Monday, December 25, 2006

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas Friends

Happy Christmas Eve to all! I am full of holiday cheer if you know what I mean.

I went to Damion's Bachelor party last and was struck for the first time that my sister will be married in two weeks. I can't even fully grasp that yet.

I'm on Christmas break for the next two weeks. Some of the activities of the next weeks are as follows:

housesitting
batting cage
wedding prep
practicing the bass and trumpet
reading
some data entry???

Advent has been good this month at church. I love the Christmas season again. I also thank Sufan Stevens for his help.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Because Drew did it.

11 LAYERS OF YOU

LAYER ONE: ON THE OUTSIDE
Name: Michael Sycz Jr Esq
Birth date: June 8
Current Location: Highland Park
Eye Color: shit brown
Hair Color: less shitty brown
Righty or Lefty: North Paw
Zodiac Sign: Who cares

LAYER TWO: ON THE INSIDE
Your heritage: Russian/Ukrainian/Polish Jew with a dash of Argentinean flavor.
Your fears: failure
Your weakness: Booze and nice girls. At the same time.
Your perfect pizza: thin crust, with an assortment of meats.
Goal you'd like to achieve: paying off my debts

LAYER THREE: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW:
Your thoughts first waking up: I can take a nap at lunch
Your best physical feature: beard
Your bedtime: between 2200
Your most missed memory: My Treehouse

LAYER FOUR: YOUR PICK:
Pepsi or Coke: beer(Drew had this same answer, and I would write something different but I cannot lie.)
McDonald's or Burger King: La Estrella
Single or group dates: As any predator would know, hunting for your prey while they are in a group can be very hard and nearly impossible. But once separated from the herd, the kill is easy.(Wow, did I just sound like a rapist?)
Adidas or Nike: Boots
Lipton Tea or Nestea: Yerba Mate
Chocolate or vanilla: Meat
Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee, Wesley Snipes.

LAYER FIVE: DO YOU?
Take a shower: Every day, sometimes twice. I like water.
Have a crush? I will crush you!
Think you've been in love: unfortunately
Want to get married? I want to be the jaded, cynical guy and say no but I have to say yes. Hell yes.
Believe in yourself: I rather believe in other things
Think you're a health freak: I like to eat good food. Does that make me a health nut?

LAYER SIX: IN THE PAST MONTH
Gone to the mall: no
Been on stage: At a school function. Played the part of a pizza delivery man. (long story)
Been dumped: no
Gone skating: I feel off a skateboard yesterday
Dyed your hair: no

LAYER SEVEN: HAVE YOU EVER
Played a stripping game: no
Gotten beaten up: yes
Changed who you were to fit in: it's called high school.

LAYER EIGHT: GETTING OLD
Age your hoping to be married: In my twenties
Age you wanna have kids: I don't know

LAYER NINE: IN A GIRL/GUY
Best eye color: dark
Best hair color: dark
Short or long hair: either

LAYER TEN: WHAT WERE YOU DOING
1 MINUTE AGO: downloading Waits.
1 HOUR AGO: eating bacon and eggs.
1 YEAR AGO: December 4th was a Sunday last year so I probably went to church and loathing the idea of going to work the next day.

LAYER 11:FINISH THE SENTENCE
I LOVE: God, Baseball, My family, My Friends
I FEEL: Another beer
I HATE: The White Sox, The Cardinals, The Yankees, The Angels, The Giants, The Mets.
I HIDE: my real feelings
I MISS: Baseball, Drew, Amanda, Dan, Billy, Emily, Micah, Brent, Miller, and Sanchez.(and Jayson , I haven't talked to that guy in a long time)
I NEED: a babe.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

In case you wanted to know how cocaine is made.....

Friday, November 24, 2006

What a terrible blogger I am. A full month and some in between posts. Boo me.

So here are some things that happened in my posting absence:

Went to Big Sur. Amazing time.

(Matt and Pat hiking around a cliff)

Had a happy Halloween.

Went to Mike's Bachelor Party. Hung out with KC.
(The "Bachelor")

Been playing baseball every Saturday for the past three weeks.

