Yesterday was the day of my ten year high school reunion! Wow, time sure is passing by fast! Unfortunately, I did not attend the festivities. The distance makes it a little tough and I’ve been travelling a lot recently, especially to the Seattle area. Next weekend is Reid’s bachelor party then three weeks later is his wedding.
Still though, this milestone is an opportunity to look back upon the past 10 years. I think I’ve accomplished a lot, learned a lot about myself, become closer with my family, and made some really great friends. Six of those ten years were fairly dedicated to getting my education, albiet with a lot of fun when I wasn’t working too hard. :) Going into college I didn’t have an exact plan, I just knew that I wanted to get the most out of my education ... somehow that led me to getting my Master’s degree in engieering. Luckily it’s a degree that is valuable and I’m still very pleased with; it’s opened one significant door for me and that is working for one of the most respected tech companies in the world, Intel. I’ve been at Intel four years now and things are well. I am passionate about technology and how it can change our lives, especially mobile technology and how it connects people and brings efficiencies to the world. It’s just amazing how life goes by. I’m extremely grateful that my parents taught me the value of getting an education and also sacraficed financially to make it happen. Thanks M&D!
So much else has happened these past 10 years. I’ve taken risks, moving to California all on my own; so far so good there. I’ve been consistently taking care of my health and keeping habits to live a long happy life. I’ve been a groomsman in 6 weddings; best man gig #2 is coming up in a month! There have been some interesting adventures, from achieving the summits of Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Shasta as well as crazy road trips, Nelson BC, Malaysia, Montana fishing, and snowboarding adventures. Definitely good times. I seriously think I’ve had 25 different roommates / housemates in this decade.
I think I’ve worked hard and played hard. The next 10 years hold a lot of promise. I will continue to work hard and play hard and as well as take time to celebrate life more frequenty. I’m adopting a modified motto, courtesy of Justin Moore: “Work Hard, Play Hard, Hold my Baby Tight.” These next ten years will be different though, no doubt. I don’t know exactly what’s down that road for me but I’m hopeful to marry that special lady, start a family, stay healthy, be there for family and friends, continue in a rewarding career, explore the world more, and have many, many more adventures.
As I sit between past an future, the present is here and it is to be celebrated. I hope you celebrated all night long Bellarmine Prep class of 2000 and poured out some bubbly for me!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Independence Day Weekend in Pictures
The July 4th holiday is always great, especially when you can expect glorious sunshine here in California. For the 2nd year in a row I did some boating with friends on New Melones Lake, near Sonora CA. The Marks really know how to boat, with a party barge, speed boat, and a spread of ribs, shrimp, cookies, margaritas, fresh fruit, and Bud Light. This year I tried water skiing and wake boarding -- both very difficult.
With the rest of the weekend, I went for a hike in the Stanislas National Forest and spent a lot of time on the ST 1100. Let Freedom Ring.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bbero82/4thOfJuly2010
With the rest of the weekend, I went for a hike in the Stanislas National Forest and spent a lot of time on the ST 1100. Let Freedom Ring.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bbero82/4thOfJuly2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Abstract Much?
Whenever I look at art I am always drawn to the abstract pieces ... all too commonly the most expensive ones at the gallery. Landscapes, traditional, portraits, and classical just don’t do it for me. Some nature pieces are alluring though; my parents have an especially interesting piece called the “Midnight Wolf” by Robert Bateman. Do you see the wolf?
What is it about abstract art? I think I like how the normally geometric shapes resemble something or give you an idea yet leave perhaps even a more to the imagination. Not to mention all the vibrant colors. Here is a piece that I have in my home, one of my favorite purchases.
Earlier this year, I was in Puerto Vallarta and found an art gallery with a few pieces that caught my eye. When I walked in, I saw a piece I really liked and saw a price tag of $4000. I left that day but made my way back to the gallery a few days later intending to buy the piece. I assumed the price was marked in the local currency, pesos. :) That would have made the piece ~$400 USD. Unfortunately it was marked in USD! Some other day I guess. Here is the piece, done by Alfonso Pena.
