The Mod Think Tank - Life and Times of an Aging Shoegazer

Latest Concert Calendar

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:45:42 PDT

Exciting year! Check out these bands to watch in the next couple of months -

St Vincent at Bimbo's - May 27
School of Seven Bells at Bottom of the Hill - May 28
The Submarines at The Independent - June 5
Metric, Glasvegas, Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Shoreline (BFD) - June 6
Camera Obscura at The Fillmore - June 8
Glasvegas, Von Bondies and Audrey Sessions at the Blank Club in San Jose - June 11
Bat for Lashes at Great American Music Hall - June 13
Third Eye Blind free concert at the park in SJ - June 18
Phoenix at the Grand Ballroom of Regency Center - June 27
Death Cab for Cute at the Greek Theater - July 11
Coldplay at Shoreline Ampitheater - July 13
The Veils at Bottom of the Hill - July 13
No Doubt, Paramore, and the Sounds at Shoreline Ampitheater - July 25
Depeche Mode at Shoreline Ampitheater - Aug 12
Matt & Kim at Outlands Fest SF - Aug 28
Charlatans UK - October 14

I really want to see Depeche Mode (missed them the last time they were here).

A Very Musical Tuesday

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:51:33 PDT

After watching the finale of American Idol, I watched the pilot episode of Glee. I thought Lea Michele is awesome! I actually saw her on stage in New York when I watched the broadway Spring Awakening. I loved their interpretation of Journey's Don't Stop Believing. Until now, it's still playing in my head. Watch the pilot episode now - http://www.hulu.com/watch/73740/glee-pilot

Btw, on a side note, it's obvious Adam is the clear choice and I've been a fan from the start (well aside from Anoop but he's long gone). I am starting to like Kris Allen though because he's becoming more confident and plays/sings more passionately then ever before. Check out Kris Allen's performance of Heartless by Kanye West. It's definitely better than the original - http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5058940

Free Coldplay Live Album

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:17:03 PDT

Their website says it's the band's way of saying thanks! Download the free tunes here - http://bit.ly/tRTBv - Awesomeness!

On other news, Al and I finally saw Star Trek. I thought Chris Pine and Zachary Pinto were adorable, hehe. Zachary, zachary, zachary! I'm glad to see such a talented actor on the big screen and away from his tv character Sylar. I liked the movie. Watch it!

My Dream Electric Car

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Wed, 20 May 2009 01:01:07 PDT

Can someone buy me this please? http://bit.ly/uFQO2 Check out these new (but expensive) electric cars (some models are not even in production yet)

Pacquiao versus Hatton

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:03:32 PDT

I can't believe it! Hatton is down after two rounds! And I was worried. Anyway, this just proves that Pacquiao is the best pound for pound fighter int the world. His win over Oscar dela Hoya was a huge victory, but the Hatton knock-out should hush up critics who say that he can only beat boxers that are old and ready to retire (since Hatton is still in his prime). Lots of celebrities came out - P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Mark Wahlberg, Mike Tyson, Russell Brand, Tom Jones, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson, etc. Martin Nievera version of the Phil national anthem was not a good interpretation (I even got turned off by the background music). Keep it simple people! Anyway, it was a quick fight. I felt sorry for Hatton (for a while, I thought he was paralyzed or something). I hope he's okay.

Swine Flu Alert

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:17:30 PDT

Scary! The Center for Disease Control has issued an alert of a flu strain that is resistent to vaccines. There have been reported deaths already in Mexico and cases in the US. Google is tracking the outbreak of the swineflu virus via Google Maps - http://ow.ly/47bL. Play this swine flu game too - http://www.swinefighter.com.

I also got this from my friend Mo - It was once said that an African American would be president "when pigs fly." Indeed 100 days into Obama's presidency...Swine Flu!

Monterey Whale Watching

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:47:21 PDT

My first whale watch. Al and I decided to go since it was a gift to a dear friend. We woke up really early for this and met at the Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. We bought out tix, and rode the yacht in search of whales in the beautiful bay. After two hours, we finally found a family of 20 to 25 wild killer whales swimming together. One got too close to our boat that we were so surprised. It was such a site. Going back, I was vomiting at the back of the yacht because I got sea sick! I was in awe seeing the whales, but I think this will be my last whale watch.

After Monterey, we drove to Carmel Mission for mass and also took pictures. Then we drove back to Old Fisherman's Wharf for lunch and walked around to window shop (and tasted samples of clam chowders from different restaurants, hehe).

