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The Science of AARONautics	do you ever just ask yourself "what if?"

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Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Small World

Its a small world after all. In the pool, I bumped into one of my old dodgeball friends. Not only that but it seems he is also a budding triathlete like myself! Talk about a coincidence. He has way more experience than me (he ran track and was on the swim team) so I felt like I was racing phelps in the pool.

Just goes to show you how much more I need to train. Dam you endurance sports, why do you take so long to master!

Mystery Solved

So I went to Kean to solve the mystery of why my classes were a mess. Apparently its because of my student status. I was registering as an undergraduate to take my prerequisites. Wrong! I was supposed to register as a graduate non-matriculated student. Doh! So I got that fixed and I can know register problem free now, right? Wrong! This is Kean after all.

Graduate non-matriculated student register almost dead last so I will be struggling to get overloads for ALL my classes. You seriously got to be kidding me. Just what I need. Oh what fun!

Four Years in the Making

Its no secret that I dislike Kean University. I mean they gave me so much grief just for a sub-par education. I made some good friends there so its not a complete lose. But after four years from graduating that place, I finally picked up my diploma! lol. Yeah, I know. I'm so bad/lazy.

Onward To Videos!

Crazy costume idea! I need to work on my costume. I need to make it more portable. lol. What to do, what to do! It might ruin the premise!

One of those feel good videos.

You could not pay me enough to do that. lol. But mad respect for that guy though.

Edit: On a side note, I may start using facebook more. I have been asked to put my wacky video finds there to make it easy to view (aka I don't want to read your blog no more.) Gee thanks.

Monday, 26 October 2009

Busy Bee

Dam. Been crazy busy last week. Things are quite hectic right now. Trying to get my classes right for next semester. Dam I hate Kean. If I didn't want to boost my GPA I wouldn't even go back, but whatever. I also finally got back to my "normal" training routine of two hours every day since my father passed away. I lost a little bit of fitness in the past month or so and hopefully I can quickly get it back. Also spent the late night trying to photograph the meteoroid shower but it was cloudy most of the time/didn't make a nice picture.

Did see a couple shooting stars though.

One In A Million

Last Thursday, I went mountain biking with my friend at Round Valley. Its a man made reservoir that buried a valley town. Its pretty crazy if you read about the history of the place. But yeah, the place is beautiful and a nice place to mountain bike for the intermediate. One of the downhills is straight suicidal because its like a 40 degree drop with large rocks. To be honest, I have no idea how crazy it was until we had to walk back up the mountain. lol. I would have crapped bricks if I walked up it first then down, thank God. I was also following my friend so I wasn't all too worried I guess.

At the turnaround point, we stopped off at some of the campgrounds for some water and a much needed break. We started a campfire because we found a box of matches. lol. It was a little tough since it rained a couple days prior but we were able to get it going eventually.

This got me thinking how I should plan a camping trip. A real camping trip. And I'm not talking car camping either. I'm tlaking hardcore, hike to your campsite camping. No electrical hookups, no running water (well pump ok) kind of camping. Really roughing it with nature. Who's with me?

After the break, we heading back. Back at the campsite we were talking about the Mega Millions Lottery and just my luck, on the way back, I hit a branch covered in the leaves. Not only do I hit it, but it gets jammed in my rear derailleur and chain! This causes it to rotate (unnaturally I might add) over the top of my hub!

That is what it is supposed to look like. But mine was upside down!

I was lucky enough that the branch didn't tangle in my spokes and cause my back wheel to stop. I was going downhill at around 30mph when it happened. It would have been disaster if it made my bike flip forward. Thank God.

Luckily it was mostly downhill from here and just a couple miles from the car.

I was able to coast the downhills safely, I just couldn't pedal.

Then went straight to basketball that night. I was exhausted. I only ate a tuna sub and a couple Clif Bars the entire day. I never felt my legs so dead, even after a race I feel better. I have to do that again sometime. lol.

Will You be My Friend?

Just a regular swim day. I keep forgetting that mountain biking is tiring to the upper body too. So I just added to my soreness. I'm still upset that they fired the cute lifeguards at my pool.

Now I have no eye candy in the pool and have to just swim. How boring. lol. Some guy was trying to "race" me again but only for one pool length at a time while I was doing laps. I find that a bit annoying and distracting especially when they are in the lane right next to you.

