Swept Away

At first, the way of your love
seemed easy,

I thought I'd reach
your union
with speed.

After taking a few steps,
I found
the way
is an ocean.

When I stepped in,
a wave swept me away.

Awhad al-Din Kirmani

OMG! I caused 9/11!

My bad.

OK, suppose we take for granted D'Souza's logic: We liberals are the source of the cultural animus to which the jihadis are violently opposed.

Doesn't that, by the same logic, place right-wingers like D'Souza and the whole range of conservative ideologues on the side of Al Qaeda?

Isn't he essentially saying that the terrorists are right to have this animus?

Isn't his solution -- suppressing liberalism -- essentially a capitulation to the anti-democratic "Islamofascism" everyone else on the right has been steadily denouncing?

Good question.

Ciudad del Lago

Ericka over at The Outer Limits has been blogging about my adopted neighborhood for awhile now. I'm just now starting to appreciate what Lake City offers, at least in the way of food. My faves so far:

Minoo Bakery
Toyoda Sushi (I feel bad about spreading the word about this one, but what the hey).
Mad Pizza (Better than Romio's IMO)
Thai One On

BiziBee Floral (not food, but Justin and Heather are awesome)

Fortunately, Lake City has most everything covered, except maybe home improvement, so I don't have to drive or walk very far to get what I need. And while Fred Meyer is owned by an evil out of state corporation (ask Brice about their employee perks), it's hella convenient and affordable.

Possible Wedding Announcement

Original photo from James Tran

Stay on task, Blanquera

As word gets out about Ray Ray, it's like the advice floodgates have opened; pop those folates like candy, doulas vs. midwives vs. regular doctors, daycare centers, etc. The one nugget that I'm holding on to goes like this (via SK): I want to be a better parent than mine were for me, by just a little bit; having gotten me this far, they must have done something right, but improve on maybe one aspect. What that means in practice I don't know yet, but it's a start.

Had a little scare today, I think everything's ok though. More later.

The Baby Name Thread

OK, obviously this is going to be all I talk about for quite awhile, so bear with me...We've been calling this embryo "Ray Ray" for lack of a better name. It's not too early to start brainstorming so here's a few that we thought of:

Mindy
Aguinaldo "Augie"
Reynaldo (combines our middle names)
Fredelle (this is what happens when you let a committee decide)
Emilio
Richie
Siobhan
LaRonda
Kiko
Maritess

and so it goes...

'Nuff Said

"So it says that you have to wait 2 or 3 minutes to get a result."

"How about now?"

"What does it say?"

"Oh."

A Bun in the Oven

Ardel's started preggo blogging, so if you're interested in the musings of a first-timer, then have a look. Caveat: she's really hormonal. Heh. I'll add my own thoughts both here and over there...

How's your summer been?

Me, it's been busy, but pales in comparison to what this fall, winter and spring holds in store...

Flickr Inspector

Here's a site that will display public data about your flickr photo stream. Enter your user name and it will generate a summary that lists things like number of photos per day, all your tags, your groups etc. Just enter your (or anyone else's) username and see what comes up. The statistics aren't that useful to me, but there are a couple features I found interesting: first is the flickr score, which has absolutely no meaning outside of the site (mine's 1272 by the way), but now I'm wondering how I can increase it. Maybe it's the suppressed gamer inside.

The feature I found especially useful is the set of links to search engines where you can find out who is linking to your photos: blogs, websites etc. Nothing that a visit to Google or Technorati won't accomplish but it's nice to have it all there, automatically. I browsed around and found a few blogs, Yahoo! travel, and 43 Places, among others, that have used my pics. It's a good way to keep track of your photos, to make sure no one's using them in a way you don't want them to. Only catch is that it searches by user name, so if they don't provide an attribution the search engine won't find it, right? Or is there a way to do that?

An email from Ensign Media

Got this this morning:

:: Using your photo in our film


Dear Mr. Jala:

I am writing to let you know that I am interested in using
one of your photos posted on Flickr.com for an upcoming
project titled A DVD Advent Calendar. According to the web
site, you participate in Creative Commons and offer an
attribution license.

