the Story of the non-constant, bad influence guy

Typical cliche quesiton: Where am I?

2005-10-10T15:01:00.000-04:00

Well, it has been a while, a lot of things have changed since my last post. With different people, places, and events molding my very existence of who I am now. And as always, my emotions have driven out the blogger in me. I'm not really good at holding it all in, so I guess blogging is what I'll do to outsource my feelings... I really hope no one does a search on me because I'm like the 3rd result in Google. So the first approach to answering that typical chiche question, where am I, is to start at the last post...

Ok - Grace, you may be wondering how that went. Well I can summarize as one of my happiest followed by one the most saddest moments of my life. I wrote a post previously about how our perfect valentines date went, but I deleted it because I didn't want to remind me of pain. Happiest was the perfect first date that ended with her being my Girlfriend, a little peck, and me rolling against the wall back at home. Worst moment was when I made a call to her a week later about another date, and before I say it, she dumps me citing feelings for someone else. That's when my heart was torn up and was sprinkled like confetti over a bottomless pit.

It hurt bad, and since then I started playing for a bit. I put everything out for this one girl, I was vulnerable, and things changed in an instant. I dealt with it by questioning what people saw in just having casual relationships. So I went on dates on various girls, and not just Chinese gals, and tested how it was like. It was horrible, I didn't like it at all. I still kept to one girl at a time rule. But some of the GIRLS in Toronto don't follow this rule! Overall there was no feel to the relationships.

My last relationship that ended as I left Toronto was with this girl Michelle. Things were quite intimate, but there was no long term aspect to the relationship. No common hobbies, interests, nor outlooks in life. Her background is different, her tastes different, goals different, but yet I went out with her for two months. Why so long? Since there was an expiration date of 2 months on this relationship, known at the beginning, that's what it went by. At the end of the 2 months, my feelings grew a little, but it wasn't enough. So that was it, the end of Toronto and where I am back here in Alberta.

Alberta is my home, it is a quaint little province with hopes of lots of money in Oil industry. But why do I like it more than the skyscrappers, girls, and crazy high life in Ontario? Because its not a place to meet a "real" girl. In Ontario, everyone is a player, and you have to be a bigger player to get a girl. But I don't like that, since everything is based on one date, one night stands, one hey then cya later. Your romance is packaged up like a fast food Chinese to go. And you don't exist like you do in a smaller place. All the friends you meet are as fake as their LV bags or Gucci sunglasses. Since they all have so many friends, you disappear, and it doesn't matter.

So here I am, back in Edmonton. Does that answer the question? In the literal sense yes, in the sense of this blog no. Where am I, refers to what's going on in the love life. And right now, I am once again putting my eggs in one basket. WHAT? Why Eric?! What is going on? Don't do it! Remember the pain? Oh yeah, it still hurts. But I can't let it ruin the best thing that is happening in my life and best is not an overstatement either. Why? Cause I've met this girl...

[to be continued...]

Amazing Grace...

2005-02-06T14:16:00.000-05:00

Ok I'm not dead. I just really tired of writing out stories about myself. At first it was fun cause I could just write down how interesting my life was, but now I think it ruins the effect by having my whole life written down and be read in a couple mins.

Anyways, I'll take this more of a journal now than a story telling weekly entertainment column.

So I'm still here still in Toronto, working for IBM, I hate talking about by job because it is not a big concern. Still an intern doing the same old, trying to have fun as I go. Then all the sudden the new batch of coops arrive. One girl in particular catches my eye. Her name is Grace. I'm still in shock, confused, and in awe.

She is unique. I know, I feel it. One thing, is that she's Chinese but looks as if she was mixed. She isn't though. I don't know why, but right away I felt very comfortable around her as I do with my other Chinese friends. Which is great, we've talked about it and she says we as Chinese have the same values thus can be more comfortable around each other. I agree with her. There are many other things about her that is great: her smile, her coy look when she's surprised, our similarities. I could go on, but that is for me to experience and you to think about.

What gets me is that, I admit I've been proactively chasing her. But I don't know if she's interested or just nice. And if she's interested, can I get over my own confusion, and just ask her? I've done quite a bit with her, probably more than any other person she has meet here so far. Sadly she doesn't know that everything I've done and planned this last term, was impart for her. But even so, she's been a so important to my life already.

How long has it been now? Exactly a month ago, this day, coincidently I decide to restart writing here on the anniversary of when I first saw her. I've done about 8 things with her last month which is a lot, I think when it comes down to it. I hope my own impression is good and my mind keeps coming up with thousands of plans and things to do.

