It’s about damn time....

Finally, things are looking up again. Last week, I had 20 of my hours cut at Pump It Up because my store owner wanted to be a cheap asshole and give them to the other manager (who is a pretty young birdcage....with no bird inside). I decided from that point on to quit as soon as possible. This manager (who I personally trained) and another manager went behind my back and told my store owner of my tactical withdrawal from the company....but not before I made mention to the Pump It Up corporate office how the store owners were failing to follow the rules and regulations set by corporate. The downside was that the PIU corporate office reported me to the store owners and, to save face, the store owners fired me. When I confronted my fellow managers about talking to the store owners, they denied it even though the store owner told me they mentioned I was quitting.

The upside is, I've been working for the past month and a half as a sales and marketing crew manager for the San Diego Union Tribune....and I make more there (not to mention I get paid every Monday) than I ever got at Pump It Up. By summer's end, I'll have my loans paid off and I should be going on another vacation come December.

To the two managers that sold me out and lied about it, I feel sorry for you once the business goes belly up. It must suck to be you, bitches!

5:59 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Walking blind

Over 6 months have passed since I wrote any blogs on this site so I figured I would keep those who care to read about my existence up to date on the events of 2008.

The "business venture" that I thought would open new doors and make me wealthy turned out to be a pyramid scam (see Primerica AKA Crimerica). Still I got my life insurance license so it wasn't a complete failure. I'll still have both loans and my computer paid off at the end of the summer by doing things the old fashioned way: working two jobs.

As for education, I changed my major from International Business to Accounting. The reason for this is that 1) I'll always be able to find a job as every firm needs accountants and 2) there would have been no way I could afford a semester in Italy. Our dickhead president and the fascists in the white house have fucked the US economy up so bad that it'll take years to fix (if you're a republican and you disagree with my opinion, you're a fucking idiot...but we can agree to disagree).

As for all else, I remain disappointed in life's letdowns yet hopeful that things will change for the better. The times in which I dedicated all my efforts only to be rejected by fate itself are countless.

11:39 PM - 6 Comments - 8 Kudos - Add Comment

Resolutions for 2008
Current mood: determined
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

It is the last day of 2007 and I feel that much has been accomplished over the course of this year. I have traveled more (to include some of the countries of my heritage), I have made many new friends, started (and made noteworthy progression in my art classes), received my AS in Business Administration, started university, made attempts to forgive people in my past (when they refused or treated me with a "holier than thou" attitude, I just say fuck 'em), brought closure to many curiosities in my life, and, finally, got started in a new business venture that is going to bring more meaning to my life and open many new doors for me.

What I plan to accomplish in 2008 is to better myself academically, get out of debt completely, establish more friendships and networking contacts, and go above and beyond anything I've ever done before. If I fail to complete any of these goals, there will always be another day in which to focus my time and effort and I will not grow bored for once. Regarding my new business endeavor, if you want to come along for the ride, you know how to get ahold of me.....

1:48 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Finding something greater....
Current mood: hopeful

This summer started out quite well with my graduation and trip to Scandinavia. Even though Gina and I broke up due to nothing wrong on the part of either party but the conflict of each individual's ideals, we parted on good terms. Now the summer is almost over and everything that I imagined would happen as I had planned over the last two years has come to pass. I should be happy that my life is still going the direction in which I want but I feel that there is still much incomplete that still needs doing.

For us sagittarians, there is always something that keeps us restless, some burning desire to find something better or achieve more. We never seem to be satisfied with the here and now, but always aspiring for something great.

What have I left to do? Move out of the place I've shared with Gina (I've been eyeing some real-estate in Rancho Penasquitos.....it's a drive from SDSU but I love the area), re-establish myself, start university (I'm taking 3 general ed classes and 2 advanced Italian classes this semester), and set higher aspirations (like what to do next.......pursue a Ph.D?). The only thing that has kept me somewhat occupied is the pursuit of knowledge and not going to school over the course of the summer is driving me insane.