More Susan Boyle

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Wed, 20 May 2009 00:18:05 PDT

By now, you've probably heard of Susan Boyle, who sang her way to the public's hearts when she sang on Britain's Got Talent. Her videos have been viral videos on the internet, and I must admit, I loved her voice! Check out this video from Jimmy Fallon's late night show - http://tinyurl.com/c949jo - hilarious!

Using Twitter Again

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:29:08 PDT

I dunno if you noticed already but on my right sidebar, I have a twitter widget where all my twitter updates can be seen. I've had my account ever since 2007, but I barely twittered. Lately, I've been trying to learn twitter lingo and twitter apps like tweetdeck, vidtweet, twitpic, and bubble tweeter. I must say, it is interesting microblogging technology, and a good marketing tool on the web. So follow me @blurpop and say hello!

Lake Tahoe with the Dulays

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:26:05 PDT

My older brother invited me on an easter weekend with his wife's family. I could not resist the invitation because this means quality time with my nephew and niece. And when he said we're going to Lake Tahoe, I had to go snowboarding. Kuya Jon rented a whole house a block from the lake. It was a nice drive to Tahoe, listening to Matt & Kim so we weren't bored. As soon as we reached the mountains, snow was falling until we reached Tahoe. That night, we waited for the family to get there, and then went on a casino spree. At one point, we saw a rock band contest at Harrah's.

The next day, we set our time for Sierra at Tahoe, where we rented snowboards and headed out on the slopes. Al was pretty good; I was pretty tired. I had much fun, while the kiddies went on the tires and sleds. Some built snowmen and threw snowballs at each other. It felt like winter even when it's spring.

Seattle and Vancouver Vacation

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:54:28 PDT

Al and I decided to fly to Seattle to visit family, especially my grandma since it's her 96th birthday. She's not too well and weaker than before, so I want to spend as much time with her while she's alive. I love my grandma sooo much! So on her birthday, my family prepared some food, and my cousin bought a cake. The next day, we decided to drive my older brother and family to Vancouver and tour them around. As usual, we went to Gas Town and rode the Big Bus Tour. We also saw Robert Downey's trailer by the beach since he's shooting a movie. And I also noticed a lot of constructions going on - maybe they're preparing for the Olympics? We also went shopping at Robson Street and ate lunch at a Japanese restaurant there. And dinner at Goldilocks (oh yeah we bought some got sago? shirts there). Out last stop was the Science Center before visiting the duty free by the border. Shopping was fun at duty free.

Our fun feeling suddenly disappeared when we were stopped because Al went on the wrong lane. Not his fault really because he didn't see the signs at night because of all the constructions going on. We all went inside a building. It was kinda scary because we didn't know what to expect while they were interviewing Al. He got a warning and we found out that a lot of other people were making the same mistake. Anyway, I can't wait for the 2010 Winter Olympics. We will visit Vancouver again when that happens. Hopefully, we get to visit Victoria and Whistler soon.

Back in Seattle, we visited Boston Harbor in Olympia. We brought lola so she can see the beautiful lake there. Afterwards, we went shopping again at the Seattle Premium Outlets. I bought a Coach wallet and a Lacoste watch. On our flight back home and upon boarding, Virgin America announced that they are boarding all virgins, and then those with black shirts. I thought that was funny.

Earthquake in the Bay Area

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:39:43 PDT

I was working at home when the 4.8 quake hit. The epicenter was in Morgan Hill and I felt the strong jolt. Al was sleeping on the couch and he suddenly woke up and walked was ready to walk out the door. And he is usually a deep sleeper, so the quake must have been strong, but very short. No damage though and bay area residents didn't think it was a big deal. I was shaken though.

Hubby Wins Championships

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:37:04 PDT

Yes, my hubby Al finally won his league's basketball championships after trying for two years! It's well deserved I think. The got more players in their roster, plus better, faster and taller ones too. I brought my niece Mia along with me and people thought she was our little daughter, haha! She was jumping and cheering for her Uncle Al! Congratulations! Time to celebrate!

Bands I Love at the Moment

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:32:48 PDT

I wanted to create a new spring playlist, so I started redeeming all the iTunes gift cards I've gotten in the past. Then, I got into a download frenzy - Matt & Kim's Daylight, Glasvegas' Geraldine and Daddy Gone, School of Seven Bells (all songs), Phoenix's 1901, The Veils' The Letter, The Submarines' 1940, Von Bondies' Pale Bride, and more Submarines songs. I love am sooo loving spring now.

