Get the fuck up!

I got veterans day off. so I took friday saturday sunday monday and tuesday and had a wonderful time. I went to flagstaff and sedona. I miss my family.

Slide Rock

Me and Ashley after I messed up my ankle

Trick or treat. this life is full of both.

Halloween! What a festive holiday. Lots of colors. lots of different costumes. Lots of different things that let us feel apart of a community. First off, costumes. I think its absolutely cheating, going to the store and buying a costume. At your local spirit or what have you. It's plain and simple. someone could go and buy a priest costume and everyone will be like "oh look greg is a priest." But my friends (haha) I ask you "why?" does that even make sense? There has to be meaning or something clever behind a costume. For example going as Mario and Luigi. That makes sense. Whatever I just think, people who just go and buy some shit costume at the store is just saying " I dont have enough creativity to be remembered." Whatever not like it matters. Jerks.

As for me, I was a tourist on thursday night. Unfortunately I do not have a full picture. I went to the store and bought a large hawaiian button up shirt for $7. lovely shirt. then I had binoculars a camera with a huge flash. (nikon d40x with a sb-800 speedlite) shorts, flip flops and a fanny pack to top it off. It was a hit! I took alot of pictures with creative flash directions, which actually created really really cool light reflections/diffusions. I love photography.

Friday I had planned to wear a wetsuit that I received as a gift. But as it turns out it is a little too warm in a wetsuit for comfort. Imagine that. So friday and saturday night I was Short round from Indiana Jones! Halloween was fun.

So more importantly. My mom broke up with her boyfriend. Jim. I would be lying if I didn't say I saw this coming. Jim is pretty mad. So Im changing up the locks and such. Jim got his truck stolen earlier this week as well. Something occured to me though. Jim said that "I've always been there for you, and when I needed you the most you weren't there for me." I dont mean to mock him in any way but I realize that my continually evolving outlook on relationships and the way people socially interact is always changing. I dont think you can count on anyone else really? I guess thats just something that has been on my mind. I dont think i want to depend on anyone but myself. I dont want to put my happiness in the hands of someone else. I just think that other than family you cant depend on anyone (especially a woman) to be there for you. That sounds pretty grim but I guess its just a reflection of how my outlook is changing.

I've been away from a gym for around a month now. I feel it. I needed a break though. I just couldn't take the routine anymore. boredom tyler. boredom is the enemy. Im ready to get back though. So Im really looking forward to that.

Other things. I went to the state fair. Ate a deep fried snickers, which is exactly what it sounds like. and tastes accordingly. I got the shit beat out of me on the zipper, which im almost 100 percent certain was deemed unsafe by the association for crazy carny rides that people shouldnt be on. I have a good number of friends and I am absolutely thankful for each and everyone of them. I think they're in it for the long haul and Im glad. I love the state fair. Go if you get a chance get giddy with stupid fun.

Microsoft released a game called gears of war for the xbox 360 a long time ago. It revolutionized the industry solely because it was the first game in which you could chainsaw an opponent in half. with a severely violent display it won its way into the hearts of millions. Gears of war 2 promises even more ways to chainsaw your opponents. It releases friday. I have nothing to do but to relax with my friends, drinking beer (I unfortunately developed an affinity for beer) and chainsawing people in half. Sweet.

When everything that you get is everything that you wanted.

I sit here before you, well I sit here before the computer. the keyboard my instrument. I recently turned 19 years old. I am the youngest junior in college I know. I am older and I think it has opened my mind to my vulnerability. Im not going through a mid life crisis. I hope I live beyond 38 (joke) [pause for the sake of expected laughter that never comes]. As I stand, I am open to life. When I was 16 or 17 my dad sat down with me and shared with me Woody Allen's Match Point. One of many movies we watched together. I love movies.

"The man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It's scary to think so much is out of one's control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn't, and you lose."

