Randomucation

Don't...get...ELIMINATED!

2008-01-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

I laugh every single time!

New Year's Resolutions.

2008-01-06T01:55:00.000-08:00

In order from most to least important:

1. Stop procrastinating! Stay on top of things! Don't fall behind!

2. Use a calendar and daily agenda more often. My phone is synced to outlook calendar so use it!

3. Save for the wedding and a place to live. If I save at least $500 a month I can save $3000 by the end of June. So $3000 will be my half-year goal.

4. Cook more often. I have cook books and I love food! I'll try for one good recipe a month and buy the groceries even!

5. Read at least one novel and one resource book a month. I'd really like to finish Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

6. Process more of my photos and publish them on Flickr and Zooomr. I'm almost a year behind on this. Gotta catch up!

7. Blog more often. I'd really like to blog more about my new career as a teacher. So can keep an eye on my educator blog.

8. Catch up on my magazines. I still have unread magazines from 2006...so sad.

So many resolutions but I know I can do it!

Bacon & Chocolate.

2007-12-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

The time had finally come. My annual day-of-baking. Cookies, brownies, and candies galore! But, I wanted to bake something special. Something that would shock and awe my family, friends, and co-workers. But what to make? What could pull off such a magnificent feat?

BEHOLD! The Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Aw, yes! You read that correctly. Bacon chocolate chip cookies. Muffin created the recipe herself and I just had to try it out.

I made a few adjusts. I used half the amount of bacon (1 package to be exact) and added a mixture of semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips with red and green swirls, to give it that festive holiday touch. I also forgot to make the glaze (maybe next year).

Here's the result:

These cookies were a hit! They shocked! They awed! And everyone loved them! "Salty and sweet!" was the description of choice. Try them for yourself.

2007-11-23T01:39:00.000-08:00

Mr. Mike's Christmas Wishlist 2007

Here's what I've had my eye on so far...

Here is a picture and a handy purchase link for a few of my picks...

Photo-Opoly

Eye-Fi Memory Card

Game Pad n52te

To-Go Coffee Mug

Gift Cards: Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonalds, Borders, Walmart

I'll continue to look around and add to my list.

Update on Hate Crime.

2007-02-25T00:13:00.000-08:00

Here is our other local newspaper's article on the incident, Prosecutors say assault on duo not a hate crime which offers a deeper story into the life of Mr. Paakaula. He beats his sons with his belt and his fists. No wonder his older son felt the need to do the same to the couple. What a disgrace. And this guy served a pathetic seven weekend jail times for beating his 11 year old son a few years ago. He's supposed to be able to face up to 5 years of jail for second degree assault. Hopefully the judge does what is right and puts this guy away for longer.

Hate Crime in Hawaii.

2007-02-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

Check out this recent article on a brutal beating that occured in Hawaii on Monday (Feb. 19, 2007).

Road Rage blamed in Waikele beatings

They're calling this a Road Rage Crime and not a Hate Crime. Bullshit. This incident has everything do with race as it does road rage. They say that this incident did not stem from the fact that the two parties were of different races, and that the 17 year old boy and his father using the term "haole" did not mean that this was a hate crime against a different race. Of course it does! I was the victim of a hate crime and a road rage incident last year by a Hawaiian guy. He had no reason to verbally assault me the way he did. And his excuse was because I cut him off earlier that morning in town when I wasn't even in town that morning. This man had specifically chosen me because of my skin color and was using racial slurs as he harassed me. Gerald D. Paakaula and his son, the two men (if they even deserve to be called men) should be thrown in jail for life for attempted murder and hate crimes. The Dussell family did not deserve what they got. You'd be damn sure this wouldn't have happened if the Dussell's were local or Hawaiian. This case is is a hate crime and should be charged as such. May the Paakaula family burn in hell and may their family name be damned and exiled from the Hawaiian and local community for eternity.

What make me even more furious about this incident is that it seems that no one (when it was stated that a large crowd had formed around the incidient) tryed to help this couple out. Someone could have pulled the dad, mother, and their son off of Mr. and Mrs. Dussell at any time but no one helped until a nurse came forward at the end to help out the injured. What kind of a fucking bullshit is that? No one in this god-forsaken state gives a shit about other people. I used to work at a grocery store where cars would be broken into all the time, and I used to hear stories of people who watch these thieves break into cars and wouldn't say anything about it (because it wasn't their business and they didn't want to get involved).

This crime was definitely based on race and road rage at the same time. I have the utmost respect for the Hawaiian and local community in Hawaii and I feel so ashamed for people.

If I could laugh in the face of Osorio, Chairman of the UH Center for Hawaiian Studies, I would. He said "It doesn't matter if their ethnicities are different. It doesn't matter that we're dealing with Hawaiians and haoles here." He also mentioned that he is troubled by suggestions of a hate crime. What a fucking tool. Trying to protect a people who bitch and complain about how the "white man" took their land, and then at the same time drive cars, where clothes, shop at walmart, and join the military. What a fucking contradiction.

