I hate goodbyes.

This is my final post on Blogger.  I've decided to jump ship and start a blog on Wordpress, thus moving forward, I'll be writing on that platform.

Check out and bookmark/Follow my new digs.

Quote of the Day

"The individual, if empowered, will be able to sustain the aid that eventually goes away."

-Lesley Desaulniers, founder of The Authenticity Project (See full article @  The Good 100)

Everyone Should Have a Trade

I've now had several conversations with Aaron, relatives, and friends about how members of my generation don't possess many tangible skills - skills that might cushion a harsh lay off or unexpected turns in life.  This is disadvantageous to society, in general.  Why else did we take shop or home economic classes as teenagers in high school?  Educational institutions, teachers, and parents should make more of an effort to encourage students (especially young children) to explore various types of crafts and artistry.  It's detrimental to students when elders counter their creative aspirations to become singers, actors, writers, painters, chefs, etc. with saying something along the lines of, "You'll never make a decent living doing that."  Creativity should be rewarded, now so maybe more than ever.

Just recently, I joined a number of groups and associations through the professional social networking site, LinkedIn, to become educated about the topics being discussed in journalism and multimedia industries today.  Being a new member of these organizations, I automatically receive updates and notifications in my Gmail inbox every time a new discussion begins or a post is made addressed to the group.  Today, one such notification highlighted an article that chronicles several job seekers who weighed the possibility of going into professions in which they use their hands and found success or personal fulfillment (or both).  John Melendez, the author of this article , encourages individuals to take risks when opportunities are presented (especially when circumstances allow for transition in one's life) and applauds the people he profiled for their departure from white to blue-collar work.

Melendez wrote another article about one man's decision to simplify his life and un-clutter his mind once he was laid off.  After reading this piece, you might get the sense that Bob enters a realm of something similar to Buddhism, realizing how little he needs to survive, how to adjust to a slower pace of life, and how to enjoy and live in the moment.  These are all things we can learn to do.

My first 10K of 2010

Just completed the Chinese New Year Run in Chinatown over an hour ago.  Came in at 1 hr., 2 min., and 5 seconds (average of 10 min. miles).  Not bad for having gotten less than 4 hours of sleep, raindrops coming down as soon as we launched off, and not having formally trained since December 2008.  My goal is to finish the Oakland Running Festival 1/2 next month at around 1:50.  That's a pace of approximately 8:40.  Still a lot of running to be done over the next five weeks.

An Homage to Young Love (in Vietnam)

I've finally converted some of the RAW photos I took during the trip.  Although I haven't taken the time to experiment with these images in Photoshop, I'd like to show you a few that I took following lovebirds around Hoan Kiem lake in central Hanoi.

Dave Eggers and McSweeney's Roadshow

Earlier tonight, a few friends accompanied me to Cal's Sibley Auditorium to listen to Dave Eggers speak about the (not sure if controversial is the right word) publication of Panorama. The contributions made by he, several editors, and staffers of the 300+ page one-time edition newspaper were sheer brilliance. I could not help but think: Wow, we are in the presence of great forward-thinking individuals.

To give you some background: In the 1990s, Dave Eggers started his career in the SF Bay Area as a journalist with skills in graphic design. He eventually began to write, edit, and publish work for several news organizations and magazines. Having penned a successful memoir, several novels, compilations of interviews and essays, as well as major motion picture screenplays (last year's Where the Wild Things Are and Away We Go), he founded an independent publishing house, McSweeney's, and played a major role in establishing a non-profit writing and tutoring center for school-aged children in SF's Mission district called 826 Valencia (aka "the Pirate Shop").

Eggers' activism in local communities is not only a driving force for children's renewed interest in the literary arts, it's safe to say that he's spearheaded the wave of questions we've directed towards the news industry and encouraged us to hold journalists accountable in how they provide information to the public.

