Why Writing?

Why writing?

I ask myself that exact same question all the time. Why this form of self-expression? Why not a painter? A sculptor? A photographer? Why would I enjoy something that cost me so much trouble in the earliest years of my life? I think I know why. My family moved to Southern California from Veracruz, Mexico on December 1^st, 1990. I was nine days from turning 3 years old. Up until I was 5 years old, all I was ever exposed to was Spanish. I spoke to my mom and dad in Spanish and rarely interacted with anyone who didn’t. So when I started school a couple years later, that was the first time in my life I was completely surrounded by English.

I remember other kids coming up to talk to me and not understanding a single word they were saying. Things usually had to be repeated a number of times before I could decipher what they meant. If that didn't work, they would repeat themselves about three or four times before the hand gestures came into the mix. I would look at them and try and figure out what they were saying by judging their face expressions. I got pretty good at guessing after a while. As time went on, I learned English thanks to my fellow classmates. For little kids, they surprisingly had a ton of patience with me. They really helped me. Watching the Power Rangers also helped a lot! I remember putting a ton of effort into memorizing and learning new words each and every day. I believe those early days as a student of the English language helped shape my love for it.

When I was 6, I wrote my first story. It was about a kid who drank magical Gatorade that made him fly. As soon as I finished my first story, I was hooked. I became obsessed with writing and reading other writers. While yard sale shopping with my mom one Saturday, I found an old blank journal with cats and flowers on the cover. It wasn't the coolest thing, but I asked my mom if I could get it and she was more than happy to buy it for me. I remember the lady who sold it to us charged us a quarter for it. She probably thought it was a little weird how a little Mexican boy could be so excited about a notebook with cats and flowers on the cover. When I bought it, I had no idea that I would still cherish it 20 years later. I carried that thing around EVERYWHERE. I loved creating characters, scenarios, and plots for fun! I wrote and wrote and wrote. Before I knew it, I had filled up my journal. Not too long after, my mom bought me a composition book and kept feeding my addiction for writing. I connected with writing like nothing before. The rest is history.

I love music, art, photography, and other forms of self-expression. But for some reason, I can best express my feelings and emotions through writing. Writing has, unfortunately, been associated negatively in most people’s minds because of past experiences. Growing up, writing was used as a form of punishment by teachers and educators. When you didn’t turn in your homework, you had to copy a sentence a given amount of times. Or if you did something wrong, you would be asked to write an essay or an apology letter of some sorts. Most people relate writing to something bad. Let me be the first to tell you, it is not. There is something about writing something down that liberates it from your mind and puts you at peace. It almost seems like your thoughts are carried through your arm down to your hand and onto the paper. The feelings and emotions stay on the page. Nobody has to read your writing, it is only for YOU. Try it out for yourself. Write something down on a paper that is making you unhappy. Describe everything about it that makes you unhappy. Write down everything that comes to mind when thinking about this specific thing or time. Once you finish, burn that piece of paper. You will feel a lot better, I promise. Writing has that kind of power.

“But I suck at writing,” you say? It is okay, we all do. Nobody is perfect. That is part of the fun! One of my favorite quotes about writing comes from the great Ernest Hemingway. He said, 

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” 

This is coming from one of the greatest to ever write! Just remember, writing is an art form just like music or painting. There is no “best” way to do it. Just do it! (Unintentional Nike plug). Whenever you get a chance, write something down. Whether it is a sentence or an entire page, it is YOUR writing. You do not have to show anybody. It is for you and just you. In a couple of years, it will be really fun to go back and read what you wrote. I still have my flowery cat journal and read it to this day. It is incredible to have a recorded history of myself written by myself.

So, I ask myself again, "why writing?"

Because it made me who I am.

Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet

The dark road appeared to be never-ending on this warm spring night. I was exhausted and my eyelids kept coming closer and closer to their embrace. The only thing that kept me awake was the little yellow sedan in front of me that kept swaying side to side in its lane. Through the tint of the car’s back window, I could see an ominous glow coming from the driver’s seat. I suspected that the driver in the swaying sedan was in a heated text messaging debate with somebody. The sentences this person was writing were probably so long and so emotionally charged that he or she needed to let go of the steering wheel occasionally to make sure the point was made with the 145 characters allotted. Or maybe I was wrong? Maybe the driver was in my position and was exhausted after his or her long 14-hour day. Or maybe the driver was on his or her way back from a bar or a friend’s house after a few drinks of the “good stuff.” I could not shake the concern of the ominous glow.

Regardless of the reason for the swaying, I decided to keep some space between my truck and the little yellow sedan. I could see a beacon of safety in the glow of the lights of my town coming up in the distance. I felt a little safer knowing that my turn was coming up soon and I wouldn't have to live in fear behind the little yellow sedan. As soon as I could see the sign that read “Alessandro Blvd,” I turned on my left-turn signal. I was almost back into town safe and sound. But my short lived calm was broken when the little yellow sedan’s left-turn signal began to flash. 

Great… This reckless driver lives in my town. 

We both turned onto the two-lane road. The continuous swaying of the little yellow road hazard made me want to reach home even faster. But for now, there was nothing I could do but go at its slow and menacing pace.

After what seemed like days, I could finally see a street light where the lane split in two. I could finally come face to face with the driver whose driving reminded me of an ocean current as it crashed into the rocks of the shore. 

I’m finally going to solve the case of the little yellow sedan and see who is behind the wheel. 

I could see the sedan’s brake lights engage as we got closer to the streetlight. I slowly stepped on my brakes as the glow from the streetlight moved from the hood of my truck to my driver’s seat. As soon as the other lane opened up, I pulled up on the driver’s side of the sedan. 

