How Poor was Jesus?

Growing up in a Christian home, I found myself often questioning the assumptions of religious people. I don't question religion itself. I don't question morality, virtues, and the belief in hope. I question the unquestioned assumptions blindly believed to be true.

If you think about Christianity, the life of Christ is only taught from his birth and then skips to when he is 30 years old. It's a fairly large hole in the biography...don't you think? What about his childhood? How poor was Jesus?

Jesus was born in a manger. Why? This biblical fact is taught with the implication of humble beginnings. Being born in a barn feels similar to today's situation of being born in a van. I was always lead to believe that the family of God's son was struggling through poverty.

But...consider this...

Bethlehem had no vacancies. Joseph and Mary went to sleep in a manger, NOT because they couldn't afford lodging, but because there were simply no available rooms at the town inn. Like today, some people sleep at the airport because all the hotels are booked...not because they don't have money for a room.

Also, do poor people travel? We can make the claim that someone can hitch a ride on another traveler's wagon at a discount, like taking the bus or train. Yet, these are only applicable claims for the surviving poor (today's working minimum wagers). The struggling poor do not travel. The homeless and truly impoverished have a tendency to become stationary with a constant need to peddle.

Joseph was a carpenter. He had a job, social status, and seven children. He might have been far from wealthy, but it's extremely reasonable to believe he was far from poor.

So, how poor was Jesus?

Jesus, like his earthly father, was a carpenter. Through all of his travels, there was more that he could offer than turning water into wine. Jesus could also turn wood into chairs. There was a time when Jesus was relatively unknown as Christ and had no disciples. Isn't it reasonable to believe that at some early point he likely had to rely on some of his skills as a carpenter to aid his prophetic mission?

The man even had a posse. Jesus Christ had 12 disciples. Sure, he could split bread and fish to feed a community...but how often does a healed leper have a salmon and a bushel of wheat to donate as gratitude for a bestowed miracle? Seriously...do the blind go fishing? During their travels, Jesus didn't simply walk along coastlines collecting fishers of men. The entire group likely had an accumulated wealth in order to fund their mission. I'm not insinuating that they paraded around in gold-wheeled wagons. Jesus and his disciples probably had at least a minimal amount of currency to sustain themselves. Remember...even back in their times...they asked people to volunteer 10 percent of their income to the Lord.


The problem today is how this type of questioning/reasoning effect people's religiousness. For most, my words will have me ousted as an atheist and blasphemer. That's wrong. The truth is that my words simply should have no negative inflictions on people's faith. Religious fortitude should be founded upon the love and compassion of Christ...and NOT the often implied imagery of a pauper prophet. Lessons in logic teach us that one cannot invalidate an argument by invalidating the speaker. In other words, when someone tells you to not touch a snarling lion, they don't have to be a zoologist for it to be good advice.

My problem is not with religion...it's with the way we spread it. We condition our young to believe without question, to know without reason, and to act without reflection. These are the reasons we live without the tolerance and compassion Jesus wanted of us. We live as though we fear to question rather than questioning our fears. Yet, as God tests us to take a leap of faith...it's not for us to close our eyes and jump...but rather to look clearly down into the depths of the canyon while boldly walking forward.

Ruined Moments Anonymous

In a plain office room, several people are sitting in a circle with a moderator holding a clipboard.

Moderator: Thank you everyone for coming. I'd like to welcome you all to our first meeting. We've all had special moments ruined by obnoxious people. This group was created to give us all an opportunity to share our stories and help each other put those days behind us. Staying anonymous, there's no need to introduce yourself...just tell us what happened. Who would like to go first?

[Gorgeous blond raises hand]

Moderator: Yes, you. What happened?

Blond [teary eyed, she struggles to share her story]: Well...My name was called because I won an award. I got up to accept it, and right after I started to talk...ummm....he grabbed the mic out of my hand and said, "Yo, I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish, but Beyonce had the best video of all time."

[group disapprovingly mumbles to each other: "What a jerk." "I can't believe him." etc etc]

Blond continues: I was shocked. I couldn't even finish after he handed me the mic back. Thankfully, Beyonce won the last award for the night and gave me her stage time to finish my acceptance speech.

