TOP 10 DAYS of 2017:

In chronological order —

April 1st - VEGAS
I usually hate Vegas. It’s expensive beyond reason, too damn hot, and just filthy. But this last time I went was easily the best experience I’ve had there. We got a relatively cheap condo that fit all of us, planned out everything for a pretty good bargain mixed in with some spontaneous events, and it was a blast of a time. It was the quintessential spring break experience you always see in movies and it was pretty wild to see it look exactly how it’s imagined.

Apr 21st - Shenanigans Presents: Come, Bring Alcohol
This was the best of our Shenanigans and it was absolutely iconic in so many ways. Too many highlights to name.

July 8th/July 15th - My First Hook Up Filming
My First Hook Up was such a fun film to be on set for, and it was also the first one we started production on. As the films went on, they got more and more exhausting, and even when things went wrong on this set or “too smoothly,” it was met with optimism. Not to mention, Ira and I had known each other for quite awhile working together before this, but it wasn’t until this set that I think we really got to know each other on a much more personal level which obviously turned out to be a great thing.

July 25th/26th - Space-Time Shenanigans planning and Day 2 of Filming
I absolutely hated a majority of the first day for my film Space-Time Shenanigans. It was a painfully long day and night, at times excruciatingly technical and beyond time-consuming (luckily those scenes are some of the best in the film). It wasn’t until Ira started to help that things went smoother, more optimism was injected into it, and the second day gave me a more clear picture as to what the film was becoming and what it could be. The planning for the film was the most fun part making that film. It was usually me, Ira and/or Jack location scouting, building the sets, shopping/making the props, buying the watches, etc. and some of those are my favorite memories when thinking of the making of that film.

Aug 1st/Aug 2nd - Dallas Gets Trolled/Six Flags Magic Mountain
The last two years, my birthday was some of the most fun I’ve had of the year thanks to Monique, Jack, and my group of friends who are the coolest group of people on the planet. Fun fact: while I was in Vegas, I saw this cool puppet that I loved, and my friends chipped in to buy it for me as a present. Also for my birthday, we went to Six Flags on a relatively smooth day. Sure it was the hottest weather I’ve probably ever been in my life, sweating instantly into a puddle the moment I got out of the car, but we got on almost all of the rides in a pretty quick amount of time. Like Vegas, I usually hate Six Flags for the same reasons, but this time was especially epic. And that new Justice League ride is phenomenal! homecoming wears with affordable price

Aug 21st - Return to Disneyland after Summer
Disneyland finally re-opened the Rivers of America after a year and a half, which made it a great day of exploring Tom Sawyer’s Island and going on the canoes! Most Disneyland trips are relatively the same, but with so many new things to explore, this trip added an extra amount of fun.

Sept 16th/Nov 3rd - Halloween Horror Nights
Best time of the year, every year, hands down! Finally getting to see Brian Diep go through some mazes! Plus I got to see plenty of people fall, scream, jump, cry, laugh and more. It should be HHN all year round :(

Oct 28th - Monique’s Birthday/Halloween Party
Seeing everyone dress up is like watching your favorite show randomly do a horror-themed episode. It was a fun night of games, dancing, and socializing. For a good chunk of time from September and onward, I was basically in a cave editing the films from the summer, so this was one of the rare times I got to leave the house so I can see everyone, not at a theme park or at work, but just hang out.

Nov 17th - Disneyland Holidays
Disneyland during the Holidays is always a joyous occasion and I think we started off the season beautifully with a good chunk of our Disney Pass friends coming together gathering at our usual place, the Cove Bar (which is sadly going under construction until April). After, we went around to check out the decorations, ride overlays and even saw a sneak-peek of the entrance for Star Wars Land. The walk back to the car was also pretty hilarious that night.

Dec 15th - Summer Films Premiere
A culmination of all the work we had done that year is always great to see and hear everyone’s reactions. Considering this is our passion and everything else we do is peripheral, to me, this represents the year as a whole. All the fun, challenges, heartaches, wild rides and laughs rolled into one. I think we’ve come a long way as professionals, friends, colleagues, lovers, etc., and it’s beautiful that we continue to grow, learn, and keep reaching for more. 2018 will be no different!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
First time at The Perch, watching the Oscars Best Picture fiasco live, St Pattys, the 1975 concert in San Diego, Disneyland to ride the Guardians ride for the first time and see Wonder Woman in the same night, “Grad Nite,” Friendsgiving, Jeremas. Movie gatherings for Fifty Shades Darker, Fate of the Furious, Alien: Covenant, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Justice League, and The Last Jedi.

And then per tradition, based on the year of 2017, this would be my MySpace Top 8 based on number of hang outs!
Bryan Sosa - 42
Eileen Tovar - 45
Roy Lewis - 54
Celina Chaidez - 63
Jeremy Garcia - 67
Monique Guzman - 74
Jack Koester - 107
Irais Cardenas - 133

- This year’s list was even with 4 men and 4 women, the same as 2014 and 2016.
- Oscar Ho was on the list in 2014-2016, but is sadly absent this year, at #24.
- 4 people on the list this year were on the top 8 last year.
- The previous record for most hang-outs in a year was 130. Ira topped that with 133 (not including times where we worked together, which would be 150+). If we’re not counting her since she was my girlfriend for a third of the year (some would say that’s unfair lol), then Jack would be number 1, but would be behind the 2016 record by 23 days.