Because I'm White?

It's definitely not rare to hear someone use the phrase "because I'm black", and it instantly strike a chord, causing some to feel a level of shame or embarrassment with regards to the sometimes negative influence the actions and beliefs of those in the past have had on our present society. We feel this guilt on a personal level because we view our ancestors as just that, our ancestors. They are the ones who carved this path for us, and we give great credit to them for the current condition and worth of both ourselves and our society. We take credit for their accomplishments, and, as such, we also feel an obligation to accept fault for their missteps. One major fault of which we are constantly reminded is the disparity of individuals based on their racial or religious background. Most notably, we feel great regret about the crushing of the African American community of the past (slavery) and the effects that are still being felt from that separation of cultures and classes. So, it is often common to hear someone explain that an unjust action or statement on the grounds of it being "because [they are] black". Though this is sometimes comically used as an explanation of a good stereotype the affected party decides to embrace ("Oh, I can dunk a basketball because I'm black"), it is usually used in an accusing manner to show disgust towards an action or statement of which they do not approve ("I got arrested because I'm black" or "Oh, you mean because I'm black?!?").  It's a quick statement or accusation that, though short, references and draws support from a deep-seated feeling of guilt and regret about mistakes of past society and the injustice it still promotes.

The knife of racial and social inequality does, however, cut both ways. It may not be considered as "cutting" for a white person such as myself to be viewed in a more positive light, and I do agree with that to a degree. I am very grateful for the doors it has kept from slamming in my face and the problems and inconveniences (unnecessary police actions) from which it has shielded me. However, being seen as different is usually not a positive feeling, and, through simple events, today reminded me of that fact. I went to somewhat of a specialized store to purchase some higher quality spray paints (due to dissatisfaction with the more mainstream variants as detailed in a previous post). It turns out that premium spray paints are usually only sought after by those interested in the art of graffiti, and, as that seems to, in the public eye, closely attach itself to the hip hop culture, deciphering the atmosphere of the store shouldn't be much of a guessing game. I'm definitely not saying that there is anything negative about the atmosphere as I greatly appreciate it and felt quite comfortable there, but I can say that I must have stood out quite drastically from their typical clientele. I made my first trip there a few days ago to purchase a couple items and had to return today to pick up a couple cans of paint. I am usually pretty quiet in my shopping ventures, but I was brought out of that bubble by the gentleman (hispanic for reference)  working the register asked, "Is this for a school project?", and by the few comments both before and after that sentence, I could only assume he was referring to a feeling that I was not using the product for it's typical purpose (graffiti) and was too clean-cut. So, in a joking manner, I replied, "because I'm white it has to be for school?" (to which the other employee (in the office) replied, "oh, little man's fresh!" in an excited and approving manner). After a quick back and forth, during which I was definitely not offended, I did not reveal anything about my use, but, in the back of my mind, that feeling of separation was digging at me. They weren't attacking me or seeming to want to insult me, but the statements reflected a feeling that I was different and, as such, usually not someone with whom they would relate or strongly associate with. I seemed to fit into a different crowd, and, though that is not something that perturbed me at the time, it reminded me of the separation and invisible segregation of our society. Once again, I was not hurt by them viewing me as different, but I was reminded of the disheartening fact that the quick judgments we unconsciously make with regards to others based on their racial, economic or religious background (first impression) cause us to separate our society and limit positive and open interaction. It's nothing new though, and not something that will or can change quickly.

Now, I don't intend this to be a push for any action to be taken or anyone to dissect their actions and beliefs with the intend that some guilt or concern would arise. I am not trying to shout out about a moral injustice and cause people to grab their pitchforks. I simply wanted to recount a simple event and what it caused me to ponder. It has, in the end, led me to believe that there are two sides to every story and two sides to some injustices. Even if one side is much more negative in nature and effect than the other, it's always nice to look at entire situations and avoid attempting to blame individuals (and especially avoid blaming racial or religious groups). In looking at the entire concept of playing the blame game, I can't think of a single winner, but I can think of plenty of losers.

Once again, it looks like, though not trying to push for anything, I threw in a little moral or ethical dissection into today's post. I just hope that's more common while trying to think of initial posts because I definitely don't want to add some political undertone to this blog.

Updates:
Yesterday (10/30/2010), I painted this guy, and his name is IronMunny. It's rough, but I'm building up any skill I might have, and I have fun with them even if the product turns out awful due to lack of skill. Since I can't project him in his three-dimensional form, let me at least provide a few shots to cover somewhat of a 360-rotation.