What are my complications now? Well, I've thought about whether or not I was just acting deperate and concluded no, I'm not desperate, phew... I just want another close friend. A friend to trust and love. I don't have issues and I'm not in need of "being loved" nor am I fooled by that. I know that I feel great joy for the good news she has in her life right now. But I don't know if I see myself making an impact on her, as she has done for me. That is my issue. Am I just another passerby, if I make an attempt to make a footprint in hers, will she withdrawl away from me? What about myself? I feel fairly confident and I know my own flaws. I deal with them.

Why should I be concerned about what she thinks? Cause thats what I do, thats who I am... I still don't know what to do, but I know she's amazing...

Eric Leung is Dead

2004-11-08T22:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry.

Energizer Bunny pulling the right strings.

2004-10-03T20:16:00.000-04:00

Well things have been busier than ever, turns out that non-work related responsibilities have grown greater than my actual work. The time I spend actually doing the work I've been assigned is like 1/10 of the time I spend on other commitments. I remember saying to myself that I would take it easy over my work term and just relax before going back to school, but those plans have collapsed like a house built with a deck of cards. It all began with a promise to my hing dies...

When I got a job for my internship I was quite happy. But I felt sad for a couple of my hing dies who didn't get employment. I made a promise to them that I would help them get a job at IBM. So when I started at work, an opportunity came to me, what opportunity was this? They have a student group at IBM called Future Blue, or FB, and there are three divisions to this group, Activities, Career & Development, and web & Communication. Activities are for having group events to get everyone together, C&D is for furthing people's career's , and Web & Comm is for communicating this information to the students.

I know that they were looking for team leads for each of the section (2 leads for each team). Well it came to me, since I'm in IBM, I might as well meet some people in high places to get my friends into IBM and get a job. So I applied to the Career and Development because they had direct connections between the students and HR. Actually its not like a student group executive position where you get elected... I had to go through a panel interview process. But I passed and got the position over the other 50 that applied. So far so good.

Next opportunity came when the coop that was suppose to be on my team cancelled on the Monday, when he was suppose to work on the Wednesday. This really put my manager into a bad position. Wasting all her time to hire this person, and he cancels out at the last moment and also pilling up 4 months of work on her plate. So instantly I jumped on the opportunity I talked to my manager, I talked to my HR contact, I talked to my one friend Louis who didn't get a job, and POW! He got the job.

I'm actually a little jealous since his interview was like 5 seconds. "Whats your name?" "My name is Louis" "You're hired". I talked more to the manager about Louis than Louis did. But thats ok, he got the job, and it was through pulling the right strings. It was really cool since I said I would try and get them a job and I did it, the power of my words .... ooooooooOOOooooo. Also I don't think any other student has been able to get their friends hired, especially for even IBM rigorous hiring process. But what does this all mean? It means all of my hing dies will be graduating with me at the same time! Sweet!!! I'm extremely happy about that fact.

So it turns out I'm not relaxing over my internship. I'm like a non-stop responsibility taking stress eating energizer bunny that will keeps going and going and going. But wait, will it ever end? Will the batteries of Eric ever run out? They haven't yet, but I've been able to handle huge amounts of responsibility. I guess doing all this stuff, just makes things easier down the road, only time will tell.

"Hi son, I got you married, but how are things going?"

2004-09-05T18:10:00.000-04:00

Sound familiar? Well living as a single ok guy, (that being ok smarts, ok habits, ok personality, and ok looks), its often strange to my parents and peers why there is no ok gal by my side. But on my defense, I'm still looking, but I haven't found that special someone. Um.... Yeah sure. Talk about a marketing line. Actually it's more along the lines of I'm way too busy, I don't have environment to meet anyone at the moment, and I'm still working on not being a wuss. So it basically comes down to personal development, building my character to what I feel I should be. So that's completely valid in my eyes, but in the light of my parents, specifically my dad, he sees a big hole.

What do I mean? I'm the only son brought up in a semi-tradition semi-contemporary Chinese family. I'm lucky that my parents are a lot better than some others, they give me freedom. In return I give them peace of mind, which is pretty much all parents care about (but not many children know about). What do I mean by freedom? Freedom in the sense of the animal kingdom, where the parents leave the children to fend for themselves? No, they aren't that harsh, but they won't stay up to harass me if I go out late and come back like at 6 in the morning. Piece of mind is that I tell that I'm going to be back at 6AM before hand. If I tell them exactly what's going to happen and that my a) brain is inserted into b) head and a) and b) are working correctly. Which I tell you is very nice, better to have a nice honest relationships with parents, they trust you more and save yourself the headache.