UStream Mobile on the iPhone

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:25:49 PDT

Success! I got the UStream Mobile App to work! So now I can stream video in real time (with a few seconds delay). Check it out below -

25 Random Things About Me

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:24:27 PST

So on facebook, there's an infectious post going around that is really amusing. I normally hate chain posts about random questions about favorite colors and favorite things (well, I did answer a few of them years ago until I got sick of it), but this one seems the most prominent, revealing facts about people you thought you knew. I think of all chains, this has most heart. Anyway, here are 25 random things about me -

1. I recently changed my name to my married name after 10 years of being married and I think it's causing some confusion. I'm still trying to get used to signing my new name. I recently went to DMV and SS offices to change my name but I signed my cards with my maiden name. Do'h!

2. I always wanted to be a lawyer or be involved in politics when I was in high school. So I took Political Science, volunteered for a couple of political organizations, met some public figures in person such as Bill Clinton, Diane Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi and Jackie Speier. But I changed my mind after my first two years in college.

3. I regret turning down an internship with the mayor's office at San Francisco City Hall right after college because I accepted a paid job at a law firm.

4. I worked myself through college, studying full-time and working full-time, with the addition of two menial part-time jobs (one was an additional four hours while one was on-call), while organizing and leading a school group and babysitting my baby sister at night while my mom worked the graveyard shift. I keep wondering how I did all that.

5. I am usually a calm and quiet person. Am also very shy, but when I click with someone and become comfortable, I tend to be chatty :)

6. I wore glasses for most of my life, since first grade until 2006. I never tried contacts either coz my eyes are really sensitive. That year I had lasik surgery. It feels sooo liberating.

7. I've been trying to have a baby for 10 years and had a miscarriage three weeks ago. It was devastating but at least I know I can get pregnant. Plus I loved having nice hair and skin during my first trimester.

8. I never learned how to swim. When I was a kid, my family went on vacation at a beach resort, and my uncle carried me and threw me in the wavy waters in an attempt to teach me how to swim. It traumatized me.

9. I used to play the organ at my church back home during mass (well, only a few occasions). I also played the keyboards almost every day of my life since second grade until 1998. I donated my keyboards to a grade school teacher (or was it pre school?) when I saw a posting on Craigslist and I never had a keyboard since. I actually don't miss it.

10. While in college, I was invited to be an intern for the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival for two months and loved it because I got to borrow rare indie videos from their library and hold private viewing parties with my friends back at my apartment then.

11. My first job at 16 was at McDonald's on 24th and Mission and I quit after the first day. I swore to never work for a fast food joint ever again! I also swore never to work around that area too!

12. I also had a college job as a switchboard operator and reception for the Church of Scientology headquarters in San Francisco. On my first day, I met a girl named Friday. I told my mom that I accepted a job there and worked for a day, and she told me to quit so I did. I think I know now why...

13. I used to be a roadie and driver for a friend who was a DJ. I would go with him to shop for his equipment at Leo's in SF or rent his lights at a store in Pacifica. He would always give me a mixed tape of my favorite songs back then. I would tag along to his party gigs until I got too busy with school. He's now a company director and engineer, and I haven't seen him for 9 years.

14. My most memorable birthday was my 21st when we decided to have a garage party that filled our house in Daly City (I had memorable crashers too). My brother and his band at the time played in the garage, and the lead singer sang 'My Sister' by Juliana Hatfield and dedicated it to me. I was soooo touched that I was teary-eyed, seriously! http://tinyurl.com/ag338s

15. I love to travel (when time and budget permits). I'm fortunate to share my experiences with the one I love. We both like back-packing, exploring local and foreign places, discovering back alleys with small local museums and shops, and experiencing the food in different cities. But lately, we've been inclined to join small chartered tours. I feel like an octogenarian :)

16. I just learned how to get free games for the DS. Shh.

17. In 2001, I wrote a children's story which almost got published. The publisher is still willing to produce it but I still need a good illustrator.

18. I love pop culture, and also certain sub cultures. My guilty pleasure is celebrity gossip, haha!

19. I hate scary movies and get scared even with cheesy horror films. I get really jumpy. I don't understand why people watch them and why they would try to scare themselves :)

20. I'm not a mall person at all. I try to avoid them as much as possible. I think I only go when I need to buy gifts and clothes for special occasions. But I like shopping at small boutiques and specialty stores.

