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Saturday, December 09, 2006

The Plan is a Success!!!

So I am glad to report that my initial plan to infiltrate the confidential world of the L.A. food bloggers is a complete success!

The challenge:

Enter the world of the L.A. Food Blog community without doing one food review or taking one picture of food.

Somehow slip by and become part of the "cool people" before they realize the big mistake they've made... well, its too late, cause i'm grandfathered in....

The plan:

Befriend a few of the main ring leaders of the food blogging community, and from that point target each unsuspecting blogger one by one....

Disguise a non-food blog as a food blog by name only and keep the charade up for a year or so...


The results:

I'm in... no food pictures, no food reviews, no food blog, no nothing.... SUCKAS!!!!!!

i find these food questions and observations rather entertaining when attending a function...

hey, how come this guy is here? he doesn't even like food that much or doesn't even have a food blog... actually, i don't even recall him doing a food review..... ever...


Mission Accomplished.


i think i'm ready for the big time now... can do the double agent thing...


if one can infiltrate the foodies, you can take the world.... no problema.... hahahahaha...

Monday, July 31, 2006

Blog Name Change ?

i'm thinking of changing "The Random Burrito" to "General Custer"...

reason:


this blog is freakin' dead.....

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Thanks to My Coffeeberry Buddies.... K.I.T.

Some times in your life are so unique, you wish you could just freeze them and make it last a little longer........ too bad no one gets that lucky...

This wonderful run officially expires at the end of this month, but i really can't complain because for two years it truly was "good times"...

Thank you... John, Johnathan, Matt, James, Stuart and Nick its been a lotta fun.

All twentysomethings, an incredible ensemble of young minds whose thoughts, tastes and maturity go far beyond their years, all congregating and working at the same 700 sq ft area known as Coffeeberry, my preferred place for thought and relaxation.

For the last two years during this whole filmmaking ordeal, it was great to know that if i could manage to rollerblade just a few miles to "sanctuary" i could count on one of you guys to serve me my brain recharger with nonfat milk and the "supposedly" non-cancerous sugar alternative in the yellow packets (why would anyone pick the pink or blue ones?). Funny (and amazing) thing was it really didn't matter which one of you guys served me cause the conversation was going to be funny, intelligent and enlightening regardless...

(Starbucks clientele, i know you can't comprehend cause uh..............figure it out..... forget it.. )

Almost 20 years their senior(scary!), I've seen the all too familiar pattern where good harmonious people accumulate, create a surreal wonderful environment and then disappear leaving no trace of what was once a comfort zone for many. Sooo, the embrace today, cause it might be gone tomorrow philosophy... no joke, its for real.

A truly rare situation where all these "young" guys could easily debate college professors about any subject, whether it was current events, political agendas, philosophical points of view, and then turn around toward me to start bad mouthing retarded Starbucks customers who accidentally stray in and order Grande Frappuchinos with extra whip cream........ "Uh sir, we only have small, medium and large here...and please refrain from speaking those evil words here or i'll be forced to escort you out from the premises....." anyways....

At the end of the month, the core group of Starbucks Haters will be completely gone and the Jedi will be but two..

Matt left about a month ago to explore his video editing career. James, John, and Johnathan will soon be gone to pursue other interests in a few weeks as well.

Matt, i'll miss the Wes Anderson parallels to life and movies as well as the random observations of how the hell Morrissey has had such an influence on the Latino Youth. James, your rants about redneck life in La Verne and our constant harassment of you as the only male resident ever recorded in the city to own a Louis Vuitton "guy bag" will be sorely missed. John your knowledge of nature trail survival skills and recommendations on manic depressed, suicidal tendencied youth movies are unparalleled. And finally, Johnathan, official defender of Pat Benetar and Steve Perry, the stories of your stage heroics and insight on the differences between film and stage behind the scenes... that was really good, applicable stuff.

I'm always happy to see friends moving on to bigger and better things and wish them all success, but its bitter sweet cause its always sad to see ANY good thing come to an end.

