The Life Of Me: The BUTT of ALL Jokes
If you want words of inspiration you're on the wrong blog
MY MOOD: The current mood of congofeet
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Saturday, May 29, 2004
well in hopes of trying to lose some weight I put the pedals and fenders back on my bike and went bike riding today. I rode all the way to mace and back which is pretty good for a fat guy like me on the first day. I went all the way there on a nice bike trail. I some some rabbits, squirrels, ducks, other rodents and some birds. It was really nice to get out and do something active for a change. I hope to stick with it and loose some weight so that I can go swimming during the summer and not look like a manatee. ok, I have an essay to type..leights.




Friday, May 28, 2004
well today started off as one of those crappy days...the ones where you dont want to get out of bed...but in the end it turned out to be a good day. I was talking to dr. wainwright about the summer and if he had anything for me to do. he said that I was welcome to stick around through the summer and do some research and possibly even get myself published, which would be spectacular. he also said that even if I couldnt do any reasearch he would like me to stick around because it is hard to find an undergrad with aquarium experience. so my fish tanks have paid off. and you guys scoffed when I got more and more tanks.

on a separtate note I hope to do some resting this weekend along with some studying (for a midterm that I have on wednesday) and also some writting for an essay thats due (also on wednesday). I need to get em both done so that I dont have to feel pressured to get them both out of the way on tuesday...since I also have physics that I need to do on that day. ok, imma go relax for the rest of today and sleep in tomorrow...well at least I hope to sleep in, but there are probably some chores that need to be done. Okay, me go now, leights.




well nothing much is going on. I have an essay and a midterm next week so my memorial day weekend is pretty much shot in the ass, but thats okay since the quarter is almost over. I am looking for another job to do over the summer so I can get more money. Also, fall quarter I will be taking a seminar in fish physiology. A seminar is not really a class, but it does give me one unit. the reason why I am taking it is because it is being taught by one of the Dr's I know and I will be taking his class in the winter...which is also fish physiology, but the one in winter will be an actual class. I emailed him about it, and he told me it was acutally a graduate class, but that it would be okay for me to take it. he said that all the class is, is reading articles in journals and discussing them in class. he also said that each person in the class takes turns leading the discussion, so I guess it will be good for me. not only do I get the Dr to know me and my work ethic better, but I also get a good introduction for a class that I will be taking the next quarter. go me. okay, I am sleepy, g'night (or 'morn, whatever floats yer boat) and leights.




Tuesday, May 25, 2004



Saturday, May 22, 2004
well I just finished cleaning my guys tanks (all 5 of em). I bought this special vacuum that hooks up to the sink, it makes my life so much easier. I can drain as much of the tank as I want without having to lift a bucket, and then fill up the tank just as easily, its great. Steph and I saw Shrek 2 today. it was pretty good. steph enjoyed the scenes with puss in boots the most. I thought the ending could have made more sense, but what do I know, I am not a bigshot hollywood producer. I would post how it could make more sense, but I dont want to spoil the ending for those who have not seen it yet. ok, my guys are hungry so I gotta go. leights.




Friday, May 21, 2004
Here is the schedule for next year.




Thursday, May 20, 2004
well I have not typed up a blog in quite some time so here goes...

I have been busy as of late, I thought this quarter would be moderate in the area of business, but it turns out that it has become painfully busy. I work about 8-10 hours a week, I have 14 units (plus three from last quarters internship, so 17 total), and on top of that I am volunteering at Dr. Wainwrights lab which is another 3-4 hours a week. I get home and I am tired and dont want to do anything but try and recover for the next day, but I have homework and reading that I have to do so I dont get that chance. This is some tough crap that I am doing right now. My only break comes on the weekends and even then I dont really get a break. cleaning my tanks, my room, the apartment, running errands, geez I have more work than my mom and dad, and I thought they did a lot of stuff. I basically took last weekend off, I didnt do anything but relax and play video games. It was nice just to sit back and relax without having an essay due, or having to study for a midterm. I still had homework and reading, but I put those on the back burner, I had to recollect my sanity. I went out and bought Serious Sam for GC. Its quite a fun game for only 20 bucks. I reccomend it to anybody who enjoys just blasting things. It also has a co-op mode for two players, and a battle mode for four. if anyone remembers the old school doom, its like that except multiplayer. oh well, but now that the weekend is long gone I am back to the drudgery that I call school.

on a separate note, I randomly decided to walk home from school yesterday. I feel that I need to excercise a bit more so I think I am going to walk home from work 2-3 times a week. its about 3-3.5 miles, so I figure its a pretty good walk. I think this weekend I am going to fix up my bike so that I can start biking to school.

