Guess what? Someone that I know (hint, hint) is finally a “real teacher.” That’s right, GRD is officially a 5th grade teacher. He currently feels a tad bit overwhelmed with all the stuff that is thrown at him but he is enjoying it. GRD says to give him a few days to get his act together and that he will be back. In the meanwhile he would like to thank all of you for all of your kind words, inspiration, advice and support. Speaking like a professional athlete can be advantageous at times…if you know what I mean. 
Monthly Archive for January, 2006
Today I got a package from some anonymous person. There was a nice ink pen inside, nothing more. Now, why would anyone send me a pen? I actually opened up the pen to make sure there wasn’t any anthrax or bomb inside…there wasn’t. This is kinda freaking me out. All there is on the outside of the packaging is the “postage paid” info, the city and state (Bellmawr, New Jersey) that it came from, as well as the permit number. Should I keep it and use it? It is a nice pen.
What a shame. An organization that was established to fight for the rights of farmworkers is now nothing more than a family business that reeks of nepotism, looking to enrich itself. It’s time for the UFW to move out of the way. The Los Angeles Times has a series on the hypocrisy that is now the UFW. In the end I have to admit that many positives came out of the UFW, from inspiring future labor leaders to securing rights for workers. That’s the past though. What about now? Taking into account inflation farmworkers are making less money now than they did twenty years ago. Farmworkers continue to work in deplorable conditions and continue to suffer injustices in the fields. Why is the UFW more interested in selling Cesar Chavez than protecting the rights of exploited workers? The UFW has truly disillusioned me.
Read / The Los Angeles Times
My musical taste during the 90’s was greatly influenced by hip hop and R&B. Such groups as Boyz II Men and Jodeci were favorites of mine, as well as rappers like Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Warren G. Like most everyone else though I fell for grunge music and rock music in general. All it took was one listen of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit blasting from a friend’s cassette walkman to convert me to a rockero.
A couple of other bands that I became followers of were Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. Although they were not part of the the alternative scene and were products of the 80’s they still had a strong presence in my high school years. One of my classmates had Ordinary World (1993) recorded on her answering machine and it became a favorite of mine. It took me several weeks to figure out who the band was. I am grateful to that person for not answering the phone. I first heard Depeche Mode as a kid in elementary. It’s all my uncle’s fault. That’s all he played. It’s cool though, I mean, who doesn’t love Enjoy the Silence or Policy of Truth. It wasn’t until high school that I came back to them. The song In Your Room continues to be a wicked song. I love it.
I admit it, I listened to Young MC Stone Cold Rhymin’ (1989), and not just the track Bust A Move (In the video you can see Flea from RHCP jamming). Other tracks like Principal’s Office were also underappreciated hits in my mind.
Metallica’s Enter Sandman (1991) was also an eye-opener (mas bien ear opener). The video is scary as hell, especially when you’re a Mexican Catholic. A fellow band-mate (a fellow band geek) introduced us to Lars and crew and I was thinking “Man, I’m listening to devil music and I like it.”
Depeche Mode: In Your Room (1993)
It’s definitely a combination of lyrics/music that make this song one of my favorites of all time. I don’t think Depeche Mode fans rank this track high, but for me it’s one of their best. I don’t know if it’s the whole high school thing and trying to hopefully at some point make into a girl’s room or what…like what guy didn’t deal with that teenage angst.
Snoop Dogg: Tha Shiznit (1993)
This song was like our high school party anthem. Not that I partied or anything like that. I was a school boy for the most part. Ain’t No Fun (If My Homies Can’t Have None) is a classic in my mind. Oh yeah, Gin & Juice is another one. Really thinking about it, every track on this album is good. Looking back, the songs are crass but it was all in good fun I would say.
Nirvana: Heart Shaped Box (1993)
The very first time I get drunk was on New Year’s Eve 2004. We were up in Sequoia somewhere at a house party. I had never even gotten a buzz and this time they got me (peer pressure does wonders). I was given a hefty shot of Bacardi 151. It was my first time. I loved how the ceiling was spinning. Anyhow, back to the music. This was the only CD that they had at the party and I had this track on repeat for at least an hour. I always wondered why no one got annoyed with me. Isn’t the guitar at the beginning just the signaling in the apocalypse?
Zapp & Roger: More Bounce to the Ounce (1980)
Although this track was from back in the 80’s for some reason or another it was a big hit during my high school days (A lot of 80’s music was popular like Rick James, The Dazz Band, The Gap Band and The Mary Jane Girls). Zapp & Roger with their voice altering vocoder were very popular. Everywhere you could here someone bumpin’ their 15 inch speakers (riding a car with popped out spokes) playing Zapp & Roger hits like Computer Love and So Ruff, So Tuff. I remember my cousin Hugo and I picked up this tape at Porterville’s famous Midnight Records (well, maybe not that famous).
Ice Cube: Ghetto Bird (1993)
Ice Cube was one of my favorite rappers. I thought he was more political than the rest of the members of then defunct NWA. NWA in itself was a very political rap group ( I mean who else would dare to come out with a song called Fuck the Police). It’s too bad they fell apart and branched off into gangsta rap acts. Ghetto Bird refers to the police helicopters that are a part of the L.A. skies.
2Pac: Dear Mama (1995)
Finally, another one of my all-time favorites is Tupac Shakur’s Dear Mama. Believe it or not but for senior prom the only cassette single that I had was this one and it was playing non-stop. My date seemed annoyed but who cares. I was more interested in the Mercedes Benz that a friend let me borrow than my date, to be honest with you. Who would’ve thought that Thug Life himself would be dedicating a song to his momma? It just goes to show ya know. Too bad Tupac didn’t lay down more tracks like this one.
Please do check out other “end of year” / “new year” playlists. Cesar would be a good radio station DJ…he’s got the voice (I now like Massive Attack thanks to him). David has got an ecclectic list over at his site. We share our like for several albums like The White Stripe’s Get Behind Me Satan and Common’s Be.
A few days ago I was watching I Love the 80’s on VH1 and they showed when Joe Theisman (a QB for the Redskins) broke his leg back in ‘85. It was pretty gross. Today as I was watching the Redskins play the Raiders of Tampa I saw as one of the Redskins players broke his forearm on the helmet of a teammate. Unfortunately they didn’t replay it a thousand times.
Oh Damn, a tornado warning has been issued for the Central Valley. The weather is crazy right now. I’m not used to all the rain and wind. It sucks. I keep on looking to the horizon to be sure that a funnel cloud isn’t forming somewhere. A tornado in Porterville…I know it’s rare but you never know. I’m a real scaredy cat when it comes to mother nature. Can’t ya tell?
