Taco Night

The last time we had taco night, we announced Mary's pregnancy with my lovely poem. So it's only fitting that we have tacos again with Charlie's first visit to our house. Karen's family was also in town as they visit every Spring break. Below are a few pics.

Karen's the one in green making sure there's no onions in the meat.

Libby says, "Look, you can almost see my eyes!"

Someday Dustin will look back at this picture and brag about having 4 girls in his room.

Ted is on Charlie-duty because mom is busy beating up on the guys.

Two of these guys ended the night as big losers (is it any surprise which two it is?).
Side note: Tried as I might, Jimmy wasn't available to come over...

Free Honda 40-point inspection

Looking at my subscriber list, at least half of you own a Honda. The rest of you own a Toyota (or both). We own neither.

Honda Car Care Days, April 1 - April 30, 2008.
Since April is National Car Care Month, you might check your tires, oil and coolant level. But how do you examine tie rod ends or a CV-joint boot? Haven’t a clue? Don’t worry. It’s not a mystery for the shrewd investigators at your Honda dealer when they give you a free, 40-point inspection. After a professional examination of your engine, brakes, drivetrain, suspension and steering components, you’ll get the whole story with a detailed report of your Honda’s condition.

Link

More Free Redbox Rental Codes

Here's the lazy man's way of blogging: post someone else's blog. Steal their picture too!

Links:
Article
Inside Redbox
Inside Redbox Codes
Today's Monday-Only Promo Code: JM17RS

Thanks to Redbox and my loving courier (wife), I was able to enjoy a few videos while I was sick last week. She picks up at Longs and returns at Lucky or vice versa. It's quite painless (for me) and she gets her grocery shopping done too!

Since Redbox is still new, they are doing some heavy promoting. So take advantage of these free codes now, because sooner or later, the codes will be fewer and farther in between.

Back from the Dead

It's been a long, hungry four days. But today I made it back to work. I haven't been this sick since 2005 when I inherited hand-foot-mouth disease from Dustin. That was much worst. If you've never heard of hand-foot-mouth, consider yourself blessed. I'm guessing in 2011, like clockwork, I'll get some new virus from Justine, and then the circle will be complete.

When you sit on the can as much as I did, you have lots of time to think (and pray). Although when you're kneeling in front of it, you're likely only to be praying. And boy was I praying hard! It was a battle zone in that bathroom!

After the violence had subsided, I was back in bed alone with my thoughts. I remembered a recent sermon about how I should thank the Lord in all situations, even when I'm suffering. Normally during chronic ordeals, I would question, "Why me? Why me? What have I done to deserve this?" ...and this time was no different. But in addition to that prayer, I was also thankful for my misery. I was thankful that it was me being tortured instead of Colby. I was thankful it wasn't any worst or that it wasn't compounded by another crisis. I was thankful that after I puked, there actually was some relief. I could go on and on... Honestly, it was a hard prayer and I tried to be sincere. I kept analyzing: hey, I have 3 kids... life is supposed to be painful! Be a man! Heck, it's been 3 years between these afflictions. I've gotten off easy... But joking aside, through the prayer I knew God had a plan for me. That this was part of His perfect will. I've been going through cruise control for much too long. And I needed to be reminded to depend on Him daily.

Despite the discomfort, those four days were quite productive. I did many of the things I've been procrastinating on: I prepared our taxes, helped Dustin on a project, organized our bills, organized my mom's bills, finished a freelance job, did some light yard work, cleaned up my desk, and caught up on 9 videos I've been wanting to watch!

At work they didn't miss me one bit. Both my bosses are on vacation so no one cares. Best of all, I had a couple of jobs that I hated, but in my absence, they were reassigned to someone else! Today everyone's avoiding me because I look like death. I tell them to stay away (with my creepy, raspy voice) and they run. Ahh, the peace and quiet. More time to relax, slow down, and blog... a great start to a 3-day weekend. What? You mean you don't get Caesar Chavez Day off? Bummer dude!

In hindsight, I'd say it's been a great week! Yep, God is looking out for me! And for that, I am very thankful.

Sick like a dog

Friday:
Colby comes home from an Easter party with stomach flu. He's gotten this quite a few times recently, and always at the most inopportune time, meaning he misses out on parties. On Friday night we had dinner at the Chan's with Karen's family. Colby had to stay home with grandma.

