So, I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend. Salutes to our dudes and dudettes making the world a better place to live. But any holiday that involves the grilling of mass quantities of meat is defifnitely a good holiday.

And I ate a lot of that meat too. :)

I didn’t make it out to the beach, which is unfortunate…but who wants to deal with the crowds of people? Wish I was back in Hawaii…where everywhere is the beach. :) But I got a lot of work done, which is also a good thing. Aside from video projects I’m still catching up on, I think I have cleaned up with website mess as best I can. I’ve also been working on some flash picture slide shows. My first one I have posted on my photography MySpace and includes some photos of the lovely Jennie and some pictures I took last week for Heartbreakers. Give it a look at www.myspace.com/aaronriverollphotography. And add me as a friend if you haven’t done so already. :) My next slide show will feature all the shots we took over in Hawaii…should be some good stuff!

And man, what’s with the weather lately? Feeling sort of like summer, ain’t it? I love summer…it’s one of my favorite seasons. Fall is good too…and spring runs a close second…but there is something about the feeling of summer nights that make you want to break into songs from the musical Grease.

And on that note, I’m going to get to bed. I’ll probably write more later because that’s what I end up doing. Night, y’all. I think I also owe you a crush…I’m seriously slacking. And believe me, I have crushes-a-plenty.

I’ve been walking a little taller these past couple of days. Yesterday, I passed my RLA assessment. That probably doesn’t mean that much to you, but around The “W,” it’s a HUGE deal. A right of passage, if you will. Actually, it just means that I can finally do my job without having to go to someone else to do it for me. It’s been a long ride. Classes, tests, and all that fun stuff. It’s finally over … for now. Everyone at work has been totally cool, congratulating me and what not. Even managers in other departments have offered me their congratulations. It feels good! A friend of mine on my team even bought me sweet treats from Starbucks. :) But anyway, enough about work. I definitely feel a little bit lighter and a little bit taller.

So, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been a little MIA as of late. Recently, it’s because I been so busy. Nothing really to say too. But also busy putting together the pieces of my website.

Actually, I routinely manage about eight different websites; four of which are hosted on my server. Now, I don’t mean to write an anti-endorsement, but I think I’m going to anyway. For the past couple years, I’ve hosted my websites with the company called BlueHost.com. I went with them mostly for their package and their competitive price. Over the years I hosted with them, the customer service was outstanding and responsive. However, that all changed … I was informed last week that my site was eating too much bandwidth and that I was being asked to leave. To make a long story short, I was a little shocked. I don’t intentionally try to be malicious in any way. I come to find out, after a little independent research, that the high bandwidth was probably caused by the large amounts of spam my blog receives on a daily basis. Not my fault at all. I even had anti-spam filters running as well as other precautionary devices installed because let’s face it, spam is annoying. So I protested a little bit and even tried a little convincing to see if they would reconsider … but was unable to sway the powers that be. So I packed up my stuff and left. I’ve been working diligently to get the NGS Media site up and running. And now I think everything is up; at least at about 90%. I still have a few finishing touches to do. But you can imagine what a daunting task migrating four websites can be.

So … down with BlueHost … not because their packages suck or because their service is subpar … but because they could have offered a solution to the problem with a little bit of research, and they chose not to. And now, I’m going to throw my weight behind a company called DreamHost.com, my new hosting company. And believe me, that’s a lot of weight. ;) I think what sold me is the picture on their home page of the fat kid asleep on the couch. Well, that and their prices. So far, I’m very pleased with everything they offer, especially how easy it is to host multiple sites with them. I’ll keep you posted.

So if you have been conscious at any point in the last 24 hours, you probably know that Taylor Hicks had a pretty good night last night. American Idol put on a good show … it was a little cheesy and strange at parts but dammit, it was good to see Kelly Pickler again … and her new do.

And now, at this point in the evening, I am rambling. So much to say, but I just don’t have the words. Maybe I’ll be inspired tomorrow. Have a great night!