Besides they were all such good shit talkers! hard to find these days ya know!... I'm hoping we can all stay in touch, but its just not that easy these days. Kinda sad, but that's the reality of it all...

Good Luck in your new endeavors!!

Its funny, I saw this day coming, but it really hasn't sunk in yet. Call it denial, but it probably won't hit me till they've all left and the feeling in the shop is different... sigh...

Next month, four new guys or gals will take the place of our departed friends. I'm hoping that the "New" people will be just as fun, knowledgeable and entertaining, and who knows they may even talk more shit than the last bunch..... maybe? who knows?

it just won't be the same....

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Vote: Which is the Best Dance Video Ever ? Pick One

okay... here's the deal... take a good look at the two videos and vote for your favorite dance video of all time... Sorry, Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" just missed the cut... ;(

this serves a dual purpose as a personality test as well.... you freaks....

Where the Hell is Matt?



Evolution of Dance



so.... YOU CAN ONLY VOTE FOR ONE!!

Fuck! I think I'm the only loser working on his blog on 4th of July Weekend....

Sunday, June 25, 2006

M.I.A. - When life beats you down like a stepchild

so... its been a while.

i signed up for the "take on as much bullshit as you can and get your ass kicked plan" about a month ago. needless to say... its kicking my ass...

been swamped. trying to finish not one, but two freakin' screenplays and a whole bunch of other nonsense. computer got all virused up, spit up and died, set me back three weeks..... BTW, trying to communicate at the local internet cafe just doesn't work either, so those of you thinking about skimping on the PC for your next business plan, i'd strongly advise against it. throw in a weddding, some house remodeling and the value of time has just gone from 1 dollar a gallon to like $3.50 gallon...


BOTTOM LINE : Mr. Blog pays the price and gets neglected like the poor stepchild it is.

You know... you always wonder what happened to those "dead" blogs that have a consistent monthly history from December 2003 to April 2005 and then all of a sudden nothing...its like they were just sucked up in some freakin' vacuum and sent to write on Alderann or something... Maybe someone should come up with a "Blog Graveyard" and like host dead blogs of random people..

anyways, i'm sure they all probably got overwhelmed by the bitch called life. received a major ass kickin and weren't able to step back up to the plate again ( i guess it is kinda like getting a Goose Gossage fastball to the head or something, you never know if you can come back from it)

Anyways, not sure myself if i'm back or not... mind is blown... tired

One thing for sure though, i'm really happy that i made the decision to get a Blog instead of a golden retreiver, cause right about now, that dog's ribs would even make Nicole Richie look like a model of health... yikes..

Moral of the story: Don't Get Your Ass Kicked

blogging is therapeutic, but since i'm writing all freakin' day and night now its not that fun... eating one hamburger is nice, eating 13 of em is another story... hmmm..

Friday, June 02, 2006

Go Check out CAVITE - Support Asian Am Filmmaking

I met these guys at the L.A. Asian Film Fest..

Go check out Cavite or more updates to be posted at
  • CAVITE MOVIE and TRAILER



  • This movie was made by 2 guys, thats it... for 7 thousand dollars and its better than most of the crap out there...

    By Michael Joshua Rowin

    There’s independent filmmaking, and then there’s independent filmmaking. Cavite fully exemplifies the latter. San Diego natives, high-school friends, and Philippino-American filmmakers Neill Dela Llana and Ian Gamazon produced and directed their devastating political thriller/travelogue (which they also wrote) on a miniscule budget($7,000 dollars), a two-man crew comprised of themselves, a guerilla-style shoot through the slums and streets of the film’s title city, and the selling of their equipment on eBay to complete postproduction. The result is a realistic crime drama that transcends its generic origins to engage in some astute political commentary. Gamazon himself plays Adam, a young man who journeys to the Philippines for his father’s funeral only to confront another nightmare—the kidnapping of his mother and sister. Forced to bow to the demands of a political radical who once worked with his father, Adam navigates Cavite, where he not only attempts to save his family but is brought face to face with the third-world squalor and the conditions that have wrought the human extremity and cruelty he now suffers. The film has been generating a deserved buzz after screenings at the Rotterdam Film Festival, L.A. Film Festival, and New Directors/New Films. I spoke with Mr. Llana and Mr. Gamazon, both energetic and good-humored (and avid readers of Reverse Shot, as I found out), at the Landmark Theater offices in Manhattan.