I think it makes a lot of sense to try to buy art from travel locations because it’ll always have a special meaning, even though the logistics might be challenging. Hopefully I’ll stumble across more affordable pieces during future travel.
One last piece that recently caught my eye, surprisingly some local art displayed at work.
What is it about abstract art? I think I like how the normally geometric shapes resemble something or give you an idea yet leave perhaps even a more to the imagination. Not to mention all the vibrant colors. Here is a piece that I have in my home, one of my favorite purchases.
Earlier this year, I was in Puerto Vallarta and found an art gallery with a few pieces that caught my eye. When I walked in, I saw a piece I really liked and saw a price tag of $4000. I left that day but made my way back to the gallery a few days later intending to buy the piece. I assumed the price was marked in the local currency, pesos. :) That would have made the piece ~$400 USD. Unfortunately it was marked in USD! Some other day I guess. Here is the piece, done by Alfonso Pena.
I think it makes a lot of sense to try to buy art from travel locations because it’ll always have a special meaning, even though the logistics might be challenging. Hopefully I’ll stumble across more affordable pieces during future travel.
One last piece that recently caught my eye, surprisingly some local art displayed at work.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Spokane Hoopfest 2010!
Hoopfest, on the last weekend of June every year, is the Octoberfest of basketball. It’s absolutely nuts, the statistics from 2010 are appauling:
2010 was my fifth Hoopfest. This year we had the usual team of Chris “Maverick” Powers, Collin “My Dog Ate my Homework” Parker, Pat “Hot Sauce” Nicholes, and me. As usual, the weekend was full of adventure.
The trip got off to a troublesome start with Rohit and I missing our flight; that’s a story for another blog entry though. Let’s just say that I wasn’t impressed with Alaska customer service and should have flew Southwest!
After making it to Spokane, all the usual suspects began to assemble. Maverick, Hot Sauce, and I played some Friday afternoon golf and enjoyed some tasty Northwest beers. We picked up Collin from the airport and headed downtown to fuel up for Saturday’s basketball. I was a little over-zealous in ordering a burger with two six ounce patties, ham, pineapple, swiss, and all the vegetables. It weighed as much as my arm and I didn’t come close to finishing it.
We met Reid, Dennis, Andy, and Tim at a local pub for some more drinks. Reid was in fine form, sporting his latest prized possession, a Kyle Busch NASCAR t-shirt. Embarassing for the family!!! Priceless picture Reid! Although the vibe was good and we could continue fueling, we decided to sacrafice further drinking for a sober awakening on Saturday morning and ideally basketball glory.
One of the highlights of the weekend followed after the copious amounts of Mexican cerveza. Bardos matched up against Reid’s crew in a wildly hilarious 3 on 3 game on the unused Hoopfest courts. It was a blast, those guys crack me up.
After showering and relaxing for a bit, Pat, Collin, Chris, and I decided to meet up with Rohit and his posse at a downtown bar. We had a sweet taxi driver named Ralph whose van had reclining back seats. Maverick and I enjoyed a 15 minute siesta on the reclining seat and woke finding ourselves at a local Spokane taco joint, the pit stop before the bar. This was the site of something spectacular.
Pat was working on applying hot sauce from a ketchup-like plastic bottle to his burrito when something became lodged in the nozzle. Pat thought to use the brute force approach and squeezed the life out of it; out came a Mt. St. Helens sized explosion of hot sauce once the obstruction was cleared. Collin was directly in the blast zone!
Collin's response was 5 seconds of silence at the shear amazement then a "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" We all laughed uncontrollably.
- 27,110 players
- 6933 teams
- 200,000 people came from mainly the Northwest to participate in the festivities
- Forty downtown city blocks are transformed into 450 basketball courts
- 693 people play from states other than WA, OR, MT, and ID (that includes me and Collin)
2010 was my fifth Hoopfest. This year we had the usual team of Chris “Maverick” Powers, Collin “My Dog Ate my Homework” Parker, Pat “Hot Sauce” Nicholes, and me. As usual, the weekend was full of adventure.
