Surprise - It's Your Birthday!

This blog is singing tonight. Everybody. Come on, hum it in your head or belt it out if you're really feelin' it:
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Liza, happy birthday to you!"

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Take California" by Propellerheads

Tonight Everything Seems Less Arbitrary

I witnessed something I thought I never would. My buddy Chris invited me to check out one of his favorite bands, Tesla. He had prepared me for the show by burning a couple of CDs with the music and giving them to me several days ago. Very thoughtful and much appreciated.

I never knew much about Tesla. Had heard their music, but was never into 80's Heavy Metal. When I was 14 I used to listen to bands such as Depeche Mode, the Cure, the Smiths, Sisters of Mercy, New Order, Alphaville, Yello and Ultravox. I had friends who were into heavy metal and I could see why they would love it, but I could never get into it. So metal was around me, but it never did much for me, except for maybe "...And Justice For All" by Metallica.

So, tonight I stepped into the time machine called 4th & B and was part of an experience like no other for me. Truth be it told, Tesla were actually really good. The music is still not my cup o'tea, but I could appreciate how tight and how into their music these 5 guys actually were. I can appreciate live music in any genre if it's done right. Tesla are great at what they do. What's also great is that they are aware that it's 2004 and spandex, knee-ripped jeans and pink headbands aren't cool anymore, but rather laughable. I have to admit that I was prejudiced in expecting to witness more cheese, but instead, I was served a generous portion of straight up rock'n'roll. I loved seeing Chris and his brother Kevin (also a long-time Tesla fan) enjoy the live performance of one of their all-time favorite bands. I know the feeling and could totally relate. I love seeing people being passionate about something. Being into it. Loving it. Living it. It really put a smile on my face every time I saw Chris and Kevin's faces looking up at the rock action on stage. They seemed like 8-year old kids watching a magician do some tricks. Was pleasantly surprised by Kevin's tribute to me by wearing a t-shirt I got for him a year ago as part of an inside joke. Classic! Loved JC's company too; he was the only one with whom I could crack jokes about the band. But we quickly ran out of jokes because there wasn't that much to joke about; by the end of the show we were enjoying the rockin' and rollin' and discussing the possibility of Heavy Metal returning and taking over. As Mark Twain put it, "history does not repeat itself; it rhymes." You best be ready to handle it once it happens.

Anybody know when Aerosmith, Motley Crue or Iron Maiden are coming to town?

To read more about the show, check out Chris' review here.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Work Me Baby" by Richard Johnston

Small World

Larissa was my Russian teacher in High School. She took me to my first rock concert - Simple Minds at Copley Symphony Hall in Downtown San Diego, summer of 1991. Fast forward 12 years to last summer when at Jackie and Ken's wedding I find out that Larissa is Leila's mom. I've known Leila for a couple of years now, having no idea that Larissa is her mom. I was floored. Beyond surprised. In disbelief, really...It's a small small world! And tonight, Marie and I, and Jackie and Ken, and Leila and Mark, are seated around Larissa's kitchen table enjoying some delicious home cooking. Sipping on red wine, reminiscing.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Feel Flows" by The Charlatans

(I Wish) Everyday Is Like (This) Sunday

Unbelievable weather! What a true reminder that San Diego is America's finest city! Is it a curse living here? A weather like today's was definitely a curse on our home because we couldn't even think of staying in. Stepped out "just to grab a bite real quick" at the Krakatoa Cafe:


Then instead of heading back home to do work, gracefully drove by our house and headed straight to Coronado for a lazy chill by the ferry port:

The afternoon gathered the crazy party heads from the night before on a rooftop in the Gaslamp Quarter, sippin' on Coronas with lime wedges and kicking it staring at the sun that was slowly setting between downtown skyrises. Aaaah.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "The Girl from Ipanema" Antonio Carlos Jobim

