2011-03-20

Understanding In a Car Crash

Sometimes when I am alone, walking through the city and I arrive at a cross walk, I imagine what my body would sound like if a car came speeding through the intersection and collided with me. Would it crunch? Would it squish? Would I be unable to hear anything because I’d die on impact?

I’m not suicidal; I don’t know why I think like that. I know that if anyone reads this they will probably be a little disturbed…but well that’s what a blog is for right? Confessions?

2011-03-18

Quote of the Day

"I just wonder how many people never get the one they wanted, but end up with the one they're supposed to be with."


--from Fried Green Tomatoes

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.