Any new advice?

Currently listening : Disintegration By The Cure Release date: 01 May, 1989

7:32 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

The Joys of Northern Europe
Current mood: pleased
Category: Travel and Places

*Please note that I will possibly edit this blog later to add more detail about my one-month trip to Scandinavia and beyond.....

The trip which I had planned for six months and finally taken was alot of fun though, due to the insulting high prices that Scandinavia charges for.....pretty much anything, did not go quite as planned.

Week one

This entire week was spent in Finland (the two cities visited were Helsinki and Rovaniemi) with one day trip to Tallinn, Estonia. Finland is, by far, my favorite country in Scandinavia. The sun stays out until well past midnight, the people are quite warm and friendly, and people who are into the gothic "scene" are a common sight (this is more true of Finland than the rest of Scandinavia). I would spend several days touring the city of Helsinki (and the island fortress of Suomenlinna) before taking a day cruise to Estonia.

In the Estonian capital Tallinn, the scenery is beautiful. Much of the architecture is Russian styled (onion-shaped domes on churches and government buildings, etc) and the buildings are quite antique. Estonia was occupied by both the Nazis and Soviets so, even though it is a poor country, they may feel that the need to justify this by charging 5€ per postcard? Needless to say, I didn't buy any souvenirs here. The malls not only sell wartime odds and ends, but also have bars and strip clubs. Should I be surprised? Probably not....

The next day, I took a train north to Rovaniemi. This Finnish city is not only home to Santa Claus (try to convince a Finn otherwise), but it is also where one may cross over the Arctic Circle. That, my friends, is one more thing I may check off my list. Before I left Rovaniemi, I went to the Rocktaurant. This is a dungeon-styled restaurant dedicated to the Finnish death metal band Lordi. It was pretty awesome and I would recommend it to anyone....

My last day in Finland was spent in Helsinki and I took more pictures before catching my flight to Stockholm.

Week two

I would spend my entire time in Sweden in Stockholm. Aside from various factors, it was worth it. The hostel in which I stayed was a veritable bomb-shelter. One would have to go down a flight of stairs and down a hall in order to get to their cramped room. The hostel had no air conditioning so it was difficult to sleep. Regardless, Stockholm is beautiful! I visited the royal palace, Old Stockholm, the Vasa museum, the Nobel Museum of Sweden (Norway has a Nobel Museum, as well), and many of Stockholm's lush parks. Near the end of the week, I took the train to Berlin as things are priced more relative to the costs of similar items in the US. I don't regret going to Germany because it was a blast!

Week three

Deutschland! This would be the highlight of my entire vacation. I loved Germany so much that I actually spent a week there. I stayed in Berlin for most of my time in Germany but I took a day trip to Dresden. This was well worth it.....

First of all, the hostel in Berlin kicked ass. They usually played darkwave or metal and most of the staff was pretty laid back. My first day in Germany would be spent going to the Soviet War Memorial, the Goddess of Victory Statue, and the Brandenburg Gate.

The second day would be spent simply exploring the city and taking pictures, though I did go to the Berlin Wall museum. The third day in Berlin was spent going to a museum of the history of Berlin and an active bomb shelter which was constructed during the Cold War, to be used in the case of nuclear war (this shelter gave me grim memories of my hostel in Stockholm). After touring this museum, I went to several of Berlin's elegant, yet expensive, fetishwear stores in that district.

The fourth day spent in Berlin would consist of going to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. This concentration camp is the same one in which the Chancellor of Austria was held after the Anschluss of Austria in 1938 by the Nazis, and also where Stalin's son would be held before trying to escape, only to be shot by the guards. What was even more disturbing about this camp was the detail in which it described exactly what had taken place there.

Moving on, I would spend the last days in Germany in Dresden and taking pictures of the other sites in Berlin. Luckily for me, the last night I spent in Berlin, the bar which I went was hosting Lacrimosa.......so I got to meet the band. That was probably the best part of my trip so far.

