Friday, March 25, 2005

Happy...

I'm guessing that it's Easter. My first clue was the long weekend. My second clue was all the Cadburry Creme Egg commercials on TV. I've been told I'm not supposed to eat meat today, but I'm allowed to eat fish... I still don't get that one. Vegetarians out there want to enlighten me? How about eating eggs. I know that it's not meat yet, but give it a few months and that sucka's fried chicken!!! Even thou I don't even go to church I suppose I could refrain from eating meet. Who am I kidding I can't refrain myself from anything...except today.

(beat)

A few days ago my brother strolls up to me and says he's planning a trip to Tofino on the island. First things first:
-find stand in for UBC International House Tinikling exhibition. Msg Randy, post on forum, call Marc. Check.
-Try on wetsuit I haven't worn in 4 years. It doesn't fit, not even close. When the hell did I fit into a medium suit? Price out suits. Look for bootys and cowl (I'm Batman).Check.
-Watch surf movies...

Endless Summer II. Watching the movie...holy cow...suddenly I miss Hawaii. Three years ago I spent three months of my best summer there. And what I felt watching the film could only be described as being homesick. I started to remember the sights, the sounds, the smells, friends I haven't thought about for a long time. Even some of my troubles and worries 3 years buried started to come back. Check.

So everyone have a wicked weekend. No practice, no cotillion. Stress free weekend begins...now. Check.

-Whenever you meet a beautiful women remember that somewhere out there there's a guy that thinks she's a total bitch.-Rhoel.

-Whenever you meet a beautiful women remember that somewhere out there there's a guy that's tired of shagging her.-Alfie.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Addicted

As it is with most addictions it pushes all other things aside as if nothing else exists. The sole purpose of ones life becomes securing ones next sickly sweet hit. A curiosity becomes a taste, which becomes an indulgence, which in turn becomes an insatiable monster. The pusher becomes the junky. How does one recover from such an affliction?

I got my parents hooked on Smallville, they watche all 3 seasons between Christmas and New Years. I got my brother and his wife hooked on O.C. He texted me last night around 9 telling me how good it is. She texted me this afternoon around 2 damning me for hooking them and how they are just about to go to sleep. And now I've been 24'rd. With my brother over skipping work with a sore ankle I had lunch rewatching episode 4 of season one (which I'd watched just the previous night). So as I leave this day for the land of dreams I tear myself from the family room having watched 15 episodes today. Unintentionally breaking Eye's record of 14. And the only reason I stopped is that I started getting dizzy. Honestly it's like I stepped into a time warp. I just thought of an idea. A 24 hour marathon starting midnight airing each episode on the hour with a 15 (or whatever) min recovery time between episodes. I've seen the light, it can be done with minimal chance of permanent brain damage and or a psychotic break.

Another series I've recently procured and am starting to rewatch is Wonderfalls, man that was a good show. Interesting how after it's fourth week I did some research and found rave reviews galore only to have it mysteriously disappear. Equally curious is the fact that the DVD contains all 13 episodes made, 9 of which never aired.

Rhoel.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

The best of men

I have a list of things I want to do before I die. Some I'll do some I won't. But a few on that list are more a must than a want, like coming of age landmarks.

First crush. First kiss. First drink. First...Time. Most I've kinda stumbled into before I even graduated from HS.

Then as you grow older those landmarks become things like first house, first love, first marriage...

One of the things I've always looked forward to was being the best man. I want to plan the legendary stag party. I want to sit at the head table thinking 'thank god it's not me'. I want to give the legendary best man speech. I want to console (hook up with) the hot vulnerable bridesmaids as they wonder 'why not me??' But it looks like I just missed my last chance...

My Best friend in HS was a cat named Sherman Hu. He was a funny Chinese guy with big enthusiasm and big dreams. Reminded me of a Chinese James Bond. Unfortunately those big dreams are what drove a split in our friendship as he became involved in Amway. World Wide Dreambuilders. He kept involving me in things I wasn't interested in. The second to last time I saw him was on his wedding day where his upline Fenton was his best man. The last time I saw him was when I was jogging around the track at Holy Cross when I noticed this little girl waving at everyone as they ran past. And right beside her was her dad Sherman. After Sherm was Don Scott. Reminded me of a real life Fido Dido. Wasn't really what you'd call a best friend, but more like my partner in crime, and legendary wingman. It was the perfect partnership, he loved the Filipino girls (even the butt ugliest of the strain) and didn't like the white girls (even the hottest of the strain) which worked out perfect for me 'cause it didn't matter to me. I lost track of him soon after I had came back from a summer in NY to find out that he hooked up with the girl I was seeing when I left and was seeing when I got back. He hinted at it, she denied it, I said fuck off to both. She wasn't even Filipino. Last I heard he married some flip girl and had the wedding in Hawaii.

When I was in HS me and my cousin Carlo agreed to be each other best man. Which was cool with me because we are very close and I was single at the time (like usual) and he was in a long relationship (like usual). Fast forward to this year. After a long engagement Carlo tells me he has to get married right now (in 3 weeks). I don't hear anything else so I assume that he has forgotten our little pact and has chosen someone else which on some level kind of upsets me. But that was a long time ago and things change. Then on the Wednesday before the wedding his mom tells me to wear suit because I'd be his best man at the head table. Maybe not all would be lost if I could plan him a last second stag party, to somewhat fulfill my duties as best man. But after getting a hold of only a small handful of ppl and making arrangements at Brandys I thought all was well...till I got a phone call from my press when they told me my Newspapers wouldn't be ready till Friday night (night of the stag). Son of a bitch. It just wasn't meant to be so I cancelled it.

Carlo and Denise were Married last Saturday at a small civil wedding. Since it wasn't really a reception we had at the restaurant afterwards and with Chinese customs I didn't have to do anything so I just sat there. Althou I was really enjoying myself I found it kinda strange that Carlo's mom's life partner wasn't sitting at the head table. Then I noticed and found it somewhat strange that Denise didn't have a maid of honor and the only ppl at the head table were family (namely siblings and parents) and the fact that I was sitting beside Carlo instead of his mom when it hit me. I was standing in for Carlo's Dad. I almost started crying (admittedly I was kinda drunk and I didn't actually almost cry but poetic license and all) I was very moved. That night Carlo introduced me as his best man but I suspect I was fulfilling a more important role than needed to be mentioned.

The dinner was an abbreviated reception, Carlo made a very good speech (not quite legendary thou) they thru the bouquet and the garter...twice. Right before the first toss I decided that if it was meant to be then it'd fall right in my hand so I had a beer in my right hand and just stuck out my left. I was thinking of my brothers wedding when the bouquet weaved like a heat seeking missile around all these women fighting for it when it hit denise as she just stood there. As I was thinking this I saw the garter fly up in the air in a perfect trajectory to land in my hand...when it got caught in this tiny Christmas light sized light fixture. Million dollar shot right? It'll never happen again right? So I stick out my hand again almost daring fate to do it again. Second time the arc wasn't so perfect, but it again hit the same fixture and deflected to land right beside my other hand on the table I was leaning on after I had put down my beer. It just sat there for a beat while everyone just stared and waited for me to pick it up. I suppose I can throw it on the pile of other garters I've caught over the years.

Rhoel.