So this hole is the ultimate goal of all living beings, mentioned before as survival and replication. This in particular is to extend the bloodline and have a continued family. Its especially important in Chinese family, have someone carry the family name. I'm thinking this fear he has that I'll be single my entire life, like many other computer scientists, is getting to him. I'm not really worried at all.

So I was talking to my sister the other day, and she said that apart from Dad's attempts to arrange her own marriage with random co-workers, he was trying to arrange mine.

Now there are 4 types of marriages that I believe exist in this world, Love, Arranged, Mass, Forced. Forced is the good old fashioned blackmailed or punishment way against your will, "You'll be my wife or your family will see the bottom of this volcano." Mass ones, the ones where a cult gets together and does a little brain washing here and there and POW everyone is married to one another. Arranged, where a go-between, match maker, or parents arrange for their sons/daughters to meet and potentially end the deal with an "I do", but not necessarily. I guess mail order brides fit in this category too, since the match maker is like the company that you call to "hook yourself up". And last, but not least, is the love marriages that we're oh so familiar with. That girl you bumped into at the library, then followed, then stalked, then asked to go out, then stalked legally, then married. Aw ... It's beautiful.

So anyway, countries that are quite fine with arranged marriages, like China, Japan, and India have lower levels of divorces. Now are divorces bad? Yeah for sure, especially for kids. "This is my fifth daddy in 2 years" or "How come uncle Jerry is now mommies replacement?". It really just tears kids apart and confuses them a whole lot. Of course there is always good from bad, those divorce Lawyers sure are prospering, and they don't have to hire anyone in case their mates turns tail, double bonus.

Two reasons with why these places have less divorce. One is because the whole society accepts this and society as a whole pressures marriages to work (Divorce is shunned). In our lovely western society which gives us freedom to choose who we like, there is the general trend toward accepting what the majority is used to or wants. Such as hot women, who party all day, dress up as scandalous as possible, and have everyone want them. Well turns out they are not the best mom nor role models. With everyone willing to do anything for these princesses, if the man they are with has a flaw, they will drop them and go for the next one. Same goes with guys. So the public and media are focusing on these things, "So and So got divorced" etc. It slowly and sadly becomes the norm. I speak in general though, of course not all hot women make bad mom's or will divorce. Current legislations and continual abuse of the system also adds to this divorce issue. "Who cares if I get married, if it doesn't work out, I get half the bling bling!"

We in our current society have the selfish notation that if things don't work out, then they can be ratified. Everything has a reset button so that we don't screw ourselves over. Its a good thing too of course, never want to hook up with an abusive husband and never even having the chance to get away from it would be a terrible tragedy. As always with bad comes good. (No, its not the other way around)

Current day arranged marriages usually work out because its backed by pressure from the society, if the individuals are to be arranged they've probably accepted it and can deal with it, and in all likely hood, couldn't find their mate any other way.

Hahaha, so that brings me back to my situation. My parents visited Vancouver for a couple days and met up with some of my Dad's old friends. A conversation topic came up and it involved their two daughters, oh a selection, and myself. Two for one deal? I don't think so, but my dad being concerned, oh gee thanks dad, he's chatting and then the conversation turns to me. "Successful in blah blah blah, in University doing something something, single, blah blah" you know those constant talks about your own kids. Probably the same with them. Then arranged married popped into the conversation. Now, luckily, my mom was there to save me from a potential change in fate, but hearing about this is pretty funny.

I can imagine, the conversation my dad would have with me *after the fact*:

[I pick up phone]
"Hello?"
"Hi son, how are things?"
"Not bad, what are you calling me now dad? Its long distance... Something wrong?"
"Oh nothing, I just wanted to call and hear how things are going, so how are things?"
"Nothing much, just working. Oh yeah, make sure .."
[Dad interrupts]
"Oh, by the way, I got you married, bye bye, I love you"
[Dad phones up]
"Dad...? Dad...?"

[Year later, returning back from internship to my place]

[Me: opening door, keys jingling, enter, turn around to close door]
"Hooooonnnnnneeeeeeeeyyyyy!!!!!"
[Me: Eyes open wide, turning slowly]
[Fade out]

Probability of Originality, is it dead?