Could you please verify that this is still correct and also
provide the exact wording for how you would like to be
credited in our work? The photo we are interested in is of
King Wenceslas' statue in Bohemia.

Thank you for contributing to the Flickr.com website and
for sharing your creative talents with artists worldwide.
We are a small family based company and could not do what
we do without photographers such as you who make their
works available through programs such as Flickr.com.
Again, thank you.

Sincerely,

Tom Dallis
Ensign Media

(My reply:)

Mr. Dallis:

Thank you for contacting me. You may use the King Wenceslas photo for your project. Please provide the following credit: "King Wenceslas photo courtesy of Fred Jala."

Please let me know how I can order a copy of the completed DVD. Good luck with your project!

Fred Jala

Open Letter to the US Media

From Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, via Atrios:

1. The vast majority of Hispanics/Latinos in the U.S. (75 percent of us) were born and raised here, including many of us who have roots here that predate the arrival of the pilgrims.

2. "Immigrant" is not synonymous with "Latino" and the media should stop pretending they mean the same thing.

3. The CNN analyst who said today "Keep in mind, Latino voters are LEGAL immigrants, not illegal immigrants" should be FIRED for sloppy thinking. MOST LATINOS ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS AT ALL, PINCHE CABRON.

4. Immigrants to contemporary USA come from EVERYWHERE. There are, for instance, 100,000 Nigerians in Houston, and tens of thousands of ILLEGAL Irish in Boston. If this debate is truly about immigration, as opposed to racist portrayals of Latinos, please curb your coverage to be more responsible.

Immigration (and the anti-immigration backlash we're witnessing now) is a topic that strikes close to home for me, being one myself. While she's talking about Latinos specifically, I think this applies to all of us-if one small group can whip up a strawman opponent and create this environment of fear, backed by the government and media, what would stop them from going after anyone else who ticked them off? Homosexuals, liberals, alfalfa farmers, you're all on notice...

Dave Neiwert's blog documents and dissects the far right's nuttery much more eloquently than I ever could.

Landscape Architects Make Better Lovers

This caught my eye the other day, sista girl finds love from her "landscaper"...

A beautiful L.A. career woman, Kenya works as a senior manager at a prestigious accounting firm, and is on the verge of making partner. But she has yet to find her own partner and a fulfilling personal life. It's not that she's stopped looking; her (mental) checklist is at the ready. After another Valentine's Day spent working late, Kenya agrees to a blind date with Brian Kelly (Simon Baker), a sexy and free-spirited landscape architect who turns out to be not exactly what she'd pictured for herself. Then again, she does need the yard of her new house fixed up...

Ah, yes. Reminds me of that one project...Then there's also this Reese Witherspoon vehicle whose leading man plays a landscape architect. Have we become the stand-in for the "sensitive, artistic, yet approachable" guy? Hmm...describes me to a T.

Off the Market (Warning: Long)

The first thing people said to me after the divorce went along the lines of "Well, Freddy, here's your chance to enjoy some freedom. Have fun with it." The subtext of that varied, depending on who was delivering the advice. Some meant to sow some wild oats, others thought I should spend some time "finding myself." Frankly, I was a bit lost when it came to women; I kinda liked the idea of fucking indiscriminately around the city but the reality was that I gave off that "just got dumped" vibe for quite awhile. Needless to say, I didn't get any.

I dated some, pretty much from women I met online. I liked the idea of it, everyone was there for the same thing, we could skip a lot of the awkwardness and get to the gettin'. After a string of one-and-out dates, I came to realize that being online doesn't necessarily make things easier. If anything, you tend to meet the same person over and over; the computer "matches" you with people who supposedly are compatible based on a checklist and some weird algorithm. If you're a woman on these sites, it's a situation of having too much choice. You're inundated by messages from potential suitors; faced with such prosperity, you can afford to reject men out of hand for the most trivial of reasons, because there's 50 more of those where he came from. I speak from experience; as a bit of recon, I put up a fake ad as a woman to see what "Jane" would face, the strategy was to basically figure out patterns and tweak my approach to make myself stand out from the crowd. I was somewhat successful, got some good responses but again, nothing to show for the effort.

