Housewarming Food Best I Ever Had

I was at a college buddy's housewarming last week and I was rather surprised by the good food (i.e. potato salad, pork with onions, pasta, duh-pok gee) as it had all been done by one person: Willy's wife.

The only other woman I've met who can cook this well is my mother.

I ate a lot. And complimented my friend's wife afterwards.

Running Around the Block On Christmas

I ran about three miles today. I have been doing this several times a week for the past month.

I've gotten slim. 159 lbs (5'10").

Nickey Van My High School Hero

Nick Van Exel was traded to Portland during the off-season.

Van Exel was my teenage hero.

I remember when I was in 10th grade, I watched him play his first game as a Laker at the Forum. Late in the fourth quarter, he made a running one-hander in the lane and began waving his arms to rouse the crowd. I was mesmerized.


Nickey V. sparkled in his NBA debut with the Lakers.

I began imitating a few of his moves on the court. For the most part, they were effective. As such, my respect for this NBA star increased.

I also collected a bunch of his rookie cards. Upper Deck Die-Cut. Topps Finest Refractor. Topps Stadium Club (pictured at top).



Van Exel became someone I admired because of his brash demeanor, willingness to take (and oftentimes hit) the crunch-time shot, and his cool-headed personality off the court.

Five seasons later he was traded to the Nuggets. It was a sad day for me. I had a hard time reconciling to myself the fact he was no longer a Laker.



Since playing for the Lakers, Van Exel has played for three other NBA teams. He is now the starting small guard for the Portland Trailblazers.

A Recent Look at the Lives of Arthur Agee & William Gates

I came across an article in the Washington Post about Arthur Agee and William Gates' current lives.

Gates (pictured below) is now a senior pastor in Cabrini Green (the same inner city Chicago community where he grew up).



I remember watching Hoop Dreams for the second time at the campus library when I was a fifth-year senior at UCI (2001). It was then that I realized how powerful it was (I first saw it in high school and didn't appreciate it the way I do now).





In his review of the movie, Roger Ebert said, "A film like 'Hoop Dreams' is what the movies are for. It takes us, shakes us, and makes us think in new ways about the world around us. It gives us the impression of having touched life itself."

I Joined 24 Hour Fitness Today

I once read an LA Times article titled "Intense Physical Activity Is Beneficial To the Brain." I can see how this is true. After I run, I feel clear-headed, and more relaxed.

I joined 24 Hour Fitness today. I had been thinking about it for the past few days. I got a good deal ($21 per month for the first 36 months, $8 month after that).

Short Film

I came across a short film while surfing the web.

"More"--the title of the film, was nominated for an Academy-Award.

Good stuff.

The Sad Odyssey of Kobe Bryant

Kobe in tears after a series-ending loss in the 2003 playoffs.

It's been reported that Kobe used to drive to UCLA at night and look at the students walking around campus, wondering what his life would've been like had he decided on a different path at 18.

It's been reported that Kobe, on road trips, remains in his hotel room while his teammates go sightseeing or check out the city's nightlife.

It's been reported that Kobe doesn't have many friends on the Lakers or around the league. And that, on the team bus, he sits in the back and chooses not to engage in dialogue with other Laker players or staff.

It's been reported that after his marriage to Vanessa Laine, Kobe and his father stopped talking for 2 years.

It's been reported that the seats Kobe bought for his parents remained empty during the 3 games the Lakers played against the 76ers in Philadelphia (his hometown) in the 2001 Finals. Kobe averaged 25 points and 6 assists in the series, helping his team to a title.

Kobe's father didn't attend the 2002 All-Star game in Philadelphia in which Kobe won the MVP.

Kobe told an LA Times reporter that he was deeply hurt by his father's absence in both instances.

It's been reported that Kobe contacted a divorce lawyer (months before his sexual encounter in Colorado) in the spring of 2003, prompting his wife into an emotional tailspin which landed her in the hospital on advanced life support.

It's been reported that Kobe told people in the media, not long after he wedded, "he wouldn't have to be lonely anymore."

Read what the ESPN staff had to say about the wake of the Kobe case.

Vegas

It happened during a buffet lunch at Main Street Station in Downtown Las Vegas. After I sat in someone else's seat (unknowingly), an interpersonal conflict ensued, and Greg said he'd "put money on Pye."

His words remained on my mind during the 5-hour drive home.

Friday night when I was walking with the bachelor's crew on the Vegas strip, a fight broke out between two men who looked like they were in their early 30s.

It was not a pretty sight.

I'm not the violent type. I have yet to make the choice of going blows with another person.

I know Greg wasn't being completely serious. But it got me thinking: for what reason would he say such a thing about me? Do I seem like someone who would start a fight with somebody? Or actually win a fight?