also, I am going to take one session of summer school. its going to cost some dough, that my mom and dad cant afford...well not a random 700 dollar bill where they are not used to one, especially since they have to take care of my bros so I am helping out a bit now since I have a job. I was going to use the money to buy a tv over the summer, but I guess that will have to be put on the back burner for now.

the last thing, here is the recipie for my mom. its pretty good, but I think it could use some improvement. I have made a couple changes that have made it a little better, but it still needs some improvement. it makes a full 8x8 (2 qt) dish of au gratin potatoes so multiply the recipie as needed. just so you know the 8x8 is only enough for me, steph and tamo, but I imagine if you serve it with a ton of other food you need to compensate. we had steak and fried shrimp with ours and one tray was enough. also you would want to start this early since it takes about 20 minutes to prepare all the stuff and an hour and a half to bake.

INGREDIENTS:

-4 (decently sized) russet potatoes cut into 1/4 inch slices
-1/2 onion, sliced into rings (or one smaller onion would be fine)
-3 tbls butter
-3 tbls flour (the all-purpose kind of course)
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 cups milk
-1 1/2 cups shredded chedder cheese (I used the mild kind, also shred it the smaller size grate so the cheese will melt right.
-Pepper and Garlic Salt

DIRECTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 400, spray casserole dish with pam
2) Layer half of the potatoes into bottom of dish. then layer the onions. then put on the rest of the potatoes. Season with the garlic salt and pepper. I give it a pretty good dusting with both.
3) In a medium size sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt and stir CONSTANTLY with a whisk for about a minute. (it should turn a light brown color). Stir in the milk and cook over medium heat until it thickens, be sure to stir frequently, you dont want to burn the milk. Stir in cheese all at once and continue to stir until melted (this happens pretty quickly, no more than a minute for me).
4) Pour cheese over the potatoes (you dont have to worry about getting it over every square inch, it all works out in the end). Put aluminum foil over the top of the dish.
5) Bake for 1 1/2 hours

if you have any improvements tell me. okay I'z gotta go. leights.




Saturday, May 15, 2004
California Aggie

omg, no freaken way! he is coming to davis this year as a speaker. wow, this is weird.




YanCanCook.com - About the Company

this may seem like a random link, but if you scroll down to "Meet Martin Yan and the Yan Can Cook Group" and read the third paragraph you will find some interesting information. That interesting information being...that Martin Yan, from Yan Can Cook got his masters degree in food science from Davis. I could not believe it either, but tamo told me today and I was stunned. I have been watching yan can cook with my grandma for many many years and then to find out that he acutally went here for his masters is really quite funny (funny in a weird way, not in a hahaha way). okay I am really sleepy, me go now. leights.




Thursday, May 13, 2004
OMG I LOVE YOU DEREK FISHER!

"one lucky shot deserves another"
-Shaq

my heart is still beating like a million beats per second even though fisher made that shot like 5 minutes ago. it surpassed horrys shot in greatness, only on the level of difficulty though...omg




I bought a new algae eater to clean up Gary's tank (he ate the last one) yesterday, and now he is missing. I guess gary is doomed to live in an algaefied tank




somethings that I feel I need to mention:

-I actually had Jamba Juice the other day. Orange Devine, it was pretty good and I wouldn't mind going there again

-I have yet another meeting with Dr. Wainwright this friday to go over the clearing and staining of fish. He keeps asking what I am going to be doing this summer, which I feel is a good sign, maybe he'll have something for me to do then.

I thought I had more things to say, but I have since forgotten them, so hopefully I'll remember later. The lakers play today, and its on ABC so I can watch it. I need to get home though right after physics so I miss the minimal amount. Unfortunatly it starts at 5 and I have class from 5 to 6:30, and I wont get home till 7 ish...dammit, I guess I might have to record it but its never the same as if you watch it live.




