You Don't Need No Fly Jeep To Come and Scoop Me, You Can Drive What You Own, That's The Way I Like It.....

So, we're off to Winterpeg! Baby Brooklyn is going to get Christened! (Baptized for you non-Catholics out there!)

She was even UBER Excited to be riding in a limo also! She's been on a plane 3 times before already, so she's not new to the flying game. There really was a point in time where she had more AirMiles than me!

She was SO excited, that she couldn't handle even getting to the airport while awake!
This is what I got to watch on the way to Winterpeg.

Hooray. Blah, it was a crappy movie anyways.

When you land at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, there are 12 luggage carousels. In Winnipeg, there is one. That's it. Just one. Yay.

I will qualify that they are building a new airport terminal though! Word on the street has it that they are now getting TWO luggage carousels! HA!
And the best part about staying in Canada is that there is always going to be a Tim Horton's somewhere close!

Welcome Home! This is not my home though!

I'm not sure which timewarp this guy travelled from.

But from the headband to the skinny jeans, and the rocker boots, I'm sure this guy has had many groupie/roadie stories in his time!

Look what was waiting for us when we got to where we were staying!

Baby Brooklyn is already a TOTAL CELEBRITY in Winnipeg!

This is HILARIOUS! They made her into the Easter Bunny!!

Oh yah, the MOOCH is also here. Whoopideedee. He's here til Thursday, but I still say that he should move here forever. It really is in his best interest if he does.
One big reason why he should stay here is that Filipinos LOVE to cook. They LOVE to cook and host visitors, and there is usually no shortage of food around. This suits the MOOCH perfectly! He can eat all he wants and not feel any guilt (not that he ever does at my place!). In fact, Filipinos INSIST that you eat when you are there, and are disgraced/disappointed when you refuse!
I'm pretty sure that he starved himself for a week, knowing that he was coming here for a visit.

The other fun thing that's here in Winnipeg: TFC. Pretty much all Filipino Soap Operas. Here is where I get the chance to catch up on all the gossip, who's who, who's the hot actresses/actors and relive my dream of becoming a Filipino soap opear star! NOT! Ha!
And look who is still all tuckered out from all the excitement??

Good night Brooklyn!!

Happy Bday K.Hokoyama!! I still have to make my NY trip soon! Enjoy your youth while you still can, and keep on keepin' on!

Song of the Day:

Man Undercover - Aaliyah

Even Flow, Thoughts Arise Like Butterflies, Oh He Dont' Know, So He Chases Them Away, Someday Yet, He'll Begin His Life Again, Life Again, Life Again.

I'm pretty sure that the biggest advantage of me working way out in the Boonies is that I just keep winning more and more Free Coffees from Tim Horton's Roll Up the Rim To Win!

I'm not really sure what my winning tally total is for this year now, but I DO know that I'm going to have one big party with all my free coffee and free donuts soon!
If you'd like an invite, Stay Tuned!!

I'm not watching this show, but I heard all the buzz from the girls at work:
And her face looks like she's been through a bad Botox session!

HA! Somewhere Jon Gosselin is shouting at his TV, "I TRIED TO TOLD YOU ALL! I TRIED TO TOLD YOU SHE WAS A CRAZY B*TCH!" BTW, Happy Bday Jon Gosselin on Thursday.
And has anyone heard anything from Cara, Alexis, Hannah, Aiden, Collin, Leah, and Joel? (I don't really care about Maddy, she's gonna get a slap in the face still for being a mini-Kate!)

It's March 30th, and I'm looking to see who still has their Christmas Tree up! I think that if you make it to Easter, then God himself should give you a prize for keeping your Christmas Tree up from Xmas to Easter.

This doesn't count, but it's pretty close. These folks have Christmas lights still up on their front lawn. Poor Frosty.

Song of the Day: Even Flow - Pearl Jam

We Are Young, Heartache to Heartache We Stand, No Promises No Demands, Love Is a Battlefield, We Are Strong,

And so I've basically won my Office NCAA Final Four Basketball pool already! Nobody has any teams left in the Final Four except me, who successfully picked WVU and DUKE on the right side of the brackets. My other side was Syracuse and Kansas, but NOBODY picked Mich State and Butler!
So as the "new guy", I basically look like a GENIUS already! I tried to explain to them all that with Duke even having a remote chance this year with 3 seniors and 2 Juniors on their squad, their poise, experience, and familiarity with each other would prevail over all the other inexperienced teams. So I had no issues in writing Duke's name all the way to the National Champion this year! Plus, with Coach K's style of killing the clock and limiting possessions, the scores would never get so high for blowouts and for poor shooting performances to hurt them that much. Now, I'm not a guru, but for someone who's been following Duke for 22 years, I can confidently say that I've been through the highs, the lows, and the heartbreaks. So, with all that said, LET'S GO DUKE! Final Four 2010!
Oh yah, and the people at work... let's just say that I'm happy to be taking their hard earned money!! Bahahaha!