2004-08-22T20:59:00.000-04:00

What is the whole picture of all life? Love? NOoooooo... I said all life now, that means the lichen on the rocks of Antarctica too! Well it can be put down is about replication or survival. All life finds ways to spread DNA to continue it's existence on this world. So the basis of our world, as it is now, is copying. No matter if you believe in the theory of evolution or the theory of creation, they both show that we're produced from the essence of our parents and possibly a third party. From birth, life gets taught how to make its way in this world, whether it be passed on cellular and molecular signals to the teachings in 5th Grade. The key is this, knowledge is being passed in a systematic way and will continue to be that way as long as there is life, there is no other way.

We live in manufactured world, a world where big businesses control and influence our thoughts and therefore are also our "mentors". We live in a world of IKEA living rooms, Home Depot kitchens, Banana Republic wardrobes, etc. But that's ok, everybody is affected by them, so it's fine. It's like when you have to do public speaking or something, if you were the only one of the stage and had to do everything, then wow, you'd be a little more nervous and uncomfortable. Now the job would be easier of course if you had someone with you, or let say a group of people who had to go through the same thing. It makes it easier to swallow a task to know other people are behind you or are experiencing the same fear. Simply put, we can't help ourselves against these influences. Why? They have teams upon teams of psychologists and marketers. The psychologists interpret how we think, and the marketers use this to make us think in a way that will go for their product. And of course these people will do it even though it may have an overall sense of being unethical because it pays for materialistic goods presented by other marketers and pays for their kids to go to school to become future psychologists.

Ok, we got we're created and taught systematically, along with slightly geared toward corporations with the bigger pockets and the bigger psycho-marketing team. That is still fine, but where's the originality come in? In my last post, I stated originality is dead unless your the first. I still think that because I think that's what "original" means. Sorry correction, that what I interpret originality as. Being a nerd, I'll put in a couple definitions:

noun: an original model on which something is patterned
adjective: being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of

I like the second definition for its use of the word fresh. ;-)

So originality as it stands, must be something first of it kind. What fits in this catagory? People who we remember. Shakespeare, Mozart, Microangelo, Bill Clinton... cause they are the first to do what they do, write impressive pieces of literature, compose masterpieces, paint works of art, not having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky. They were basically the first to do something specific as a leader in their feild. You could say being famous isn't necessarily being the best nor original, but clearly its the public way of presenting it. If theres a faster runner than those in the olympics, well, if we don't see him run and get gold, than we can't say he's the top can we?

Anyway, there things in this world that aren't original and actually I would prefer them not to have anything original about them, just because its practical. For example, toilet paper. I would not like to have an original type of toilet paper, just the idea of having a new fangled yellow triangle shaped toilet paper or something else original about toilet paper, is disturbing. The despensor now, that could have interesting changes.

What I can appeciate is differences and change. Differences is like originality, but sticking with the definition, we see that differences is more plausable and understandable in life. Well I think that should be good for the intellectual discussion. I'm sure you all know about the diffenences around you and among one another, along with the changes that took to get to where we are now. Too much time spent typing instead of living, I'm out. Don't get me wrong people, I love this world.

Memes, viruses of the mind

2004-08-15T19:25:00.000-04:00

Knowledge is funny thing. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the more stupid you realize you are. I'm currently addicted to knowledge. There is so much I want to know about. I want to know about everything that going on in the Middle East to the different types of Cars to my db2 certification to playing guitar. Everything interests me, and I can't seem to stop wanting more. I'm also addicted to power. Ever since I got a taste of it while playing god in those strategy games like Sim City in grade 4, I've always liked to be in charge. Then there was a period of survival and observation in high school and then Uni hit me like a freedom train. With knowledge, power, and freedom what do you get? An individual. But that is all it takes to realize the extensive ability for someone who can make a difference. But most people don't have control of their lives. They become the sheep in society.

Sheep is what is referred to be like a follower, or a quiet person that goes along with the flow, not necessarily a bad thing. Its just that they would prefer to have other make the decisions for them. You could ask them the question "So where do you want to go?" and they reply with the common "I don't know" and etc. They are the person who passes decision or obligations to the next person. They are the ones who have a job and just do only that in a systematic way. They are the ones who keep the world turning, cause without them nothing would work properly nor on schedule. About 99% or more of the population is like this though my guesstimation.

How do sheeps come to be, everyone should be individual right? Wrong. Everything has been done before. You see a new architect design, its been created done before, a new dance move from a b-boy, that's a bite. Nothing is original anymore, not even this topic I'm talking about, its been done before, probably in different words, but new original stuff is rare. Same with people, every person has been done before. Unless you're the top, then your probably a wannabe.