Reading up on Church History.

Got food poisoning tuesday night.

Thanksgiving.

Sitting here procrastinating on cleaning my room.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

The Death of Habeas Corpus

Monday, October 09, 2006

You know what's frustrating?

Accidently locking your cellphone and not knowing your password.

Sometimes I amaze myself.

Monday, October 02, 2006

If any of you are so inclined...

The Montrose Oktoberfest
This Saturday from noon to 11pm
@ the Montrose Shopping Park

and

The Eagle Rock Music Festival
5pm to midnight
@Colorado Blvd between Eagle Rosk and Argus

They are both free.
These events are about 7 miles away from each other, along the 2 freeway.

Call me if you want to go, I'll be at both. At the same time.

Friday, September 29, 2006

My internet connection has been terrible this week. Can't get a decent signal from the library. And the only time of the day in which I get any signal is late at night. Hence the Friday night post.

I've been to trying upload a new audio stream but I can't get a stable connection for the required duration to put it on the web. Hopefully I'll get it up soon.

It was good to see some friends on Sunday night. Some faces I haven't seen in a while and of course, all would loved to be seen more.

It now seems that I see some of my old friends less and less often. I wish it weren't that way. I remember the days that we use to go camping at the drop of a hat and take road trips to.... to take road trips.

Trips with my friends, especially camping trips, were such a highlight to life. Poor man's vacation. Spending time with the people I love the most.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Keith Olberman Special Comment 9-11-06

Monday, September 11, 2006

I've got the sickness. I've got lots of moco.

Other than that, I've got the apartment to myself for about 3 weeks. Though that will probably entail not much of anything.

I bet the terrorists think they are winning, being the fifth anniversary of 9/11. I don't want them to win. So I did some proactive things today that I think Al-Qaida would not approve of.

1. I had a beer

2. I ate pork ribs that were cooked in beer

3. I watched an episode of Cheers

4. I watched an R-rated movie

5. I read my Bible

6. I drew a caricature of Mohammed

7. I hugged a Jewish woman

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Whoever broke into my car this weekend must have been pretty hard up. Darren's car got the same treatment. It was funny to see what was taken and what was left. For example, I found a few CDs in my car that were not mine or Darren's to begin with. From the stuff that I noticed that they took are my fins, my bag from work with binders, my sleeping bag, a few cds, cd player, a wetsuit and my two baseball mitts. Not much. Just have to clean it all up and get a new window.

But the taking of the baseball mitts hurt.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Back from Paradise

I got back from the Big Island on Monday.
And I really wish I was still there.
Good times had.
Here are some pictures.


rainbow falls


boiling pots


drinking


Waipio Valley


Waipio Valley


Road into the jungle

My brother-in-law and some others have been trying to convince me that I should move there. And I am seriously considering it. Why not try and live in a place that's really nice. And I've got nothing holding me back here. So I've been job hunting on the internet today. And if I want, I can easily have a job in construction immediatly.

It really has me thinking.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

In less than 48 hours I'm leaving for the big island of Hawaii and I'm a little bit nervous. Not because of terrorist threats or fear of flying for I seem to not be affected with the fear of morality but rather with another kind of fear. The fear of family.

I'm going with six other people including both my parents, my older sister and her husband, and their two daughters. The magnificent seven.

And in my case, this could be a lesson in familiar patience and conflict resolution. Not so much in my sister and her husband but within the relationship I have with my father.

Two massive egos warring with each other and fighting for control of the pack like two silverback gorillas in the bush.

That's what I'm not looking forward to.

Lord knows I love my father but I'm just sick and tired of putting up with his bullshit.

Hopefully our vacation will not come to none of this.

I rather be fishing for marlin and boar hunting with no drama.

I hope that it is this way.

Other than that.....

I had a great weekend.

Danced on Friday, Partied on Saturday, Fun times on Sunday.

Without going into detail, the weekend was very fun. Surprisingly so.

