Top 10 Posts of 2011

Here are the top 10 best/favorite blog posts I wrote in 2011:

No. 10:

My Mom Thinks I had a Blonde Hair Blue-Eyed Baby – posted on October 24th.

The title says it all.

No. 9:

Thoughts from Places: #SFNYE – posted on January 14th.

As we waited for the trolley to take us on an adventure.  I noticed that many people were waiting too.  They were all waiting for the forthcoming trolley.  Some waited in large groups while others waited alone.  But we all waited.  I can’t help but think that everyone was waiting for an adventure.  In life, we often wait for an adventure to come and take us away.  For some people, adventures comes often.  While others would wait until the can’t wait anymore and go elsewhere to wait, only to do the same a leave.  But many just wait until the adventure arrives, only to hop and go where it takes them.

No. 8:

The Parting of Ways – posted on August 31st.

You were the Doctor & I was your companion.  But at times I felt like the Doctor and you were my companion.  Either way, it is in the parting of the ways that we must now say goodbye.  There was much triumph and death during our time together, but that is to be expected when spending time with the Doctor.  Now, it is time to say goodbye. It is the journey’s end, but know that I will always turn left.

No. 7:

The Little Things – posted November 20th.

After the simple and ever so beautiful wedding of my dear friend Jo, I boarded the shuttle bus to the reception. Sitting across the aisle from me, I struck a conversation with them. I was alone. I should probably try to be social. I found out that they were related to the bride. As for them, I used my joke of the night on them, “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not related to the bride.” See, the bride is half Filipino and there were a lot of Asians present; especially little old Asian women, they were out in full force. They laughed and found out I was a friend from college.

No. 6:

Klout Perks Gave Me a Chevy Volt! – posted on September 6th.

A couple weekends ago, Klout Perks hooked me up with a Chevy Volt.  I asked you guys what you wanted me to do and I did it.  Watch the video for me having a girl in the back seat, driving 0-60 and pulling a green drive-thru prank.

No. 5:

No Pants Subway Ride 2011 – posted on January 10th.

Yesterday, NicoleMarieSays & I braved the cold (though technically it was a heat wave compared to last year) temperatures and participated in the no pants subway ride in Chicago.  You know you want to click to see some sexy legs.

No. 4:

How to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day – posted on March 16th.

Seeing how I’m an honorary Irish, I decided to go around Chicago and ask all minorities and non-Irish people how one can be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.  Let’s just say there was a lot of hilarity.

No. 3:

Can I Touch It? – posted on January 18th.

Anyways, so there I was waiting for the light to turn green and bored out of my mind when I noticed the median.  I still had another 30 seconds to burn and my car was close enough to the median that I could touch it.  Could, but can I actually touch it?  And so, I put my left arm outside the window and leaned over.  Almost.  Just about.  And no.  Alas, I was just an inch too short.  (TWSS).

No. 2:

Jet Fuel Excites Me – posted on May 27th.

Luggage at my side, I stare down the empty block before me where my apartment resides.  It was not long ago when my alarm woke me up at the ungodly but familiar hour of 4.  Waking up a 4 AM to embark on my next adventure has become quite the past time.

No. 1:

This is Not Weird at All – posted on December 1st.

“You’re short!” She said.

“You’re tall!” I replied.

Great first words for meeting for the first time. We hugged again just to make sure that this was real. It was. Phampants & Tezzitoo together at last.

“This is not weird at all.” Terri said. I couldn’t agree more.

The Parting of the Ways

August, you have been a fickle.

You were both fantastic and an absolute nightmare.  The days sped by quicker than a blink with so many amazing opportunities and awful situations.  I can’t tell if I am happy or sad that you’re finally leaving me.

You greeted me as I stepped off the airplane from LA and rushed me off the VidCon high to the chaos that is August.  Each day was jammed packed with opportunities and faults.  I couldn’t make you out.  I never had time to rest because you were constantly throwing things at me.

I knew you were going to be a packed month, so you fed on my disappointment that I could not participate in VEDA this year.  However, you brought one of my best friends into town for the night to make it up for me.  You gave me my first YouTube wedding where I was so grateful to attend.  But you threw me guilt for not flying to Madrid, Spain and attending World Youth Day.  You could never let me be happy nor could you let me be sad.  You confused me & I hated you for doing this to me.