It was the year Elvis Presley entered the US music charts for the very first time. The song was Heartbreak Hotel.

It’s also the number of pictures I’ve taken in the last 48 hours.

I had two photo shoots this weekend with Heartbreakers, Inc. I photographed 4 gorgeous models…planned on 6, but the 4 I shot were beautiful and amazing in front of the camera. Here are a few from the sessions:

More to come…also, more on the debacle that has been my web site this past week. Stay tuned…

Well folks, we are being hit by season finales left and right. Next week, ER and How I Met Your Mother will be wrapping up their seasons with what I’m sure will be some great cliffhangers. This week, Gilmore Girls surprised us with a somewhat disappointing ending … but of course, left us wanting more. And another of my favorites closed out their season tonight with a somewhat hopeful ending … and involves my latest crush.

The Office, starring Steve Carell as a sometimes inept and awkward paper-company boss, makes me chortle every Thursday night. I’ve loved that show since the beginning. And since the beginning, I’ve totally been in love with the cute office secretary, Pam Beesley – who is so cleverly played by actress Jenna Fischer. Jenna has great comic timing and portrays Pam as the oh-so-adorable office cutie you can’t help but love. Sometimes quiet, you wonder what she’s thinking as she sits behind the receptionist’s desk observing the office antics.

Recently, a love interest has been developing … her best friend and colleague Jim (played by John Krasinski), has been realizing that she is essentially the perfect girl. And she is. How can you not fall in love with someone who is sweet, thoughtful, smart, and funny?? It just doesn’t get any better than that. I think Jim represents the Nice Guy in many ways … and Pam, the Nice Girl. However, as it is in real life, Pam is with the wrong dude. She is engaged to this baboon of a guy. It’s the story of my life … the cute girl is almost always with the wrong guy. However, after watching the last five minutes of tonight’s episode, it will be interesting to see what develops next season. Maybe the nice guy will finish after all?

As much as I adore Pam Beesley, she is only as awesome as the girl who plays her … and Jenna seems to be top-notch. Not only is she beautiful and cute as heck, she is also a writer, an actor, and a director. And a little bit of trivia, which I did not know … she is married. Sad, yes … but she has ties to another one of my favorite shows. Her husband is writer/director, James Gunn. James’s brother is an actor by the name of Sean Gunn, who stars as the character “Kirk” on Gilmore Girls. Jenna took her first acting class with Sean when she was six … stayed in touch … and eventually married his brother. Small, small world.

Anyway, hopefully there will be good things in store for Jim and Pam next season … leaving hope for us nice guys and our office crushes.

So I had some time to kill earlier this evening, so I have been surfing MySpace. It is seriously addicting…it really sucks you in. But I thought I would try to find some people from my high school days; weird, I know…considering there are very few people from high school I even remotely care about. Okay, well more than a few. But I had to hunt around for my yearbook a little…

I finally found it at the bottom of a box in the closet.

I also found a notebook from my sophomore year of college. After reviewing the pages of meticulous notes I took, I’m still a little mystified at how I even graduated. And that’s sad, considering I think I’m smarter now than I was back then. Seriously, I was a moron back then. Not only did I have the worst taste in girlfriends, but my knowledge of theory was horrific. I mean, I knew the difference between chordal and figuration dissonance (don’t ask me to tell you what it is now…), but somehow I couldn’t tell you what an appoggiatura was for the life of me. At least I rocked my sight-singing and my Bona solfege! (those of you who aren’t music majors won’t know what that is…but those who are are probably laughing at the fact that I even mentioned solfege this long after college.)

So anyway, I was perusing my yearbook; the spine all tattered and worn from the years. It’s funny what a yearbook represents; all those pictures, memories, good times. Bad hair cuts (seriously, mom, what were you thinking?) I find it rather humorous that 90% of the girls that signed my book (most of which were of the hot variety), told me that I was a “nice guy.” Guess some things never change. :) But it’s always a trip to flip through the pages, even though they are representative of days gone by; days that really don’t have any significance in life anymore. Back then, maybe it was a big deal if you were voted “best looking,” or “most creative,” — but what does it all mean now?

