This has been in my mind ever since I found out about what Pat Robertson said. If you haven't yet found out, Pat Robertson said that the earthquake that happened in Haiti can be attributed to its people having made a deal with the devil. Regardless of whether you're a christian or not, this is bound to sound some alarms in your head. I'm only echoing what others have said when I say that what he said is at the very least judgmental and at worst, well, anti-christian. Not even the best of us has an iota of the authority it takes to begin to imagine putting words in God's mouth or saying He did this or that for this or that reason.
Now, while it's true that Haiti is pretty much the Voodoo capital of the world, that doesn't mean everybody and their mom in Haiti practices it, and even if they did, that still doesn't mean they're better or worse people than the rest of us. Fundamentally, none of us are perfect which means if you gotta be perfect to be good, we've all failed the test. So his "justification" of the earthquake would also justify a meteor falling square in the face of the USA because there's people that have made deals with the devil. The point is, every country has both people that do good and people that do evil but beyond that, we're all the same needy people deep inside. Instead of pondering why God allowed such a terrible thing to happen in Haiti, we should think about what we can do to help them. At this point we can't do anything for the ones that died but there's still many more in the country who've lost more in a day than some of us have lost in our whole lives up to this point.
Here's an easy way, straight from red cross:
Donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 on their cell phone to send a $10 donation to support Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. The mobile giving effort raised more than $3 million by Thursday morning, and all money raised goes to support Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti."
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Venting
While the logical thing to do would be to make the last post of the year one that is hopeful and bright. I am going to be venting while on the verge of a pity party with just a dash of self-loathing. If that doesn't sound like what you want to read right now, and of course it isn't, here's a perfectly wonderful place you may go to instead: KIbK.
For the brave souls, or those who like rants, or those who like hearing about my unhappiness, congratulations on continuing to read. Here goes! If there is one thing I would rather be doing right now than blogging - well, if you've spoken to me in the past month, you'll surely know what it is - it's playing Final Fantasy XIII. "But Emilio, why aren't you?" you ask. Magnificent question, dear reader. The story is as follows: after ordering the game on November 19th, knowing full well, of course, that it would be coming out December 17th, I excitedly began my wait. At the time, I gave little to no thought to the fact that choosing Air Bubble shipping would cause this much pain. Waiting 5-10( or 14?) days really didn't seem so bad on November 19th. Peering at the calendar, if the game was shipped on the 17th, which, by the way, it was, (sorry for the comma storm) then going by the minimum of 5 days, it would only be the 22nd when the game would arrive. Even going by business days instead of actual days, that would've meant it arrive on the 24th. Now, I'm not dumb and I realize it's the holidays so of course it would take a while longer. Going by that, the 10th day would've been the 27th and still nothing. And in business days, today would've been the day. Again, my mailbox had such wonderful tidings as a letter that wasn't for me and the Sunnyvale newsletter, which I should probably care more for but am currently hopelessly unable to do. At this point, despite the fury that follows the initial disdain with which I have closed my mail box day after day, I am trying to keep a cool, level head. So I try to understand why it would be taking this long and one of the first things to pop into my head is that it may've been lost. Another is that perhaps they couldn't fit the package in my mailbox so they put in one of those salmon colored cards (is it beige or maybe off orange?). Well, although I often get 9 centillion (look it up, it's a real number) ads and coupons in my box, I always look through them scanning for the card that may have been. Oh, I forgot to mention that the packing method I chose, so as not to pay 17+ extra dollars, has no tracking. Anyway, no such card has shown up, or if it has shown up and I somehow missed it among the 9 centillion ads, it's not like I have a real way of checking if it truly came.
So here I am on the last day of 2009, writing an angry/sad blog about how frustrating it is that this game I have obsessed over this entire year, in addition to anticipating for 3 before it, has not yet come. From this point in the blog there are several directions in which I could go. I could write about a) how unsettling it is for me that I care so much about a video game; b) how a coworker has had the game since last Monday; c) how the last 3 days would've been the perfect day for the game to arrive; d) how I obviously have other things I could do to pass the time but really just want to play the darn game; e) how it appears everybody else around me already received their Christmas gifts except for me; f) how much I regret not getting 3 day shipping but how there's no way I could've really foreseen it taking this long even though it probably should've been obvious considering the holidays. Alas, I won't talk about any of those topics. Not that it matters what I talk about in any of the posts on my blog. I have 0 readers.
