What are you in a hurry for?

Yesterday after bring my mom to the hospital, we were driving home and two cars were just speeding down the street at about I would say about 70 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone. One dumb ass was in a Chevrolet Cobalt i believe and another dumb ass was in a 60s model Ford Mustang. Both tailgated me and other poor suspecting motorists. I've managed to get them to stay back for awhile until they finally got ahead of everybody by way of cutting people off on the street part of a road that was 50 mph, with the two dumb asses still maintaining a speed of about 70 mph. The driver in the Chevy Colbalt continued to speed and weave in and out of traffic. Surprisingly, the dumb driver signaled. The other fool in the old Mustang never signaled and guess what -- he lived in the same neighborhood as me! I can't believe this. Hurrying to get home for no reason at all. This goes to show that there will always be dumb asses on the road. Everyone are generally good people, but some just make dumb decisions.

A senseless accident on Highway 70 in Sutter County, California

Here another story about the dangers of Highways 70 and 99 between Sacramento and Marysville/Yuba City:

South Sutter traffic tragedy
By Rob Young/Appeal-Democrat
May 9, 2008 - 2:33PM

A San Jose woman was killed and at least four other people were injured Friday in a Highway 70 collision involving an Amtrak California bus, two vans and two cars.

The accident occurred at 1:29 p.m. about one-quarter mile south of Marcum Road and closed Highway 70.

The driver of a 1995 Acura Integra, Vang Yang, 22, of Sacramento, apparently caused the collision by trying to pass the northbound bus on the busy, two-lane road, said Capt. Jim Young of the California Highway Patrol, who credited the bus driver with avoiding more casualties.

The bus remained upright in a shallow ditch on the east side of the highway.

"That says a lot right there," said Young.

"I avoided everything I could, but it was impossible," the bus driver, Terry Campbell, 54, of Shasta Lake City, said.

Two passengers were taken to Rideout Memorial Hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

The dead woman, Rosa Mendoza, 40, was removed from the remains of her 1993 Nissan van more than 90 minutes after the collision.

After apparently striking the left front corner of the bus, the Acura hit the van head-on, said Young.

Celeste Hewitt was following the southbound van in her subcompact car, two vehicles back. She was on her way home to Santa Cruz County after visiting her mother in Oregon.

The disintegrating van "looked like foil rolling back at me, lighter than air," said Hewitt.

"It's senseless to pass with bumper-to-bumper traffic. People just died because someone was in a hurry," said Hewitt.

Hewitt tried to avoid the van but the front of her car had front-end damage. She was uninjured.

"It was terrible," she said, shaken.

"My angels were flying with me," she said.

One occupant of the Acura was airlifted to a hospital and another transported by ambulance. Their names were not immediately available.

Capt. Dave Samson of the Sutter County Sheriff's Department said Mendoza had been in the Yuba-Sutter area before the accident.

I've known about the dangers driving on Highway 70 between Highway 99 and the Plumas Lake area, especially since it's currently a two-lane highway. Even I get pissed when someone passes me because they want to show off and hurry to the mini-mart or some waste-of-time activity. I've driven that highway many times. It's scary. Sometimes I take the backroads, which is less busier.

That poor woman who died didn't have to because some young dumb ass in a speedy Acura Integra was impatient. Just another case of plain stupidity. My heart goes out to her family. She would've been alive and well had not this young 22 year-old fool caused this collision. I hope the Acura driver is charged with vehicular manslaughter charges or even a harder charge and I hope it haunts him for the rest of his life.

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Caltrans is trying to get the remaining two-lane Highway 70 between Highway 99 and the Plumas Lake area turned into a four-lane freeway, including a bypass around the very small town of East Nicolaus with a interchange at Nicolaus Road. The future exit is already numbered exit 4. There would also be an interchange with Feather River Boulevard in Plumas Lake (currently it's a traffic signal). They allocated $126 million for this project and construction has started, though its in it's infancy. Their projected completion is somewhere in 2010 or 2011, a mere 2-3 years away.

My first post in almost two years

It's been a long time since I wrote something on here. The past year and a half was life changing. I joined a gym about 2 months ago. Instead of being tired of doing nothing, I feel great that I can be tired that I worked out. I'm trying to change my lifestyle patterns this time around. I'm trying to cut back on cholesterol and eat a little more sensibly. So I'll see how it goes.

Changing the subject, I know everybody is still complaining about gas prices lately. Well apparently it seems like people like to fill their tank for $4.00 a gallon more often. Some guy earlier tonight around 11:00 PM in a white Ford Explorer was doing 55 on a 40 mile hour zone near my neighborhood. He did no signaling and cut a lot of people off, including me. What a dick. He can go straight to beyond hell for all I care. What I'm trying to say is that if you complain about people speeding in your neighborhood, it's either your neighbors or your neighbors' company coming over. Simple as that.