I realized "What the hell am I doing? I'm sitting in front of my computer when I could be out there actually meeting people." So I got myself a striped shirt and hit the bars with friends on a more regular basis. While I was able to meet people and make some new friends, I was still going home alone. I guess thirty-somethings in Seattle don't go out anymore.

Time to take a break from the dating scene. I moved out of Belltown and settled into South Lk. Union, stop obsessing about things and just let it happen. It was about that time when SB and I met BW, a general contractor. We got to talking about the construction business and exchanged cards. The next day, he emails us and asks if we wanted to volunteer for a group called ACE (Architects Contractors and Engineers), which mentors high schoolers who want to enter the field. I said "Sure, sounds fun."

It was at one of these ACE meetings I met AB, a structural engineer and fellow mentor. We hit it off pretty much right off the bat, I told her about my dreams to open up a series of lumpia carts around the city. She was on board, in particular as a guinea pig for product testing. I hesitated a little at first, thinking "Geez, another Pinay engineer. Do I want to go there again?" But I realized I was looking forward to the next meeting just a little more. All of a sudden AB and I were seeing one another outside of ACE. In groups at first, then just the two of us. At first, neither of us wanted to commit to anything, which was fine with me, though I didn't have anything else going on at the time. Both of us were recently out of long term relationships, and didn't want to rush into anything.

Some weeks later, we're now dating exclusively, meeting each other's friends/family and making plans to go to Mexico, you know, the usual. I guess it's true that you'll find something as soon as you stop looking. So now what? I think both of us are trying to figure out where we fit in each other's life. My biggest mistake in the past was to allow myself to be defined by the relationship, putting everything else aside. So now we're just enjoying the new romance and building a healthy relationship, not getting too far ahead of ourselves. But go ahead and take me off the "single" list. More later.

Vegas + Hooters = ?

Leaving tomorrow night for Vegas with DG, DT and JW. Looking forward to getting out of town and kickin' it with some buddies for a long weekend. We're staying at the Hooters Hotel (I think it used to be the San Remo, down by MGM). Insert joke here.

Here's some Valentine's Day ownage...

IMG_8217,
originally uploaded by Fred Jala.

Yes, that's a gorilla in a belly dancing costume. Some of you know, some don't: I've been seeing AB for a couple months now (more on that some other time); as Vday approached we talked about what we were going to do to celebrate. Eventually we decided that the theme was going to be "Cheesy," whatever that means. You can see what it meant to her.

Oh yeah, she got me but good. There's more pix on my flickr page.

Oh, if you're wondering, I got her a card with some cherubs on it and we went to the Spaghetti Factory for dinner.

Aught 5: Best. Year. Ever.

Even though it's that time of year, it's rare that I stop and reflect on how things have gone over the last 12 months, mostly because it doesn't serve much purpose to me to relive the past, unless there's a lesson to be learned. Lurking there also was that little twinge of regret (at least recently), that there was some potential gone unmet, opportunities lost, time wasted, etc. Not so much in '05, though. Over the past few years I've done quite a bit of work to get to this point in time where I feel like I have control over my own life again and am starting really enjoy things. Put another way: this year, the inner Fred matches the outer Fred.

This blog is an example. In the past, I really wanted to make stronger connections to the people I know and care about, to share what's going on in my life, yet couldn't (or wouldn't) for whatever reason. I mean, shit, it took me months to tell my closest friends and family about the divorce and I just don't want to be like that anymore. This is a good start, I think.

People are noticing, too, which helps validate the whole process, to let me know that I've made progress. A coworker of mine, whom I've known for, jeez, 10 years now remarked to me some time ago "It's good to have the old you back." I wanted to say that the old me is gone forever, replaced with something better, but I know what he meant.

I accept change as a process that should be embraced, rather than fought. I am comfortable with ambiguity. I am as old as I feel. I'm learning how to network. I understand the difference between fashion and style. I'll look you in the eye and not get uncomfortable. Among other things.

