Referee

So very randomly I am going to be refereeing for a Chinese little league basketball game tomorrow. I'm not going to look like this referee but I will get to put on a zebra jersey and call the game for 10-11 year olds. Should be interesting... fun times. Still wish I had that $10,000.

$10,000

8:10am KIIS FM.
Today's month - October; I try dialing in while I was driving to work... I always get the busy signal. The $10,000 birthday was October 26. Bastards... that could have been $10,000 in my pocket.

At least it is Friday and I get to go home soon.

Takehiko Inoue

I was looking online to see where I could purchase "Buzzer Beater" and happened upon my favorite artists website:

Takehiko Inoue Website

Buzzer Beater is one of the lesser known comics by Takehiko Inoue; his most famous of course being Slam Dunk. On a scale of 1-10, if Slam Dunk is a 10; I would say Buzzer Beater is a 3, but being a true fan, I must own it ALL! Actually you can read the full Buzzer Beater comic on his website (link above); click on English, then the Buzzer Beater icon - there are 81 pages and it is a little tedious to click through them, but it is free and the full comic is there to read (w/ English translations). Some pictures by Inoue; here is the artist himself:

One of the last scenes in Slam Dunk:

The characters from REAL (a more serious basketball story):

And my favorite swordsman, the star of Vagabond; Miyamoto Mushashi:

80

80 more days to go... scary...

Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in California is not $5.15. Actually California has the highest minimum wage in the nation; as of Jan. 1st, 2008 - it is at $8.00/hr. However, there are still 5 States in this nation without minimum wage laws and a large majority of States still in the ~$6/hr range. Some quick math will show you that if you are making $6.50/hr, your annual income would be $13,520. At $8.00, you aren't much better at $16,640. And though I am striving for the riches that lay ahead and climbing up in this world of capitalism; there are and will always be people left behind.

Oprah makes roughly $100,000,000 a year. The richest person on the planet roughly makes $27 million a day (in 4-days he will make more money than Oprah makes all year)... Just some food for thought as I am headed home tonight.

a glutton's life

I was in Vegas this past weekend. Re-acquainted myself with some old buddies from National Taiwan University. I stayed with them at the Wynn and had one crazy Saturday night. Beers, gambling, shots, sake bombs, hitting up Tryst, and other fine adult entertainment. The night ended with steak and eggs down at the other end of the strip. It was hedonism at its finest; with utter disregard for my waist, wallet, and liver.

Now back in reality I have one new resolution. Both PiRo and I are getting a little too chunky so I have decided to walk PiRo everyday* (and Money when applicable) until I lose 10 lbs. Place your bets now to see how long I can keep this up. You win if I fail. I win if I walk PiRo consistently until I hit buck 60.

*both of us will stay home if it is raining outside; I don't mind walking in the rain but PiRo smells nasty when she is wet.

99

Another countdown? Yes!
This time I'm counting down to the big day. Only 99 more days until the wedding. It's going to come quick and we still have quite a lot of things to take care of - will be a fun Q1.

Going to Vegas this weekend, there goes my sleep...