The One with My Christmas Musings

What it do?

Oh, so this is what it feels like to actually be awake before noon. It's...oddly unsettling. But it's a good thing; it's like adding an extra 5 hours or so to your day.

Anywho! It was a couple of weeks ago when it hit me: for the first time since 2004, I'm actually spending Christmas in Sydney. It's a weird feeling; usually by late November, I'm packing my stuff and organising my trip. And this is usually prime Mich-Mart bumming time! ROFL!

But yes, I think I'm due to spend some quality holiday time with the parents. It's been too long. Plus, summer '04-'05 was a lot of fun, for a number of different reasons, so I'm looking forward to the good times that are sure to come.

In any case, here's a whole list of the things I'm gonna be missing this Christmas:

  • MICHELLE! HAHAHAHA. I spend more Christmas holidays with your family than I do with mine. ROFL! [Don't worry, we'll make up for it sometime soon! Shanghai, in the near future?]
  • Waking up and trying to avoid Maco, 'cause he's usually still asleep. ROFL.
  • Speaking of waking up, having the maids wake me up every morning 'cause they need to make the bed, which they can't do with me sprawled all over it.
  • Oh, and the maids bugging me to eat breakfast! "Mahrk! GESENG NA MAHRK! Kaen ka na brekpas sa baba! Nandun na si Gang!" Which I knew was a lie, 'cause Michelle NEVER woke up earlier than I did. HAHA!
  • Hotdogs and tapa for breakfast! OH! I'd like a serving of oil with a side of unhealthiness, thanks!
  • Having nothing to do, and Tita Cel taking me for random shopping sprees.
  • Daily basketball games. Three different channels. Awesome.
  • Tagging along to pick up Mich from school. Despite the sweltering heat and unGodly traffic surrounding your school. ROFL!
  • My beloved plane ride! I don't know, I've come to love the eight-hour trip. Call me weird.
  • Getting picked up at the airport! I knew I'd hit the Phils as soon as I felt the overwhelming humidity. Baggage claim aside, I like the feeling of the airport, especially the dragging of my stuff to the car. ROFL!
  • Mich and I spending inordinate amounts of money...on lunch. So, two steaks, tacos and giant sundaes for merienda then?
  • Malling. What better way to waste a day? Okay, probably a million things better than malling, but still.
  • Christmas Day with my Dad's side. Always fun.
  • Bumming with my older cousins. Mostly because we get up to fun stuff. Like getting harassed by gay performers on stage. ROFL!
  • Misa de Gallo! Waking up at 5AM (when we could, anyway, ROFL) and going with Mich to daily mass. Then going back to sleep until noon.

ROFL! I think that's enough.

In other news, party's on! Gonna go to the costume shop today and pick up a few things for Saturday, then I'll probably get the liquor sorted out either tomorrow or Saturday. Also, I'm getting a haircut tomorrow, which for a brief moment was supposed to contribute to one of my proposed costume ideas (Martin Mathers. ) But then I realised I didn't wanna go through with the bleaching and everything. So, the Eminem plan went out the window.

It's 8AM. As I said before, weird. Weird but good. Anyways, over and out!

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.

The One About the Upcoming Summer Freedom

What it do?

So, I'm sitting at home, trying to figure out what game to play next, letting Leslie Feist match my chilled out mood. I have nothing to do for the next four months.

Yup, it's summer alright.

Actually, it's not as breezy as it sounds. I DO have video games to play. And parties to plan. And beach outings to organise. But since Second Year's dead and buried (hopefully, fingers crossed I get GUN marks), Uni's officially off the radar for the next third of a year. Awesome.

Things I am most looking forward to:

  1. Haircut. Still undecided though. It's either this (Pelle Almqvist has awesome hair) or this (trimming, yo) or, most likely, this (affectionately referred to as my summer special).
  2. My Halloween Party One Month After Halloween ESH FOR THE ESH GOD.
  3. Finishing Resistance/FFXII/FFIII/Pokemon Diamond.
  4. Getting to play NBA 2K8. All day, everyday, any damn day.
  5. Beach!
  6. NBA Games. Four days a week.
  7. Repairing my schleeping patterns. It would be nice to be able to wake up at 7AM again, 'cause usually by then I'm just about ready to klonk out.
  8. My results! Since my exams weren't as bad as I expected (although they never are, anyway), I'm hoping I maintained my Distinction WAM. Fingers crossed, lucky rabbit's foot in pocket, horseshoe necklace around neck (Fuck, I'm self-referential tonight). Don't let me down, History!

Anyways, over and out.

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.

The One About The Game

What it do? Got this from my brother, who got it from the sneakerfreaker site. I've bolded the ones that actually apply to me. ROFL! Hilarious!