There is this the societal view that pushes ahead of everyone. You think your perfect? No, no one is perfect. Only the image created by society is perfect. What societal image? What the media consumes from each model, artist, stereotype, prejudice, and idea to form a perfect person that people strive to be at least partly like. Of course its not just the media, its our own perception as well. When you look at people on the streets you notice things that set them apart. "Wow look on the bi's on that guy, I wish I had that size" "that's a nice coat, if only I had the money", "That person has such nice skin, I wonder what cream they use"

For those remotely possible it gives them hope and a drive to be this. For those people who don't have the qualities they void the image and continue on. I mean honestly I'm one of those fools who want to become a perfect person, that's my drive to do what I do, without it I'd be a lazy bum. People critize the perfect image and say that its bad because, people starve themselves to look like models or splurge their money on stuff you don't need. I think its good that people put effort to improve themselves. It helps self esteem and encourages goals. Of course I'll get some critism saying, how can you support people who are anorexic and such. But from different perspective, its a positive thing. But people won't see the good effects and of course not everyone fits in the extreme category.

But what puts people to do things society deems as bad? Memes! Everyone is effected by memes. What are they? They are viruses of the mind. Think an "idea can parasitically infect your mind and alter your behavior, causing you to want to tell your friends about the idea, thus exposing them to the idea-virus". This is something we can't help. Imposing the ideas on to others is something that was presented to us since birth. How we learn to talk the talk and walk the walk. But think of everything else. Like gossip, we all do it, but you ever think why? Someone tells us a huge secret, you get the urge to blow it and tell others. Its like a itch. Typically these are just basic things, but memes is the reason why people join cults and do abnormal things, most people aren't born psycho. Memes also change over type and sometimes they get misinterpreted to cause people to believe they have a mothership in Philadelphia.

Out of the Box thinking now, knowledge is like a virus. It spreads and people want more all the time. Ever think of the concept that ideas and thoughts could be spread cause mass people make decisions they never wanted to do? Well guess what, that's propaganda, and well everyone is a victim of it. Look at WWII or Bush's war on Iraq. But that's only 1/2 of the equation. We all know that this stuff is happening and its a cause of propaganda from CNN and such. But the other half is that we're all feel like we can't do anything about it, that's what memes have done. They've made us into sheeps.

Rockstar by day, Hip Hop by night, Nite It Up [Part 3]

2004-07-18T21:50:00.000-04:00

Ok its 9 o'clock Saturday and I'm just about to go to the Nite It Up, asian Night Market. You're probably thinking, didn't I go on Friday as well, isn't it going to be the same thing? Yep, I did go on Friday and I'm hoping for it to be the same thing. Let me give some background info that I didn't mention before. About two weeks prior there was a Asian Youth event at Pacific Mall, and there was a band that was playing there. Just a small local asian rockband and I thought they had some interesting songs. They seemed pretty young, I estimated grade 12 highschool aged. All males except for the, one female bass guitarist. Which I was like, wow, this gal is different. Cute and hot at the same time, I'll elaborate why later. Well at that time, I was just passing by, but out of all the girls, she's the only one who stood out.

In Toronto, there are so many people, that even if someone looks amazingly HOOOOTTTT, they won't stick in your head cause, because well, another one will pass by you on the street in like 10 minutes. Unlike that kinda of situation, this girl had an edge. So it was kinda cool.

Continuing on, I saw her that day and noticed her, but I keep going because I had things to do. But then on Friday, the group that she's appart of, Marvin and Friends, was playing as I met up with Eddie. And Boom, first thing I notice is cute hot girl with edge. Dang. So as we were chilling at the nite market, we're positioned to the left of the stage and where its less crowded and its closer to this girl. Well luckily for me, I somewhat taller than those around me, so I'm able to see her clearly and she can see me.

Being crazy, I decide to be a tease and when she glances my way I do a eyebrow raise and do a little tilt of my head. Not expecting anything, she smirks and gives one back. Of course I don't know if this is for real with so many people around and what not, but man, that was a huge turn on nether the less. But Friday was hitched with other people and chilling with them, I never really thought about pulling appart and doing my own thing.

So then on Saturday, I was like this is my own thing. Although it turns out I should of at least had one other dude as a safety. But anyways, I prep to go out, I wear something bad, my infamous black dragon T and green long sleave collar, to be not too gangstar-like. I head out with a black marker in hand and a plan to get possibly autographs and *cough* a number. It turns out that their performance is not for a bit, but I manage to bump into a couple of interns. I has hoping they would let me stick with them (for my fallback), but they have plans and I'm ditched.

