- Jack-in-the-box Ultimate Cheeseburger has overtaken Mickey D's double quarter pounder with cheese in Qiuvo's fast food power rankings. Congrats to Jack and his team for their menu improvement as well as some very clever advertizing.
- Kim Kardasian's booty has bounced J-Lo's booty off Qiuvo's power rankings! Still, she falls waaay short in the talent department.
- The curse of the big Webbino is finally broken!!! Not only has Don Nelson raised the Golden State Warriors from the ashes of mediocrity, he has finally broken the curse that plagued the Warriors after C-Webb split town in the first place. Even though the Webber experiment didn't work out, the fact that Webber and Nelly buried the hatchet and smoked a peace pipe guarantees that the Warriors will not suck so much for a while.
- Whatup with Mormon Elders getting around town in bikes? If there's one thing the LDS Church is good at, it's making money. So how about upgrading to Vespas?
- Ok, I play guitar, so I thought I'd be good at Guitar Hero...NOT! I'm ok in Intermediate, but I still haven't beaten Slash. My kid, on the other hand, who doesn't play guitar, absolutely buries me on GH3. Just more proof that the older you get, the faster you reach the point of diminishing returns on anything.
- Has there ever been a book or movie named AmeriKKKa? That would be cool title for a movie about race relations in the 60's.
Until next time,
Q.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Fast Food
I recently saw Supersize, the documentary that harps on the fast food industry, and in particular, McDonalds. Talk about depressing. Not that I have fast food all the time, but I'll throw down once in a while. This culture of instant gratification is tailor made for the fast food industry so it is easy to fall into the fast food trap for the sake of convenience. But let's face it, it's not just convenience. Sometimes, you just have to have a big, fat, juicy burger.
Here's some personal observations:
- Best Fast food burgers
1. Carl's Jr 6 Dollar Burger. I like all of their variations: jalapeno, portabella mushroom, guacamole, etc. If you want to be extra naughty, make it a double. The most over-the-top I've had was a "Double six dollar PASTRAMI burger".It was damn good, but the food coma that follows is not very pleasant.
2. Fat Burger: Double Chili Cheese King Burger. Talk about over the top, but it's damn good.
3. McDonalds: double qarter pounder with cheese and Jack in the Box: Ultimate Burger.
---
Best Sub fast food place:
1. Togo's: hands down, best pastrami for a big franchice joint.
2. Quizno's: Really good flavor but vastly over-priced. Frankly, it takes the joy out of eating there.
3. Subway sucks...correction, Subway in the Bay Area sucks. It seems like the only people buying Subway franchises are skimpy folks who pass their skimpyness on to the consumer.
The best Subway I ever went to was in L.A., in a strip mall owned mostly by Magic Johnson. That place did not skimp. While there, try Magic Johnson's TGI Fridays. Again, no skimpiness there.
- What is up with McDonalds Filet of Fish costing over 3 dollars? This should be in their dollar menu.
- With all the fast food bashing going around, why don't these fast food joints offer things such as whole wheat buns and decent vegetarian burgers? A turkey burger on whole wheat buns doesn't sound bad...
More to come...
Here's some personal observations:
- Best Fast food burgers
1. Carl's Jr 6 Dollar Burger. I like all of their variations: jalapeno, portabella mushroom, guacamole, etc. If you want to be extra naughty, make it a double. The most over-the-top I've had was a "Double six dollar PASTRAMI burger".It was damn good, but the food coma that follows is not very pleasant.
2. Fat Burger: Double Chili Cheese King Burger. Talk about over the top, but it's damn good.
3. McDonalds: double qarter pounder with cheese and Jack in the Box: Ultimate Burger.
---
Best Sub fast food place:
1. Togo's: hands down, best pastrami for a big franchice joint.
2. Quizno's: Really good flavor but vastly over-priced. Frankly, it takes the joy out of eating there.
3. Subway sucks...correction, Subway in the Bay Area sucks. It seems like the only people buying Subway franchises are skimpy folks who pass their skimpyness on to the consumer.
The best Subway I ever went to was in L.A., in a strip mall owned mostly by Magic Johnson. That place did not skimp. While there, try Magic Johnson's TGI Fridays. Again, no skimpiness there.