[group, nodding, mumbles to each other: "Thank God for Beyonce." "I like her." "She's great." etc etc]

Moderator: How awful. Thank you for sharing that. [group applauds] Yes...[points to man #1]

Man #1 [angry]: It was my wedding day. My wife looked amazing. She gracefully walked down to the alter...I took her hand from her father...and right when we began to take our vows...he just butts in, "Yo! I'm really happy for you two, and Imma let you finish, but Tom Brady's wedding was the best wedding of the year."

[group, disgusted, mumbles again: "Wow, even at someone's wedding." "How arrogant." etc etc]

Man #1 continues: I mean, he wasn't even invited!! The happiest day of my life was ruined because he's a WHORE for attention! I'm just glad Beyonce was there. When he left, she took the podium, presided over our wedding, and married us. She made it special again.

[group, cheerful, mumbles to each other: "She's just amazing." "She's beautiful and classy." "Someone's mom raised their child right." etc etc]

Moderator: Amazing. At least there's one person in this world that has respect and manners. Not everyone can say they were married by Beyonce. [group applauds]. Why don't we go with you next [points to a black man wearing a suit].

Black Man: Uh...well...uhhh...we made history. The time had come to put aside childish things. And...uhh...well...it was the day of my inauguration. I stood there ready to make my pledge, then he grabbed the mic and said, "Yo! I know you're about to bring change and I'm really happy for you, but Bill Clinton was the best commander and chief of my generation."

[group, ever more disgusted, mumbles: "He even disgraces the nation." "Unbelievable." "He even thinks Bush hates black people." etc etc]

Black Man: I tried to stay cool. And...uhh...well...Thank the nation we have Beyonce. Before giving us a great performance, she used her stage time to swear me into office. God bless her and God bless America.

[group, inspired, mumbles: "She's a true American." "I believe in Beyonce" "Yes we can." etc etc]

Moderator: Wow. Thank you Mr., ahem, umm...nevermind, this is an anonymous meeting. Ok. One more. You, over there.

Man: My wife and I were at the hospital. Nine months had passed since our honeymoon, and we were about to give birth to our first baby. I can't tell you all how excited I was. Our companies, money, all of the success with our careers...none of that mattered. This was the greatest accomplishment of our lives. The moment came, and when we got to the delivery room, he pushed aside the doctor and said, "Yo! You're about to have your first child and all, I'm really happy for you. Imma let you finish. But baby Jesus was the greatest birth of all time."

[group, fed up, mumbles to each other: "He won't even let you enjoy the birth of a child." "God, he's just too arrogant." etc etc]

Man: I was shocked. I couldn't even enjoy the arrival of my first born child. Somehow, Beyonce was in the same hospital. When I told her what happened, she let me have sex with her until she got pregnant. Because of her, I can at least look forward to another child birth.

[group approvingly mumbles to each other: “She’s an angel.” “She’s such a giving soul.” etc etc]

[As the man sits down he gets congratulatory high fives from all the other guys at the meeting.]

Moderator: Wow…well, that’s all the time we have left for this meeting. I hope that we’ve all learned that for every cloud, Beyonce’s the silver lining. Next meeting we’ll discuss when it’s too early to claim going down as the voice of a generation, of a decade.

We're All a Little Evil

We are, aren't we? There's a little devil residing in all of us that gets titillated by the roast lists, sarcasms, and embarrassing fails scattered throughout the internet. We even go as far as searching the measurements, birthdays, and bios of eye-catching lookers whom we have never and may never meet in our lives. Why? They may be celebrities, or on the path towards greater popularity, but I don't see much reason in nurturing the stalker side of our own persona.

I'm a criminal of thought for sure, but I have never gone so far as to defame someone publicly on the internet. I have certainly looked at women at parties and thought, "whoa...she's got the body of a goddess and the face of an oyster's ass." Yet, I have never deviously gone farther than confiding my opinion of a shark-toothed Fergie clone to a buddy over my shoulder. People that thrive on defiling the public image of others are horrible bottom-feeders of society with an esteem so low that they need to stand on mounds of shit to raise their heads high enough to get a look at anything. It's purely unnecessary scumbaggery that doesn't even deserve proper vocabulary to describe.