Soon enough their group heads on stage, and before the show rolls on, the MC's do miniture interview on the band members. During some of this interviewing I find out that the band is about my age, bad age estimating, but thats good. She is the last one interviewed and it went a long the lines of:

MC: "Yao mo yun, surg gee dough lee gwa laang leuy gwa mang?" (translated from now on)

"So does any one want to know the name of this beautiful women?"

[small Crowd hoots]

This pudgy guy thats somewhat to the right front of me is the loudest. This time I'm on the right of the stage and there is a much more bigger group. Sucky.

MC: "Well, looks like there are lots of guys interested, so laang leuy, what is your name?"

She replies "I'm Vivienne" , you can totally see that she breaks out of character and is a little embarrassed.

MC: "Well Vivienne, are you single?"

She smiles the most photogenic smile I've seen in a while, and shyly says "yes". The mc, makes a few more comments to make the crowd laugh and the show goes on. Man, that smile is golden. Ok why cute and hot? The stage getup she has for the band on was a short black skirt laced with a few chains with white collar short sleaved blouse. Its a mix between bad with the skirt, but not too bad with the plain white collar. I'm always been into bad girl thing, but I know I want a good girl at heart. So this girl is well very cute looking, very nice face, great smile.

The band did the same songs as before, I tried to make eye contact again, but in such a big crowd and with the lights and all I don't think she saw me. Thats too bad, I had that connection from the night before and I went to pursue it. But this time, I missed out.

Too bad, so I thought to myself, how could I get something set up? I mean really set up. So I get thinking .... situation. If I make the situation, something might happen. Cause I didn't want to be a wussy and be thought as one of those desperate kinda folks called fans, I want to be real. Like if I go up to her, ask her for her autograph she'll be like laughing and just joking around, if I ask her for her number it won't be to sincere. So what did I do? I got in contact with the lead of the band, Marvin, in an email, his reply:

"wanna meet up sometimes together? maybe have a caual jamming section too? haha... ya... keep in touch la. i'm also interesting in knowing you guys too... and once again. thankyou for supporting us at nite it up!"

Which is like dang! Being able to hang out with a canto rock band is nuts. So right now I working heavy on my guitaring, maybe sooner or later the situation will be possible. If not, I gotta another skill to add to the chest. But yeah, I guess I'm all about the doing, rather than waiting on chance to come my way. Of course theres always a bit of luck involved... hopefully I'll be able to meet that someone.

Rockstar by day, Hip Hop by night, Nite It Up [Part 2]

2004-07-15T21:57:00.000-04:00

Taking a different spin on things this time. Read and comment if this way is better.

My friend Jonathan asked me last Thursday, "Hey man, why do you do this stuff? Volunteering and sh*t?". "I dunno" I said, "I think I like exposure, get more chances to meet HOT chicks and stuff." He just just laughed at me and sarcastically replied "Its a picnic dude, theres gonna be family and kids" Little did he know....

Golden rays of sunlight stream across my face and I wince... mmm Sunday morning.... wait a sec, its Saturday morning! Oh CRAP, gotta volunteer! Boom, I jump off my single foam matress aka "the bed" and scramble for my glasses. Time is 8 something, *phew* still got a few hours before I'm suppose to be at the TIC (Toronto IBM Club) Picnic volunteering. Ok let me think, where was it again? Somewhere North East , ah, I forgot the address. I remember I took a look at how to get there on mapquest, a couple weeks ago, but now I forgot... Ah ha, I can use the INTERNET to check again! Oh I'm so in control of things. So I quickly change and jump to my computer in the living room.

Hold on a second? Whats this girl doing on my dining room floor? Oh yeah, Cindy stayed over. Meh, I'm in control of things with the INTERNET. So I turn on my monitor and shake my mouse so that my lovely aquarium fish disappear. Lo and behold, the INTERNET... wait, the address to get to the TIC picnic is on the intRAnet at work, I have no home access, shoot! Ok I quickly grab my stuff and jump out the door. I zoom to the bus stop at Steeles headed on my way to work. Don't worry folks, I'm not the only one on the bus headed for IBM.