On Friday (10/29/2010), I quickly painted this guy dedicated to my favorite energy drink. His name is Monster Jr. (Lo Carb Edition), and this is, more or less, what he looks like as you view him from a few angles.

Trust Fall

Regardless of our social or economic background, each of us usually holds some level of distrust (or doubt) towards those with whom we randomly cross paths. It's a deep-seated fear of being hurt and a common behavior of self-preservation. Since we do not know the strangers we may randomly encounter in the streets (the very base of the word "stranger" is a lack of familiarity), we try to guard ourselves. However, since this would lead to a very lonely existence, we make small, vulnerable, extensions into that sometimes uncomfortable zone of interaction so as to attempt to afford ourselves some level of company in life. There are even exercises known as "trust falls" where one falls backwards and is expected to trust that those around them will catch them and break their possibly catastrophic fall. Going out of our way to trust others and push that comfort is, in essence, an ideal, and one that leads to a more prolific society (prolific in that we cannot expand if do not share and that the power of many is greater than the power of one). Sometimes, however, opportunities may be too drastic and too rapid. Those instances should be dissected, examined and possibly forgone. What I am about to talk about is a a new concept that I feel should be avoided for the time being.

Aram Bartholl, a resident at EYEBEAM in New York City (link below), has been promoting one of their new projects where hard drives are embedded in structures around the city with USB attachments protruding (as in the image seen above (provided by EYEBEAM's website)). The project is entitled "dead drops", paying homage to the tendency of those in the espionage trade to simply leave an item in a previously disclosed location so that another may collect it without incriminating interaction, and there are currently five such locations scattered around New York City. Anyone is free to plug in to these public spaces and share the files. As there is no tag, many are, no doubt, enticed to attach themselves and find out what proves stored within. This, in itself, the free dissemination of information, is a concept with which I am completely in support. The flaw, however, is that it leaves itself, and anyone who connects to it, susceptible to unknowingly infecting their valuable computer with a virus left by a previous visitor. It's sad to say that such people do exist, and, much as they have used the internet for such reasons, there are definitely people who would love to take advantage of this new outlet for their destructive abilities. That is not something I think people should risk confronting. Nowadays, people's computers are somewhat of a lifeline, somewhere where limitless amounts of vital personal information are stored as well as a critical source of productive potential and a relaxing outlet for entertainment. Putting all of that at risk for the possibility of some discovery of the unknown will, most likely, tempt some. For the time being, however, I feel it would be best for the project to be shelved until safety precautions can be reworked into the system.

It seems that, though I said not every post would attempt to tackle some moral or ethical quandary, it seems today's post has wandered, once again, down that path. I feel that attempting to and pushing towards a most trusting and sharing society is a vital aspect of life, but this is one of those times when it is best to shelter oneself. Sadly, when proper precautions are not in place, the technology sector constantly proves that one bad apple can definitely spoil the bunch.


Links:
Eyebeam: Website

Product Improvement?

Sometimes, companies make seemingly small changes that, though usually intended to attract new customers, can drive away customers that were already attached to their product. It can be a simple cosmetic change (such as that of a logo) that has no effect on the functionality of the product itself or it could be a slight change in ingredients (not many major companies) but it can also be small structural or material changes that affect the delivery of that product. Let's just keep it simple and say that it tends to have mixed results.

A simple cosmetic change such as an alteration of the logo to keep up with changing social conditions (keep up with the times) is the first type of change that comes to mind. Recently, Gap (clothing/fashion retailer) chose to introduce a new logo, but people were outraged (slight exaggeration). As of late, if you asked people what came to mind when they heard someone reference the Gap, the company being a forward-thinking fashion boutique would be pretty low on list of relevance. People seem to go to the Gap for something simple and basic or a look that they have grown to think of as traditional (such as khaki, cargo or chino pants). Changing their logo was likely far from being a necessity. What they needed, if anything, to improve their status in the fashion world, was a rethinking of their product line. Instead, they chose this route, but at least it got them back into the spotlight, somewhere they haven't been in a while (another "any publicity is good publicity" situation). Thanks to "The Guardian" (link below), I was able to provide an image (above) of both Gap logos for reference (old one on left, proposed one on right).

