Product shots

Being that we are without a shop right now, I have to make myself get out of bed to work.  Getting motivated to work when it is out of my house is tough.  So I have been trying to keep myself busy preparing for our new online store and planning on how we are going to attack 2008.  Being that my office is in my room already and I don’t really have anywhere to shoot pictures, I really didn’t know where to shoot pictures.  Luckily my friend Alex has a small studio in his apartment.(Alex is a Maya Artist.  Check out some of his work at his web page here.)  He helped me take some pictures of new product we had come in.  Hopefully with the help of 530ML we will hit our launch of January 08′.

Drunk Angels in the Outfield

Rob invited me to go to Angels vs Mariners game the other day with Blitz boss Satoshi.  To tell you the truth, I was a little intimidated to meet the big boss, but he ended up being a really approachable guy and we ended up all enjoying getting into the game like regular old fans.  I am not really all that much of an Angel fan as I like the Dodgers.(yeah, yeah I know they didn’t make the playoffs)  But you got to love the home team.  The game ended up being exciting with the Angels winning and both teams about to fight.  We got to feel the love of Angel fans as the people around us would heckle anyone cheering for the Mariners and a drunk dude urging Satoshi to yell go ANGELS, then bark like a dog.  Radical.  Thanks Rob for the tickets and thanks to Satoshi for cheering along with the drunk dude.

Rob and Satoshi

The fight never happened but the whold Bull Pen cleared out to join in.

This guy really likes SBC i-D.

Fly away

Growing up with parents with an afinity for traveling, I have never had a problem with flying.  When I started working in the racing industry and going to out of state races all the time, I really got used to flying.  I think for a period I was riding on more planes and driving myself.  I really enjoy flying except for one thing, the service.

 I was reading a blog about traveling and the author made a really good point.  He was discussing on how United upgraded their business class seats and American followed suit(but in a half ass way).  He said “instead of upgrading the flight hardware, they should concentrate on upgrading the flight experience.”  I mean I don’t know how much you guys fly, but this really makes a big difference to me.

For example, when you go to a restaurant and sit down for a nice meal, not only is the food important but the service as well plays a large role into how you enjoy your food.  Paul calls it the dining experience.  Everything put together determines how you feel about the restaurant.

 Here is where the airlines got you by the balls.  They make the flights cheap and expect you to live with the fact that you bought a cheap ticket.  I say if they have to raise the base ticket price by $100 on a trans-continental flight to give me a little better service, a little better entertainment, then by all means do it.  I mean seriously how expensive would it be to upgrade to a MP3 system instead of that terrible flight music.  Is is it so much to get rid of these angry old flight attendants with some people who aren’t even more bummed than you to be on the flight.

 Eh, what are you going to do.  I will still fly and they will still treat me like shit.  Kudos to Jet Blue, Virgin, and ANA.  United, Southwest, Delta should take some notes from these companies.

Trance will make you dance

Seriously, I rank trance almost as low as country music on my list of genres to listen to.  I have been going through the site that I am recently hooked on, stage6, and it is littered with trance videos.  I try to get myself around it but it just seems to conjure up images of sweaty guido, Persian types in silk shirts with really big sun glasses.  No offense if you are Persian or like silk shirts and big sun glasses.  I mean if you are passionate about trance then more power to you.  Atleast you have an opinion.  Thats great!  Wonderful!  But for myself, I can honestly say I will pass.  You understand right? Just one of those things like sketchers, sneakers with built in heel, fake rims, really ugly body kits, body odor, chicks that call you bro…. need I say more?

vegas baby!!

My boy Paul took us on a trip to vegas for some r and r.  This came at a much needed time.  With all the stress that has gone on in the past couple of weeks, I needed a trip like this to just chill.  We all met up at the airport and flew out for the day.  The hotel room was dope.  I have been in suites in vegas before.  But I never got the opportunity to stay in one.  The room was pimp.  This is the way to stay.  If you ever roll with a large group, get a suite.  You won’t be sorry.  Had some nice meals, chilled at the pool, won a little bit of cash.  All in all a good trip.  Thanks to all the homies that went and especially to Paul for setting the whole thing up. 

