christmas presents that never show up

So, its December 28th 2008. Christmas just passed, and I think it went as well as any other christmas. Nothing out of the ordinary.
I guess somethings never change.

Everyone smiled, and handed out presents.
Everyone laughed, and tried not to fight.
Christmas is the great day when the asshole factor in people disappears.
Normally, get enough people in one room: and someone will fight.
But on this certain day of the year: we tip toe around confrontation.
Why do we need a holiday in order to make us be nice to each other?

Hmmm.
Guess I need to wait another 364 days to see it once again.

In other news, its getting colder around here. My car actually froze over the other day. Ice on the windows and everything.
I like the cold more than the heat, but sometimes, even winter is too much for me.


in other other news, I wanted to watch the Curious case of Benjamin Button, but my friends saw it on a night when I was unable to go.
I dont know who I'm going to see it with.

hmmm. So it goes.



_Ray


p.s. I re-read the story Flowers for Algernon. I haven't read it since middle school I believe. It was still sad.

Well Well Well

I don't need to write in this thing, but Shawn at the newsroom asked me if I had a blog...and I haven't posted in it since July.

I slacked off.

Whatever, I'm an editor now, and I have less time on my hands.
Although I am still writing in this thing at almost 1 a.m.

Hurmm.....


Well, not much has changed. I'm still the same old guy. I'm looking for a song to play, and I have 5 days worth of musical choices, but I'm coming up empty.
I need more music.

Well, let's just see what I have to type up now.


We have a black President, Senator Barack Obama is now President Elect Obama.
Maybe he'll clean up the shit that Bush has left us in. I'd like to hope that he's my generation's
FDR.
But then again, they also had WWII on their hands.
I think I would have liked to have been in WWII. My buddy Marc said that it was the last war with any purpose and reason.
I guess all we have now is a fight against...terror.

Thats gonna be tough to win...or a very boring one.

Anyway, what else?

I bought a sweet ass sweet Bob Dylan record. 1st print and everything. Its called Nashville Skyline. My favorite song is Lay Lady Lay.


Oh, this song came on by a girl named Shelby Lynne, and its called "Pretend"
its so sad, but very good.
"Hurt me one more night, just pretend you love me."


I don't know why I think of being in high school when I hear this song. It's from a new album. I don't know why...So strange to think that.


maybe more later, maybe less sooner



-Ray
the Idiot

End of the line

The semester is over. I can honestly say that it was a tough trip. There were some good times, and there were some bad times. But I made it. I don't know if I'll keep this blog going, but maybe I will. Let's see what else will come with a new season...and I can only hope that all will be well. What is going to happen should still be an adventure. A fucked up adventure, but an adventure still.
Who else but I, can lead this life?


Light up the darkness.





June 12, 2008
-Raymond Mendoza

Grey Album

The Grey Album Critique
Raymond Mendoza

In 2004 Dj DANGERDOOM shocked the rock world by remixing the renowned 1968 White Album by The Beatles with the 2003 Jay-Z Black Album, giving birth to The Grey Album. Personally, while I believe that DANGERDOOM did commit copyright infringement, I think that the Grey Album is a vibrant mix of hip hop and rock and roll. I’ve found that some of the best rock albums of all time have had a hip hop influences, and the same can be said about some of the best hip hop acts. Artists such as The Hives, The Gorillaz, Diddy (formerly known as P. Diddy, also formerly known as Puff Daddy), Akira the Don and OutKast are only a small portion of rock and hip hop cross-overs that I feel are breaking traditional musical barriers.
With Jay-Z’s “legendary” hip hop status, I think that this mix of his song “Encore” along with the Beatles’ songs “Glass Onion” and “Savoy Truffle” is an enjoyable mix with a nice beat. I’ve got no problem with a fusion of rock and hip hop; however I am against illegal sampling of music (i.e. Vanilla Ice stealing Under Pressure from Queen and David Bowie). I personally liked the song, and found nothing wrong with it…and I don’t even care for Jay-Z’s music very much. I guess one song can change a person’s opinion.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

So, today we learned about writing a press release. It seems very interesting to be in PR. it sounds fun, and it sounds like you make a ton of dough...dough meaning money. It does seem like a nice alternative to journalism...however, I think I'll stick to being a writer.