Plan This, Plan That

Tonight there were plans to go see Max Graham, one of my fave DJs, spin at Club L5, or to go bowling, or to go grab dinner at an Indian Restaurant, or to go to the movies, or to go to a house party. At the end we ended up hosting another warm and fuzzy house gathering that almost turned into a party. Casher was cuttin' rug (apparently he's been taking dancing lessons), drinks were being mixed, the decibels of the numerous simultaneous overlapping conversations were getting higher and higher. The landlord asked us to be quiet, and that right there is a sign that we probably did have a party. I don't know if it was a party or not and it doesn't matter; just know that people were enjoying themselves. And that alone right there can make us hosts feel good. Regarding all the previous plans for the evening, the lesson learned is that sometimes planning only gets your expectation high and you can have as much or more fun just improvising and letting the evening unfold and take shape; 'slong as you have a right mix of cool heads around you. Will I get up before noon tomorrow? Probably not, but so what? It will be Sunday and there will be a happy fisherman somewhere.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Last Tango in Paris" by Gotan Project

Starsky & Hutch

Marie and I hit AMC Mission Valley 20 Theaters for some movie watchin' enjoyment at the end of a long week. Saw Starsky & Hutch. Awesome! Ben Stiller is hilarious. Owen Wilson is great. So are Vince Vaughn, Snoop Dogg, Will Ferrell and Starsky's 1976 Ford Gran Torino.
By now it's become a tradition for Marie and I to make it a double-header at the movies. We're not cheap. When you spend 5 hours in a movie theater, you do end up paying for junk food and junk soda and all that, so you pay your dues. We just like to kick it at the movies. Wait, we don't like it; we LOVE it. So tonight we also saw Jersey Girl and the best part was the 2-minute preview for Kill Bill 2.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Cosmic Girl" by Jamiroquai

Rubio's Special #5

The mystery item. It's not on the menu, but you can order it. It makes me feel like an insider when I ask for Special #5 at Rubio's. I love to see the employee behind the counter or the person in line behind me look up at the menu all puzzled and confused. I had a similar puzzled look on my face when I heard my sister say "Kim" (her name is Dessislava) when asked what her name is after ordering. That is my trick and I've never shared it with my sis. I always say "Bob" as to spare the cashier trying to spell my name. It used to be funny to hear how creative they can get with an uncommon name, but not anymore. Sometimes they get so creative, that when calling my name I can't recognize it, so I am sitting there waiting while the cashier is trying different versions of pronouncing it. With "Bob" I am now safe to order quick and get my food on time. Anyway, truth is, I am an old-timer Rubio's fan who used to get the #5 Special all the time way back in the day when the chain was just starting out. Order the #5 - it's delicious! JJ, the cool mini-dude, agrees with his uncle:

Krassy Can Listen To It: "So Flute" by St. Germain

Blast From The Past

Seeing an old friend after years of being apart can be such an incredible feeling. Got together with Gavin, a High School friend of mine. We've been apart for almost 10 years now, with him moving to live in Jerusalem, Israel - a place he now calls home. It is incredible to see the way people transform themselves, discover their true element, and take on a path in live that makes them feel complete and content. Gavin is married now with 2 kids and seeing him felt like I had hit [FF] on the videotape of my life from the scene where him an I used to play tennis and listen to the Stone Roses and Guns'n'Roses in his car, with baseball hats flipped backwards and wearing baggy clothes, to the scene where he has settled down wearing neat black and white clothes and having a quiet conversation about life in Israel. So there you have it. The wheels of life are turning, and as Pink Floyd sing it in Time/Breathe(reprise):

"...You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you..."

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Echoes" by Pink Floyd

Ladykillers

Marie and I caught a sneak preview of Ladykillers. Great film. Entertaining storyline, great dark humor, and well developed characters. The Coen brothers have done it again. I love that they go by "the Coen Brothers". Kinda like the way I like the Chamical Brothers called the way they are. I just like that brotherly term. A unit. Tight. Anyways, the screening was sponsored by FM94.9 (you know - "it's about the music") and I ran into Mike Halloran. It's been so long since I last saw him. Reached to shake hands, but he pleasantly surprised me by saying "Come here! Give a hug!" Can you feel the love?