But once again, I respect the Hawaiian and local community. I have friends that are Hawaiian, and there are probably more respectful Hawaiians out there, than there are racist ones. But then again, it only takes one incident like this to fuck everything up for everybody.

Hawaii is a beautiful place.

But they're definitely isn't enough Aloha to go around.

Gotta love this rant!

2007-02-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a guy who speaks the truth, and the whole damn truth at that. Check out IncrediBILL's Random Rants: Did you hear my horn? blog post.

I hate driving in Hawaii. Hawaii has some of the worst drivers in the United States. I hear people talk about how this state has something called "Aloha Spirit" on the road. Bullshit. There's no such thing. I'll admit that I used to be a pretty bad driver. Tailgate. Bob and weave between the lanes. Speed. But I had an incident last year with a driver who had a serious road-rage problem, and from then on, I felt like having bad driving habits wasn't worth it anymore, and now I truly believe that I'm a better driver. I'm patient (even when I'm late). I use my blinker. I allow others to go, even if it's my turn. I just have consideration for others while on the road.

Building 401 in Denver, Colorado.

2007-01-31T00:07:00.000-08:00

Building 401. Hosted on Zooomr

Earthquake in Hawaii.

2006-10-16T01:37:00.000-07:00

So I survived, but, boy!, was it a wakeup call! The quake hit off the Big Island of Hawaii but we sure could feel it over here in Oahu. It freaked the hell out of me when I woke up to it and I ran to my brother's room to see what was going wrong. I think we got a few more after shocks later on too. Such a strange thing to experience. My first earthquake that I can remember and I'll probably never forget. I'm just so glad that it wasn't worse. Had some damage and injuries on the Big Island but nothing really serious. Check out the story here on Yahoo!.

Honorable Mention.

2006-05-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

My photo recieved Honorable Mention today in the Photodoto.com Grand Opening Contest. The theme for the contest was "Beginnings" and I chose this scene to represent the beginning of a journey into the vastly unknown that is the open sea. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners are all great entries and I want to congratulate them on their accomplishment! Please check out the website above too. It's a great site on everything photography. I always learn something new from there.

New Lens!

2006-05-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

I made a choice today in my budding hobby as a photographer.

Although I don't really have the money (but I do have a credit card!), I was debating on whether to replace my recently acquired Canon EOS Rebel K2 35mm film camera with a spiffy (and expensive) digital SLR camera or upgrade my lens (which can also be expensive) for my current film camera. That was my choice. And I think I made the best one.

I went with the lens upgrade and got the Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm. I haven't tested it out yet but I'm really excited! I didn't want to fork over the almost grand for a new digital and stuff my film camera in the closet. I want to try to improve my photography skills with my current camera and I like the quality of the pictures. This new lens will give me better range and depth in my shots. And it justs looks so cool!

"South Park" Roasts Chef, Literally

2006-04-26T00:01:00.001-07:00

The article puts it bluntly, " On Wednesday's South Park 10th season premiere, Hayes' Chef character was struck by lightning, impaled, shot, mauled by a mountain lion, eaten by a grizzly bear, and, oh, yes, accused of being a child molester." But did Haye's really quit, or did someone quit for him??

read more | digg story

UPDATE: 3/22/06-Here's a brief clip of the season premier.

Students follow highway's speed limit, hold up traffic for miles and miles

2006-04-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

A group of college students (all of whom had recieved tickets for going over 55) decided to beat the system the best way they knew how -- by following it. Lined up across all 4 lanes, they blocked traffic by going 55 in a city where "people going 75 have to move over for people going 95." The video is amazing -- check it out about 1 minute in!

read more | digg story

I find this digg extremely funny! Way to stick it to the man! I, as well, find the set speed limit rediculous, which is why I drive at an average speed of 70 mph. Which brings up another great point. I usually drive in the left lane, which, at the time that I'm driving, is the carpool lane. I'm also usually the only one in the car. Which means, I'm breaking two laws at this point. But what is the purpose of a carpool lane? Is it not to allow us to bypass slower traffic? But wouldn't that mean we would have to be going faster than those in the other lanes, or, at least by the speed limit standard, faster than 55?

Big Step #1

2006-04-25T23:52:00.000-07:00

I made a big step today. Well, I should say my fiance and I made a big step. She's dropping Verizon and today I took the complicated steps of adding her to my T-Mobile account. We both got the new Razr and changed to a family plan so we'll share the minutes. It'll be at a cheaper cost for the both of us, #1 upside. And, since most of are friends and family have T-Mobile too, she won't be exceeding her minutes like she does with Verizon. I like this big step though and was very willing to take it. I know she was worried about it with the "just incase" circumstances. But it'll show that we're are both that much closer and more ready to spend the rest of our lives together.