One alteration of a product that often proves more noticeable and usually causes more rejection from consumers is a change in ingredients or change in the consumable product itself. Notoriously, this is the shift from using refined sugar to high-fructose corn syrup. One of the fist companies to really take this concept mainstream was Coca Cola. In 1985, Coca Cola introduced New Coke which had a much sweeter flavor. Before releasing, the company did its fair share of research and taste tests where most people said that, if it were Coca Cola, they would purchase it (about 10-12%, however, did say they would never buy Coca Cola again if that were the case). It quickly hit the market, and though most people were happy with the new change, a minority raised a stink, and Coca Cola Classic was reintroduced. Coca Cola decided to sell both products side-by-side (with New Coke getting a few name changes along the way (Coke II, C2, and others)), but Coca Cola Classic retook the spotlight, and that's the Coke to which we are all, most likely, accustomed. This could be seen, by some, as a failure to introduce a change to a mainstream product, Coca Cola is a savvy company, and I strongly believe that it was all a plan to introduce high-fructose corn syrup as a sugar replacement into their product (as their product used sugar before the change and high-fructose corn syrup upon reintroduction). It still attests to consumer rejection of shift or change in products that they have come to love (but I would like to note that C2 is still sold in some (mainly foreign) markets). Thanks "Business Week" (link below),  I was able to provide an image (above) of a can of each version of their product (no explanation deemed necessary).

The last type of change of which I can think at the moment is a change in packaging or delivery system. As this is usually intend to facilitate the use of the product or storage, it usually has a higher chance of acceptance by the public. That's because it's usually brought on by complaints (whether direct to the company or circulated publicly by word-of-mouth) about an inherent flaw or opportunity for improvement in the current product. One current instance of such a situation is that of Heinz changing the packaging of their single-serving ketchup packets to allow the user to both pour it (as opposed to trying to force it out of a wasteful packet with limited capacity) as well as use it as a dipping tray (dual openings (non-exclusive)). This is a situation where the company just expanded the use (and capacity) of a popular product without removing the original use (you can still pour or dispense it onto the desired surface or item). It was brought on, most likely, by study of other companies or institutions using a different container (dipping container (sometimes containing Heinz)), and I think it will be greeted with open arms. I, for one, think it's an improvement with few, if any, drawbacks (less crush-resistant due to rigidity), and I would be excited to see it if I were to reach for ketchup in a fast-food restaurant. Thanks to Heinz (link below), I was able to provide a sample image (above) of the new packaging.

Though still a product change intend to increase the ease-of-use (packaging as above), this last example (which prompted today's post) deserves its own paragraph as it had different results. Rustoleum seems to have changed some of the spray cap of it's common enamel spray paints to a new "comfort" cap. It seems like a great idea, but, like any change in a product, only true consumer testing can reveal whether it is an improvement or a step back. I bought a few cans of their spray paint recently (so the contained product is, most-likely, similar in age and quality), and a couple had the new (comfort) cap while the others had the old-style (very traditional) cap. As far as the feel and ease-of-use, I would definitely say it's an improvement in terms of comfort. I felt a much lower amount of finger strain during use (with the new cap). I did, however, find problems upon storage. Whenever I am done using them, I depress the cap for about five seconds with the can upside down (per their instructions) to clear some of the build up. When I went back to use some of these after letting them sit a few days (after use) in a climate-controlled house, I found that those with the traditional cap would perform flawlessly (no surprise and nothing new), but I also found that those with the new cap were irreparably clogged (I tried mineral salts per their instruction). Sadly, as they were female caps (as opposed to male caps on their previous models), they are unusable until I can find a new replacement cap (most caps I find are male). Since I don't think that will fix the problem permanently, I chose to write a quick note containing my experience and send it to Rustoleum (via their website, below). It seems that was the best solution, and I'm really not that upset with them for the change (but I am annoyed by my inconvenience). I still try to give them credit for trying to improve a product, and, as such, I have chosen to try to help guide them along in that venture if at all possible. I like companies that try to improve consumer experience (especially at no extra charge as in this case). Thanks to my iPhone, I was able to provide an image (above) comparing the two types of caps (new (comfort) on the left and traditional on the right), and I recommend using the one on the right in the time being.

