Journal

PICTURES

Check out the new pictures in the Construction album!

Armen

Stuff

Greetings!

The expansion and remodeling of our house is almost done. We expect everything to be over by the end of next week. It took about four months but it seems like it’s been much longer. The hardest part of this ordeal was the last couple of months when the interior work really got going. I’ll have some pictures posted within a few days.

Aylin is no longer working at Sander Kessler & Associates. She’s looking into her options, including a career as an elementary school teacher. This means that she will have to go back to school. In the meanwhile, she will jump start her Mary Kay business which she started a few weeks ago.

Hey, I will be an uncle again sometime around March of 2006! Ara & Delia announced that they are expecting their second one. So the question that we get asked is “When are you going to have a baby?” The answer is “We’ll tell you when we know”. So there!

Aylin and I haven’t taken a vacation (Vacation = taking time off for pleasure for more than one workday) since July of 2003 when we went to Hawaii. We’re giving ourselves a break and going to Barcelona, Spain for the first couple of weeks of October. I last visited Barcelona in the summer of 1982 – 23 years ago! I can’t wait to see my old house, school, beach resort, the restaurants, hangouts, etc. It still hasn’t sunk into my head because our lives have been so hectic with other things.

Here’s something interesting to chew on: the taxable social security wage base has increased dramatically in the last couple of decades compared to previous decades. In fact, the wage base is 2.27 times more today since I graduated high school in 1985! How much more can we pay???

1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997 2005
$3,000 $3,000 $4,200 $6,600 $16,500 $43,800 $65,400 $90,000
0% 40% 57% 150% 165% 49% 38%

The world in general doesn't know what to make of originality; it is startled out of its comfortable habits of thought, and its first reaction is one of anger. -W. Somerset Maugham, writer (1874-1965)

PICTURES

Check out the new pics in our PHOTOS link under for photos of our construction. I've also placed a picture of me and some high school friends all the way back from 1985! We were all so skinny!

Armen

The Latest

Hi all!

The construction is moving along just fine. In fact, it’s moving faster than expected. In a month’s time, the frames of the additions have been erected. At this rate, I believe everything will be completed within 2 to 3 more months. So far, we’ve been able to deal with the cramped quarters. Our kitties – especially Midori, the female – are not very happy. That’s about the only thing that’s bothering us. At some point, we’ll have to move for about a week when the crew starts on the wood floors. Aylin’s been taking a ton of pictures and video of the construction progress. I think we’ll have 200 pictures by the time they’re done! We’ll have a huge party after the madness is over.

I will be attending my 20-year high school reunion this Saturday. I still can’t get over the fact that high school ended 20 years ago. I’m excited but a little apprehensive. It’s strange to see some of these people after all these years. I’m hoping for a fun reunion. I’m hoping that people have grown up!

Our Harper’s Gig is not too far in the horizon. In less than two weeks, we’ll rock the house down. If all goes well, maybe we can get a steady gig at Harper’s. At any rate, we’re pretty excited. The manager at Harper’s is super cool and so is the place.

Speaking of gigs, I want to state for the record that we’re done playing free gigs. In fact, our last few gigs paid us decent amounts. We had a little fiasco with a wedding that we’d agreed to play for free as a favor to Jerry. Well, after that little episode, free gigs will be limited to CLOSE family or close mutual friends – if that. Some people think that they are doing US a favor by asking us to play when they don’t even want to pay. They don’t realize the time that we spend rehearsing, learning new songs, and hauling equipment, paying for equipment, etc. There’s a monetary cost as well as a personal cost. We take time away from our families and other activities that we could enjoy. We’re not in this for the money, but we’re not going to get screwed either. As far as I’m concerned, we’re providing a service and we ought to be paid for that service. If people don’t like that, they can hire another band and pay a lot more.

OK, enough angry jabber. I’ll leave today’s blogger with a great quote!

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948)

Updates

The Chemical Kids have secured another gig at Harper’s Sports Bar and Grill for Saturday, June 18, 2005! For more information, visit our website at

http://www.beatlelinks.net/chemicalkids.html

There aren’t too many exciting places around in the San Fernando Valley. Harper’s is definitely filling that void by providing a fun and exciting environment for all. We are looking forward to the show!

Prior to the Harper’s gig, we will be performing at a wedding on June 4th.

In other news, the construction of our house started last week. Work is progressing rapidly and we may be done within 3 to 4 months.

I will be attending my 20th anniversary high school reunion on June 11. It’s hard to describe how weird it is to know that I graduated 20 years ago; I still remember those years as if they weren’t long ago!

See ya!

The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same. -Stendal (Marie Henri Beyle), novelist (1783-1842)

Long absence, latest updates

Yes, it’s been a looooong while since I updated our journal.
We’ve decided to expand our house by approximately 500 square feet. Aylin found a contractor that we’re very excited about. So far, everything has worked out great with them. None of the work will be sub-contracted. They will take care of all the permits too. Here are the changes:

Additions: Large walk-in closet in the master bedroom, one extra room, shower in the small bathroom, and a new patio area.
Extensions: Master bedroom, living/dinning room
Fixtures & improvements: fix the driveway, repaint the wood trims and house, possibly change the look of the front porch, add new windows, change the landscape.

I hope everything will work out fine and fast!

In other exciting news, the Chemical Kids have a gig on Saturday, April 23rd! We will be playing at the Regal Inn in Lakewood (Long Beach area). Admission is FREE! Unfortunately, our guitar whiz won’t be joining us that night due to extenuating circumstances. But as they say in the “biz”, the show must go on. You can still expect the same great rock and roll music to dance and party to. We hope to see and party with you all on April 23rd! The address is:

Regal Inn
6763 East Carson
Lakewood, CA
562-425-9038

Ending Notes

As the year comes to an end, I find myself reflecting back on the year and looking forward to the future. 2004 was a challenging year for us but the challenges were easier to handle this year than in the previous years because Aylin and I stuck together through thick and thin. So much happened in 2004 that it seems like a blur. Work related issues were particularly intense this year, especially beginning the third quarter. Aylin and I went through some trying times but we made it through. What’s in store for 2005? So much can happen in one year that it is hard to predict. Will there be a little Grigorian in our family? Will the Chemical Kids play a few gigs? Will the stock market be good to us? Will the situation in Iraq and with terrorism end or improve? Which one of my staff will leave next year? Will the issues at work be resolved? Will we be happy and healthy? Will our families and friends be happy and healthy?

Every year is a new experience. Every year we live and learn. I’m posting something on this blogger that I received three years ago. I refer back to it every now and again. I hope you get something out of it. I do every year.

Happy New Year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've learned- that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned-that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to
take its place.

I've learned- that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned- that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned- that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned- that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned- that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned- that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned- that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned- that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned- that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned- that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned- that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned- that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned- that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned- that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned- that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned- that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned- that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned- that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned- that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned- that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.