Just in case you are suddenly overcome with the holiday spirit and decide to buy a random stranger (me) a gift, here is a convenient list for you to print out and keep in an easily accessible place, such as on your refrigerator or  in your wallet:

• 160 GB portable hard drive (I can never have enough room for pics and video of my dog)
• Deep dish Chicago-style pizza (a taste of home)
• Star Trek Movie Set: "The Motion Picture/ The Wrath of Khan/ The Search for Spock/ The Voyage Home/ The Final Frontier/ The Undiscovered Country/ Generations/ First Contact/ Insurrection/ Nemesis" (I have to prepare for next year's opening of the new ST movie, of course)
• A NEW CAR! (no, not really, I just wanted to imitate what they do on the "Price is Right")
• Devin Hester NFL jersey (He's the best player on the Chicago Bears this year).

We have a 15 pound turkey for the four of us.

My wife & mother don't really like turkey all that much.  My father likes turkey, but he tends to eat more of the other dishes.   

Therefore, I estimate that today I'll be able to eat approximately twelve pounds of turkey by myself...plus stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, rice, and pumpkin pie, of course.  Wish me luck.

I was reminded by someone's comment that it's already been four (4) years since I started blogging on Xanga.  My first page was SammyStorm, which I shut down, only to dramatically come back in my present form of SammyStorm2.  I remember the exact circumstances in which I started my page -- I was lying on a bed in a motel located near my law school.  My wife, dog, and I were staying at the motel ("The Stadium Inn") because our townhouse wasn't ready yet.  For the first month of my first year at law school I lived in that dingy room where the drunks would shout at night, and where we saw the motel clerk be taken away in handcuffs by the police one day.  Ahh, the memories.

Blogging was really exploding in terms of popularity then and I remember being intrigued at the idea of having my thoughts exposed for strangers to read.  Receiving my first comment was a real thrill and at that point, I was instantly addicted to Xanga.  There were a couple periods where I posted only sporadically but for the most part, I've maintained a constant online presence.  A few people whose pages I visited everyday are no longer on Xanga.  But in there place are new bloggers who are just as interesting. 

What does my page mean to me?  At its core, this page is a form of entertainment and escape. It's therapeutic at times and also a source of information.  Sometimes I'm a voyeur and sometimes I am an exhibitionist. Whatever this site is to me or to you, I'm thankful that there are people here who keep things interesting. 

Thank you and Mahalo.  

Lately, I've been thinking about Lasik eye surgery.  I'm tired of wearing contacts and/or glasses.

Anyone have this procedure done, or know anyone who has?

From Datamancer.net:

To: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, United States Postal Service – Stamp Development

1735 North Lynn Street, Suite 5013, Arlington, Virginia 22209-6432

Please support the nationwide effort for a United States commemorative stamp to honor a historic group of American patriots that are at the heart of our nation’s military history: Americans of Japanese ancestry who fought in World War II. These Americans served mainly in the 100th Infantry Battalion / 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.). Also commonly called the "Nisei" (or second generation, American-born children of Japanese immigrants), this group of soldiers is one of the shining examples of patriotic sacrifice in our nation’s history, for these men served with outstanding valor despite war hysteria and racism against them, including incarceration in internment camps—as documented in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The Nisei soldiers of World War II have set an extremely high benchmark for our Armed Forces, and theirs is a proud legacy. The 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team is the most highly-decorated unit for its size and length of service in U.S. military history. The Military Intelligence Service’s key role in the Pacific, using their knowledge of the Japanese language and culture to help fight the enemy, is estimated by General Douglas McArthur’s intelligence chief to have shortened the war by at least two years and saved countless lives in the process. Please support the stamp proposal to honor the Japanese American "Nisei" World War II soldiers soon.

Thank you.

Booyahman posted an interesting and amusing post about an experience he had at the Starbucks drive-thru.  When the employee gave him back his change she wrapped her hands around his, which was not how she interacted with other customers. 

I remember one clerk who basically draped her arm around my back.  But it wasn't sexual or anything like that.  It seemed natural and in the flow of our conversation.  Some people are just comfortable around others.  Maybe at that moment I gave off a vibe that personal contact would be acceptable, and without any weird meaning.  The same thing happened in law school with a classmate.  She would always rest her hands on me, but it was totally innocent and acceptable within the flow of things.

Personally, I don't mind contact (if it's appropriate).  It doesn't necessarily have to have a sordid meaning.  I remember getting kissed by a drunk, yet attractive female classmate at a college party.  But it wasn't nice because while she may have been pretty, she was ugly on the inside (she wasn't a very nice person).   Anyway, mosey on down to Booyahman's page and tell him what you think.

"LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Bruce Greenwood has been cast as Christopher Pike, the Starship Enterprise's first captain, in director J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" feature.

The character of Capt. Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter, appeared in the original unaired 1966 pilot that Gene Roddenberry created. The pilot was rejected by CBS and then shown to NBC, which turned it down, though it liked the concept enough to commission a second pilot. (Only the character of Spock survived the redevelopment.)"

According to the above excerpt, "Captain Pike" was the first captain of the Enterprise.  But what about the TV series "Enterprise" captain Jonathan Archer (played by Scott Bakula)?  I thought Archer was the first captain? 

I've never had the pleasure of going to Confession.  I went to a Catholic high school, but I'm not Catholic so I sat and stewed in the filth of my own sin while my Catholic classmates emerged pure as gold from their weekly confessional.  I wonder what that must be like.  One would think it would be a bit awkward to basically read off a list of your sins to a stranger, even if it's supposed to be anonymous.  Indulge me as I try and get a taste of what it must like to be forgiven.  You can be the priest and I'll confess all the sins I've committed in the past week:

• used naughty words ("fuck," "shit," etc.)
• had impure thoughts about actresses, women in uniform, and random women on the internet..
• anger (road rage...the guy cut me off)
• had impure thoughts...did I mention that already"
• was lazy (sloth is a sin, right?)
• was vain (admired my own face in the mirror)
• gluttony (ate four hot dogs in one sitting, then ate an ice cream bar)
• had thoughts which were not pure.

You be the judge.

We've had some heavy rain here lately and boulder fell and hit my neighbor's house.  I live in a valley and so we're surrounded on three sides by mountains/hills.  Fortunately there are other houses between me and the hillside so my house should be safe.   

Hawaii is pretty warm (duh) but we don't have an air conditioner becaue the trade winds blow almost constantly (though there are times when they go away).  We just leave the windows open and it's fine.  One of the downsides of living in a sub-tropical climate is that there are a lot of critters.  Ants, of course, but we have all these little geckos scurrying about.  Centipides are dangerous.  My wife was bitten on her leg and apparently it hurts.  Her leg swelled up for about a week. 

Another thing about Honolulu is that the fire trucks are yellow (which is weird for me because they're red in Chicago).  Some of the trucks have surfboards attached to the side! (I don't know if it's for decoration or if they actually use it to rescue people in the ocean).  Tomorrow, it's going to be in the mid-80's.  How about your area?  (I'm not rubbing it in, I actually prefer cold weather!)