How Sweep it is... My version of the events of the 2012 postseason...

September 22 2012 it began... the Giants clinched the National League Western Division title, their second in three years. The celebration began. This was about 11 days before the regular season would end and about 14 days until Game 1 of the National League Division Series (NLDS). This year due to the second wild card, the format was the lower seed would open at home and the higher seed would close out in their home ballpark, thus giving them the home field advantage.
National League Division Series (Best of five)
So there we were, October 6th 2012, AT&T park was buzzing, well at least up until Cain gave up a 2-run blast to Phillips, from what I heard on TV and on the radio, this hit took the crowd completely out of the game. The Giants were able to get some runs, but not enough and dropped the 1st game 5-2. (Reds Leads 1-0)
Game 2 on October 7th had a different feel, I truly felt that Bumgarner would get the job done, but he was not able to. the Giants got blown out 9-2 on their home field. The crowd was dead and most, if not all feared this would be the last time they would see their beloved Giants play in 2012. My perspective on this was that they would be back, I was at home with my wife and new born son, watching and listening, feeling confident that the Giants would turn it around and I would see another game at home. This would be tough as the next game was in Cincinnati and they were now down two games to none (Reds lead 2-0)
After a day off and a much needed pep talk to rally the team by Pence, the Giants faced the Reds at the Great American Ballpark on October 9th, this nail biter was started by Vogelsong and pitched great. The Giants fought tooth and nail to scratch out 1 run to tie it up in the 3rd inning. The Giants won this game in the 10th when Posey scored on an error by Rolen at 3rd and Romo closed it out and they lived to play another day. (Reds lead 2-1)
Game 4 was on October 10th, Pagan lead the game off with a Home Run, the Reds tied it up and after Blanco's 2 run blast the Giants never looked back. Zito started this game and was relieved by Lincecum who was now in the bull pen. The offense did come alive and the Giants won the game 8-3 to tie the series. (Series tied 2-2)
Game 5 was held on October 14th, for the Giants to get this far was a great accomplishment. Cain, who started game 1 and did not pitch as he normally does, was looking for redemption. The game was scoreless until the 5th inning when the Giants put up 6 runs on the board, capped of by a Grand Slam by Posey. But of course, these are the Giants and they would not let it go down without drama. The Reds scored twice in the bottom frame to make it 6-2. They added another in the 6th to make it 6-3, in the 9th inning they got even close at 6-4. Romo, now the closer for the Giants had an epic 12 pitch encounter with Bruce and popped him up for the second out. Then Romo struck out Rolen and the game and series was over. The unthinkable had happened. The Giants down 0-2, win 3 straight on the road and move on to the NLCS, all that was needed was an opponent. Would it be the Washington Nationals or the St. Louis Cardinals? The Giants would have to wait one more day to find out. (Giants win series 3-2)

National League Championship Series (Best of Seven)
Game 1 was on October 14th at AT&T park. Bumgarner got the start and the Giants were down 6-0 going into the bottom of the 4th. In that bottom frame the Giants were able to get 4 runs back, but it was not enough. The Cardinals held on. (STL leads 1-0)
Game 2 was held the next night on the 15th, Vogelsong who thrives on pitching in front of the home crowd, did not disappoint. He was on his game. In the top of the 1st inning Giants 2nd basemen Scutaro was taken out by a legal, but in my opinion late slide by Holliday. Scutaro stayed in and played a big part of this game and many more in the series. Pagan lead off the bottom of the 1st with a Home Run for the second time this post season. The Cardinals would tie the game in the second, but Vogelsong and the bullpen would not let them score anymore. With a 4 run 4th and a 2 run 8th inning the Giants evened the series with a 7-1 victory (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3 shifted to St. Louis on October 17th. Cain was on the bump again trying to get the Giants a lead int he series. Beltran who tweaked his knee was replaced by Carpenter who would hit a 2 run home run off of Cain. There was a rain delay and much frustration for the Giants as they had runners on all game, but could not get the hit they needed. Game 3 went to the birds. (STL leads 2-1)
Game 4 on the 18th would see the return of Lincecum to the Starting rotation. After his appearances in the NLDS he deserved this one. But it was not his night. They jumped on him early and the Giants offense was pressing. This game went to the birds as well and it did not look good for the Giants (STL leads 3-1)
Game 5 was played on October 19 with Zito getting the start. Before I left work, I was telling anyone who would listen that Ztio would shut down the Cards and the Giants would be playing back at home. No one believed me that day, but Zito proved them all wrong. In what had to have been his best outing in a Giants uniform threw a gem, 7.2 innings, no runs allowed and the Giants crawled back into this series, now on their way back home to the city by the bay (STL leads 3-2)
Game 6 was played in San Francisco on October 21st, remember that guy Vogelsong who uses the crowd to help him pitch better at home. Yeah, he got the start and the Giants were up 5-0 by the end of the second inning. Great defense and great pitching lead to the Giants winning this one 6-1, tying the series and forcing a winner take all Game 7 (Series tied 3-3)
Game 7 on the 22nd was a game started by Cain. The Giants were ready, they were up 7-0 by the 3rd inning. The baseball Gods were even having fun with this one. Pence hit a ball 3 times as hit bat broke and made contact with the ball. Later Berkman a Cardinal player on the DL said the hit was 'ilegal' I say Berkman is a sore loser. The Cardinals looked lost and in disbelief, the look on their faces showed the world that they had already lost this game, this series after Zito shut them down. In the 9th the rain came down and was pouring, the umps did not want to call this one since they were one out away. Remember in Game 2 when Holliday had that late slide, yeah, Cain plunked him and the baseball Gods once again made things right as Holliday popped up the man he took out (Scutaro) and the Giants were the National League Champions! The Giants won the pennant (Giants win series 4-3)
NLCS MVP: Marco Scutaro