Though I don't think all of my posts will or should have a moral message or other form of beneficial wisdom, I still think that there is something to be taken away from this. When a company makes a change in their product, they are, most likely, unsure of whether it's going to be seen as an improvement or a drawback. As such, if a consumer is interested in the product enough to care about, or even just notice, the change, it couldn't hurt to forward their thoughts to the company. Some may see that as free market research, and, in a sense, it is, but that doesn't mean it can't come back and benefit the consumer who makes that comment. I try to think of it as helping yourself (and anyone in your shoes), and I will try to take my own advice in the future by making those comments (whether positive, negative or neutral) and forwarding them to the appropriate party any time I notice a change in a product on which I feel my input could be beneficial. I don't think I'm so important that my opinion is more valuable than others, but the only voices that are heard are of those that speak up (in this case, that's me, and they can choose to ignore it if they wish without making me feel lesser (I spoke my piece)).

Links:

The Guardian: Website

Business Week: Website

Heinz: Website

Rustoleum: Website

What's That Sound?

It doesn't matter where you live. If you leave your window open at night, there will, most likely be some recurring sound in the distance. I'm not trying to stereotype or make some comment about society, but I'll break it down by location. In many urban areas, that may be your neighbors. In most suburban areas, that may be neighborhood dogs. In some rural areas, that may be coyotes (as at my parents' house). Now, what's that sound for me? Of course there are some dogs, but the most constant sound is the bray of the donkeys in the distance (though two blocks can barely be classified as "in the distance"). Having just moved here, the sound of donkeys filling my ears at night was not something to which I was accustomed. So, I had no choice but to investigate the situation. I would have just disregarded the entire situation if I found out that someone nearby had a personal pace of donkeys, but that was not the case. It turns out it's a drove wild donkeys roaming the foothills just a couple blocks away. A couple days into my stay, I spotted one in the distance, and the sightings have been getting grander at each occasion. For instance, a few days later, TheGeorgeF (mentioned in a previous post), and I went exploring and spotted six of them. We attempted to fist-pump with them, "Jersey Shore" style, but they did not let us get close. Since then, I have seen groups of around eight of them, sometimes with people (seem to be parks employees) caressing them. A couple weeks ago, I actually had to stop my car so that a herd of nine of them could cross. I still regret not taking a picture, but my mind was so absolutely blown by the event that I neglected to even think of it. Hopefully it will happen again. Today, I saw twelve of them, and that's what prompted this quick and informal entry.

In other news, the chalkboard Munny I painted a couple days ago finally cured last night, and I was able to enjoy doodling on him. I am very pleased with the result, and, though I neglected to take a picture of him all doodled up, I did snap a few pictures of him as I put him back together. The pictures show him first as he was just after the paint had finished drying (24 hours after application), followed by a picture of him covered in chalk (the instructions said to rub the side of a piece of chalk all over it to prepare the surface and wipe it clean), and finally with the tape removed and reassembled.

Today's post was short, but I still felt it was a good idea to post something up. I don't think every post will be about some kind of current event topic, but this is what was on my mind today, and, as such, here it is. It may not be as formal as previous posts, but it gets the point across.

The Class Is Full

That's one sentence I would love to never hear again, but, from the look of things, I think that's a wish that will never be fulfilled.

Now, why would I choose to talk about this today?

Well, if you caught it in one of my earlier posts, I recently moved to the Riverside, CA area and have made that choice to finish my education. Being that I moved after the semester had begun at the local community colleges (where I need to complete a few choice units and major requirements before being able to return to a state college (most likely UC Riverside)), I placed myself on the wait list for eight "short-term" courses which were scheduled to begin on Monday The concept of these short-term courses is fulfill the same unit requirements as their regular counterparts but in a much more condensed manner, and that seemed like the perfect fit for me. As I just moved down here, I have plenty of time to dedicate myself to my studies (I have chosen to avoid full-time employment for the time being so as to distract myself less), and I felt I could handle a few fast-paced community college courses (I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but my experience is that these classes aren't too complicated and could easily be completed in half the time (as done in this instance)). Now, in no way did I intend to take eight classes at once, but I was hoping that, by putting myself on the wait list for that many, I would be able enroll in three or four of them successfully. That felt like a reasonable course load. On Monday, I got myself all geared up for class (absolutely had that crusader, ready-to-take-on-the-world mentality) and arrived on campus extremely early (well before 8:00am). Every instructor was quick to inform me (as well as the rest of those eagerly waiting in the wings) that the class was full and that there would be no more students added from the wait list. Well, I can't say "every instructor" because two of them told me to wait a couple days and "see if anything shakes loose." Yesterday, I got an email from the first teacher apologizing for not being able to allow me to enroll, and today, I got the crushing news from the second. So, it looks like I wont be able to, even minimally, lessen the distance between myself and a diploma until January.