Song of the Day: Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar

Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke! Let's Go Duke!

So it seems that my last Duke Fanatic post caused quite the stir in my circle and even a few comments on the website. It dawned on me that I completely left out a bunch of Duke items like my keychains, lanyards, random Duke memorabilia, my ticket stubs, but more importantly and more dear to my heart.....

It's the Duke Cup collection! Starting from when my brother and I went to our very first Duke game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, we began collecting Duke Cups every single time we went! We both actually USE our Duke Cups on a Daily basis also! These were the first generation Duke Cups back in the early 90's.

They even made Jumbo sizes back in those days also!

This was the biggest cup I ever ordered. It's great for holding Grey Goose in! No need for refills!

This cup was actually from Madison Square Garden when Duke played against Gonzaga.

Then there's all these regular sized cups. Yes, everytime we go to DUKE, we come back with Duke Cups!

Yes, I think I might have a problem: I need more cups for Baby Brooklyn!!

So Can I Get a Window Seat, Don't Want Nobody Next to Me, I Just Want a Ticket Outta Town, a Look Around, and a Safe Touchdown, Window Seat.....

Today is all about the NCAA Basketball Tournament aka March Madness aka the Road to the Final Four. Didn't matter really everything else that I did today, it was all about Duke Basketball.

Here were the BlueDevils on Thursday night getting into Houston for the Sweet 16:
The BlueDevils won their Sweet 16 match against Purdue 70-57! And of course the BlueDevils made it out of the Elite 8, beating the Baylor (I don't care who their mascot is) 78-71! This makes 11 Final Four appearances for Duke, and for Coach Krzyzewski, 11/30 years coaching is a pretty damn good record!
Next up for the BlueDevils, Western Virginia on Saturday in the Final Four in Indianapolis!
Let's GO DUKE!

Song of the Day: Window Seat - Erykah Badu
THE bestest part about this video, is not just the nudity, but I was AT that "X" spot where JFK was shot in Dallas!!

I Think It's So Groovy Now That People Are Finally Getting Together, I Think It's Wonderful to Know That People Are Starting To Get Together.....

What a way to start a Sunny Saturday! I swear, my odds of winning this year are COMPLETELY turned around from last year!

And yes, I cut the slits and roll up. That's my method!

Brunch Partner is ready to roll and she's got the Baby Gangster look on today!

"What you want, fool? What you want??" She's DEFINITELY going to be the playground bully when she gets to the playgrounds!

So after a few errands, a trip to the accountant's, a very quick trip to Ikea, and brunch, we were off to Bayview Village for some dessert and retail therapy!

By the way, Dessert was AWESOME! Pure Awesomeness! Get In My Belly!

Then we decided to hit one of my favorite stores on the planet: ANTHROPOLGIE.

Located at Don Mills and Lawrence, this store is a retailers dream!
Yes fellas, I work in retail, therefore I do retail research. I don't spend money here, but I DO observe and enjoy! This is basically Urban Outfitters on crack cocaine! The sights, the sounds, the scents, the color, the layout, the whole store is just a sensory experience!

I used to read this dude's blog faithfully. I guess if I still had the time to keep up with it, I would have known that his book was out already!!

How to use a wooden Pallet as a belt display. Loving loving McLoving it! Dudes, if you're still suspicious of why I'm at a woman's store on a Sat Afternoon, try hanging out here with a cute Baby Brooklyn and see how many women come up to you and say, "OH MY GAWD! What a cute baby! Is she your's??" Pure Awesomeness.

Of course, Fellas if you want to pick up some Brownie Points for your woman, it would NOT hurt to get familiar and do some research and spend some money on her in here! This summer dress is DEFINITELY going to catch some looks this year!

HA! Really? I don't think I was ever given this book to read as a kid! Neither will Baby Brooklyn!!

Now THIS BOOK on the other hand is definitely up my alley! Cupcake Heaven! Are you kidding me? Get In My Belly!

I'm really not quite sure what the inspiration for the big curly green fake foliage in the middle of the store is.

Upon closer inspection, I still really don't know what in the world it's for.

And Baby Brooklyn is just about ready to head home. Even she had had enough shopping for one baby day!

This is how I decided to celebrate Earth Hour. Grey Goose + Two Dolce and Banana Cupcakes from the Designer Cookie! GET IN MY BELLY!!