We still need a little evil though. It's the yin and yang that helps us maintain balance like the cycles of Mondays, Humpdays, to Fridays. If the internet was all bunnies and kittens, it'd be a pretty boring place. We need the bad to help us cherish the good. We need to get needled occasionally about our awful hair days to remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. But shit, let's keep it within a trusted circle of friends. After all, we only need a little evil.

@#$%@#$%

I'm in such a rotten mood. Sure, the rounds of chain smoking might alleviate some of my foul state of mind, but I'm so incredibly agitated that I doubt an entire pack of cancer sticks could completely kill this anger.

If I were to gauge the pulsating veins in my forehead, the rage-o-meter would read well over burying a puppy's face in coarse sand yet slightly under middle-finger saluting little league caravans while cutting so close into their lane the screams of terrified children would tingle small bouts of evil glee. Yes...I'm so angry it's making me wordy. I feel so enraged that my sentences are running on with nonsense...been there??

What a bullshit day... It was bright with clear blue skies, and I sat here annoyed. Fucking waste.

Live. Love. Laugh. (...whenever you can avoid the shitty fucking people that make it their fucking mission to ruin your fucking mood)

Vacation Then Life Not as Usual

My nearly forgotten love for camping was resurrected with last weekend's trip into the wilderness. Relaxing in a folding chair aside a modest river eased away the anxiety of being unplugged from the world. It was so calming that I kept dozing off despite the giggles and glee's from the childish play of twenty-something year olds.

Apparently, my friends would be damned to let a river go not damned. Despite the hilarious imagery of big children in their late twenties shoveling small boulders into unnatural positions across a river, one could easily stand in awe of their intricate work of channels and flood zones. They even blocked off pools to keep the beer cold...after all, we are adults...for the most part... Everything was playful with sprinkles of practicality.

We cleared the campsite in the typical red-eyed and exhausted fashion. Even though we looked bad and probably smelled worse, our faces were revitalized from the city-induced wrinkles. As we descended away from the fresh air of the lush mountains, my cell phone reception leaked back in and gradually replugged me into society's matrix. It didn't take long for "the message" to come in...

I came back to a hurricane of ghosts from a life once past. The inevitable day I dreaded for so many years had finally come. Some heavy decisions were crapping back onto my knotted shoulders, and I wasn't returning to life as usual.

Sometimes I spend so much time looking around life from the outside that I forget that I'm in the middle of it. It's a bad habit when someone's made the kinds of mistakes I have. I must have been pretty crazy to tout around the way I have for the last decade. At least I was never oblivious. I was never naive. I just hate the idea of another person stunting my experiences. I hate backing down.

I'm grateful for the ones that take the time to remind me of how precious and fragile life can be. But what's living if it's always on other people's terms? I've always stood my ground, and although the possibility of serious consequences has returned, I find it difficult to change my stripes. I'm not sure exactly how to continue going about my days now, but I will definitely go about treading lightly. It's not just about myself anymore.

The past few days were filled with the same serious reflection I faced a decade ago. I was forced to revisit the ups and downs of the self I hoped had finally faded. And surprisingly, I came out smiling. The optimist born through the years grew strong enough to look on the brighter side of the coin. There were tons of good times through the turbulent years. Remembering some of them with old best friends was worth the bad news.

In my heart, I sincerely feel like all is going to be okay. Yet, with all the worrying around me, I'm certainly minding my ways.

I know that reading this may be incredibly vague for most, and I apologize for not being able to divulge specifics. Hopefully there will be a day when I can and will share the details...

Damn Computers

I'm going back to pen and paper to write for a while.

Right when I'm in the middle of drafting something self-seemingly significant, the computer dies and stares at me blankly as I stare at it stunned.

Whatever...writing is more gratifying when you can surround yourself with crumbles of bad ideas rather than green and red squiggled underlines.