I think it's time for some comfort food.
For the brave souls, or those who like rants, or those who like hearing about my unhappiness, congratulations on continuing to read. Here goes! If there is one thing I would rather be doing right now than blogging - well, if you've spoken to me in the past month, you'll surely know what it is - it's playing Final Fantasy XIII. "But Emilio, why aren't you?" you ask. Magnificent question, dear reader. The story is as follows: after ordering the game on November 19th, knowing full well, of course, that it would be coming out December 17th, I excitedly began my wait. At the time, I gave little to no thought to the fact that choosing Air Bubble shipping would cause this much pain. Waiting 5-10( or 14?) days really didn't seem so bad on November 19th. Peering at the calendar, if the game was shipped on the 17th, which, by the way, it was, (sorry for the comma storm) then going by the minimum of 5 days, it would only be the 22nd when the game would arrive. Even going by business days instead of actual days, that would've meant it arrive on the 24th. Now, I'm not dumb and I realize it's the holidays so of course it would take a while longer. Going by that, the 10th day would've been the 27th and still nothing. And in business days, today would've been the day. Again, my mailbox had such wonderful tidings as a letter that wasn't for me and the Sunnyvale newsletter, which I should probably care more for but am currently hopelessly unable to do. At this point, despite the fury that follows the initial disdain with which I have closed my mail box day after day, I am trying to keep a cool, level head. So I try to understand why it would be taking this long and one of the first things to pop into my head is that it may've been lost. Another is that perhaps they couldn't fit the package in my mailbox so they put in one of those salmon colored cards (is it beige or maybe off orange?). Well, although I often get 9 centillion (look it up, it's a real number) ads and coupons in my box, I always look through them scanning for the card that may have been. Oh, I forgot to mention that the packing method I chose, so as not to pay 17+ extra dollars, has no tracking. Anyway, no such card has shown up, or if it has shown up and I somehow missed it among the 9 centillion ads, it's not like I have a real way of checking if it truly came.
So here I am on the last day of 2009, writing an angry/sad blog about how frustrating it is that this game I have obsessed over this entire year, in addition to anticipating for 3 before it, has not yet come. From this point in the blog there are several directions in which I could go. I could write about a) how unsettling it is for me that I care so much about a video game; b) how a coworker has had the game since last Monday; c) how the last 3 days would've been the perfect day for the game to arrive; d) how I obviously have other things I could do to pass the time but really just want to play the darn game; e) how it appears everybody else around me already received their Christmas gifts except for me; f) how much I regret not getting 3 day shipping but how there's no way I could've really foreseen it taking this long even though it probably should've been obvious considering the holidays. Alas, I won't talk about any of those topics. Not that it matters what I talk about in any of the posts on my blog. I have 0 readers.
