The Life of Me: Collector's Edition

Back in Santa Maria

Well, I'm back. One hundred and sixty two more days to go.

posted by anthony fuego @ 4:35 PM 1 comments

Props to my Colorado Peeps.

I'm posting a lot today, huh?

Well, I want to give some shouts out to people that I met in Colorado that were really cool.

Mike: Thanks for hauling my ass to the mountains every weekend and around town for the remainder of the time. If you were a snowboard instructor, I'd probably owe you over $600. But instead, you have my sincere thanks.

Mike: Video game technology has come a long way...Rumble Roses is proof of that. You're a cool guy.

Dawn and Sean: Good skiing company. If I could have hanged with you more on the slopes, I would have. But as it is, even if I was skilled enough to either keep up with you or go down the types of mountains you enjoy going down, I would either fall way behind or catch my front edge and die.

----and the folks at work----
Gandolf: Thank you for showing us all the restaurants around the 'Springs. Uwe's is excellent!

Jean: You have a second house 15 minutes from Breckenridge?!

Jen: Thanks for all the snowboarding tips!

Tracy: This process could've been ugly. You made it really easy--thank you.

----and one random one----
Katie from K-town: Even though you weren't here, it felt like you were because you called Mike. All the damn time. Nah, I'm just playin'.

posted by anthony fuego @ 12:24 PM 0 comments

Dreading reality.

Working in CO has been great. Colorado Springs, for the most part, has been an awesome place to stay. There’s plenty to do locally, everything is relatively easy to get to, and the view of Pike’s Peak is excellent. In fact, wherever you go in this city, you will see Pike’s Peak; it is truly an omnipresent monument. The work, and more importantly, the working environment, has likewise been really good, too. People here are nice and laid back, which is such a change from what I’m used to.

So the reality is that I have to go back to California.

You all know I hate where I’m at in California. Worst of all, I got a promotion of sorts, so that means I’ll be more accountable for my actions. A couple of years ago, I would’ve been thrilled to have this new position! But you see, I don’t want to have more responsibilities. For you GI Joe fans from back in the day from ’83-‘87, I basically work for the equivalent of Major Bludd and Cobra Commander. Like these fictional leaders of evil, these two tend to use their resources poorly and lose a lot of battles (political battles in the bureaucracy on base, not any real battles…though I wouldn’t be surprised if they sucked at waging real ones either). Plus, they aren’t “people-persons” and I hate interacting with them as a result of that. I’m probably going to get dumped on with stupid jobs like “base cleanup” and “host the city mayor/base visit” or some other such nonsense in addition to my normal engineering job, which is to basically manage similarly disgruntled civilians who are very old, most likely unwilling to listen to some young kid telling them what to do, set in their ways, and probably will soon die. Ugh. Well, I’m sure that God is putting me through this ordeal for a reason; maybe it’s all an elaborate lesson on how not to (mis)treat your subordinates.

posted by anthony fuego @ 12:20 PM 0 comments

Snow Hotties

Snow hotties are really attractive women that ride or ski. Yesterday was the final day for skiing at Breckenridge, and there were some snow hotties sporting bikinis and such on the slopes, and not much else.

That’s hot.

I’m glad that I’m a better rider now. I can catch up to them and look at them more. Heehee. Hey! Don’t judge me. =-P

posted by anthony fuego @ 8:48 AM 0 comments

Weekend Snowboarding Adventure: Reloaded

Bonus! I learned that I was going to get extended in the ‘Springs last week for a couple more days, so guess where I went this past weekend? Breckenridge Ski Resort, baby! Spring skiing is so cool because the sun is warm and the snow is melting and not quite so slushy, which means that turning is easy, control is superb, and when you fall on your ass, it doesn’t feel like your ass is going to fall off due to the pain. Mike dragged me (literally) to Peak 7 at Breck to try some of the blue runs on Saturday. As a snowboarder, I hate catwalks because once I get stuck, I have to unstrap my right boot and skate across the mountain. That sucks. Good thing Mike was on skis to he could pull me along. Anyway, the ordeal was worth it because Peak 7 is sweet! Wide-ass blue runs with rolling hills and no people. It was a really good chance for me to learn how to haul ass down the mountain. No more big, sweeping S-turns—it’s all about small, tight turns down the fall line. There was this one little hill that I attacked nose-on. I didn’t catch air or anything, but once I hit the decline slope, my stomach dropped and I squealed like a frightened girl. But damn it was fun.

Then I got tired and we stayed at the Summit Inn.

