go down to LA to visit friends I am going to leave it open because I don't want to play the "pulling teeth" game again with friends.

"I'm free to do what I want any old time." ~Rolling Stones

Knowing your limits

Today I had my last final. It was without a doubt that easiest final I have ever taken. I mean the EASIST! I include Community College and High School! I finished it in a record 25 min. I have never been sooooooo happy. After the final the class was talking and smiling about how we have one semester left. It was great to see people smile again.

This really was the most difficult semester, but it wasn't because of school as it was the two part time jobs. I might have mentioned this before, but I might have to do something about this next semester because there is no way I am going to lose as much time as I did from studying instead of unnecessary work (aka silly paperwork!).

But the subject title "Knowing your limits" has to do with my afternoon yesterday. I mentioned I have this neighbor who is super cool. She is also quite attractive (as every guy who walks by my door, including the mailman, points out), but I think this is a downer for her because she hasn't made too many friends. Guys seem to be intimidated by here (she is very smart, and is currently going for a PhD). For the last few weeks we have been talking about running together...

...note, I have been working out. Now I've been working out on and off for a year now, but I don't have a steady schedule. However I have been trying to be steadier about it....

With that said, we bumped into each other and she said she was going running if I wanted to join her. I said yes. Now what I didn't know is she is training for a marathon (I think we all see where this is going).

To make a long story short, we took the trails in the park behind me (which is quite steep), and after a few miles I can hear my body saying "ARE YOU NUTS!" She wanted to take a longer route, so I told her to go on ahead and I'll meet her back at our apartment building. She was cool about it.

As I write this I am realizing this sounds like a bad episode of Friends. *Ugh*.

To make a long story short, we took the trails in the park behind me (which is quite steep), and after a few miles I can hear my body saying "ARE YOU NUTS!" She wanted to take a longer route, so I told her to go on ahead and I'll meet her back at our apartment building. She was cool about it.

As I write this I am realzing this sounds like a bad episode of Friends. *Ugh*.

150!

As of Midnight it will be 150 days till I have my B.A. Incredible! I can't believe just over 2 1/2 years ago I started to trek of going back to school. As I write this I am working on the "Happy Holiday" cards (and there are many!)

One of the cards I am sending is to an old co-worker (Schmidt, to those "in the know"), who was a very nice person who I wish I would've kept in touch with more.

However, 150 days. I feel I've come a long way since I came back to college. And now I start to call Arcata home. Which is nice I guess.

My last final is tomorrow. Then clean up the apartment and prepare to head up to Portland (and find time to go to the bars somewhere inbetween there.)

"Keep me groovin. Just a hippie gypsy" ~P. Townsend

Top Ten time again

And away we go...

Top 10 Favorite Stand-up comics
1. Bill Hicks
2. Richard Pryor
3. Sam Kininson
4. Bill Cosby (The old stuff!)
5. Dave Chappelle
6. George Carlin
7. Jonathan Winters
8. Steven Wright
9. Don Rickles
10.Mitch Hedberg

Top 10 Greatest Christmas movies
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. A Christmas Story
3. Miracle of 34th Street
4. A Christmas Carol
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
6. Holiday Inn
7. Home Alone
8. Meet me in St. Louis
9. National Lampoon Christmas Vacation (Yes, I do like this film. Call it a guility pleasure)
10. Santa Claus conquers the Martians (Let see YOU sit through this movie)
And yes, no Ernest or Tim Allen. Live with it!

Top 10 places I would really like to ride my bike
1. Along the Great Wall of China
2. From Santa Monica down Venice in LA (Lived there for years and never did that)
3. Across the Golden Gate bridge
4. Around Ireland (doesn't matter which part)
5. South of France
6. Along Lake Michican in Chicago
7. Around Hawaii
8. Down highway 1 from Carmel to Big Sir
9. Around Kyoto, Japan
10. Southern Islands of Greece

Top 10 famous people who aren't alive that would be fun at a party
1. Dean Martin
2. Chris Farley
3. John Belushi
4. Bob Marley
5. Hunter Thompson
6. Sammy Davis jr.
7. Richard Harris
8. Richard Pryor
9. John F. Kennedy
10. John Lennon

Top 10 things I carry in my pants pocket
1. Keys2. Wallet
3. Pen
4. Cell phone
5. Tissue
6. Loose Change
7. Loose pieces of paper
8. Bottles of water (Yep)
9. Memory Stick
10. Concert Tickets

Also I've been wanting to find famous artists favorite albums and movies for a while now. I though what better time then now.

Kurt Cobain's 10 favorite albums
1. Iggy Pop & The Stooges- Raw Power
2. The Pixies- Surfer Rosa
3. The Breeders- Pod
4. The Vaselines- Dying for it
5. The Shaggs- Philosophy of the World
6. Fang- Landshark
7. MDC- Millions of Dead Cops
8. Saccharine Trust- Paganicons
9. Scratch Acid- "self titled"
10. Butthole Surfers- Pee Pee the Sailor (aka Brown Reason to life, aka "self-titled")

Roger Ebert's 12(!) all time favorite movies
1. The General
2. Citizen Kane
3. Casablanca
4. Tokyo Story
5. Vertigo
6. La Dolce Vita
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey
8. Arguirre:Wrath of God
9. Apocolpyse Now
10. Raging Bull
11. The Dekalog
12. Hoop Dreams

*Whew*

As of 12:30 pm PST this semester ended for me! I have two finals next week, but for the most part I am d-o-n-e! Between 19 units and two part time jobs I really over did-it this time.

Now all that stands between me and the B.A. is one semester (actually just three classes!), and finishing my packet to apply to the credital program!

Later tonight I'll celebrate with a new Top Ten blog!

CSET pt1...passed

California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), is THE test you must pass to legally teach in this state or use to get into a college's credital program. I just passed the first part of it (and I must be honest I was a bit nervous). I have signed up to do the other two parts Jan. 20th. Since I will have a lot of time over the holidays I probably will be hitting the books mostly. But I am extremely happy that I have gotten passed this. This is the very first time I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

http://www.cset.nesinc.com/

"Come on and celebrate, tonight.
Cause everything's gonna be alright.
Let's celebrate." ~Kool and the Gang