Ed's Open Mic

So we recen't went to a open mic night that was put on to celibrate the resident minister's birthday. He's a big music guy. Well for those who don't know, Eva loves music and loves to dance to music. We had a great time with her at the open mic as she weaved in and out of people, dacing and clapping away. Here is just a clip. The residents really got a kick out of it as well.

Guitar Ice

So Heather and I's friend, Jessica Malan, bought me a christmas gift, that we just got (we live far away from everyone) and its awesome. Its a ice tray, shaped like three different guitars, a Accoustic, Electric and Bass, with little fret boards to put in the ice as it freezes. The result is a guitar ice cube. Perfect for a good glass of whiskey. Today was my first time using it, and I present the awesome results to you, the faithful two viewers :)

Tattoo weight loss idea

So I've wanted a tattoo for a long time. Knowing that my parents are not that into the whole idea, but I want something that means something to me at least. Many know that one of my passions is American Indian studies and advocacy. I'm also a tremendous fan of Northwest tribal art, I really believe it’s the most beautiful art in the world.


Some day I wish to get two tattoo's one on each shoulder. The first one I wish to get is of a killer whale or Orca. Now this is my favorite animal in Northwest art but because it means something deep. In Haida and many coastal tribes’ religions, the orca represents past leaders and family come back to offer guidance or to look after you. To me the symbol reminds me of those in my life that have passed on who I do believe still watch me...my grandfathers in particular. Grandpa's Aiken and Brackett couldn't have been two more different people but they both had their strengths and faults and I really see both their good's and bad's in me. They both left my life sooner than I ever wanted and over the years this symbol has come to remind me of them and causes me a great amount of comfort, sadness and joy.


The other I wish to get is that of a Hawk, which isn't tremendously represented in NW art and I don't feel like explaining my meaning for this one but I'll let you see what one I'm thinking about.

I've struggled with weight for years now, shrinking down, and jumping back up. Part of my back issues today I have no doubt are due in some small part to my two year weight lifting binge in which I did trim down and bulk up, but I think did even more damage to my back, creating a situation now where I can barely life anything. Needless to say it’s a tough subject for me. Yet, I need to get down again...and I need a goal. I think that if I can get below 250 I'm going to see if my wife will agree to let me get my right arm tattoo...I think that would be a good motivation...we'll see.

Training is all done

Its been a long time since I blogged but this last month has been incredably busy. We've been in the middle of training for hall staff and as of Wednesday at 7PM we'll be done. Students will move in on Saturday and school starts on Monday...seems fast but at the same time not, considering that the last 9 years I've been used to class starting in August.

This picture at the top is my staff this year. From to right its: Veronica (my Assistant Resident Director), Jose (CF), me, Jaclyn (CF), Lindsay (CF), Gustavo (CF, bending over), Francis (CF standing up in back), Claudia (CF), Ed (Resident Minister) and Aldo our student goverment rep. CF stands for community facilitator, known as RA's else where.

This photo is at our retreat/camp which was abotu 45 minutes from San Jose. It was fun but very tiring.

They're a good group and it should be a fun year. Hope you all are doing well!

New York Pizza...in San Jose?

Friday my wife, Eva and I went to dinner with my Resident Minister and his wife. The Resident Minister is a pastoral studies student who lives in the resident hall and works with me and a faculty member to run the residence hall. His name is Ed and his wife is Christine.

They took us to a place called, Rosies New York Pizza, in San Jose. It was amazing. It was a huge pizza and it tasted great, not to mention the company was good. I think that Ed and his wife are going to become good Friends of ours. They're really down to earth and Ed is a musician who loves Nirvana. What more could I ask for?

Fancy Cars

I've been in California for a month now and there is one thing that stands out in stark contrast to Washington. The amount of "Member compensating" cars here is amazing. In Washington I grew up in a town where a majority of the men spent their money and time restoring old cars. This to me is a good habit, you put your hard work into a car and come out with a project/product that really means something to you.

However, here in Silicon Valley people spend ridiculous amounts of money on very expensive brand new luxury and sports cars. In the last month I've seen more BMW's, Mercedes, Jaguars, and many other more rare cars in the bay area than I've seen in my entire life. We went to a steak house a few weeks ago with my wife's folks and saw four Jaguars parked in the parking lot, and I'd only seen them in magazines up till that point.