Week four

The first day of my final week in Europe would be spent in Copenhagen, Denmark while waiting for the train to Bergen, Norway. I took a boat tour of Copenhagen and took many pictures while I was there. The  main things to see in Copenhagen were: the great Clock Tower, the statue of Hans Christen Andersen's "The Little Mermaid", and the victory statue in the city center.

The entire next day would be spent on a train to Bergen, Norway. The third day was spent in Bergen. The prices in Norway were more expensive than the rest of Scandinavia (a bottle of water is roughly equivalent to $4 US!) so I had to be quite careful. I took pictures of the fishermen's monument in the city square, the Bryggen strip (built in 1702 and currently being renovated), and Bergen's castle.

After one more day in Bergen, I would journey to Oslo for a day before catching my train to Stockholm. Oslo was slightly more expensive than Bergen but it was beautiful nonetheless. I took pictures of the Oslo City Hall (where the Nobel Prize for Peace is awarded), the National Theatre, and some of the city's many statues and fountains. That night, I would leave for Stockholm (where I am right now, typing this blog). Today, I'll probably buy some souvenirs and tonight, I'll most likely go to the Absolut Ice Bar (a bar which is -5 degrees celcius and the glasses are made from ice).

I will be posting pictures on my profile within the next week.....

Currently listening : Echos By Lacrimosa Release date: 11 March, 2003

1:24 AM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Progress.....
Current mood: accomplished
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes

Tomorrow, it has ended. Or at least the first half of my pursuit of my BA in International Business. I will be graduating from Mesa CC with my AS in Business Administration.....with an honors cord, to boot.

My life and progress in college are much better than they were in high school because I don't have nearly as many negative influences and, if I did, I would just tune them out. Furthermore, as much as I didn't care for life in the Marine Corps, I can thank The Corps for giving me the discipline and drive to follow this destiny which is laid out before me.

I plan on getting completely fucking shitfaced on Saturday night to celebrate this achievement.....but my real graduation present to myself is my trip to Scandinavia which I have planned all semester. As for the rest of the summer when I get back, I'll be going to the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade in Hollywood that next weekend and ComicCon at the end of July. My summer will be pretty laid-back as I won't be taking classes and I'll only be working every other week......and still fit 64 hours into each paycheck.

As far as the fall semester looks, I'll only be taking classes every Tuesday and Thursday at SDSU (I'm looking at Finance, Marketing, Business Calculus, Management, and European/Italian Studies). The rest of the week is dedicated to work and going to the gym.

Currently listening : Dreamcypher By Crüxshadows Release date: 16 January, 2007

11:12 AM - 7 Comments - 12 Kudos - Add Comment

Nordic domination
Current mood: relieved

Airlines suck. While I'm waiting for my paycheck to come in so I can buy plane tickets, the airline increases the price (originally the flights from San Diego to Helsinki and Munich back to San Diego were $1080/person......now they're $1650/person)!

With this being said, Gina and I finally came to a decision. We found a flight from San Diego to Stockholm (round trip for $918/person) and we'll be seeing all of Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark). The flight is paid for, all deposits on lodging are paid, and I simply need to pay for the train and boat transport between countries. If you want anything (since I updated my itinerary), let me know.

Currently listening : Once By Nightwish Release date: 05 October, 2004

8:13 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Wanderlust
Current mood: chipper

The travel choice has been made and I'm in the process of buying tickets, reserving hotel rooms, and learning at least common phrases in the languages  which I don't already speak.

Gina and I will be spending a full week in Finland, 2 days in Sweden, 3 in Germany, another week in Poland (her choice, not mine.....), and 2 days in the Czech Republic (yes, Chris, I'll get your absinthe).

Anyway, if you want anything, let me know........dammit. By the way, will the person who owns the Spanish flag and the Day of the Dead skeletons please claim her items (yes, Karla, I'm referring to you)

Currently listening : Dark Light By H.I.M. Release date: 29 September, 2005

9:13 PM - 1 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

New aspirations....
Current mood: anxious

January has come and gone but, due to circumstance and an odd twist of fate in my favor, life has gotten considerably better.