World Series (Best of Seven)
Game 1 was played on October 24, 2012. The Detroit Tigers were coming off of a 4 game sweep of the New York Yankees, they were well rested and had their pitching rotation set up very well. The ace Verlander would face the Giants and Zito. Giants would go on to win this game 8-3 with the help of Panda, he went 4 for 4, with 3 Home Runs (2 off of the 'invinceable' Verlander) and a single. Zito pitched a great game and with Lincecum coming out of the pen to relieve him it was a solid game. For the first time this post season, the Giants were up. (SF leads 1-0)
Game 2 was played the next night on the 25th. Bumgarner corrected a mechanical flaw he had and dominated. Once again, I told anyone who would listen that he would toss 7 shut out innings. With the help of Blanco-Scutaro-Posey to get out Fielder at the plate, he did. The Giants scored on a ground out double play and on a sacrifice fly, it was enough and Romo got the save in a 2-0 ball game. (SF leads 2-0)
Game 3 was in Detroit on October 27th. This game was started by Vogelsong and he continued his post season dominance. This time the Giants got 2 runs early courtesy of Pence, Blanco and Crawford and the runs stood up. The Bullpen held up the 2 runs and shut out the Tigers in back to back games. Romo got the save in this on as well (SF leads 3-0)
Game 4, October 28th, Cain on the bump. Giants got on the board in the 2nd, going up 1-0. In the 3rd inning Cabrera; the AL triple crown winner hit an opposite field 2-run Home Run and the crowd went nuts. In the 6th Posey hit a 2-run Home Run of his own for the Giants to take the lead 3-2, only for Young to tie it in the bottom half with an opposite field solo blast. The game was getting tense. Affeldt and Casilla held the Tigers to zeros. The game went into extras. In the 10th, Theriot got a single, was sacrificed by Crawford, Pagan struck out and Scutaro singled Theriot home! Giants up 4-3. To the bottom of the 10th we go, Romo is in strikes out the first 2 batters and it all comes down to Cabrera, the possible AL MVP. Romo sets, here's the pitch, and we all got to see the called 3rd strike, I am sure Cabrera got to see it best and it was over... The Giants sweep the Tigers. An improbable run to the Championship. The celebration began and continued. (SF wins 4-0)
World Series MVP: Pablo Sandoval-Panda

My thoughts.....
When a team is not given a chance, they must create their own magic. In a season where the Giants were considered the front runners for the NL West division, they lost their closer Brian Wilson, had tough stretches, lost one of their most productive players to PED's and had to with stand a blockbuster trade from the rival Dodgers, the Giants did it. With no respect from the national media, the Giants had to always be the underdogs. Down 0-2 to the Reds in a best of 5 series, many gave up hope.. They Didn't, neither did I. Down 3-1 to the Cardinals, many gave up hope... They didn't, neither did I. An underdog in the World Series, a series that was said to be dominated by big bad Verlander and the imposing offense of the triple crown winner Cabrera, Prince and Young... Many continued to give up hope... They didn't, neither did I. The Giants Panda walked up to the big bully (Verlander) and punched him twice in the mouth and the Tigers turned into kittens, the Giants sweep.. Still no love or respect for the hometown nine. Still the media looks for excuses on why Detroit didn't hit... It was two reasons: 1) The Starting pitchers and 2) the Bullpen. The parade is on Halloween, it should be fun. I'll be sitting this one out as my PTO is being banked for my wife and son (The Rally Baby) but I'll be watching. This should be a lesson to people, if you are really a fan, you never give up... Cheer for them win or lose, so it makes the victories a lot sweeter. I can honestly say that I NEVER gave up hope... Can you honestly say that?
With great pitching, defense, timely hitting, the Rally Baby and his Rally Socks! (Worn since Game 5 of the NLCS) the Giants did it... My Giants are the world champions...
Congratulations to the 2012 World Series Champions.. The San Francisco Giants!!!!!!!!!!
Pitchers: 41- Jeremy Affeldt  40 Madison Bumgarner (MadBum) 18 Matt Cain (The Horse) 46 Santiago Casilla 70 George Kontos 55 Tim Lincecum (The Freak) 49 Javier Lopez 50 Jose Mijares 59 Guillermo Mota 54 Sergio Romo (That's what's up) 32 Ryan Vogelsong (Vogey) 75 Barry Zito (Zeets)
Catchers: 28 Buster Posey (MVPosey) 29 Hector Sanchez
Infielders: 13 Joaquin Arias 9 Brandon Belt (The Giraffe) 35 Brandon Crawford (John Stamos) 17 Aubrey Huff (Huff Daddy) 48 Pablo Sandoval (Kung Fu Panda) 19 Marco Scutaro (Blockbuster) 5 Ryan Theriot
Outfielders: 7 Gregor Blanco (The White Shark) 12 Xavier Nady 16 Angel Pagan (The Crazy Horse) 8 Hunter Pence (The Mantis)
15 Bruce Bochy!!!

#RallyBaby #RallySocks

Mommy and Javi (The Rally Baby)

Me and Javi, I waited 29 years for 1.. He gets one after a month of life!

Happy Family

Javi the Rally Baby ready to pop his cider bottle!

Champagne for the celebration!

2012 World Series Champions.. The San Francisco Giants!!

Mid-October

Here we are past the mid point of October. Today is Javier 3rd week of life. So much has changed in our lives since that day he came into it. It has been a great experience. My wife if doing really good with taking care of him during his first few weeks. I was able to get 9 days off of work to spend at the house with Mamma and Baby. There is so much to learn about the baby and so much that goes into being a parents that one really does not know, or even how to prepare for. But I guess that is where natural instincts come into play. At the 1 week mark of his life, he decided to pee on me, he celebrated week 3 by trying to do the same. He is such a bundle of joy, as well as poop and pee.
So, what else to talk about. Well, let's talk about the 49ers. I was able to wattch the Niners vs Jets game with Javi, like I planned. We also saw the Niners defeat the Bills. I missed the stinker of a game against the NY Giants, but caught last nights game against the Seahawks. As of today the Niners are a 5-2 team, the way I see it, they are a really good team that need to stick to their game plan. What is the game plan you ask? Gore! Gore! Gore!
Niners need to stick to running first, pass second and have the defense smack the opposing team in the mouth. Granted that the Niners have a much inproved receiving core this year with Moss, Mannigham and a much improved Crabtree. Another option is Davis, when they game plan to have him open they can do really big things. Another thing the Niners would need to do is to stop putting in Kapernick so much, it disrupts the game flow for Smith.
San Francisco Giants... Giants won the west, down 0-2 to the Reds in the NLDS, made history by being the first NL team to win 3 road games to move on to the next round. As of this writing the Giants are down 3-1 to the Cardinals in the NLCS. Barry Zito takes the bump to extend the season for the hometown nine. If they win today, they play another game in San Francisco. I have faith I will see them play again this year after today.
Now, just a qucik note that has always botherd me. Why is is when a team wins it's "We won" and when a team suffers a loss it's "They Lost"? You didn't play, you had nothing to do with it. Also, the definition of a fan has been stretched thin. For me, being a fan means that you stick with your team, win or lose. Ups and downs. Sure sometimes its tough, but supporting your team is crucial as a fan. I hate when 'fans' give up on their team, leave early or turn their backs on players. There are 3 Giants that I can say that I did not like and did not cheer for, but I expected them to win with the Giants. (Livan Hernandez, A.J. persynski and Armando Benitez), I'm talking to you three). But my expectation was good or bad, Giants all the way.
Which brings me to the unfair treatment of Tim Lincecum. Here you have a 2010 post season hero, 2 time Cy young award winner and because of 1 bad season, these 'fans' have have turned their backs on him and are saying that he is 'done' and to 'trade him'. Really? wow, I guess it is true. Everybody loves a star when he's on the top, but no one seems to come around when he starts to drop. I fully expect Timmy to bounce back next season and have a great year. S
Birthday's this month.. Frank the Tank, My sister and My God daughter

Together at last....