I think it's time for some comfort food.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The meadow
The meadow's lark tries in secret
The meadow's lark flies in secret
The meadow's lark lies in secret
The meadow's lark cries in secret
The meadow's lark dies in secret
The meadow's lark flies in secret
The meadow's lark lies in secret
The meadow's lark cries in secret
The meadow's lark dies in secret
Thursday, December 10, 2009
verdant scene
a thrust through the thick bush
a garden replete with a lucious covering
a pierce and swing, unlocking the door
gateway of vine, gently, loudly, quietly yielding
stepping in green tinged light
carefully treading the lilies
lilies not for graves but offerings
wild sylvester sprinkled in the gaps
heaving, bleeding, the pause is untrusted
the chase has been ruthless
rustling leaves and cracking branches
trembling respite breaks again
new sweat drips down the brow
conscious stillness and tempered focus
the sounds flow in an outward march
the secret dome mutes the sigh
clear water mirrors a blinding sun
a safer rest sinks in with each drink
the sweat rolls down the chin and falls
a thundering echo booms through the wood
the heart flits in exasperation
the gaping hole, a fount of blood
air is for naught, light is for naught
every drop of life feeds the lilies
a garden replete with a lucious covering
a pierce and swing, unlocking the door
gateway of vine, gently, loudly, quietly yielding
stepping in green tinged light
carefully treading the lilies
lilies not for graves but offerings
wild sylvester sprinkled in the gaps
heaving, bleeding, the pause is untrusted
the chase has been ruthless
rustling leaves and cracking branches
trembling respite breaks again
new sweat drips down the brow
conscious stillness and tempered focus
the sounds flow in an outward march
the secret dome mutes the sigh
clear water mirrors a blinding sun
a safer rest sinks in with each drink
the sweat rolls down the chin and falls
a thundering echo booms through the wood
the heart flits in exasperation
the gaping hole, a fount of blood
air is for naught, light is for naught
every drop of life feeds the lilies
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
What's-her-face
I've reached a curious point in my knowledge of Japanese. I understand that learning a language is an ongoing process and I've a long road ahead of me even now. However, I've entered a stage that is somewhat unnerving, if not a little bit frustrating. I can best explain it, perhaps, through a metaphor. Whenever I see or hear Japanese now it's as though I'm seeing somebody I've seen a lot in my life for the past few years. This person is awfully familiar and I'm sure I know them. Her features aren't too clear but I can certainly notice some key aspects; the color of the person's eyes or skin tone. Yet within that perception, I'm entirely unable to remember her name. I have countless experiences with this person and I'm sure she's a big part of my life but I can't say I really truly know her. We're just acquaintances, as far as I could tell.
Socially speaking then, I've probably reached the point where it's awkward to ask that person's name because I really should remember it. Of course, that's not exactly the case with the language itself. Instead, I'm at a loss trying to figure out how to get over the hump, so to speak. The other day I was listening to some Japanese music (中島美嘉 if you're curious) and it just hit me that I was understanding most of the words but I just couldn't piece them together to form a thought and thus missed the whole meaning. That's where the above analogy came from. Now, that might just be an effect of it being a song and there not being natural inflections to the lyrics, not to mention they are lyrics so there's a chance they make limited sense on their own. However, the same things seems to happen more or less to the same degree whenever I hear dialogue in a japanese video game, for instance.
Maybe what I need is just to spend more time listening to things in Japanese. At least until it reeeally starts to sink in. Maybe that'll just keep me at this level forever! I should just try to find somebody to speak and practice with. I have the sneaking suspicion that might just be what I need to get through this point. Now to actually finding this kind of person... and then hopefully remembering their name!
Socially speaking then, I've probably reached the point where it's awkward to ask that person's name because I really should remember it. Of course, that's not exactly the case with the language itself. Instead, I'm at a loss trying to figure out how to get over the hump, so to speak. The other day I was listening to some Japanese music (中島美嘉 if you're curious) and it just hit me that I was understanding most of the words but I just couldn't piece them together to form a thought and thus missed the whole meaning. That's where the above analogy came from. Now, that might just be an effect of it being a song and there not being natural inflections to the lyrics, not to mention they are lyrics so there's a chance they make limited sense on their own. However, the same things seems to happen more or less to the same degree whenever I hear dialogue in a japanese video game, for instance.
Maybe what I need is just to spend more time listening to things in Japanese. At least until it reeeally starts to sink in. Maybe that'll just keep me at this level forever! I should just try to find somebody to speak and practice with. I have the sneaking suspicion that might just be what I need to get through this point. Now to actually finding this kind of person... and then hopefully remembering their name!
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Death of TaT
I've recently gotten to thinking I ought to write about topics other than myself in this blog. However, despite that initial statement, this post is about me. Particularly it is about my nickname: TaT. I suppose it's only fair I explain the origin of TaT for what to me appears the millionth time. Of course, as this is not casual conversation I can actually take my time and give a fuller, more detailed account.