Anyway, I've got to write a sports story on the upcoming men & women's soccer season and then an overview of the music department for next semester as well. Looks like a ton of fun for myself with the next coming two weeks.

Then its all downhill from there, and I've got the summer.

Currently listening to;

The Damned- Machine Gun Etiquette
Mika Miko- Capricorinations
The Beta Band- Wonderful
Stevie Wonder- I believe when I fall in Love
The Rolling Stones- Time is on my Side
Motion City Sountrack- Resolution

This is a definition of my life

Ok, so its another Sunday. Nothing too strange or out of the ordinary for me. So here is yet another post, I think i'll put up my opinion on drinking on holidays.

Fear and Loathing: Two tequila slammers and a Holiday

Raymond Mendoza

Opinion

As another Cinco de Mayo passes, I can always count on three things to happen to me. For starters, I’ll get a vicious case of the spins after several drinks. Next, I’ll end up in some incriminating photos that will destroy any chances I once had of becoming the president of our great nation. And then finally I’ll wonder to myself, as I’m trying to stop my friend from throwing up in a nearby convertible, why does this party remind me of Easter?

The reason that the lines are blurred, pun intended, between the celebrations of holidays is because we do the same thing for every holiday. For every holiday that comes up, the only idea of how to celebrate it is to get completely drunk. Sure, we take a moment to toast our spiked eggnog to Jesus, thank the luck o’ the Irish and Saint Patrick as we down another Irish car bomb, and yell ‘Happy Kwanza!’ as we shoot a beer bong for…who ever the hell invented Kwanza. However, do we ever really care about the meaning of the holiday we’re celebrating? Does anyone know what Cinco de Mayo is about, and what happened on that day? Can anyone recite the history of Saint Patrick and his contribution to the world? And, really folks, can anyone tell me about Kwanza? I am drawing a blank on the meaning of that holiday.

The meaning of holidays are being lost and replaced with cheap catch phrases like ‘Cinco de Drinko’ courtesy of the radio station Kroq. As my generation turned 21, we all found ourselves ordering drinks at a bar in Fullerton instead of going to Grandma’s house for Christmas Eve. Drinking became the solution for not only a boring weekend, but a boring holiday that usually has nothing to do with the general population. At the bar I went to for Cinco de Mayo, I noticed that the majority of the people celebrating a Mexican holiday were Asians and Caucasian people, not Mexican people. I’m not offended or angry at this and I’m not saying that Cinco de Mayo is only for Mexicans, I’m just making a joke about an observation.

So, for the next holiday you spend in a bar, try to think about the meaning of the day and what it might mean to the world in terms of culture, religion and tradition…then you can take your jello shot off of that drunk girl’s stomach.

Happy Mothers Day

Well, its mothers day and I just wanted to post for all the mothers out there in the world.
Have a good one!


I'll write more later when I'm not tired.


-Ray

You're an idiot babe

Thursday morning by my count. Its a few minutes past midnight, and I'm not tired, so I decided to post. I wonder if I'm the only one keeping up with blogger for my journalism 102 class...or maybe I'm behind...I guess I'll never know unless I ask at the end of the semester.

I probably won't though, so wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwhatever.

I'm not really affected by it...unless it really does reflect my grade. In which case I'm gonna write the shit out of this blog.

I think thats my new catch phrase: "I'm gonna (insert action here) the shit out of this (insert objective here)!"

For example:

Someone: Raymond, you need to read this book by tomorrow.
Me: I'm gonna read the shit out of that fucking book!

See, you can do it too...We're not ALL idiots.

