after_alex

This year, Memorial Day came and went. I used it to recover from a night reliving my college days with old roomates – Steve and Eli. It’s been a while since we’ve kicked back a couple 12 packs like we did that night. Good stuff.

In terms of other Memorial Day celebrations, I also attended my old friend Phu’s wedding with Yen Khanh out down in Huntington Beach. Now that was an amazing wedding. In fact, it was – and still is – the most impressive wedding I’ve experienced to date. Coming back to Orange County in a wedding situation was definitely a revisit of my past, that’s for sure. I met up with old friends from way back when, from long before I went to Berkeley, at the time in my life when I was just starting out High School. Yes, back then I was hanging out with the older college kids, wishing I was like them, waiting for the moment when I could be set free from the chains of parental mismanagement and the shackles of underage suburban life. Those were the 90s…

Now I look back, and college has come and gone. And High school is Long gone. Man, my 7th grade teacher wasn’t joking when she said that college will be the happiest time of my life. And it was. Maybe it still is, or can be…but that’s a different story, to be left for another day (I’m formulating the game plan to get back into school. Soon.) But yes, my old college friends (the friends who were in college when I was still in High School) are now old Fowgees working all day, being all professional, and fortunately still being themselves. That’s one thing I’m happy about. Everyone seems to be successful, no super-surprises, no one cocaine addict or anything like that. At least as far as I know. Phuong, yes she’s married to Tony, that’s old news. Kim, and her boyfriend Trung, man haven’t seen those guys in 7 years or so. Still look the same, maybe skinnier. And still together. That’s nice. And Chi Oanh, ya, she’s still herself! Damn, need to find her a man soon…

So ya, time moves forward, and it’s hard to keep holding onto the past. Just gotta keep truckin and living for the next day, the next fight, or the next mission to Kabul….which is again another story for another day. For now, I look back, and hell yeah I appreciate Memorial Day. Hella American soldiers (and civilians) are celebrated on Memorial Day for risking their lives in battles, wars, and operations all over the world in the name of America. Much of this history, I don’t agree with… and violence, I can’t support. However, the guys and girls who got caught in it all – either by choice or by circumstance – deserve to be remembered. Those in Vietnam, Korea, North Africa, Normandy, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan…(and Iran, Nicaragua, Haiti, Kosovo, and Somalia too..). Yes, all of them deserve some thought whether you like it or not. They deserve some praise, and maybe some criticism…but they definitely do jobs that a lot of Americans don’t want…and can’t do. Try mentioning THAT in the immigration debate.

Anyway, this is one of those moments where I can be proud to be an American. Clean, smooth sidewalks (that people rarely use), sub-Euro priced gasoline (although rising), affordable housing (that many can’t afford anymore), college loans (that continue to widen the US debt), wi-fi and electricty, clean water and gas, books, MTV, and C-SPAN. The list goes on and on. You can complain all you want. But deep down inside, you know you really appreciate being able to complain about what’s become your America of today. Raise your fists, but hold on to your welfare checks, because this America works for you.

I recently posted that my life as I know it will end at about 30 years old…6 years from now. Now I had to remove this post, or censor it, because a “significant other” of mine had protested with much ado. The reason? Probably because I attributed my current life’s worries about career and life to her. And that made her feel quite embarassed – rightfully so. Of course, it would be a inaccurate interpretation that my life has been compressed because of the pressure she’s put on me to establish my career, but in this post I’d like to re-communicate, in a different light, that the pressure for my career/life establishment is more of an opportunity than a threat to my state of happiness.

In fact, I was waiting for the time when my girlfriend would gain enough self-confidence to say “you can go now” and “do what you need to do”…and she’s put a realistic time-stamp on it – I have been freed for 6 more years of domestic-free life. Within this window it is my intention to prepare myself for the coming winter years (or decades) of domesticity. I’m glad, because now, the unnatural and self-imposed prison of this youth of mine is now busted open, and I’m running wild with the number of oppportunities that have opened up.

So now, I’m quickly getting my bearings straight a la grad school, a possible life devoted to research and academia, and possibly another stint abroad. Man, does it feel good to once again live the free-spirit life (or at least smell and breathe the opportunities that lie ahead). I believe it was only a matter of time until Victoria realized that she has nothing to worry about with me out and about, and that she would have enough going on for herself at home. Not only that, but she would be able to handle the rigors of life without the physical presence of myself beside her. Maybe it’s the wrong time to be writing this still (maybe I should wait until she’s out of nursing school already), and maybe I’m shooting myself in the foot again, getting myself in trouble with the domestic police. But Victoria once told me that her palm-reader friend said our relationship in the future will be “magical”…and I think it will be. For now, I’m going to fire up my engines while I enjoy the rest of my time being physically and geographically close to her (for now, she’s only across the Bay).

It’s only May, but it already feels like summer is here. And that means the motorcycles are out in full effect. Here’s a pic to celebrate the moment:

Ah, good stuff

Yes, there was a time in my life when I had a nice little motorcycle myself. But then I moved to Richmond, CA, and underestimated the vandalism and ferocious repeated theft attempts I would have to endure there. Alas, those days are over. And I’m glad they are. So let’s celebrate the moment with another fine pic:

It just makes me tingle. Do you feel it too?

Yes, these guys are getting pretty low on their turns there. Good stuff. Impressive technique and jaw dropping cahones. I, for one, can confidently say that I will never have the desire to stunt such feats of daring…