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50 ways to tell if you're a sneakerhead (as compiled by the sneakerheads of sneakerfreaker.com)

1. The first thing you notice on everyone is their shoes.

2. When you walk into class / work, people occasionally say “another pair?!?”

3. The teachers / co-workers even notice when you get new shoes.

4. Instead of taking the shortcut with your friends in the grass or dirt, you walk all the way around the cement.

5. Your parents get really mad when you get another pair of shoes.

6. When somebody insults your shoes, you stick up for them like they are your children.

7. You constantly look at people’s shoes when you walk by them.

8. Before you go out, you think for a good 10 – 15 minutes about which sneakers you should wear. [umm, try longer. ahahahaha!]

9. You do not wear certain sneakers to parties / clubs because you are afraid someone is going to step on them.

10. You do not wear white / clear sole shoes in the rain. [actually, it depends. some of my beaters are in white.]

11. You keep every single pair of shoes in the box stuffed. [mostly. beaters don't count!]

12. When people you know (or even strangers) who always see you, look at you, and then look directly down to your feet to see what your shoe you are wearing.

13. Most of the time your shoes are the main center attraction.

14. You feel insulted when someone says “They’re JUST shoes!”

15. You want multiple pairs of the same shoe.

16. You browse eBay daily to find that “HG” (Holy Grail). [ROFL. eBay. AS IF!]

17. You are willing to spend good money on your “HG” in “NDS” (Near Dead stock) condition.

18. You at least know someone in every shoe store you go to.

19. Your paintings are shoe themed.

20. You could have bought a small car for the amount you spent on your collection.

21. You get really defensive about any damage to your shoes.

22. You save up your lunch money over a month to buy a new pair.

23. You look down at your shoes every 5 minutes.

24. Your drawer is full of shoe cleaners.

25. You skip school / work to go to the mall because new pair of Jordans are being released.

26. You know what “NT” and “ISS” stands for. [okay, i know NT, but i don't know what ISS stands for.]

27. You sit in class / at work & keep turning your foot to the side to look at your shoes. [guilty.]

28. You know a fake shoe when you see it.

29. Your background in your computer is a Jordan.

30. You think that girls that have wear Air Jordans are hot even without looking at their face. [...]

31. You go to the mall for silica packs and tell the lady that it’s for a school project because they won’t give you any otherwise.

32. You check the weather before you go out so you know what shoe you should wear.

33. You put an extra insole in your Jordan’s to not rub off the Jumpman in the insole. [good idea.]

34. You take a traveling cleaning kit when you are on the road.

35. You limp when you walk to prevent creasing.

36. You clean your shoes after every wear. [almost, anyway.]

37. You learned the roman numerals from the Air Jordan series.

38. 23 is one of your favorite numbers.

39. When you are bored in class and someone says something about shoes you listen.

40. You never try to get any of your shoes dirty.

41. You take your shoes off and walk when it suddenly starts raining in school to walk to your car.

42. You have a whole frame of Jordan retro cards.

43. You carry a shoe-related magazine in your backpack. [not all the time, though.]

44. You know all the release date for Jordans.

45. You get mad when people say “Jordans are a waste of money”.

46. When you buy a new pair of shoes you take pictures of them.

47. You write poems of your shoes.

48. You visit ISS and NT Forums. [used to, cbf nowadays.]

49. You know what DS, OG, SMH, & MJ stand for.

50. You know when Michael Jordan’s birthday is.

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50 ways to tell if you're a SNEAKERHEAD (Version 2.0)

1. When you realized Formatmag.com dropped their annual sneaker issue in September, you put on your best kicks before reading it.

2. Vacations are just a chance to visit different cities’ shoe stores.

3. You have developed a style of walking that neither creases the toe nor flexes the body of the shoe.

4. You know who Tinker Hatfield is.

5. You’ve lined up (or camped out) for shoes.

6. You vividly remember each and every shoe regret (a pair you didn’t cop when you had the chance).

7. You keep the box of every pair you buy – as well as the crinkled tissue-paper wadding inside the shoes.

8. You love Air Force 1's and Dunks.

9. You hate how played out Air Force 1's and Dunks have become. [FUCK YEAH.]

10. You’re into kicks that aren’t Nikes.

11. You’re mad when they never release the colorway you want.

12. You then create the colorway in Photoshop and post it on NT.

13. You have a Jumpman tattoo.

14. You wish you had a Jumpman tattoo.

15. You have the And 1 man tattoo (oops, that just means you’re in the NBA – or really, really wish you were).

16. You’ve got a pair of kicks you ain’t see nobody rock, not online or eBay or the streets.

17. You dislike a particular basketball player based solely on his shoes.

18. Based solely on design, you cop the signature shoes of a player you dislike immensely (VC, anyone?).

19. You’ve travelled over 200 miles just to shop for shoes.

20. You remember your first sneaker fondly. [CONS, BABY. Kevin Johnson's CONS.]

21. On more than one occasion, you've had people (girlfriends, family, friends) cop a pair on because you were otherwise entangled (like working at your job). [no, but Fonz has gotten me to buy his shoes a bunch of times.]