Well, today October 2012 begins and we have a new roommate.

So, on Thursday, September 27th at 4:50am my wife woke me up and told me that her water broke, we called the hospital and went over what was going on and they told us they would call us back. When they called us back, they instructed us to make it to the hospital to be seen at the labor and delivery triage room. We got there around 7am and we were escorted in. The triage room is set up where 2 patients can be seen at a time, we were the closest to the door and after being there for sometime we heard some alarms beeping and people rushing in. We were concerned as we did not know what was going on. Turns out that the other patient was having some complications and they had to spring into action to stabilize the situation. After about an hour or so, we were admitted and taken to our delivery room.

Since my wife's water broke and this was our first child, they told us that it would probably be a long delivery. The nurse explained that we had to use pitocin to help the labor process, this is something that my wife wanted to avoid. Our plan was to see how long she could last without pain medication through the labor, but with this news, we had to go to plan B. She asked for the pain meds through the IV. She was doing real well. By this point her Mother was in the room with us and we were just waiting. The contractions were strong and steady, but she was being real strong and moving forward. She even almost bit my thumb off. The pain was so much that she did not even want to eat. My Mom and Step Dad stopped by and visited. Time kept going on, so we waited.

After 8pm she decided she wanted the epidural, we went through the process and again she made it through with strength and courage. She was doing really well and moving forward. There was a slight problem with the shot, it caused her blood pressure to get really low and she felt a bit weak. She recovered from that and was monitored closely after. After midnight, which would now be Friday September 28;the day I predicted back in April that he would be born. She was almost fully dilated. The Doctor recommended that we wait about 45 minutes before pushing so she would not push for too long. So at around 2: 37 am, she started pushing and was doing great.

I was helping her by encouraging her to take deep breaths and to push as had as she could. She was amazing. Then, 30 minutes later at 3:12am I saw the most amazing thing ever, our son was born. This was just another moment in my life that made me realize that she was and always will be the love of my life.

They cleaned the baby and we were able to hold him, he practically never left our sight. After some recovery time we were taken to a shared post partum room, I didn't like the sharing portion, but we were told that we would have our private room as soon as they could get one. We finally got our private room and were able to share these first moments of our sons life, the first moments as parents together with no one in the room. Later, my Family and Friends visited and we were discharged on Saturday, September 29th. That ride home was something else. Every bump my wife would complain, my only defense was to remind her that it was not me it was the poor condition of the streets of San Francisco.

We got home and it felt great to have our son, Javier Heliodoro Narvaez at home with us. Now we move forward and start this great journey and help Javi be the best he can be.

Our Bright Gift From The Sun

When my wife and I talked about having children, we had our names picked out. We had agreed that she would get to name our first daughter and I would name our first son. I knew and still know how important it is to her to give our first daughter (if God is willing to bless us with one) the names she selected. I agreed to it because it was important to me what our first sons name will be. A few of the reasons I will share with you in a moment. Some of you may already know 'Peanut's' name, for those of you that don't I hope this blog will enlighten you and give you some insight on his new moniker.
For our son, I wanted him to have a strong name. I did not want him to be 'Edwin Jr.' (Trust me, he'll thank me later for that) and I did not want him to be an exact name as someone else. What I did want for sure was to pay tribute to a man that has had a great influence in my life. My father.
My Father's name is Jose Heliodoro Narvaez, he was and is my role model, he always gave a great example, took care of us and provided for us and always showed us love. I wanted our son to have his first initial "J" and to carry out the rest of his name Heliodoro Narvaez. I know that 'Heliodoro' may not be a popular name in our society or amongst others, but I can honestly say that in my opinion, there was not a greater man to have that name then my father and our son will carry that with him to honor my father. Since, Jose was not an option for our son, as that would be a typical thing to call a Latino child Jose, I wanted something different, something biblical, but at the same time not archaic.
The name I wanted for our son was "JERICHO". What does it mean? well, according to many definitions, Jericho is the 'City of the Moon' (quick note, one of the nicknames my wife has is Luna.. coincidence???). Contrary to the belief of many, the reason I like the name is not because of WWE superstar Chris Jericho, although I will admit when I heard it on TV, I looked it up, according to the scriptures the city of Jericho was visited by Jesus Christ on his last journey to Jerusalem. On a bonus note, if 'peanut' would have been called 'Jericho' he would have had his own countdown, theme music and when he ran for any student office or even more he could call his supporters "Jerichoholics", but I guess that last part put some people off as they thought he would be mocked and not supported.
By definition: Jericho (city of the moon) Heliodoro (gift from the sun) Narvaez (dweller on a plain in the mountain). I thought that it was cool, representing the moon, the sun and nature.
But after much discussion and push back, my wishes were not fulfilled. I had to sacrifice one name, I was not going to sacrifice Heliodoro and I would not let go of the initial 'J'. One of the names considered was Jason, then Jacob, finally... Javier.
By definition: Javier (Bright) Heliodoro (gift from the sun) Narvaez (dweller on a plain in the mountain) Makes sense as well, our little "bright gift from the sun"
This experience that my wife and I have gone through, her feeling 'Peanut' move in her belly, me feeling him move with my hand on top of her belly has been great. If you are wondering why I still called him 'Peanut', I did it because, as many parents know, we rarely call our children by their names, we give them nicknames, I don't know if 'Peanut' will be a permanent nickname for him, or if one will come to me when I hold him for the first time, or when his personality starts to show.
One thing for sure is that my wife and I will try our hardest to help him become a great person, learn and understand where he came from and who his family is and to help him make a name for himself and help change the world for the better....
There you have it, 'Our Bright Gift from the Sun'... Javier Heliodoro Narvaez... A.K.A. Peanut!

August in a flash

Wow, time flies by in the blink of an eye... Just a few more weeks and "Peanut" will be here with us. My wife is doing real well, ready to get the pregnancy over with. This experience for her has fortunately been very well, considering what other women go through. But I am sure she is really happy to have had a chance to experience it, as there are some who cannot. So, it's September and now I will fill you in on August and the month that was....
Just a few items of noteworthiness...
August 11th was our God Daughters baptism. It was a great moment in her young life. We can only hope that we are able to not only participate in her life, but to be role models to her and show her that we love and support her.
August 12th we attended the San Francisco 49ers fan fest. It was a different experience, this is the first one that I have attended. I usually go to the Giants fan fest. What I liked about this event was that we saw the team practice and that is something that I have never seen. The sun was out and I had not been at the 'Stick in years... It brought back so many memories. I am looking forward to the upcoming season.
August 18th we went and did the 4D ultra sound for "Peanut" we confirmed he was a boy! The pictures were awesome, they made me more anxious to meet the little guy. I am so excited that he is coming soon.
August 25th was our baby shower. It was a really good time. We received a lot of gifts, very useful gifts. We played the games that people play at baby showers and had a great time with family and friends who are just as excited and anxious to meet our new little boy.
August went by so fast. September is here and soon so will be "Peanut" sometime this week we will be setting up his crib and his room. The countdown is getting closer to zero..... Just as quick as August flew by, this entry will as well....