After making it to Spokane, all the usual suspects began to assemble. Maverick, Hot Sauce, and I played some Friday afternoon golf and enjoyed some tasty Northwest beers. We picked up Collin from the airport and headed downtown to fuel up for Saturday’s basketball. I was a little over-zealous in ordering a burger with two six ounce patties, ham, pineapple, swiss, and all the vegetables. It weighed as much as my arm and I didn’t come close to finishing it.
Despite our impeccable preparation, the basketball on Saturday did not go as planned. Our team, Bardo’s Best in the West, was stunned in our first game, in control and leading 15-12 BUT losing 18-15 in overtime. We went cold. It was the one that got away and a big momentum swing. Still reeling from that loss, we faced a difficult team in our 2nd tilt and lost 20 – 14. Our efforts earned us a 10 AM game on Sunday in the consolation bracket. The silver lining was that with the important basketball out of the way we could let loose and drink it up. Bardo’s headed over and watched Rohit’s team, Team BK, in a thrilling OT victory. We celebrated by drinking delicious Mexican beers at the Azteca with Reid’s hooligan crew.
One of the highlights of the weekend followed after the copious amounts of Mexican cerveza. Bardos matched up against Reid’s crew in a wildly hilarious 3 on 3 game on the unused Hoopfest courts. It was a blast, those guys crack me up.
After showering and relaxing for a bit, Pat, Collin, Chris, and I decided to meet up with Rohit and his posse at a downtown bar. We had a sweet taxi driver named Ralph whose van had reclining back seats. Maverick and I enjoyed a 15 minute siesta on the reclining seat and woke finding ourselves at a local Spokane taco joint, the pit stop before the bar. This was the site of something spectacular.
Pat was working on applying hot sauce from a ketchup-like plastic bottle to his burrito when something became lodged in the nozzle. Pat thought to use the brute force approach and squeezed the life out of it; out came a Mt. St. Helens sized explosion of hot sauce once the obstruction was cleared. Collin was directly in the blast zone!
Collin's response was 5 seconds of silence at the shear amazement then a "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" We all laughed uncontrollably.
The Sunday basketball went extremely well with our team winning two games quite easily, 20-6 and 20-4, winning the Consolation Bracket and restoring hope that we could one day bring home the Championship T-shirts.
That capped another good Hoopfest year; we’ll be back for more in 2011!
More pics:
Hoopfest Website:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ...
I am not an avid reader, but when I do find the time to sit down and get into a book it usually pays dividends. I enjoy mainly reading non-fiction that helps me live life better, understand something new, inspires me, or is just a great story. I am that guy who reads Men's Health from cover to cover as well as my car manual and mutual fund prospectuses on occasion. Fiction can be great too. Some of my favorite fiction from the past is The Life of Pi, All the Pretty Horses, and Atlas Shrugged (well, didn't finish Atlas Shrugged but it was 1200 pages and ultra-small print!).
I recently finished this book called "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ...". It was definitely worthwhile and is something I will keep around and refresh on once in a while. It's full of short chapters (100 total) with quick life lessons. I get the impression that the author, who is from the San Francisco area, has done lots of study on Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Confucianism because a lot of his lessons follow these teachings.
These lessons resonated with me most:
Once a Week, Write a Heartfelt Letter -- I actually started doing this, writing with pen and paper is something I've always been fond of but never consistent with. I hope my recipients can decipher my semi-legible handwriting!
Practice Random Acts of Kindness -- Kindness is really what makes the World go round. Everyone can make a difference and the kind act can mean so much to those who both give and receive. I would be extremely pleased if I can perform one random kind act every day.
Choose Being Kind over Being Right -- This is an area that I often struggle with, but it's something that I am committed to changing. Being right is usually no fun, and having fun isn't about being right.
