Summer Daze

It’s been awhile since I last sat down and wrote, probably because it’s been awhile since I last sat down for any extended period of time. The last two weeks have gone by so fast and I’m sure the rest of the summer will follow. It’s been an eventful past two weeks, so instead of sitting here at work waiting for some programs to run I decided to share what’s been going on.

First and foremost, I have to say that the office here would make an awesome level in James Bond. It’s a quiet three story office/library with lots of rooms, moving bookshelves, key-card access doors, hidden staircases and  cluttered cubicles. And the bathroom area looks exactly like the levels from N64 Goldeneye. It’s one of those things you have to see for yourself to appreciate. Sometimes I get carried away and think about the level in my head: exit through the locked door out to the basement, pick up a green box in the parking garage and set proximity mines in the bathroom. Then pick up an automatic and strafe up the windy stairs to the lobby, where security guards block the entrance to secret Amgen labs. I can only imagine where the level goes from there, but trust me when I say that if this were in fact a James Bond level from N64, it would put the others to shame.

Anyways, work has been relatively slow even though our team has some insurmountable projects to complete. It’s tough for me to get things done because I do several different projects under different supervisors, all of whom stay busy during the day and can’t alyways send the next task my way or help if I get stuck somewhere. One of the things I noticed is that at a big company like Amgen, productivity takes a back seat to bureaucracy and scheduling meetings on top of more meetings. Compared to homework or college life in general, where you spend every waking minute doing something, here it seems that  you spend more time talking and negotiating than actually getting to it. Maybe it’s just my gotta-stay-productive engineering mentality that notices how inefficient things seem to be. But in all honestly, I don’t mind the change of pace before Fall quarter fires up.

Speaking of which, I’m setting up for the best quarter of my life this Fall. With football season ahead, the new apartment finally setup, several familiar and new faces in BruinLife and really cool upperdivs scheduled, I absolutely can’t wait for school to start! I’m going to feel like big man on campus for a number of reasons, the most obvious of which is probably just seeing familiar faces everywhere I go. I figured this past year I averaged meeting a new person every day, which seems crazy but makes sense when you really think about it. Makes a fourty-thousand person campus seem like high school again.

Really though, I’m stoked for Fall. Like, fucking pumped.

Last week I was back home because of summer shutdown and enjoyed the stay. It’s a lot easier to stay busy and value time with friends when you know you won’t be back until Thanksgiving. Then again, I try to focus less on the actual time spent with friends and family and more on being able to hang out as if I was living at home. It’s a great feeling to chill with friends and pick up where we left off. Like they alwyays say, quality over quantity.

I jumped right back into the fast-paced summer with a Fourth of July party at a friend’s place in Paradise Cove in Malibu. That place is amazing for summer parties, since there’s a private beach and lots of other people there to make a great atmosphere. It reminded me of a California version of American Pie in a lot of ways, just meeting so many people and partaking in crazy shenanigans. It was really hot that day and we were bouncing between the beach and beach house from about 11 that morning to 1 at night. I came back exhausted, but didn’t notice because we had such a great time that day. At night we made s’mores by moonlight on the beach and it reminded me of our last BruinLife retreat in a similar setting. So many great things to remember and look forward to.

A few other things have been keeping me busy and will do for the next few months. Before shutdown we went to Magic Mountain and I finally got my much-needed dose of roller coasters. Earlier that week we went dancing in Agoura and just this past Wednesday saw LMFAO and The Far East Movement there. The concert was amazing but I wish there was an 18 and over rule because mostly everyone was a raucous-as-hell white high school kid from the valley. And I finally saw Transformers last night and enjoyed it, although I realized that was my first movie outing in 2009. This weekend Amgen is taking the interns paintballing and kayaking, although I had to sign up for the August kayak trip but am still excited for paintball. In a couple weeks we’re going to the Dodger game (coincidentally on Manny Ramirez bobblehead night) and having an intern hot dog eating contest. Then that Friday it’s off to Newport for editor’s retreat! I still haven’t been back to campus yet but Kevin and I will go most weekends after this one. I’m ashamed to say that I still haven’t seen our apartment but can’t wait to visit. That and recruiting for BruinLife at freshman orientation, I’ve been waiting to do this for so long! I spend so much time with BruinLife during the year that I practically think about it all day at work. It’s like being homesick, except in a week I return to Bruin territory.