Jack. Squat.

For all I know, the jock who everyone thought was cool could be living in a van down by the river.

But despite the insignificance, it still gives me warm fuzzies. And I actually do wonder how some people are doing, where they are, what roads they have taken.

The past is a funny thing.

Well, as most of you know, I spent last week in paradise. Although miles away from Frisco, I left my heart there…in Hawaii. There were just too many girls…although one definitely took my interest on more than one occasion.

I first laid eyes on her last year…so I guess you could say I’ve had this crush for a while. My good friend, Sir Mounts, has been bowling professionally for more than a year now…and I have been fortunate to accompany him on various trips and excursions. I love to travel; so while he goes to bowl, I use it as an excuse to get on the road and see places. And I’ve seen lots of places, including many-a-bowling center. My first official experience at a PBA tournament was when Brian bowled the Brunswick and AMF Open for the PBA western region last year in Visalia. Known as Fact Finding Mission: Caruthers, we explored grape and raisin fields, met Beevo the bull, and watched a cook make a fiery volcano out of an onion. It was also my first time at a PBA tournament…and the first time I set my sights on Missy Bellinder.

First, let me tell you that bowling can be an interesting experience as a spectator. For someone who has bowled only twice in their entire life, I don’t know much about bowling. I pretty much suck. So when I saw the one and only girl bowler in the tournament – and I saw that she was hot – of course you know where my attention is going to be. Sorry Brian. I watched Missy bowl that entire afternoon…and it definitely made the time much more pleasant. Since then, I have seen her bowl in several different events; most recently, last week in the three tournaments in Hawaii. Bowlers can be so intense when they are in the zone, rarely smiling and with deep looks of concentration. They can almost look a little pissed off. But it was cool to run into her on the street in Waikiki and see her smile. She’s really cute anyway…but the smile is definitely great.

A little about Missy…cuteness is cool and all, but she is also an exceptional bowler. According to an online bio, Melissa “Missy” Bellinder has been bowling since she was two and a half years old. That’s a long time to be doing anything. She recently traveled to Barcelona, Spain to compete in the IV Catalonia Open-Trofeu Galasa, where she became the first girl to bowl a 300 tournament game. For me, it’s always cool to see someone doing something they obviously love…and to see them do it well. And it’s even cooler to see someone cute doing something well. Missy definitely has it going on. She has a graceful approach and a smooth release. It’s hard to take your eyes off of her when she is playing the game.

So, I’m definitely looking forward to our next encounter. Missy Bellinder has definitely opened my eyes to the world of professional bowling. It’s not just for old, fat dudes anymore.

…and when I say, “sometimes,” I mean, “all the time.” And when I say, “people,” I mean, “my people.”

So I wrote last about how sad it was that we had to leave Hawaii. But I rejoiced in the fact that I was going to have Mexican food. They don’t have a lot of Mexicans in Hawaii, which means they do not have a lot of our food there either. Sad, really. So I was so excited last night to finally be able to go out and get my California burrito.

But when I got over to Filibertos, the lights were out. I was like, “What’s up with that? They are open 24/7!?” So I was like, “alright…” and I drove a block in the other direction to stop at the Mexican food shack near Helix High. Mind you, I have never been there before, so I didn’t know what to expect. But I didn’t care. I wanted my burrito. But alas, same thing…lights out. I was starting to think there was a conspiracy a-brewin’ or something and then after my roommate reminded me, the light finally went on. The Mexicans aren’t working today.

It’s a painful reminder of what the world is like without Mexicans. I mean, GOODNESS, what would the world be like without me? Definitely not as interesting. But what would I do without my Mexican food? Dude!