22. You must lace up your kicks yourself, even if they come pre-laced.

23. Your shoes must be included in any picture you're in.

24. You chat with the peeps on NT more than your girlfriend.

25. Your 9-to-5 at your 9-to-5 is eBay.

26. You make Top Sneakers of the Year lists (like this one). [well, i did it last year. ]

27. You know the two non-Jordans Mike wore in the NBA (Air Ships & Air Flight Ones).

28. Moms bought you skips growing up, and years later, you’re getting your revenge.

29. You know who Bruce Kilgore is.

30. You buy doubles.

31. You can’t afford to, but you buy doubles anyway.

32. You saw Space Jam in the theatre.

33. You hate when Nike puts out cheap versions of nice joints (Zoom Kobes vs. Zoom Legends, Huarache 2K5s vs. Total Package, More Uptempo vs. Much Uptempo, etc.).

34. You have over 20 pairs of the same model in different colorways.

35. You buy clothes based on how they coordinate with your kicks.

36. You keep saying “this is the last pair…” knowing full-well it ain’t.

37. You not only clean your sneakers regularly, you also have a tool kit (toothbrush, suede brush, sole brush,etc.).

38. There are kicks you haven’t wore in years – because you just can’t find them amongst all the shoe boxes.

39. You know what kicks you’d like to be buried in.

40. You buy more than doubles.

41. You buy kicks that aren’t your size – and not necessarily to resell.

42. You buy your girlfriend nice kicks in a lame attempt to get her into the game (which doesn’t often work).

43. You call it “the game.”

44. You hate when Nike (or whoever) puts out a re-issue of a sneaker that you own the original of.

45. You’ve signed an online petition to bring a particular model back into production.

46. You know that Mike Bibby wore Foamposite Ones in the NCAA ’97 championship game, and Khalid El-Amin wore Flightposite Ones in the NCAA ’00 championship game. [ZONA in '97! bibby with the penny foams!]

47. You’ve never had to ask someone, “where’d you get those?”, because you already know. [i've still gotta ask. haha.]

48. You constantly get asked, “where’d you get those?”, either by strangers or even friends / family.

49. You get annoyed with people who constantly ask you the above question. [nope, i don't really mind.]

50. Your calendar is marked with release dates, not holidays.

-----------------------------------

Anyways, over and out.

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.

The One with the Last True Burning Letter

Once upon a time, there was this guy. He was trying to get over this girl he used to like, and, seeking solace, he turned to this other girl for friendship. Upon getting to know this other girl, he realised that she was...see, he had to stop typing just to figure out how to describe her. It's that hard. Point is, he fell in love.

Things were going great. They were close. They got along so well that it seemed as if nothing could ever get in the way. Until one day, the girl's parents found out about what was going on. From that point on, things got rocky.

The girl was in a hard place, stuck between this guy and her parents. Eventually, things got so messed up that they drifted apart. They broke up right before their formals, and didn't talk much before he went overseas for Christmas that year.

The guy thought the girl hated him, 'cause it seemed like everytime he tried to talk to her, she didn't really want him around. So, when he went away, he left with the intention of putting it all behind him. That's when he met this other girl. Since he thought the girl he loved didn't love him anymore, he decided to let go, and try to start fresh with this new girl. New girl over old girl. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

The old girl still loved him. She was supposed to tell him, they were supposed to start again, and do it properly this time around. The guy thought she still hated him. The guy remained distant. The guy made his choice.

It was the only regret the guy would ever have in his life.

Things didn't work out with the new girl. Things with the old girl weren't much better; they were cordial, but nowhere near as close as they used to be.

The guy realised his mistake. The girl didn't hate him; she just didn't want to upset her parents. Looking back, that decision showed what kind of person the girl really was. It was what made the guy fall in love with her in the first place.

They're both happy now. But they're not together. The guy still does things for her. At the drop of a dime, he'll still stop whatever he's doing if it meant spending time with her. That's just how he is. That's just how he is when it comes to her.

The guy wants it all back. He also knows that his chances of getting it all back are between slim and none. The girl has shown no signs of wanting it back. She's probably never even given it a second thought. That's just how it is.

The guy's the happiest he's been in a while. Still, that doesn't mean that he can't get any happier. Unless something actually happens though, it's all just wishful thinking.

The guy knows the girl will never get to read this. He also knows that it's probably better that she never does.

The guy needs a change of clothes. It's probably time to move on.

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.

The One About Being Glued



We were together again. We were walking around Westpoint, hand in hand, just the way it used to be. It was awesome. It felt good, like we were back in the good old days. We were close again.