Tuesday, May 11, 2004
well the lakers just finished up their game against the spurs with another victory. I am happy with the results, but not surprised. I was also not surprised when the spurs won the first two. home games are supposed to be won by the home team. now if the lakers can go to san antonio and take game 5 on thursday that would be a happy surpise. It would put the lakers in a great position to finish the series at home. my prediction is that if the lakers win game 5 they will win the series in 6 games, if they lose game 5 the series will go 7 games and probably go to the spurs even though I would love to see the lakers win it. this opinon can change if I see consistent play from the lakers though, consistency is the thorn in the side of the lakers.

also, basketball related, I was telling a friend that I would love to see a conference finals with the kings and lakers, but I also said that I would like the kings to not even get that far.

also in sports the dodgers are kickin some ass and takin names.

school related note: both my mom and dad think that it is a bad idea to take a year off before going to grad school. I know what they think is going to happen, I am going to go out and get a job and like the money and not want to go back to school, and this is a vaild fear, but I think that I will be tired of school so I dont know which would be better. going to grad school and wishing I was not there, or taking a year off and having the very slight chance of not returning to school. I still like the idea of taking a year off. My mom and dad cannot speak out of personal experience here, only what they hear and see, and I feel that they dont know how drained i am mentally from years and years of school. dont worry I will get that Ph.D. it is definitely on that to do list. I am not going to go back on that. I will be Dr. James Alexander Krause, have no doubts about it.




On a separate note, I was just looking at my weekly quiz grade for physics, and to my surprise I was totally screwed over once again. then I look at what the answer is supposed to be and the freaken answer is long as hell. and he expects us to complete this damn thing in ten minutes, thats bullshit. I am just banking on getting a B on the final thus getting a B in the class and not having to worry about this shit physics any more. damn lousy class.

also you can expect to have more posts thanks to that little button that I have on my Internet Explorer. it makes posting so much easier, so now when I think of something to say I can post it without having to go to the blogger site, sign on, click a few times to get to the posting spot and then post. I imagine there will be more posts, but I dont know if they are going to be very long. oh well, something that you will have to live with.




well my mom just called to inform me that she and my dad are going to Hawaii compliments of some sweepstakes that my dad won. Congrats and have fun says I.




Well I got this new thing on my computer that allows me to type a blog onto a window that pops up and send it to blogger without actually having to leave the current site that I am on. lets see if it works shall we.




one more thing or a few:

this new format for blogger is visually appealing, it looks kinda like windows xp, but when it comes to ease of use its is more complicated than the last format. I have to push way to many buttons just to get to posting on my blog, if they changed that I think I would like this new format.

also, I saw a female peacock on friday inside the Everson court yard. I haven't seen a random peacock in a while (the last one a saw was a long time ago at my grandma's house on halloween). which is a funny statement altogether because how often do people see a random peacock.

I have also noticed that I am a above average writer when it comes to english class. I know that this sounds like something weird to be complaining about, but for all of my schooling career I have received nothing but B's and B+'s with the exception of very little A's and C's. I kinda wonder how I could improve just that little bit to get that A, but then I kinda dont care, so I guess this whole little section is void since I dont care, so that means I have just wasted like 3 minutes of your time since you read it, well its actually more like 4 or 5 now since you continue to read this ranting..ok I'll move on now.

There are only a few things that I absolutly know in my life right now, and they are:

I love fish
I want to get a Ph.D.
I want to get a SCUBA license

I dont know much of anythign else. which is why I have spent so much time just thinking about what I am doing and where I am going.

um...one last thing, does anybody actually read this thing besides my parents, steph, and her parents. because it makes me wonder. I read other peoples blogs and journals and what not, but do they actually read mine or even care? iono, thats probably too much thinking for right now, ok I'm outie, leights.




well we have a new break through in blogging technology...thats right I have a commenter on this sucka now, so feel free to click the link at the bottom of each post and leave behind witty remarks or whatever you please, and just know that I rule over the comments so if you want it kept there be nice...that is all.




Monday, May 10, 2004
Wow, they really changed the blogger format, but since you cant see it I guess you probably dont really give a damn.

I am kinda in the dumps right now, I have not really been able to sleep the past couple nights...you know its been that really crappy type of sleep, fall asleep at 11pm wake up at 2am, then 3, then 4, then 5 and so on...I think I am having what can be called "male PMS" maybe. Today I was at work (where I do lots of thinking because there is nothing else to really do) and I was listening to my music as normal and I kinda fell into a melancholy mood, and I dont know why. I was thinking, if I died right now, what have I accomplished and who would be at my funeral. It sounds kind of sick, but thats what I was thinking. So I thought and thought:

my accomplishments:
Graduated High School, highest honors
Golden State Merit Diploma
CSF life member
Got into UCD after being rejected
found a person who can put up with me and my capers (steph)
saved some fish from petco
helped raise 3 younger bro's

thats all I could think of at the time, oh, my funeral:
close friends (all like 4 of them)
family
possibly past teachers...maybe
my fish?

I was also thinking about what I want to do later in life, and even just after I graduate from UCD and this is what I came up with.