I am not afraid. Life has taken from me and life has given to me. I acknowledge deeply that I am fortunate and that I am unfortuneate but it does not consume me. I avidly play minesweeper. (irrelevant? we'll see) Whenever I am bored I play minesweeper on expert difficulty. My friends think Im crazy. I think it lets my brain turn on autopilot. It's mechanical. I dont have to think. I let the corpus colosum do its job. But on the expert difficulty, no matter what, one always comes to a point where there are no more moves. There are no more deductions. There are no more mechanical solutions. The only thing that is left is Luck. You have nothing less than testing your luck. I am hooked. Maybe subconsciously I am memorizing these situations for future reference and calculating the probablity. But essentially I feel that I am testing a supernatural force. Yes I am crazy. I have also developed an addiction to Texas Hold'em Poker. and I use the term addiction purely for effect. I am not dependent on it. I just severly enjoy it. But these manifestations of luck drive me nuts. I dont really gamble with my life. but I never gamble with the lives of others. [Ramblings from my head]

For my birthday I went to the velvet room of Flemming's Steakhouse and I tasted the finer things I played the charade. and I enjoyed it. I bought a vest from the GAP the other day. The 4th purchase I have made. Everyone thinks im crazy. I dont know what to say concerning this.

School is going well. I feel very good about it. I feel that I have the reigns in my hands. This 18 credit hour stuff isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got an "A" on my speech the other day. I didn't tell the instructor about my NFL membership. Its a game and im playing it. Accounting is actually quite enjoyable. I am learning alot about business and how to conduct it. It isn't as difficult as I had imagined. Geography is actually teaching me how to forcast weather and I find it wonderfully fascinating. Microeconomics with Mr. Medhat Farooque is going well. Micro turned out to be easier than Macro. Statisitics is riveting. Im learning new levels of statistical inferences that are wonderful. Today we talked about using a statistical survey, standard deviation, and margin of error to most efficiently extrapolate an average of all people in a population. Sounds boring but I really like it. 18 credit hours consumes nearly none of my time. Its amazing. Last night I didn't have anything to do. So i developed my addiction to photoshop and made a lovely picture with my name. see below. Its kinda shitty but I like it.

I managed to crack the screen on my laptop. So I recommend getting the warranty with accidental damage plan. like I did. my new laptop is on its way! Also on an equally nerdy note, I managed to upgrade my computer. I am now operating on:

Intel Core Duo E6850 3.0ghz
300 gig western digital
600 watt coolermaster
EVGA 680i
EVGA Nvidia GTX 260
4 gigs of corsair

Crysis is a quasi-futuristic scifi game with dynamic lighting, depth of field, explosions, awesome physics. I highly recomend it. It is very pleasing to the eyes. Because every guy needs to be stimulated by explosions and flying bullets.

Victor, my father's life long friend is in hospice. I went and visited him last week. I am fortunate for having the most wonderful friends and family around me. I know that, and I dont take a single moment with any of them for granted.

So my brother Mike is now in Portland. My brother John is in Portland, and my sister Frances is in Utah. I miss them very much. But I guess this is an opportunity for me to grow. We shall see.

Exciting things on the horizon. VERY FUCKING exciting. [my EXACT sentiment] Also, I want a Kawasaki Ninja. To blowu...... I mean to save gas. so suck on that till next time.

Much Love,
Tony Tran

A Kawasaki Ninja 250R (shown with two brother's exhaust)

That is a formerly 16 ounce steak. 16 ounces of New York Strip. I am a carnivore at the core, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Locked in a cage in all of us is a feral being. I am friends with mine.

That is Creme Brulee. My favorite. and yes I shaved my head. No fear. Two weeks later I have more hair than i know what to do with.

Just something that is running through my head recently. ANTITHESIS. If there wasn't for bad there wouldn't be good. If it wasn't for pain there wouldnt be joy. Sadist? no. Yeah I wear a v neck now and again but I just cant do the deep V.

Im 19 on the 19th of septmember (9th month) the planets are nearly in a line

Awwww yeah 10 points for Photoshop

Back to school. Back to school to prove to dad im not a fool.

First week of school back at ASU.

First off thanks to Hurricane GUSTAV which is currently tearing the shit out of Jamaica, the entire Southern United States is feeling the effects of the hurricane. So normally I friggin love the rain and the cloudy weather. WHY? Because I dont like melting. And eversince my little fiasco at the river I do not enjoy immense heat or UmofoingV rays. So yeah Terrizona (AZ) is hot as hell. Add lots of moisture and you have humidity. Everyday at ASU. I feel like im back in Vietnam. Except its not that bad.