Almost time to say goodbye to July....

Here we are, it's July 26th, my wife is now 30 weeks along into her pregnancy with our first child. 10 more weeks to go, we are really excited. We have already begun to get gifts from family for the baby. Both sides have been very generous and we appreciate it. So how has July been? well here is a recap...
* July 4th, Independence day! we went up to my Mom's house in Petaluma for a BBQ. We gathered, had some burgers, hot dogs and beer. A few small fireworks for the children and some good times shared by all. I can't wait for next year so "Peanut" can join in the fun. On the way home we were able to see the fireworks show in the City from the Golden Gate Bridge, it felt like they were celebrating me coming back home!
*July 9th.... Finally, Edwin has come back....Home! I got moved from my desk and sent to another building. The building I got sent to I had already worked at before. When I was with Arriba Juntos I used to run the One Stop activities and WIA monies in this building, when we were transferred out I told a few folks that I would make my way back here to them as a city employee. It took me about a year, but I am back. It was a great feeling to see everyone that I was close to once again. Make the transition a lot easier.
*July 16th- One year ago on this day, my wife and I had our church wedding and reception. It was an awesome event, once again we thank everyone who was a part of it, it will be hard for us to top that party, but we look forward to it when we renew our vows on our 25th anniversary ;) This day also marked the 11th year of us being together. There are a lot of things you learn about someone and about yourself in 11 years. With every relationship there are ups and downs, I am very lucky to a lot more ups then downs. I look forward to many many more years... I love you everyday!
*July 20th.. Was my wife's 29th birthday! Very relaxed day, she went out with her mom and then we hung out. The next day was for celebrating.
*July 21st... I went out in the morning to hang out with Arnel, Amilcar and Frankie at the Outback, I had 2 margaritas and some appetizers. After that I went home and chilled for a bit. My wife and I then went to K-mart to look for some toys for our niece and nephews. We got my niece (also my God daughter) a Nightmare Before Christmas poster and for the two little ones we got one an Alberto Del Rio toy and for the other one we got him the Alberto Del Rio and Brodus Clay Rumbler pack. We held off on our other two nephews as those will be taken in September. At 7 we had reservations at Benihana's, we were celebrating my wife's and my cousin Monica's birthday. Food was delicious and service was great from the cook Solis. After our meal we went to see "The Dark Knight Rises" I really enjoyed the movie as I am a big Batman fan, I could have done without the strange voice box on Bane, but I like it.
*July 23rd... was my 6th month here at my current job. By my count I have passed probation and I am doing really well. I really enjoy doing this.
*Birthdays in July 7/4 Craig L, 7/16 Brian C, 7/19 Tia Nora, 7/20 Ulisa!!! 7/23 Monica.. A very Happy Birthday to you all!
SPORTS!!!!
My San Francisco Giants are doing really well. Timmy looks like he is lost, but I still believe that he can help the team out. Those who criticize need to remember how well they pitch when they go out there every five days.. oh wait, you don't play, but have an opinion...
San Francisco 49ers are about to start camp, looking forward to the upcoming season! Alex Smith is my quarterback!
The Olympics 2012 in London start Friday! Can't wait!
#Raw1000 was very well put together, it had a great old school and new school feel to it. Hope they can continue with it as Raw goes 3 hours now every week...
Happy trails to you, until we meet again!

June in a nutshell

Wow, it's been a busy month of June. So busy in fact that I am blogging for the first time since the end of May. So what has happened. Lets start from the begining.
*June 1st: our new place was ready for us to start moving things in. Which meant that we would have to go over and clean up since we had two apartments for that month. My Mom, mother-in-law and Aunts helped us clean up a lot. The place was not really kept up that well, so we went in for a pre deep cleaning. It took us two weekends to get everything in order there. While that was going on we were packing up and cleaning up the old place and throwing a lot of things out.
*June 9th: we went to Chili's to celebrate my God daughters 15th birthday. It was a family event and we all had fun. My wofe and I were a bit tired due to the fact that we had been cleaning up the new place for the first half of the day. After dinner, we went to watch 'Snow White and the Huntsman'. It was ok, I really was not to thrilled with it, but oh well.
*June 13th: Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants tossed a Perfect Game! The first in Giants history. I started watching the game at my sisters house, got home and my wife changed the channel to some show. I was online and heard the play that Gregor Blanco made and then took notice. I went to the room to watch the end of the game. Baseball is a funny game with many unwritten rules, even watching baseball fans follow these rules. I went to the living room, told my wife to put the game on and to not say anything, just to watch. Then Arias threw out the runner at first to end the perfect game! I am really happy for Cain, he is a great pitcher and truly deserves the honor!
*June 14th was my God daughters actual Birthday. Other birthdays of note this month were my Aunt Miriam, my sister-in-law Rita and my brother-in-law Danny.
*June 16th: Moving day! We were helped by Amilcar, Oscar, Arnel, Brian and Alexia. Amilcar and I had moved a majority of the boxes and some furniture during the weeks leading up to this day. My wife enjoyed the interactions that we all had during the move. The way I had planned it was to have the least amount of heavy furniture possible to be done within a 2 hour window. We were able to do that. I am truly gratetful that my friends came by to help.
*June 17th: Father's day! I got my Dad a Giants t-shirt, on the back it has a number 1 and says DAD. For my step-father I got him an Alan Jackson cd. We ate at Sizzler's and it was a big table and it was full. It was a bit disorganized on their part, but none the less, we had fun. Next year, 'Peanut' will be with us where ever we go.
*June 25th, was the 3rd Anniversary of Michael Jackson passing. Still, in my opinion, the greatest entertainer ever!
*June 26th was the 3rd anniversary of our civil ceremony. Another wonderful day in the journey that my wife and I have together. We got each other cards and just hung out together.
*June 29th we went to the Giants game. It was the Garlic Festival! but it wasn't good. We had expectations that were not met. We thought they would have better garlic foods, but they only had garlic fries, garlic bread and garlic calamari. The Giants lost 5-1 to the Reds. Panda homered and I had a Cha-Cha bowl. Over all; besides the loss, a really good night.
*June 30th, we turned in the keys to our first apartment. 3 years of our lives were spent there, our journey began in a one bedroom apartment, now we upgraded to a 2 bedroom. It felt really good to turn in the keys and to leave, we had outgrown the area. The neighbors were getting to disrespectful, they were inconsiderate and in a community with a 'strict' no pet policy, their dogs would bark like Lionel Riche (All night long).
Oh well, that was June in a nutshell. July is here, my wife's birthday is coming soon! and in a few more months so will 'Peanut'.... Have a great day!
*Just a quick note, the Giants had a 2002 team reunion. It was great to see them back on the field. Really wish they would have brought that title home. Dusty Baker got a great ovation. He was a great manager for the Giants. For his tenure here, I really only disagreed with 3 things he did.. 1) Solamon Torress starting the last game in LA in 1993. 2) Taking out Russ Ortiz in game 6 of the 2002 World Series. He got out of jams all season, but Dusty listened to the critics and took him out early and 3) having Livan Hernandez pitch Game 7. Like I said before and I will say again, and will continue saying forever... Woody (Kirk Rueter) should have pitched game 7. I think he would have given the Giants a way better chance to win then that a-hole Hernandez.