I jump of the bus, and quickly rush to work with plans to jump on the bus when it loops around. I get there and badge in, and run to my cubicle. Ah yes, here it is, the address, 21123 kennedy Road (north of Major Mackenzie). OK Lets check the bus schedule and route maps.... uh oh. Internet doesn't work at work... I probably need to restart, but AH no time. So thats it I'll just wing it. I rush outside to the bus stop. "Hmmm, no bus"

[45 mins later]

"Hmmm, no bus."

Anyways it eventually comes around, I guess I SHOULD of went back and checked to find out which busses to take to get there. But you know how it is, I go back in and then the other bus passes by. I knew I was gonna be late, and I was even contemplating whether or not to take a cab, cause I don't even know which busses to take to get there. Ah well, I'm on a bus now and I drop off at where I got on. I'm thinking to myself, well the place is North East, why don't I take a bus East and take a bus North? Make sense, so I do that.

I hop on the 53 Steeles East bus until I feel like I get off, and take the 129 McCowan North as north as I can go. Alright, I'm in the middle of nowhere, I have no idea what street I got off, I just know that I'm at Major MacKenzie Road, but I suppose to be north of it somewhere. Ok... looking north what do I got... farms... hmmmm, let me go back West just because I have a hunch.

Hey look, there's a bus coming my way and its heading North! No wait, thats the same bus I got off. I hope the bus driver can tell me where to go, so I wave it down and ask him... "Kennedy Ave you say? Hmmmm never heard of it." Ah crap, this is what I found about the bus drivers in TO, they know nothing. "What bus is this?" "I don't know what does the front say?" ah, I can do better with my random guessing. So I guess west and head that way.

[1 minutes later]

"AHHHHH I'm LoST and HEllpLess, the sun, beating down on my green pimp hat, barely taking steps, must .... keep ... going .. for . man kind," hold up now, theres a guy playing basketball that I can ask. "Yeah Kennedy Ave is at the next traffic light" Score! Take that TO bus driver. I jump to the intersection and releaved that I just have to go down one street. Ok I get about a block and I see the numbers on the mail boxes 20025, 20053, 20097... ok almost there! 20123 YEAAHHH!!! wait.... NOOOOOOOOO I have to be at 21123, crap, that was like one block to get there. I still have 10 times that to go and the suns not giving any leeway. 20567, 20572, 20604... hold up what's this blue paper in the grass? Swwweeeet, $5 bucks for me. Now getting paid to walk is a different story. haha. Alright, now for the rest of the way to go.

[5 mins before my first shift ends for volunteering]

"Hey! Phew I made it" I end up helping putting stickers on like 2 kids at my first event, which is Kid's activities. They understood, cause I walked the whole way to get there and they probably passed by me IN THIER CARS before the shift even started. Ah well, so I went to get lunch right away, they gave me a free food ticket for my day's work of volunteering *cough*, but I skipped breakfast and I was starved. It was 12:00 and I had a break before my next session. Mmmm free lunch.

Ok, my next event is helping out with football. OK not bad, I specifically got the task of giving prizes to the little ones. I'm think this ain't bad... Oh DANG. Whats this? I'm suppose to hang out with the Argo's Jr Cheerleading Team. Absolutely! And I can say that even though their catagory is Jr. there's nothing really junior about them. There was three of them at the football event too, One blond, one redhead, and one brunette. Angella, Kathy, and Jessica... ok ok, not bad. What was bad was when they announce the kid's football, no one really came, but when they announce that the cheerleaders where here helping out all the dad's brought their kids to play. I guess it was sweats, thongs, and tight clothing.

Afterwards though I had arts and crafts, which was not really my thing, but I managed to network with a site operator at a different plant and get her to give me a ride home. Way better than walking the distance. I laugh to think of what Jon said to me before.

So I'm home, its 6 o'clock. Eddie and that girl in my dining room are gone. I plan on working out for a bit, then hitting the shower and going to bed for a couple hours. I'm pretty tired, since I went to bed late and I was up with the sun. But I hit my computer first. Whats this? Eric L, says everything is going down with my baby and that I should get something to bite on if I look at the CSC forum. Which I do, and yeah I should of gotten something to bite on. The deal they had going on was just nuts. I was really dissappointed by what was going on there since people, except Eric L and Andrew, were not making clear decisions with the "whole scheme of things" mentality and missing interpretation of what a democracy means. Seeing the big picture is totally missing in the current leadership. So instead of working out, showering, and sleeping, I stay and converse with the only sane people left that can save the club from what I can totally see as a unneccessary nightmare. So luckily we are able to ratify the decision that was made, without the current President even knowing, haha, even though she was sleeping on my dining room floor that morning. She's too busy having fun, than to be involved in matters like these.