Saturday:
Colby misses his friend's birthday party at Superfranks. Later that evening we hosted a dinner party for 4 families. Colby was unable to have a good time.

Sunday:
Colby misses church. We host dinner for my family. Colby seems to get better. After dinner, I'm starting to feel uneasy. Later that evening, after 6 trips to the bathroom, I realize that I have the stomach flu now.

Monday:
Home in bed with a fever. Not as many trips the bathroom but constantly feel like puking. Colby stays home from school. Chrissy stays home too to care for the family. Fortunately we were able to send Dustin out with a friend for a day trip.

Tuesday:
Plan to stay home again. Colby will be back at school. Although Dustin will be home and we're babysitting a niece too. Hopefully they'll play quietly and I can catch up on some videos.

Misc:
On Saturday, my subscribers got an email for an old post of mine from January. I don't know why it got sent. Must be a glitch from Feedburner. Shows how easily we depend on technology to help you. But when it gets screwed up, it makes you look bad just as easily. Sorry.

Also for my previous post with the marshmallow bunnies (you can see the pic here). No, we did not do it. I found the picture on the internet and thought it was funny. Anyway, the post has been deleted because one of my readers found it to be PG-13. For anyone that knows me, you know I'm all about integrity, sophistication, and good taste. So after much thought, I decided the photo did not live up to the moral fiber of this blog, and had to go.

Anyway, gotta go. I feel like I'm gonna blow soon and I got to refill the tp.

He Is Legend

On Saturday we attended a red egg party at the China Wall Buffet restaurant in Dublin for Chrissy's cousin. She told me to bring my camera and good thing I listened. Little did I know we would encounter one of the all-time greatest legends of CIBC!

I was getting my food and this woman starts yelling my name. I'm thinking to myself, "who is this crazy woman?" I notice she's sitting next to Marj/Hanford so I figure she can't be too dangerous. I cautiously approach her and ask, "Do I know you?" She says, "I'm Wendy, you know, Randall's wife..." It took a second to register and then, Oh Yeah!! I told her I didn't recognize her with her new glasses. But she immediately recognized me even without my glasses and holding a little girl and with a new haircut. So my attempts at obscurity is failing on all fronts.

We're chatting away and Randall shows up a few moments later. He still looks the same wearing his signature button down shirt, and the appearance of being both happy and exhausted at the same time. He also wears braces now. First thing he tells me is that he visited my website! Then of course we try to catch up on everything else. We were trying figure out when was the last time we saw each other. I did some research and it was the fall of 2002 when I was working on the CIBC video (Randall has a huge collection of photos). They now have two sons, Kendall (7) and Mitchell (5). Wendy says that they're all done, but that's what everyone says right before having their third. Am I right?

They're living back in Randall's original house on Foster. Wendy says it's been remodeled and redecorated and is real nice (Interpretation: Come check out my new floors and stay for dinner!). Randall now works in Alameda doing tech support. Thanks to Vista, he should be gainfully employed for a long long time :)

The red egg party was for Chrissy's cousin, Alvin and Denise. Alvin told me his coworker, XCI Thomas Lam, introduced him to my blog! Wow, another reader! They just had their third child, Ryan. Hmm, I wonder if they're done... They, along with Marj and Dr. Daniel, all attend the same church on Bay Farm Island (forgot the name).

Oh yeah, the food at China Wall was very good also. This is the first buffet restaurant where I mostly ate the stir fry stuff. Everything was fresh, flavorful and the sushi was good too (warning: I have low standards). I don't remember seeing any Jell-O but we did load up on the fresh mango. I would definitely return.

Yeah baby, I be stylin'

Remember that hat I ordered last month? Well here it is in real life. Unfortunately my model's head is still a bit small for it. But believe me, she's real happy to be representin' her old man's schtick. You can just sense the excitement in her eyes...

For some reason I thought the logo would be stitched but instead it is silk screened. I guess you can't expect much for under $5. Also it arrived in 10 days instead of the 21 posted on their site. So pretty fast and pretty cheap.

The free hat offer is over, but Vista Print still has other free items like business cards, rubber stamps and pens (shipping charges apply). Cheap and easy way to go if you're starting your own business. They have some cool templates where you just enter your info and you're done. So if you're planning to ask me to design a logo/stationery for your new business... Don't. Because this is exactly where I'll send you :)

Get them while they last!