What normally occurs when people ask me about the peculiar name I give is as follows. There's a chance people will begin by asking if it's because I have tattoos. Upon learning that I don't, I generally begin by explaining that TaT is a shortened version of Tatito, "which is my nickname back home." People then invariably ask me what Tatito means, or where that came from. To this I reply explaining that Tatito is the minuscule of Tato, which is, apparently, the nickname naturally given to Emilio's the way Roberts become Bobs and Richards become Dicks, though there may be other reasons certain Richards become dicks :P. The whole Emilio -> Tato thing I only came to know fairly recently. I back that up by relating that my father's name is Emilio and as it's the same as mine, we are both Tato but I am little Tato, thus Tatito.
The next logical link in the chain is how Tatito became TaT. Simply put, I dropped the -ito, and while normally that would revert it to Tato, I liked the ring - and particularly the symmetry, or perhaps balance - of TaT. Now for shortness' sake I often leave it there and people are commonly content with that explanation, as it is already rather lengthy. However, there is more to the story. You see, this change isn't recent. I've been using the TaT moniker since high school. Initially it was the most recent of a string of screen names I used in the MSN Messenger instant messaging client. Previous examples include, much to my dismay ( though I can chalk it off as junior high awkwardness), DragonScythe (as the earliest I can remember and which inspired a short-lived and never finished fantasy novel I had begun to write) and CookySpooky (as the weirdest I can remember), which incidentally has made a comeback as my user name for youtube.
For quite a while, TaT remained as nothing more than my MSN nickname since I didn't have many friends outside of school and I had been Emilio to the ones I had for far too long for them to call me anything else. It wasn't until I started going to youth group at a new church that I was able to give naming myself a go. This was the first time in my life I was introducing myself with no one to recant my claim, which, mind you, makes all the difference. And so, I called myself TaT and somehow it just stuck and people actually called me by it. A comical side effect of said quasi-truthful introduction was that it was several months before many people at that church came to know my real name. Needless to say, I was greatly amused. Ultimately I got so used to be called TaT by English speakers (the youth group was of an American-style church) that when I went to college in the US using TaT to introduce myself was nothing less than a no-brainer. And that's about as much as you could ever hope to know about "TaT".
So back to the point of the post. The other day I was driving and thinking to myself, as I often do when I drive, that the number of people who still call me TaT are people whom I am not in contact with on a very regular basis. In coming to the Bay Area to work at Tiny Prints, I have unconsciously - or so I tell myself - left TaT out of most of my introductions. It goes without saying that for the past month or so I've been meeting a great deal of people.
Probably the strangest part of it all is the fact that I think I might be ok with not being called TaT. It's partially linked to the fact that I've always kept TaT out of my professional life. As an aside, I'll add that "TaT Gandara" is one of my biggest pet peeves. TaT is strictly and exclusively a stand-alone title. Like I mentioned earlier, in school I was always Emilio and even in college, I was only TaT outside of the classroom. In fact, this came to cause some confusion when I shared friends whom I had met within and outside the classroom so that one knew me by TaT and the other by Emilio.
In any case, said confusions have never bothered me. Yet now as the numbers stagnate and even dwindle, I wonder if TaT is beginning to take part in my permanent history and strictly inhabiting my past. I've even gone as far as to wonder 'have I outgrown it?' but the very thought frightens me. I need no further reminder that I'm not getting any younger, even at such an early age. And then I ponder if I, in fact, wish to continue to be called TaT.
For better or worse, there have been recent developments leading to a prolongation of TaT's livelihood. At Eric's (my sempai* at work) church one of the members came to know of TaT during our conversation and in a move very much like how Osaka from Azumanga Daioh got her nick name,
announced to the congregation that I shall henceforth be known as TaT instead of Emilio. I could naught but acquiesce though I can't say I have any true complaints :). Meanwhile at the church in Redwood City, it's rather a mess with me sort of going back and forth adding the TaT part of my introduction only half the time. I suppose I should just pick one, but I am inclined to use Emilio as there isn't that much youth in that congregation. ...Perhaps, seeing as how my litmus test has become there "being much youth", I really might be outgrowing TaT.
So for now, at least, TaT still is alive and kicking. I do believe, however, that so long as I keep in touch with my Rochester, Cleveland or Rocklin friends (and particularly my family, as my nephews are growing up getting to know me as TioTaT), I shall be TaT. Or Tatticus, TaT the rat, Tatterclese, Rattatat-tat...
