Break Week 3

This is gonna be a long one.

Sometime on Monday or Tuesday I decided I would go to Texas, Dallas to be exact. So I had to get get things in order to take off. I had done this drive twice before. The first time I was alone and the second I was with my dad and sister. Like the first time this was going to be a solo mission. Those times I had taken the 8 to the 10 to the 20 to the 30 etc. This time leaving from LA I decided on taking the 210 to the 15 to the 40 which took me out of Ca through Northern Az and NM into Tx. Traveling through the North I figured I might see some snow. I had no idea how much I would actually see. I left LA at 2:15pm. Traffic was terrible everybody was on the road. It took about 3 hours to get out to the 40. I should have taken about 2 hour, if that.


Socal drivers can't handle the rain.







Everybody and their mama driving out to Vegas on the 15.

Now I have seen snow once in my adult life. It was in Julian and it wasn't anything like I was about to see. Maybe an hour outside of Flagstaff, Az I started to see road side snow. It was nice change in the rather dark scenery. At first the snow was only on the side of the road in the brush. Then it started showing up on the shoulder and before I knew it there was a little on the road where the tires weren't rolling over. There were signs that said "Caution Winter Driving Conditions Ahead." As I said before I had only seen snow once before and nothing like this. So driving in these kinds of conditions were something I had no experience with what so ever. Luckily my Element has all wheel drive. However my sports tires don't really help out in the snow. After more driving the signs started to change stating that black ice was present. I at least knew what this was and after a little while began to feel the effects. The AWD was kicking in but I still felt uneasy about driving. The car felt like it wanted to slide around the road but was somehow not dancing on me. That's when I knew I better take it easy and slow down. Then passing a stretch of about 200 yards with police SUV's there were at least 4 cars and trucks that had either driven into ditches, turned around or had flipped. That's when I knew I better not press my luck. Shortly after that. It really started to snow to where I was having a hard time seeing. My queue to pull off the road and sleep for the night. What hotel did I stop at you say? The Element Lodge of course. Now I don't know if I am stupid or crazy or both, but I slept in the back of my car at a rest stop.


Good thing I brought boots with me!




A lil idea of what it looked like when I finally pulled over for the night.


The rest stop I pulled over at.


As I left in the early morning from the rest stop.

The smart part of me decided to bring my down comforter. If not for that I would have froze to death. It was so cold in my car. As long as I was under the blanket though I was good. Tossing a bit in the night was sure to wake me as the new spot I was sleeping in was ice cold.

I had pulled over around 12:30am PST and was only able to sleep until around 5:30. After letting the car warm up to clear the ice from the windshield I started my journey again. Black ice was still present for an hour or so. I was now greeted with a new obstacle; sleet from the road drying on my windshield. After stopping for the night my windshield washer fluid was now frozen so I had to stop the car to clean it every so often. Luckily I had water to pour on the windshield to clean it.






New Mexico maybe?

The rest of the drive to Dallas was pretty uneventful. That was until I got a ticket it a small town. I got caught doing 82 in a 70. I really do need to get a radar detector. Anyways I got into Frisco, where my bros live, around 9:30pm Central Time. We just hung out for a while. Nico was playing his guitar while Mike was playing his bass. This NYE was really low key which is the way things are going lately. Friday was chill, we went to Guitar Center so Nico could get a new guitar strap. That night we started our Risk game. We always play and so far this game has been going on for 4 days. Maybe we will be able to finish tonight.










My bros the musicians.

break week 2

This week was a busy one. On Sunday I made my way home from Ensenada. I chilled at Gabe's house for a while before I made the trek back to Pasadena. Then on Wednesday I headed back down to San Diego. I stopped off at my mom's house before I went to Old Town.


Nice sunset on the drive down.

It was Christina's birthday so a group of us went to the Old Pacifica Cafe for dinner. Was nice to see Cristina, Bryan, Ana, Anthony and Nadia. It had been a couple years since I had seen Anthony and Nadia. Dinner was good and it was nice being back in town.