However, "it's a wonder we can even feed ourselves."
-Bob Dylan

Well, so far for the newspaper, I'm gonna be writing an opinion piece on drinking just because its a holiday.
I'll post it later I suppose.


Well, since this blog is called inside my head; I'll put something on here from my train of thought.


"smiles in pictures...that have nothing to do with me

3 a.m. and tired

too busy for some books

oranges. simple.

not getting a note.

1300+ choices, and I am not interesting

2nd period English

how many cds?

moving the couches and cleaning the floors

you couldn't hear me; you were passed out

no more Sunday driving, damn

Oh, but people look well in the dark

we meet in the street, we catch eyes

just shy under 35 minutes long

lets go to Vegas

lets build a home

lets leave here


I can see it now. I can see that place so well. I can remember the couch. I can remember the talk. I can remember the cold. I can remember the smell...beautiful. I remember that speech so well...you had the whole human race pegged.


I leaned in on purpose."



more for later kids.



maybe someday



-Ray

I'm not there

This post is kinda early for me, its only 10 p.m.
This was my weekend, all timed down.

Friday:
10 am- 7 pm work
7:30-9:45 pm Jazz concert
9:55-10:20 pm pick up 2 friends (one drunk and at a restaurant) and drive to west covina
Saturday:
11pm-1:40 Iron Man
1:45-2:25 drop off friends
2:45-3 am shower
3:10-6 am sleep
6:01 wake up, get dressed, drive
7 am-5 pm work
5:20-8 refill gas tank, shower, get ready for show, study for a bit
8:30-11:50 watch the Visionaries at the Glasshouse in Pomona
Sunday:
12-1 shower, eat music
1:30-9:30 sleep
9:45- 10 shower
10- 11 eat, watch tv
11-5:30 finish 2 news stories, 1 psych report
5:30-8 GTA 4
8-10 music, movies, nothing else
10:13: Now.


I had a pretty full day. And my god, my mind was always thinking of something else at the time. I was thinking of something else.....somewhere else.

Guess who?


-Ray "The Idiot"

donuts donuts donuts!

So, here I am once again. This is my blog for the mountaineer newspaper, and here is what has happened recently in news


I made and helped edit a video cast on a band called 'A Formal Awakening' and i believe it should be on the website by now. I turned in my Barbara Vigano story as well as my story about the Wildlife sanctuary.

This friday, I'll be watching a jazz concern and I'll be reporting on that too.
Busy time for me. busy indeed.

Now, time for some other stuff that may be interesting.
Iron Man coming out this week. I hear its a good movie. I'm looking forward to it. Then im watching the Visionaries at the glasshouse on saturday.

well, i'll type more later. maybe it'll be deeper next time.


-Idiot

All the way to New Jersey, all the way to the Garden State

It's almost 1 a.m. again, so time for a new post.

I'm going to see the Visionaries play at the Glasshouse this saturday. That will be fun. Iron Man out this friday, that will be fun too.

I don't have much to say tonight.

maybe tomorrow


-Ray

I still find pieces of your presence here

What is up with the time, eh? I mean literally, it's 1 a.m. and I'm not tired. I've been going to bed later and later these past few days, and I think it's going to get much worse.
Let's see how late I can post at, it'll be a game I can do. Something to pass the time, and keep my mind on...blogger.com

I didn't eat dinner today, I just didn't feel like for some reason. It also took me like 10 minutes to find a song that I wanted to listen to...I have 4 days worth of music, and I had trouble finding one song. Jesus, I think I need more music, or something.

I'm listening to Grandaddy right now. They're a great group, and I'm sad to know that they've been broken up for close to 2 years already. I hate when I find a good band and find out that they've stopped playing, it kills me to know I'll never see them live.

What else can I complain about, but time? It's so easy to attack something uncontrollable like time. I'll blame my fuck ups on something that can't argue with me either. It is so simple to just point a finger instead of admitting fault.
Then after I admit that I'm wrong, I'll go say something dumb like: if I could go back and change things, I would make it perfect.
But maybe things are the way they should be, I think to myself.
But then I ruin all of this thinking by saying: No, it was all wrong and I should have done something else.

