New wheels?

So I've been mulling it over for some time & I've decided to get a new car in the next year. Not because I really want or need something new but, moreso, because of my plan to buy a house sometime in the next couple years (or when LA home prices start dropping) so my plan is to increase my credit rating & getting a car is the best way to do that I'm told.

While i won't have the scratch to get my dream car (though by 2007, Nissan should be making Skylines that are US-friendly w/its emissions so the prices won't be astronomical, like they are now), I'll be getting something a bit more sensible. I'm diggin' the new Mazda3 5-dr- it's sporty, has good torque (aka, huevos) & not high priced at around 15k. Besides, it's really a nice little utility vehicle for when I wanna go out w/friends, have my brother/sister w/me, etc. I also see potential w/after-market addons since it has some real nice lines that can be accentuated.

What do I plan to do w/my 2 current hoopties you ask? Well donate them of course! I figure the Accord to my 'lil bro (depending on his grades!) since he's a huge car fan & I've already dropped cash into tricking it out- which he likes (but it'll be real hard for me give up Betsy). The Mirage either to my baby sis (depending on her grades as well) or to moms (her commute is rough). I figure this solves everyone's problems & I won't be having to renew tags on cars I don't drive anymore. :)

RTD vs. hoopty (you decide)...

So I've realized something...I used to have WAY more game when I had a bus pass vs. now that I actually have a car. WTF is up w/that?!!! I figured it'd be the other way around! Don't get me wrong, not having to depend on the bus' schedule to dictate your life is a wonderful thang but I gotta wonder what's up w/the difference. I met SO many women while i was riding the Rough Tough & Dangerous & but it's not the same when you have a car. Maybe it's just the more social nature of being stuck on a bus for an hour w/total strangers that "forces" you to meet people- or at least break out the social skillz. Still though, I used to be in headphones reading a book most of the time but if someone piqued my curiosity, I'd put away the music & just read- somehow, you're a LOT more accessible if you can hear them asking you for the time, if you could pass the Metro section to 'em or how they'd just read that book too (all quite noble excuses for them trying to get a conversation going...i know, i've used 'em, hehe). I mean, the difference there is quite clear, the most you'll be doing while in your car is smiling at the fly honey w/no chance for conversation (& hoping she didn't catch you singing along to your favorite rock en espanol song).

But c'mon, I have a car!!! I can actually take 'em out on a date and not have to go "I'll meet you there" out of pure embarassment of having no wheels. Admittedly, the best thing about rollin' on the bus was that when you met someone you liked & then made plans for a date, the conversation inevitably veered towards the details (who's picking up who, what time, where you going, etc.). The most difficult part (harder than having the balls to talk to her, much less ask her out, or even to get her phone #) was having to be completely honest & tell her you didn't have a car. This had the potential of ending in one of 2 ways- the girl slowly realizing she didn't wanna go out on a date w/you 'cuz she was used to being picked up OR the girl being cool & going "oh, that's ok, we can meet somewhere or I can go pick you up (I was lucky enough not to have a girl blow me off for no wheels)." See this is the sweetest part, 'cuz if the girl is still interested after you just announced you don't have a car, then you KNOW she's not materialistic or worried about social norms, etc. And that, my friends, is a perfect example of what the term a diamond in the rough means.

Yea, I know...I need to do more research...

Billiards spot

So this Cue Ball place is quickly becoming our new "billiards spot." BigO & I went again there last night. I gotta admit, I'm digging that Oscar's calling *me* up & saying "let's hang out." This is definitely a marked difference from how it used to be. Who know's, maybe O's getting his swerve back but either way, it's good stuff hanging w/old friends who are good peeps.

This spot's pretty mellow & you see people of all types/ages (the only drawback is that the jukebox kinda sux, which can be huge). Allegedly, Willy's gonna be going out w/us next Friday night- I'll believe it when I see it. Willy's another friend from back in the day but he always seems hella busy these days. Then again, since Oscar's the one telling him to go out, maybe he will (more like, maybe he BETTER!). That's right Willy-Will, I'm calling you out, beyotch!

Marriage...

This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately (before my mom starts getting all excited, it's not about me). Why is it that marriage changes people so much? Is it that their priorities suddenly take a 90 degree turn? I mean, chances are they've been dating that person for a while so why would priorities/time spent/love change so much? Or is it that I change because my friend(s) is married now? Do I hold back from hanging out w/them as much 'cuz I don't want to "bother" them? Do I not wanna interfere w/their nirvana of love? All perplexing questions but I think the truth lies somewhere as a combination of all of those (for me). I mean, once you're married, it's not just about you any more. While it's obvious things change (you can't do the same things w/your married friends as when you were all single), you're still friends at the core.