When I came back from Mexico about a month ago, the place in which I work was under new ownership (the previous owner failed to notify any of the staff that this event would be taking place). What I did was convince the new owners to allow me to take alot more responsibility and give myself and the other managers more hours. When the owner asked how much I thought I should get paid hourly, I replied $15/hr (keep in mind, I was getting $10/hr under the previous owner). I explained the reasons why I should receive such an increase. This must have worked because, at the end of the negotiation process, the owner told me that I would be making $16/hr with possible raises every six months. Score!

I will be taking over all financial, logistical and administrative operations for the facility (ordering supplies, scheduling staff to work, writing and submitting payroll, and such).

My new plans for leisure at this point are to take another vacation to Europe this summer (after I graduate from Mesa CC and attend orientation for SDSU). Gina and I have discussed a trip starting in Krakow, Poland, and going through Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Romania. Need or want anything, let me know in advance........dammit. We'll be leaving on July 30th and coming back on August 19th.....if that's the trip we decide to take. Other possibilities were Scandinavia or Portugal, Spain, and Ibiza. Any suggestions?

Currently listening : Thornography By Cradle of Filth Release date: 17 October, 2006

2:30 PM - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Walls of Voodoo
Current mood: ecstatic

I spent the last two weeks in Mexico with my girlfriend and her family. It was pretty cool except for rude American and French tourists (to cut in front of me while I'm getting coffee and not say excuse me is to sign your death warrant).

I spent the first 3 days of my trip in Mexico City. That was pretty cool because one of the local klubs had a Cure tribute night. I saw Zocalo Plaza and many of the local statues and such. During the second day, Gina and I took a bus tour of the city.

On the third day, we caught a flight to to Merida (one of the Yucatan cities near Chitchen Itza). The next 6 days would be spent going to various sites (I actually liked Uxmal more than Chitchen Itza.....Chitchen Itza was cool but WAY too commercialized with the street vendors selling their goods on every walkway). The food in the region tasted like mierda so I looked forward to going back to Mexico City by the end of the 6 days. When Gina and I were supposed to catch our flight, we found out that the airline had cancelled our tickets! After 30 minutes of arguing with the clerk, we went to the other airline and got a last-minute flight for a cheaper price than the original.

The last 3 days were spent in Mexico City. My girlfriend and I would spend this time catching up on seeing some more sites and buying bootleg PS2 games (the PS2 needs a chip but you can buy 3 games for 50 pesos......5 dollars!) and tequila. If you asked for anything, I have it......except I couldn't come across any peyote. Sorry, Chris.

 I came home on the 1st and started work on the 2nd only to find that the company for which I work changed ownership and the original store owner didn't tell me. The good news is, I'll be getting more hours and higher pay. The bad news is that I have to do EVERYTHING around here as the new owner doesn't know how this business is run. Fuck it. I unofficially own this place now so I call the shots. I'm glad I quit my job at In-N-Out last year. I happily give the finger to my manager from that job. She never would have fucking promoted me. Ungrateful bitch.

Currently listening : Andiamo By Authority Zero Release date: 29 June, 2004

8:01 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Voy a Mexico!
Current mood: accomplished

Tomorrow it's all finally over......the fall semester, that is. I ended up not having to take the final for my Human Sexual Behavior class because I aced everything else (the professor loved the essay I wrote on BDSM.....she said it was the best she had ever seen). As for my other classes, I take my final in Native Americans in US History tonight (which I've studied for over and over), my Econ final is a take home, I take my marketing final tomorrow, and my theatre group and I are acting in the live play version of Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" (guess who gets to play Gunnery Sergeant Hartman?).