Some of the points Eggers and his peers touched on last night were:
-The misinformation to the public that print news agencies are "dying"
-Why it makes logical business sense to charge readers for online content (and how it hurts papers that don't)
-The connection between newspapers and the level of corruption in government (i.e. Journalists help hold governments accountable for decisions and actions that affect the public.)
-The graphics, size, and colors displayed in print newspapers (i.e. the importance of aesthetic factors in attracting, as well as retaining readership)
-Allowing writers or reporters to write in long form (the notion that an article should be as long as it needs to be so that the message or information is complete)
-Critical fact-checking processes and the disposal of these departments in newspapers (due to cuts in operating costs). We need to see this as a loss of credibility in the paper.
-Reinvesting in investigative journalism. (ie. No news organization even thought to ask how much the new Bay Bridge was going to cost - twice as much as expected! Where parts were coming from - China! The safety of the bridge! Etc.)
-The physiological experience derived from reading print newspapers (stimulating, relaxing, engaging!), as opposed to reading the news from multiple online sources (distracting, jumpy, stressful!)
-The lifespan of readership (pouring over the comics as a child, moving onto different sections throughout your lifetime, the habitual reading of certain editorials and columns...this is the relationship you establish with a paper)

As someone who is fascinated by the amount of changes this particular industry is facing, I was blown away by the presentation. More than 12 hours later, I'm still thinking about certain points made and unabashedly inspired by the questions that still need to be answered. If you have not purchased your own copy of the Panorama, I highly suggest you make a trip out to 826 Valencia. Why purchase the paper there? What normally costs $16 is only going to cost you $5 (money you would've dropped on a latte that's going to give you a stomachache). Let's try to keep this form of news above water and do our part to make the industry cognizant of our loyalty.

Correction:  Cost is $16 at 826 Valencia if you buy the issue after the day it's printed.

Watch NBC News tonight!

Just received a call from my friend, Gabi, who was going to join my girlfriends and me for dinner @ Nopa tonight. She had to cancel because she was just invited to be on NBC tonight at 11pm, a feature they are doing on Broke Ass Gourmet!!! Congratulations, Gabi! That press coverage is going to be MASSIVE in getting the word out there! I am truly ecstatic for you! Hopefully, I can record or catch it on YouTube...


***Updated: Here's the actual segment .

What does it mean to be a Hipster?

There is a creative revolution happening here. More and more people I meet are leaving stable, traditional, 9-5 jobs to pursue study or work in fields they feel passionate about. Or they are taking risks to try to determine what they feel passionate about. Here's my question - is it just that time when peers from my generation are supposed to be hopping from job to job or is this an indication of some sort of movement on a larger scale?

Aaron first told me about the latest "Be Stupid" Diesel ads when I got back into town. Being an advertising student, it's his prerogative to analyze, dissect, and learn from ads in all industries. Without having visualized what he was describing, I initially thought Diesel's campaign sounded weak. This morning, as I walked along California St. going back up to my apartment, I noticed Diesel posters hanging on a wall before reaching Fillmore (pictured below). One declared "Smart may have the brains, but Stupid has the balls," and another "Smart Critiques. Stupid Creates." It's obvious that being "Smart" is associated with staying within boundaries, not breaking any rules, thus not stepping outside of the box. "Stupid" is being glamorized with the notion that your heart is making your decisions, not your head.



Here is Diesel's Stupid Philosophy:

Like balloons, we are filled with hopes and dreams. But. Over time a single sentence creeps into our lives. Don’t be stupid. It’s the crusher of possibility. It’s the worlds greatest deflator. The world is full of smart people. Doing all kind of smart things… That's smart. Well, we’re with stupid. Stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret free life. Smart may have the brains…
but stupid has the balls. The smart might recognize things for how they are. The stupid see things for how they could be. Smart critiques. Stupid creates. The fact is if we didn't have stupid thoughts wed have no interesting thoughts at all. Smart may have the plans… but stupid has the stories. Smart may have the authority but stupid has one hell of a hangover. Its not smart to take risks… Its stupid. To be stupid is to be brave. The stupid aren't afraid to fail. The stupid know there are worse things than failure… like not even trying. Smart had one good idea, and that idea was stupid. You can’t outsmart stupid. So don’t even try. Remember only stupid can be truly brilliant. (Source: Creative Ad Awards)

I find this interesting at a time when it seems as if interest in the arts is being revived. Not that interest was dead, but lately everywhere I turn, I see posters for improv and performance art shows, multimedia workshops, endless discussions regarding how people are getting their news. The list goes on. I find myself signing up to attend lectures, exhibits, and shows for topics spread across the full spectrum. I'm paying to see bands that I've never heard of. It's becoming more and more important to be well-rounded in a culturally aware, technologically capable, and idea-driven society.