Lessing Laughter

I can't remember the last time I had a good honest laugh...can you?

Everything humorous barely ekes out a chuckle. Most times, I feel like my laugh is largely forced and half faked to be socially appropriate. Where has my sense of humor gone? Has my funny bone been crippled by arthritis?

I can make myself feel warm recalling memories. I can get myself smiling remembering lighter yesterdays. But it's all too controlled. I never find myself laughing until I can't breath because of the stresses of tomorrow. I never float about grinning unreasonably because of the weight of meeting expectations. And I always walk away more guilty than satisfied from taking leisure.

If I am a man of modern times, it is no wonder why I am down in this economy.

Long Time No Write...

Wow. It's been a really long time since I've written anything. Hmmm...what to write about...

Here's a little something personal:


I've been through several hardships in life. Maybe it's because of my own trials that I have seen so many others with their own...

My childhood neighbor grew up in the messiest home I've ever seen. Along with dog poo lying on the ground, their rooms had so much garbage on the floor that I couldn't step on a single square foot of plain carpet. The family cars were fixer-uppers with spray painted bodies. But we were kids, so we didn't care as long as we found someway to play.

Later in life, I found out that their father was an alcoholic. Not the violent kind. He just couldn't stop sipping on the syzzer. He was always kind to me and even built a playhouse in the backyard for his son. Sadly, the downward spiral was inevitable. It was no surprise why so much trash collected everywhere in their home.

I don't know the details, but the family fell apart. The father left home and drank his days away. Eventually, he was found dead on a park bench. He couldn't have been over 50 years old. Tragic.


There was this girl in middle school. She always seemed happy. She had several friends and was liked by almost all the boys. Somehow, I found out that she had been molested. wtf...


When I was in high school, I met people from all over SoCal. There was a 14 year old girl that would drink and stay out all night. It didn't take long for her to tell us stories of how her father would punish her by tying her up on a chair and then beat her.


I've got millions of stories like this. I didn't read them in books. I met these people. If you wonder why I always seem so laid back and peaceful, it's because the characters that have supported the story of my life have taught me to look past the trivial. Life is far more colorful than any movie can capture in two hours. From guys that died with brain tumors to others that got their head blown off while sitting at home, you never know who you'll meet and how long they'll be around for. Don't spend too much time being angry over dishes.

Neoteny.

Electric Cars and Really Interesting Stats

Shai Agassi gives a TED talk about his company and some of the work they have been doing. The stats that he offers relating to electric cars is very interesting.




I wrote an entry earlier this month about our economy and the need for alternative energy sources. The preceding lecture gives much more compelling evidence.

The graph referencing depleting resources is extremely fascinating. From a brief glance, the volatility in prices increases the more supply decreases. If you're an investor, now may be a good time to buy oil. Actually...oil is an extremely profitable area to be trading in if you properly boost your earnings with option contracts.

Do You Hate Your Neighbors?

Do you hate your neighbors? Because I hate mine. lol.

The walls at my place are so thin I can hear my neighbors farting if they ate enough Mexican. And unfortunately, the jerk that shares the wall with my bedroom has an affinity for listening to loud music. I don't mind loud music. I just hate bad loud music. If you're going to bump it, play the good shit.

As I'm typing this, my neighbor is listening to awful smooth jazz. Yea, you know...the electric guitar with the keyboarding that reminds you of a retro big hair porno. Sick. Music is usually an accompaniment to whatever task being done. Working out? Hit the hip hop. Stuck in 405 traffic? Guilty pleasure sing-a-long pop. But what the hell do you do while listening to generic smooth jazz? Master debates?

Every morning it's the same deal. The dude powers up the radio and tunes to something tasteless. I'm no music snob by any means, but I know good compositions when I hear them. My music tastes are wide and open. I've explored all genres from rock, hip hop, electronic, oldies, alternative, blues, and even jazz. Radiohead tops my list (few are as eccentrically appealing as Thom Yorke). So far, I have never heard a beat seeping through my walls that made me think, "cool...I wonder what song that is..." Annoying!