*sempai (先輩）is Japanese for superior/senior often used in school or work settings.
What normally occurs when people ask me about the peculiar name I give is as follows. There's a chance people will begin by asking if it's because I have tattoos. Upon learning that I don't, I generally begin by explaining that TaT is a shortened version of Tatito, "which is my nickname back home." People then invariably ask me what Tatito means, or where that came from. To this I reply explaining that Tatito is the minuscule of Tato, which is, apparently, the nickname naturally given to Emilio's the way Roberts become Bobs and Richards become Dicks, though there may be other reasons certain Richards become dicks :P. The whole Emilio -> Tato thing I only came to know fairly recently. I back that up by relating that my father's name is Emilio and as it's the same as mine, we are both Tato but I am little Tato, thus Tatito.
The next logical link in the chain is how Tatito became TaT. Simply put, I dropped the -ito, and while normally that would revert it to Tato, I liked the ring - and particularly the symmetry, or perhaps balance - of TaT. Now for shortness' sake I often leave it there and people are commonly content with that explanation, as it is already rather lengthy. However, there is more to the story. You see, this change isn't recent. I've been using the TaT moniker since high school. Initially it was the most recent of a string of screen names I used in the MSN Messenger instant messaging client. Previous examples include, much to my dismay ( though I can chalk it off as junior high awkwardness), DragonScythe (as the earliest I can remember and which inspired a short-lived and never finished fantasy novel I had begun to write) and CookySpooky (as the weirdest I can remember), which incidentally has made a comeback as my user name for youtube.
For quite a while, TaT remained as nothing more than my MSN nickname since I didn't have many friends outside of school and I had been Emilio to the ones I had for far too long for them to call me anything else. It wasn't until I started going to youth group at a new church that I was able to give naming myself a go. This was the first time in my life I was introducing myself with no one to recant my claim, which, mind you, makes all the difference. And so, I called myself TaT and somehow it just stuck and people actually called me by it. A comical side effect of said quasi-truthful introduction was that it was several months before many people at that church came to know my real name. Needless to say, I was greatly amused. Ultimately I got so used to be called TaT by English speakers (the youth group was of an American-style church) that when I went to college in the US using TaT to introduce myself was nothing less than a no-brainer. And that's about as much as you could ever hope to know about "TaT".
So back to the point of the post. The other day I was driving and thinking to myself, as I often do when I drive, that the number of people who still call me TaT are people whom I am not in contact with on a very regular basis. In coming to the Bay Area to work at Tiny Prints, I have unconsciously - or so I tell myself - left TaT out of most of my introductions. It goes without saying that for the past month or so I've been meeting a great deal of people.
Probably the strangest part of it all is the fact that I think I might be ok with not being called TaT. It's partially linked to the fact that I've always kept TaT out of my professional life. As an aside, I'll add that "TaT Gandara" is one of my biggest pet peeves. TaT is strictly and exclusively a stand-alone title. Like I mentioned earlier, in school I was always Emilio and even in college, I was only TaT outside of the classroom. In fact, this came to cause some confusion when I shared friends whom I had met within and outside the classroom so that one knew me by TaT and the other by Emilio.
In any case, said confusions have never bothered me. Yet now as the numbers stagnate and even dwindle, I wonder if TaT is beginning to take part in my permanent history and strictly inhabiting my past. I've even gone as far as to wonder 'have I outgrown it?' but the very thought frightens me. I need no further reminder that I'm not getting any younger, even at such an early age. And then I ponder if I, in fact, wish to continue to be called TaT.
For better or worse, there have been recent developments leading to a prolongation of TaT's livelihood. At Eric's (my sempai* at work) church one of the members came to know of TaT during our conversation and in a move very much like how Osaka from Azumanga Daioh got her nick name,
announced to the congregation that I shall henceforth be known as TaT instead of Emilio. I could naught but acquiesce though I can't say I have any true complaints :). Meanwhile at the church in Redwood City, it's rather a mess with me sort of going back and forth adding the TaT part of my introduction only half the time. I suppose I should just pick one, but I am inclined to use Emilio as there isn't that much youth in that congregation. ...Perhaps, seeing as how my litmus test has become there "being much youth", I really might be outgrowing TaT.