So, why am I asking what it means to be a hipster? When I think of the Diesel ads, I think of how the campaign most likely reached out to the hipster audience. According to the online Princeton dictionary, a hipster is someone who rejects the established culture and advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle. According to Urban Dictionary: Listens to bands that you have never heard of. Has hairstyle that can only be described as "complicated." (Most likely achieved by a minimum of one week not washing it.) Probably tattooed. Maybe gay. Definitely cooler than you. Reads Black Book, Nylon, and the Styles section of the New York Times. Drinks Pabst Blue Ribbon. Often. Complains. Always denies being a hipster. Hates the word. Probably living off parents money - and spends a great deal of it to look like they don't have any. Has friends and/or self cut hair. Dyes it frequently (black, white-blonde, etc. and until scalp bleeds). Has a closet full of clothing but usually wears same three things OVER AND OVER (most likely very tight black pants, scarf, and ironic tee-shirt). Chips off nail polish artfully after $50 manicure. Sleeps with everyone and talks about it at great volume in crowded coffee shops. Addicted to coffee, cigarettes (Parliaments, Camel Reds, Lucky Strikes, etc.), and possibly cocaine. Claims to be in a band. Rehearsals consist of choosing outfits for next show and drinking PBR. Always on the list. Majors or majored in art, writing, or queer studies. Name-drops. May go by "Penny Lane," "Eleanor Rigby," etc. when drunk. On PBR. Which is usually.

Is it possible that we all have a little bit of hipster in us? Yet, we more often than not make fun of them. I think it may have something to do with envy. Maybe they know something we don't. Maybe all that angst and counterculture is present for a reason. Everyone wants to be different. But then again, being a hipster doesn't make you all that different, these days.

My point is, the rise of this most recent population coined as hipsters is in parallel to the rise of investment in creativity. It's exciting to be witness to the upcoming changes taking place in the arts and cultural world. Not only am I more aware of this revolutionary place in time, I am looking forward to being part of it.

Feeling this song right now...

Chasing Pavement

It's official. After months of traveling, making excuses about the weather being too cold, and plain putting it off, I went on a run this morning. It was just like I remembered it: me, the ground, crisp San Francisco air, brief familiar scenes I'm witness to whenever I go for a jog...

Stopping only to sip water from rusty fountains along the way, snap a few photos using my G1, and pet the occasional mutt, I felt like I could continue for hours. On a day when you can clearly see the GG Bridge, the ocean is gentle and shimmering, and dog walkers are playing fetch with their collective masses, it's hard not to feel like one of the luckiest people in the States. We live in such an incredible city. I turn to do a 360 and check off views of green mountains, tiny islands, the Bridge, the identifiable Exploratorium, grassy fields, a sandy beach littered with only a few people enjoying the gorgeous day, and the long dirt trail where runners come to unwind, gather their thoughts, and stretch their muscles. I am fully appreciating San Francisco and the generosity its shown me over the last few years.


These haven't seen the light of day since sliding down wet muddy hills in Sapa, Vietnam....

It's just you and the ground...

This is for you, Rami

http://www.racialicious.com/2010/02/04/why-date-or-marry-asian-women/

Arrrrrguably one of the strangest things I've done in a while...

About a year ago, I came across the website for a new company, The Go Game, that organizes scavenger hunts for companies in the SF Bay Area. Thinking it might be, at least, amusing, I added my name and contact information to the sign up sheet of potential actors (or plants) they could use to play parts in what they call "GO games". I'd never had the time to participate in these games, since I worked the traditional 8-5 most weekdays, but now that I have most Monday through Fridays fairly open, I signed up for a specific event to occur in SOMA/Union Square last Tuesday.