By the way, I once wrote that the difference between writers and bloggers is that bloggers are whiners... Well, this was a blog entry. haha. Complaint submitted. Happy weekend folks.

It's Always the Quiet Ones + Random Thoughts

You know what they say...it's always the quiet ones you've got to watch out for.

I was just thinking about how most fall victim to the loud people. The people that are yapping away with their chests blown up toward the center of attention are the distractions. They're often the types that can talk all day and not say anything.

Whatever...changing topics without a segue...

It's funny how a really pretty girl that's shy is often perceived as a bitch. She could merely be socially awkward. Shit, she can even be self-conscious with low esteem. Yet, the eyes from outside presume she's unfriendly and full of herself. haha. If people hate you and you're quiet, you're at least an 8.

Life is always more stressful when you're busy thinking about what you need to do, rather than when you're just doing it. So quit bitching and just do it.

I hate it when people plead to change an engaging conversation just because they're not interested and being left out. Let people talk. Don't drag others down to your level. Lift yourself up to theirs. Life's better when you find something interesting in the things otherwise.

If you're going to ask someone a question, make it specific. Never ask, "how was your day?" Instead ask, "what was your favorite part of today?" There will be times when people answer you vaguely and awkwardly. Don't force the question again. It's a signal that they're uncomfortable, and the best response is to shift toward playing a game together. But try to stay away from playing the hand slapping shit...we've all been there...done that...since elementary school.

Guys and girls can not be friends. Period.

People claiming to be clueless about knowing when they are being propositioned are either liars, just being modest, have never gotten their heart broken, or clueless about knowing when they are being propositioned. I think they're liars.

Everything's simple. We make it more complex the longer we think about it. But think about it long enough, and you'll see how simple it is.

Writers are perceptive and insightful. Bloggers are whiners.

Making a good decision only takes 10 seconds. 4 seconds to calm your emotions. 3 seconds to see all of your options. 2 seconds comparing the best two options. 1 second to take action. If you're rubbing your chin in the cereal aisle, you're way too indecisive...I'm being suuper cereal (<= read with lisp).

I ALWAYS make note of people that come to a party empty-handed. Bad etiquette. If the party's not in your honor, it's always a potluck. $5...spend the money.

Never ever disagree with someone if you can't back it up with contrary evidence. Opinions can be accepted without mutual agreement. If your best rebuttal is "trust me," practice listening followed by politely changing the subject.

Hide behind your smile. We all truly, sincerely, deeply do care about how shitty your life is...we just don't want to hear about it.

If you're always busy, we're not friends. Truth. I'm okay with it...anyways, I've got too much stuff to do.

The median income in the U.S. is a little over $50,000 per year. If you're Asian, the median income is about $66,000. Most men earn about $60,000 per year, while most women earn about $45,000. Careful about jumping to conclusions bra burners...the income gap I've stated could be for any number of reasons. The most dangerous job in America is fishing (I doubt this demographic is split equally with females).

The deadliest jobs in America for men have 1,300 deaths per year.
The deadliest jobs in America for women have 60 deaths per year.

When will you learn that you have to tailor your approach to people, rather than fault their reactions?

Balance: Growing up is not about being all one way or another...it's about being all together.

If you complain and then get what you wanted, stop fucking complaining. You got what you wanted...be happy.

You've got to dig through shit before you can plant a seed that will grow.


- J

Funny Thing About the Economy

If we don't move forward with producing alternative energy, we won't have an economy. FACT!

I'm not talking about the stock market specifically. I'm talking about returns on equity. It's economics.

Every real economic boom was lead by a revolution in technology. Steam engine? Assembly line? Batteries? What was our most recent revolution? Think carefully. It wasn't cellphones. It was the computer chip. The United States is far behind in most technologies now, and the cellphone as we know it is actually a dying breed. The future has been in portable devices (meaning that Blackberries and iPhones are closer to being computers than meager phones).