Is the day over? Not even close! But its taking too long to relay these stories, so I'll make a part three just about the part that I like most. Till then. Buh bye!

Rockstar by day, Hip Hop by night, Nite It Up [Part 1]

2004-07-12T22:32:00.000-04:00

This last weekend is what I think was the best one yet here in Toronto, it was just plain exciting, jumping form one thing to the next (and yes, lots of hotties).

Well continuing off from my last post it was now about 11 and I'm walking to meet up with Eddie and Cindy, who has planned to stay the night at my place. I know that it seem like a big issue last time, but it isn't anymore. I got bigger fish to fry and other things to worry about. I didn't even take notice and since I'm growing older, I find myself not wanting to waste time with sissies.

So anyway, I called Eddie up and he said that a bunch of other interns were there, like Hollis and Calvin. Two very cool dudes. Michelle was also there. Who's Michelle? Well she's just my partner in crime on the FB team, we're both going for teams leads, and with only two positions, we hope we both get them. So I managed to meet up with Eddie and Hollis. They were basically at the stage where all the preformances were being held. They had already been here for a little bit, so after chilling with them as a crew, I thought I would just take a look around.

Now this Night Market was jam packed with Asians. It took place the parking lot of a Metro Square, a chinese food strip mall. One half of the parking lot is filled with the riced up cars and rockets, and on the other are the vendor tents and the performance stage. So as I was taking a browse about the tents noticing all the hotties, looking at the trinkets, and smelling the "Special Tofu" (aka Stinky Tofu), I get a tap from behind....

Why it is Elsie! An existing intern at IBM who is a total prettyX2 (read as pretty times two) girl. I've been totally meaning to meet her, since she's total cool gal. Good style and awesome hair ;-).

"You're Eric right?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, I'm Elsie, we haven't meet officially, and I saw you walking around"
"Yeah ... I know, cool, nice to meet you."
"You know, I live right across the street from you!"
"Uh huh?" *I give a strange look
"Oh sorry, its not like I'm stalking you or anything, I just drove Eddie home one day and you guys are roommates right"
"Yeah, Haha, are you sure you aren't stalking me?"
...
Anyways we talk for a bit, but I can see she's holding back her guy friends', so I tell her where some other interns are and jet to get some bubble tea.

I just pick a random vendor, and grab a Lychee Bubble tea, continue my walk around. Its a nice warm night. I was wearing my new Club Monaco get-up so I looked decent I think. The weather was a little cloudy, but that was perfect because the night sky actually is lighter from the reflecting city lights.

So I walk back to meet up with the guys from before, this time Calvin is there and also Angela, she is also a prettyx2 girl, but a huge turnoff because she didn't even remember me (and I seen her on more than one occation in IBM). Anyways with a select few, we go for some Bubble tea at TenRens inside the mall. Didn't I just have bubble tea? Yeah, but its great. I get an awesome Passion Fruit Slush with bubbles, mmmmm Passion Fruit. It wasn't bad.

On the way out from the tea shop, little did my eyes see, I saw two hotties smooching on the side of a white van as we walked back to the stage. WHOA?!? In a public place, amazing, the things in Toronto, I thought! So I start chatting with Hollis's friend.

"Did you see that?"
"See what?"
"Those two girls making out back there?"
"What? Where?"
"I dunno, I think they just left. Dang, you don't see these kinda things back in Edmonton"
"Geez man, you don't see these kinda things in Toronto neither!"

Craziness! So we just watch the preformances for a bit, including some cool hip hop by Versatile Young Bodies of Energy. Really good. A great show, I think is funny to hear Cindy said something along the lines of "I was amazed about the abs on the girl dancer" I think its funny, cause she said amazed. It makes sense, to be a good hip hop artist, you have to practice all the time. Its like being amazed at a professional body builder, they have big mucles because they work out all the time or like an awesome piano player who plays all the time. You get what you deserve in this life (for the most part) at least I think so.

We live like 20 min walk from the night Market. Heres a funny thing, Elsie offers Eddie and I, a ride home, but she parked at the T & T down the street, which is like 10 mins away. We laugh and say no need. Because the time to work to her car and get her car out of the parking lot we'd already be home. hehehe. Anyways, its about one when I leave and I have to go Volunteer for a TIC (Toronto IBM Club) picnic tomorrow... so everyone takes their time and heads out.

A picnic? Sounds boring...well just wait and see...