Chinese Chicken Fingers

I haven't had Chinese Chicken Fingers since 2004. Man those fuckers are tasty little guys! After searching in vain through almost every chinese restaurant I could find for chicken fingers I came up empty. It's weird because thought chinese chicken fingers were all across the USA but everyone I ask that isn't from the northeast doesn't know what they are.

I decided a couple weeks ago that I would search for the recipe that the chinese restaurants use to make those little tasty asian treats. I asked my boy Terry who lives in Massachusetts if he could go to a chinese restaurant and get me the recipe. To my delight and suprise he said they sell the actual batter mix at the grocery store. He said he'd buy me some and mail it to me. Well in typical lazy Terry fashion I still don't have the batter mix. So I looked on the internet for the receipe and found it! Here's the receipe:

Ingredients:

Batter:
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 tbsp. salad oil

Directions:

1. Slice chicken in long thin strips. Dip in batter.
2. Deep fry in vegetable oil.

I performed this receipe to a T. This receipe either was missing something or maybe just maybe I did something wrong because this possibly was the blandest chicken I've ever tasted. If you know what pancakes taste like without butter and syrup but add salt, pepper
& chicken then this is the recipe for you!

I'll continue to dream about those golden doughy crunchy chicken treats until I actually taste the real thing.

Checkout the photos!

gso

#1 Herbie #2 Internet #3 Girlfriend

My baby, the love of my life, my entertainment, my library, my world, my artistic outlet, my everything has been down now for almost 24 hours! You must be asking yourself what the heck is Gregory talking about? Well what else could I be talking about! My internet is down at my house! I feel so lost.

I was forced to watch television last night. I couldn't check my email, get my news or write any blogs. I felt like I was going to die. Is internet addiction a real thing?

It's down because I transferred the name on the Cox Communications cable bill from my roommate Erica's name to my name. Well some stuff got F'd up and they shutoff everything. I called them and told them I had nothing. So they turned on the cable television but the internet didn't work. After going from normal tech support to upper level tech support I was told they needed to contact the corporate office in Atlanta. They also said it would take 24 hours for the cable modem settings to be transferred over to my name and everything to be turned on.

COX you suck! They offer good reliable service but like all cable companies are very expensive.
$130 for Cable with HBO & HD channels + cable internet! Freakin ridiculous!

I'm hoping when I get home everything will work. Thanks for being my support system boys and girls!!!

gso

Summertime

Summertime in San Diego beats me up with buckets of sweat, sunburned skin and a dry mouth. The summertime out here is more tolerable than back in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts the summertime is humid and feels like 150 degrees. The humidity and temperature last all day and all night without relief. It makes the air hard to breathe and makes me beg for air conditioned rooms and ice cold drinks.

In San Diego the relief from the summer hot comes when the sun goes down. The air becomes much cooler. There's really no humidity here compared to Massachusetts. It doesn't rain here either which kinda sucks because that's definitely a nice cool down.

Since San Diego is a vacation hotspot the summer brings lots of tourists and traffic. Beach areas are jam packed and attractions like Sea World are busy all day. You don't really get that in Mass except near the beaches because there really is nothing too exciting to do. There's no real theme parks or water parks. I mean you have Six Flags but that sucks compared to Lego Land..Am I right kids?

When summer hits San Diego I don't really realize because it's warm and sunny all year long. The only difference ins summer and winter here is that the mornings and nights are in the low 50's in winter and in the summer they are in the mid to high 60's.

I wish it were winter here all year long. It's cool enough to really not need a heater and warm enough to not need an air conditioner.

The summer kills me I sweat all day long it's disgusting. My armpits are like little puddles of sweat that are constantly moist. I had to change my deodorant because the non-scented kind wasn't disguising the smell. I now use Speed Stick with Irish Spring as the scent. So all day long my armpits smell like a bar of soap. It's nice for a few minutes before it starts giving me a headache half way through the day because the scent is so strong. Before you tell me about anti-perspirant stop because that contains aluminum and we both know aluminum causes armpit cancer!

lots of love,
gregory

Like A R@wkstar!

I had my last show of my acoustic indie rawk career today. We (Erica & I) were scheduled to play at 11:00 am. We (Emily, Erica & I) arrived at the Del Mar Fairgrounds at like 9:45 am. We saw the booker of the show and fellow musician Tim Mudd as we were walking into the venue. He saw his friend who drives a little golf cart thing and asked him to drive us in.
So we loaded up our equipment on the cart and we were driven to the "talent check in" we gave our passes - got our hands stamped - got back on the cart and were driven like 1/2 mile to the stage. I've never felt like such a bleeping r@wkstar! It was definitely the best part of the show.

The stage was definitely the most rawkstar stage I've ever played on. It was outside and has hosted some real bands like "Blue Oyster Cult". It's located in the beer garden but remember we started at 11:00 am so we only ended up playing to about 20 people at most and they weren't yet drunk. Damn alcoholics where the fuck were you?!?!

I definitely feel like I'm making the right decision on quitting the acoustic solo stuff. I didn't have much of any fun at all today. I wanted to get through the set as quickly as possible. I really want to get the Electronic thing going. It would be weird though because I don't know where D-Fab and I would play? But at the same time I'd be very excited to play live and only have to sing and not play guitar. I could finally dance on stage and act like a complete asshole! Assholes are so cool.