I've been watching Deadwood lately and I must say that those of you who have watched it and have not liked it, I am perplexed. This show has had the best writing that I have ever heard on television. It's excellent.

I'll be back on the 29th or afterward. Hopefully with pictures to share.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Report from the dmh birthday extravaganza






Pee Wee + Fried Chicken + Beverages + Good Friends = Good Times.

Other than that, times have been slow around here. The dog days of summer. Especially with no dinero to spend.



Trevor's Birthday was on Tuesday and we spent some time at Cha Cha. Hooray Trevor.

I'm off to Hawaii a week from now.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Russian Babysitter Part 1
Russian Babysitter Part 2
I saw my sister sing at Zen Sushi on Sunday.
Jen has a nice voice. And there are talks of a Sycz family side project.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006




Why did I forget to post this?

We all got to see Brent for a couple of days.
It was short but magical. Hopefully there will be more opportunities on the left coast for him to come out.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

If you haven't heard yet, a new portal to hell opened up in the Los Angeles area.

Interesting fact: Woodland Hills has had temperatures 100 degrees and above for the past 19 straight days.

Mental note: Do not move to Woodland Hills, aka hell.

Went to an art show on Friday.

Swim party in Irvine on Saturday.

Church and trying to stay cool on Sunday.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Monday, July 17, 2006

Jesus

Jesus knows about everything.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

It’s been about two hours since I’ve tried to go to sleep but it’s too damn hot.

I saw a really good documentary called Dear Francis today. It’s about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Swaziland. It breaks my heart.

I still want to go to Africa. What can I do to go?

I miss working on an ambulance. I miss driving around LA waiting for the radio to crackle out the next call. I miss getting that nervous feeling right before patient contact. I miss being with patients. I miss the feeling right after I finish a call.

But I don’t miss the pay.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

It was about 100 degrees today in Highland Park.

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

Now I will bowl and drink in Eagle Rock.

Still looking for that perfect girl.

Can't I dream? A little?

Friday, July 14, 2006

Finally, what I always wanted.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Roy Smeck - Tiger Rag

The genius ukulele playing of Roy Smeck

Link via Boing boing.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Johnny Cash on Sesame Street
Amazing

Most likely the best player ever.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Monday, July 10, 2006

He's Back

I love this dirty old man.

Sunday, July 09, 2006

The final was good.

The Italians won.

Why the hell did Zidane do what he did?

Answers later.

My car is going to the shop tomorrow.

Pray for the Corsica. The Syczmobile.
Nice little get-together at the Gloyd pad yesterday. Sleepover on the couch.

Today I had the best seats I've ever had at Dodger Stadium. Section 2FD Row Y Seat 3.
$50 tickets for free. Right behind home plate. Dodgers vs Giants. Dodgers lost. And though it was very hot today, we sat in the shade. Mucho gracias to Kottre for letting me tag along and thanks to Alex and Joel for good conversation.

Went to a couple of Art shows today. Jose's sculptures are beautiful and Steve's photos were awesome.

My car is being poopy again. It keeps overheating so it looks like I need a new waterpump. Or a new radiator. Regardless, the Corsica is sick. And it just reached the 150,000 mile mark.

The World Cup final is tomorrow. I shall watch at Keith's home if the Corsica can make it. Something in me hopes for a French win. Zizou is my favorite player growing up. He is a master wizard.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Terrorist Attack in America

Oh the Humanity!

Thursday, July 06, 2006

The third of July is a great day.

Went to a party in Long Beach on that day. Saw many old friends, good ones, and many a drink. Supreme time. Premium time. Mucho Commiunacho.

And then came the fourth.

Excellent.

The themes of the day included water balloons(cold and hot), horse, trickiness, the greatest burgers on earth, firework-block-party-muy-cholo, scaring whitey(under the disguise of being otherwise), blowing up onion dip, ruining vintage clothing, PBR, Hookah bomb, and vomiting up too much about certain peoples personal past history(myself).

I here that tomorrow will another party(what?) at the Gloyd pad. But they are not there. July is becoming most excellent and right now is looking to be a darkhorse candidate for best month of the year.

