dad's engagement speech for dan

I am Walter, dan’s father. I would like to thank everyone for coming this evening to celebrate the engagement of my son Dan to a wonderful future daughter in law, Loralee. It is delightful to see you all and meet so many of their friends from their old school, church, college and the office. My family would like to thank the Obien family for helping to organize this wonderful party. This occasion will give both of our families the ideal opportunity to get to know each other.

It was sometime back in one of the conversation with Dan when he came to visit that his mom and I asked him about any current  girl friends. Dan mentioned he met this girl and she is Filipino. Hey I thought you were not going to date any Filipino because they tend to be drama queens. Dan said she is different and she is perfect. Her mom playing devils advocate said that nobody is perfect. But When we finally got the chance to meet Loralee, we saw why Dan fell in love with her. I knew then that it will just be a matter of time before he settles down.

In one of the conversation with Loralee, she mentioned that before she met Dan, She said that she would not get involved with someone in the military. And so Here we are. This goes to show that when you find somebody that you love and care for, preconceived notions go out the window.

I have one advice to Loralee.  "Before marriage a man will lay awake all night thinking about something you said; after marriage he'll fall asleep before you have finished saying it". So take advantage of tonight to tell our son everything he has to remember!

My advice to is Dan that  you remember that you are going to be the king of the household but bear mind that Loralee is going to be the Ace.

Lastly, I would like to Thank Loralee for accepting my Son’s. proposal Please join me in wishing them good health to Loralee and Dan as we look forward to seeing them wed this summer. Much love and future happiness to Dan and Loralee.

everything is illuminated

watched the film- enjoyed the concept so very much, but it does feel like it would have been an amazing book. i'll pick it up from the library next time i have the chance.

but it was a film about the persistence of memory, and especially in the case of the holocaust, to never forget.

it doesn't exist for you.

you exist for it.

it exists to be found.

of memories.

been to several concentration camps when i went to europe. dachau had a chill in the air, expanse of space, in perfectly formed lines gave me the strangest feeling in my stomach about the machinization of killing. many cried, but i just felt a strange sensation in my bones, and mostly numb, as though i wanted to feel something, and it was a general uneasiness, but the tears would not come. it was certainly a day to slouch around, and see the reactions of those around me. there was crying. others pouted. some were forgetting already. and lastly, i heard something stabbing through the weighty layer of silence..  an unmistakable sound,the sound of laughter. it was the strangest sound, perhaps it was nervous laughter to cover the silence and sadness.

 but then again,  it's been a while

. and i can't remember.

sweet guesses

A year ago, I predicted the 2008 presidential race to really be between Rudy and Hillary. Maybe it'll be John v. Hillary.

To wrap my  head around this, it's either Rudy or John, and then for the Democratic spot, it'll be either Hillary and Barack. If that's the case, Hillary is much a polarizing candidate, but would probably beat out Barack due to his lack of experience. If it's between Rudy and John, John will probably get more support. Seriously.. how do you really beat a Vietnam Vet? Then again, Rudy may drop out of the race altogether, as when I met him in April 2006, that he would probably not run for president. Although I did tell him that I would vote for him. Surely, I wouldn't, but I just wanted to see what he would say. He just smiled though. Dressing in drag to raise money for 9-11 may have hurt his chances at being taken seriously by the Christian right, as well as the country as a whole..

Presidential Race and the Oscar Race .

Our  mostly democratic system at work.

how very gen x.

reality bites and rent.

 makes me question what is generation x.

artistic slackers plagued by poverty and the consequences of their free flowing love, sex, and drug lifestyle? homosexuality, AIDS, corporate values vs. bohemian life, and making documentaries about your friends. stories may just be coincidence, or just a mouthpiece of a generation. who knows.

reality bites imdb summary;

In this study of Generation X manners, Lelaina, the valedictorian of her college class, camcords her friends in a mock documentary of posteducation life. Troy is her best friend, a perpetually unemployed musical slacker. Vickie is a manager at the Gap who worries about the results of an AIDS test, while Sammy has problems grappling with his sexuality. When Lelaina meets Michael, an earnest video executive who takes her homemade video to his MTV-like station, she must decide what she values--the materialism of yuppie Michael or the philosophical musings of Troy.

rent imdb summary:

This film adaptation of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning rock opera tells the story of one year in the life of a group of bohemians struggling in modern day East Village New York. The story centers around Mark (Anthony Rapp) and Roger (Adam Pascal), two roommates. While a former tragedy has made Roger numb to life, Mark tries to capture it through his attempts to make a film. In the year that follows, the group deals with love, loss, AIDS, and modern day life in one truly powerful story. Rosario Dawson, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Tracie Thoms, and Taye Diggs also star.

psychic

yesterday a psychic came up to me.

i was drawn by your aura.

i see good things in your future.

they will come on god's time.

you have a smile on your face but not in your heart.

but good things are coming. i can feel it.

you need guidance.

call me.

she said.

i dont have money to pay you.

it's an investment.

but really. i dont.

it's not much.

i dont have a job.

cal me. you will.

and then she disappeared.

weirdness.