The next day, we did more of the same. Blue runs all the way and it was all about the speed. The morning sucked though, because it was really icy and my confidence and abilities seem to drop in those conditions. Once it heated up, though, it was good. Mike took me on this blue/black run that pissed me off b/c I couldn’t turn. Then I got pissed off at him for taking me down it. After I got off that particular slope, I was so pissed that I started hauling ass faster than before, apparently. Why is it that I always seem to perform best when fueled by the Anger? That bugs me, because that means that some of the most exhilarating times in my life will always be tainted by negative overtones. Hmm. So be it. During the end of the day, I was cruising down my newest favorite blue run when something terrible happened: my right contact lens fell out of my eye! That’s bad, because my right is the dominant one and being blinded like that ruins depth perception. Sucky things then start to happen—like I can’t see bumps in the snow, I start to fall over a lot, and small children get plowed. I plopped down finally to reapply it, but you should’ve seen this contact lens, man. It had no curvature left whatsoever and the edges looked all frayed, like my body was digesting it! I had only worn the thing for two nights in a row…geez! So I ditched it near the base of the mountain. Let this be a warning to those who wear their contacts overnight…your eye will start eating it, and then the lens will fall out and you will be blinded.

The End.

posted by anthony fuego @ 8:44 AM 0 comments

It's a blizzard...fo' shizzle.

I was ready to go snowboarding on Sunday. One final tour down the slopes before heading back home. But when I awoke that morning, Mike told me that whiteout conditions were happening all over Colorado, six to eight inches were expected or had already dropped in the 'Springs, winds were really strong, and that travel would be treacherous, especially through the mountains. It was a blizzard. Even in Nebraska, I had never experienced something like this. Major highways were shut down and even the plows wouldn't come out.

So, being who we are, we went out to WalMart at around noon to get orange juice and video games. Wow! The weather reports proved to be correct. Blizzards are cool. Literally.

I guess that's fortunate. I don't have to go to work today!

posted by anthony fuego @ 6:52 AM 1 comments

A man of refinement and taste...yep, that's me!

Speaking of refinement and taste, I totally showed off my refinement and tastiness last night! Allow me to explain: The guys that accompanied me for work here in Colorado have families. They were pretty disappointed that they would have to stay another week away from home. So, in an effort ot boost morale among the group, we had a guys night out! We started it off at Hooters where I proceeded to imbibe the alchoholic beverages while drunkenly and shamelessly flirting with the large-breasted teenage waitresses as they signed my brand-spanking new Hooters calendar. I'm normally a wine man, but I was at Hooters and I wasn't about to sport a skinny wine glass in the midst of loud, lecherous, beer-swilling, sports-watching men. Do as the Romans do! But I can't understand why people like beer in the first damn place. I ordered two kinds: a Breckenridge avalanche (a local flavor) and a Killians Red. And you know what? They both tasted the same! Blech! Plus, the alchohol content in beer is way lower than that in wine, and it tastes so much better. Oh well, at least we all had fun drinking, talking and gawking.

Afterward we went to a local gentlemen's club (re: strip club!!). I was pretty drunk, but still lucid at that point. When I entered the club, I immediately flashed my ID and cover $$ to some big guy right inside the vestibule who I thought was the bouncer. Turns out he was just another customer simply talking on his cell phone. Oops! We proceeded to sit down and order drinks. I bought the first couple of rounds because I still felt guilty for dragging the guys into this seemingly endless job in Colorado. Anyway, I proceeded to imbibe the Fat Tire and drunkenly and shamelessly flirt with the large-breasted teenage dancers who happened my way--each of whom were all too happy to relieve me of my hard-earned coin. Now, being in Colorado I didn't expect much ethnic diversity amongst the dancers, and I was right. I prefer Asian women, and there was, like, one Filipino dancer there. So you know I was up for that!!! But the remaining caucasian dancers weren't too bad. Turns out that many that I talked to were from California and still do some occassional work out there. Go figure. The last dance I got that night proved to be the most interesting. It was from a long-haired brunette with vinyl boots and a manic gleam in her eye. You know...I've never been nibbled, stepped on, or choked with a boot during a dance before, but strangely enough, I didn't mind.

And that was my Friday night.

Overall, guys night out was a success. It was the least I could do for them in light of having them come out to help me on this job. I hope you won't judge me too harshly, gently readers. Debauchery on this scale is something that I only occassionally partake in. The hangover isn't too bad, but I wonder where I put my driver's license...?

posted by anthony fuego @ 11:16 AM 0 comments

Scheduling conflicts suck.

Well, for those who may not be in the know: I got extended in Colorado for a week. Hooray! I would've headed up to the slopes today with my normal partner in crime, but he's come down with a touch of the Plague, so that's not happening. Go up alone, you might ask? Nah. I'm in Colorado with a couple of other guys from work, so I didn't want to take away the rental car from them. That would just be selfish. So this weekend I look forward to sleeping in, relaxing and studying. Haven't done much of any of those in awhile!