And this is what Earth Hour looked like at Homee's Joint.

Song of the Day: Let's Get Together - Krush

Cuz I Need to Move, I Need to Wake Up, I Need to Change, I Need to Shake Up, I Need to Speak Out, Something's Got to Break Up, I've Been Asleep.....

The Friday started out really well!

Either I drink a LOT of coffee, or the chances of winning out in the Boonies is really higher than in the city! Either way, I just keep WINNING! :)

Now, I wouldn't say that my drive to work is "perilous", but accidents DO happen.

The reverse lane was completely closed on the way in to work. I've now become "that guy" when listening to the morning traffic reports to see just how my drive into work is going to be.

Apparently, this Honda Accord rear ended a tractor trailor, and the impact was so hard, that the driver died!! Now, I do take precautions when I do drive, but I'm thinking, how the heck fast did this guy have to be going that he rear ended some truck, and his headlight still ended up in the steering wheel?? And not only that, but he died?? Whoa.

Then, on my way home, these two fellas got into a fender bender! What a weird day to be driving!

I guess because it was such a nice day outside, people get extra rowdy, or they just plain don't pay attention!

Ok, yes I'm taking pictures while driving, but I dare you to look at my driving record! Clean as a whistle! Woot Woot!!

At least I made it home back to the safety of Leonidas sitting in my lap!

I'm still trying to figure out how an ex-street cat becomes a lap-cat. What a big suck he is!

Song of the Day: I Need To Wake Up - Melissa Etheridge

There Are Times When I Look Above And Beyond, There Are Times When I Feel You Smile Upon Me Baby, I'll Never Forget My Baby.....

Song of the Day: Together Again - Janet Jackson

They'll Take All Your Rhymes With A Colgate Smile, Hey Baby, They'll Love You One Second Then Hate You the Next, Hey Ain't It Crazy Baby, Yah.....

I received a phone call this morning in regards to someone telling me that my "blog" is all wrong. The person proceeded to criticize, point out where I could use some improvements, and offer some advice on how to make this "blog" better. After about 25 mins of my patiently listening (which is very rather odd, me being patient), I asked if I could tell him exactly why I don't have the flashiest, up to date, topic by topic "blog".
1. This is a Journal. This was designed to be a place for me to dump my thoughts so that I can appear sane amongst the rest of humanity. This is not a "blog" per se, but just a place for me to dump, vent, discuss, and entertain. "Welcome to Homee's Joint".
2. Logic? There is no logic here really. Rules? And who wrote the rules to "blogging"? It's the internet. Freedom of speech and freedom of sight. If you don't like it, don't click on it or visit. I do appreciate those of you who DO spend time on here, and even let it be known. I know some people who enjoy their morning coffee on my site when they're at work. I know some people who catch up once a week on their day off, just to see if I'm still sane, sober, or if I truly have fallen off the deep end yet. You may not agree with everything or anything on here, but you do visit, and I am thankful. Otherwise, you always have the option of NOT visiting.
3. Haters. Gotta Love them. I've written about Haters before, and I do have quite a collection starting to form. I welcome the Haters because they keep me at my best, they let me gloat when I don't usually, and they allow me to keep proving them wrong. Keep on keepin on, Haters!
4. Shits and Giggles. That's all.
5. As an English Lit Major, I was trained to write. I love to write, create, form and shape, and change people's filters. The power of words holds so much over us as people as that is our primary form of communication. (Although, 90% of our communication is actually retained by body language!) I chose English Lit because I was good at writing, creating, story telling, and imagining. Gotta figure that when you're on a student loan after three years of hanging out at the Student Union Building trying to pick up Finance Girls, and you have to declare a Major, you find out what you're good at Really Quickly! Either way, the Eng Lit degree only proves that I am trainable and that I attained it with a passion that was already with me.

So again, I DO Thank You all for coming to share your time with me, or at least my ramblings. Yes, you can already tell the major influences in my life from the topics and pictures that are on here. Yes, you might only be patrolling on here for pictures of Baby Brooklyn (the BIGGEST influence in my life), but that's ok. One day she will be famous and she WILL take over the world, so you can at least say that you remember seeing the Ruler of the World when she was a wee baby! Until tomorrow, keep on keepin' on, and Stay Good!

Happy BDay to my sis from another mother Capital E! She's the one who sends out Valentine's, Easter, and Bday cards even now when we're all old farts! She's the one who made me study when I was chasing girls in the pool hall. Congrats E, we made it this far! Many many more Happy Birthdays to you!