Here's the economic problem...it's been a loonnnnggg time now. We are reaching the near pinnacle of computer chip technology. I know this because I can only name 2 manufacturers: Intel and AMD. The earlier stages of any industry typically have several competitors scraping for their share of the pie. But as every industry matures, competitors get merged or beat out of the market. We've seen this in the auto industry (there was once a time when we had thousands of different car manufacturers...Pinto, Delorian, Saturn, etc., ring a bell?). Heck, we're even seeing this in internet search companies: Lycos, Ask, Yahoo, Google, Altavista, etc.

I'm a fan of software companies and believe there is great value in intellectual developments, but real economics lies mostly on goods not services. A strong and booming economy needs to produce a real tangible product. Why? Real products have predictable lifespans. We know with fair certainty how long it takes for corn to decay. We can't say the same for Javascript.

Our current economic crisis is not due to sub-prime mortgages per se. We have been screwed because of sub-prime credit. Everyone was loaning money in the form of credit cards, gas cards, and even mortgages. The flow of credit established a paper economy...an economy that only existed intellectually, and not physically. I'm not Ron Paul or Gary Schilling, and telling you that gold is the answer. Gold is actually a stupid investment in the long run.

The best prospect for lifting our economy is in alternative energy sources. Let the battles begin. Who will win? Will it be solar? Will it be nuclear? I'd bet on wind. Energy is in constant demand, and it's a real product with a predictable shelf-life. What most people don't know is that energy does not store very well, so it must be produced constantly. A short shelf-life means greater residual income, steady demand for workers, and scalable output. If we start with government funding to establish the infrastructure, it'll only be a matter of time until production costs become low enough to drive innovations in consumer products. Imagine having a cellphone you never have to charge. Imagine driving forever and never having to stop. Imagine imagining of imaginable possibilities. Wow goes the mind.

All jokes aside, bailouts and spending towards public goods is what the government is for. Governments are not supposed to exist to police the people. Governments are not for wiretaps, or even bans on civilian lifestyles. Government is here to stimulate industries that service the public good that the private sector overlooks. When people complain about our government getting too big, their concerns should refer to the development of a closed society. Stimulus spending is not big government...it's the reason for it. Don't be a stupid Republican, be a smart Republican. Stupid Republicans are the ones that believe Christians should be Republican. You can be a conservative Democrat. You can be a liberal Republican. You can be a moderate of either. There are groups of pro-life Democrats. Just don't be a fucking moron and squeeze your social policies through a narrow mind.



By the way, if you're interested...there's only one consistent distinction between Republicans and Democrats...

Republicans - believe resources should be given to the people at the top because they are the best at allocating resources (e.g. trickle-down economics).

Democrats - believe resources should be distributed to the people at the bottom because they know what they need and their consumption creates profit for those at the top who can later best allocate the resources.

The End of America with Naomi Wolf

Something worth watching more than X-Men: Crap-igins.




And while we're on political topics...





and...just because we need some eye candy...

wow, she's almost the perfect woman. almost because i'd like a woman that's also faithful...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06262008/news/worldnews/news_babes_iraqi_tryst_117192.htm

I Saw the Leaked X-Men: Origins

The Wolverine movie X-Men: Origins was leaked onto the internet earlier this week. I watched it. I regret it.

The movie made me want to exercise more and eat healthy, so I can somehow recoup the 2 hours of precious life I lost. Like all the other children in their twenties, I was the most excited over the introduction of Gambit. And like most cognitive adults in their twenties, I was thoroughly let down by the horrible storytelling behind X-Men: Bore-igins. Let's get real people. The movie was a piece of crap dumped into a backed up toilet, whereby every effort to flush it away only led to the daunting rise of more murky putridity.

One character that stood out for all reasons awful was Wolverine's love interest, whatserface, aka sexyface. The casting director obviously called the role for a pretty face rather than a talented one. Granted there's truly no such thing as bad actors, only bad directors, but there was absolutely no personality behind Wolverine's sexherface. Power of persuasion? Seriously? Come on. Every woman has complete power of persuasion over me if she touches me also. It doesn't make her a mutant, or even special. It just makes her a no-good, heart-trampling, floozy like all of the other women that have stomped through my life. If I wanted to merely admire a beautiful close-up coupled with Hollywood's forte for bad acting, I demand Kate Beckinsale or Jessica Alba (prior to her over exposure). Otherwise, cast for talent and beauty with the likes of a Natalie Portman (more Garden State than Star Wars of course).