So for now, at least, TaT still is alive and kicking. I do believe, however, that so long as I keep in touch with my Rochester, Cleveland or Rocklin friends (and particularly my family, as my nephews are growing up getting to know me as TioTaT), I shall be TaT. Or Tatticus, TaT the rat, Tatterclese, Rattatat-tat...
*sempai (先輩）is Japanese for superior/senior often used in school or work settings.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Gar
At the risk of getting sucked into it and not going to sleep until much later, I feel a sudden urge to write... which I will not listen to! Honestly there is a lot to say but at the same time that feeling is overwhelming me and it'd take way too long to write out everything I want to. So, this quick note is for the sake of populating my blog even a tiny bit. And, while not an apology, perhaps this intent will eventually turn into a huge long post in the future with everything that's been this past month. Then again, maybe not.
I'll stop now before I keep going!!!
I'll stop now before I keep going!!!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I'm back!
Gah! After calling last wednesday - although really I should've called the previous Saturday - and setting up the earliest appointment they could arrange for me, which happened to be the following Monday(!!!), I now have internet at home. It took me all of Monday night just to catch up with everything but now I'm able to relax and had a good hour long kanji practice. It took that long because I settled a little issue I had with Bank of America, or rather logging into my online banking with them.
That's pretty much all I really wanted to say so I'll just stop it here but leave you all with a most amusing link:
Body Paint*
*Don't worry, no nudity ;)
That's pretty much all I really wanted to say so I'll just stop it here but leave you all with a most amusing link:
Body Paint*
*Don't worry, no nudity ;)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Interval
This morning I officially had my application for the apartment denied. This afternoon I officially signed the lease and paid for and got the keys for the apartment. It's been a long day. Now let me go over the journey between the A and B I just disclosed.
It's important to note that the apartment in question is actually different for each statement. The apartment I checked out last Tuesday is the one that I got denied, the one in Palo Alto. The second one is the one in Sunnyvale. After last Tuesday I left the leasing office with high hopes for the apartment I'd seen and had done the application for. It would only be like 2 days before they approved the application and sent me the lease to sign and then I'd be moving in today. On Thursday, however, I call up and they tell me the application was denied. I'm really surprised but apparently it's because I subleased at Park Point and so they didn't have some sort of record of me living there. I told them about my subleasing there and gave them my Crittenden Court address and they said they'd check again and it probably wouldn't be a problem. They told me to call back the next day and so I did.
Ring.... Ring... Ring... And it goes to the answering machine! I tried a few times and eventually left a message to give it some time. Later that day I still hadn't heard back so I figured I'd try again on Saturday. I ended up not calling on Saturday since it was a pretty busy day (see previous post) and a lot of it I spent on the road so I didn't want to use the phone. I tried calling again on Sunday and still couldn't get through so I left another message. I believe it was on monday that they told me their phone system was down all weekend. Figures! Finally, it wasn't until this morning that I got an e-mail back saying my application was denied and that I would be called by a guy to be told why. At this point I wasn't sure what to do but I figured I had to try to find a new apartment somehow. I couldn't bear to try to once more push back my starting date at Tiny Prints so I could only try as hard as I could to find a new place quickly. Coppelia said I should try to appeal the denial somehow when I get a call from the guy. I didn't want to bank on that though and so I got on Rent.com and sent out a bunch of requests. Well I got an e-mail from one of the places before the call came and I called them and set up an appointment for today. Rent.com didn't have pictures of the apartments themselves or even floor plans so I figured I had to go check it out. I eventually got the call from the guy and turns out they hadn't done the second check with the new information yet. The guy said he'd try it out and call me back in a half hour. A half hour passed and he hadn't called yet so I decided to just head down to Sunnyvale and check out the apartment I made an appointment for.
Suffice to say, the call from the guy never came. On the way to Sunnyvale another of the apartments called but I couldn't even see those because they were 'affordable housing', which you don't qualify to live in if your AGI (adjusted gross income), if I'm not mistaken, is higher than a certain number; and mine was. In either case, I got to the apartments with no problem and proceeded to check it out. It was bigger than the one I'd seen with pretty much the same amenities. Only 20 bucks more per month but for almost 200 sq. ft. of extra space!