It's a good start, and there's always things to work on, such as being more confident in myself and projecting that outwards, but now the setbacks won't send me spiraling into days or weeks of depression. At the risk of sounding terribly sentimental, I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in '06; no matter how long we've known each other, y'all should know that I appreciate your friendship and support very much. Have a good year.

-Fred

Quite possibly the coolest thing ever

I'm not one to lust over material possessions (ok, I really am), but how badass is this? I'm not sure I quite buy the claims made by the seller, in particular the passenger capacity, but I'm thinking I could pull some mad trim driving this thing around, so alls I need is room for one more...Love the name.

The JL421 Badonkadonk is a completely unique, extremely rare land vehicle and battle tank. Designed with versatility in mind, the Donk can transport cargo or a crew of five internally or on the roof, and can be piloted from within the armored shell or from an exposed standing position through the hatch, thanks to special one-way steel mesh armor windows and a control stick that pivots up and down to allow piloting from the standing or seated positions. The interior is fully carpeted and cozy, with accent lighting and room for up to five people. A 400 watt premium sound system with PA is mounted to project sound both into the cabin and outward from behind the windows. The exterior is a steel shell with a rust patina, and features head and tail lights, turn signal lights, trim lighting, underbody lighting, fixed slats protecting the windows, and a unique industrial-strength rubberized flexible skirt that shields and protects the wheels to within an inch of the ground, while still allowing for enough flex to give clearance over bumpy and uneven terrain.

"I literally exploded with laughter..."

“literally” has been so overused as a sort of vague intensifier that it is in danger of losing its literal meaning. It should be used to distinguish between a figurative and a literal meaning of a phrase. It should not be used as a synonym for “actually” or “really.”

Is this part of the so-called dumbing down of America? It's basic English, people. Or is it an example of the constantly changing nature of language? I always strive for precision with language, whether it's speaking or writing, so ventures like this are appreciated. The sad thing is that most of the examples come from journalists and writers who, presumably, should know better. And what about their editors?

4 foot rule, my ass

I never bother to stop for the petition folks, but for this one issue I've made an exception: Seattle's new strip club rules. If I want to bury my face in between some chick's tits and pony up the $20 or so for the privilege, then I should be able to, goddammit. This isn't about getting my rocks off, it's about freedom. You'll thank me later.

A dime and a nickel

It's been just over 15 years since high school; last week I reconnected with a friend whom I haven't seen in maybe a dozen years, RT. Every once in awhile D and I would talk about the old 'hood and wonder about our classmates-actually, we seem to do this everytime we get together (I guess that's one of the signs of getting old). But I digress-RT's mom called my folks a few weeks ago out of the blue, trying to get ahold of me to 1) let us know that RT and JT were getting married in Hawaii and 2) invite me to a reception/open house at RT and JT's pad up north. I was excited to go-RT and I lost touch during college, I went to the UW while he went to Stanford. Yet, there was the usual trepidation-will we be able to reconnect, have we gone in completely different directions in the intervening years, is he the same guy I knew (am I the same guy he knew)?

Long story short: qualified "yes" to each of those questions...sure, our lives are much different now than they were when we were 18, our circles are much wider (along with the waistlines), but as we caught up with each other's lives, it started to feel familiar, the old jokes were still funny, the memories good...we're the same, but different. It'll be nice to get reacquainted.

As I was leaving the party, RT called my car a "yuppie car." Yup, he hasn't changed, though coming from a Volvo driver, I don't think he has much leg to stand on.

RIP

Got the news today that JG, one of the founding partners of the firm I work at, passed away last night after fighting cancer for the last couple of years. We worked together on quite a few projects during my time at TBP; he was a big influence on how I approach the profession, and design in general. He let me loose with my own ideas, while providing a guiding hand to make sure the thing can actually be built-for that, I am grateful. I also appreciated his directness and honesty-if something stinks, he'll let you know. He told me straight up once that I was a "lousy" project manager. After the shock wore off, I realized it was exactly what I needed to hear.