The rest of May

This post will be an up and down post. There were a few things that happened this last part of the month that were very positive and others that were emotionally draining. As a whole, the month of May was a good one. So, since I have a lot on my mind, I feel like I need to share.
Let's start with a birthday story. My friend Arnel was celebrating his birthday, his actual birthday is May 21st. But since it was on a Monday, his party was on May 19th. We got there around 8pm and as usual we had a good time. Arnel's family has a great warmth to them, they are all very caring and loving. You can feel that they are a tight group and support each other. They have always treated me like a part of their extended family and I truly appreciate it. I had some shots with the birthday boy and some food. We got him a Captain America shirt, an Avengers cup and a Tinker bell water bottle. We left his house around midnight.
On 5/23/2012 I went to go pick up my Dad at SFO. My Dad is in town for my nephews graduation from City College of San Francisco (CCSF) up until Father's Day. Plane was scheduled to land at 12:03am (5/24/2012) but he didn't get out until close to 1am. I went with my nephew to get him, I didn't get home until about 2am and had to get ready for work the next day.
On 5/25/2012 after work, my wife and I went to sign the lease to our new place. We inspected the place and asked the owner to fix a few things. We will officially get the keys on June 1st and start the cleaning process and moving process that weekend. Now that we are finally officially moving, my wife is getting a little sentimental about our time where we are at right now. Later at night we went out to eat at Sizzler's, boy was that an adventure, but it was family time, so it was a good time.
5/26/2012 it was a big day, it was my nephew's graduation from CCSF. He is class of 2012. The graduation was on the football field. It was a cold day, the sun decided to show up and gave us a little sun burn. My nephew had earned his Associates of Sciences Degree. He is doing mechanical work. The ceremony was good. Two out the three speeches were really good, the other one lagged a bit. It was a big moment for my nephew, my sister and the whole family. Weeks before this day my sister had a plan to throw him a surprise graduation party at a Pizza place on Mission st. My job was to get him there without knowing what was going on. I had settled with him that we would go out to eat to celebrate around 5pm. It would be my wife, Dad, him and his girlfriend going. I can tell that in the days leading up to it, he was getting upset because I was telling him that he would be driving to the pizza place and it didn't help that his mom (my sister) was telling him that they were leaving to LA after the graduation. When we got to the place, I let everyone off and found parking right in front, good thing I let them off before, because if they had come with me the surprise would have been ruined as I parked right at the window where they were waiting. I am not sure if he was surprised or not, we didn't get a chance to talk at the dinner. After they decided to go bowling, I did not attend, but it looked like they had fun.
5/27/2012 was a very heavy emotional day. My friend Brian's father passed away earlier this month. This day was the service for him. I only met Mr. Cheung one time and we hit it off right away. I could see that he was very passionate about the things he loved and that he was full of life. It was a touching ceremony and my wife and I knew that it was only a matter of time when we would choke up. See, I am very close to my Dad and I could not even imagine what my friend is going through, when he read a letter he wrote for his father, I felt a lump in my throat and began to cry. I really felt for my friend, everything was just so sudden, life as he knew it was gone. The service was very nice, they showed a video of Mr. Cheung dancing and it brought a warm laughter throughout the room. After the service there was a late lunch in his honor down on Clement st. We attended and paid our respects again. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the Cheung family.
5/28/2012 Went to wash early with my Dad and God daughter, dropped off a sample at Kaizer for my Dad and hung out for a bit. Finally washed my car and at around 3pm we went to my friend Amilcar and Olga's house for tacos! My cousins Oscar, Monica and soon to be God daughter Janessa came by and we hung out for a few hours. It was a great time, we had some beers. Oscar chickened out on a bet of who could last longer without drinking alcohol and Janessa had some lime. At night when we got home, my wife for coco krispy's so I had to go get them. After that I was tired went to bed and got ready for this week. June is right around the corner... Big month for us! Write to you soon! Have a great day!