Night was alright. Just went to get a Tastee Sub and bubble tea with a friend. Caught up since I hadn't seen her since summer began and she got a new boyfriend. She is one of those kind of girls who drops everything for her man. Makes me realize I need more guy friends because the only ones who answer my calls of boredom are girls. I did that facebook friend ratio thing and saw my female friends out number my male friends 2:1 after removing my family of course. That's kind of sad because I think you can easily take away half of them because I don't call/chill with half of them.

Yeah, I really need more activity friends who would be down to bike, hike, run, etc. It gets lonely doing 90% of my workouts by myself.

The Day the World Races

Nike 10k in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. Was wet and cold, I did not like it. I think this really kept a lot more people away like the cute girls who usually run these. I met up with some running friends (they live in the city, that's why I don't train with them). Thankfully I brought a change of clothes for after the race. Race was ok, ran it 48:52, when I was hoping for sub 45. I was 30 seconds under my pace. I think my legs were still not recovered from my heavy Thursday mountain bike/basketball number.

Waited for the rest of my friends to finish and chatted for a bit and left. I was tired, wet, and cold and didn't want to hang out like that. I tried buying a new derailleur for my bike while in the city but couldn't find a good one at a good price.

Went home, showered and hit the gym for some bike training. I was going to do it outside in the rain but it was already the afternoon and all the crazy drivers were already awake and out. Normally I just stay outside if I'm drenched already but I changed clothes and didn't want to get wet again. Yeah, I'm a bitch.

I then went to Eastern Mountain Sports to check out some camping gear. (yeah, I am serious about camping hardcore guys!) and found some gear I like. I found a nice backpacking backpack but the fit is a little off. I am guessing they expect hikers to be fat people because the Medium size pack was short on my torso but good on my waist and the Large was good on my Torso and loose on my waist!

dammit! Lanky guys can camp too you know!

Also eyed a nice ultralight dome tent. Its a 2 person.

Holla ladies. lol. Now just got to find them on sale online.

Then went to my friend's house to watch UFC. Shogun got robbed. Was supposed to go to the city for my friend's birthday party but I bailed because when the fight ended, it was already 1am and I got lazy. lol. But not too lazy to play some halo. hahaha.

Game Day

Nothing special. Hung out at my friend's house to watch the Yankees and Giants game.

Edit: Also had a race that morning. Can't believe I forgot. Every time I take a nap after a race, I think its another day! lol.

Monday, 19 October 2009

Target

Had to change my basketball day to Wednesday night because last Thursday night was my birthday.

I guess the it doesn't matter who the competition is, they will always hit me like I got a target on my head, I swear. I drive the lane, cutting up people on the break, and I am always met with someone trying to take my head off. They claim they are clean blocks, but my definition must differ from theirs. My definition entails no contact with the shooter but apparently theirs means as long as I get a piece of the ball along with your head, its a clean block.

Not to mention the constant wrist slaps and a bear hug I received and he complained I self passed. WTF? I can understand if someone else makes that call because they didn't see the obvious contact made on me, but the guy who hugged me calling it on me? Really? What a punk.

To top off the night, I also got a pretty bad eye gouge. The second it hit me, I couldn't see squat. My eyes were aiming at different things and couldn't focus. I got dizzy when I ran down the court for the remainder of the game. I didn't get my vision back until Saturday in my right gouged eye. Thanks prick for massaging my brain via my eye socket. Lucky I didn't return the favor.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Thursday was my birthday. Was a very loving birthday I must say. After basketball, a couple friends kidnapped me for coffee/dunkicino at Dunkin Donuts to celebrate the midnight of my birthday, just hanging out and catching up. Felt like I wanted to puke but it was probably because of the eye poke, not the Dunkicino.

In the morning of my birthday, I had to bring my mom to the doctor. After what happened with my dad, my mom is getting every test insurance allows and more to make sure my mom is in top health. My mom and dad eat the same foods so I have to regulate my mom's food now, more so than I do for her diabetes.

We ate out for lunch, just me and my mom, after her appointment. We ran into an old family friend (my cousin's cousin) while there. He is among my heroes because he went back to the Philippines to find a cute wife. lol. Seriously, he did good. hahaha. After lunch, I hit the gym (yeah, I don't take a break, even on my birthday. lol.) I needed to workout because I was eating a ton load that day.

Then round two ate at my Dad's favorite buffet, China Buffet. Its his favorite buffet because they serve a good amount of seafood, and a good variety of food. It was also the Buffet's Anniversary so it was 50% off that day! Dinner for $5, can't beat that.

I just pigged out on seafood for my dad. Felt weird to eat there without my dad though and seeing him down a plate of crab legs...