I started looking at things to buy for my room next year, like furniture and electronics stuff online. Second paycheck came today so I ordered a nice 2.1 speaker set and a terabyte external hard drive that I’ve been waiting to get for a long time. It’s a thrill to finally be able to furnish your own place and even moreso to do it with your own money – it really forces you to take good care of those possessions. Now I’m looking into monitors so I can dual my laptop up and code like a pro. That and watch movies on a slightly bigger screen, of course. To cap it off I decided to put my “UCLA parking Only…Champions Made Here” sign on Marcus’s and my door. Can’t hardly wait.

I’m ditching lunch crew in a bit to hit the town with a coworker who graciously invited me to lunch. And yes, it’s most definitely casual Friday and life doesn’t get much better than this.

Summer days just sitting around but when the sun goes down, I’ll be ready to party
Aint nothing like them summer nights
Keep the top on drop while the girls looking hot, hit the volo and we just dont stop
Party until the morning light
Aint nothing like them summer nights

Lil’ Rob – “Summer Nights”

Stay Together for the Bruins

The day has finally arrived, and I’m a bit more conflicted than I had expected. Darren Collison is off to the NBA and I couldn’t be happier for him. Jrue Holiday is too, and although I admire him as a player, I doubt I will ever respect him as much as his older ex-teammate. Darren epitomizes the Wooden-esque character– strong-willed, hard-working, fiercely loyal to his school and a responsible leader on and off the court. Jrue could very well be one of the best rookies in the NBA but to me will be nothing more than another one-and-done player who I honestly didn’t think fit in at UCLA anyways.

On a more technical note, I know both will do well at the NBA level. Darren will backup for Chris Paul on the New Orleans Hornets (21st pick) and Jrue joins the 76ers (17th pick). DC plays a complete game and has the unquestionable ability to quickly mature into a floor general like teammate CP3. It’s uncanny to watch highlights of these two players – they play very similar basketball.

DC(2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw7Fzp-kjCA

CP3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5z-2SmHp58

For as inspiring as was following  Collison the past two years, it is disappointing to see Holiday go. I know there was a lot of pressure put on him because of Kevin Love’s unprecedented success and that fact that he played out of position this season (at shooting guard), but Jrue admitted to not liking Howland’s system and was a one-and-done from the day he signed with us. And that was our season, here and gone in a heartbeat. But at least we can admire from afar our sharp-dressed UCLA alum who stated, when asked if he would miss his alma mater: “Aw man..I will more than miss it. Just hearing that question, it gets me stuck answering it. It’s a great organization and a great staff. You can’t have anything better than being at UCLA for four years.” Well said, Darren.

I wrote a remake of Blink-182’s “Stay Together for the Kids” awhile ago but added some finishing touches after yesterday’s draft. I think it’s obvious I dwell on UCLA hoops too much, so the least I can do is make some sort of cultural contribution – here’s the original song for musical accompaniment to the new lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moidPfDvRic.

“Stay Together for the Bruins”

It’s hard to make up
For a team that can’t make the cut
They cannot rebound
It’s so pathetic
We just want Kevin Love
I don’t know what to say
The cheers rise then die away
If this Howland team, could still defend
I’d watch them every day

So here’s Jrue Holiday
Hope you enjoyed him this year
He’s drafted seventeenth
To Philly
So when this freshman’s gone
Will you remember this team, and number 21?
It’s his life

The fans, the Den, the cheers
Have been great for two whole years
Rather than watch on TV, rep DC’s jersey
At Pauley every game
Fans camp for several days
We’re so loyal why aren’t they?
If this is what Ben wants, and it’s what Jrue wants
Then what’s there left to gain?

So here’s Jrue Holiday
Hope you enjoyed him this year
He’s drafted seventeenth
To Philly
So when this freshman’s gone
Will you remember this team, and number 21?
It’s his life

So here’s Jrue Holiday
Hope you enjoyed him this year
He’s drafted seventeenth
To Philly
So when this freshman’s gone
Will you remember this team, and number 21?
It’s his life (x4)

Credits to Josh for helping me with the chorus a few months ago when we experimented with some of Blink’s lyrics. I think I speak for both of us when I say it’s frustrating rooting for a revolving door of a team. But we do it anyways, us Bruins always stay together. Thank you Darren, Josh, Alfred, and Jrue for another unforgettable season and good luck in all of your future endeavors.

So here’s your holiday
Hope you enjoy it this time
You gave it all away
It was mine
So when you’re dead and gone
Will you remember this night, twenty years now lost.
It’s not right

Blink-182 – “Stay Together for the Kids”

Best I Ever Had

I guess this post shapes up to be a review of the end of sophomore year and look forward to the summer ahead. Given the more serious posts that have preceded this one, it makes sense to write a more “fun” one anyways.