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Small Time Shot Away" by Massive Attack

Not Nearly As Good As Bonham

...but probably having as much fun as he used to. I beat the skins tonight and loved every second of it. Koa is coming up with some great guitar riffs and transitions. I wish I had a drum set and a place to play - I would probably play every night. Lock in a groove, feel the beat, rhyme your thoughts with the rhythmic sounds of the kit, synchronize your heartbeat with the meter, feel the energy flow, close your eyes and let imagination guide you. Feel it, feel it! Feel the beat! The beat is everywhere in nature - in your bloodstream, in your speech, in your walk, in the clinking of your keys dangling from the ignition of your car, in the wind through the trees, in the flapping wings of a soaring bird, in the blinking of your eyelids, and inside your watch...always keeping time...YOUR time!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Dazed and Confused" by Led Zeppelin

Rain Man On A Sunny Day

Didn't see much of the sun actually, since the morning and the early afternoon were spent rolling on a couch relaxing and recovering from the festivities of the night before, and the evening was spent working on various web projects. Saw Rain Man for a second time 16 years after it's original release. What a great flick! Dustin Hoffman is a talent! Domino's Pizza and Trader Joe's Orangeade made for a great movie-watching experience.

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Tonight" by KOOP.

Good Times, Good Times...

Great get-together! To those of you who came - thank you! For those of you who didn't - you were missed! Had a great mix of people, laughs, storytellings, tasty bites courtesy of Marie's kitchen, and 3 or 4 too many shots of Malibu Rum. A get-together that welcomes guests at 7:30 pm and turns into a party with insomniacs leaving into the darkness of the 4:00 am morning has left the hosts pleased and delighted. Good Night!

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Ya'self" by Darren Emerson & Tim Deluxe

Sushi Bites, Sapporo Sips

Marie and I are becoming huge fans of sushi. Tonight we enjoy delicious bites of things that we don't know how to pronounce. But we trust the Sushi Ota establishment, which is probably one of the better Sushi Restaurants in town, judging not only by the number of Japanese-speaking customers, but also by Marie's delighted facial expression after every bite. The food is not the main excitement of the evening; I have reunited with an old friend and Marie and I have met his girlfriend. Rounds of Sapporo-filled glass clinkings are synchronized with eye contacts and "cheers", "na zdrave", and "chin chin" exclamations. Sushi is an acquired taste. Marie is proof of that -- I remember how when she was on training wheels trying a bite of California Roll (which ain't even sushi) she really disliked the texture and the taste. Today, she would prefer we have sushi over Italian or Chinese or Mexican food. Speaking of Marie, even though she never comments on this blog, she is a big fan and has the T-Shirt to prove it. Another devoted fan is JJ who doesn't have the t-shirt to prove it, but ever since I posted about his favorite state, Texas, he has become an avid visitor of this site:

Krassy Can Listen To It: "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix

Which Fantasy/SciFi Character Are You?

According to this quiz, yours truly, Yoda you must call, from this moment on:

A venerated sage with vast power and knowledge, you gently guide forces around you while serving as a champion of the light.

"Judge me by my size, do you? And well you should not - for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life greets it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminescent beings are we, not this crude matter! You must feel the Force around you, everywhere."

Speak like Yoda, you want to? Learn the rules, you must first.

St. Patrick's Day Folk, I won't Be There...

...because I've got too much on my mind and I need to rest. I never stopped thinking about terrorism since the morning of 9/11. The tragedy in Madrid has had me preoccupied with thinking about civilization, and more so, the lack of it in the world today.
Family. Politics. Social issues. Personal Life. Music. Web Technology. Friends. Strangers. Work. Fitness. The Past. The Future... My head is spinning in the final cycle of a machine wash. I would need more than one quarter to dry my thoughts tonight. Sometimes I go to sleep at night to dream.

Houston, We've Had A Problem

"Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969, A.D.
We came in peace for all mankind."
- Apollo 11 plaque left on Moon

"Here I came not by choice for I was stuck when the Airline messed up my connecting flight back home.
I came in peace for all uninvited guests."
- Note I left in my hotel room in Houston

SXSW 2004! Cheers, Austin!