Now, why did this happen?

Over the last few years, budget deficiencies in education education of California have caused there to be less class seats available in public facilities than there are students willing to take them. Now, I wont call these budget deficiencies "budget deficits" or "budget cuts" because, in some areas, that's not the proper explanation of the situation. The state simply has less money dedicated to education than we could use. Once again, I say "use" as opposed to "need" because people can and do survive and prosper without these opportunities, but that doesn't mean they aren't beneficial. Lately, this problem has become more and more apparent as the situation spreads to more institutions and the gap between amount of available class seats and amount of desired class seats has increased dramatically. Now, this problem is definitely not restricted to public universities in California or public schools in general. It's a part of a growing problem that definitely reaches private institutions as well as every notable aspect of society and economy of which I can think. Today, though, the part that hit me is the deficiency in California community colleges. I could go into great detail about why this is such a problem, but, in reality, most people are already aware. When there is less money available than you (or the government) wants to spend,  you have to cut some line items back. Sure, you can go about digging a nice pit of debt, but in time, you have to make some cuts. That's not going to make some people happy, but it has to be done. Cuts have been made across the board, but students are definitely feeling the hit. What it seems to come down to is being one of the first to register (the second your "registration time" comes up) and knowing exactly in what classes you need to enroll (and, of course, hoping that the course doesn't get cut later for lack of enrollment or some other reason). It's a rat race, and, in the end, there will always be some losers. There are not going to be enough classes, and those that lag to register will be left high and dry. Sure, there is some blame to be placed on those that delay their registration to the last minute, but even some that register in a somewhat timely manner are going to be left out due to this spectacular problem that is this shortage of funds.

As a note, I am not trying to argue a solution or try to get people to take my side on this. I am merely offering a little opinion mixed with some facts about a problem our society is facing (brought on, of course, by recent personal experience).

I should be grateful for having the opportunity to go to college or to further my education to any degree, and I truly am. I do feel blessed to have such opportunities, and I think my interest in partaking in them attests to that. I have the great fortune of having such mountains of opportunity (that seems to be the word of the paragraph), whether they be educational, material or moral, and I cannot help but mention, once again, that I am grateful for that. In this case, I don't deny that it was my fault. I am usually quick to register and do what I need to get into the classes I wish to take, but, this semester, that was not plausible. I moved after the semester had begun, and I did my best to afford myself the greatest chance of success, but it looks like that will be postponed until the end of the calendar year. In the end, I really don't blame anyone but myself. There really isn't blame to be placed on anyone for shorting me on something that I don't, necessarily, have the right to have. It's just what I called it before, an opportunity, and it's one I should only ever be grateful for having and not irate for not having. I will do my best to grant myself every opportunity I can in the future, especially with regards to education, but I still felt like talking about it.

I would be very surprised if anyone persisted and read all of what I had to say (it was so long that I don't think I even want to take the time to review it before posting it (maybe edit it later)), but if anyone should choose to, I would like to thank them.

Munny Munny Munny Munny!

You may have seen this cute little guy before, but why does Sizzle care about him (though the figure is void of any genitalia or marking features, I consider it to be male)?

Well, my big brother long had a passion for Kidrobot (link below) and their store in San Francisco, CA. He is a huge fan of both their mass-produced and limited-run vinyl toys (that term makes it seem so childish, but that's definitely not my standpoint). He has an ever-expanding collection of pieces (that's a nicer term) from artists ranging from Frank Kozik to Huck Gee to MAD, and until recently, none of it really grabbed me. I always cared about it because my brother liked it, and I enjoyed the clean design and simplicity of some of their products (and I liked going to their stores), but I never really explored the culture too much.

Slowly, that passion flowed down the hall and infected my little brother who, though interested in the Smorkin' Labbit (from Frank Kozik) and Fatcaps (from MAD), quickly started exploring their do-it-yourself (DIY) line of toys grouped together in a little land called MunnyWorld. That's where I became interested. Those blanks were the center of any interest I had in their store, and I loved the idea of being able to customize it with anything from paints to markers to clay. Actually, after looking at some of them, you can pretty much customize them with anything up to and including the kitchen sink.