I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy something that much, especially when there are much cheaper alternatives but I am definitely the minority in that view point in Norther Cal.

The pic above is some fancy sports car that I happened to be following on I880 the other day...just to prove my point, I don't know what it is but its got to be over 200,000 dollars. My God!

DMV in California

So I went to the DMV today, fearing the worst. To anyone outside of Cal, the stories of day long visits and mean attendants and other horrors. Well not all of its true. As soon as I got into Cal and found out my work schedule I did the smart thing and made a appointment at the DMV. The soonest I could get in was today, the 30th of July. Part of this is that the DMV is closed most fridays this month due to budget shortages and only have fridays but whatever.

Upon arriving at 1:30 for my appointment I had a relatively great experience. I stood in line for only five minutes, because of my appointment. Got a number and was called up before my paperwork was even done.

However, after completing everything the nightmare did kick in. I'm used to only paying 50 bucks to register your car no matter what...thats the way it is in Washington. However in Cal you pay a percentage of what the cars worth. On top of that I was charge 100 bucks in fines for being two days past my 20 day limit to register, despite my explanation that this was the earliest appointment available and the only days I could have come down and waited were the days they were closed (fridays)

So 500 bucks latter (new license included) I'm now a legal resident of Cal and can drive and vote. Sigh...Cal isn't perfect after all.

Santa Clara University

For anyone who doesn't know I started my new job at Santa Clara University on July 8th 2009. I drove down with my father in a big moving van from Seattle. The trip took two days and was actually very fun. I got to talk and spend time with my father and listen to all sorts of music on the way. Side note, if anyone owns a zune (I know not as cool as a Ipod, but it holds way more music), their car kit works amazing, it searches radio wave and picks the best one to broadcast on...I've had a few and this one worked the best.




This is a picture of Mnt Shasta at 5AM in the morning, its right on the Oregon, California Boarder.

My job title at SCU is Resident Director. It’s a similar job to what I had a Washington State University. I manage a 2 residence halls that make up the Unity Residential Learning Community. I work with a live in Faculty Director and a Resident Minster. I supervise a staff of one Assistant Resident Director, and six Community Facilitators. I also handle all conduct that occurs in the hall among many other things.

The Unity RLC is focused on diversity which is exciting for me. I think that when the students show up in September it’s really going to be exciting. I must admit, I don't think I would have left Washington State or even WSU given my own choice...but I was pulled outside my comfort zone and I am actually really liking it. This is really what I needed and I didn't even realize it. It’s a completely different university in a very different state and culture. The staff and faculty are passionate and all around good people. I love WSU, but its refreshing, something I had almost forgotten having lived and worked at WSU for almost 9 years.

My 2nd day on the job here I was already giving presentations to orientation students...but that’s ok. Its fun to hit the ground running and exciting to know that they hired me because they thought I wouldn't have trouble operating without a to of training right off the bat. I'm slowly learning the culture of the campus here and its fun...I haven't done that since 2000.

It’s hot here, but not bad. Always breeze and if you travel to the coast it’s much like the Northwest. More to post soon, but to summarize my first few weeks here...amazing. I've started to make friends with people I really admire and who are interested in doing their best. There isn't a sense of competition here, we're really here to help each other...I may have fallen into the best job I could have hoped for.


Here is a pic of on of my halls I am in charge of, McLaughlin. The other is Walsh, right next to each other and they are identical.

I miss all my friends and family, but I think I was meant to be here...its comforting to know that. More to come soon

Favorite Comedians

So I really need to post more. I have ideas for post on: Miss California, Obama’s night out in NYC, and Bush's "legacy." However, I'll get to those next week; today’s post is a fun countdown of my favorite comedians.

If you've been watching the Tonight Show with new host, Conan O’Brian, then you may know that Last nights episode, was the best show ever (June 11th). The two guests were both comedians in my Top five and in honor of that I shall now list my favorite comedians.