I was blessed with an abundance of Internet friends arriving in Chicago, but kept me from sleeping & being sober.  You showed me that for everything a person gives, good will would return to you.  And yet, you never let the goodness last with the constant reminders that I am a refugee at work due to the great flood or the absolute frustration of Comcast & 6 am mornings.

You brought me offers & opportunities that I have only dreamt about, but those came at a cost.  You knew the temptation was too good to pass, but you gave them to me anyways because it was for my future, even if the cost was so great.  You gave me an electric car but no place to plug in. You sent me all over Chicago but never let me stop in a single place for more than a few hours.  You used me to your guilty pleasure.

I felt so isolated & connected as I walked through your days.  I was always surrounded by people and yet so alone.  You took pleasure in the bi-polar world that I was living.  I hated and loved it at the same time.  I couldn’t say no, nor could I say yes.  I was as fickle as you were.

And now tonight, you are about to leave me.  I still can’t tell if you were worth it.  So many opportunities presented itself and yet so much destruction was committed.  You knew that this would happen.  You let it happen & I was cursed to follow through.

You were the Doctor & I was your companion.  But at times I felt like the Doctor and you were my companion.  Either way, it is in the parting of the ways that we must now say goodbye.  There was much triumph and death during our time together, but that is to be expected when spending time with the Doctor.  Now, it is time to say goodbye. It is the journey’s end, but know that I will always turn left.

Doctor, I’m going to miss you.  Rose, you were fantastic.

A Dog of A Run

Getting back into running is never easy.  Day One you always feel great, but it’s the days following it that you realized, “Wow, it’s been awhile!”

Not only were my muscles sore from yesterday’s run (#lamezoar), but today’s run was quite rough.  In particular, my lungs were not use to exercise.  It was quite a chore to breathe.  I felt sluggish from the lack of air and the extra pounds since I stopped running back in February.

The worse part was seeing people pass me left and right.  I was never fast, but I could hold a decent pace.  Today, it reminds me of how far am I away from where I use to be.  But better, I saw how far I have gone from where I started 4 years ago to my peak last year.  I know I can get back to that shape.

During the last half mile, a dog passed me as I trotted along.  Technically, a dog and it’s owner (she was cute), but what mattered was the dog.  A dog is out running me.  Sure, it has 4 legs and is kinda cheating, but still.  I couldn’t let a dog beat me.

So I kept pace with the dog, anywhere from 20-30 tail lengths.  I got you dog.  I see that tail wag.  You’re not going to wag your tail at me.  And sure enough, I kept my stride and pushed.  It would be so embarrassing if a dog beat me.  There is no way I can live this down.

One full stride after another, my legs loosed up and I caught up to the dog.  I looked at the dog and the dog looked at me. (I’m sure its owner is looking at me too, but this race was between the dog & I.)  I smiled to it and continued to kick on stronger and stronger.  Haha!  I beat the dog with a tenth of a mile to go!

To make even matters better, there was another dog ahead.  I’m going to beat that dog too.  (For the record, that dog was just sniffing a tree.  But it is irrelevant to the situation.)  I kicked the last stretch and beat that dog too.

Though my pace is over minute and half slower than 4 months ago, I can proudly say that I out ran 2 dogs today.  What kind of runner have I become?

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Days until the Chicago Marathon: 102
Amount Raised for UP:  $285.80
Miles for Awesome: 6
Weight:  150
Total Calories: 670
Deep Dish Pizzas Burned:  0.15

Why I’m Not Your Typical Internet Person

Pictured above is myself, Liz of DancetotheRadio and Ashley of WritetoReach, video chatting.

Note the two most obvious things: 1. It’s me, the only guy, with two adorable girls.  2.  I have a computer speaker to my ear because I forgot my headphones.

You can’t win them all. =)

Top 10 Posts of 2010

Here are the top 10 best/favorite blog posts I wrote in 2010:

No. 10:

A Beautiful Mess – posted on January 23rd.