My little brother painted a couple of their regular sized Munny (about 7" tall and just about $25), and it looked like fun, but on the last day of September, my big brother and I made a stop in their store while in San Francisco. He got himself a sweet watch, and that was cool, but the memorable moment was him convincing me that I needed to get something so badly that he would buy it. I tried declining, but we settled on a glow-in-the-dark Mini Munny (about 4" tall and just about $10). I quickly doodled a little shirt on him, colored in the ears, threw a little color on the bat, and doodled a quick little "ANDY" on the base of one foot (a little homage to one of the most legit children's movies (though, I think it's even better for adults, and it's already up to a trilogy so that term is wrong) of all time (personal opinion but undeniable)). Little did I know, that was just the start of a serious (but very enjoyable) affliction.

So, I picked up a blank regular-sized Munny and a couple small ones, and slowly made them my own. Be advised, I am no artist, but I still have fun, and I'll throw a couple of my first endeavors out there...

This is the first glow-in-the-dark Mini Munny, and I named him "Munny on Deck".

Then, there is the regular-sized Munny. I first gave him somewhat of a space-themed stardust paint job, but I stripped it down and repainted him. This is what he looks like now, and I call him "Tricolori di Munny".

I also painted a little Mini Munny that I gave to my big brother, and I called him "CosMunny Jr. V1". This is what he looks like.

I also made a little Mini Bub look like Winnie the Pooh, and I named him "Bubbie da Pooh". This is what that little guy looks like.

Then, I made a Mini Munny look like a monkey in a t-shirt with about forty minutes of Sharpie action. His name is "Munky Bidness - Tourist", and this is what he looks like.

Then, I made him a little partner-in-crime (PIC, if you will) that is supposed to look like a monkey in a Captain America outfit. Now that I think about it, "partner-in-crime" is a bad term for something dressed as a superhero. Anyways, after about forty minutes of Sharpie time, I got this little guy, and his name is, of course, "Munky Bidness - Captain America".

Here are the Munky Bidness figures together.

I think that pretty much covers my little customized Munny figures, but I'm working on painting one with chalkboard paint so I can doodle on him all day (erase and repeat).

They are also produced in a Mega Munny size (about 18" tall and about $200). Some day, I will have one.

There is such a huge world out there with these things from custom-made items by artists and amateurs to huge guys like this one below (which has a chalkboard finish), but I think I will leave it at that for now (I might come back to it).

I thought it might not hurt to have a few pictures instead of a bunch of boring text posts all the time. So, here you go, and it's still relevant to me!

Prices (from Kidrobot):
Mini (4"): $9.95
Regular (7"): $24.95
Mega (18"): $200.00
Customs: Vary
Enormous Version: Very Rare, Seen on eBay for $9,000

Links:
Kidrobot: Store

A Little About Me

Who is Sizzle?

Well, first let me say that Sizzle is not my real name nor do I intend to encourage anyone to think that. It's just a fun nickname dating back a few years that people actually use to refer to me. It started out because I needed to come up with a screenname for forum I was joining that would both keep me slightly anonymous and limit the link to my then employer (same enterprise as the pastime to which the forum was (and is still) linked and dedicated). Then, a few friends started referring to me as that both in person and when calling the store. People assumed it was somewhat of an earned nickname that I had had for some time, and it stuck. Soon, since everyone from friends to coworkers to customers were using it, I adopted it and made it my own, but I will always see it as a joke, and everyone should too. In the end, I am Sizzle!

Now, let me throw down some words about myself (you may notice I jump from professional to jokingly non-professional, and it has no pattern or reason other than my mood)...

Well, though, at this point, I intend to keep this somewhat anonymous (tough word, because a lot of the people I intend to read this will know who I am, and I want them to), I'll still tell you a little about me. I'm a 22-year-old, Caucasian (I know, fancy word for "white and I show very little interest in my cultural background") with varying interests who has lived in more places than a lot of people his age, but that doesn't mean I think I am a traveler in any way or that I have seen it all. I've just seen a little more than most people with whom I associate.

So, let me tell you a little about "my journey", if you will. I was born in San Francisco, CA and lived there for the first five years of my life. Though I don't remember too many specifics, growing up in a hotel in a major city is fun in and of itself, but if you add a bilingual household (French is my father's native tongue and English is my mother's) with two awesomely loving parents (I love my parents in case you can't tell because I am able to understand how they both choose to show it, and loving my parents is definitely not something of which I am ashamed) and two amazing brothers (one older by a little over two years and one younger by just about the same amount). Well, you can probably already tell that I'm very fond of my family.

