6 July 2008 73 views No Comment Print This Post  Email This Post

I will start off with this. Relaxation is definitely a major player in the key to happiness. However, with my schedule, relaxation should actually be one of the last things I need to worry about. I blame my friends Ernie and Casidi. Starting with last weekend, on a spectacular camping trip to Silverwood Lake to this weekend with fireworks, barbecue and more food, I must say that I’ve been very relaxed and had a chance to find myself and my true happiness.

I enjoy spending time with friends, and I find every free moment I have to spend time with them. However, over the past several months, maybe even the past few years, I seemed to have kept my focus on working hard and only working hard. I was always a firm believer of working hard now, and playing hard later, but I’ve learned that by doing this, my friends often felt neglected while I let my focus get the best of me.

For the past few months, I’ve been making a conscious effort to become more of a friend, and slowly adapted my lifestyle to reflect this. Ernie and Casidi have proven to be the best of friends, and have welcome me into their lives with open arms.

What was the turning point for me? It’s small to most, but to me, it meant a lot. While we were out and about doing our daily fun activities, Casidi made a comment that made me stop and think about the perspective of things:

This is Joe. He’s our son

Such a simple statement, and a joking one. But it meant the world to me. It let me know that I was a trusted friend, and that I have been fully accepted into their circle of trust and loved ones.

There was a time in history when I was very close to these two, and spent a lot of time together. I drifted apart at one point, and almost missed the most important day of their lives: their wedding.

Well, now I’m back in their lives and vice versa. I spend the majority of my time with them and our small group of friends, and I’m very satisfied with the support that I’ve been given by them in my life.

So with that said, here’s an update on what I’ve done this past weekend.

Thursday: After work, I ended up on in Walnut at Kaizen Motorsports, Ernie’s shop where he builds race and drift cars, and I had a late lunch with Ernie while he worked on cars. I started up his website, and came up with a bunch of conceptual ideas to what it is going to look like when finished.

Friday: Fireworks Fireworks Fireworks! Well, we picked up a car first, so that Cas could drive it the next day. We picked up the car, cleaned it, prepped it, and loaded it up on the trailer. Then my friend Whiteboy Chris and I went to go buy a bunch of fireworks for the kids (friends’ nieces and nephews). Came back to my second home (Cas & Ernie’s), had some Korean BBQ with friends and fam, jumped in the pool and let off some fireworks. Oh, and got drunk. Can’t forget that part. I don’t remember falling asleep.

Saturday: Drift! This was Casidi’s reintroduction to drifting after nearly 4 years. We drove out to Camarillo Airport (at 5AM!), unloaded the car, and watch Casidi do donuts. haha. She got the technique down, and was definitely the best female drifter out there that day. Came home, ate at a fusion Shabu Shabu restaurant, came home, passed out.

Sunday: Swimming. Eating. Swimming. I’m currently working on Ernie’s bio… Later this week, I will be releasing some extremely good news. But for now, I’m going to go back and work on his wikipedia entry and bio. Then I’m going to eat again, and jump in the pool again before I drive home to start off the work week.

With all that said, I haven’t worked once. And it feels great. This weekend was definitely a mini vacation, and much needed. We’re still short a couple designers at work, so it can be stressful at times.

So I encourage everyone to take a break sometimes. It did wonders for me this past few weeks, and I’ve actually found a new outcome on life because of it.

That’s it,

Joe