Nearly a month since my last post and I still haven't gotten my new pieces up.
Setting up/settling into the new place has been distracting.


This is pretty much a reminder post for myself.
Pieces that need to be brought online:
- I & U
- Peek a Boo
- Tools In Training
- To My First Ex parts 3-14
- Hey! Listen.
- Happy Birthday to You


Since I still have your attention, I'm gonna make a shameless plug for my buddies' podcast.
40s & 20s.
Available on iTunes an' soundcloud under podcasts.
If you've ever wondered what my conversations at a bar w/ my core group of friends would sound like, this would be it.
You'll even get to hear my voice at random.

And Then I Officiate a Wedding

Way back near the beginning of this year, I got to bind two awesome people into a state of non-denominational matrimony in the State of California.
Thanks to previously mentioned, now married & awesomeness defined couple, I'm an ordained minister in the State of California.

I like picking up titles/licenses.

The following are select portions of my non-standard speech:
(Or at least something generally close to it since I haven't had access to my computer for a few months.)

INTRO

Ladies, Gentlemen, and undecided, please be seated.
About four score and seven minutes ago, I found myself wide awake & unhappy with the current speeches I had for their ceremony.
I've known Chad & Shelli for awhile and also because they gave me the honor & privilege of presiding over their marriage I wanted to give them something memorable.
Please excuse me for reading this from my notebook.

MARRIAGE

Marriage is a wonderful thing.
I figure the best way to describe it is via a poem heavily laden in Dr. Seuss influences.

Oh you'll love them when they're fit
You will love them when they're sick
You will love them when they're rich
You will love them in a ditch
You will love through good or bad
You will love when glad or sad
You will have and you will hold
Ten years from now a thousand fold
A love for their whole life.

If there is a common theme for marriage, I'd like to think it's love.
Standing here at ground zero an' seeing the way these two look into each others eyes, I think they're set...

VOWS

I (Chad) take (Shelli) to be my lawfully wedded (wife).
I will take care and cherish our relationship.
I will love you today, tomorrow, & forever.
I take you for my wife, to have and to hold from this day on.
For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish for all the days of my life and until my last breath.

I (Shelli) take you (Chad) to be my lawfully wedded (husband).
Ditto to your vows.
And I promise not to fight over the TV remote because of access to DVR.
For realsies.

CONCLUSION

...By the power invested in me by the State of California, Monastery.org, and The Universal Life Church, I now pronounce you Husband & Wife.

You may now enjoy your first kiss as a married couple.
---------------------

it's good to have a working comp an' be able to post online again.

You'd think that with all of this time I'd be writing and/or editing pieces.

My bad.
Recently I've found myself distracted by my musical side.
Been putting in many hours into ukulele & guitar practice.
The only downside to having learned to play by ear is that it takes me awhile to get back into playing shape.
At least by my standards.
Many chipped nails & sprained fingers in the process.

Sprained?
I also picked up a cajon.
Essentially, it's a wooden percussion box you bang on to produce different sounds.
[insert spousal abuse joke here]

In theory, I'll be a drummer for my other friends that have recently joined me in wanting to hit up open mics.

More content headed your way.
At least by someday before the end of a year.

On a sidenote: I finally got around to updating my profile here.
600+ individual views kinda baffles me.

Breath

You kinda had at me at first breath.
Watching the rise & fall of your chest.
Knowing that whatever was gonna come out of those lips I would find myself biased towards.

You could've let out a burp.
Show me you're down to earth.
And just give me the green light to pig out around you.

You could've said the word "hi"
Or even the word "die"
Either would've sounded like a chorus of angels to my ear.

But damnit all
You had the gall to send out a smile...
Subtle yet sweet.

It's my destiny to be a diabetic that attracted me to that sweetness.

Combined with that coy, over the shoulder glance.
Any poor fool wouldn't have a chance.
And I happen to be a poor fool.

Poor cuz I'm unemployed.
A fool because the only thing I can will myself to do is just grin at you.
Stupidly.

I hope you're into adorkable
Because that's all I can offer.

Breathe in...
Breathe out...

-------------------------------

A poetic quickie.
Rough cut.
If only because I need to be posting more content here on a regular basis.

Was there any particular inspiration?
Nope.

Still in the process of transferring from pad to PC.
Thank you for your patience & time.

Has it been that long since I posted here?
Eventually I'll get around to transferring the words from the pad to the internet.
Kinda distracted by college basketball at the moment.

Props to SDSU.

Ideally, everyone out there that's partying like a leprechaun in the green light district tonight does so in a safe & responsible manner.
I've only been to one funeral this year, I'd prefer to keep it that way.

The Head that Never Was

...no?
.....
.......
WHHYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!?!
------------------------

You get this little filler while I work on actual pieces inspired on Monday's run.
TIT - Tools In Training
&
Peek-a-boo.
Although I might actually take the time to revisit and add depth to this piece later.

For those that are curious: I went with "To My First Ex" & "Rainbow"
Which can be found in the older posts.
I opted for "Rainbow" because I've never given it a live test run.

Credit to my friend for providing the basics.
noun: Eiffel Tower
adjective: green
mood: constipated.

This poetic quickie is what I put together after a little more thought from the drive home.
Pretty sure this isn't something you can expect out of me if I get a time slot out of Monday's Open Mic.