Monday, July 03, 2006

June has come and gone and I made no attempt to post.

I'm sorry.

Make-up time.

We had a booze cruise that was a major success.

I watched a lot of soccerfootball.

I went on a retreat to Santa Barbara.

I endured terrible heat.

And that's about it.

And I also made some new friends in June.

Ok I think that's it.

Yesterday, being the first day of Julio, I got to see a couple bands play in Simi Valley. Telephone&Telegraph and Cosio. Pretty good stuff. I like.

I am now going to a pre-fourth of July party known as a third of July party.

Carry on.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

I have to do everything alone. By myself. With no help from anyone. It may be something in my genetic code or the rugged individualism that is the fabric of our American culture. Or it'’s just pride. This idea that I am my own island.

I heard someone say this morning that he'’d wish that God would stop teaching him but just tell him. I agree. Though I'’m the guy who can be told to not touch the fire, read up on how fire can hurt, see a video of the ill effects of fire, but will not learn till I myself have been burned.

I say with my mouth that I trust God, that I need Him, but I seldom live it out. I'’m amazed how others, especially biblical figures could leave everything they had, not just material goods but their own mental reserve to follow. I always think of two people in scripture that amaze me because of their trust.

First is David. I don'’t understand how he went down to a battlefield where he had Goliath waiting for him, with only a slingshot and a few stones and some of the best trash talking history has ever heard. And David didn't just fling stones from afar but, as I Samuel 17:48 says David ran to meet the Philistine at the battle line and killed him with one shot. And David was just a boy.

The other man who'’s faith and trust amaze me is Peter. And for one act alone. He walked on water. Though he did end up neck deep a few seconds later, Peter is the only guy other than God to do this.

I wonder how many times I must be broken. Though I understand why. Because He wants me closer. And I want to be closer. Sometimes I forget that as many things in life, something must be broken, pruned, cut, carved, sanded, refined, etc, before it is made right.

By the way I'’m not complaining about this. I understand. Maybe God just likes to show me things when I'’m in the low places. The places where I finally let go of everything and into His hands.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

There is this phrase in Russian that is loosely translated into English as, "When the strand is thin, it is easy to break."

So I bumped into a guy on the road last night. Scratch on his bumper. Convinced him to not go the insurance route. Paint job on the bumper is $300. I just paid him. -$220 in the hole.

Remember when I stopped complaining about stuff on this blog?

I miss those days.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

I got a couple bills in the mail regarding my recent medical adventure.

Now this should be a lesson to all of you. Get health insurance. Because with my ER bill and the doctor bill , my total, for my cut hand, is $1615 .

So I'm back in the hole.

I'm not going to be able to pay this bill off anytime soon. But that's how life sometimes works out. You get the shaft once and awhile and you accept it.

On a lighter note, camping was fun this weekend. I hope Drew got the message that we left him.

The Cubs are really sucking right now. But this is not a new thing. Yet it is incredibly painful to watch them play.

Feliz Dia de Las Madres

Sunday, May 07, 2006

It looks like I'm going to be a home body from now till September. The money is very tight right now and getting rid of my debt is going to be harder than I thought. And I still need to find some work for the summer. I'm pretty bummed about that.

Yep.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Sliced the hand today.


cut Posted by Picasa


close up Posted by Picasa

Yesterday I wrote that nothing was new. Well something is new now. At around 10 am, while on break at work I sliced my hand. And I must say that I did a pretty good job.
Six sutures and whole lot of pain right now.

Though it was nice talking shop with the ER tech and Doc.

Thank God it's not my throwing hand.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Ever look through some of your old things, the things that you have put away in a box meant to be forgotten until a decade has past?

I found an old box in my parents house from a couple years ago. A couple years that seem like 20 years ago. Even some old smells were trapped in this box. Old perfume. I'm sure some of you know something about these things. A little nostalgia ran through me.

I think that if I saw myself from three years ago, I would kick my ass. What a dumb little turd I was. Not that I'm any better now. I'm sure that I will be saying the same thing five years from now about my 25-year-old self.

