Packing and Am I Racist the Movie

With our trip to the Philippines coming up, we are having to buy gifts and whatnot to family in the Philippines. We are also getting friends here wanting us to buy stuff for them in the Philippines, as things are a lot less expensive there. We have gone to department stores for clothes, Costco, Walmart, online and other stores just to buy stuff for this trip. The packing itself is also a lot of work that no one likes to do but has to when travelling. When I was travelling by myself, packing was relatively simple, as I just packed what I needed, and that was it, but being married, there is a lot more to pack.

My wife and I also watched the movie, Am I Racist, starring Matt Walsh. It was akin to the mockumentary-style movies like Borat and what Sasha Baron Cohen was doing. Matt Walsh got himself DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) certified and disguised himself as a DEI ally and instructor. He then interviewed individuals known within this field along with more working-class residents of the South. It was both comical and eye-opening. Matt was pretty brazen in what he was doing and saying, and some of the comments from some of these people made one’s jaw drop.

Overall, it has been a busy week at work, and we always have something to do after work as well. We are looking forward to this upcoming trip, but there is always a lot of work to be done before getting on the plane. It will be fun though once we get back to the Philippines.

The Heat and Cleaning

It has been really hot here in Southern California, and it has been somewhat of a surprise. August was cooler than I remember from summers past, and this September has been hot so far. The AC in my home has been on almost all day, and my car AC has also always been on when I’m driving. Even being in the shade is hot and has caused me to sweat. However, compared to other states, especially ones more inland, the temperature is not nearly as high over here as it is in other inland states. In that sense, and the fact that Californians on the coast can go to the beach, it is not so bad.

My wife and I also did a lot of cleaning this week. We converted one of our bedrooms into an office, and it was a mess. We shredded papers, threw away old desks and furniture, and just rearranged the room. There is definitely something to be said about seeing and working in a clean room. It is a bit more relaxing, especially not sitting next to a clutter of papers and other items. However, maintaining this over time is another issue altogether. It is easy to make things a mess, but it takes hours to get something clean.

Thankfully, the heat is supposed to end sometime this coming week. It is good timing as we still need to buy things and pack for our trip to the Philippines. Packing and unpacking are another mess to be dealt with, but it has got to be done.

Reagan and Labor Day 2024

My wife and I watched the movie, “Reagan,” during the Labor Day weekend, and I thought that it was a good movie. I was whispering different facts to my wife, and she whispered questions to me. At the end of the movie when the credits were rolling, I was talking about Ronald Reagan in a normal tone, and the person next to me voiced his displeasure with us. My only criticism of the movie would be that it did not allow the events to breathe and went on to the next happening too quickly. Otherwise, it was nice to see this moment in history, especially dealing with the end of the Cold War. Ronald Reagan was a very interesting individual and ultimately became a consequential president of the U.S., and the movie portrayed that well. Dennis Quaid did his homework and played the part well.

While Labor Day is a day to relax, my wife and I labored on Labor Day. We worked out once we got up, watched Reagan in the afternoon, ran a few more errands, and then cleaned the bedroom that we converted into an office. We did barbecue some steaks though, but otherwise, we were out and about and did some much needed house work. A body in motion stays in motion, as they say, and that definitely applied on Labor Day.

We only have a few more weeks until our big trip to the Philippines. Until then, we are getting some things done, watching a few movies as we have a Regal movie pass, shopping and cleaning. The days are just going by real fast.

Knott’s Berry Farm and The Dive Oyster Bar

My wife and I went to Knott’s Berry Farm this week, and it was fun. We have had a season pass for a while now but have only used it one time before this week. It is a strange thing being able to go to an amusement park whenever we want to, and the drive is not too bad, but just not going for various reasons. As married adults, it really is difficult to find time to do things, and anything that we do needs to be planned ahead of time. At the park, we went on a few rides like the Sidewinder that made my wife dizzy, and because it was a weekday, there were no lines. I was tempted to buy some Peanuts merchandise, as I am a big fan of Peanuts, but I had to resist temptation this time around.