Breathe Before You Speak -- Erv, a former manager at Intel, taught me something very similar to this that I still practice. He taught that you can't control the action, but you can always control your reaction. Someone can be furious with you but you can choose how to respond, either in anger or in some other way to diffuse the situation. To me, breathing before you speak is taking that time to fully listen and then considering a response before just letting it fly.
Read Articles and Books with Entirely Different Points of View from Your Own and Try to Learn Something -- Whew, I think finding different viewpoints can be a difficult task to accomplish at times. But, I definitely see the value in having multiple perspectives on life. If we view the world around us through only our limited lenses, we are bound to miss a lot.
Develop Your Compassion -- Compassion is an area I know which is not my strongest point, but it is something I have improved upon. I will continually strive to be more compassionate. For me, being compassionate is about being more open and understanding then relating to others and their unique situation. Putting myself in others shoes really helps me feel compassion.
Take Up Yoga -- I actually started a weekly yoga class before reading the book. Flexibility is healthy and I often neglect this part of the workout regimen. Loosen up hammys!
Transform Your Relationship to Your Problems -- What? This one caught me by surprise, especially because the chapter title's meaning wasn't obvious. This chapter instructs that true happiness isn't solving all the problems in one's life but rather acknowledging them and using them as a source of learning and growth. As someone who strives to achieve near perfection, this is a wise lesson. Problems and challenges are a part of a fulfilling life and not all of them need to be solved. Our problems make us unique and can be the source of great growth. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
Think of What You Have Instead of What You Want -- As a society, we as Americans really struggle with the idea of being content with what we have. It's easy to lose sight of the great things right in front of us as we look on the horizon for the next big thing.
Fill Your Life with Love -- Yes!
Thank you JD for letting me borrow this book; that's one random act of kindness for you!
I recently finished this book called "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ...". It was definitely worthwhile and is something I will keep around and refresh on once in a while. It's full of short chapters (100 total) with quick life lessons. I get the impression that the author, who is from the San Francisco area, has done lots of study on Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Confucianism because a lot of his lessons follow these teachings.These lessons resonated with me most:
Once a Week, Write a Heartfelt Letter -- I actually started doing this, writing with pen and paper is something I've always been fond of but never consistent with. I hope my recipients can decipher my semi-legible handwriting!
Practice Random Acts of Kindness -- Kindness is really what makes the World go round. Everyone can make a difference and the kind act can mean so much to those who both give and receive. I would be extremely pleased if I can perform one random kind act every day.
Choose Being Kind over Being Right -- This is an area that I often struggle with, but it's something that I am committed to changing. Being right is usually no fun, and having fun isn't about being right.
Breathe Before You Speak -- Erv, a former manager at Intel, taught me something very similar to this that I still practice. He taught that you can't control the action, but you can always control your reaction. Someone can be furious with you but you can choose how to respond, either in anger or in some other way to diffuse the situation. To me, breathing before you speak is taking that time to fully listen and then considering a response before just letting it fly.
Read Articles and Books with Entirely Different Points of View from Your Own and Try to Learn Something -- Whew, I think finding different viewpoints can be a difficult task to accomplish at times. But, I definitely see the value in having multiple perspectives on life. If we view the world around us through only our limited lenses, we are bound to miss a lot.
Develop Your Compassion -- Compassion is an area I know which is not my strongest point, but it is something I have improved upon. I will continually strive to be more compassionate. For me, being compassionate is about being more open and understanding then relating to others and their unique situation. Putting myself in others shoes really helps me feel compassion.
Take Up Yoga -- I actually started a weekly yoga class before reading the book. Flexibility is healthy and I often neglect this part of the workout regimen. Loosen up hammys!