This is how it works:
A) You subscribe to the Go Game's mailing list.
B) The game "runner" (aka organizer) blasts an email out to individuals on the mailing list describing the dates of, companies participating, and locations of upcoming events.
C) You reply to the game runner listing all events you are available to participate in and wait to hear back on confirmation.
D) Once confirmed, you receive instructions on: any costumes or props that you might need to wear or bring and the time and date to meet. No details on what to expect, nor what your part will be. It's the uncertainty that makes this almost exhilarating.
E) Another factor that provides incentive for signing up is the fact that you're paid for the 2-3 hours you participate as an actor or plant. The average rate is $60 per event. Not bad, huh?

On Tuesday, I bussed over to Howard & 4th, where the Yerba Buena Gardens carousel sits, and met with the game runner, as well as some of the other actors/plants signed up to participate in this game. It was quite a mixed crowd. The other actors ranged from employed SF residents who had a few hours to kill to local college students trying to make a quick buck doing something different and quirky.

Upon arrival, we each received a check for $60, as well as a printout of details regarding our roles and the overall mission of the game. I was to dress up as a pirate and administer 20 Questions and Chubby Bunny games to several groups from Google's headquarters. Once I understood what was expected of me, I walked over to the Powell St. Bart station and went downstairs where I knew there would be adequate traffic from people leaving work and getting on or off the train. Standing there, waiting for the groups to arrive, I was approached by young delinquents who offered to keep me company, a retired Navy officer who was curious as to what I was doing in pirate gear standing in a public place freezing my butt off and asking me very personal questions, and a few grizzly bums who told me to "go sell drugs on another street!" First of all, I had a pen and notebook in my hand. Secondly, I don't think I could ever resemble a drug dealer, even if I tried. And finally, where was everyone's sense of humor? I had expected casual bystanders to come by and ask me what I was doing, but if I wasn't being hit on, I was being hassled.

I'm not sure I would participate in another Go Game, but I have to say, that was probably the easiest $60 I've made. At least, since I stopped selling drugs.

BrokeAsses Unite

A friend of mine is throwing an anniversary party at Hobson's Choice tomorrow celebrating the success of BrokeAss Gourmet. Details, per Gabi, are below. Hope you can make it out (and remember to bring cash for the raffle tickets).

Exactly one year ago on February 4, BrokeAss Gourmet (http://www.brokeassgourmet.com) launched. Come celebrate a year of wonderful cooking, eating, drinking and fun on a budget at Hobson's Choice in San Francisco, where BrokeAss Gourmet bartender Laith Hassan (http://brokeassgourmet.com/articles/the-monkey-spanker) will be mixing drinks and stealing hearts.

Additionally we'll be selling raffle tickets for several prizes, including an immersion blender, a gift certificate to Trader Joe's and a dinner party catered by your favorite BrokeAss, Gabi Moskowitz. Proceeds will go to Haiti earthquake relief.

This feels like limbo...

It's strange to think that I don't have to wake up at a certain time tomorrow, though I know I'll start to toss and turn before 7 - a biological default.

Mondays. They don't mean to me what they did just 4 months ago.

Since I no longer have a steady stream of income that accompanies a safety net of health, vision, dental insurance, pre-taxed bus passes, and bonus checks at the end of every excruciating sales quarter, it's safe to assume that I'll be making a few lifestyle changes. No longer will I be eager to spend over $30 a meal at a trendy new restaurant listed in the City Dish newsletter I receive in my inbox every week. It's likely that I'll take a few more minutes than usual to weigh how much I really need or want to attend the latest headliner at the Fillmore next Thursday night. I've started to conserve the number of text messages I send, seeing that I've gone over the 400 monthly limit T-Mobile allows on my plan for the last year. I've even considered, heaven forbid (and no pun intended), canceling my monthly membership at the JCC on Cal and Presidio to save the $99/mon. while unemployed. I mean - I have legs. I know how to use them. I have a bike, and I know how to ride it. Maybe this unemployed me will lead to a healthier me. Less excess. More simplifying. Consuming only what I need. There's that positive thinking again.