- What is up with McDonalds Filet of Fish costing over 3 dollars? This should be in their dollar menu.
- With all the fast food bashing going around, why don't these fast food joints offer things such as whole wheat buns and decent vegetarian burgers? A turkey burger on whole wheat buns doesn't sound bad...
More to come...
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Halleluia!!!!
Ok folks, I signed an offer letter with a great Software company in the Bay Area. I will be starting work next week, so I'm really excited about the opportunity. I was fortunate enough to receive 3 offers around the same time, and I must say, faith and prayers played a huge role in my success with the job hunt.
I'm not going to lie; there were times when a sense of desperation came over me and I felt helpless and vulnerable, but these were the times when I would talk to God at length and somehow come through the storm ready to deal with my set back. In the end, I had to let go and fully put muy trust in God, believing that he would open a window to make up for the closed door of my unexpected unemployment. It was only when I put my full trust in the Lord that the "floodgates" opened and I received the 3 job offers. I went from stressing about my unemployment to stressing about which job to take and who I would reject. All three companies were terrific for different reasons, and all the hiring managers and recruiters I spoke with were awesome individuals. When all was said and done, the company I chose felt like the right choice, and I am once again flabbergasted with God's goodness and the uncanny way in which He answers prayers.
If any of you find yourselves going through a storm, if you find yourselves alone, scared, or down for the count, trust in God! He will see you through. He will put people in your life, or put you in the right circumstance, or he will simply comfort you and build your strength. Trust in Him!
I normally don't write about religious themes, but today, I felt compelled to do so.
God is good.
God is love.
God bless you all!
- Qiuvo
I'm not going to lie; there were times when a sense of desperation came over me and I felt helpless and vulnerable, but these were the times when I would talk to God at length and somehow come through the storm ready to deal with my set back. In the end, I had to let go and fully put muy trust in God, believing that he would open a window to make up for the closed door of my unexpected unemployment. It was only when I put my full trust in the Lord that the "floodgates" opened and I received the 3 job offers. I went from stressing about my unemployment to stressing about which job to take and who I would reject. All three companies were terrific for different reasons, and all the hiring managers and recruiters I spoke with were awesome individuals. When all was said and done, the company I chose felt like the right choice, and I am once again flabbergasted with God's goodness and the uncanny way in which He answers prayers.
If any of you find yourselves going through a storm, if you find yourselves alone, scared, or down for the count, trust in God! He will see you through. He will put people in your life, or put you in the right circumstance, or he will simply comfort you and build your strength. Trust in Him!
I normally don't write about religious themes, but today, I felt compelled to do so.
God is good.
God is love.
God bless you all!
- Qiuvo
Friday, January 25, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
On the Job Hunt
Ok, so the last 2 posts took a while. I wasn't kidding when I said I was looking for work, so my time has been sporadic. Taking care of 2 little ones while job hunting eats up a lot of time. Anyway, I'm still looking, and I am now finding out that job hunters are subject to location prejudice.
At a recent interview in Foster City:
"You live in [insert Boondock city here]?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's really far, isn't it? How long did it take you to get here?"
"Oh, maybe an hour and five minutes."
"What, were you going like 90 miles an hour the whole way?"
Bastard.
I almost nailed a job in Sunnyvale. I think I would have nailed it if I hadn't lived where I live. My commute was a big concern to 2 of the 4 people who interviewed me. I tried to pull out all the stops:
"Oh, I'm used to it, I've been doing it for years..."
"I really enjoy commuting, it gives me an opportunity to think and reflect on what needs to get done..."
"This is a great opportunity...I would definitely consider relocating to be closer to work..." (I know, this one's lame. I might as well tell them, "Yes, it's a long as commute, don't hire me."
But anyway, I can't blame hiring managers for being concerned. They don't know me from Adam, so they don't know that I rarely ever miss work, even when I'm legitimately sick. In the past four and a half years, I've called in sick maybe twice.
So what should I do--should I fake the address in my resume, and then do the ol' switch-a-roo once I've signed the employment paperwork? Nope, not going to do it. Bad karma.
I've been praying for a job. I'm a bit stressed out, but not as much as I would have thought a couple of years ago. I have this feeling that God will put me in the right place at the right time.