Thursday was Christmas Eve. After watching The Wire and then getting into Breaking Bad it was time to leave the pad. I went over to Alex's parent's house before I headed over to my grandmother's house.


Lovely deer candle my aunt received.


My grandma's epic nacimento or manger scene.

In the middle of my gradma's manger set up is a porcelain baby jesus. Now he doesn't get displayed until after 12:00 am on Christmas day. However before he makes his debut. Everyone in the house has to kiss his forehead. My grandma wipes his head of course. Gotta keep it clean.


My aunt doing the honors this year.


Grandpa caught in the act.


Baby Jesus up close.

Friday I went back over to Alex's parent's house to watch the game. Pablo came through for the game too.

Saturday I just hung out at the pad and didn't do much besides watch more of The Wire and Breaking Bad.

Sunday was the day to head back to Pasadena.

Monday Bianca and I hit up Venice Beach. Walked down the shore a bit before getting some grub and some beers. Was a pretty nice day down there compared to chilly Pasadena.


The reason B wants to stay in SoCal.


B sketchin















Shortly after leaving the parking lot in Venice I ask Bianca if she had been the Canals of Venice. She said' "huh?" and had no idea what I was talking about. Seeing as I had never been either this was something we had to find. After checking out the gps I found we were only a couple blocks away.




B getting a closer look at the water.

After sunset we were treated to a nicely lit house.

week 13-14 and finally break!

It's been 3 weeks since my last post. The end of this term was killer, somehow i managed to pull it off. We shall see when grades get posted later this week.


Stormy skies in Pas.


Flooding streets


Heavy rain in Pas means snow in the mountains. View from school.

Thanksgiving I went down to San Diego and had a great time. I went to my grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. Afterwards I went over to Alex, Nick and Ted's parent's house. It felt like old times there. Growing up from about 4th grade til college I was over there all the time. Lots of memories in that house.


Traffic on way home. Luckily it only took 3 hours.


Some of the fam


The rest of em


Some more of us


Grandma's straight from the 70's crib. Green shag carpet to match!



I went home Friday as I had lots of work to do for type. Week 13 was pretty much a blur. Week 14 was looooong.

Type 4 final on Tuseday went well. There were only minor issues that Brad brought to my attention. Overall it went well I hope I can score and A- in the class.


Final presentation


Week before finals doing our mock presentations and getting things tight for finals.





Archetype was chill. Put together our collaborative books. There were a handful of standout spreads but overall very solid book.


Getting ready to put together our books.


Here is side print it's like side boob but sexier!




Getting ready to take some pics.


California Job Case. Where I pull letters from when making magic!

Thursday was my day to knock out my Imaging 2 final. That image, a face retouch, suffered some since i had to do all of the compositing for the group project that was really not a group project. Ming, the instructor for the class, wasn't happy with it but I did my best. He told us that he was going to ding us for the project. However he told me that since I did the majority of the work that and that he knew I tried my best given the situation as graphics kid that I wouldn't be getting dinged as much. Hopefully I can pull a B in the class although I wouldn't be mad at a C.


Claudia filling in as our model for the group project composite ad.

Interactive was pretty much terrible. I had by far the worst project. I would be grateful with a C. The final class pretty much summed up the term as the class went long. I couldn't wait to leave school.

After dinner at Mi Piace it was time to let off some steam and chill out at Mentone Mannor for an Ugly Xmas Sweater Party.



Dante in his Ugly Xmas Sweater Party get up! Bad pic as I didn't take my camera but I had to post it.

When I woke up Saturday I had one of the best nights of sleep. Then Joanne and I went out to a great breakfast down in South Pas.


Diggin in the crates for typographic goodness.

Then it was time to get ready to make my way down to Ensenada on Sunday to see Veronica. That's where I am at right now. Not doing anything really which is pretty much awesome.


Bomb ass fish tacos that's less than a dollar to boot!


Loaded with all the trimmings





Random Photos


I hoep this is a joke. Haliburton at ACCD ugggh!


Over $300 for ink used in the past couple of terms. I had already taken in 10 cartridges when I started saving them.


Lynsey and her holiday spirit making hand turkeys


Paul striking a pose in type