We also went to The Dive Oyster Bar in the Irvine Spectrum for my wife’s birthday. It was a nice outing with family, and it was nice that my immediate family accepted my wife into our family quickly and easily. Considering all the horror stories involving in-laws, even having multiple movies about the in-laws, it was a blessing that we have no issues on either side involving the in-laws. The food was great too with it being just filling enough and not feeling too heavy.

It was a good week capped off with my wife’s birthday. It’s always nice spending time to just have fun, but also good to spend time with family.

Twisters and Plumbing Issues Resolved

My wife and I watched Twisters the other day, and it was a lot better than I thought that it would be. The movie did not have any sort of social messaging which really helped it just be fun and entertaining. The story was easy to follow with the main character facing tragedy from storm chasing gone wrong when she was a teen and getting back into it when she got older. It was very intense at times being an action/disaster movie, but there is a feeling of adventure as well with them chasing storms in Oklahoma. It is nice coming into a movie with little to no expectations, and then the movie rising well above.

I am also happy to say that the plumbing issues that we were facing have been resolved. We received a fair reimbursement for plumbing work done from the unit upstairs, and restoration work is due within the coming weeks to get a bathroom wall fixed. It is amazing how much stress and negative energy was expended from this plumbing issue only for it to just be resolved in hardly any time. It is a learning experience for us in doing things within the correct procedure but also in just reflecting in how wasted that energy was used.

Otherwise, my wife also went to the OC Fair, and it was a fun time. There is a coke bottle ring toss game that I try every year, and never win once, nor see anyone else ever win. My wife did the squirt gun on the target, and unfortunately, did not win. We also ate some bad-for-your-health fair food like funnel cake, bacon cheese French fries, and a bacon-wrapped hot dog. It was also all overpriced, but when in Rome…

My Wife’s Return and Russell Peters

My wife came back from her business trip in Nashville, Tennessee, and it was back to married life. Sharing a bathroom, going to places together, and other things that were amiss while I was back to the bachelor lifestyle. I will admit that life is probably easier being a single, but life is much more fulfilling being married. My wife said that she really liked Nashville, and it is a destination that we will most likely visit in the future. The day that she came back was busy with having to drive a lot, but also, we had to deal with an issue involving a plumbing issue. The shorthand version of the story is that a leaked pipe from the unit above ours caused damage to our unit, and the landlord is reluctant to reimburse us for the damages. Admittedly, it has been one of the more stressful things going on lately, and we can only be hopeful that this issue can get resolved in a civil manner.

We also watched Russell Peters at the Irvine Improv. One of my friends introduced him to me around fifteen years ago via DVDs. I was a big fan of his impressions and crowd work. We went to see him with another couple, and in line, we actually befriended another couple there. We sat together and ended up exchanging contact information after the show. Russell Peters really worked the crowd, and it was remarkable seeing his quick wit. He was working on new material, and we were pretty much guinea pigs for it. Thankfully, he barely went into politics, as that is a turn-off for me and many others. He did impressions but not as much as I’ve seen him in the past. It was also particularly impressive how well he knows his geography and various cultures around the world.

That Russell Peters standup comedy show was the last thing that we had planned until our trip to the Philippines next month. It is now back to married life and dealing with the stresses of homeownership and adult life. It is all good though as we continue to learn and navigate through different experiences.

The Bachelor Life Once Again and WWE SummerSlam 2024

My wife has a business trip to attend to, so I am back to the bachelor life for about a week. When asked what I’ll be doing, I said that I’ll just be doing the usual which consists of sleeping, writing, watching anime, taking care of my dog, going to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, eating and working. I do not have much of a desire to do much else these days and just want to put energy and effort into specific things. Maybe I’ll get a coffee with a friend or something, but other than that, I don’t really see myself going out of the norm. Being a married adult and not being much of an extrovert, I would rather just do more introverted things.

Otherwise, I watched WWE SummerSlam, and it was a fun event. While the actual wrestling was fine to above average, the main takeaways from this year’s SummerSlam were the storyline developments. Under Triple H, there is more long-term storytelling in WWE, and the payoffs usually happen at their Premium Live Events (formerly known as Pay Per Views). I personally think that the overall WWE product is better for it. Some of the big happenings at this year’s SummerSlam was Dominik Mysterio’s betrayal, Finn Balor’s betrayal and the return of Roman Reigns. While everything was largely predictable, it was well-done.

Sometimes, the usual and the predictable are a good thing. There is not always a need to reinvent the proverbial wheel or to do things out of the ordinary. Consistency and discipline are sometimes the right way to go instead of change for the sake of change.

Deadpool & Wolverine and Lessons of the Week

My wife and I watched Deadpool & Wolverine, and it was a fun, self-deprecating movie. I heard it described as a love letter to 90’s and 2000’s superhero movies, and I can see that aspect of the movie considering some of the cameos, and that Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is one of the main characters. Considering that it’s Deadpool, I did expect the character to break the fourth wall quite a bit. However, the movie criticizing Marvel, the MCU post-Endgame, the Multiverse, and Disney was a nice touch, and I generally agreed with the sentiment. I think that Marvel needed this movie, as previous Marvel movies reportedly lost money and did not seem well-received. I don’t know if this movie is where they turn the corner with Marvel movies, but with the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel looks to have some momentum on their side.

This week has taught me a few things. I have been procrastinating with calling someone that I need to have a discussion with, and that’s not something that I should be holding off on. I was supposed to call the bank for an appointment but did not, and that cost me time and energy. I ordered an event that only one person came over for, which was disappointing but also a waste of money. Granted, more people originally accepted to attend but had to cancel for various reasons. It shows that problems happen because of the things that you don’t do that end up catching up to you. Also, things happen that are out of anyone’s control, but it may be a good idea to just be smarter about time and money.

Some things are fun and good ways to escape, but the real world will teach you things the hard way. Lessons are learned through mistakes and struggles, and I can either just stay frustrated about the outcome or move forward.

Problems and Leadership

This has been one of the tougher weeks for my wife and me as we were both sick. Also, a plumbing issue happened that was also problematic with the week leading up to a big Church event. I’ve seen it throughout my life, but problems have a way of compiling on top of each other all at once. Sometimes, it is due to allowing something to build up over time, and other times, it is just a random event. Sickness is just one of those things that happens, and plumbing issues only arise very suddenly as well. It is just a matter of how we react to the problems, and that is all that we can control.

There has been a lot of chaotic events lately. A bullet that was mere inches from its target that could have changed this country’s trajectory. And now, we have discovered that our country’s leadership in the coming months will be led by a different leader. This has been a first in my lifetime, and as an adult, this sort of thing has shown increasing importance. Leadership is important, and with our country, what leadership does and implements trickles down to the citizens. When I was young, I honestly did not care too much to know about world events. Now, as an adult with more responsibilities, expenses, a marriage and whatnot, this stuff is important.

There are problems out there from an individual perspective, but also with the world at large. It can get chaotic, but it is important to find order within that chaos. We cannot control the outcome, but we can control how we react to it.

Beliefs and the Dentist

The events of this week made me think of the extent people will go for their beliefs. Generally speaking, most people are seemingly decent believing whatever they want. There are others though that do not act decently and may even cause harm to others based on certain beliefs, the individual’s mindset, outside forces and other factors. It goes against loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you, but that may be more difficult to do for some. Some say that there is just too much anger and hatred in society these days, and that the temperature is too high. It does make me think about where we are as a society and how individuals should behave in a decent and civil society.

Otherwise, my wife and I had two dental appointments this week. We had to take half days for two days of the week, and the week just flew by. The dentist is never fun, but I think that I am getting used to it. They numb you and then use strange tools to clean and scrape your teeth, and sometimes, it feels as if they are going to damage your teeth doing that. I have learned to relax when I can, but sometimes, even being numbed, it still hurts. We had a deep clean done, and I was bleeding by the end of it.

Some things are very difficult and must be navigated in a proper way in order to achieve positive outcomes. Not everyone does that, unfortunately, and we get terrible situations. Hopefully, we can move past all this.

Sound of Hope and 4th of July 2024

My wife and I watched “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” this week, and it was wonderfully inspirational. The movie is about a small town in Texas that adopts seventy-seven orphans with the central characters being the minister of the town and his wife. Religion plays a big role in the movie, as does family and community. However, it is not easy for the families as all of them are working class people on the poverty line, and the movie depicts their hardships very well. It is amazing that a small town did such a feat, but it goes to show that even those with very little can do great things especially with strong religious values and community behind them.

We watched Sound of Hope on the afternoon of the Fourth of July, and that night, we saw the fireworks. My wife was sick last year during this time and could not participate in any festivities last year, so it was nice to be able to spend 4th of July with her this year. We went to a local street festival the next town over and saw the fireworks. There were rides and food trucks lined up, and we decided to eat at a food truck that serves lobster with their foods. It was pricey, but it was a “when in Rome” type of thing, as we most likely would not get a chance to eat something like that for a while. Otherwise, the fireworks show was nice, and we may go to neighboring cities in following years to see what their 4th of July festivities are like.

It was a fun 4th of July weekend. It was nice to see the local community out and about having fun and participating in something together. It was also fun celebrating this holiday with my wife for the first time with watching the movie and watching the fireworks.

Shark Tank and the End of June

My wife got me into watching “Shark Tank,” and it is an interesting and entertaining show. The act of making something from an idea is very much in my wheelhouse, especially with me wanting to be an author. Some of the contestants end up making it big, some fail, and some fall somewhere in the middle. These people are generally passionate about their ideas but the results of their passion can go any direction. It makes me think of my own writing works, as I believe in my stories. I’m not under the impression that I’ll just put it out there, and it’ll automatically be the next Harry Potter. I have also recognized that while I am the content creator, I am not an artist, marketing personnel, advertiser, or something else that is needed to sell books. There is a lot of work to be done even after I put something out.

It is already the end of June, and I really do not know where the month went. It suddenly got hotter here in Orange County, and the AC and fans have been used a lot. It is also the season finales and even series finales for a few anime series that I’ve been watching. Our dog, Luna, turned twelve this month, but she still looks and acts like a puppy. It has been three years since I bought this condo in Lake Forest, and I wasn’t even looking to upgrade when I bought it. One of the highlights of this month was watching Cirque de Soleil: Kooza, and I am more than willing to check out other Cirque de Soleil programs. Overall, it was a good month.

I am keeping an open mind when it comes to my goals and passions. I am a believer in getting back what I put in, so I can only hope that when I put out The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom that I’ll get some traction and momentum, if not more.

Cirque de Soleil: Kooza and Living in Orange County

My wife and I watched Cirque de Soleil Kooza, and it was amazing. We watched Cirque de Soleil: Mystere in Las Vegas, so this wasn’t our first performance that we’ve seen of this type. However, Kooza was funny, entertaining, creative and artistic with some fantastic performances. This production could tell the story of a scene using just the spotlights, and the costumes, sets and performers were on point. I can appreciate that it was a story, and while no words or narration was happening, they still managed to convey a tale using performances. Also, it did not hurt that it was in a big top just in the next city over, and the seating has it where it is an intimate atmosphere.

We also had to go more inland this past week for an event. I don’t think people on the coast or near the coast of California, especially in Orange County, realize how good they have it. We went to a place where we drove a good twenty to thirty minutes until we saw the first grocery store, and plazas were very few and far between. Even when I lived in a condo in a working-class area of Santa Ana where graffiti was prevalent, there were so many neat places to go to nearby with no issues finding a grocery store. In Lake Forest, my wife and I were deciding to where to eat: sushi, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Mediterranean, and we ended up choosing Mediterranean. All these places were within a five-to-fifteen-minute drive away. Orange County has a very high cost of living, and I wish it were cheaper to live here, but I can see why it costs so much along with the benefits of living here as opposed to some other places.

It was an interesting week where we got to see an amazing performance and a part of California that I would guess many just don’t see. Seeing all this has given me a greater appreciation of where I live, and how much easier and convenient things are here.

Father’s Day 2024 and Freaky Friday

My wife and I spent Father’s Day with my side of the family, getting brunch at a Filipino restaurant. I have two brothers, who are now both fathers themselves. We reminisced a bit, remarking on how much time has passed by and how friends we grew up with have receding hairlines. Also, they talked about some mischievous things that they did as kids such as putting mud in the gas tank of the family car. It is a funny thing to think that those kids are now adults who now have kids of their own.

Speaking of parents and children, my wife and I went to the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA and watched the Freaky Friday remake starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. I’ve said it before, but movies back then are just much better now, as they do not have that social-political messaging and are just aimed at being fun, entertaining movies. Watching it now, while I am not the target audience of the movie, I can appreciate that these actors and actresses are really trying to “act” and not just read lines on a script. Whatever one thinks of Lohan these days, she actually did have some talent and showed some range in this movie. My wife remarked how they do not put on this heavy amount of makeup on the characters, and they look closer to what everyday people look like (not entirely, of course).

As we get older, Father’s Day and being parents take on a new meaning. Most of my family members and peers that I grew up with are now parents, and we can still remember what it was like being a kid and growing up. We can only watch as similar mistakes get made, good things happen, and learn from them.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die and Seeing a Previous Boss

My wife and I watched the fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise – Bad Boys: Ride or Die. While I am hesitant of the constant remakes and sequels that we have been seeing in movies lately, this one was a fun and entertaining movie. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have a great chemistry and know their roles and dynamics pretty well. Martin Lawrence’s character, Marcus Burnett, was very strange and enigmatic in this movie that was really hit or miss. One of the standouts of this movie though was Reggie, played by Dennis McDonald, who had the best action scene in the movie. It was overall just a fun action movie with stars that most people will recognize in a franchise that still carries a level of goodwill.

Besides watching the movie, a saw one of my previous bosses. I used to work for a family-owned real estate company in Irvine a little over ten years ago. It was as an assistant, and it was a full-time position when I really needed to get out of part-time work. My wife and I were driving to a chicken restaurant in Irvine, and it just so happened that we saw an Open House sign from the company that I used to work for on the way. We stopped by the Open House, and it was indeed my old boss hosting it. I introduced him to my wife, and we exchanged pleasantries along with talking about real estate and mortgage as we were the only people there at the time. It was a really good meeting and am glad to have caught up with a previous employer who I had a good relationship with.

The past can be very good sometimes whether it is a previous employer or an older movie Intellectual Property (IP). Some things just stay strong and remain over the years and still provide what you need. Sometimes, we do not have to reinvent the wheel, but look to what worked in the past, learn from it, and make it better.

Tragedy and Life

It was not a great week for us as my wife’s grandfather passed away in the Philippines. We bought tickets a while back to fly to the Philippines this September to celebrate his birthday. It would also be the first time that my wife would be back in the Philippines after we got married, and she got her Green Card. While we will still go to the Philippines this September, it will unfortunately not be for the original reason. Emotions ran high in the last few days, and it is a reminder that tragedy can and will strike at the most unexpected moments.

There is a lot to take in and reflect upon when something like this happens. The significance of life, the inescapability of death, the importance of family, the passage of time, and so many other concepts are brought to bear. It is like a wave that we get swept into with so little actually in our control. However, we continue onward or uselessly despair in the face of the inevitable, and that really is our only options. Despite it all, there looks to have a plan in all this. Without her grandfather, my wife would not have gotten a tourist visa in her teens to go to the U.S., and it would be years later where she would have to renew that tourist visa in order to travel here to the U.S. with me after we got married. It is crazy sometimes thinking how things turn out a certain way.

Memorial Day Weekend 2024 and the Final Edit

My wife and I went to the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana for a date night on Memorial Day weekend. I bought my first place, a condo in Santa Ana, and it was not far from the Frida. We first went to eat at my favorite pizza place, Bari Pasta and Pizza, and then went to the Frida to watch Legally Blonde as my wife wanted to see it on the big screen. Going to the Frida is more of an experience than going to normal theaters as the venue has a lot of character, and the Frida audience is more in-tune with classic movies and movies in general. Watching Legally Blonde, a movie that I was indifferent to when it come out over twenty years ago, is a lot different now. I feel that they just seem to put more care into movies back then with tighter scripts and writing, and a focus on characters without the socio-political messaging that we see today. It was just a fun movie.