Aside from all that, I'm packing for Mexico tomorrow night and I'll be leaving at zero dark thirty on Thursday morning and getting back on January 1st. If I don't have access to the internet while I'm in Mexico, I hope everything goes well during the holiday season and, Chris, I'll try to get your peyote........any other gifts that people requested should be easy enough to get. If I can't keester (just kidding) the peyote past security though, dude, I'll bring you some tequila or something.

Currently listening : Soilbleed Redux By Grendel Release date: 15 May, 2006

2:42 PM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Renewed motivation and home-stretch
Current mood: determined

After Halloween, everything is downhill regarding the fall semester. At least that's what I told myself last year and I believe the same this year. I have two more essays to finish and all homework for the semester is done (one essay is 7-8 pages on BDSM and the Fetish Lifestyle for my Human Sexual Behavior class and the other is about Black Hawk for my Native Americans in US History class). I just need to get off WoW and find renewed motivation to get these two assignments done so I can focus strictly on my manager job and bartending during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Other matters of concern are planning my trip to Mexico with Gina at the end of the semester (yes, we are back together but some terms have changed). If anyone wants anything from Mexico, it's just like the Spain trip last December........tell me in advance.....dammit.

Currently listening : Skyshaper By Covenant Release date: 11 April, 2006

9:30 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Break up and moving on....
Current mood: confused

There really isn't much to say but there is a question that I should be asking anyone who is willing to answer and provide me some feedback. Have you ever been in a relationship where the person you hooked up with knew your lifestyle and choice of dress, music, etc. before you met and still choose to get into a relationship with you then, during the course of the relationship, they tried to change you? Such is my situation.

Last night, my girlfriend broke up with me because she considers me to be narrow-minded. I refused to go to a R&B/Soul/Funk/Hip-hop club for Halloween. The whole theme of Halloween is dark, so why not go to a gothic club? This entire last month when I wanted to go to one of my clubs, my (ex)girlfriend would give some crazy excuse as to why she didn't want to go.......so we stayed home. What the hell is wrong with this picture?

What do I plan to do now? I'm not going to go out and immediately look for someone else. It's too early for that. A fucked-up part to all this is that I'm not quite heartbroken because I should have seen this coming. After all the hell that my ex before her put me through, I could never be as devastated as I was in 2004 (where that ex ended up stealing my car). Maybe that's why I'm numb to the "heart-break" that I should be feeling but am not. I feel more disgusted than anything. I've been thinking about possibly moving back to Washington state after the summer of '07 and starting over again. My main worry is whether my college credits will transfer and what the requirements are for the UW in Seattle. Everything else (food, rent, etc.) I have already considered.

Am I wrong for any of this?

Currently playing : World of Warcraft Release date: 23 November, 2004

11:09 AM - 4 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Almost halfway
Current mood: accomplished

Summer has come and is nearly gone. I ended up passing both of the college classes that I took this summer with A's (quite a feat seeing how I was working 40+ hours/week to boot). At the current moment, I'm in Hollywood with my girlfriend and her brother. My goal until I start my 6 fall classes on September 5th is to hit the gym for 2 hours each day after work and, aside from that, to relax and enjoy my vacation. After the spring 2007 semester, I'll have my A.S. in Business Administration and be halfway toward my B.A. in International Business.

Currently listening : Reise, Reise By Rammstein Release date: 16 November, 2004

10:57 PM - 2 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

A very good year........sort of....
Current mood: calm

Things have gone quite well this year. Gina and I moved in together (thanks in part to my asshole former roommate), I've received decent grades over the spring semester in college (mostly B's and a few A's....and one C), and many people from my past (that I never thought I would hear from again) have started speaking to me (for the most part that's actually a good thing). My plans for this summer are to enjoy my two college classes (business law and financial accounting), enjoy work, and go to some of the local clubs with my girlfriend. Near the end of August, Gina and I plan on going to Hollywood to hang out with her brother and check out the local scene.

What now? I plan on continuing along this path which I have chosen for myself and believing in what I feel is best for me.

Currently listening : Wish By The Cure Release date: 21 April, 1992

4:47 PM - 3 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment