Today was a good day. My parents and Alfredo came up to visit me in Fresno. We ate breakfast and then went to mi tia Rachel’s house, where we talked and enjoyed each others company. About an hour later we went to go eat again, this time at Denny’s. My belly was full, but happy as usual. I thought Ricky was also going to come, but I was unfortunately mistaken. I had returned to Fresno Saturday afternoon and I was feeling depressed. I even called Alfredo and told him that I would return on Sunday morning to Porterville so that we could take my mom out to eat. I was happily surprised when I called and my mom told me that she wanted to go to Fresno to visit me. That brought a smile to my face, and the depression was flushed out of my system. I really value my family and I enjoy spending time with them. Every time I say goodbye I feel sad and I look forward to seeing them again. Usually during the week I am with Sonia, and I spend most of my time with my love. You kind of take your best friend for granted when you see her for most of the week. Sonia is in Mexico and oh how I miss her. She will be in Mexico for a week and a half more. She has been in Mexico for a week now. Her brother got married yesterday in Zacatecas. After the wedding she is going to her parents’ home state of Guanajuato. Tomorrow is the 1st of July and we are to be out of the apartment for summer storage. I am not sure if I want to leave, since air conditioning is much better than the cooler at Sonia’s apartment. I am seriously considering getting an apartment with Sonia and her niece. Well, not exactly an apartment but a house. Could you imagine renting a house with a pool or even a Jacuzzi/spa, that would be sweet. I am tired of living with my roommate. He likes to talk ‘smack’ to his girl about make-belief things, such as Sonia always being over at the apartment and other bullshit, that I accidentally read when I was using his laptop. I take it back, it wasn’t accidental, but rather on purpose. I read his email on purpose. I somehow never really trusted him. His friendship seemed sincere but I was unsure of it and when I read those words that he wrote to his girlfriend, It really hurt me. The one male friend that I had made in Fresno was really a fraud. Someone that could not talk to me “man to man” but instead complained to his girlfriend. If he needed the apartment so that he and his girl could be alone, why didn’t he tell me? If I was wasting his internet hours why wouldn’t he tell me? And now his friend is staying here with us and he is a bum. A bum I tell you. The man is 27, he has a B.A. in Social Work and he doesn’t like to work. Instead he prefers to live at home with his parents and live off their hard-work. J saves up his money and uses it all for his own personal use. He tells me that he wants to be self sufficient for once and I say that he is a joke. He has no job, he has a new car and he still spends money on the stupid car, lowering it and doing other lame things. Oh well, I am not going to dwell over things that have nothing to do with me or my family. It is such a pity, that an individual that comes from the same background as mine, is such a waste. He could at the very minimum live at home and work at his parents’ store instead of being here in my apartment taking up space and doing nothing. Right now I am sitting on the couch writing away, trying to make myself read some books, workout and maybe go running. At least somehow my writing skills will improve in some way with the use of this journal.
Monthly Archive for June, 2002
It’s a hot Friday afternoon in Porterville. I am sitting here on the couch, in the living room, while my parents are eating on the kitchen. Alfredo has secluded himself as usual in his bedroom, and Ricky is in the shower letting off some steam. I’ve been on his case for his lack of motivation, his irresponsible behavior, and his inability to control his anger. The Limoneira Company offers a scholarship to the children of its employees. Alfredo and I have received the award in the past and it’s a hefty amount in my opinion. To pass up on this opportunity would be a crime. The current situation was brought on because Ricky’s complacence. It seems he’d rather pass up on the scholarship for the simple reason that he is too lazy to fill out the paperwork and meet the other requirements, such as a letter of recommendation, and a 500 word essay. It is so frustrating trying to deal with him.
On current “political issues” there is hysteria going around right now. The 9th Circuit Court ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional because of the phrase “Under God.” The conflict arises because of an established principle of the division between church and state. Americans are so stupid. They’re always trying to impose their beliefs on you, and they seem to think that just because the majority of the people believe in Santa Claus then all of us must believe in that too. Why not eliminate those two words and keep the “pledge?” Americans try to turn the situation around and say that this is just a plot by liberals to accommodate the so called minority. The politicians say that this a country founded by “religious” ideals. That is ridiculous! Many of the founding fathers felt that religion was superstitious. I heard a local politician mutter some stupidity like that God was present in our government since the Mayflower and the pilgrims. Give me a break! Those individuals were fleeing to a place (America) where they could practice their religion and impose it on everyone else. I guess that’s what you call religious intolerance. Not everyone believes in superstition. Why not keep your personal beliefs out of government? You are free to practice whatever religion you want and you can say whatever you want. But don’t indoctrinate young kids. We must learn to live with each other and respect one another. Don’t impose your beliefs on everyone else. Religion has no place in government, and if you don’t think so, you have the poor historical development of Latin America, where religion and the church played influential roles and thus were detrimental to the development of Latin American governments. Religion is fine for sheep but not everyone is asleep. Why is this such a major issue when we have so many other things to worry about? Millions of Americans still don’t have healthcare, many are falling through the cracks because of a mediocre educational system. Many others are incarcerated, and others are simply cogs in the machine. Work, consume, stay ignorant, and die. What a life.