So today, as I sit in a coffee shop, now on my second cup of coffee, I can’t help but smile.  I am a mess.  I don’t know what is next.  Then again, I don’t want to know.  This time last year I was hoping for something different; an adventure that will turn all things around.  And I did, I had an adventure of a lifetime.  But today, I feel like I’m at the same place as I was last year.  And yet, I know that I’m not.  I may be anxious and curious of what is next for me; waiting for another adventure to start.  Except, I know that my next adventure has already begun and it will become apparent to me in due time.

No. 9:

The Final Graduation – posted on June 9th.

Three Junes have passed since the end of Camelot. And each year, we still come together as a family, thanks to the still active parents, to honor those who never had the opportunity to graduate the hallowed halls and chapel of Quigley Seminary. Tonight will be bitter sweet as we congratulate the final freshman class and graduate the last class.

No. 8:

International YouTube Scavenger Hunt – posted on June 27th.

We each gave each other 5 things we want the person to find so we can see and learn more about our respective places.  Not only was this collaboration extremely fun, but it shows how the Internet is able to make the world a smaller place.

No. 7:

ET09: A Home Away From Home – posted February 24th.

Stepping off the ICE bullet train from Frankfurt to Cologne, I breathed the cool summer morning air of Germany.  Looking to my right and then to my left, I saw what I was looking for.  A tall, dark and handsome German was waving his hand high and smiling at me.  I smiled and waved back as I headed towards him.

“Hello!”  He said in his thick German accent.

“Hello Björn,”  I replied smiling.

We embraced each other with a long hug.

No. 6:

The Start of Something – posted on May 31st.

Zipping down Halsted Ave under the orange glow of Chicago’s street lights on my disassembling, 4th generation, hand-me-down blue road Schwinn, dressed in a Threadless shirt, jeans, a blue plaid hoodie and a gray pair of Chuck Taylors, a smile cracked upon my face.  The air was cool and damp, a mixture of late spring’s warmth and early June’s soft breath, as a light but blanketing fog was rolling in from Lake Michigan.  Pedaling at a speed of half urgency and half adventure seeking, I roll through Boystown, without even blinking at the scantily dressed men, into Lakeview.  Ignoring all stop signs and disregarding traffic lights as I weaved through intersecting traffic like a true Chicago cyclist, my smile grew bigger.  Chuckling at the posing scensters trying to find a party for the night, I managed to cut off a taxi while avoiding a prematurely drunk girl and her male escort.

No. 5:

VidCon and the YouTube Community – posted on July 16th.

How does one explain community?  Anyone can discuss it, write about or describe it, but community is meant to be experienced.  I’m struggling how to describe my experience of VidCon, in hopes that I can truly capture and reflect the experience I had this past weekend.  So tonight, I was talking to my YouTube friend Terri (Tezzitoo) from Australia, who could not make it to VidCon, and she told me to start from the beginning.  And that’s when it hit me.  The beginning means the community and what’s more community than experiencing it.  And I truly experienced community at VidCon, but I am also experiencing community as I’m chatting away with Terri.

No. 4:

Chronicles of a Marathon:  Chicago Marathon 2010 – posted on October 12th.

3 runnerds, 1 camera and 26.2 miles of inspiration.

No. 3:

Friend & Priest – posted on May 25th.

It was August 1998 when he told us about his desire to be a priest.  The moment he told me, I never doubted him.  Andrew was going to be a priest.  Almost twelve years have passed since that balmy August afternoon.  Throughout those twelve years, I have come to know a person who I couldn’t think be more perfect to be a priest.  This past weekend, shortly just after noon on May 22nd, Andrew Liaugminas was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

No. 2:

Le Petit Seminaire – posted on August 8th.

This is for my classmates, my colleagues, my students and fellow alumni.

No. 1:

Missed Connections:  Smart, Cute Girl w/ Doctor Who Button @MSI – posted on September 15th.

You looked at me, realizing the nerdiness of the question, smiled and obliged.  Once in the middle of the funnel cloud, you continued your lesson, putting to life what you said earlier.  When it was all over, it was just you and I again.  Your MSI lanyard with your ID was worn down your back, so I couldn’t see your name.  It was then, I happened to noticed your Doctor Who button on the left side of your MSI coat.