21. I played the cello and trained for two days to be part of an orchestra with renowned musicians. I got scared of the guy teaching me (he was sooo strict) that I didn't show up for practice the following weekend.

22. In the early 90's, I wanted to watch the Sonic Youth concert at the Warfield in SF sooo bad that I went by myself since none of my friends wanted to go and thought they were too noisy for their taste. I remember standing in the mosh pit, wearing my green 'Dirty' shirt and black doc marten boots. It was one of the best concerts I've seen in my life. http://tinyurl.com/arleok

23. I used to enjoy cooking and was a good cook. In 2003, I just stopped cooking all of a sudden. Don't ask me why...

24. I snuck into a drive-thru movie theater once with two friends and my hubby (my boyfriend then) in SF and we drove through the exit. I found a long piece of wood to cover the spikes that puncture the tires on the road. Shame! The movie was Independence Day, haha!

25. I once saw a dead whale on Ocean Beach and remember being amazed on how big it was (and that it reeked so bad). The next morning, park rangers buried it on the beach using huge tractors.

Days of Shock and Sadness

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:13:40 PST

Wow, I haven't blogged for a long time, and there's good reason for that. I know I blogged about my pregnancy because I am sooo excited (we've been trying for 10 years) but then I had a miscarriage three weeks ago. Very sad news, I know. They found out that the baby didn't have a heartbeat and that it stopped growing on the 9th week (and I found out when I had my OB appointment when I thought I was on my 12th week). Sux.

Not sure what's happening to my family. Last year around summertime, my sis-in-law also had a miscarriage, then me. Then my cousin had premature twins on her 5th month and the hospital said they wouldn't survive which they didn't. Then I just found out today that my cousin had a miscarriage too few weeks ago and this is her third miscarriage (she does have a baby already but they've been trying for another one). I dunno what's going on, but we'll keep on trying. The sucky part was that I had to go through a D&C procedure that hurt like crap, like having the worst menstrual cramps ever. And then on top of that, I had a fever and a cough (must've been an infection). But just in case I do have an infection, they gave me two types of anti-biotics to take. I feel soo drugged, hehe. Anyhoo, I'm okay now, except of this backache that's been buggin' me for months (even before the procedure). Scary!

A friend of mine said, why is it that women who don't want kids have kids, and those that want them don't get pregnant? I will never take pregnancy for granted ever again!

The Perks of Being Pregnant

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:53:52 PST

So it sucks that there are many limitations while being pregnant. I can't eat certain foods that I love such as fish, tea, and brie cheese. I can't do certain activities. Like recently, my friend was inviting me to Tahoe to go skiing, but I can't go really. Or when I went to Seattle for Christmas to see family. There was so much snow that they were sledding down the front yard. I can't even do that. Or go relax in a hot tub when Al and I checked in a hotel for New Year's Eve. Sux. But hey, you gotta look at the bright side right? Here's one perk I just discovered -

My Baby at Eight Weeks

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:17:31 PST

I had another ultrasound appointment with my fertility specialist again today (I just had a doc's appointment two weeks ago). They want to make sure the pregnancy is progressing nicely and that I had not miscarried at this stage. So far so good. The doctor said that the baby is now the size of a gummy bear (two weeks ago she described it as a grain of rice, hehe). My next step is to get an OB/GYN. I called the clinic and they said they're gonna call me back. Here's a pic of our baby at eight weeks -

My First Pregnancy Ultrasound

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:33:57 PST

I had my first ultrasound this morning after two positive blood tests few weeks ago. My fertility specialist had scheduled an ultrasound on my 6th week of pregnancy to check the embryo and look at the heartbeat. She said that everything is going well so far. Al was not able to go since he couldn't get out of work, but it's okay since my pregnancy is still in the early stages (the baby is the size of a grain of rice, the doctor said). My friend Mo was also kind enough to go with me and even take a video (she woke me up - I almost overslept and forgot about my appointment, and she was rushing to drive here so she can go with me too). I was excited to see my awesome doctor (I highly recommend her) and she was excited for me (she did get me pregnant so I'm forever grateful to her). She also suggested that I start looking for an OB. Anyway, check out the video here.

It's been a busy Thanksgiving weekend (ultrasound today, early thanksgiving dinner at my dad's last Thursday, house-hopped at my older brother's, black Friday shopping at Oakridge, and dinner at Cheesecake Factory). Yesterday, I met up with some friends, went to church with them, had lunch at Patio Filipino, hung out at Starbucks in Westlake, and passed by my brother's place. My sister-in-law gave me her pregnancy book that gave a week-by-week description of what I'm supposed to do and what to expect when pregnant. She also gave me a lot of tips and magazines that I can use. Oh and also a link to a site that gave me a weekly account of to-do's and other tools I can use. Coolness!