Most of May

So here we are in the middle part of May and what a great month it has been so far. Just a few things that happened during this crazy fun time period...
*May 1st we went to the first ever match up between the San Francisco Giants and the Miami Marlins, Cain was on the mound that day. I headed out after work and met my friend, nephew, brother and his friends for a pre game tailgate. We were pre-celebrating my brothers birthday. My friend and I went in around 6:30, I had to get a cotton candy for my wife and 'peanut', then we went up to our section in view reserve. The game went by real quick, Cain was dealing, but in the end it was a loss for the home town nine. My friend and I ran into a high school friend that we haven't seen in forever, it was nice to catch up for a bit.
*May 2nd is my brothers birthday, so my Mom and Step Dad came down and we had dinner at my sisters place. They bought a cake for us and sang us Happy Birthday. My wife and I got my brother a Giants and Denver Nuggets hat with a Nuggets jersey.
*May 4th we went to see my God daughter play with the band over at Jefferson High School. The performance was fun, the best part was when they had us go to the gym and they did the drum line performance of 'Angry Drums', a play on the game 'Angry Birds' it was really cool, my God daughter looked like she was having a blast, which is always good. After that we met up at Chevy's and had dinner.
*May 5th we headed out to Hayward to our Aunts house to watch the Cotto/Mayweather fight. We had some drinks and some carne asada. The night was fun, we also watched Kevin Hart : Laugh at my pain, still funny even after seeing it 3 times.. Alright, Alright, AAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLRRRIIIIIGGGHHHHHTTTT
My cousins even surprised me with a home made cake and cupcakes for my birthday! It was awesome!
*May 6th we headed out to my Moms house in Petaluma, small gathering to once again celebrate my brothers and my birthdays. We had some gallo pinto, carne asada, ribs and more cake!!!! The food was delicious and we had fun joking with each other.
*May 7th, is my actual birthday. I had to work on my birthday for the first time in 6 years... But it was good. My supervisor and the unit I am in had a surprise birthday breakfast for me. The food was delicious. We also had some ice cream later in the day. At night, we went out to have the annual tradition of a birthday burrito! It was my wife, my best friend and his fiance. I got some awesome gifts, I got a Giants shirt, money, a 2010 world series plaque featuring the 2010 World Series Champion Giants, a gift card, WM 28 and The Rock blu ray and finally I got Mario Party 9!!!!
*May 11th we went out with my wife, friends and cousins to Red Lobster. Had a few drinks and good food, then we saw the Avengers. I really liked the movie, it had good action, I also liked how the back stories are told in the individual movies that lead up to this one, so they didn't spend too much time on the back stories to drag it out even more. Also ScarJo was awesome!
*May 12th was Edwin appreciation night! We went to the Cheesecake factory for dinner. The food was delicious, the cheesecake was even better. I had a great time with my wife and friends. It was my first time eating there and I loved it!
*May 13th was Mother's day, we had a brunch at El Patio Español with our Moms and the food was really good. The atmosphere was great and we all had fun. I have always said that the idea of a 'Mother's day" was a bit odd to me, because I honestly feel that everyday is Mother's day because Mom's do alot every day and they don't get alot of credit most of the time, but what they do is awesome. Which is why I love my Mom and I tell her everyday! I also got my wife a "mother-to-be" card, she really loved it.
*May 15th was a really good day. We found out that "Peanut" is a healthy baby BOY!. I know that a lot of us were expecting a baby girl, but for my wife and I, we wanted a healthy baby and God has blessed us so far with a healthy good sized baby, or as my wife dreamt "A Big Baby!" The experience was amazing, seeing our child on that screen, with his hand waving again (very polite I tell you). I know we both can't wait to meet the newest San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan. So much to do for our child, ready to start this journey!

"Peanut"

So, about 4 months ago my wife and I got some great news. We were told that my wife is pregnant and we are expecting our first child. The due date is in October, but I think that the baby will make it's debut on September 28th. Keeping a secret this big for so long was difficult, there were what I think were obvious signs and changes that my wife and I were going through that would tip people off that we were with child. For instance, my wife hadn't dyed her hair, she stopped drinking completely and was going to more doctor's appointments. For me, I would not commit to anything later in the year due to "needing to save some money" and not knowing what will happen in October. But I guess some people didn't pay too much attention or maybe didn't even care to pick up on the signs.
My wife had sent me a picture of our new son or daughter, which we call "peanut" for the time being and it was awesome. The emotions that came over me were a kind of emotion that I can not clearly explain. My wife told me that the tech told her that "Peanut" was opening and closing it's hands in a waving gesture. With the knowledge of our upcoming little bundle of joy, we discussed many ways to tell our families of the great news. This can be tough because you have to tell someone first and you have to tell someone last. Even with the best of intentions, people still get hurt because they were not the first to know. One thing for sure was that we wanted to make the announcement special for whoever we told and whenever we told them.
At the second ultra sound, I was able to see "Peanut" on the screen. It was awesome. "Peanut" was sleeping or at least was being lazy like the mother =). The heartbeat was good as well. When I saw the print out of the pictures, I knew the way I wanted to tell my side of the family. Now, we just had to talk about how to tell everyone else.
My wife and I made the decision to not announce "Peanut" pending arrival until we got back some results of genetic testing. We didn't want to get everyone excited until we were sure. After her last appointment where the heart beat of our beloved "Peanut" was running wild like Hulkamania, so we knew it was time. The way that the announcements worked out where that we would try to begin telling people on Friday and end on Monday. Friday didn't work out so well, so we had to start on Saturday. First, let me start with my Mother-in-Law reaction, when we told her she was in disbelief, but very excited. I had told my Dad that we were expecting over the phone and he was happy. He wished us the best.
So Saturday we invited over my best friend, his fiance and our cousins over to watch a movie and to tell them. Before I made the announcement I told them not to post anything on Facebook, as that has become the normal thing to go on and update everything. When we told them, they were in complete shock. They were happy and surprised that it was four months already. We toasted and talked for a few hours and imagined how the offspring of my wife and I will be.
The next day was my youngest nephews 4th birthday and this is where we would announce it to my side of the family. Like I said, I told my Dad the night before and he was happy. So what I did was I placed the printed picture of "Peanut" into a frame and wrapped it up. I had my nephew open it with the help of my Mom. My Mom looked away for a second and I think my sister was the first one to figure it out and she was telling my Aunts. the funny thing was that, like I had thought, people would be asking if this was real. It was a very special moment for us all. I told the rest of my friends later that night, she told her friends as well. It was great news to share with everyone. On Monday we finished announcing it to our co-workers and finally was able to post it up on Facebook to show everyone else.
This is a great time in our lives for this special gift. We understand and are appreciative that we have been blessed with "Peanut" because there are so many who are trying to have children that cannot. This is only the beginning of our journey and we are looking forward to it. Yes, we are scared and nervous, but we will protect, provide, encourage, Support and show "Peanut" unconditional love....

So it begins......