“…Pero el negro, el indio, y el español, se mesclaron para darle un gusto a dios.”
Sonia is in route to Zacatecas, Zacatecas along with her brother, a smart niece and a nephew. The brother is going to make the lunge into marriage. Good Luck cuñado! I wasn’t really invited because her family is very …how do I say?…oh yes…old fashioned. They used to be stricter with her but I worked my magic on them. I am really good, I must say. Currently I am on vacation. I am supposedly working, but then again, I do believe that you have to be physically present at your place of employment in order to be considered that you are working. Am I correct? I am also in the process of losing about 50 lbs by the end of the summer. Is it possible? My brother, the middle, says that it is possible. According to him, last year he lost on average about 20 lbs a month. That guy is crazy. His regiment included running 2.5 mile twice a day, and lifting weights twice a day also. We used to call him Atlas man…some comic book guy. Well, unfortunately for him, his work caught up to him (Jack in the Box) and now he is in worse shape than I am. His ‘gut’ is visible at all times. Mine would be too but I have trained myself to ‘suck in my gut’ all day everyday, unless I am stuffing down a large pepperoni, mushroom and pineapple pizza from Pacifica Pizza. This reminds me of a “Simpson’s” episode in which Homer and a bunch of his friends including the reverend, all take off to Florida to go see the Super bowl. They’re in the bus and someone says something like ‘now we can be men,’ and all of them relax thus their gut comes out from hiding, but at the first sight of a lady they all suck it back in. I am currently listening to Ricardo Arjona. My schedule for the final semester I will reside at Fresno State is set. I will be taking 21 units once again and in pursuit of my first 4.0. Like Adam Sandler once said, “What the hell happened to me?” I was once the top student at Olive Street School, and now, I’m just a B average student. I hope this B average gets me into law school or else the family is going to hang me by the ‘you know what.’ It is so frustrating when seeking a career. I mean, I am the first to say that money isn’t everything, but it is when you have a responsibility to take care of your parents. You can’t become a teacher, make a misery, and in essence sacrifice your life for everyone else when your family has suffered enough poverty. My main career choice is Law because I feel that I can make a difference that way and also make some money. I don’t want to be working for the rest of my life. I want to live. Working all your life is not part of being human. Here in the U.S. they preach the ‘protestant work ethic’ bullshit. I call it sit because that’s all it is. It is just the rich urging the poor to work harder, while they (the rich) sit on their asses and take nice vacations, and wear nice clothing, and inherit money. I won’t abide by this type of crap. Well enough about that. There are about 7 books that I really want to read before the summer is out but the damn World Cup is on and it really fucks up my cycle. I’ll stay up all night watching the games, go to sleep at 7am and then wake up at noon. It is such a mess. My eyeballs seem like their going to pop out. Oh well, it only comes around every four years. I’ll be in Germany four years from now at the World Cup to root on Mexico. Forget about cheering on the U.S., I’d rather not be shot at. Mexico played so well this year, it is very unfortunate that they underestimated the U.S. squad and ended up losing 2 – 0, but hey that is the game. Sometimes the underdog bites you in the ass. In this case it seemed like a shark bite because it was the United States that once again bullies you around. Those bastards are the worst enemies; it seems, of the Mexican people. Things to look forward this year include losing weight, possible trip to Mexico or Hawaii or Cancun. Sandra is getting married in December on the 26, and Sonia’s niece is inviting everyone to Hawaii instead of getting a quinceañera. I’ll be finished with Fresno State in December so I think I deserve to take a mini vacation. Maybe I’ll head south to Jalisco and spend some time really getting to know Mexico. Who knows, maybe I’ll head for Europe or maybe Cuba. But the goal right now is to get the 4.0 GPA and get into law school. Maybe McGeorge, or maybe Santa Clara, a Jesuit school, but preferably Davis or UCLA.