    WARNING: IF YOU GET SICK FROM SHAKY CAMERA MOVIES LIKE BLAIR WITCH.. DON'T SEE IT


    go support these guys... thanks

    Monday, May 22, 2006

    Eating According to your Ancestry and Blood Type

    since were on the topic of bloodtype, here's an article i lifted regarding some basic guidelines for eating by what your bloodtype is... like i said before, i've followed some of the basics before and it seems to be somewhat accurate.. even if it isn't accurate its hella interesting for sure...

    Thank god i'm an O !!!!!!!!!!! lol !!!

    Steven M. Weissberg, MD
    & Joseph Christiano, APPT

    You are what you eat, but you should "EAT WHAT YOU ARE.'' This means each of us should eat the optimal diet compatible with our blood type. Doing this sounds easy enough, but in practice it is much harder to achieve.

    For example, in the animal kingdom instinct is what drives animals to eat. Lions are meat eaters. Try and feed a lion carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables and you already know the result. Conversely, other animals are vegetarian, and by instinct, will not eat meat. This is no accident. Instinct is a protective mechanism for all animals, including humans. The problem is humans are so domesticated, instinct no longer drives their eating habits.

    What we can learn from animals is they eat only what is instinctively good for them, and as a result heart disease is virtually non-existent. While animals occasionally do develop cancer, statistically it occurs dramatically less often than in humans.

    Additionally, have you ever noticed most animals of a given species all live to about the same age? Well, this is because of their uniform diets, driven by instinct, that allow them to have life spans to the potential of their species. Another point to remember is most animals that are not killed by predators die of old age, or what we call natural causes.

    With humans it is just the opposite, the only exception being the many people of blood Type Os who die of old age. Humans almost always die from one disease or another. As a result of our improper diets, our immune systems fail to operate properly and we become susceptible to one disease or another. Medical science has come a long way and has prolonged life for many. But as Ben Franklin once said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." These words of wisdom are still true today.

    Yes, we have the ability to treat illness, and operate when necessary. But in many cases, much of what modern medicine does is treat the symptom or outward manifestation of the problem not prevent the problem in the first place. It is not for us to place blame, as medicine is providing many wonderful cures, vaccines, and medications which are allowing people all over the world to live longer, more productive lives. However, we believe the emphasis currently is on the treatment, when it should be on the prevention.

    It all starts in our childhood. We grow up in families where we are given food our mothers and fathers believed was good for us, or tasted good. The fact that it tastes good is not an indication of whether the food is good for us. Our blood types were determined at the moment of conception, and although we may be able to change almost everything about ourselves, we cannot change our blood types.

    Each blood type has different characteristics that allow it to eat, digest, and assimilate food best for that group. Since Os have been blessed with such strong stomach acid and respective enzymes, they are able to metabolize almost everything, even those foods not recommended for them. However, the Bs, As and ABs do not have this luxury, and accordingly, must be more careful in their eating habits, or suffer the consequences.

    The Os are like sharks. They can eat tin cans and rubber tires, and wash it down with hard liquor while smoking a cigarette. Of course, this is not true, but a dramatic exaggeration. Nevertheless, Type Os have the highest threshold for abuse of any other blood group, and in the final analysis, it is another reason they live longer.

    Now let's get back to our eating habits and what happens when we eat food not compatible with our blood enzymes and stomach acid. Agglutination happens. What's that, you ask? Well, we humans have a process take place in our blood called agglutination. Let us explain.