One thing I will never understand is why all the wives are against their husbands going out w/me (or other friends who are single). Their answer is simple (I've heard the same thing from like 4 wives): "when married guys hang out w/single guys, they adopt the single guy mentality." I call bullshit on that one! What's a "single guy's mentality?" It's not like marriage puts up a magical barrier against that & from looking at the ever-increasing divorce rate, I'd say that happens just as much while married (both men & women do that). In my opinion, there's a couple reasons for this: (a) the lack of trust (or lack of self-confidence in one of the partners) & (b) not keeping the relationship fresh. I've been in a relationship where the girl was always trying to keep me in check & it was all due to lack of self-confidence. That was the most annoying relationship to be in, nothing like getting questioned for every little thing when you KNOW you'd done nothing wrong (since when is it a crime to have a brief conversation w/the lady @ the checkout stand at the market, i mean, come on!!). I guess keeping the relationship fresh is the trickiest thing to do. After a while, you know everything about the person (so that whole initial high of getting to know the person, staying up 'til 2am on the phone, etc. isn't necessary anymore) & all you seem to talk about is "how was your day." Add to that a few kids, money problems or hardships @ work & you've got a recipe for disaster (or at the very least, a whole lot of arguments & snapping going on). I honestly don't know how married couples get over that hurdle (maybe having kids keeps their focus on something else) but I've got an idea:

Dr. Miguelito suggests having a "date night" once a week. No kids, no family, no drama, just the couple. Go out on a date (like it used to be when you were courting each other)- movie, dinner, dancing, concert, poetry reading or just going for a drive up PCH around 10pm, windows rolled down, music 'bumpin....whatever tickles the couple's fancy.

Easy for me to say, I'm not married... =P

Gris(elda)

Hands-down my quirkiest friend is Griselda. I used to like calling her "Gris" (a shortened version of her name but it means "gray" in spanish) until she totally snapped on me one day. People need to chill the heck out, it's a name, not like I'm cussing her out or nothing (part of it is that she's never liked her name & always talks about changing it). Well, Gris is another friend I met on the bus- we both used to sit in the back & I always had some book I was reading & my headphones on but for some reason, she asked me something one day & the headphones never came on again. I say Gris is quirky, well, 'cuz she is. She's the only person I know who can out-yap me. When we met, we both lived in the same city (& like 5 blocks from each other)- just like Lolly- so we'd talk once in a while on the phone (we'd see each other on the bus like once a week) but never really hung out. Little by little, that changed, but mostly we'd just talk on the phone once in a blue moon (yes guys, having female friends to talk to & get advice from- & vice versa- is a GREAT thing!)

As a matter of fact, it's been like 7 yrs & we're still friends. She lives out in Hollyweird now & we still, occasionally, keep in touch. Gris is another (girl)friend whom I can talk to about anything. I'm starting to see a trend here...

Yvonne

Writing about Lolly reminded me about Yvonne, her sis. I've only met their other sisters briefly but they didn't seem to be as similar as Lolly & Yvonne- good, kind-hearted souls. In my opinion, it's such a blessing to know people that are like this 'cuz they're quite the rarity (especially here in the City of Angels). I'll provide a perfect example: a group of friends went out one nite and everyone got trashed (minus Yvonne who was the designated). Since I'd driven to Jesse & Yvonne's place out on the Westside, no way was I driving in that drunken state home. So Yvonne tells everyone to spend the night (a couch in the living room never felt so comfortable, lemme tell ya). I wake up around 9am to the smell of breakfast. Boy oh boy, Yvonne had gone ALL out- turkey albondigas (meatball soup), eggs (the way I like 'em too, just the egg whites), beans & flour tortillas. Talk about hospitality, but we weren't expecting all that. Yvonne didn't have to do that, she'd been up just as late as the rest of us, but she did- 'cuz good people do that kind of stuff for friends. I *think* Lolly might've helped but those 2 are always bickering about who cooks best. Typical sisters, I guess. ;)

I hadn't talked to Jesse & Yvonne in quite some time so I called 'em up yesterday. Jesse wasn't home (too bad too, wanted to say wassup to him) so I talked to Yvonne for a bit. We caught up & talked about all kinds of things. It's really odd, I have this weird connection w/Lolly & Yvonne- where we can just talk about anything at the drop of a dime- maybe we knew each other in a previous life or something. Either way, always good having good friends you can talk to & not feel bad or embarassed if things aren't going so well for you (friends that don't judge you). The good thing is that they know I'm there for them too, if they ever need it...rare, but good relationships to have. :)