Checkout the photos!

Sending out love thats higher than mountains,
gso

The San Diego White Girl Curse

I've been keeping a close eye on the culture that San Diego white females choose to live. Don't they all seem to be on that same diet of:

Breakfast: Starbucks Tall Vanilla Non-Fat Sugar-Free Latte
AM Snack: Yogurt & Banana
Lunch: Salad with Low Fat Dressing on the side
PM Snack: Nothing or throw up lunch
Dinner: Southwest Egg Rolls, Quesadillas & Chips & Salsa to share. Don't forget about the multiple adult beverages throughout the evening
ALSO Don't forget the WHOLE DAY they are consuming gallons upon gallons of filtered water.

They love their big oversized sunglasses that blockout the sun and potential enemies.

Fake tans aka bronzer, flip flops, Seven Jeans, tank tops, meat head boyfriends, Motorola Razr cellphone, little dog in a bag, VW Jetta, long blonde hair, ipod, 24 hour gym membership, apartment with no cable, office job, went to/attend SDSU, need I keep on going?

The SDWG Curse is a strong curse and keeps on growing with each new generation that becomes independent. To steer clear of this curse don't watch MTV and don't go to Pacific Beach!

Tomorrow's Curse? Asian Girls!

gso

The Last Show

My last show is this Saturday at 11:00 am. I am the first one that goes on so if you're looking for some sappy indie rawk music that'll make you wish you were me then this is the time you want to show up. I play a 45 minute set. Details are below!

This will be my very last show until I completely change my musical style. Don't miss history in the making. I'm playing all my hits "Taco Bell" Dissin' Treez" "Gay Boyfriend" "That Seems Fine"

Come a loser and leave a winner!

Singer/Songwriter Day

Dates:
Saturday, June 24
Hours:
11:00AM-9:00PM
Location:
Finish Line Stage
(Map location: D4)

For the second year, Singer/Songwriter Day will feature the talents of several local solo and duo singers and songwriters. Enjoy some great original music in a relaxed setting in our Paddock area.

San Diego County is a thriving West Coast hotbed of acoustic music, with hundreds of original singer/songwriters living and working within the county limits.

Tim Mudd, who hosts a weekly, open-mic acoustic music show at Twiggs in San Diego, will bring 12 of San Diego's finest original singer/songwriters to the Finish Line Stage to highlight both their talent and heartfelt craft.

Electronic Gregory

As some of you know I have been recording with a DJ named D-fab (myspace D-fab). Well not only has he been coming up with beats and keyboard parts for my songs but he also creates his own breed of electronic music. He came up with this sick beat and I was like "Dude I can come up with a sick melody for this" So one day he emailed me over the beat and I laid down a vocal track at my house for it. I sent it to him he dug it and we recorded it for real at his house. Dfab did all the music and beats and I did all vocal parts & lyrics. The song is about a guy being in an abusive relationship but he just can't seem to get out of it because he feeds off the negativity from it.

The song is called "Wonders" Download Wonders

Here are the lyrics:

When he wonders
his heart moves without her
he starts to avoid her
looks for love on the computer

Your time is now well spent
your counting on your every sense
you turn your back on me
you start to believe every thing you read

And now we're stuck between the would's
of every should and every could
and this is not the way I break
I'll never bend but I will take

He's lost concentration
she's now his motivation
his life lacks importance
she's now his main avoidance

Your time is now well spent
your counting on your every sense
you turn your back on me
you start to believe every thing you read

And now we're stuck between the would's
of every should and every could
and this is not the way I break
I'll never bend but I will take

He screams it'll come true
holds his breathe turns blue
he'd like to move on
but she lives in his wrongs

Meet The Parents

The second big test in mine and Emily's relationship happened last night. I meet her parents and sister for dinner at Sammys Woodfire Pizza in UTC. Emily really talked up her parents as being really into manners and her dad being kind of hard to read. I went into the night thinking her dad would be a joker like she also previously said but also detached from me being there.

I arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes before they did. I went inside put my name in for a table for 5. They said the wait was 15 minutes so I waited outside and out of no where without any preparation the whole Ignacio family was there! I greeted her dad as Emily asked me to "Hello Mr. Ignacio" and he said "Oh you can call me Art" and her mom also said I could greet her with her first name Lisa. My initial my feeling of her parents were they were both cool and down to earth. I had seen their photos online and Emily told me quite a bit of background on them before I ever met them and everything I heard before seemed spot on EXCEPT her dad being hard to read. Her dad is a total joker and very funny. Her mom is very sweet and both parents don't look or act their age.

I didn't really go into the night being nervous. The only thing that I felt a little out of the loop was when they were talking about family stuff and people I had no idea about but Emily would always say "You know her remember I told you she was blah blah" haha I felt like Emily was testing me it was funny. This was also the first time I saw Emily's sister for more than 5 minutes. Emily to me looks more like her dad and Christina (Emily's sister) looks more like her mom.