Anyway, I got asked last Friday by a dear friend to play a major role in her wedding ceremony on May 28th. I've known this woman since I was a freshman in high school, but she attended middle school and university with me, too. She's one of the very few people outside of my family that I can act completely natural in front of, by virtue of the fact that she's known me for so long. She's like a sister, really. But there was a time when I wanted to date her--would that be incest? I'm sorry, I digress. The fact that she asked me to do this is a very great honor. I mean, how often will I ever play a major role at someone's wedding? But alas, I had to decline. My buddy Ed already sent me an invitation to his wedding which happens on the same day! Graar!!!!! I don't want to rescind (sp?) my acceptance to attend his wedding--that would be shitty and non-classy. And, at the core, I am a man of refinement and taste. But damn it all, I really, really wanted to go to her wedding!!!!!

Well, she's not bound to her man by law until after she ties the knot. Maybe I can make it up to her somehow before the 28th of May.....!

posted by anthony fuego @ 10:52 AM 1 comments

Nerd Alert!!!

Why I'm typing this down, I have no idea, but here goes....

I keep abreast (I love that word!) of current events via newspaper, website, or other media as much as I can. The activities of the current political administration began to really pique my interest, mmm, maybe about a year or so ago, and I've been reading books concerning the socio-political ramifications of American involvement in the middle east, the primacy of the United States as the sole superpower on earth, and the actions of the Bush administration prior to the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns. Heavy, heavy stuff. Looking at this stuff in addition to studying for the PE, searching for jobs, and somehow finding time to recreate really wears a Filipino brother down. So on a lark, I decided to pick up a book of a genre that I haven't touched in awhile: Fantasy fiction!!!!

The book "Forsaken House" focuses on the adventures of Araevin Teshurr, an elven mage from Evereska, as he attempts to thwart the malicious machinations of the twisted House Dlardrageth, an ancient cabal of demon-spawned sun elves who burn for vengeance against the elven realms that defeated them millennia ago. Forsaken House is based in the "Forgotten Realms" fantasy campaign setting--an extension of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons fantasy universe.

Oh man, I devoured this book in a day! I choose to make a saving throw against dorkiness with a +6 ability modifier for being an engineer. D&D rocks...you all just don't know!

posted by anthony fuego @ 8:17 PM 2 comments

Weekend snowboarding adventure, parte tres.

Well, it looks like I just enjoyed my final weekend of snowboarding here in Colorado. For those not in the know, I am only here for temporary duty. This past week was my third complete week here in the 'Springs and the task we came to accomplish is slowly coming to completion. I am sad. Why? Because I'll really miss the people I've just met or reconnected with, the views, and--of course--the snowboarding. Could it be, though, that I'm thinking this way because I simply think that "the grass is greener on the other side"? I mean, I've already posted about my hatred for my all-too-permanent job in California and the idiot boss that's in charge of the whole organization. So, perhaps my positive perception of working here in Colorado Springs is somewhat tainted by my negative impression of my job in Cali. Well I say this...when the grass is brown and dead on your side of the fence, anything resembling living plant life on the other side looks better.

Anyway, onto snowboarding. We hit up Keystone on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was more of a confidence-building day. After that vertebrae-snapping crash last week, I was kinda low on the confidence. Even after I spent an additonal $20 on protective gear(!!), I really wasn't feeling it. Fortunately, I snapped out of it and began linking turns again, in addition to perfecting technique and speed. When I observe other riders, it looks like that their legs are fairly straight when moving down the slope. However, some instructors preach a bent-leg stance, which I favor. I find that I have more control when I do this. Unfortunately, this has the effect of really giving my quads a lot of work! So the next morning when we went to Keystone again (which was today) I was really pre-fatigued and hurting. However, I was able to pull off a Blue run, which was pretty cool. This post probably doesn't reflect it too much, but this weekend was really good to me for snowboarding.

Afterwards we made a side-trip to a place with a beautiful panoramic view of a mountainside covered in evergreens and snow. Framing the mountainside from above was a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds. And at the base of the forested mountainside...a big-ass frozen lake! Twas beautiful. I hope that Coloradoans living in the mountain areas appreciate what they've got. Living close to beaches has nothing on this place. Kim, the attractive young lady working at the front desk of the hotel that I'm currently residing at put it this way: The ocean looks flat and desolate on the horizon, but the mountains are majestic and beautiful. I agree, Kim. I agree.

And that concludes my three-part Colorado weekend snowboarding adventures.

posted by anthony fuego @ 7:40 PM 0 comments