Today was my favorite day at SXSW Interactive. I saw a number of great presentations and the speakers were the big guys that I learn from - Eric Meyer, Tantek, Douglas Bowman, Dave Shea, Christopher Schmitt, Dan Cederholm, and Jeffrey Veen. Veen's presentation on user-centered web development was by far the most inspiring, informative, and entertaining. The guy is a great speaker! Catch him if you can!

After a tasty lunch at the Halcyon got back to check out the key panelist's presentation. Howard Rheingold discussed some great socio-philosophical issues with regard to the influence that the web and technology in general have on society. Thought-provoking.

Ok, so finally I went out at night here in Austin after 3 evenings of staying in my hotel. It was well worth the wait. This town is a party enabler. I first went to the Blogger party where free beer was consumed by yours truly and other buzz-thirsty folk:


Ok, great. Got buzzed. Met some people, and then the city invited me and my friends-for-the-night to check out some live music at the DFW party held at La Zona Rosa:




Hit the streets again and headed over to El Sol y La Luna where I met Abe. Had some more drinks accompanied by some drunken philosophical discussions and then headed over next door to this cool lounge place, the name of which I didn't catch. I enjoyed the ambiance and the fresh rain coming down in attempt to wash away some of the buzz from our spinning heads. Good deal.

Next we headed over to the warehouse district, where we saw this incredible Irish band at the Fado Irish Pub:


Sipped on a few more drinks and had an all-important talk about great bands and great musicians. What an awesome night! It would've been perfect if Marie was with me. But this can be done again. If this is how Austin invites me into a night life, I might have to return again, maybe next year, for the SXSW Music Festival which is supposed to be absolutely incredible. In time...

Pictures From Austin

It is a beautiful day today and instead of going to lunch I hit the sidewalks and explored the streets of Downtown Austin. A picture is worth a thousand words, so to spare you a lengthy read, below I offer to you several thousand words worth in pictures. Enjoy:

SXSW Interactive 2004

I am in Austin, Texas. My first time here. It has been raining all day.

The SXSW Interactive 2004 offers so much that one could feel overwhelmed. It is too bad that there are so many overlapping sessions. On several occasions now I have had to choose one presentation over another, wishing that I could have attended both.
I met Abe and Ethan. Abe and I went to this Tex-Mex place where a couple tables behind us Wayne Coyne, the singer from The Flaming Lips, was having lunch. Austin has a great vibe. It is definitely very alive and kicking. I had my first run down 6th street, but I haven't had the chance to see much of the city just yet, since my day was spent in the Convention Center attending SXSW panels, and the evening spent in my hotel room, getting some work done.

Hoppin' On An Airplane

I am so excited to fly the friendly skies. Excited to leave town. It is almost as if I am excited to leave so that I will be returning at a later date. I love the whole process of taking a plane - from the security check, to people-watching while waiting to board, to the supposedly bad airline food. And when the over-friendly flight attendant asks me what I would like to drink, I always order Ginger Ale or Bloody Mary Mix - drinks that I would never buy at the store.
Texas, here I come, ya'll!

Lost In Confusion

Lost in Translation left me Lost in Confusion as to why this movie was praised so much. It also left me Lost in Anticipation for something to happen. Yeah, yeah, I get it - it's an artsy movie and all that, and the message behind the story is how two people can find happiness in just being together and enjoying each other's company even if they never do much or say much. But really, this movie could have been 15 minutes long. Yawn. I was borderline Left in Frustration by the time it ended. I liked the Japanese karaoke scene and also the one with the Japanese photographer running his mouth for 2 minutes and the translator telling Bill Murray's character "he said, with more intensity"

School Of Rock

I got my first Hair Metal 101 course lessons, but am not sure if I could pass the exams. My instructor was very entertaining. Prof. Bello showed me rock videos of long-haired dudes playing pink guitars, a collection of probably 100 guitar picks of axmen from Bon Jovi, Metallica, Van Halen, Megadeath, Poison, and Guns'n'Roses, and backstage photos and stories of him partying with Pantera, Mr. Big and Metallica. If the kids today only knew what they were missing!

Very Happening

Do you ever wonder what is Very Happening on the web? Would you be surprised that the top 5 most popular persons searched for on Google are Jesus Christ, Britney Spears, Eminem, George W. Bush and George Washington?

