Rich Rants

I started running again after 10 months of doing nothing. By this time, my weight went up to 190 lbs again and you know, I didn’t see any reason why I should lose weight.

Of course, my lower back took the brunt of such thing to the point I have to cut my work time at one point when I felt this excruciating pain on my lower back that I could barely walk. It was a wake-up call for me to shed some pounds and this time, keep it that way. (Need to lose 30 lbs: from 190 to 160)

So, rewind back 7 days ago, March 13… I woke up 2 hours early so I can run: I bought a new running shorts (Adidas), placed new running song list on my iPod (Daft Punk’s Interstella 555), grabbed my cold Gatorade (Lemon flavor) from the Fridge and don my Navy sweatshirt– just to prod me along.

So, there I was, standing on a well-worn running track in the park, with a light breeze caressing my face that cool and sunny Thursday afternoon. After 10 months of bullshit, I think I have to do something about it and it starts with something that I love to do: running.

As Confucius said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” and step I did.

Left foot, right foot, arms swinging close to my sides, back straight, breathe through my nose, exhale through my mouth, eyes alert (specially for dog shit), take short strides, repeat. Left foot, right foot, arms swinging close to my sides, back straight, breathe through my nose, exhale through my mouth, eyes alert (specially for dog shit), take short strides, repeat. Left foot, right foot, arms swinging close to my sides, back straight, breathe through my nose, exhale through my mouth, eyes alert (specially for dog shit), take short strides, repeat.

It wasn’t a cathartic experience per se but, it’s a start for me.

By the time I was done, my lungs felt like they’re going to explode, my legs a bit shaky but I’m fine nonetheless. I ran for a mile and a half… took me 20 minutes to finish ( I walked on my last half-mile) feeling giddy and experiencing that runner’s high.

I need to do this more often. Actually, I will do it later this morning so I need to get some sleep. Updates if I don’t feel lazy to make a blog.

With 2008 done and over with, everyone is just looking forward to the year 2009 full of hope and wishing for good things to come.

I hate to say this but, it wouldn’t be as pleasant as everybody hoped it would be. I know, I know, I shouldn’t be this pessimistic specially since 2009 just barely started. But hey, I’m just being real you know?

Anyways, the first half of my 2008 has been pleasant– things were (seemingly) looking well: things between me and this girl were looking pretty good, my health was going well and I had laid out my plans for the later part of the year. Despite the souring US economy exacerbated with the soaring fuel prices, the trip to Dubai would be the highlight of my 2008.

But as fate would have it, the Dubai vacation turned out so-so… if it weren’t for my cousins Steph and Jan, his wife/my cousin-in-law Sheryl and her friends, my trip would have been a total bust. Their company made my trip enjoyable despite the thing between me and this girl deteriorated.

Oh she’s beautiful all right but her true personality was the opposite: it was so rotten that it sickened me to my stomach that I was in bed for almost two days during my 18-day trip.

On my way back home, pleasant the other half of the trip may be, it is still tainted with that money-grubbing, pretentious, lying bitch.

And so it marked the the turning point of my year from July-December:it felt like everything was spiraling down all of a sudden–my health, my future plans, my sanity.. everything. Despite my (halfhearted) efforts to keep things in order, the feeling of helplessness still washes over me in the end–taunting me of my inability to rectify things in order.

November 12 came: I hit the 3-0. Looking back at my life the second I became more aware of my surroundings at the age of 2, I know that I still have ways to go. Despite I’m going all emo and shit, I started drafting my plans for this year; I will put these things in effect once my overall situation improves.

December arrived and I think Las Vegas hit an all-time low in the Hospitality Business–only to be rivaled by the sudden plummet in the aftermath of the 9-11 Attacks: Hotels laid people off by the thousands, construction work on the spiffier Casinos were halted as revenues shrank, Stock share prices reduced to a shadow of their former selves and everything else–housing, finance, banking, whatever—it all went down to the fucking shitter. And with these, hotel staffing went down to bare minimums. I got lucky that I wasn’t canned in my job–personally, if I was indeed fired, I would’ve went back to the military service… or jumped off from the roof of our hotel because seriously, I had it.

But since I’m sharing a survivalist trait of a Cockroach (it’s been reported that these critters has the ability to survive and thrive on a Nuclear Winter), I’m still here.

And with that, I’m fucking glad that 2008 is done and over.. of course, I still have my reservations with regards to 2009… but I think it gives me a clearer picture now on what NOT to do (like, wasting my time on somebody FOR LET’S SAY, 12 YEARS? Yea, I’m talking to YOU), I will still go on with my plan that I drafted last November and we’ll see how far it will take me this time.

We’ll see.

Well, can’t think of a witty title anyways so, whatever.

I don’t know if it’s global warming or whatnot or arctic winds bearing down on the American midwest, but Las Vegas had a “bit” of snow the other day. It rarely snow here in Vegas… I mean, it snows occassionally on places like Summerlin since the area is elevated. But snow in downtown? It’s pretty rare. But it seems like that the snow was I guess cold enough to guarantee a very slushy day.

And Mother Nature did it with gusto.

Interesting to see that some of the drivers here in Vegas gets pretty stupid when they encounter something like these because they have no fucking clue on what to do… I hope these idiots are fully insured.

I was late for atleast an hour due to this snowing thing and personally, I think it was fun walking a snow-filled sidewalk… while the wind felt like cold lances piercing through my winter jacket.