    Your body has antibodies that protect it from foreign invaders. Your immune system produces all kinds of antibodies to protect you and keep you safe from foreign substances. Each antibody is designed to attach itself to a foreign substance or antigen.

    When your body recognizes an intruder, it produces more antibodies to attack the invader. The antibody then attaches itself to the intruder and a "gluing" effect takes place. In this way the body can better dispose of these foreign invaders.

    For example, if you eat a food not compatible with your blood type and stomach enzymes, the food is not broken down or digested properly, and the vitamins and minerals are not absorbed into your bloodstream to fuel and nourish your body. Your body reacts to the food just as it would any foreign substance. You might experience a stomach ache, gas, bloating, or even worse, vomiting or diarrhea. What happens is that antibodies glue themselves to the foreign invaders (improper food) and agglutination or "gluing" takes place in your blood.

    Now if you happen to be Blood Type A, who already has thick blood, your blood becomes even thicker. The thicker the blood, the slower it moves and the harder your heart must pump to push the blood through your arteries. This thick slow moving blood makes it easier for plaque to build up on your artery walls. Hence, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a cornucopia of other illnesses. You get the picture.

    The human body is a wonderful and complex organism. It tries to handle everything you give it, but sometimes it cannot, or will not. The damage is greater or lesser, depending on how bad the food is for you and your particular body chemistry. If you are lucky, maybe this improper agglutination may result only in weight gain. The body does not use the food, so it just packs on extra pounds. You are not eating much, but you're gaining weight and don't know why. Well the answer is improper metabolism of your food.

    If you are Type A or AB and the meat you keep eating is not metabolizing, your bloodstream is now flooded with thick, sticky agglutinated blood, loaded with saturated animal fat, just looking for a nice spot to deposit itself. It doesn't take a genius IQ to see why As and ABs should not eat meat, and if they do, they die younger.

    Now if O or B eat meat, their bodies metabolize it better, and the agglutination process does not take place, or if it does, it is very minor and not life threatening. Type Os, who usually completely metabolize meat and gain all the benefits from it (with the exception of pork) are at little or no risk. Further, since an O starts out with the thinnest blood, any agglutination that takes place will thicken the blood, but not to the extent experienced by the other blood types, or to a life threatening situation.

    Take, for example, bread and white potatoes. If a Type O or Type A eats these foods, in most cases some agglutination takes place. However, since these foods contain little, if any fat, the body will not deposit the non-metabolized portion on the artery walls. It is more likely to store the unused food as fat. Hence, you gain weight. While this may be benevolent in the short run, eventually all this excess fat may lead to diabetes, high blood pressure or other illnesses.

    Any food containing saturated fat has the greatest potential for harm to the body, in the long run, regardless of blood type. Saturated fat to Types A and AB is more dangerous in the short run because of the reasons stated previously. In the long run, even Types O and B, whose blood enzymes handle saturated fat better, are susceptible to the hazards. It just takes longer. So although Os and Bs are not particularly susceptible to heart disease and most forms of cancer, a continual regimen of saturated fat and/or incompatible foods will eventually produce the same result. It just appears the harmful effects take much longer in Os and Bs.

    Saturated fats in the diet in any form will eventually undermine your health. Of the saturated fats. the most damaging come from animal protein. To eliminate this risk, acquire much of your protein, regardless of blood type from sources that are fat free, or free of animal saturated fat.

    In the final analysis, most of what needs to take place to avoid disease, boost immune function and maintain weight control - in short, to achieve the best result for your body - is all based on diet. To succeed requires balancing proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the proportions best for your body.

    As the body grows older, it stops producing certain hormones, it loses muscle mass, bones become more brittle, immune function decreases, and the body's intolerance of improper food begins to manifest itself in insidious ways.

    But with proper diet, including nourishment from those foods and supplements specific to your needs, the chance of disease is greatly reduced. In fact, proper diet according to blood type, coupled with exercise, enables your immune system to be its strongest. A strong immune system can make the difference between a longer or shorter life span.