Seriously, what was up with the repetitive shouting "Nooooooooooo!" How many times do we really need to witness Wolverine tragically shouting into the sky as the camera zooms out above him? I wish I could survive a bullet to my noggin as to erase the taint in my memories of the X-Men franchise now. Or at least give me a moment to upsettingly decry into the heavens as the credits roll on this year's most-anticipated and hugely letting down blockbuster.

By the way, was that...did I just see...Daniel Negreanu? What the fuck? Whoever had the bright idea thinking that casting a poker star would add value to the movie needs to take the chips out of their ass. I think I should apply for a job in Hollywood. Apparently, it's the only town where people fail upward.

The leaked version of the movie was missing a lot of special effects and had scenes that still required editing. Unless they decide to leave all of will.i.am's scenes on the cutting room floor, I doubt the final release will be any less craptacular. The end.

Exhausted

Geez, I'm tired. It's like I'm looking through a constant haze, as if my eyes were covered with plastic food wrap.

I can't wait to get my car back tomorrow. Finally, I can make the much needed trips to the Kwik-E-Mart for cans of crack. Making progress is easier when I don't sleep.

Looking for Collaborators!

Anyone want to collaborate on a project with me? I'm building a website and it'd be fun to cooperate with some talented people. Writers, developers, artists, etc. All people with the will to create something unique will be much appreciated. It's not a paying gig yet... Since I'm fronting all of the costs, there really isn't much to lose.

The plan thus far is to start simple. Apple, Inc. and Burton Snowboards started in a garage. Hugh Hefner typed out the first issue of Playboy by himself. Yahoo and Facebook were created in college dorm rooms. We may never know for certain what the future holds, but tomorrow will always be the result of what was done today. If you would like to be a part of a beginning or know someone that would, holla at ur boy.

- J

Perfect Mornings

He wakes a little earlier to steal a moment of her resting beautifully. Leaning slightly forward, he gazes with admiration. Her mascara is smeared between her eyes. With a drooping mouth, she gives a snort and shifts away from her spot of drool. He chuckles at how she still insists on sleeping with her make-up on. As she starts to wake up, he closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep to protect her insecurity.

She opens her eyes and looks over in relief that he's still sleeping. Gracefully, she eases out of the bed to freshen her breath and lightly touch up the smears on her face. She returns to his side and flips her pillow with the drool side down. He turns over and greets her with the flattened side of his hair exposed. Doing well to hide the shocking waft of his morning breath, she smiles and repeats with her own minted morning.

=)

...tired

I'm suffering through a pervasive state of tiredness, and it's only going to get worse with time. Strange how I'm looking forward to it...

Some Reflections

I just don't understand the decisions some people make...

At what point in our lives do we learn:
"What you say about other people speaks more about yourself."


Why do some people give up before even trying?

When will some people grow up and learn to stop pointing their finger?

Why is it so difficult for us to see the content of people's character? It's so simple. All you have to do is ask around for honest opinions.

Women, accept what your man says but don't believe his shit. Seek a second opinion. Ask his friends. Or ask your friends to ask his friends. Face it...no one is ever 100% to your face. By the way, if you're not friends with his friends, you've already lost.

Fellas, there's a reason why every girl you date is always 22 yrs old...it's because we men never grow up and older women can see through our bullshit.


The moment a girl calls me a nice guy, I know my chances are zero. LOL.

Picking your friends ain't about being dazzled by the show - you've gotta look at the strings.


I don't understand why you let other people set your limitations. Everyone has talent. Make the time to get good at something and feel good about yourself.

What we do on the job is the same for most people. Learn to smile while working. No one is going to pick you up when you're always dragging your feet. Not your husband. Not your wife. Only your mom will, but we can't live at home forever.