Otherwise, I have been champing at the bit in getting The Mustard Prince in the Condiment Kingdom out there. Editing has been going slower than I would have liked, but it is necessary to be meticulous about this in order to clean up any spelling, grammar or blatant mistakes. Because of this last edit, I was able to catch something that did not make sense and was able to fix it before the book gets self-published. I suppose that patience is key here to get the best product out.

It was a good three-day weekend, and we had fun. Watching movies, going out to eat and whatnot will always be fun, especially with a spouse. The book is going slower than expected, but it is a needed thing.

Back to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and My Old High School

I finally came back to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) classes last week, and it felt good to be back. I honestly had my reservations going back to class after being gone for two months due to getting a ringworm outbreak. During that time away, my wife and I got a gym membership at LA Fitness, and it is walking distance from our place. We were regularly getting exercise and able to do it on our own time, whereas with BJJ, it is on a specific schedule. I really wondered if I still wanted to practice BJJ with all the other stuff going on in my life, and that I was getting exercise of a different variety elsewhere. Thankfully, once I got back to class, any hesitation or doubts about continuing BJJ went by the wayside. The cardio that I was doing at LA Fitness plus losing a few pounds probably just helped my BJJ even more.

Otherwise, my wife and I were busy the last few weeks and weekends, so we decided not to make plans on the weekend. We just needed a free day to do whatever we wanted and to unwind, resting whenever we wanted to and whatnot, or going out whenever we wanted. It was nice being able to eat brunch or go to the store without any time constraints. We actually passed by my old high school, Aliso Niguel High School, and my wife was pretty amazed at its size, its facilities and amenities. According to her, the outdoor stadium of my high school could fit her whole high school in the Philippines. Admittedly, it was fun and nostalgic walking through the proverbial “memory lane” with my wife.

It was a good week in returning to BJJ and making free time for ourselves. Things we did were very much needed to be done. We definitely learned the importance of having free time, and for me, the importance of getting back into something that I have dedicated years into.

Comedians and Busy Weeks

My wife and I along with a couple that we are friends with went to see the comedian brothers, Cory and Chad last week. We got free tickets, so we decided to go. We have been seeing comedians lately, and there is just some subject matter that just is not funny to us such as comedy that is just too raunchy. Cory and Chad were a mixed bag where the jokes that really did land were legitimately funny, but they also stuck to a certain joke and gag for far too long. I did like that they paid it forward in taking some local comedians under their wing and letting them tour with them. Quite honestly, I thought some of the opening acts were better than the headliners.

It has also just been a busy week for us. It seems that we have something to do every night of the week with our weekends busy as well. We would actually like to have some days that we just have nothing planned and time to just idle about. However, I suppose that is just an aspect of being married adults in that there are just many obligations and whatnot out there for us. It is also a case where my wife and I are catching up on lost time, in a sense, as we had a long-distance relationship before getting married.

Despite being busy, things have been eventful and fulfilling. It used to be where I would spend weekends with friends watching fights or anime, and it was rinse and repeat the next weeks after that when I was still a bachelor. That is fun in the moment, but it does get a bit redundant, but that is definitely not the case now that I’m married.

Communication and Double Dating

My wife and I watch the reality television series, 90 Day Fiancé, where people from the U.S. find their spouse from another country. One thing that is noticeable about the crazier or more toxic couples is that there tends to have a strong lack of communication. It makes for some dramatic television, for sure, but it also is frustrating to see that these couple’s issues could be dealt with had they used better communication with each other. They do not listen to each other, talk over each other, make a sudden and rash action, or just up and leave when things get uncomfortable, among other reactions. Assuming that these scenes are not scripted (and I am sure that there is, at the very least, some careful editing), this lack of or breakdown of communication is very understandable especially with newlywed couples.

We also had dinner and coffee dessert with our friends, a married couple, the other day. Double dating is fun, especially with people who are well-travelled, mature and knowledgeable. There are certain things from politics to real estate to artificial intelligence that we can talk about, and the number of things to chat about seemed endless. This is not the same as double dating with non-married couples, for example, or even with family, so it is a much different and fun type of company to be around.

Marriage involves two people who need to communicate with each other, and some do not have the skills or temperament to do so in a healthy manner. It is something that is learned over time. It’s also good to communicate with other couples every once in a while, to just hang out and vent a bit.