Signature Therapy...

...do I need some? I can't sign my name properly. This is really freaking me out! I've had the same signature for over 10 years now, and as of recent, my hand refuses to move the pen the way it used to. This is so weird! I could probably even get in trouble for this. What do I do? Can someone recommend a good signature therapist?...
Marie and I saw "Duplex" with Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore tonight. Not bad. Not great either. We Netflixed it.

IKEA Product Names

I love and hate IKEA. Love it cause it has the coolest stuff; hate it because even if I go "real quick just to buy a couple of small things," I end up spending way too much time and money. Tonight was no exception. As always, it was particularly entertaining to see some interesting product names. There are some funky names such as GRUVA, RYTM, PIANISSIMO, DRÃMVÃRLD and AVENTURIN, but then they've got some that should be rated PG13. I mean, come on, check out the name of this chair. Apparentlyly GUTVIK is an even worse pick for a name and was corrected for obvious reasons. But The winner for worst name, hands down, is FARTFULL. I wonder if Bjork knows about the BJORKEN toilet roll holder?

Sweet Spots, Weddings And Big Beats

This morning I checked out the new Padres Ballpark and even though am not a fan of baseball, I'll probably return to check out some games and hang out. The place is sweet. And they have the sweet spot to prove it. I ran into C. Marseilles, the legendary star of the 2021 World Series. However, there were these two guys that were stuck to him, the celebrity that he is, so I couldn't take a solo picture of the man! Stalkers!

In the afternoon thoughts were with the 2 newlywed couples Mr. and Mrs. Bello, and Mario and Vita. In the evening saw Crystal Method live. Not bad, but not nearly as good in the style of big beat music pioneered by the likes of the Chemical Brothers, Propellerheads and the Prodigy. I'm biased. Had a great time, nonetheless, groovin' to the beat in the fun company of Marie, JC and Pete. Oh, boy, Malibu shots go down smooth and easy!

Magazine Dates

What's up with the future dates on magazines? It's only the first week of March and I'm receiving magazines in the mail dated April and May. Seriously, someone explain this to me. I am sure there is a good reason for this, but I need to be convinced. Although I like the idea of living in the future, I prefer to stay in the now and read about what's current or what's already happened. Speaking of current events, enjoying a nice chat, having a delicious seafood bite, and sipping on a chilled White Zin at King's Seafood Co. makes for a pleasant evening...running into friends at Borders makes for a great evening.

Icons

I have a new-found passion for designing in pixels. Zoom in, zoom out, zoom in again...way in at 3200%...click, delete, click, zoom out, sit back, blink, squint an eye, and then repeat this process over and over. After subjecting the retina of my eye to a constant bombardment by pixels for over several hours straight, the result is what you see below. I spent hours and hours learning how to create icons. I am not completely happy but definitely pleased with the result. When I left my house I started paying attention to the smallest details in everything I could see. I kept thinking how it really is amazing that a single pixel can make such a great difference in the way the eye sees. Outside, I kept noticing gradients and textures that were always there, but I never saw. Of course if I never saw them they were never there...but I digress.

The Pixies Write A Bulgarian Ballad

True story! In addition to a Latvian lullaby and a Czech dirge, The Pixies have composed a Bulgarian ballad...and I can't wait to hear it. I wonder if the song's lyrics are in Bulgarian. If that's the case, then I'd be happy to translate for anyone who would get me a ticket for the Davis show that sold out in less than 5 minutes. I can't wait to see them at Coachella.

Volkswagenball

Oh, Art Exhibitions, trigger my "wow" exclamations! Check out the Volkswagenball created by Lars-Erik Fisk:

Chestita Baba Marta

Happy Grandma Marta! Baba Marta is a Bulgarian tradition celebrated on the 1st of March every year. Baba Marta marks the beginning of springtime. There is an interesting and unique custom in Bulgaria in that family and friends exchange "martenitsi" (a pair of 2 small red and white wool dolls called Pigo and Penda). Martenitsas are supposed to be worn until a stork is seen. Anybody seen any storks lately flying over San Diego?