I don't really envision myself as that kind of person. But I appreciate my friend's comment. I think it shows he respects me in a certain sense.

Remembering Marlon Brando

The following excerpt has been taken from Roger Ebert's website.

Q. I couldn't let Marlon Brando's passing go by without telling this story. Over 20 years ago when I was just starting out as a teacher in Chicago, I had a student who loved Brando. As a writing assignment, I'd promised to find addresses for the stars the kids liked, so they could write to them and see who answered.

The kid was overjoyed. She told Brando they shared a birthday, and that she wanted to become a writer, but couldn't convince her parents she had the goods. The Brando fan received a hand-written letter -- one of the sweetest, most encouraging letters a teen could ever receive -- about dreams and what really matters in life. And a year later, she received, on her birthday, a hand-signed card, asking her if she was still writing, and for a sample of something she'd written. I've never forgotten it. Brando was and will always be one of my idols, too, and that's how I'll remember him: As I saw him in the eyes of that teenage girl, so many years ago.

Cynthia Dagnal Myron,Tucson, Ariz.

A. One of the reasons Brando was a great star was that he never followed the form book, but lived his life spontaneously, personally and sincerely.

The Great Divorce

The Prince. And the King. Separated. The Golden Child stays in Los Angeles with the prospect of having a franchise built around him. The Big Aristotle looks to revitalize his already cemented status as one of the game's most dominant players in his return to South Beach.

They were the dynamic duo. Batman and Superman. The greatest 1-2 punch the league had ever seen. But that's history.

The divorce was brought about by greed (i.e. the Diesel's unreasonable pay-me-the-maximum-extension-on-my-contract demand), unyielding egos (e.g. Bryant refusing to defer to O'neal in game 4 of the Finals in which Shaq ate the Pistons alive), and a tunnel-visioned owner named Buss who decided to hold on to Kobe no matter the cost.

There was also a conflict of personalities. Kobe disdained Shaq because of his childish need for attention. Shaq (and the rest of the team) despised Kobe for being selfish and unsocial.

I'm not a big fan of either Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'neal. But I acknowledge their supreme status as the top two players in the NBA.

Too bad they're not together anymore. The curtain has fallen on their brief dynasty.

Wave Rebel

I caught my first wave today (since buying my bodyboard months ago) at Hermosa Beach. What a rush.

I paddled out into the ocean. And a moment later I saw a good-sized wave beginning to swell. I turned my board around and started kicking. Hard. The wave took me before I knew what was happening. I rode it out to the shore.

Last weekend I went bodyboarding and didn't catch a single wave. It was incredibly disappointing. But redemption came today.

I'm a beginner, but I think I made a huge leap. On May 6th, 2004 I wrote this in my blog:

"The other day, I was watching Step Into Liquid and I remember a guy in the film said, 'once you catch your first wave, that's it. You're in. You've caught the surfing bug. It's like the mafia. You can't get out.'"

Former Students

The 10th graders I taught at La Quinta have recently graduated and many are probably moving on to 4-year universities. Some of my Pedro students will be seniors this upcoming fall.

Some of these kids did an admirable thing by taking their work seriously. And I made sure to validate them and give them from-the-gut feedback. But there's more to it than that. Kids don't forget those who had their best interests in mind.

I'm reminded of an old Twilight Zone episode in which an aging English teacher is on the verge of committing suicide because he feels his life has been meaningless. In a moment of despair, he reads an inscription on a monument in front of his school. It reads (to paraphrase) "don't consider yourself successful unless you've won at least one victory for mankind." Later on, he's in his classroom with a revolver in his hand and some of his former students, all of whom have died--fighting in World War II or what not--appear before him at their desks. One by one, each of them tells this teacher how much he meant to them. He's moved. And, subsequently, has a new outlook on life.

I think I'm like this English teacher. I have a deep need to be validated. I have to know that my life has made some type of difference.

Father's Day

For the past six years, whenever Father's Day has rolled around, I'm reminded more acutely than most other days of the year that my dad's dead.

He moved on to the next world on February 21st, 1999 in San Diego, CA. I was a junior at UC Irvine. I was thinking of him last night and shed tears while I lay on my bed. Sometimes I feel like he left too soon. There is nobody in my remaining family I can look to for real guidance.

I've been searching for other father figures in my life. There's a few older men (i.e. Bob Gay, Adam Edgerly) at church I feel I can talk to. But I don't see them too often.

I think having a distant relationship with my father and then losing him when I was twenty has left a hole in me.

On 1/29/04 I wrote this in my blog (geocities.com/pye78):

"I feel like I need an older man to care about me. To be involved in my life. I need that type of strength."