The landlady was going crazy trying to be at 10 places at once on top of trying to deal with me. There was a bit of hubbub going around in the place because they were installing new toilets on the entire complex. After the little tour, I decide to seize the opportunity and seal the deal. The landlady and I went to the office to go through the application and do all the paper work. After we had it all done she gives me the total I have to pay to finalize the process. I was ready to pay up with a personal check but apparently they don't take them so I have to go to a bank and get a cashier's check or money order. She says that's fine and tells me how to get to a Bank of America.
I get to the bank and realize I don't have enough money in my BoA account to get the money order. I try to take what I need from the Key bank account but it won't let me take out all I need at once and that any more exceeds the maximum I can take out in one day. After trying several things and nothing working out I eventually give up and call the landlady again to tell her I guess I'll just have to come back some other time and pay up and sign the lease. Note this would have to be a day separate from the move in day and I was very unhappy with having to do that. Surprisingly she says the application already got through and the lease is ready for me to sign it. Furthermore, upon hearing that I can't come up with the full deposit she shows an unnatural amount of generosity dropping the deposit's amount to half of what it originally was and saying that would be fine. God's favor for sure! So I happily go back into the bank (for the 3rd time) and get the cashier's check and head back to the apartments. I signed the lease and gave her the deposit and she gave me the keys. Just like that! I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't have to come back for anything before moving. Next time I go back to Sunnyvale to that apartment it'll be with all my stuff :D.
So in less than 24 hours I went from having no apartment and no leads to signing the lease on a completely new apartment and being completely set to move in! And not only that, it's bigger and closer than the one I'd look at previously. Now I'm really excited to move and start my new job. That'll be a whole 'nother adventure to look forward to, I guess.
It's important to note that the apartment in question is actually different for each statement. The apartment I checked out last Tuesday is the one that I got denied, the one in Palo Alto. The second one is the one in Sunnyvale. After last Tuesday I left the leasing office with high hopes for the apartment I'd seen and had done the application for. It would only be like 2 days before they approved the application and sent me the lease to sign and then I'd be moving in today. On Thursday, however, I call up and they tell me the application was denied. I'm really surprised but apparently it's because I subleased at Park Point and so they didn't have some sort of record of me living there. I told them about my subleasing there and gave them my Crittenden Court address and they said they'd check again and it probably wouldn't be a problem. They told me to call back the next day and so I did.
Ring.... Ring... Ring... And it goes to the answering machine! I tried a few times and eventually left a message to give it some time. Later that day I still hadn't heard back so I figured I'd try again on Saturday. I ended up not calling on Saturday since it was a pretty busy day (see previous post) and a lot of it I spent on the road so I didn't want to use the phone. I tried calling again on Sunday and still couldn't get through so I left another message. I believe it was on monday that they told me their phone system was down all weekend. Figures! Finally, it wasn't until this morning that I got an e-mail back saying my application was denied and that I would be called by a guy to be told why. At this point I wasn't sure what to do but I figured I had to try to find a new apartment somehow. I couldn't bear to try to once more push back my starting date at Tiny Prints so I could only try as hard as I could to find a new place quickly. Coppelia said I should try to appeal the denial somehow when I get a call from the guy. I didn't want to bank on that though and so I got on Rent.com and sent out a bunch of requests. Well I got an e-mail from one of the places before the call came and I called them and set up an appointment for today. Rent.com didn't have pictures of the apartments themselves or even floor plans so I figured I had to go check it out. I eventually got the call from the guy and turns out they hadn't done the second check with the new information yet. The guy said he'd try it out and call me back in a half hour. A half hour passed and he hadn't called yet so I decided to just head down to Sunnyvale and check out the apartment I made an appointment for.
Suffice to say, the call from the guy never came. On the way to Sunnyvale another of the apartments called but I couldn't even see those because they were 'affordable housing', which you don't qualify to live in if your AGI (adjusted gross income), if I'm not mistaken, is higher than a certain number; and mine was. In either case, I got to the apartments with no problem and proceeded to check it out. It was bigger than the one I'd seen with pretty much the same amenities. Only 20 bucks more per month but for almost 200 sq. ft. of extra space!