Second, what the hell was i thinking taking 18 Credit hours. (7 Classes). ASU 101 and THE125 is a 5 week class so after 5 meetings. Poof 5 classes left. Those classes are COM225(public speaking), ACC231(Uses of Accounting I), ECN 221or whatev (Business Statistics), GPH111 (Geography yeah whatever) and Micro Economics at good ole GCCCCC (CGCC). Im hoping like hell that all of the classes are easy and I can get A's just by being me. But somehow I know that isnt true.

Well see what happens.

On top of that I saw a little pick up full of stuff flip over on the freeway, ASU's 8.4 Million dollar bubble got wrecked in the storm last night, and nobody really wears clothing around here.

So anythoughts let me know text phone whatev.

Jeff with a Camo ATV Helmet

1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 "Eleanor"

I guess someone was playing fliptruck "not funny"

Geography

Accounting

Statistics

Hustlers grab your guns your shadow weighs a ton drivin down the 101

Sitting here in my hotel room at the Four Points Hotel with two jackets on and Fresh Prince on the television I find myself very happy.

This trip has been pretty crazy. Because of the Pump It Up Holding/ BounceU Holding Merger, I got to meet Gordon Keil, the CEO of Pump It Up Management. This guy was incredible! Super nice guy who has that New Joisey! accent. He is definately the first guy I've ever met who has an MBA from Harvard. Whats more amazing his he lives in New Jersey and he commutes to the PIU Headquarters here in Pleasanton, California. He has four kids, all which went to Ivy League schools. I also got to meet Rick Basch, the Vice President of Franchise Operations for PIU. Turns out Rick lives in Scottsdale and he commutes to Pleasanton uurday. I think its just crazy that people can live and work on opposite ends of the country. The meeting itself was set to ease the minds of all the franchise owners because of the recent merger. It was really wierd to sit in that room with alot of franchise owners from different backgrounds. Im pretty excited to see where it will go and what the future will hold. At one point all of the the franchise owners including a LA County Deputy Sheriff and an investment banker got up and played human pong on a giant touch sensitive floor.

Other than business I visited some pretty damn cool spots including:

The Blue Agave Club

Tully's

Overall California has such a different community and culture. It might be something in the air? I love it.

California Day 1: Aeropuerto

Pajamas in the Airport.
A simple solution to a complex issue. Pass through security with ease. Such a long arduous procedure to board a plane. Check bags. present ID. Go to security checkpoint. Present ID. Remove shoes. Remove Laptop. Remove metallic objects. Remove any articles of jewelery. Go through metal detector. Present ID. Stand in that awkward group directly after the security checkpoint, trying to get their shoes on and fumble with belt buckles and wallets and laptops and approved electronics.

Despite all that. I love that there are several birds flying in here at the terminal gate. Flying from oddly shaped civil engineered 30 foot arches and steel triangular rafters. I wonder if people visiting Arizona for the first time come through the terminal thinking "wow Arizona is really....tan"




More posts to come. Next stop Pleasanton Califonia

The Brickhouse

Tonight I went to go see a band called Crash Collision at the brickhouse in pheonix. They were pretty cool and the brickhouse seemed like a pretty chill spot. The Brickhouse is a small restaurant and venue that is made entirely of brick. (thus the name "the brickhouse") I actually had a pretty hard time finding the place but fortunately my Scion's GPS found it for me. I friken love that thing. There seemed to be some technical difficulties but all the bands played some rad music. The some of the bands included: Crash Collision, A February State, The Loved Ones, and Our Cursive Memory who dedicated a Michelle Branch cover song to me (the guy in the hat). Since it was a tiny place and apparently Anyha knew the band so I got to meet all of them. Two Chris's and a Vincent we ended up hanging out with afterwards, were pretty laid back. I also got to meet Anyha's best girlfriends, Jo and Mikella who were very nice. We all hung out at chris's till about 1 in the morn. and me being the party pooper decided to call it a night. Good times

I love this freakin thing (Pioneer AVIC-D3)

Inside the Brickhouse

Crash Collision: Vincent, Chris, Chris

Me and Anyeeze (Not one of my best days)

I hate sunburns

I went to the river for the first time and I hate it. There was a dead fish in the water and for 4 and a half hours I floated down in lovely searing heat. But I had a wonderful time. Just floatin down the river with my sunflower seeds and my trusty camo camelpack. After wards very tired and very sore. I had a barbeque at mi casa. wonderful time wonderful people.

And in case you haven't seen hellboy 2 now in theaters. Heres a sneak peak.

Click here