Monday, June 14, 2006

I woke up at around 8:30 AM. I had a rescheduled doctor's appointment later that morning up in Roseville. After my appointment, I was thinking of what to do with my birthday money. So I went to a couple of stores like Circuit City and Wal-Mart to shop around for an iPod. Apparently, I would have to blow my entire birthday money to get one and I had other thing to worry about. So I guess I'll hold off on the iPod until I can afford it.

Later on, I went to walk around at the Galleria at Roseville for awhile. I went into Crate & Barrel for the first time. That store was nice! It even had it own escalator! The second floor of the store was furniture, but I didn't go up there. I ended up buying a little sauce container with a pourable spout for $1.25. It was probably the only thing in there that I could afford. After leaving Crate & Barrel, I walked around the mall some more and some guy at the T-Mobile kiosk stopped me and tried to sell me a new cell phone, but I told him that I was in a hurry (even though I wasn't) and didn't have any time. The things people do for commission.

06 . 06 . 06 *cackle laugh*

Man, am I having one hell of a birthday... Literally! lol... Who knew my birthday would fall on a devilish date? Anyway, nothing out of the ordinary has come up yet. I'll have to find out what the rest of this day is going to be like. Thank you everyone for the birthday greeting! If you didn't say "happy birthday", I'm thanking you in advance. =)

Memorial Day weekend

The Jazz Jubilee is back in town, although I never really attended the event and in the past. Sounds like fun, except that you have to pay a high admission price to get in. So this Memorial Day weekend, instead of being out on the road, I'm spending it at home. High gas prices are still out of control and I think it's affecting my social life, because I virtually use the car to go out and kick it with my friends. I rarely use public transportation, although I was thinking of going downtown by taking the bus and the light rail one day.

Mother's Day weekend

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day. I gave my mom a Hallmark card and some roses. Like they say, it's the thought that counts. Didn't do a whole lot else that day, except that my brother came up to visit for the day... and to do his laundry... lol.

Getting reacquainted is hard

It's been several years since I've been in contact with anyone from high school. It's also been over a decade since I've been in elementary and junior high. I've always wondered what all these people I've met over the years -- these old classmates of mine... Old friends of mine -- are doing now. I remember them, but the sad part is that I don't think anyone even remembers me. My ten year high school reunion is coming up in about a year, although there is a reunion coming up in a few months for alumni between 1993 - 2000, but I doubt I'll go because it's expensive and I'll probably don't know anyone there. If I do go to my reunion next year, what am I gonna say to them when I tell them I'm going by my nickname again? I went by my real name throughout high school and it was becoming a big identity crisis for me. I go to school as "Steve" and outside of school, I'm "J.R.". What a weird and funky feeling. I went back to using my nickname altogether after high school when I went to college for awhile. For now, I'm using MySpace.com to try to get reacquainted with old friends, but that too is doing very little. *sigh*

eBay as a Seller

I'm not new to eBay. I'm familiar with it like everyone else. I've bought from them before. The thing is that I'm new to selling. Yes, I started selling on eBay a few months ago and so far, I've sold six things already. I figured that everyone does it to earn some extra cash, so what the heck, let me join in on all of this. It's been a trial-and-error thing for me so far, but I'm getting the hang of it.

A day at the slots

My parents invited me to lunch at the buffet at Cache Creek Casino Resort and man was it good! It was my first time back there since their renovation was completed a couple of years ago. I last went there when the old casino was still standing and that was a few years back. Anyway, I enjoyed the buffet and played a few slots. I didn't win anything or lose a whole lot, it was pretty fun.

Caught a bug

Actually, I came down with a cold a week ago and it's bugging the hell out of me. I'm feeling a little better now and it should go away in a couple of days.

My cousin's inviting my brothers and I to go down to L.A. this weekend to celebrate her birthday. I hope I can make it. I haven't seen my relatives in over two years.

The New Year's So Far...

My first blog of 2006! Anyway, let's put that aside. Already 21 days into the new year and so far, I seem very optimistic about this year. My fight with depression seems to be getting better. I'm planning to go back to school and focus on my education so I can finish up college and get the career i'm shootin' for. I'm also trying to get back into shape. After hearing about heart disease, diabetes and obesity so many times, it's time to 86 the junk food and instead indulge myself in a salad. Yeah, I know. It just doesn't sound right.

Christmas '05 in the books, New Years coming up

Well, another Christmas has passed and I pretty much enjoyed it. My brother got me a new George Foreman grill for Christmas. It's The Next Grilleration G5 with the five interchangable plates that you can take off and easily clean. I haven't tried it out yet, but i'll probably enjoy cooking on it!