These were hot sellers during the holidays, on sale for $30. Normally just one of these guns (minus vest, glasses) would cost $15 plus tax. Now get it all for $19.99 at KB toys with NO tax and FREE shipping. Our boys love playing with these, especially when friends come over. Comes with everything you see (40 darts). At this price it may sell out fast, so get yours now. Fun for both boys and girls alike. You can even shoot your dogs! (jk, Stu)

Nerf Dart Tag Mag Strike

Free Video Rentals

Just found this deal through Mr. Cheap Stuff. You can find these redbox rental kiosks at most Lucky and Longs Drug stores (check their website for locations near you). Normal price is $1 a day. Much cheaper/convenient than Blockbuster and they carry all the recent releases, but no old movies.

By giving them your e-mail address, they in turn e-mail you a coupon code that you simply type into the machine upon rental check out. I’ve done it and your DVD rental is free!

Also, if you sign up for free SMS via your cellphone, you'll get a free rental every Monday this month. I signed up Chrissy's cellphone (heehee) since she's the one that does all the shopping. I'm just hoping she don't come home with no chick flick.

Best thing about redbox is that you can check the availability of each kiosk online. This will save you time so you don't hold up the line when you're there. Give it a try, we will. You just need to return the movie by 9:00 p.m. (thanks, Wayland) the next day or it's another $1.

So after you drop off the kids at school, give your usual soaps a day off and treat yourself to a free recently-released DVD instead. While watching, feel free to think of me and how I saved your boring mundane afternoon :) You're welcome.

The price of gas

As you're all painfully aware, the price of gas has been going up every single day for the last 4 weeks. I know because every Thursday I buy gas at this obscure Sunol Super Gas Station off the Andrade exit at the foot of the Sunol grade on 680. It was $3.07, then $3.24, then $3.35 and yesterday $3.45 for regular unleaded.

I noticed that they also sell racing fuel. Funny, I've never seen any Ferrari's or "race" cars pumping there... Price is $5.84 for 100 octane and $5.91 for 110. What's seven more cents? Might as well go for the best. I wonder what kind of performance boost this would give my minivan or my lawnmower? Yeah, so sad. Those years of living dangerously are long gone. Like many of you guys out there, I would have loved to load my rice-rocket with this back in the 80's.


I still remember in 1986 when Goff, Will, Jim, Pat and I raced through Redwood Road from Oakland to Castro Valley in our shiny new cars late Friday night. Redwood Road is a 10-mile winding single lane mountain road with zero street lights. You would think they filmed Halloween or Friday the 13th on that road. It's that creepy! With lots of tree cover, most of it is pitch black.

Friday nights we had SFC. So after an evening of worshiping the Lord, we decided to see how close we can actually get to meet the Almighty! We loaded our cars with thrill-seeking groupies and off to the races we went. I had a future pastor's wife in my car. Goff had TWO girls (what a greedy guy!), and I forgot who was in the other cars. We flew through the single-lane road at double the speed limit. Crossing over the yellow line to pass each other around blind curves... I was really testing the traction of my 13" rims!

Woohoo, what a ride!! Way better than Malibu Grand Prix! That is, until we hit a mud slick runoff from the side of the mountain. Two of us lost control and spun a couple hundred feet, leading to one of us smashing into the side of the hill. (Karen told me recently that she witnessed my car being on only two wheels – Cool!) I can happily say that my passenger was able to fulfill her destiny and is living a fruitful life today. Thanks to this near-death incident, she is living each day with purpose!

In the other car though, one of the passengers sustained a concussion that I believe she has still kept from her family. In the days following the accident she was at home puking. Her parents probably thought she had the stomach flu or some eating disorder... If they only knew... Anyway, I saw her during the holidays and I can't tell if there were any lingering effects. Since then she stopped hanging out with risky people (the driver did eventually become a pastor himself). She played it safe and married a dentist instead.

Those were the days! Living on the edge with someone else's life in your hands. Oh the thrill... the recklessness... the testosterone... In hindsight, maybe NOT having 110 octane fuel available was a good thing. I think that night, we already got all the performance we could handle. Hmm, now after reliving that night, I probably won't let my boys drive until they're 21.