As I sit here waiting for my first client of the afternoon, I have some time to reflect on things that happened in the last few weeks. So, since last time I updated this the Giants broke from Arizona to come home for a few exhibition games against the A's. I went to the game on Monday April 2 with my nephew and some co-workers. I ran into a few people that I used to work with and that I was happy to see them working in different places. Normally I would have stayed the whole game, but due to it being an exhibition game and most of the regulars were out by the 6th inning, I took off around 9pm. On the way to the car I bought the hand tossed caramel popcorn to take home to my wife. At the ballpark it was warm, but after the 20 min or so ride home, it was not so warm.
*Regarding the way the Giants have opened up the season, it was very frustrating. the Giants have one of the best "Big 3" starting pitchers (Timmy, MadBum and Cain) and the lot could not pull out a win in Arizona. Timmy and MadBum did not look comfortable, Cain pitched well until late in the game. A few missed opportunities and errors helped the D-backs come all the way back to get the win and a sweep. I made a comment after the game that Barry Zito would be the one who got the Giants their first win of the season. *On Monday, Zito threw a shut-out against the Rockies. Next up on the bump will be Timmy and MadBum before the home opener on Friday with Cain back on the hill. a slow start, but I am looking for a strong finish. It is a marathon, not a sprint.
*The fantasy league I created is really fun, I think that this may be a hobby for me and select people going forward. I usually only care about the Giants stats, but with this it brings all the teams to life and has made me look forward even more to baseball.
* For lent I gave up the use of Twitter and I am proud to say that I stayed away, but now I am back and ready to tweet up a storm!
* WrestleMania 28... Once in a Lifetime... Here is a quick recap of the results and my thoughts:
-> World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs the 'Great White" Sheamus... Sheamus wins in 18 seconds, new champion... my thoughts.. well it was an 18 second match, really a waste of talent.
-> Randy Orton vs Kane... Kane defeats the viper, I had picked Kane to win this one. Not too bad of a match for their skill set.
-> Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes vs Big Show.. Big Show wins, new champion! I figured Big Show would win, as the lead in to the match had Cody getting the better of him and showing him up.
-> Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos vs Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres.... The celebrity guest almost always wins, not too surprising that KK and MM won this one.
-> Team Johnny vs Team Teddy... it was obvious that team Johnny would win and help him gain control of Raw and Smackdown
->The End of an Era match: Undertaker vs HHH with HBK as guest referee. I knew that they wouldn't screw the Undertaker and have him lose, but it came close a few times to look that way. If this was the end for all 3, it was a great way to go. The last shot of Undertaker, HHH and HBK hugging at the ramp was awesome
->WWE champion CM Punk vs Chris Jericho 'Best in the World" match. I wanted Jericho to win, but it was the best thing to have Punk go over to further the storyline. Probably the best match of the night.
-> good use of time: Hall of Fame 2012 showing up for applause
-> Waste of time, Flo Rida, MGK, Brodus Clay and the dancing grandmas
->Once in a lifetime... John Cena vs the Rock. I thought for sure that Cena would win. I even said during the day that the only way that Rock would win would be with some interference and I would be shocked if he won cleanly. Well I was shocked. The Rock still has it and Cena should be given props for being a great company guy to do the job.
*The next night on RAW Brock Lesnar return and gave an F5 to Cena much to the excitement of the crowd. Let's see where this goes from here.
-well, maybe there will be an extra blog this week or early next week. We are still looking for apartments so we may have a new place soon.
Stay classy!

March randomness

So, it's almost the end of March and I can't help but wonder where has the time gone? Everything has been a blur so far this year. A quarter way done in 2012 and there is still three quarters to go. It is amazing how in the blink of an eye things come and go. So what is on deck for me and my family.
We are planning on moving to a two bedroom, we really wanted to get a house but we have to make this momentary move in order to save up some money for a down payment. Looking for a place to live is really exhausting and frustrating. So many fake posts out there that are trying to scam people. I have gotten the same cookie cutter response to give my SSN, phone number, picture, etc and told that the owner is in Africa, Poland, the dark side of the moon. It is ricockulous! But at least we have been able to see some places, so that is very positive. Where we are living now has really started to turn bad on us. Some new new neighbors that have moved in within the last year or so have been really bad for the complex. Even with the strict pet policy, we still hear dogs barking and some a-hole set fire to the dumpster twice. So it is not feeling too safe for us and we are planning on expanding the family anyway so we need a bigger space.
Coming up in April... it's Wrestlemania 28! "The grandaddy of them all" as Vincent Kennedy McMahon would say. I am looking forward to the card this year, which at a glance is way better then last years show. This time it will be a road Wrestlemania, we are watching it in Pittsburg at my friends family house. The match that I really want to see is for the WWE Championship, current champion CM PUNK defends the WWE title and the moniker "The Best in The World" against Chris Jericho. This match stands to be the best match on the card. At first I thought that it would be a sure thing that Punk would go over Jericho, but now I think that there maybe something else at work here and I could see Jericho winning the title and the feud lasting through the summer with Punk chasing after the title and have some great matches. Other notable bouts on the card are The End of an Era match. The Undertaker vs HHH in a Hell in a Cell match, the streak vs career. This should be interesting based on the fact that they are in an open arena and they are supposed to be in a steel cage, also HBK being the ref makes this interesting. I will say that I hope the Undertaker gets the win as it would be a sad day to see the son in law of the boss be the one to hand the dead man his first WM loss. The other big name match up is present day WWE Superman, the doctor of thuganomics (yes, I said thuganomics) John Cena vs WWE legend and future WWE Hall of Famer, The Rock. They have had this one on the card for a year now. There seems to be some legit tension between the two of the wrestlers here. Although it will be the match that everyone wants to see, I have some doubt that it will deliver. I think the more realistic that it gets with the fighting, it will be better. But we will have to wait and see.
Onto Baseball, this year I created my first fantasy baseball league and this Sunday is the draft. I have never done this so it will be a learning process. I am hoping that it goes well and the 5 other people keep up with the spirit of competition. The countdown is also on to the beginning of the MLB season and for my Giants to start playing again. I really cannot wait.
That seems to be it for now, April is almost upon us and will bring us good news. Some birthday's will be celebrated and more memories created. So, happy trails to you, until we meet again.

March Madness... Be responsible

I was thinking the other day that this year I will be turning 31. That is the 10th anniversary of turning 21! (for those keeping score at home) It got me to thinking about what I did when I was younger and if at the time I even would have ever imagined being where I am in life right now. I think the best way to get started here on this quest, I would have to go back to before I was 18. Let's get into this time machine and let's go back to the late 90's. The Giants were still at the 'Stick and I was going to Jefferson High School and doing my thing. By the age of 16 and some change I had already had my Driver's license and a job at Century Plaza 10. I was just going to school and working and hanging out with friends. We would always talk about how when we turned 18 we would go to a strip club and go out and do all these things... for me, never happened. I turned 18 in 1999 and the biggest thing that we did was celebrate my 18th birthday with a little Mad Dog 20/20 and other adult based beverages, while getting kicked out of a friends house. At the time, we had a blast, great memories, but with around 13 years to reflect, it was irresponsible of us to do that and to put my friend and his family in the position that we did.
Of course looking back on things that I did at that time, I do realize now that they were irresponsible, not only due to my actions, but the actions of the adults that were around us. But I understand that it is a part of life and that we all must go through something to learn something. So after turning 18, the next goal was being 21 and being able to go out drinking legally and party...for me... one out of two ain't bad. See, to me turning 21 was like a right of passage, you get to share a beer (or drink) with your Parents, Siblings, Family and some friends. You are joining the big boy table. But, just like everything else, you have to act like you've been there. Did I drink a lot when I turned 21, I don't think I did, but I wouldn't be surprised if some people told me otherwise.
There have been less then a handful of times when I drank so much that I blacked out, from experience, let me tell you that it is not a very good feeling. To sit there and have other people tell you what you did last night, and you not being able to confirm or deny anything, is not a good feeling. Thinking about it now, those moments that should have been memorable, I have no real memory of it, I can really only go off of what others tell me I did. Now I hear some people proudly talk about drinking so much and blacking out, it makes me shake my head. That shouldn't be something to be proud of. But like I said, that is only what I think.
If we all knew then, what we know now, I wonder how much would be different. To be honest, I enjoy drinking when I go out to dinner, I have a few beers with friends and family and of course at home and at some parties. Do I get out of hand, some would say I do, but not often, but at the same time, they would say that I am very calm and relaxed. There is a saying that people like to throw around to kids in their 20's and it's "You are drinking like they are running out of liquor" I am really happy that I was never truly of that mind set.
The way I see it, I control the amount of liquor I drink. I cannot control what others drink, how much they drink and the actions they take when they drink. We are not thinking straight when we are drinking. Sure, most things we do are funny to some, but a lot of things that we do and others do while we are with them can cause severe actions and consequences to us. I am careful of who I drink with, I am careful because I know that they actually do have consideration for people around them. Like I said, some times we get out of control and the people we drink with are acting a fool alongside us. Basically what I am saying is drink with people you trust and know. People change when they drink a lot. Especially if they have anger or some other issues.
What have I learned the most in the 10 years that have past since I turned 21? Drinking is not really a right of passage. It is a privilege to be able to share a drink with your family and friends, to be responsible and act responsible. You don't always have to drink when you go somewhere, you should be and you shouldn't force someone else to drink.
In my next decade, I plan to have many more memorable moments. I plan to start a family, celebrate personal and family milestones. I plan to be a great role model for my kids and for my nieces and nephews. Drinking really is not that important to me, if a doctor told me today that if I had one more drink that it would kill me, I can walk away from it. I guess what I am saying is, drink responsibly, don't drink because you are being pressured, don't drink often and when someone tells you that you may have had too much or that you may need to cut back, let off the gas pedal and move out that fast lane and take the scenic route. Enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride, but most of all NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE!