We all want different things...or maybe its just me.

"We never changed...no no. We never learned."




-Ray

Don't blame it on the sunshine

"Seven simple rules of going into hiding: one, never trust a cop in a raincoat."

I'd like to think that this world is populated with good people...I think most of them are just good at hiding.

"Two, beware of enthusiasm and of love, both are temporary and quick to sway."

When I get asked about my career goal, I usually like to lie, and aim low. This makes people happier with their station in life, and I don't have to make them feel dumb.

"Three, if asked if you care about the world's problems, look deep into the eyes of he who asks, he will never ask you again."

When it gets cold outside, my room gets even colder. However, I like the cold...I am un-affected.

"Four, never give your real name."

I mailed a letter two days ago, I wonder if it got to its destination yet. The destination home is literally up the street, I just wanted to help push the economy forward a bit.

"Five, if ever asked to look at yourself, don't."

Just in case you were wondering; I would walk 500 miles without hesitation. That 80's song is just stupid.

"Six, never do anything the person standing in front of you cannot understand."

Whenever I get to most destinations; I want to turn back immediately. I'm not afraid of anything, I usually just get bored and I need something/ someone to give a shit about on the trip with me.

"And finally seven, never create anything, it will be misinterpreted, it will chain you and follow you for the rest of your life."

Just in case anyone was wondering, it's 1:32 a.m. And Sleep isn't all that important until the morning comes.



All excerpts in quotations said by Ben Whishaw portraying Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There"

all the lines in between were things that I was thinking.




You can choose to ignore these statements, because I don't think they'll change anyone's life. I just think that I need to say them sometimes.




No matter what: people will think I'm crazy. Whether they read this or not.




-I-D-I-O-T-

Sleep's for dreamers. I haven't slept in thirty days, man. Takes a lot of medicine to keep up this pace.

Hello, blogger. How have you been? Oh yeah, you can't talk to me. You're just a website. Well, this just got awkward.

SO
I have composed a list of songs that will make even the strongest man cry. Give a check, and listen to them if you can. Get ready to tear up on some of them. Some of the tracks are cliche (Superstar, Maps to be honest) but who cares.




1. One Too Many Mornings- Bob Dylan

2. Sweet Potato- Sia

3. I just don't think I'll ever get over you- Colin Hay

4. Sparks- Coldplay

5. Lost Cause- Beck

6. Someday you will be loves- Death Cab for Cutie

7. Greenfields- Faultline

8. I miss you (acoustic) Incubus

9. Something's missing- John Mayer

10. Oh, lonesome Me- Johnny Cash

11. Strings that tie to you- Jon Brion

12. Even if it kills me- Motion City Soundtrack

13. I only have eyes for you- The Flamingos

14. He Needs Me- Jon Brion/ Shelly Duvall

15. You don't have to say you love me- Shelby Lynne

16. Superstar- Sonic Youth

17. Redford- Sufjan Stevens

18. I Stand Corrected- Vampire Weekend

19. Maps (acoustic)= The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

20. The Bully - Sia

More later I suppose.
-Ray "Idiot" Mendoza

one too many mornings and a thousand mile behind

Sunday night. Vigano story is pretty much finished, and damn was it a bit on the tough side. I also did another story, but you folks wont be seeing it for sometime. We're coming into the homestretch on this semester and I'm not slowing down now.
I'm tired as hell, and sometimes it gets tough, but I cant stop now can I?
I suppose writing is what keeps me strong sometimes, it's like therapy...without the medication and some lady in a white coat, with an office that smells like old lily's asking me "Are you feeling better this week?"
You know what? Writing is nothing like therapy, forget I said that.

I know, I know: I'm an idiot. Well, thats why you keep reading and I keep writing. Cause the world needs another idiot sometimes.