After dinner, just chilled with the family watching a movie until bedtime and then got picked up to just hang out in New Brunswick for a couple. Low key, nothing wild and crazy. Its just really not my style to celebrate my birthday in a glamorous way. The only times I really celebrate it is when people do it for me. lol. Like if they throw a party for me. Otherwise, a dinner and just chilling with old friends is good enough for me. I'm simple. Just buy me an ice cream cake and you just made my day. lol.

40 Days

Has it really been that long? My dad's 40th day since he passed away. I'm not sure if its a Filipino thing or what, but its commemorated with a mass and get together. It was a hectic day, I had personal appointment at 10am then from there on, I was cooking for the night's memorial. I did mostly desserts of course.

Cookies, Brownies, Goodie Bars, and Fried Chicken. Not just any fried chicken, but my attempt at Bon Chon Chicken. lol.

I had to cut back the spicy because my family is not a spicy kind of family, but otherwise it was pretty tasty nonetheless. So good, that it was killed within the first 10 minutes the food was served! The second tray was killed just as fast!

I wonder how much better it would have turned out if I took my time and put the full spices in. MMmmm. My brother messed up a batch too. I told him to dip the fried chicken in the sauce quickly and let it dry. So what does he do while I buy the drinks? He SOAKS them in the sauce. Not only that, but doesn't even soak them evenly so he looked blotchy! One simple task. He messes it up because he is too lazy to listen and follow my directions.

I really didn't understand it when my friends told me time will fly but man, they were right. Life has to move on but its harder than it sounds. I never seen my mom like this, and breaks my heart each and every time. Maybe I'll elaborate some other day....

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Long Distance

I was having lunch with an old college friend yesterday, catching up with all that is new with each other (well at least what can fit in a lunch hour. lol) which was cool since I haven't had lunch with her in a while and not as often as when I used to work close to her. We ate at my number two sandwich shop which I haven't eaten at since the massive lay off.

With all the news of engagements, it does depress a guy (she is engaged too, lol ). And makes me wonder when I get be to the bride groom.

Sure, I may talk about girls on this blog but normally it never pans out. Usually due to my picky-ness. I mean this runner girl has potential but I would have to overcome the racial barrier (she is Caucasian). Not that it matters to me, but would I be able to win over her friends and family and be accepted? Maybe make some Jon and Kate Plus 8 style babies? hahaha. Who knows...

She also lives in Princeton. Yeah, where the ballers live in NJ. I'm just a working class boy (who is not exactly working right now) and she is... well... from Princeton. Its a bit of a drive too (I used to date a couple girls from this area and its a long boring wilderness drive. aka I would fall asleep at the wheel stuff.

Then I got another proposal on the table. Last night, my friend called me up to wish me happy birthday ( she was two days early but yeah, she thought 13 because she confused my favorite number with my birthday, I'm happy if people even remember it within a 5 day radius. lol. ) But yeah, anyway, she told me something that is earth shattering....

"I'll be coming back to the East Coast!"

Wow. Just wow. Talk about a bomb shell. I used to have a major crush on this girl. She is one of the girls I use as a measuring bar of the things I want in a girl. She moved out to California for college and stayed there after graduation. Now she is telling me she is moving to Boston for her job....

I did a quick google of how far Boston is to my house and its a whooping 4 hour drive. 4 Hours? Now the question becomes, how far would I go for a girl? When I was younger and when gas was cheap, I was known to drive quite far (about an hour and half tops). This was mainly because my brother's reign of terror reached quite far and those were the limits of his territory. lol. Plus if things didn't work out, I'd almost never see them again daily. hahaha.

Don't get me wrong, she is quite the catch, everything a guy wants in a girl, but she is just job oriented (I know, I always fall for the ones I can't have) but I don't want to read too much into this. She didn't call to tell me this Boston thing, she called to wish me Happy Birthday. Not email, not facebook message, not text, but called. Hmmm. Yeah, I read too much into things. lol.

How much am I willing to do for her? Am I willing to drive 4 hours to see her? Does a long distance relationship work? With me heading to school next semester, would I be able to juggle everything? Science isn't exactly as cake to me as math is. I know I'll be studying like a madman to keep up. Ugh. I just don't know. What if I meet my dream girl in UMDNJ? See my problem? Or maybe I should run around with horse blinds on until I get done with school (again). I'll be 30 when I enter Med school. 33 when I get out. Oh man. That is scary to think about all those numbers. Its no wonder why everyone is telling to do Nursing, because its quicker.

Ok, my head hurts and I thought blogging would help me release all these thoughts. lol.