Song of the Day: Cherchez La Ghost - Ghostface Killah

To Live and Die in L.A. It's the Place To Be, You've Got To Be There To Know It, What Everybody Wanna See.....

Have you ever been on a ride at the fair that you just wish that it would stop? Maybe it seemed like a good idea when you were on the ground, in the lineup waiting to get on to it, but when you actually got on, and it started moving, you realize that maybe it wasn't such a great idea after all? Heck, you might even be getting nauseous, get sick, or just plain Puke.
But sometimes you gather yourself up, you grip on to the safety bar really tightly and you take control back of yourself and your mind, and you look around and handle it! You handle your business.
I don't have any regrets, none that I would really let burden my life. I am, however, living this rollercoaster of a ride lately right now. The place where I'm at is in a state of flux. I've joined them right at a prime time of growth, change, expansion, and evolution. I know that they went after me for my expertise, experience, and overall I'm just "That Damn Good"!! But lately, things have been spiralling and spinning almost to a point of "out of control". Whenever I feel that way, I go outside, take a few deep breaths, take a mental reality check, and grab that handle bar tightly and start taking the ride for a ride!
I guess part of it contributes to my "fitting in" at the new company, and the other part is just a test of patience, skill, and adaptability. I know that I'm there for a reason, and that I'm also ready to make my mark. I don't want and they don't want me to just "fill a role" but we both want for me to be a key player. It's funny because growing up, I always thought that you hit your prime and your stride when you turned 30. When I did, I really didn't feel that anything significantly different happened. Now that I'm here today, I definitely feel that my life, my filters, my outlook, and my skill set have all turned a corner and this is definitely where my prime is.
At times, I feel myself looking around, and thinking and KNOWing that I can handle this! And so I just do.

Song of the Day: To Live and Die in L.A. - Tupac

The Glory, The Story, The Chain, The Polo, The Nike, The Chronic, Empty Bottles of No Do's, Tank On Empty Whippin My Mama's Volvo.....

Typical Monday at work. And it was raining all day out in the Boonies. Blah.

On the bright side, I won another Free Coffee on my morning Tim Hortons!! I swear, the boonie life Must have better odds at winning these things! Now, if only I can get my hands on that Free Netbook!?!?!

Oh and they haven't officially promoted me at work yet, but I'm already doing the work. How does that happen? I better not get jacked on this one! Have no fear, I am NOT going to get jacked on this one. I know better than that! But hey, at least it'll afford for me to take more buying trips to NY and LA! :) Ka-Ching!

Song of the Day: The Glory - Kanye West

Hey Nevermind What Haters Say, Ignore 'Em Til They Fade Away, Amazing They're Ungrateful After All the Game I Gave Away.....

Rockstar Froggy seems to like it in her new TV Chair!

She can watch TV, play with toys, and take poops all at the same time! What more does a Rockstar Froggy Baby need??

So by now you must have heard of all the March Madness going on! The NCAA Basketball tournament is THE Best format of post-season sports EVER!

Going in to Saturday, by bracket predictions were 22/32. Not bad, not bad at all, considering that there were some major upsets already in the first round.

By the end of Sunday, I was 9/16 which also isn't bad, but definitely screwed up the rest of my bracket! No #1 Kansas anymore, no #2 Villanova anymore, #3 Georgetown was out in the first round, and #3 Pitt was ousted on Sunday also! So far it looks like the "Cinderella" teams are #12 Cornell, #9 Northern Iowa (who beat Kansas), #10 St Mary's, and #11 Washington (although as winners of the Pac 10, they were HIGHLY Underrated!)
All that matters to me at this point is not my bracket, and how many more predictions I got or didn't get, all that matters is that DUKE is finally playing deep into March! #1 Duke beat #8 California 68-53! The Bluedevils started a bit slow, but never trailed after the 6 minute mark of the game. Turns out that it was Duke's size and lowpost game that got them over the top! Zoubek and the Plumlee brothers combined for 22 points, 10-11 shooting, and 18 rebounds to propel Duke into the Sweet 16 round of the Tournament! Nolan Smith (20 points) and Kyle Singler (17-5-3) led the way for the Bluedevils, but more worrisome is that Senior Jon Scheyer was only 1-11 from the field and only held to 7 points. At least the Bluedevils held Pac 10 player of the year Jerome Randle to 12 points-2 rebs-1 assist!
Irony that it is one day after the 17th anniversary to the day that Cal beat Duke while Duke was going for it's 3rd straight NCAA Championship, but a kid named Jason Kidd singlehandedly stopped Duke in it's tracks.
Next opponent for Duke: the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday night in Houston!

Song of the Day: Live Your Life - T.I.