But still, gotta enjoy the moment, no? I think the last time it snowed like these was back in 2003… though it wasn’t as severe as this one.

A good portion of my life has been one of sacrifice: it is how I was brought up.. I guess it’s because it’s a “good thing” to do. And you know what, I have no qualms about it. In fact, I’m glad that it was ingrained in me at a very young age.

There’s this one book that I read and they were talking about what’s the basis for any strong relationship? It could be a lot of things but for me, it’s called “Unrequited Commitment“… it as at the core of any strong relationship is at least one moment of pure selflessness..

I’ve had conversations with other people specially the newly weds.. there’s this girl that was willing to go with him anywhere he wants to–even if that would mean the girl leaving the career/work that she loves.. she’ll give it up just for him. “What a lucky fucking guy” I thought.

I wish that my relationship with people (or girls for that matter) was a good as the others… but nope, seems like I always keep getting saddled with women that as selfish as a 2-year old spoiled brat.

And God knows why I even bother to always be the White Knight that comes to their aid when the going gets tough for them. I think I have to blame my “good” side for doing so… helping other people and all that crap.

Am I going to change my mantra about my unrequited commitment? Fuck no. It only meant that those people didn’t deserved my all in the first place. That’s all there is to it.

And for the ones who wronged me, there’s an old saying “what goes around, comes around…”

Karmic justice can be a bitch, guaranteed.

I just turned 30 a couple of days ago and I feel… lacking.

I still have a long way to go, that’s all there is to it.

With the U.S. economy at an all-time low, many businesses, no matter which industry are resorting to things like laying off workers just to stay afloat.

Our company in that matter have been doing some “retrenching” for the past few weeks as well; which was one of the things that’s been making me lose sleep these past few days. I knew that it was just a matter of time before this company’s frantic effort would rear it’s (ugly) head in my department.

And it did not disappoint.

We lost alot of ppl this Friday and some of them were good co-workers of mine. I didn’t knew the entire scope until Friday night from a friend. Learning that my name was still on the schedule list seems to have lifted this heavy load off my shoulders.

The realities of living in a Corporate world… it made me worry to the point that it almost convinced me to go back to the Military service all of a sudden…

…we’ll see what tommorrow brings then.

…I overslept yesterday. So basically, I didn’t get to work haha. I guess I slept like a log and wasn’t able to hear(or downright ignored) my alarm clock.

Aw man, and here I am, was thinking of completing this 40-hour work week since I’m trying to save money for XMas.

Aw shucks, it’s not like it’s a bad thing taking a break from work once in a while you know? I guess my body really wanted a break for a bit.

Well, since I’ve been experiencing strings of “unproductive” weekends for the past 3 weeks now, I decided to break the funk by making this weekend a busy one.

My lists include:

• Do a quick clean-up of our patio
• Clean my fucking room
• Shred 3 weeks worth of bills
• Do laundry
• Go to Gamestop and browse for second-hand games
• Break out my warmer outfits for Dry Cleaning (jacket, thermals, etc)
• Clean my fucking room (someone planted a C4 and blew that place up)
• Buy a couple of things from Walgreens (new optical mouse, shampoo, my fave white choco for me and my little bro, and other stuff as well…)
• SLEEP ON TIME
• Clean my room

And so, I was looking forward to a busy (and productive) weekend.

I’m stoked, I’m ready, I’m raring to go! Aaaaaaaaaaand….

….what military planners often say: “no battle plan survives contact with the enemy…”

Yep, I didn’t do a single Goddamned thing on my list. Maybe just one and a half.

Well, I got off from work Friday morning and was getting ready to go home when my friends Travis and Crystal texted me asking if I want to play a few games of bowling. I haven’t seen those guys for 2 weeks so I said “what the heck, might as well have fun for a bit”

I whooped both their asses (low-scoring game for some reason, my highest was only 133 after 3 games.. wtf) and then we tried Denny’s for breakfast this time (service is real slow btw… food is okay though).

I got home around 9am, chatted with friends/relatives for a bit, went to our patio and cleanup for a bit(despite my sore arm) went to sleep around 2pm, woke up around 9pm, ate dinner and was thinking of proceeding with my plan.

But nah, I felt like doing other things: watched College Football, chatting with friends, played PS3/PC games, read Manga online, watched Anime online, take cat naps… u know… relaxing stuff, haha.

Seeing how my weekend is shifting, I tried my best to sleep on time meaning I have to stay up for atleast 8 hours more so I’d be able to sync my sleeping schedule atleast.

I fell asleep on my La-z boy of a PC chair 4 hours into it. While playing a game.

So yea.. another so-so weekend. Lol. And that’s 4 straight unproductive weekends, rofl.

Ah, finally, Fall season is here! And with that in mind, time to break out my jackets and other warmer outfits for this thing.

Of course, one of the reason why I’m happy about it is because our electric bill should be going down as well.. that’s extra $$ that I will save. Another reason is that I won’t be sweating that much as well or get my skin burned when walking under the sun (yea, I’m a pussy).

But then, since it’s getting real cold here in Vegas (-20 degree drop this Sunday), that means no more scantily clad women(mostly tourists) walking on the strip (excluding the cocktail waitresses and them hookers).. oh well, you win some, you lose some, right?

I want to get away from here. I wanna go in a far away place where I can be myself and do the things that I want to do.

Fortunately, my self-imposed “exile” is almost done.

Few more months, that’s it.