-Ray

I'm gonna do it again in 2010

So my stomach is hurting, and today is Mt SAC Mountaineer sports day. So I must write about it

Events today: Adam vs Cami in a free-throw contest
Agnes vs Jordan in a 3 point contest
then the main even is Jessica and Agnes vs Jordan and Shawn

Then is kickball, a fun sport for all.

It's a bit warm out today, hope no one faints or anything

Shawn and Jordan have been doing some mad trash talk; and they better win



quote for the day:
"He descends on the room. Holier than thou, but sillier. He's gonna knock on her cocoon, and he's gonna sound familiar."
Hook, Line and Sinker
Jon Brion

hold the remote control

Good evening readers, it is currently 12:02 a.m. and I am awake, obviously.
SO here we go


News stories: Dynamo Hum, need to talk to band members tomorrow- if possible
Vigano- need to type it up

Random acts of kindness is getting tough to write...need more inspiration. But how? Anyone kind out there?

In other news; I have currently been working on the great 'cd collection' labeling.


Some people might say;
But Raymond, how is your labeling mission going to be different from others and their eternal quest to label your CDs?

Well, ominous voice inside my head; I am writing a mini description with a mini autobiography to go along with every CD. Hense, I will be including whatever memories on that paper that are associated with that CD.

For instance:
(actual label)

Greetings from Michigan!; The Great Lakes State-Sufjan Stevens
purchased from Amoeba Records in 2008 first heard in random car at work.
*Vito's Ordination Song* Song reminds me of mountains and snow.
Lay down in bed, look up, snow, her...smile
-March- one of the best weekends ever bar none


I will write again this week




-Idiot

Concentrate on getting through...but don't ask me how

Wildlife sanctuary in possible danger if proposed ideas for a newly constructed 'fully opporational' road comes together. Karyn kakiba Russell voiced her concerns to the ideas by noting that the biodiversity, thats right; I reatained knowledge from biology try not to faint, would increase inbreeding and decrease survival rates since lesser generations would be weaker. I also talked to Mark Cooper and Isaiah Deresa about their views on the proposal.

So, new business on good old Raymond.
Did a video on band called 'A Formal Awakening' pretty cool guys. Inteview went well....swimmingly.

train of thought: what the hell is up with "Simply Orange" orange juice? its so damn good. I'm actually craving it right now.

My problem is: I'm dumb

Well, I'm here to talk about the articles I've written for the mountaineer recently, as I'm procrastinating on writing another story. So here we go.

In the last issue I wrote a feature story on Coach Laura Beeman as she has led the women's basketball team to state championship 3 years in a row. Beeman has had an impressive career, as she's been honored with many milestones as well as coaching over 200 wins. Mt SAC is lucky to have her.

Next is my good old fashion columns about Random acts of kindness and Top 5 songs.

I get really passionate about these two, but Random acts of kindness is just so hard to write sometimes... I do see good people everywhere, but I just get stuck sometimes. I guess my problem is that I'm just too dumb sometimes and I cannot say the words I want. See? Even that last sentence was pretty dumb.

Anyway, Top 5 wedding songs. My favorite list that I have created so far. It has the best on there, Sam Cooke, Coldplay, Etta James, Otis Redding and my one indie pick- Crystal Skulls. I love making these lists and they kind of put me at ease when I'm feeling edgy. I have a ton of these lists, so I think I'll put up another one just for the web, just to you, my non-existent viewers, can have a look...............


Top 5 songs with named after a girl.