February Randomness

It's time, it's time, it's blogging time!
So it's been over a month since I was last on here. So let's see what has been going on. As usual, I hope everyone out there reading this (the one, maybe two of you) is having a great year so far.
Work- So as you know I started this new job with the city and we have been training for the last month, it has been a blast. We have learned a lot and we continue learning everyday. I know that this is the calm before the storm as once we start going live there will be many cases that will be challenging and I have to step it up to make sure that I am able and capable of serving the client to ensure they get their benefit. Today was the first time that I was able to help a client get his benefits and it was a good experience, tomorrow I will have another and gain more experience and momentum in my journey.
Family-everyone is doing well, same as always. Finally my nephew is getting off of diapers! it's been almost 4 years and that little guy was still in those huggies. We finally got to see pictures of our new nephew that was born last month in Nicaragua. Call me crazy but I feel this may be the year of babies! There are a few more on the way... exciting times here.
Baseball-Spring training is just around the corner, my Giants look to start another run at the World Series title. This year should be different from last year, the team should be healthy and should be hitting better. There were some players that I was sad to see leave, but the time had come for them and the team to move on. Calling it now, Cain and/or Lincecum tosses a no-hitter this season! Can't wait for the season to start... Let's go Giants!
WWE- So, WrestleMania 28 is around the corner and the card seems to be building up very well, a Hell in a Cell match for HHH and the Undertaker, The title for "Best in the World" is on the line between CM Punk and Chris Jericho, the 'Great White' Sheamus goes up against Daniel Bryan and John (I'm here everyday) Cena and The Rock. So my opinion on the Rock being a headliner at WM28 is that he deserves it, there is no one else on the roster that can take his spot on the card. When the Rock said he was 'back' and 'never leaving' he did not mean it literally, he is not going to be at house shows, every Monday, it just is what it is, Dwayne Johnson has paid his dues and can make his own schedule. If the 'boy's in the back don't like it, step up and make yourselves marketable. Plain and simple, The Rock being there will get you a bigger payday and at the end of the day it's really all about the money. For those Cena fans, don't for one second believe that if Hollywood came calling and he was successful and had actual movies that were not produced be WWE (Which make sure he is there every Monday night for Raw) that he would say "no thanks" and stay. Remember like the "Million Dollar Man" used to say "Everybody has a price" it's just that nobody wants to pay to see Cena. I already predict that the way the business goes, the Rock will put over Cena and pass the torch and finally put to end this horrible feud where I have to listen to Cena b*tch and complain about how the Rock isn't there every week and he is and blah blah blah....
Oh well, until next time folks.... Have a great time!

New for 2012

Hello there everyone (well, actually anyone who is reading this) I am back and I wanted to wish you all a very productive 2012! So far 2012 has been a very busy year for me. So, if you will, please join me in my first entry of many for 2012....
So December 2011 was a very positive month. I was still with Arriba Juntos, a non-profit agency in San Francisco, we had the yearly toy giveaway "La Posada" and let me tell you that it was a mess. We gave away over 1,000 toys and the crowds were not happy with the process. My task was to de-bone a turkey and my staff and I were working the registration table that became a crazy zone. I was able to get me brother and nephews in before the chaos really began. Overall it was a good event, I did way more then most, it was good exercise for the day.
On Christmas eve I went to play football with friends and as predicted by my wife, I ended up injuring my ankle. It was a tough play, I wish that it would have been a completion but I am happy that I was hurt really bad. Later that day we went over to Hayward for a family get together, we had fun visiting and stayed until about 1am. The next day we went to my parents house in Petaluma. We were stuck in traffic for an hour and a half. If you know me, you know that really gets me mad. But we got there and had fun. My brother was my secret Santa and got me a 49ers shirt and a Superman shirt (Superman, eh!) My wife got me a blazer so when we go out I have a nice jacket to go with.
The last week of December I was offered a position for the City and County of San Francisco and I gladly accepted it. It took 2 plus years of being on an eligible list and a great interview to land the position. So at this time I was in transition mode to get out of my previous job. My start date was 1/23/2012 and so far I really enjoy the aspect of the position. We are currently training and getting to know the ins and outs of the program. Which in my position will be crucial. My last day at Arriba Juntos was 1/20/2012.
In the new year and month of January we went to San Jose to see Michael Jackson: the Immortal. I really enjoyed the show, except for these random people in front of us who were drinking and acting like they were at a concert. It is performance art and the performance should be watched respectfully. I can't wait to see it when it opens in Las Vegas next year.
The 49ers had a really great season, the playoff game vs the Saints was electric, it was fun and we drank a lot. There was a lot of celebrating and yelling, it was fun for us, but I am told others in attendance were not too happy with our behavior. The game against the Giants was great as well, even though my team fell in overtime, the season as a whole was great and they are building up to a great run to another possible Super Bowl Championship. The whole team did great and yes, they do need some help in some areas but they will get better and move on.
The San Francisco Giants fan fest is coming up next month and we can't wait to go. That is my next time consuming project, the 2012 MLB season. Well, I got to get back to training, write to you soon!