Well folks, time to work on a thank you email--a follow up from an interview I had in San Jose last Friday.
Until next time,
Q.
At a recent interview in Foster City:
"You live in [insert Boondock city here]?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's really far, isn't it? How long did it take you to get here?"
"Oh, maybe an hour and five minutes."
"What, were you going like 90 miles an hour the whole way?"
Bastard.
I almost nailed a job in Sunnyvale. I think I would have nailed it if I hadn't lived where I live. My commute was a big concern to 2 of the 4 people who interviewed me. I tried to pull out all the stops:
"Oh, I'm used to it, I've been doing it for years..."
"I really enjoy commuting, it gives me an opportunity to think and reflect on what needs to get done..."
"This is a great opportunity...I would definitely consider relocating to be closer to work..." (I know, this one's lame. I might as well tell them, "Yes, it's a long as commute, don't hire me."
But anyway, I can't blame hiring managers for being concerned. They don't know me from Adam, so they don't know that I rarely ever miss work, even when I'm legitimately sick. In the past four and a half years, I've called in sick maybe twice.
So what should I do--should I fake the address in my resume, and then do the ol' switch-a-roo once I've signed the employment paperwork? Nope, not going to do it. Bad karma.
I've been praying for a job. I'm a bit stressed out, but not as much as I would have thought a couple of years ago. I have this feeling that God will put me in the right place at the right time.
Well folks, time to work on a thank you email--a follow up from an interview I had in San Jose last Friday.
Until next time,
Q.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Another post...FINALLY!
Ok, ok, so it's been a while.
Why??? you might be asking yourselves.
Too many things going on right now, like looking for a job. Yep, I got laid off recently. Needless to say, it's been somewhat of a stressful time, but hey, like my pastor told me recently, "When a door closes, God always opens a window..."
But enough of that nonsense and on to Qiuvo...
I uploaded a Salarrue short story entitled "Buena Noche" (Christmas Eve) to the Qiuvo.com website. It is a wonderful story (a short-short, seriously, you can read it in five minutes) and you should all read it!
Don't read Spanish?
I have you covered. I was given permission to use an English translation by Dr. Janet N. Gold of the University of New Hampshire. Some of you may know that Dr. Gold is the author of "Sagatara Mio," a beautiful book about the amorous relationship between El Salvador's most famous author, Salarrue, and New York socialite Leonora Nichols. Unfortunately, it is currently only published in Spanish and available from MUPI (Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen, http://www.museo.com.sv) but I'm hoping that more people will find out about this wonderful book so that it can be published in English.
Anyway, please do yourselves a favor and acquaint yourselves with Salarrue.
Thank you all for visiting Qiuvo!
Why??? you might be asking yourselves.
Too many things going on right now, like looking for a job. Yep, I got laid off recently. Needless to say, it's been somewhat of a stressful time, but hey, like my pastor told me recently, "When a door closes, God always opens a window..."
But enough of that nonsense and on to Qiuvo...
I uploaded a Salarrue short story entitled "Buena Noche" (Christmas Eve) to the Qiuvo.com website. It is a wonderful story (a short-short, seriously, you can read it in five minutes) and you should all read it!
Don't read Spanish?
I have you covered. I was given permission to use an English translation by Dr. Janet N. Gold of the University of New Hampshire. Some of you may know that Dr. Gold is the author of "Sagatara Mio," a beautiful book about the amorous relationship between El Salvador's most famous author, Salarrue, and New York socialite Leonora Nichols. Unfortunately, it is currently only published in Spanish and available from MUPI (Museo de la Palabra y la Imagen, http://www.museo.com.sv) but I'm hoping that more people will find out about this wonderful book so that it can be published in English.
Anyway, please do yourselves a favor and acquaint yourselves with Salarrue.
Thank you all for visiting Qiuvo!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Little Background Info
So I decided to start a new series called, The Wander Years, where I'll go back and blog about old school memories that have stuck with me during my life. Sounds real exciting, doesn't it?
But first, I want to jot down a little background info on how I started blogging. After all, this huge audience I've garnered is hanging on my every post....shaaahh... Seriously, I think my profile has been viewed 56 times, and I know I must have viewed it at least 52 of those 56 times (while updating the blog). Perhaps that's why I like this new exercise--Blogging. It's like shouting out into the great beyond. Ranting and raving, or just whispering at an open field with little chance of being heard by anyone. But there's still the possibility (risk?) that someone will hear you!