As of July 28, 2006 I will be free of debt. I am so excited. The months leading up to this will be lean but all worth the trouble.

Nothing else is new. I must do a new audio link soon. I command myself.

That is all.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Thai food is good.
Listening to the Stooges right now is better.

I recently flown my first kite a couple weeks ago.

My father was recently telling me a story about kite flying in Argentina.

When old Miguel Sycz was trying to fly kites in Buenos Aires, as a poor child, he tried to find anything available to create his kite. May it be some newspaper, a few sticks laying around in the gutter, and pieces of string that he would find and tie together to make a long line. Glue was often obtained from old cow fat or if you were lucky enough some extra horse fat from the glue factory.

(Side note: Much of the glue used in Argentina during the 40s was made from Jews in Germany, before my Dad's time)

Now while all the kids in the neighborhood enjoyed flying kites, there was a animosity between the children of the poor and the more well to do. Because the more well to do had their parents buy them very proper supplies to build their kites while their poorer associates had to make do with what they had. So the poor, less fortunate, led by the old Sycz, decided that they had to humble their rich counterparts. In other words, a mine class war took part in the skies.

On the tails of "los desperasidos" they fashioned on razor blades to cut the lines of their opponents and win their war in the skies. And as my father stated, "I was a kite terrorist." As kites flew together in the sky, one class would try to cross lines with the other class to cut there line and let their kites to fly far away.

Vive los Pobres!

Monday, April 10, 2006



Thanks to Greg for the Video.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

I'm trying to fill out this application for a mission trip and I'm having the hardest time answering some of these questions. For example:

"Please share your Christian Testimony(include how you became a Christian, the major influences on your spiritual walk and how you grown spiritually in the past year)."

How the heck I'm I suppose to explain this without writing at least five pages? And I hate the term "spiritual walk" or "Christian walk." In Christianese "walk" is four-letter-word. Why don't you ask me, "What is your desire in the Kingdom" or "Why do you want to go to (place of mission work)?

Bah. I hate applications as it is.

It's almost Cha Cha time. Get some for me.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

I'm falling back in love with Punk.
Not that I ever fell out of love.
Hence the new audio stream will reflect that.

Top five Albums of today:

Fugazi - 13 Songs
The Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady
Rancid - Let's Go
The Jam - In The City
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables


Jesse and others were rock stars this weekend.

I have spring break next weekend so if you want to hang out....
hit me up changos.


Here is my Super Hero.


Here is the Jen's Super Hero. It's Matzo Time!

It's raining pretty hard in Highland Park right now. The rain is good for the soul.
It shall be good for hiking around here next week.

The Baseball finally started. All is right in the land.
I'm the biggest coward in this world.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

This is the first podcast of many...

hopefully.

Enjoy.

Sunday, March 26, 2006


frustration Posted by Picasa

I'm still trying to get the podcast going. My ugly, nasty euro face shows the my anger.

Gogal Bordello
is awesome.

I just recovered from the spider bite from hell. Ask me if you must.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006


WBC Action. A-Rod 0 for 5. Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Signed the lease today.
She makes me think.
Official resident of Highland Park.
I should try it.
Get some.
Scared of nothing but love.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

As promised, here are some more pictures from Biloxi.


The team Posted by Picasa


Magnum Posted by Picasa


Me with the drywall knife. Posted by Picasa


Level headed Posted by Picasa


boat in the woods Posted by Picasa


Crystal Palace Casino in the water with pick-up truck in foreground Posted by Picasa


On a broken bridge Posted by Picasa


dead end Posted by Picasa


Darren and Trevor actually ate here a year and a half ago. Posted by Picasa


Us with the famiily Posted by Picasa


wonderful family Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, February 21, 2006


Roar Posted by Picasa

I went to my sister's work today. I saw lots of dead things. I saw lots of cool things. Her boss use to be in a popular Brazilian band in the ''60's. He has lots of stories. And he promised me that the next time he gets a bear carcass, he'll call me for a BBQ. Good times.