I'm still searching. But I've come to accept there may never be one.

It Hurts; But It's Not Over.

I can't deny the pain I felt after watching the Lakers go down 3-1 in the Finals. But I still have faith. I think they'll win the next game in Detroit. And then take the last two games in L.A.

They'll be the first team in NBA history to ever come back from a 3-1 deficit. These Lakers, compared to other teams, are capable of pulling it off.

Now, it's time to ask the all-important question: Will the real Laker fans please stand up?

Those of you who think it's over, you're phonies.

As for the loyal ones, we're in the same boat. We still believe the purple and gold can take this series, because we have no other option.

There was a point in Jesus' ministry when a lot of his followers left him because of the difficulty of actually living out his teachings. When he turned up the heat, only twelve of his disciples had remained with him.

Similarly, the Lakers are, no doubt, feeling the heat right now. They're facing elimination. We can't give up on them. They need our support.

Not Sure Where To Go From Here

I made a visit to Cal State L.A. on Monday to meet with my grad school academic advisor. During the meeting, I selected specific courses I planned on taking for my master's degree.

My advisor seemed a little detached about the whole process. I asked her about career opportunities after I finish my degree and she told me to contact the career center.

When I was at UC Irvine I made a few visits to its career center and it was not helpful. When I asked about jobs for English majors, the counselors would just tell me to browse through some of the books they had to find out more information.

I don't plan on making a visit to Cal State L.A.'s career center. I doubt they will be of any particular help.

A side note: during my academic advisement, a woman came into the room and said my name wasn't in their computer. There was no record of me.

Later on I found out, when I visited the admissions office, that the school had just started using a new registrar system and that every student's name had not yet been added to the records.

Today, I was reading through the syllabus for one of the classes I'll be taking in the summer (graduate research and methodology) and I learned that we'll be studying Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Pope's "The Rape Of The Lock" and Shakespeare's King Lear.

What kind of mess have I gotten myself into? I don't see the point in studying obscure poetry and centuries-old literature that has little connection with the modern world or my personal life. I've done that one too many times as an undegrad.

Since my visit to CSLA, I've been frantically searching for literary-related work on monsterjobs.com. If I can get hired somewhere using my writing/editing/proof-reading skills, I will revoke my statement of intent for graduate study.

By the way, some of my favorite writers are: Anton Chekov, Elizabeth Kaye and Raymond Carver.

Personality Type

Every person on this planet has a personality type. I was at Barnes and Nobles today (Torrance) reading a magazine article about the variety of personality types that have been created and developed over the past half-century.

Invariably, I identified with the introvert. The person who has a deep awareness of his interior world: dreams, ideas, feelings; Shies away from group activities; Keeps a diary or has semisecret hobbies;

This type of human being is considered cerebral, studious, focused, creative, has original ideas. May be prone to self-absorption or self-preoccupation; Has a few, quite select set of friends; Recharges batteries by being alone.

My First Bodyboard

I bought my first bodyboard today (at Sportmart). $39.99. I was at Seal Beach earlier (to fish) and, while walking to the end of the pier, stopped and watched a few adolescent males bodyboarding. It looked like they were having fun.

I also saw surfers riding waves. I felt like I was missing out.

The other day, I was watching Step Into Liquid and I remember a guy in the film said, "once you catch your first wave, that's it. You're in. You've caught the surfing bug. It's like the mafia. You can't get out." I haven't had the chance to experience something like that.

But I might this Saturday when I go surfing with a friend from small group.

By the way, I didn't catch any fish.

If I'm going to go to the ocean, I might as well spend my time there doing something more gratifying.

So what compelled me to try bodyboarding for the next six weeks? (1) Hot weather. I want to go to the beach and get wet. Boogie boarding gives me an excuse to be in the water for long periods of time. (2) When I was in junior high, I was bodyboarding at Huntington Beach and caught my first wave. I want to experience that again. (3) The teenage boys I saw today at Seal Beach opened my eyes to the possibility of excelling at a new sport that is connected to the ocean, something I find appealing.

Gangster Hoopers

There are a handful of players in professional basketball I admire. They are:

Desmond Mason for his dunking ability and the intense energy he brings to a game.
Rashard Lewis for his cool-spirited demeanor and versatile offensive skills.
Mike Bibby for his sweet-looking, clutch jumpshot.
And
Ronald Murray for his one-on-one I-know-I-can-score-at-will mentality.

In my own fantasy world, these players would comprise my dream team.

Initiating A Conversation

After church service last Sunday, I was sitting next to a friend in the hall, waiting to go to the beach picinic later on that day. I saw a young woman sitting near me, by herself.