Oh, it was only a dream. ROFL! Ouch.

Oh well. Best dream ever!

- marty..

P.S. This is only open to Mich, Kate and Maria. Guys, three guesses as to who I'm talking about!

END COMMUNICATION.

The One with the Complete and Utter Dedication to Studying

What it do?

Oh, not enough sarcasm. My last week of Uni was pretty fucked to the days. Out of that list of assessments I drew up, I still had three due for Week 14. I was actually on pace to finish them fairly early; four of 'em were dunzo by Thursday, Week 13.

Wait, what's this? Parties on Friday and Saturday? Laziness on most of Sunday? Wow. Ease up on the industriousness! Might tire myself out or something, hey.

Anywho, my last week got destroyed. I got my Cognition assessment done late Sunday/early Monday, but then I skipped all of Monday to work on my Personality Essay.

Which was harder than I thought. And 2000 words long. And required a shitload of research and referencing.

So, because we needed a celebrity, I ended up doing it on Michael Jordan. OOTS! Resourcefulness! Lucky I had all this stuff on him already, thanks to my years of being a basketball nut. I only did about 800+ on Monday. I could've done more, but hard work is for suckas!

I skipped all of Wednesday as well. Lazy! I was supposed to go to the Sydney Jewish Museum for my Holocaust and Genocide class, but since I needed to do some work, and I'd already met with one of the Holocaust survivors when I was learning about it in Year 12, I felt like I could skip it and not really miss anything. So I spent Wednesday bullshitting my way through my Tutorial Presentation Essay. Wow, 1500 words of too much putting in effort!

Thursday was gay. I had no idea that my History tutorial was cancelled, so I woke up early for nothing. I was gonna hang out with Kish and stuff during my break, but since I still had to finish my other essay, I just decided to skip my last two hours of lectures and go home, effectively killing my break. Going home early didn't really help much anyways; I ended up hanging out with the boys until about 7-8PM or so. Efficiency, what up!

So my plan was to finish my essay at around 3AM, sleep for about four hours, rock up to my 9:30AM tute, hand in my assignment and go back home to catch up on sleep. Oh no, interference from laziness! Actual result of plan: finished working on my essay around 4:30ishAM, ended up sleeping for about FIVE hours, woke up at 9AM (too much making it to class). So I just went back to sleep then woke up again a couple of hours later. Resigned to my fate, I just went in to Uni to hand in my assignment, then hung out at the city with the guys. Worked out pretty well; ended up with NBA 2K8 (THREE WEEKS EARLY, BABY!) and a bunch of magazines and DVDs. Spending, what up!

Okay, so for the whole week, I was only in Uni for a grand total of...TWO HOURS. No lectures attended whatsoever. WOW. DEDICATION x50!

FUCK YO COUCH, I write a lot when I get going. Lakers VS Suns in an hour! Anyways, over and out.

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.

The One with the Good Timing

What it do?

Oh, what's that, Semester Two? All fourteen weeks of your shit have already come and gone? Yeah, that's what I thought.

I'm actually lucky as a motherfucker with my exam schedule. I've got one on the 19th, then another one the day after, which means I've got two weeks to study for 'em. After that, I'm officially dunzo with Second Year. ESH. I know I was bitching about my exams before 'cause I wanted to finish early, but having two weeks off is good enough to make up for it.

Annewhoose, the good timing. Summer's here, and it couldn't have come at a better time: I've got a shitload of games to get through. ROFL, nerd entry! But yes, not enough games to finish. Sitting on my ass and playing video games all day long should make for a good summer.

Actually, the timing might not be so good, now that I think about it. Pokémon Diamond + skate. + Resistance + FFXII + FFIII = ROFL at my exam study! Not to mention the NBA season starting up again. Ahh, fuck it. I'll figure a way to balance it all out.

Other important things to organise for the holidays:
  • That QLD road trip with the boys. Fucking A that should be fun as hell, if we get it all sorted out. Alls we know is that we're road tripping it up to QLD, then we're probably gonna scope out some hotel to crash in. Wow, preparedness x10!
  • My party. It's a brilliant concept: a Halloween party...a month after Halloween. I call it my "Halloween Party A Month After Halloween." I had no choice though; everyone's still got exams and uni and shit, so I can't exactly plan a party for now. As such, end-of-November Halloween party it is. Now to ask my Dad for his help...and permission. ESH!
  • A haircut. My hair looks PANGS! PANGS BRA! I need to cut it so it looks GUAPS and POGS BRA!

Lakers game's on in about an hour or so. I'm gonna post another entry, then try and play SOMETHING, then probably chill and watch the game. And then go to a random party later tonight. Weekends, what up! Anyways, over and out.

- marty..

END COMMUNICATION.