The landlady was going crazy trying to be at 10 places at once on top of trying to deal with me. There was a bit of hubbub going around in the place because they were installing new toilets on the entire complex. After the little tour, I decide to seize the opportunity and seal the deal. The landlady and I went to the office to go through the application and do all the paper work. After we had it all done she gives me the total I have to pay to finalize the process. I was ready to pay up with a personal check but apparently they don't take them so I have to go to a bank and get a cashier's check or money order. She says that's fine and tells me how to get to a Bank of America.
I get to the bank and realize I don't have enough money in my BoA account to get the money order. I try to take what I need from the Key bank account but it won't let me take out all I need at once and that any more exceeds the maximum I can take out in one day. After trying several things and nothing working out I eventually give up and call the landlady again to tell her I guess I'll just have to come back some other time and pay up and sign the lease. Note this would have to be a day separate from the move in day and I was very unhappy with having to do that. Surprisingly she says the application already got through and the lease is ready for me to sign it. Furthermore, upon hearing that I can't come up with the full deposit she shows an unnatural amount of generosity dropping the deposit's amount to half of what it originally was and saying that would be fine. God's favor for sure! So I happily go back into the bank (for the 3rd time) and get the cashier's check and head back to the apartments. I signed the lease and gave her the deposit and she gave me the keys. Just like that! I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't have to come back for anything before moving. Next time I go back to Sunnyvale to that apartment it'll be with all my stuff :D.
So in less than 24 hours I went from having no apartment and no leads to signing the lease on a completely new apartment and being completely set to move in! And not only that, it's bigger and closer than the one I'd look at previously. Now I'm really excited to move and start my new job. That'll be a whole 'nother adventure to look forward to, I guess.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wicked
Coppe, Adam and I went to see the play Wicked yesterday and let me just say, I was blown away. The music was excellent, the scenography was unbelievable and the acting and singing was top-notch. Now, I don't really go to musicals a lot so I'm not a good judge/critic but I was really impressed and just instantly loved it. I now want the soundtrack and I'm longing for there to be a movie made of it, which, by the way, I checked and there does seem to be a movie in development so... yay!
For the record, I've never seen Wizard of Oz but I know the general story so I hope I didn't miss much from the musical because of it but even if I did, I loved it. Even halfway through it as it went into the intermission, I felt as though the $40 tickets were already worth it. I could've left happy at that point and there was still over an hour of play left! Thinking about it, the only drawback about the movie is that it's going to have to be shorter and I'm already dreading what they'll cut out of it.
After the play, we left San Fran and were gonna go have dinner and get some chairs at IKEA so we decided to go to the one near San Fran. Well it turns out it was my first time at IKEA and I thought it was great. Everything is surprisingly cheap, and also, one thing that amused me was that all of the designs had names. Even a plates and cups each had their own design and name. That and just about everything was pretty cheap. So now I'm pretty psyched that there's an IKEA across the street from where I'll be living, if I do, in fact, end up living there.
And so, here's a video of a performance from the Tony awards of a song in Wicked.
For the record, I've never seen Wizard of Oz but I know the general story so I hope I didn't miss much from the musical because of it but even if I did, I loved it. Even halfway through it as it went into the intermission, I felt as though the $40 tickets were already worth it. I could've left happy at that point and there was still over an hour of play left! Thinking about it, the only drawback about the movie is that it's going to have to be shorter and I'm already dreading what they'll cut out of it.
After the play, we left San Fran and were gonna go have dinner and get some chairs at IKEA so we decided to go to the one near San Fran. Well it turns out it was my first time at IKEA and I thought it was great. Everything is surprisingly cheap, and also, one thing that amused me was that all of the designs had names. Even a plates and cups each had their own design and name. That and just about everything was pretty cheap. So now I'm pretty psyched that there's an IKEA across the street from where I'll be living, if I do, in fact, end up living there.
And so, here's a video of a performance from the Tony awards of a song in Wicked.
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