Anyways, after that, we packed up and moved to Paris (France, not Paris, TX, Perris, CA or some other variation on Paris that eludes me at the moment) and lived there for the next four years of my life (and returned many summer months). Now, that was incredible too. We lived in an apartment that belonged to my grandmother in a building whose age was definitely in the triple digits (that's hundreds) that has been kept mostly in the family (dad's family), and that was a close-knit community too. We had some cousins above us, some other cousins across the hall, some friends directly below, and some great aunts on the ground floor. If that wasn't enough, we had some more cousins in the next building over.

After that, we packed it all up again and moved to Dallas, TX (Highland Park to be specific) and lived there for the next four years. Once again, we were near family. My only remaining grandmother (mom's side) lived just five minutes away with my uncle (mom's brother) living in Austin (just three and a half hours away) and some extended family in between and all around (those last five words had a melodic rhythm in my head). That was an amazing four years where I made some great friends, had some amazing experiences and learned more life lessons than I can count (sometimes, not in the best way).

We then threw it all in a truck again and moved to San Jose, CA (seems somewhat like "coming full circle" (excuse me if I misquote)) and lived there for about five years. Those were great years, my high school years. It was an exciting and upward-looking period in my life, and I don't regret a minute of it. I don't think I ever could since my family seems to have taken permanent residence there (dad just retired this year). That doesn't mean I felt locked down there.

So, on that note, I threw more stuff than I would expect to need and moved to Davis, CA (near Sacramento) for the next couple years (for school of course). Those were really exciting times, and I think a lot of that has to do with spending a large portion of that time both living in and involved in the activities of a fraternity. I don't think I could ever forget that either, no matter how unreasonable the amount of alcohol consumed.

Then, I moved back home to San Jose, CA for another couple years. I spent those years trying to do my best to stay somewhat involved in education (down to a community college for a little coursework), but I also held more than just a full-time job. Though I started working at a shooting range on weekends for a few months, I eventually what I consider my only real job to date at a retail store near the airport. That was an awesome job, and it ties back to that awesome pastime I mentioned in the early part of this post. Finally getting a job (somewhere between 45 to 50 hours a week) in a store I used to frequent felt like a godsend. I did my best there, and I think it showed, but after a couple years and lack of upward mobility, I felt it was time to move on.

Basically, I quit my job and moved to Moreno Valley, CA (near Riverside). I'm living with a friend who recommended the place, and I'm focusing on finishing my education so I can finally get out in the world with actual career-type employment (and, of course, quickly decimate any savings I might have).

Let me check my math really quickly... 5+4+4+5+2+2=22 years... that sounds about right.

Man, that feels like a lot to say, and I barely covered the basics, but that gives a rough idea of who I am and where I have been. Maybe, in time, I will delve into a further exploration of my life and identity.

Introduction

Let's get started....

I don't want to come across as a geek, but I've started to think it's time to expand the boundaries of my comfort zone and throw myself into the cyber universe one step at a time. Friday, that involved starting a Yelp account (link below) to try to give some feedback to some of the places I visit (both for their sake and for the sake of anyone trying to size a place up before adding it to their itinerary). Today, it involves starting a blog and trying to convert a four-dimensional world into a two-dimensional medium. Now, I don't spend much time exploring blogs, and I definitely wouldn't consider myself an expert on blogging, but what could it hurt? I mean... I am not completely up to speed on blogging etiquette, and I may make a faux pas here and there, but hopefully it ends up being in an innocent way, and we can shrug it off.

So, where is this blog headed? At this point, I'm really not too sure, but I have a few ideas. It will probably include some social commentary, random ideas and plans, a sometimes tedious recollection of my life (hence the title of this blog ("My Life: Digital Edition")) and some other miscellaneous items I feel like sharing. After that, it's all a little hazy, but I'm open to suggestions. The only suggestion I have so far is starting a YouTube channel (courtesy of TheGeorgeF (link below)), but that's still a little too intimidating. So, I guess this needs a little more exploring, but first, I have to throw a little more time into both my Yelp account and my blog.

Wow, that was brutal! Let's hope this gets easier soon so I can start flowing this like Eazy-E...

Links:
My Yelp Account: Yelp
TheGeorgeF: YouTube Facebook