Another Blood Test Follow-Up

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:13:56 PST

So the nurse told me to come back Wednesday (yesterday) for another blood test to make sure the pregnancy is going in the right direction. My hcg levels are supposed to double by now. So I went in and Al went along with me since he was off. I've been getting a lot of calls from family and friends the whole morning wishing me congratulations so I didn't get to the lab until 10 am. They told me results will be ready the next day (today) so I had to wait that long!

After the test, Al and I went to Starbucks to meet up with Anne so she can get the luxury suite tickets I had for tomorrow's Warriors game. It was also the 1st ever Filipino Heritage Night in the arena so it should be fun. But now I can't have too much fun anymore since I'm pregnant and it's only the first trimester.

Today the nurse called and said that my hcg levels have doubled and that's a very good thing. So the next step is to see my doctor and have an ultrasound. Can't wait to see her!

Having the Best Day Ever!

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:46:30 PST

And good days after that! And the week's not over yet! Saturday was the best day ever! So much good news came my way. But the best news was that I found out I'm pregnant! Finally, it happened after ten years of waiting. It's still early, but I'm just excited that at least I got a positive reading when I tested on a digital ept stick. I do it every month and always get disappointed because I would always read NOT PREGNANT (those digital pregnancy test are kinda blunt, the ones with lines are more subtle, haha). I couldn't believe the positive reading on ept, so I tried another brand, Clearblue and it was positive again. I still couldn't believe it, so I bought a generic one at the dollar store the next day (those test are expensive you know) and that didn't work. No lines were showing. So I told my husband to buy another digital ept test. I waited the next Monday morning to test again, and it was positive! So I called my doctor's office and they told me to come in right away for a blood test.

So I went to the REI lab and the nice phlebotomist guy asked me how I was doing. I told him I was good and anxious, and he said I bet you are! He told me that results will be ready in 5 hours and that someone would call me. I went home to work and wait. That was the longest wait ever! So I talked to my sis-in-law too and told her the news. While I was talking to her, I didn't know that the nurse had already called me and left a message (she said I have your results, I'll leave you in suspense. Call me back.) I called back and I was on hold for the longest time. Then I was passed on to another person. Then the person was talking slow and telling me technical stuff that I didn't understand. This was our conversation -

Suz: Cindy?
Me: Yes
Suz: What's your date of birth?
Me: Blah blah blah
Suz: Lemme look at your chart...Hmm...When did they do insemination?
Me: I didn't do that
Suz: Lemme check your chart again. Oh yes we're trying for natural pregnancy correct?
Me: Yes
Suz: When was the last day of your period?
Me: October 17
Suz: Your test shows an hcg level of 158 and we normally expect 50 around this time
Me: So is that good or bad?
Suz: It's positive!
Me: Really! Oh my gosh!

Christmas is in the Air

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:03:40 PST

I'm really diggin' the new Gap campaign - www.gap.com/merrymixit. Check out the celebrities they got to sing, play, and dance xmas carols. There's Flo Rida, Trey, Jason Biggs, Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Selma Blair, Rainn Wilson, and others. I'm starting to feel the xmas spirit... peace!

Obama Wins by a Landslide

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:40:26 PST

Wow, such a historic and emotional election. I can't believe I wasn't apathetic this year. And I never would have thought that I would live to see the day that a black President would lead the greatest nation on earth. I'm glad the electoral college pulled through for him (I thought it was gonna be a close race). And McCain's speech was the most composed and sincere I've seen him so far. I almost voted Republican (coz most of my views are Republican in nature) but after more research and much thought, I decided to vote for who I believe is the better candidate. And I hope I'm right. I believe good things are to come. So as a mini-reward for doing our civic duty, we drove quickly to Starbucks to get our free coffee, hehe. Cheers!

Check here for live results in Santa Clara County and San Francisco.

Tracking Your Ballot Online

indie.cindy@gmail.com (Cindy Sacramento) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:33:43 PST

For those who voted by mail (absentee ballot), you now have the option of tracking it online. Al just told me this and I couldn't believe it, but I guess it's true. Check out this article. It's funny how we dropped it off last night and the tracking system says they haven't received my ballot yet. I'll check again tomorrow on election day!