Big and small and the pineapple express

 I want to share with you some photos that were taken over the past few weeks.

 

One of the perks of the job.

Great view of the LA skyline from the home of one of my clients

 

Monster sized plants.

feeling overwhelmed

I felt small.

 

We did this photoshoot in what seemed like an alien terrain.

They say that clothes is an expression of one's personality.

 

thinking about pineapples

 

I guess that I was expressing my inner pineapple, whatever that is suppose to mean.

Kitchen project etc.

Melissa sent me a montage of pictures of her remodeled kitchen, the kitchen that I had a hand in creating. I know it was just a small contribution on my part. But I'll take whatever credit that I can.

 

 

 Melissa was very grateful. And she was definitely a gracious host. I loved hanging out with her and Alan.

 

Melissa's message was also a not so subtle hint that she has other rooms in her house that she wants to renovate and that she wouldn't mind me lending my skillful hands again to the cause.

 

We had a good time, no question about it. Thanks for reminding me Melissa. I would love to help them out, but I need to get back to her on that one.

 

Betting

Are you a betting man or woman?

 

I am, that is, if I think the odds are in my favor. I bet one of my coworkers at the spa that the Golden State Warriors would win game 1 of the western conference finals. By the way, are you a basketball fan?

 

Well, I thought the odds were in my favor. The team with the best regular season record. The defending champs. It should have been a sure bet? Right? No, that was not how the ball bounced in game 1. So I wound up owing Jose a massage.

 

 

I had to wait until Jose's shift ended before I could make good on the terms our bet. I paid up as soon as I could. I only see him when I am at the spa. Plus, I had to be sure that one of the massage rooms would be available.

 

Jose

 

We are sort of pals at work. We razz each other. We both like b-ball. He teases me about my fashion style. And I return the favor. We have completely different taste in clothes. He wears hip hop, gangsta style clothes like wife beaters and saggy pants.

 

 He insisted that there be proof of his triumph over me.

 

 

fantastic four

Hung out with three of my buds over the weekend.

 

I spent the weekend over at Alan and Melissa's place. I was there to lend them a hand in renovating their house. That was the plan. But we wound up goofing around a lot of the time.

You know what they say "all work and no play makes..." So we went to the beach and played as much as we worked.

I guess you're never too old for a slumber party.

 

board shorts and bikini

 

yeah, we got style

 

Who had the best looking swimsuit?

 

 

What do you think about pink?

I am not talking about the singer. I mean the color.

 

I met up with Sean, one of Meagan's friends, yesterday. The thing that immediately stood out about Sean was that he was wearing a pink shirt.

 

Sean

 

I have mixed feelings about pink colored clothing on guys. I have to admit that Sean looked good in that pink shirt. A pink shirt is about as far as I would go when it comes to wearing pink. By the way, Sean is also a fashionista.

 

I have a shirt that looks almost exactly like the one that Sean wore. I haven't worn it since whenever it was that I last wore it.

 

 

Seeing Sean wear that pink shirt inspired me to wear my own pink shirt today. I wore it with jeans (cuffed at the bottom), black shoes, and books by my side, just like Sean did. The whole ensemble just seems to go well together.

 

The books were, of course, an unnecessary accessory. I thought that it would look cool for the pose. But when Sean had his books in hand, it was actually because he came from a class. Nevertheless, a pink shirt on a guy does make the guy appear very scholarly yet very chic as well. Don't you think?



But for the rest of the day when I had to work, I went back to wearing clothes that were more appropriate for my job.

Wearing pink might be ok for going to class or socializing but not really for the work that I do. Besides I don't know how well my clients would react if I were to show up at their front door wearing pink.

 

Temple of luxury

I got hired for a modeling job the other day. It had been a while since I did a photoshoot that wasn't for Meagan.

 

I have maintained a good relationship with the photographer who hired me for the shoot. I have kept in contact with him. It paid off. He was looking for someone with my looks. Lucky me.
 

Gate to the temple of luxury

 

It has been hard for me to get a modeling gig because of my work schedule. Thankfully, I was able to fit this job into my schedule. I was so happy that things worked out.

 

 

 The photoshoot took place on an estate in the Topanga area of LA. The place was beautiful and luxurious.

 Part of the estate was designed to look like an Asian temple. The estate had a pool that didn't look anything like the typical SoCal swimming pool. The landscaping was really cool. There were volcanic looking rocks and cliffs that surrounded the pool. There was an artificial waterfall too. I felt like I wasn't in LA anymore.

 

Festival, island style

I went to a Pacific Islander festival near LA over the weekend. It was a cultural festival organized by the various Pacific Islanders who are living in the LA area. There was good food, Polynesian music and dancing.

 

Being at the festival made me wish that I was back in Hawaii.

 

Meagan thought it would be a good place to do a photoshoot. So besides soaking up the atmosphere of the festival, it was also work. But it was fun work.

 

We wanted to take advantage of the setting. The faux Polynesian huts provided a good backdrop for the photoshoot.

Frankie

 

Frankie was a dude we met at the festival. He claimed that he was part Polynesian, not that it mattered to anybody. He saw us doing our photoshoot. He walked over and volunteered to pose for Meagan, just for the fun of it. We played along. We were there for a good time, so why not? I think he just wanted to show off his body.
 



There was a hut building contest. I had no idea how to put up one of those huts, but I had a good time trying.

 

Festival fashion, Coachella

I went to the Coachella festival last Sunday. Coachella is a music festival in Indio, which is about a 2 hour drive from LA. It's like a massive concert.

 

I was just as interested in checking out the fashion of the festival goers as I was in the music.

 

these people had the right idea. loved their fashion sense

It was also an excellent place for people watching. There were plenty of eye candy.



This is what I consider festival fashion.

Me and my gang

My friends were much more tame and lame in what they wore.

worlds apart

One of the things that I really appreciate about my job is that it takes me to places that I might otherwise never go to or see.

 

Plus it sure beats going to a 9 to 5 office job where everyday it's the same routine sitting in the same cubicle. No offense to any of you office workers though. But that is just not for me.

 

 

When I am in a client's home, it also gives me a glimpse into their lives. No matter how tough I think I have it, you know, with trying to make ends meet and stuff like that, I have clients whose personal situation seem downright crappy.

 

I am going to sound corny, but seeing the hardship that some of my clients seem to go through, it makes me appreciate what I do have. It keeps me humble, I hope.

 

Anyway, I have a client who lives in a mobile home park. I am not going to reveal too much except to say that it's just a different world that he lives in.

 

 

 I respect all my clients. I like to dress whimsically when I go to clients' homes. But sometimes, I just like to look like a no nonsense blue collar type of guy, which seems appropriate in certain circumstance.

In contrast, I also have clients whose lifestyles would blow your mind away.

 

 

I have a client who sometimes ask me to perform his massage session on board his yacht. In terms of fashion, I feel like I have a lot more flexibility in what I choose to wear.

 

I am going to stop rambling now.