It’s true, life gets better with every passing day. It goes without saying that sophomore year was the best of my life. Now a week into summer, I can finally stop to reminisce about it and plan for another amazing summer and year at UCLA. With so much to look forward to in my junior year, I can only hope it doesn’t go by as quickly as did this year. Unfortunately I’ll blink and be 21 already, looking back on the new “best year ever”.

Well, it’s now two weeks into my twenties and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Having a birthday during Spring finals is one of the most depressing things ever but at least it gives me more reason to celebrate when it’s over. Plus, I have a way of making the best of these situations. It was about this time two weeks ago when I was thinking of a way to squeeze some celebration out of a day I was sure to spend studying. Remembering the unforgettable surprise party that my friends threw for me on campus last year, I decided to continue the tradition of a midnight celebration on campus. It was a perfect night and can’t say enough how much the company of a great group of friends meant to me. Joey, Marcus, Josh, George,  Dennis, Stefan, Minh-Vu, Mike, and Kim – thanks for making my “midnight birthday” one to remember. Pictures to follow, I promise.

That night I decided to celebrate every birthday on campus at UCLA. Unless it’s physically impossible for me to be there, you can find me with my feet in Shapiro Fountain when the clock strikes midnight every June 7th. My only wish is that my friends can enjoy it with me. Birthday days are overrated anyways.

As far as I was concerned, that birthday ended once I hit the hay. The next day was nothing but cramming for finals and worrying about the epidemic sickness that spread through the Hill like wildfire. I would be spared until Thursday, when I woke up from a nap following my last final to feelings of nausea. I think the only way I was able to pack was thanks to some expired pain relievers, which worked wonders. It was bittersweet leaving our penthouse room behind, but knowing that next year’s apartment would be that much more fun made it easier. I’m going to miss my awesome RA’s Joey and Vivian the most since they’re graduating and on to bigger and better things. Congrats you two, thanks for an amazing year!

It’s funny how when my parents come to help move out I feel like a little kid being picked up from the best birthday party ever. It’s like being rudely awaken from a really good dream. Anyways, I was still stick and trying to coordinate some friends to help sell yearbooks at commencement since I couldn’t stay. They had my back though and for that I am eternally grateful for my BruinLife family. Thankfully I didn’t have to endure the awkward six hour drive back home since we only had to drive to Thousand Oaks. I have to admit every once in awhile it’s nice to talk to my parents about what’s new, but these days it seems like every conversation comes down to my parents talking about my sister’s college choices and my involvement with that whole debacle. I tried to make the most of that Saturday by looking forward to the new apartment and being away for the summer.

And what a summer it promises to be! I was thrown in head first beginning with Monday’s orientation and I’ve been busy between work and play and getting acquainted with the neighborhood. I’ve made lots of friends with other interns and have had the chance to meet several Amgen employees who are really enthusiastic about their jobs. Back on the home front, my roommate Kevin is really chill and we plan on taking this summer by storm. He lived in Westwood this past year so I’m counting on his expertise to keep me from defaulting to frozen food and staying inside all day. The way I see it, the sky’s the limit this summer because I can make as much of it as I want. Hopefully we can get back to Westwood on weekends – UCLA is so much fun when school isn’t in session (at least for me anyways). But for now, I’m enjoying getting used to apartment life and meeting new people. It’s a bit different lifestyle than I’m used to, but by the time summer is over I’m sure I’ll miss it. And by then it will be back to Westwood for a year that is sure to be – what’s the word? Legendary.

At first it seemed like I was selling my soul to the corporate world by committing every week of summer to fill-time work. I was planning on flying home for a few quick weekends until I learned about “summer shutdown”, Amgen’s no-work week before July 4th. I can’t wait to spend a solid week with my bros like we used to – that and a whole lot of catching up is in order. What’s nice (ok, really nice) is that the week is paid for interns as well. Dinner’s on me, fellas.

There’s nothing like June 21, the beginning of summer and the longest day of the year. Today I’m off to Magic Mountain with some Amgen buddies and kicking off the next 12 weeks with style. It’s only the beginning…of the best year I’m sure to have.

Baby you my everything you all I ever wanted
We can do it real big
Bigger then you ever done it
You be up on everything
Other girls ain’t never on it
I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it

Cause she hold me down every time I hit her up
When I get right I promise that we gon live it up
She make me beg for it till she give it up
And I say the same thing every single time.

Drake – “Best I Ever Had”