5. Lola by the Kinks. Sure, she walks like a woman, but talks like a man, but she's my Lola! This very flamboyant song is so cool and groovy to listen to, and very funny.
4. Angie by the Rolling Stones, oh, so sweet is this song. Angie is one of those songs that remind you of teenage angst of dealing with love and wanting everything to be better. I guess, even now that we're older, things are still the same.
3. Layla by Eric Clapton. I've said it before, and I'll say it again- this is his best song.
2. Suzanne by Weezer. This song reminds me of middle school and the movie Mallrats. I've always wanted to learn the guitar, just so I can play this song. but, eventually it was placed as number two because you know who number 1 is.
1. Julia by the Beatles. Duh, they grabbed the number 1 stop. I should ban them from most lists cause they would dominate, but I just love this song. Bit of trivia for you: This song is named after John Lennon's mother. The name "Yoko" means ocean child (song lyric)





Edit: I didn't put this one in for some reason. I do love this song, and It even has a meaning to me. It's a beautiful song, with a beautiful name.....I almost have this damn song memorized....i do like it alot.

"Isis" by Bob Dylan.
"Well, I married Isis on the 5th day of May."

She said 'You gonna stay?'
I said 'If you want me to; Yes.


well, there it is. Happy now? more later from my head

My travel experience

When I think of the places I have been, and the things that I have done; I can define beauty in one word: Hawaii.
Sure, I was staying at the tourist island of Oahu and sure I was there for a school trip, but the best experiences are always the ones where my friends and I break the rules and this was such an occasion.
I can remember breaking curfew with my friends as we snuck out of the hotel and ran out of the lobby, our hearts beating as if we had ran a marathon and we sprinted down to the beach, just to see the moonlight on the waves. I've never liked the beach or ocean much, but a Hawaiian beach is different from an LA beach in so many ways. In Hawaii, it smelled of a light salty, but still a fresh scent with a hint of extinguished bonfires. In LA, it would smell like week-old hot dogs and sulfur and the smell would stick to your clothes and fingertips.
I can remember digging my feet into the sand, leaning against a tree and watching my friends clash into the night time water. It was almost impossible to diferentiate the night sky from the water, and it looked as though there were two moons, one looking down on Earth, the other looking up.
I can still remember that night very clearly.

Um Honey: Mitchell is here to see you

Boy oh boy, did I have a lot to do this past week. For the next issue of the paper I've included a story about school safety concerning gun violence and the thoughts of MT SAC staff on the problem with communication. I talked to public safety officer Jeff Parker on the matter and he gave me the inside of what is being done at MT SAC to prepare for any disaster.
I've also started a two columns for campus life. Random Acts of kindness and my Top 5 songs for random occasions.
Since this is a blog, I can include to you, my groovy readers, the songs that almost made it onto my Top 5 funeral list...almost!
Long Shadow by Joe Strummer, it was between this and Silver and Gold, and Silver and Gold won. It was tough to choose, but I think that I chose correctly.
I will follow you into the dark by Death Cab for Cutie. The problem with this song is that I only wanted it to be sang at my funeral by someone. I am reminded of the movie "High Fidelity" when John Cusack's character Rob Gordon says to the camera that he always wanted a beautiful woman to sing "You were the best thing" (that ever happened to me) by Aretha Franklin at his funeral. I couldn't steal his pick, and it was a good song choice by the way, so I wanted Death Cab to be in there. But ultimately: i chose not to include it. However, i do consider it extra credit on my list of songs.

Thats all for now, but don't worry: I'll be right back


This is Raymond ( A.K.A. Idiot)

Fear and Loathing: Guys in the girls restroom.

MT SAC is now apparently home to a peeping tom. He has been spotted in the women's restroom of building 14 twice in the past month. Campus authorities have been beefing up security around all of the women's restrooms on campus and Public Safety Director Jeff Parker has issued warnings to students and teachers through email as well as flyer's.
Roughly the same situation happened at Citrus College last month, but their criminal has been caught and is now waiting for his court date.
What really shocked me is the fact that several girls I interviewed knew nothing about the peeping tom on campus. I conducted these interviews at night, so, needless to say: the girls were extremely spooked about the situation. MT SAC security is doing all it can, but it is still falling short. Hopefully, the peeper will be caught before he can pose a real threat to the women of this school.


-Raymond Mendoza
Staff writer
A.K.A. Idiot