With the substantial amount of time that I'll now have during the day, I've begun to develop a solid reading list. My sister Wendy, who came back for my aunt's funeral yesterday, might be one of the most offensive gift givers I've ever met. One year, she gave me a Garden State DVD for Christmas. It would have been a great gift, except for the fact that I knew she had two versions of the movie perched on her bookshelf in Brooklyn and was giving me the one she received from a friend most recently. Last night, she told me she had two new books for me. One was Mountains Beyond Mountains, and the other was What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. That's funny, I thought. She already gave me the latter last year for my birthday! How quickly she forgot. I could not stop laughing, even as she refused to believe that she had already given me the memoir. Anyway, having registered for the Chinatown Year of the Tiger 10K next month and the Oakland Running Festival in late March, many of my mornings between now and then will begin with a long run, or so I plan. I'm hoping the Murakami memoir is going to provide inspiration as did both of Dean Karnazes' titles when I read them in 2008.

There are no girls in San Francisco....or are there?

As one of my favorite blogs to peruse when surfing the net for updates on Tiger's progress, upcoming concerts and shows, and now job and academic opportunities, Why There Are No Girls in San Francisco never fails to draw a few laughs and agreed upon epiphanies. I visit the assertive site once every so often to further remind myself not to take the dynamics between men and women too seriously.

The day I got back from snowboarding with a special someone in Tahoe, I had to drop off the rental SUV close to Union Square and head back to Pac Heights to move my parent's old Mercedes in order to prevent getting a $53 parking ticket. (Yes, the price has gone up in the city - they get us again.) As I stood on the sidewalk trying to flag a taxi, I noticed the light changed and a yellow cab came flying at me from across the street. I opened the door, and the driver did a quick clean of the backseat so I had room to sit. He looked back at me, smiled, and said "Hi, how are you today?" Oh cool, a friendly driver - I love these guys! I told him how my day was going and how tired I was from the weekend and from the trip I had taken. We started talking about the countries I had visited, and he asked me all of the usual questions I'd heard from friends and family over the last week. I asked him where he was from (turns out he is from Jordan), found out that he had only started driving recently because it allowed him to bring in a higher income than his previous job, he was in his thirties, and that he is now into Asian girls. Wait, rewind...how did I come to know about his little fetish, you ask?

Rami: Wait, before you get out of car, I need to tell you something.
Me: Okay...
Rami: I just had conversation with my sister not long ago. I tell her - I am sick of other women. I need to find myself Asian girlfriend.
Me: (Laughing) Ha, why's that?
Rami: The other women, they are so....these days. If I find Asian girl to date - they treat me good, they respect me. I think this is what I need.
Me: But what if they aren't all like that? You know, many Asian girls are more modern now and you might be surprised if you meet one that will make you think you are dating an American. What if that happens - won't you be disappointed if you go looking for just one type of woman?
Rami: No, I don't think so. I used to have Korean girlfriend. We were for 1 year. It didn't last, but she was so good to me. That's why from now on, I date Asian girl. When I first saw you standing there, I said to myself, no one is going to drive her home but me. That's why I drove so fast to pick you up. I give you my number so we can go on date. If you ever want to smoke a joint, just call me.
Winnie: (Mortified, but still laughing) Um, okay. Thank you. Have a great day, Rami.

Has the dating scene in San Francisco gotten so stale that cab drivers are now asking their passengers out on dates? I can never decide whether this city is most ideal for singles or people in relationships. I guess it doesn't have to be one way or the other. Many people never want to leave this 7x7 nook because it's likely that it accommodates both sides of the spectrum. Having been both single and in relationships within the last 3 years, I don't recall having complained about the lack of quality men nor the variety of venues in which to meet them in the city. So why is it that the author of the blog, Rami, and many of my single male friends are always griping about how there aren't any cool girls around, and if there are, they're usually taken? I think we all need to stop being so picky. I mean - never, never, ever settle for less than you deserve. But really, I think we need to start giving people 2nd chances. There have been multiple times where I've met a guy on a first date and just didn't feel any sparks. What if we went out for a second date? Would the first date nerves have gone away and would the other person's true personality come through? Who knows? I won't because I didn't go on that second date.

Next time you meet someone of the opposite sex, don't write them off so quickly. You never know what they could mean to you in the future.