I'm not sad-J wouldn't allow it if he were here anyway. Everyone at the office has been preparing for this day for some time, so while the mood was more somber than usual, it was business as usual, which I'm sure he would want. I'll attend the memorial and hopefully learn something new about J.

Bruce Lee, bringer of peace and unity

How cool is this? Generations of ethnic conflict in Europe possibly healed by Lee's example:

"The ethnically divided Bosnian city of Mostar has agreed to erect a new symbol of unity -- a statue of kung fu legend Bruce Lee, worshipped by Muslims, Serbs and Croats.

A group of enthusiasts came up with the idea of honoring the childhood hero of the city's ethnic groups in 2003, on the 30th anniversary of his death. They launched the project, found donors and waited a year for the city's approval.

"We plan to erect the statue in November in the center of the city," Veselin Gatalo, a member of the Urban Movement organization, told Reuters by telephone on Monday.

This will be a monument to universal justice that Mostar needs more than any other city I know.

He said Mostar, scene of fighting between Muslims and Croats in 1993-1994, needed a symbol of justice, mastery and honesty -- virtues upheld by the late Chinese-American actor."

Having only been to Croatia, I see the conflict mainly from their perspective, and have tended to sympathize with them, though I'm sure that all parties acted just as horribly during the war.

New addition to the family...sort of.

My entire life, my idea of family was quite nuclear: Mom, Dad, Brother. That's it (well, okay, at one time that included "wife" but that's another story). We Jalas are immigrants, except AJ, who had the great fortune of being born in Tacoma ...I never felt much of a connection to my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.; we were separated by an ocean and a culture and sometimes the four of us is all I can handle. Every once in awhile I'd hear of what's going on with them: so-and-so graduated primary school second in her class; remember your cousin Baby-she's a pharmacist now; that's all I knew about them. Sadly, I've lost 3 grandparents without every really knowing who they were; what's perhaps even sadder is that while I loved them on some level (family is family after all), it was difficult to muster the emotion that usually accompanies a loss that close. The most time I've spent with any of them is the few weeks I was in the P.I. when I was 14 (though Lola Mary did live with us here for a few months back in the late '80's)...

Which brings me to the present. Mom's sister, B, along with uncle R and the two kids have been living in SoCal for the last few months after immigrating from the P.I. Now they are moving to O-town next week, and I'm a little weirded out, frankly, in the way that happens when values or concepts you've held to all your life suddenly change. I'm going to "meet" them later this week; I'm looking forward to it, in the sense that I can connect a little bit more to my history, though I don't feel like there's any hole in my life that needs to be filled.

Leaving Belltown

After getting the news that my building went condo some four months ago, I've been searching for a new place to live. They offered to sell my current unit to me, at a decent price, but it's not the right time for me to buy, both from a financial and lifestyle standpoint. Dad and I chatted over breakfast about this après golf this past weekend. I questioned the actual benefit to my net worth; yes, the house is an asset, but being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt offsets that in my mind. People seem to view houses nowadays as more of an investment rather than simply fulfilling a basic need, but my guess is that appreciation of the property has more to do with inflation than an actual return on investment. I could probably do better by playing the markets than sinking dollars into real estate, plus it's more liquid. My 401(k) seems to bear that out, at least in the short term.

It's not just about money, though. I'm liking the sense of freedom that renting offers; I don't feel the need to get rooted down to any particular place, I can try on different neighborhoods for size, see how it fits me. Which gets me back to the headline of this post. I've been in Belltown for nearly two years, and while I appreciate the conveniences of being in the middle of the "action," truth is, I didn't take much of an advantage of them while I was here. I'll miss being within stumbling distance of the hottest bars in town, the view of Elliott Bay, the view of the chick in the apartment across the street, and that's about it. I've applied to another building and should find out soon if I'm their type. It's a little more money, but somewhat quieter; there's an Irish pub downstairs and a Whole Foods under construction 3 blocks away (I don't know which is more dangerous).

If all goes as planned, I'll be moving in 2 weeks. I'll keep you all posted.