After some reflection, I realized that I didn’t work yesterday either. But I think that’s mostly because 1) I had already requested a vacation day and 2) I was still in a state of post-Hawaii recovery. But I am also Mexican. I didn’t have a say in that, though.

I think it’s all well and good that our brown-skinned friends are trying to make a point. I think that people need to realize the impact and the contributions that our neighbors to the south make in our society. But I have two small requests from them…First, learn English. That’s the language we speak in America, after all. And two, if you are going to come over and work do it legally. That’s the point of all of this, isn’t it? I mean, come on, that’s not a lot to ask for. I don’t go around doing things illegally…because that’s just wrong. Mexicans are hard workers anyway…so come over here the right way and don’t be all sneaky about it. I realize all of this may be harsh to some…but it annoys me that people complain about stupid stuff. And then they do more stupid stuff like not being there at work to make my burrito. I also realize that all this sounds a little self-centered…that there may be a greater message behind all of this drama. But I don’t really care. I just want my darn burrito please.

Thanks.

Well, I’m sitting at Gate 86 in LAX waiting to catch the first flight out to San Diego. I just ate a sausage McMuffin and some hashbrowns. They were good.

The flight over from Honolulu was long, but decently fast. It was bittersweet day, knowing that I was coming home, yet coming back to everything I had escaped a week ago. It was nice to have the break.

Yesterday (although it feels like today…), we slept in a bit before packing up and checking out of our hotel. We stopped at KFC for a quick bite before heading out on our exploration of the island. First, let me just say that the KFC we visited had a crack team working behind the counter. First, they had to deal with a difficult customer. Apparently, they were working on her order for a long time and she was still complaining and adding things. It was a mess. I laughed. But the dealt with her in a efficient and professional manner. And then, as we were leaving…and I grabbed my small container of fries, one of the ladies immediately walked from behind the counter and offered us bags for our left over potatoes. Without us having to ask…and before we could say, “Bob’s your uncle.” If I could write a letter to the KFC people letting them know of the superstars they have working at their Hawaii KFC, I would. But I don’t have the address.

We started out by driving to the north shore. We checked out the general area where the TV show Lost is taped. It was very lush and pretty, with a little halo of fog caressing the tops of the green mountains. We continued driving along the shoreline, stopping at a few of the beaches to snap a few photos and check out the scenery. (when I say scenery, I mean the beautiful coastline as well as the cute girls sunning themselves on the beach.) It’s funny how strikingly similar the north shore of Oahu is to the north shore of Kauai, weather-wise as well as scenery-wise. Apparently, the north shore is some of the world’s best waves and is known for being one of the hottest surfing locations in the entire world. But alas, we did not surf. Nor did we check out the surfers.

On a side note, I’ve decided that I am eventually going to learn how to surf. Maybe. You see, I want a hot Hawaiian girl. But in order to even attempt to get a girl like that, I need to have skills. You know, like numb-chuck skills. And surfing skills. All the hot girls over there know how to surf, and look ridiculously good doing it. So I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to learn how to surf. Maybe.

After cruising the north shore, we ended up at Schofield Barracks again to see who one the finals in the bowling tournament. After being searched by a few intimidating military guards, we were pleased to find out that Darryl, the general manager from the Lihue Bowling Center had won.

With only a few hours to go, we headed back to the north shore to sample some shrimp from one of the local shrimp trucks. I had garlic and butter shrimp. They served their plates with some rice, salad, and a slice of pineapple. It was some of the best shrimp I’ve ever had.

After our snack/dinner, we went to visit some friends of Brian who knew him when he was a wee lad. They were really nice and we had a good time chatting with them for a bit. But then it was time to go.

So we went to the airport and said “Aloha,” to the beautiful islands. And now here I am, waiting to go to San Diego. I tell you the first thing I’m going to do when we get back is get a California burrito because I’ve been dying for one for an entire week. I can’t wait. It’s good to be almost home, but sort of sad at the same time. It’s been a damn good week. And I think I see our plane taxiing to the terminal, so I will cut this one off now.