2011-03-15

Japan Tragedy

My response to the Japanese tsunami/quake tragedy has been that of shock, mostly. Sifting through the photos online, some bring me to tears. I feel so helpless. I have already confirmed that all my friends in Japan are safe but that doesn't really placate my soul much. I think that the majority of the worlds responses to the disaster has proven that we are still hanging on to our humanity.


I have already decided I am going to do something about it. Either I will be traveling to the island nation in the coming months to volunteer my interpreting and medical training skills to the relief and rebuilding effort or I will be donating a large sum (think the price of a ticket to Narita) to the Japanese Red Cross Society (http://www.jrc.or.jp). If you have any ideas about what else I could do or would like to join me, please leave a comment below.


Sadly, the trolls come of of the woodwork as with any large news story. That has been bothering me. I can't believe some people's response to the horror. AFLAC recently dismissed Gilbert Gottfried over his tasteless tsunami joke and Racialicious recently posted a watchdog site about ignorant internet trolls here. Some people have been calling it "karma for Pearl Harbor". Disgusting. Fortunately the love being show to the Japanese people at this hour is overwhelming the less savory responses.




Querido Japón, rezamos por ti.

2011-02-24

Love letters


Hoy no voy a contarte aquella historia. Es demasiado temprano para eso y no creo que pueda aguantarlo todavía. Otro día te lo prometo.

Anoche salí buscando algo que, para mi, no tiene nombre. Hubo empezado a nevar y me encontré en el noroeste de la ciudad, tirado en mi bar favorito de aquel barrio. Fingía que no fuera de Portland, preguntando sobre las leyes del estado. Que puta madre es, no poder fumar en un bar.

Fingía porque quería hablar con alguien y olvidarme de las miradas frías de otros sitios.  La mesera era demasiada sencilla y un hombre a mi lado me hablaba también, lo del smoking.
           
Como siempre empecé a sentirme un poco incomodo y fuera de lugar. Quería salir ya y por su puesto salí. Quedé de pie al lado de mi carro, tomando aire limpia y fumando. No había casi nadie en la  calle. La gente nesta  ciudad es loca cuando nieva. Parecía algo apocalíptico con todas las luces apagadas y ninguna persona afuera.

Me metí nel carro y como no tenía adonde ir, yo conduje hacía la casa, escuchando canciones de amor perdido.  Al llegar a casa, tropecé con unos vecinos en el ascensor pero como los demás no fueron tan amables.  Solía decir algunas palabras cordiales pero no gasté mi aliento.

Me bañé para unas horas, hasta que empecé a estar dormido. El agua caliente me hacía más calmado, un poco menos estridente y amargo. Me difuminaba los bordes.

Y de repente, no como todas los otros instantes de esta noche,
había vuelto otro día sin ti. 

2011-01-27

Portlandia

This happened to me recently, with all good timing considering the new television from IFC about our "fair" city. It's the brain child of Fred Armisen. At one point in an interview about the inspiration for the series, Armisen and Bronstein  refer to Portland as "Whiteland", and how it made an impression on them how white upper-middle class it is.  And then this happened...


Every day at work I walk down to the Urban Grind on my break to buy the 99 cent ginger ale that I need to get me through the rest of the day. On this particular day I walked in and was waiting by the counter while the barista finished making some mocha contraption for this tall, lithe blonde hipster lady. Typical Portland hipster girl attire: boots, pageboy haircut, skinny jeans and some kind of artsy blouse. 


What struck me was that she was talking to the barista about how she had moved here from some other place and how great she found Portland. The barista mentioned that she had moved from California. The hipster girl gushes on about how great Portland is and how she just LOVES it here. She feels so free! 


That's when I had an epiphany. That is what Portland is for these liberal white 20-30 somethings. It is a paradise to "escape" to from their veritable hell of some Republican small town (Midwest, the South, take your pick). Portland is this bastion of liberal culture and free thinkers, oh and eco-awareness (yeah, right!). The thing is though...they're all White and upper-middle class. How are you changing the world by moving to a place that just has people like you, that think like you? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to change the minds of those "Republicans" you dislike so much? What are you really escaping to but another bubble of ignorance? Food for thought.


As for Portlandia, I don't think it's very funny. It does, however, get the stereotypes about Portland spot-on. So if you hate trendy Portland as much as I do, then you should watch an episode just for that.


Cheers!



2011-01-09

The write way

Lately I've been at a loss of words, I am not completely sure why that is. I guess it has been work, that has had my brain swamped and by the time I get home every night all I want to do is veg out and not think for about 12 hours. I've been neglecting the story I was writing too. Maybe I'm just (temporarily) out of stories. I usually have something to say, I guess just not these days.


"I'll keep searching for the right way to show them its the right thing."


I saw past my ex again today on my bike ride home, I guess I could talk about how that made me feel...except it didn't make me feel anything so there is nothing to say about that! That little realization feels pretty awesome in actuality.


I just gotta get my mojo back now.

2011-01-04

New Love Stories

It is officially a new year (ya sé que soy un poco tarde en decir esto pero whatever) and it is time for New Years resolutions and the like. It is not really a new beginning, I know, but a la vez we can pretend that each new year brings us a clean slate...at least I like to think that way. It can give us hope and change our perspectives. So here is to a new year! Que sea mejor.


New Year
New Love
New Adventure
New Songs to Sing
New Letters to Write
New Self
reNEW.

2010-12-07

Odio es amor truncado

Today, it seems, is a day for the past to rear it’s ugly head. You saw two such reminders, all within thirty minutes. Rather than dwell on the negativity they could bring up why not reflect on how you have changed and become a better person from those people and the experiences they created.

What is love without hate?
Is it anything at all?
Does love lose its importance without its opposite?

First there was the Indian girl. You ran into her on the streetcar ride to campus, she was leaving work. Apparently she had returned from Arizona. Despite all the time between she remembered where you used to live with the puta. It was, of course, right across the street. Silly you asked if she was still friends with the puta, to which you were surprised to hear yes and even that the Indian girl had spent Thanksgiving with her. Terrible feelings surfaced and you felt that familiar pesadez tapping on your soul. Fuck those bitches. Despite the years, the thought of her makes your blood run cold.

The second run-in was short, but still bitter on your part. It was that stupid boy, who said stupid things and still gives you stupid looks. It’s just stupid.  Don’t say what you don’t mean, after all. He’s still cute, even cuter maybe. Passing by him in the rain, him with his darting eyes and passive-aggressive silence reminded you of his boyfriend, the other man, yet another bitch. 


As it has been said: 
within the fool’s eyes lies love,
Love lies and al final, love truncated is just hate.  

2010-12-01

חג שמח



"A menorah is, uh, like the nightlight of our people. In times of 
darkness it shines on the whole world reminding us not to be afraid to 
be different, but to be proud who we are. "
--Schlomo, Rugrats Chanukkah Special


Felis Janúca a todos!