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."