Before Qiuvo, I had never blogged before. In fact, I wasn't doing much writing when I started this blog--with the exception of business writing at work (reports, manuals, lengthy emails, etc). I've written short stories, poems, a couple of unfinished novels and a bunch of ideas, but I had not been working on any of this for 5, 10 years? My goodness, has it been that long? And then one day, I was looking up my past schools on the web, when I came across a short obituary for my old Jr. High Principal. I searched for more info, and finally found a nice article that was written about him by the local paper. The search also landed me on the website of one of his children, who happened to go to the same Jr. High around the same time. It was a blog, and I dug the concept. Yeah, yeah, I'd heard of blogging before, I wasn't living under a rock. It's just that you get so wrapped up in life sometimes--mostly mundane bullshit, if you really break it down. So there I was, trapped in the mundane, not having written anything meaningful in ages, when I thought, What the hell?
The funny thing is, after I started blogging, I started waking up my dormant desire to write stories. All of a sudden, I pulled out old manuscripts out of a large plastic bin in the closet. I reacquainted myself with some of my works. I thought, Some of this stuff isn't half bad...if only... And I would blog again, and I would go back to my old stuff once more. Until finally, I began working on an unfinished story. A paragraph here, a couple of words there. If lucky, a full page in one day. I realized that I could do this, lack of time and all. Mundane bullshit and all.
I have to be honest, my writing right now is not at the same level as before. My mind has felt like I've been clearing an attic full of cobwebs, or like I'm rehabbing a muscle after a long period of apathy and inactivity. But it's slowly coming back to me. Blogging has helped. The writing can be sloppy and unspectacular, and so what? The important thing is that a process is taking place, and in that process, I'm discovering and re-learning many things about myself, and of course, I'm writing.
Until next time...
But first, I want to jot down a little background info on how I started blogging. After all, this huge audience I've garnered is hanging on my every post....shaaahh... Seriously, I think my profile has been viewed 56 times, and I know I must have viewed it at least 52 of those 56 times (while updating the blog). Perhaps that's why I like this new exercise--Blogging. It's like shouting out into the great beyond. Ranting and raving, or just whispering at an open field with little chance of being heard by anyone. But there's still the possibility (risk?) that someone will hear you!
Before Qiuvo, I had never blogged before. In fact, I wasn't doing much writing when I started this blog--with the exception of business writing at work (reports, manuals, lengthy emails, etc). I've written short stories, poems, a couple of unfinished novels and a bunch of ideas, but I had not been working on any of this for 5, 10 years? My goodness, has it been that long? And then one day, I was looking up my past schools on the web, when I came across a short obituary for my old Jr. High Principal. I searched for more info, and finally found a nice article that was written about him by the local paper. The search also landed me on the website of one of his children, who happened to go to the same Jr. High around the same time. It was a blog, and I dug the concept. Yeah, yeah, I'd heard of blogging before, I wasn't living under a rock. It's just that you get so wrapped up in life sometimes--mostly mundane bullshit, if you really break it down. So there I was, trapped in the mundane, not having written anything meaningful in ages, when I thought, What the hell?
The funny thing is, after I started blogging, I started waking up my dormant desire to write stories. All of a sudden, I pulled out old manuscripts out of a large plastic bin in the closet. I reacquainted myself with some of my works. I thought, Some of this stuff isn't half bad...if only... And I would blog again, and I would go back to my old stuff once more. Until finally, I began working on an unfinished story. A paragraph here, a couple of words there. If lucky, a full page in one day. I realized that I could do this, lack of time and all. Mundane bullshit and all.
I have to be honest, my writing right now is not at the same level as before. My mind has felt like I've been clearing an attic full of cobwebs, or like I'm rehabbing a muscle after a long period of apathy and inactivity. But it's slowly coming back to me. Blogging has helped. The writing can be sloppy and unspectacular, and so what? The important thing is that a process is taking place, and in that process, I'm discovering and re-learning many things about myself, and of course, I'm writing.
Until next time...
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