I'm hopefully planning to go down to Los Angeles for New Year's because my relatives are throwing a little New Year's Eve party. I haven't seen my relatives for over two years now and I think this will be a perfect excuse to visit.

Christmas Eve

Yep. It was down to the wire. I hurried out to the stores before closing to get some last minute gifts and gift wrapping supplies that I didn't get a chance to get eariler.

I just want to wish everyone a safe Happy Holiday season, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

How do people get their driver's license?

There's never a day when I'm out on the road people are courteous to one another. There's lane swerving, not signaling, tailgating, people cutting you off and giving you the finger and the worst part: speeding at 150,000 miles per hour (I know it's exaggeration, but you get the point). Before you know it: road rage. People are always complaining about "people speeding through my neighborhood" and all that crap when it's them themselves doing it, so they're pretty much hypercritical about it. I also hate it when middle-aged people always put down the younger people about their driving habits when it's also them doing it, too. Oh, and for all the people who like to show off with their souped up sports cars or BMWs or Mercedes or whatever gas guzzling SUV it is by speeding down the freeway -- stop it. It's not impressing anybody and you're putting responsible drivers' lives like mine in danger. That is all.

There's always a first time

I seemed to have done that twice yesterday when I was getting lunch and getting something to drink.

For lunch, I went to L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. I walked in and the workers up front greeted me "aloha". How cool. A little taste of Hawaii. =P Anyway, I tried the Chicken Katsu meal complete with rice and macaroni salad. It was really good, especially the macaroni salad.

Later on, instead of going over to Jamba Juice like I usually do, I went over to Robeks Juice, another chain that recently opened up here. The worker briefly explained to me about what they offered and I tried the Mahalo Mango. It was pretty sweet and tangy, but really good.

Catching up again

It's been awhile so let me get myself up to speed. I've been getting out of the house more spending some time with friends. It's better than staying home in bed feeling sorry for myself. My therapy is going well and I'm trying to get back on my own two feet. Everything seems to be going well. Last week, my friend and I spent the day at our friend's ranch just outside of Marysville. I even helped feed some of the animals, which was a pretty dirty job. Hey, someone has to do it, but it's not going to be me!

Hurricane Katrina

From CNN to Fox News Channel to MSNBC and, of course, The Weather Channel. The big story I've been seeing for the past few days is Hurricane Katrina. It roared into Louisiana and Mississippi with a vengeance and caused unimaginable flooding and widespread destruction that I've never seen before. I am really feeling for all those people who've lost everything and are forced to start over from scratch. It is really sad to see how New Orleans, Biloxi and other surrounding communities are going to recover from this, but I know they'll have courage and strength to get back on their feet and rebuild.

Catching up

It's been awhile since my last entry so, let me get myself up to speed. My mom's on vacation and i'm stuck here at home with my dad and my kid brother. It's been almost a month since my mom's been away and the tension at home was kind of building for me. There's been a few altercations, but I try not to let them bother me.

I went up to Reno about a week ago. I first stopped at Boomtown and had their special all-you-can-eat lobster buffet. I've never ate so much lobster in my life! I probably had around seven. After that, I played a little bit on the slots and headed into town. I played a little more of the slot machines and when I got tired, I decided to sleep overnight at the Silver Legacy. In the morning, I pretty much drove around town just to look around. I left Reno at around 9:30 that night and headed home.

Eariler, a friend of mine went up north to see a friend of ours for awhile. We browsed around his ranch for awhile and then went into town later that night for dinner. We went to a buffet that I know i'll never go to again. It was a good value, but the food overall was mediocre. Even my fortune cookie tasted like it's been sitting in that restaurant for years! I knew I should've gone to Sonic across the street.

You know, I just had to say this: to the person in the red Honda Civic that drove past 28th and G Streets in Sacramento at around 2:20 AM early Sunday morning on 8/21/2005 that also revved at me... grow up.

Goin' out for a cap... wow

That's exactly what I did last Thursday. I had my heart set out for a New Era Cap, which would be my first. So I decided to head on out to Arden Fair Mall and walked around for awhile. I went into Footaction and Lids to see if there were any that I liked and they pretty much didn't have what I wanted. So, after I paid off my bill at Macy's, I left the mall empty handed. So as a last resort, I decided to head on out to Florin Mall because it was the only other mall in the area with a Footaction. When I got there, gosh. The mall didn't look any better. It still had two vacant department stores, not to mention the several vacant storefronts inside the mall. The only department store there was Sears and if they closed their Florin Mall location, that's probably the end of Florin Mall. Anyway, I went into Footaction looking for a new cap and they also didn't have what I wanted. So I saw Champs Sports and went in there. I found a black New York Yankees cap that I seemed to like. I had a coupon from Footaction and they accepted it, so I pretty much got $10.00 off and I was happy. So oh yeah!