Transform Your Relationship to Your Problems -- What? This one caught me by surprise, especially because the chapter title's meaning wasn't obvious. This chapter instructs that true happiness isn't solving all the problems in one's life but rather acknowledging them and using them as a source of learning and growth. As someone who strives to achieve near perfection, this is a wise lesson. Problems and challenges are a part of a fulfilling life and not all of them need to be solved. Our problems make us unique and can be the source of great growth. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
Think of What You Have Instead of What You Want -- As a society, we as Americans really struggle with the idea of being content with what we have. It's easy to lose sight of the great things right in front of us as we look on the horizon for the next big thing.
Fill Your Life with Love -- Yes!
Thank you JD for letting me borrow this book; that's one random act of kindness for you!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Aldean's Greatest ... so far
Jason Aldean Rocks! He blends traditional country sound with southern rock and just a touch of twang. Most of all, I like his music because his songs tell a story and are full of emotion and meaning, not to mention they are easily sang at the top of one's lungs. His "Relentless" and "Wide Open" CD have been spinning in my car for months now; I think they're wearing out! His first CD, "Jason Aldean" is also full of hits and you can't beat "Amarillo Sky".
Out of all the songs, recently I've been trying to choose my favorite. Reid thinks top track is "Keep the Girl" ... It's good brother, but my favorite is "Laughed Until We Cried".
Give it a listen.
I remember my college trips to be so fun with friends and the happy memory of grandparents. That last verse about the baby, it really gets to me. It's something I haven't experienced yet but I've seen it in others' eyes.
Not too distant podium finishers are "Relentless" and "This I Gotta See".
Keep spinning those tracks Jason!
Out of all the songs, recently I've been trying to choose my favorite. Reid thinks top track is "Keep the Girl" ... It's good brother, but my favorite is "Laughed Until We Cried".
Going through my closet the other day
Found an old yearbook, flipped right to the page
Of that senior trip down there on that Panama strip
We all started yelling when we smelled the beach
Just couldn't wait to try our fake ids
We only had a few days, and a whole lot of memories to make
Oh man we were livin, didn't waste one minute
We talked and drank and danced and said goodbye
We laughed until we cried
This past year my family
Was sittin cross-legged 'round the Christmas tree
Listenin to granddad, we all knew it would probably be his last
He was crackin jokes and we were takin turns
Tellin stories bout fishing or lessons learned
Out on the porch with him we all felt like kids again
Oh man we were livin, sittin' there reminiscin'
Yeah, we sang and talked and traveled back in time
We laughed until we cried
It's like the best days under the sun
Every emotion rolled into one
A little of this, A little of that
Kinda happy, Kinda sad
Just the other night the baby was cryin
So I got out of bed rocked her awhile and I held her tight
And I told her it would be all right
My mind went back to a few years ago
We tried so long, we almost gave up hope
And I remember you comin' in and tellin me the news
Oh man we were livin, goin crazy in the kitchen
We danced and screamed and held each other tight
We laughed until we cried
We danced and kissed and thanked the Lord that night
Give it a listen.
I remember my college trips to be so fun with friends and the happy memory of grandparents. That last verse about the baby, it really gets to me. It's something I haven't experienced yet but I've seen it in others' eyes.
Not too distant podium finishers are "Relentless" and "This I Gotta See".
Keep spinning those tracks Jason!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Oakland Overnight
My Uncle Greg and Aunt Kate live in Oakland, and they are the closest relatives to Folsom. Our visits are infrequent but always memorable. This past weekend I decided to make the drive down and just have a chill weekend with them.
Hilarious -- just what you'd expect in Oakland right? :) Hopefully you are noticing the two sedans in the right lane with monster-truck sized tires. No whistle tips though!
Two things I wanted to capture from this trip. First, here is what I saw as I pulled off the highway into Oakland:
Hilarious -- just what you'd expect in Oakland right? :) Hopefully you are noticing the two sedans in the right lane with monster-truck sized tires. No whistle tips though!
Secondly, Kate made a fabulous dinner on Saturday night with fish and butternut squash tacos with mango salsa, fresh corn, chipotle coleslaw, and queso fresco. Yum ... the butternut squash ones were VERY, VERY good. I hope to get the recipe and replicate.
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