What's next Christmas with the Ignacio's?

gso

L is for the way you look tonight

I've only been in love like 4 or 5 times (haha that's a lot for a 26 year old) but with each girl I fall in love with I feel like the girl is more and more of what I want. The girl I'm in love with now Emily is an incredible girl.

She is basically everything I could ever want in a girl. She's pretty, smart, sexy, interesting, caring, always there, dorky, plays my DS (Nintendogs & Brain Age), loves animals (especially Mr. Herbie), smells good, nice, awesome, easy to talk to, Asian (or as as Massachusetts people say Oriental), tells good stories about work, has a Civic, supportive and on and on and on...

I'm really happy I have her in my life. She is an amazing girl and makes me very happy.

You know you were dieing to know my love life and now you know! the baby is due in December and we're getting married January 2007. Ok haha I'm kidding no baby or marriage but we are tentatively moving in together September 2006!
Booyah!

gso

Gimme A Break

I've been writing and playing music since I was 14. Been playing live since I was 21. I'm 26 now and I'm not excited about playing music anymore. I need a break. I'm no longer excited to write and play music. Recording feels like a chore. I feel like I'm writing the same song over and over. I don't have the same excitement I did a few years ago.

The most exciting fulfilling time of my musical life was playing in The Predicates. I feel like the best move innovative songs I ever wrote was while I was in The Predicates. Playing with Erica Putis & Dave Tuetken was a great joy in my life. Erica really helped bring out the creative side of me musically with my vocals and lyrics. Dave brought out this incredible energy and punk attitude towards the music I came up with.

Playing Solo after The Predicates ended has been very unsatisfying for me. I ended up caught in this coffeehouse scene in San Diego. Everyone that plays in the coffeehouses out here sounds like John Mayer or Jason Mraz. Here comes me who sounds like a indie rock wannabee.

I'm going to take a break, play DS, Xbox 360, listen to music, play with Herbie & Stowie, nap & work at my awesome job :)

gso

2nd Times the Charm

It took two tries but I passed the California written drivers test! WooFuckinHoo! I was very anxious to get there this morning so I arrived 15 minutes before the DMV opened. There already were 25 people waiting in line ahead of me. I got lucky and got to walk right into the testing area.

The test was a different test then the one I took yesterday. It had maybe 4 of the same questions as I had last test. This test honestly seemed a lot more difficult then the one yesterday. You are only allowed 6 wrong and I only got 3 wrong.

I should start taking these tests all the time. I'm a freakin' pro now it seems anyway.

Thanks to everyone who prayed and wished good luck upon me. May God Bless us everyone!
I'd like to give some shoutouts to some people:

Emily if it wasn't for you helping me out with the sample tests and printing all 99 pages of the drivers manual I wouldn't a California Class C license holder!

Herbie: that pep talk you gave me last night was very inspirational.

Benny Honda (my new car): I wouldn't have even tried getting my California drivers license if you hadn't come into my life. Thanks brother I love you!

Gregg

0 for 1

I failed my written driving test yesterday. I'm such a failure! I have 2 more tries!
They only allow you to get 6 wrong and I got 7 wrong. It's mad aggravating to be that close and they didn't even give me a break. I'm going to try the test again today wish a brotha some luck.

gso

California Driving

This afternoon at 2:50pm I go for my California drivers license. In California in order to transfer your license form the state you lived in before to California you must take a written test (it's the same one that gets you your learner's permit)

I studied last night with Emmy. She gave me 50 sample questions and I got all of them correct except for 3 of them. On the real test they give you 36 and you can only get like 7 wrong or something. I can't wait to get my California drivers license and get this monkey off my back.

I finally got California insurance on my car before I was using Massachusetts insurance.
I'm becoming such a grown up by getting a new car, insurance and now my California drivers license.

Gregg

Honda Civic 2006

This weekend I spent over $20,000!!! yikes huh?!?!?! I finally got a new car this past Saturday. My old car was a 1998 Honda Civic EX. I drove that freakin' thing into the ground! It needed a new muffler, it stuttered as it accelerated, had 2 very noticeable dents, scratches, the automatic windows barely worked anymore, the inside had years of stains and crumbs from food (ewwww). It was just time to put her down. So I traded her in for a new Civic.

I wasn't planning on buying a car because I really didn't think any dealerships would be able to get me into a good deal. Emily earlier in the day was like we should go sit in one of those new Honda Civics. We had been seeing the new Civics everywhere and I was quite curious to go see the insides of it so as we were out we checked the internet via our verizon cellphones to find the nearest Honda dealership.

Sitting in the new Civics compared to the older bodied one is like sitting in a completely different car. Everythings digital from the speedometer to the mileage. Everything inside seems better quality. The doors have that closing sound of a higher end vehicle if you know what I mean by that. It seems much larger inside. The engine is very quiet. It's very fuel efficient (30 mpg/40 mpg). It's a really great car for the price and it won car of the year from motortrend.

I'm happy with the car. It runs awesome, it feels awesome and looks awesome! I have to admit I'm not very stoked about having a car payment but my old car was about to need some major repairs so I guess I picked my vice in buying a new car :)

View photos of my new 2006 Honda Civic!

gso