1) Don Riclels - best insult comic, and let’s be honest, if I was still who I was in high school, I'd be better than him :P Also if you haven’t read his book: Rickles Book, do yourself a favor and pick it up, its hilarious. (never seen him live)

2) Louis CK - says all the things you wish you could say. (never seen him live)

3) Lewis Black - Best political observer of all time (saw him live once, awesome)

4) Jim Gaffigan - Quiet voice is too much! (He’s from Seattle, so I should have seen him live but haven’t)

5) Norm Macdonald - OK, this guy is the other style I think I'd mimic if I were a comedian - Sarcastic to the core. (seen him live twice, hilarious)

6) John Stewart - Best media critic out there. (never seen him live, did write a letter and never got a response)

7) Bill Cosby - He's villianized by many for challenging the black community to focus more on their children and it’s over shadowed his unique and honest observational humor, no one has had more influence on comedy or I would argue Modern American perceptions of race, than Bill Cosby. I won't argue that what Bill has claimed is right for the African American community, I'm not a member and can't claim that, however as a American I can say that his challenge to take a more active role in our children’s development, rings true for all of America, rich or poor, South or North...any demographic, its a good challenge to extend. (seen him live twice, first time much better, he’s getting up there in years and starting to have trouble remembering stuff so catching him while you can!)

Moderate Politics

Hello faithful readers - all 2 of you :)

It’s been a long time since I've posted and to be honest it’s because I don't have a lot of free time. What time I do get off I try and spend paying with my daughter (however limited that may be), trying to get a job or trying to take the swelling down in my back...but no sob story here. I also just didn't know what to use this forum for.

Well I think it’s going to become my way of getting my ideas about societal and political issues in our world today. While I don't hold hopes that my blog becomes a subject of national discourse, I do think it will make me feel better to get my ideas out there and maybe lay the foundation for further conversation amongst some and that is enough for me.

Let’s get down to it, I believe in the idea of responsible discourse and moderate politics. Today’s political landscape has been taken over by extremist on both sides of the isle who are so scared of looking week that they have forgotten how to discuss differences in a responsible and respectable manor. When is the last time you've seen our media present a "debate" that didn't consist of insults, yelling or rude behavior? It simply isn't role-modeled anymore, and part of this is the media's fault. However, part of it is our fault. We as a nation would rather watch people yell at each other and manipulate their opponents (I'm looking at you Bill O'Rielly) than a responsible exchange of ideas. It’s simply easier to watch an argument than to take time and listen to other ideas.

This tendency for Americans to like it simple has caused the political landscape to respond with idiotic sound bites and simplified platforms that are easier to post on a bumper sticker than in an article or periodical. Politicians now see the act of listening or learning as a hindrance to re-election.

What I mean by this is that I hate the term "flip flopper". What is wrong with a leader being able to listen to new info and changing their opinion when the new info they've received makes sense to them? I think this is true leadership, the ability to adapt and apply ones values and ideals to new and old information instead of forming solid and stagnant platforms with no room for re-examination. I'm looking at you Republicans, Democrats, Green party etc...

Yet, both major parties have vilified the term flip flopper to the point that if a politician changes their stances over a 40 year career, they can be labeled as someone who doesn't really know what they believe in or worse...a compromiser. John McCain, who I loved, had to move away from his decade’s old identity as a compromiser to even stand a chance in the 2008 election. He pandered so much to extremist in his parties and contradicted himself so much at the end that I just couldn't support him. I couldn't vote for the politician I had seen as a role model of moderate politics for decades. Yet lets be honest, would he have gotten any of the far rights votes without his reckless abandonment of his ideas and identity? Would Americans have voted for someone that they saw as unable to take a firm stance on "republican ideals?"

We as a people need to take a stand against simplified politics. We don't need a leader we can "have a beer with." We need a leader who listens to multiple sides of an issue. Someone who isn't afraid being challenged. Someone who can make decisions for more than a percentage of the American population...but that will never happen unless we demand that the game be changed and that intellectually stimulating discourse becomes something we look for, and not something we get scared of. I don't say this to sound Snoody or intellectual. I think politics should be open to all voters and not the Ivy tower, but that means we as a society have to take on more responsibility to education ourselves and listen to more than bumper stickers, advertisements...blogs.