I asked her: Are you new?
She said: No.
I said: I'm Pye-young.
She said: I'm Sally.

[We shook hands.]

I said: Are you going to the beach picnic?
She said: Yeah. Are you?
I said: Yeah, I'll be there.

Not sensing a whole lot of enthusiasm on her part, I didn't continue the conversation.

A Year In Limbo (And Self-Examination)

In the past year:

I've worked as a sales representative (going door-to-door pitching Sparkletts Water to various businesses) for an advertising agency. I did that for two days (including a day of training).

I took a ten hour course to become a licensed undercover store detective. But I didn't get hired as one (at Marshalls) because my interviewer said I was overqualified.

I interviewed for a caption writing position in which I took a typing speed test (clocked in at 57 wpm, passing was 40) and a grammar exam. I called about a week later and the supervisor told me he looked at my resume and decided not to continue with my application.

I worked at Fry's Electronics for about a week. I quit and took classes to renew my teaching credential.

I currently work as a substitute. But it's not my calling. It's nobody's calling to be a substitute teacher. Just a job for people like me who need a source of income while they try to look for something more consistent with their dreams.

For me, it is going back to school. I know it will be an adventure. Being part of academia makes me come alive. There are few things more meaningful than exploring new worlds reading literature, and discovering the substance of my interior world through the medium of writing.

So what's next after grad school? I'm not certain. I just have to try to live an authentic life (hopefully without going broke) and find a profession that is intellectually stimulating, and makes use of my gifts.

Laker Spirit

There've been times when I've found myself questioning why I watch the Lakers. There've been times when it's felt like a waste of time, especially when they've gotten trounced by a team (e.g. the Blazers) and displayed little effort in the process.

But there are those other, redemptive moments. If you're a fellow Laker fan you know what I'm talking about. It's when the Purple and Gold play with spirit. It's when they scrap with high intensity. Case in point: after trailing by 19 points in the second quarter, Kobe Bryant ignited a rally that included a few spectacular plays off the glass and eventually led to an 8 point victory.

One of the plays, in which Gary Payton lobbed the ball off the glass as Kobe came sailing in for a slam dunk, was absolutely riveting. The subsequent roaring of the crowd only added to the moment.

This is my justification for watching the Lakers. They seem to have the power to thrill me.

It Spoke To Me

I was at Barnes and Nobles (Huntington Beach) after work reading Dime Magazine and came across a story about Jamal Crawford, a young, rising NBA star who plays for the Chicago Bulls.

I learned Crawford has had his share of trials and hardships, not the least of which was having his playing eligibility at Michigan stripped from him because of some violation of a cryptic NCAA rule. He was also deemed the future point guard of Chicago, but the following summer watched with shock as his team used the number two pick to draft Jay Williams, a touted phenom (also a point guard) from Duke. He walked out that day on coaches and teammates who were watching along with him at a Bulls facility and didn't return until training camp.

Crawford is currently the top scorer on his team, averaging 16.8 points per contest. But it is unclear, because of future off-season management decisions, whether he will remain in the windy city after this year.

Asked to explain the hardships he has experienced in his life, Crawford, twenty-four, said: "I know God has a plan for me. He has a plan for everybody. I just know I'll come out on top. I've been through a lot of adversity. But he knew what was going to happen, and why it happened."

For some reason these words stayed with me as I left the bookstore and headed home. Until recently, I was at a low point in my life, in terms of the direction of my career (wasn't sure what I wanted to do). I will be returning to school in June, after a two year hiatus, to earn a master's degree. And I know, at least for now, I want to pursue a career in written communication.

Like Crawford, I also have the feeling one day I will come out on top. I can't really explain it, except that I feel I 've worked too hard on my craft to end up not finding a place for it somewhere in the professional world.

Graduate School

I'm secretly ecstatic about going to grad school. I used to think teaching high school was my calling, but my outlook has radically changed the past few months. I'm not completely sure teaching suited me. I'm an introvert by nature and didn't particulary thrive off constant interaction with high-energy teenagers (I did have my good days, though they were few and far between).

My main reasons for pursuing an advanced degree are for personal enrichment and more career opportunities. I can sincerely say I love the study of literature and want to make it a part of my livelihood.

I've been reading a book called Great Jobs For English Majors. It has reaffirmed my belief in the value of an English degree. English has a history of being one of the earliest majors in the middle-class American college tradition. And its emphasis on the disciplines of learning to read, write, and appreciate literature in many forms makes it valuable. English is timeless, has broad applications, and contains infinite pathways for exploration.

At the graduate level, a student is given significant autonomy in pursuing his studies. And the faculty stay aware of and are involved in the academic progress of their students.

I couldn't ask for more.