After graduation take a year off to get myself organized. I feel right now that I have had enough of school, but dont worry I will push on. School is driving me insane with its tests and homework that I feel show nothing.
oh and possibly get my scuba license.

After a year off return to school and get my Ph.D. (50% of the doctors that I talked to did this)

After this I dont know what. I was thinking of opening my own aquarium store. I told my dad this and he pretty much called it a stupid idea without sounding harsh or anything like that, but I got the drift of what he was saying. And I know that he speaks out of love and experience since he did own his own business. I would still like to do it though, well as of right now. I feel I would not make a good teacher even though I might know my stuff it takes more than that to teach. I dont want to be like so many of my professors who know and love the topic but cant teach to save their life. I have been told on several occasions that I know my stuff, but that I cant teach.

so yeah, I dont really know what is going on right now and I am trying to find my way. even though I have gotten a lot of stuff done I feel like I am still not really going any where. I am in a rut just like steph feels she is. there is so much that I want to do or get done but not enough time or money.

also on a totally unrelated related note:

I know that this might seem like an excuse to some people (i.e. my mom and dad) but it was pointed out to me that maybe I dont try my hardest because I am affraid that my best will not be good enough, so I just go through life trying a little bit, but not being hurt if I dont succeed since I did not really try hard in the first place. This sucks because the times that I have actually tried in something I have succeeded, so I dont know where this fear comes from, but it is still very much there. ok well thats if for now, I might type some more later, I am in one of those blog moods.




Friday, May 07, 2004
well gary ate the last feeder, so that makes 9/10 for gary, I guess I will not be putting the feeder in there with him.

on a separate note here is something for those who like strawberry flavored things:

next time you are about to dig into yogurt, candies, fruit fillings ocean spray pink grapefruit juice, look for the ingredient carmine or carminic acid. what this does is color the food red, pink or purple. its made up of the desiccated bodies of a bug that feeds on red cactus berries in Peru and the Canary Islands. the color accumulates in the females and the unhatched larvae. these are collected, dried, and ground into the coloring. it takes about 70,000 of them to produce a pound of carmine or carminic acid. so have fun with those labels...




Thursday, May 06, 2004
so it turns out that keeping the feeder fish with gary was not such a good idea. like I said when I got home 3 feeders were eaten. then after I took a shower, 1 more was missing. so I get up this morning and guess how many were left...1, 1 feeder fish was left...lets do the math

1 feeder fish to george (clown knife)
8 feeder fish to gary (blue yabby)

thus gary ate about 88% of the feeders so far and I would not be surprised if that number went to 90% when I get home later today. oh well, live and learn. and needless to say I dont think I am going to be feeding gary his meat pellets today.




Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Well today steph and I went to get more feeder fish for george to eat (since he ate the first 3 already) and because I wanted to vary his diet I got some beef heart. At petco the feeders were on sale for 8 cents instead of 12 so I picked up ten. I put the ten in Gary's tank as sort of a quarantine, because I figure if they can live through Gary's tough screening process (i.e. not get eaten by him) then they should be fine to feed to george. So I got home and put the feeders in the tank (gary was eyeing them from the beginning) and went to class a bit later. I came home about 4 hours later and 2 feeder fish are missing (eaten) and then out of the corner of my eye I see Gary catch one and hold it with his tiny claws and put it out of its misery with his big claw. then he promptly ate the fish in less than 30 seconds. so...this changes things...I didnt think gary would catch 3 in about a 4 hour time span with still night to come, so I might have to find another means of keeping the feeders, like far away from Gary. I also gave one feeder to george who ate his in one bite...it took him a couple seconds to spot the feeder, but once he did it was gone in an instant. so now i am down to 6 feeders from the original 10 but it was amusing to watch the circle of life take place in my own apartment. *sings circle of life...well the mumbly part and the beginning* okay I have a midterm to study for, but I probably wont until tomorrow morning, its for viticulture and I dont really anticipate it being too hard.




this is cRAzY (not for those with 56k modem...unless you want to be sitting there a while)




Monday, May 03, 2004
well I was supposed to call my mom and tell her something today, but I fell asleep and just woke up about 45 minutes ago. It was supposed to be a nap, but 2 hours later...yeah well you get the picture. so anyway what I was supposed to tell was that Dr. Wainwright, the guy that I have been replacing filters for and will soon be helping with preparing display fish, is one of the top marine biologist on the west coast. I was told this in a meeting with another doctor today. he also said that a reccomendation from him would look extremely good on my grad school app...so I guess better start kissin some ass...




Sunday, May 02, 2004
these links are for my mom:

mealybug 1
mealybug 2
mealybug 3