Kollaboration 2009
Synopsis by John Kim

OMG, were you there? February 21st marked a historical moment in Asian American entertainment as 6,300 people from all over the United States filled the famous Shrine Auditorium to capacity. The previous host to the Academy Awards, several Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, and many more saw for the first time a unique collection of professional, rising, and amateur entertainers with a single mission…to “Empower through Entertainment.” The 9th annual Kollaboration show grasped the reins of an eager audience and cemented its position as the premier Asian American event.

The night began with a video skit starring the charming founder Paul “PK” Kim and executive producer Roy Choi as they embarked upon an endearingly misfitted journey with a mysterious briefcase. Beautiful actress Moon Bloodgood, from the upcoming blockbuster Terminator Salvation, demonstrated her self-deprecating comedic side as she confidently belted out vocals to some of today’s popular music for an eye-rolling sound engineer. The audience roared in laughter to Bloodgood’s off-key karaoke close-up and her admittance that at the very least she was “good enough for an actress.” While always delivering moments to remember, it’s often hard to believe that Kollaboration is a not-for-profit organization due to the draw of support from internationally acclaimed artists as well as the contagious air of enthusiasm from thousands of adoring fans.

Laced in between the performances of the show’s seven competitors, several of America’s best dance crews tantalized the eyes with precision moves and grooves. Team Millennia was the first to take the stage and sweated something spectacular that lifted the audience to cheers. Moving as a single idea in multiple bodies, Fanny Pak’s dance routine teased and pleased with each member ending by hanging into the orchestra pit. And not to be outdone, Kaba Modern’s tribute to Michael Jackson thrilled the screaming auditorium with high energy grooves felt from the first row to the last.

Most people come to watch a great show, but some arrive to step up as part of an event that truly empowers. Unique to Kollaboration, members of the audience are offered an opportunity to take the stage for an impromptu freestyle competition. And it always makes for awesome entertainment. Judged by audience cheers, freestylers brought plenty of personality and proved that talent can come from anywhere.

The core of the show has always been providing a platform for Asian American artists to showcase their creative expression through friendly competition for large cash prizes. With the spotlight on, Kollaboration’s seven competitors certainly seized the moment. Kenichi Ebina deceptively danced in a robotic fashion that would have androids throwing in the towel. Jazmin proved that sometimes songs sound best when tuned to a four sister harmony. Paving a new way to hear violin, Paul Dateh bowed his strings toward emoting the true artistic voice within instruments. Kina Grannis might not have been strong enough for a man’s inconsistent love, but her live performance highlighted that she is more than another pretty face on Youtube. Although arriving as the under-promoted underdog, Lilybeth Evardome’s vocals garnered a winning position as the audience’s voted favorite. Jane Lui silenced thousands into admiration with some smooth strokes on the piano and the warmth of a touching voice reminiscent of a comforting mother. Finally, all of the competition came to a rest as David Choi strummed his acoustic original “Youtube (A Love Song)” with the same skillful fun previously featured online.

Kollaboration’s broad mission of empowerment through entertainment was further seen in the mixed medley of special guest performances. Magician Norman Ng conjured bowling balls from sketchpads and cell phones from Pringles cans. Comedy Central Comedian Jo Koy told ridiculously hilarious stories of his Filipino family life. The entire event concluded on a climax as the much-anticipated international superstar BoA debuted a couple tracks from her first American album.

Although the competition’s prize winners went to first place Kenichi Ebina and second place Jane Lui, extra honors should be endowed upon the entire movement’s leaders Paul “PK” Kim and Roy Choi as well as the hardworking volunteer staff. Nine years ago, no one ever thought that a simple show with a big dream would evolve to become so dynamic in its entertainment and influence. It is unbelievable that all proceeds go into helping fellow nonprofit organizations and expanding the movement. I’m definitely looking forward to next year…Kollaboration 10 is going to be amazing.

Special thanks to our judges, Printz Board, James Kyson Lee, James Ryu, Teddy Zee, and Welly Yang. And a huge thanks to our sponsors!! And of course this would not all be possible without our fans, supporters, and staff!