Mean, green, a bit obscene
Why couldn't this constipation be just a dream?
I've got an Eiffel Tower ready to launch from my ass
Oh lord
Please just let this pass
Through my intestines and past my colon
Have me thinking a bit of my life's been stolen.
This moment in time I'll never get back.
Stuck here waiting for that rat a tat tat
Splish splash
Now I'm done with that

I look to my left...
Well crap.
Doesn't even matter
We're out of toilet paper

And then I get playful.

Today I was conversing with my friend when he mentioned his roommate, for lack of better term, hooked up with someone I've had history with for the past year or so.
Roommate was paranoid about me finding out and goin' part-time gangsta on him and hurting him.
My friend insists to him I wouldn't care.
Cuz I don't and I've moved on.
Personally, I would've just given him advice.
"Walk away."
Plus, I could already figure out something was happening between the two.
Reading people, perks of being a twice retired bartender/former actor.

So my playful side kicked in an' I decided to text his roommate.
"WTF?! I AM GOING TO CHOP OFF YOUR BALLS AND BAKE CUPCAKES WITH THEM."
Followed immediately by:
"Just kidding. Real talk, just try not to invest too much. Or you can spend a year or so in relationship purgatory like I did. Woman has no idea what she wants."

I tend to joke around a lot.
I figure a text message from myself in all caps with the words "balls" "bake" and "cupcakes" wouldn't be taken seriously from the people that know me.

25mins later he responds.
"Dude! You scared the fucking shit out of me..."

I laughed.
Loudly.
For a long time.
It's been awhile since I laughed so hard on Valentines/Roadside Vendors Appreciation/Singles Awareness Day.

Afterwards...
Good sushi.
Good friends.
Good drinks.
Good times at my secondary home/favorite bar.

Hope your day's treated you well.

My plans today?
Living vicariously through all of you an' accepting any donations of chocolates for my poor poor stomach.

As true with most Valentines/Singles Awareness Days, I try to be fiscally responsible and keep myself single.

Like some of my friends, we have issues with the consumer holidays.
Why spend only one day focusing on someone you love.
Make it everyday.
Make it every night.
Make it right now.
At the least, treat yourself to something special.

I've got fried chicken, yogurt, & a Burn Notice marathon.
I'm good.

I'm also available as a part-time Valentine this year to anyone that would like one.
Goin' stir crazy in the apartment as of late.

More posts headed your way!
...possibly?

As we edge closer to Valentines/Singles Awareness Day, I thought it'd be fun to share one of my more popular pieces during my open mic runs.

To My First Ex
...
.....
.....*sigh*
....
......I hate you.
----------------------

This is probably one of the most honest pieces I've ever put together.

Open Mics, how I've missed thee.
Now that I've found solid venues in the San Diego area, I'm making a more concentrated effort to frequent them.
I figure once a month is a good start.

In theory, that leads to me posting here more often as I've been on a writing binge as of late.

And then I discover the actual benefits to regular exercise.

It's stories like these that lead to people asking me "How do you do that Reggie?"
I don't know.
I just do.
Is it charm?
Is it luck?
Are planetary alignments involved?
Does it have anything to do with me being an Asian that has size 11 shoes?
Read through and come up with your own theory as to how I make new friends.

Last week I started jogging regularly again.
Partially to test out my knee strength.
Mostly to see if I can get back into shape and start acting full-time again.

I'm approaching mile three of my run/sprint/walk.
Being weighed down by the cassette-tape walkman I carry with me during my jogs I find myself at a leisurely point of my run.
A brunette vision of blurry beauty flies past me.
Maybe it's hunting instincts.
Maybe it's testosterone telling me I can't look weak in front of women.
Regardless of the actual reason, I find myself sprinting after her.
I'm thankful the stoplights around here are my friend.
A redlight helps me catch up to her.

Heavy breathing on my part, I send a smile her way as I walk up next to her.
She sends a smile back my way.
"Wow."
"Wow?"
"Your smile took my breath away... that or the block I just jogged."
She laughs.
I feel slightly more confident that I actually might have personality when my looks fade.
Introductions are made, we converse and jog, all the way back to her apartment complex.
I happened to be 2/3 done with my jog.
She just started her jog.
Gotta love motivational elements.

Having to ice my knee for half the day was worth it.
I guess.
Got a number.
Barely 20.
Got a jogging/hike buddy.

I truly do lead a boring life.

Can I?

How can I go on
Knowing I sleep alone again?
There's an emptiness in my soul.
Can you help me fill it please?

Can I
Get your number?
(I feel so alone.)

Please choose me.
(I'm so, so lonely.)

How 'bout your name?
(I wasn't really paying attention the first time you mentioned it)

My bad.

Truthfully,
Your smile is all I need.
------------------------

Generally, this is what you'll get from me if you ask me to pull a poem/serenade from out of nowhere for you.
Other actually serious pieces are still on my editor's table.

So I came back to the pad after a bar outing to clear my mind and I notice that it's been cleaned.
Well, clean for a bachelor pad.

As I recycled alcohol from the night's festivities into the toilet, I noticed that the toilet had gotten a makeover.
Completely spotless...

There's a woman in the apartment!

I'm glad my interest in mystery shows growing up have paid off.
Other roomie/buddy invited a lady friend over while we were out an' about.

On a sidenote: I really want to have my own little bachelor pad again.
Kinda over the adventure of sleeping on couches.

First post of 2011.
Anything amazing or profound to be found in this one?

Nope.

Just a thought I came up with the other day:
It's hard to bloom late when you're a weed.