On the way there with the Geeky Mopster next to me.

The rest of the boys next to us.

Paul and Dan

This is the living room of the suite.  Yeah it has a living room.

One of two bedrooms on either side of the suite. It also had a huge bathroom for each bedroom with both a shower and a tub!

View from the room.

Bassrush

My brother, a couple of my friends and I have been listening to Drum and Bass for a little over 10 years now.  I think its been like 6 years since I have been to a show.  I was looking on the internet and found a weekly in Hollywood that had a lot of world class Djs spin.  What caught my eye was that AK1200 was spinning along with Dj Silver and Adam F.  AK1200 was one of the first Djs that I was really into.  His Fully Automatic mix was on constant replay for about a year.  The thing is that I never got to see him spin live, until tonight. 

The thing about Drum and Bass is that you can listen to it all the time, but there isn’t really anything like having a wall of speakers surrounding you.  There is a rush you get when the bass kicks unlike any other type of music.  The system they had set up at Cinespace left nothing to be disappointing.  The rush of bass from the front and rear was awesome.  The bass was so intense you could smell it.  It made the hairs on my head tingle and my head keep nodding.

In the end, AK1200 killed it.  A lot of new stuff that I never heard before and lots of classics from 10 years ago.  My ears where left ringing but wanting more.  I felt like it was the first time in a really long time that I had that much fun listening to music.  If you are a Drum and Bass fan, you should definitely check out Bassrush Wednesdays at Cinespace.  FYI, Kenny Ken is playing next week!  Kenny Ken damnit!

Surefire

A couple years ago, Jensen turned me on to a flashlight company called Surefire.  He had the E2D Executive Defender.  Being that I am into firearms, I really wanted one for myself.  Surefire makes all sorts of military illumination for firearms.  They also make silencers and blades. 

My brother ended up getting me a 6P before I left for Japan.  By far the best flashlight I have ever owned.  Especially on the job where it is usually hard to see in underneath cars or in between tight places.  I ended up leaving it there for my boss to use.  When I got back, I saw that they came out with a LED series that had much more battery life but sacraficed a bit of brightness.  I ended up getting an E2L Outdoorsman.  Honestly the small scarafice in brightness isn’t much at all.  It still out performs any Maglite I have ever owned.  If you ever are considering investing in a high capacity flashlight, you should really consider looking into Surefire.

Magical part 2

In4mants!  Thanks Todd and Ryan for dinner. Thanks Zen, Jensen, and Keith, for the room. Thank you all you guys for being RAD.

Rhandall Cunningham

He’s pro bro.

Riari, yu habu zosu. Har har har.

Honto ni, arigato gozaimashita.  The bed was rad.

1,2 1,2 Toadone on the ones and twos.

Becareful when this dude flexes.

Brother from another mother.

 

Magical part 1

I just got back from the Magic Show in Las Vegas.   I was actually looking forward to going to the show this year.  And not really for the show itself, but to see friends I haven’t seen in a really long time.  Everyone who was going to go with me actually bailed last minute.  But the homies Hoi and Tony came through so that I wouldn’t have to make the drive by myself.

This season showed almost all the brands, except for Rogue Status, move away from everyone’s favorite all over print.  I was stoked to see that a lot of dope brands have really expanded their lines to include many new cut and sew peices.  I think the next couple of seasons will be really challenging to both retailers and brands.  Support Emortal, Attic, Triumvir and In4mation.  I really believe in these guys, not only because they are my friends, but because they are really putting good stuff.

Brandon, why so nervous?

Brian, why so sad?

Richard, why so angry?

Jimmy and Ben from Attic

DAAAAAANNNNN!!!!

Hi es de durti pilipino.