Finally, I have you in my sights. 

The satisfaction of knowing I was right was all I was after. I had no intentions of saying anything to the driver or initiating any sort of contact. I just wanted to look over and see who it was.

I couldn't believe it. The driver wasn’t some drunken extremist or angry text message debater. The driver was a young girl with both hands on her steering wheel, bawling her eyes out. From my truck I could see that she had her iPod connected to the stereo in her car and she kept flipping from one break-up song to the next. I finally saw that the glow wasn't a hazard, but a signal of despair. 

Well, that explains the glow. 

She dropped her face into her hands as her body shook uncontrollably. I contemplated opening my window and offering her some encouraging words. 

Everything will be okay. It must get dark to see the stars. 

But I couldn't do it. I couldn't look away. As soon as she lifted her face from her hands, she stepped on the gas. I hadn't even noticed the light for us to go had turned green because I was so captivated by the scene of the beautiful girl who could not stop crying. I began to drive following not too far behind the girl. She was driving a lot straighter. Maybe she was finally all cried out? We drove for less than a minute before we hit another streetlight.

When we stopped at the next light I looked over to see the girl. This time she looked like she was done crying as she wiped her eyes and turned off her iPod. She looked ahead and let out a few labored breaths. I saw that she counted ten breaths as she lay back into her seat. She was done crying. I kept watching as she began to talk to herself. By the looks of it, she was talking herself into not crying over her break-up. I could imagine her saying: 

“He’s not worth it anyway. I’m better off without him. It’s for the best.” 

She even let out a slight grin once she conquered her sadness. I did not know who she was, but I was happy for her.

The entire time she was going through her episode, I was glad that she did not catch me staring at her. She was in her own little world. Whenever we are in our cars we feel completely free to do almost anything we want without the consequences of other people seeing us. Like Wonder Woman’s invisible jet, only she could see it and control it. On one hand, this girl felt completely free to cry her eyes out and play her favorite songs that reminded her of her recently broken relationship. On the other hand, I felt like a bird just watching her from afar without the risk of being caught staring. I was comfortable in my own invisible jet. These walls that we create in our cars hide us from the world. When we are inside these walls, we are free to sing, cry, laugh, and even dance without the worry of catching anybody’s attention. These invisible walls block out the outside world and leave behind only what we want to bring into them. We are the gatekeepers and as soon as we get behind the wheel and drive, we are in full control of our invisible jets. Sometimes we cannot wait to be inside our cars because of the privacy it brings. “Hold on, let me get in my car.” “I’ll call you when I’m driving home.” “We’ll talk in the car.” These are all sentences used and said every day that bind us to the privacy offered by our cars. At times we save phone calls and special conversations for our sanctuaries. They are invisible jets, our private phone booths, recording studios, and counseling sessions.

We act as if our subconscious has embodied itself into an invisible someone in the passenger seat of the car. Someone who can talk back to you, sings with you, and can give you advice. This girl had convinced herself that she was going to be alright, and her invisible jet was the only place she was going to do this.

As soon as the next street came, she turned right and I turned left. The last glimpse I got of the girl was a happy one. She was smiling. It wasn't a huge smile, but it was enough to know that she was going to be alright.

Perseverance (DEFINITION SERIES PART 3)

per·se·ver·ance

[pur-suh-veer-uhns]

–noun

1.

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state,etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

2.

Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end,leading to eternal salvation.

"If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward." - Thomas Edison

     On the night of my birthday I had one of the most interesting and motivational talks I have had in recent history. The conversation was with a friend of a friend. We began by talking about trivial junk all young adults talk about like work and school. Then the conversation took an interesting turn. He began talking to me about his struggles, triumphs, fears, and tribulations he has faced in life. This person is only 27 but has faced many obstacles most people never face in their lives. We ended up talking for a long time. From all the thoughts and ideologies exchanged, I learned a very valuable lesson in perseverance. Here are a few things we talked about that night.

     On our path to achieving our dreams, we will undoubtedly run into obstacles which will test our desire for those goals, AND, most importantly, teach us important lessons about ourselves as well. Perseverance is staying with a task and not giving up, being patient and willing to work hard, showing commitment and pride in completing tasks. It is being in a race and when you are near the end and struggling to finish, you find that burst of energy to cross the finish line. It is always finishing what you started and NEVER giving up when things get tough. It is trying something again, even if you failed the first time. 

     Perseverance is one critical element we need in order to succeed. Many people who are not successful are usually intelligent people who gave up too soon. They possibly could have had an idea that would change the world but because of their lack of perseverance, their dreams never came to fruition.


Lack of perseverance can also lead to the loss of interest in dreams. People who keep getting shot down repeatedly begin to doubt themselves, their dreams, and their abilities. These dreams that once kept them awake at night eventually become just a thought of the past. Their passion and desire for this dream just vanished into thin air. Eventually, years later, they will be sitting at home wondering to themselves "Why did I ever stop chasing that dream?"


Developing perseverance is not as difficult a task as most might believe. Here are a few tips for developing perseverance:

1. Follow your dreams and continue to repeat these actions day in and day out until the end when you begin to see results.
2. Ask yourself: "What do I want? What are my dreams?" Knowing what you want in life is a huge motivator. When things do not work at as planned, step back, and try it again. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Let the failure fuel your drive and desire.
3. Visualize your goal manifesting itself into reality. Knowing you are that much closer to making it a reality will be a huge when overcoming failures.
4. Lastly, have faith and do not quit no matter what. Sometimes when we do not get what we wanted, we allow the negativity to blind us and blur our dreams. Always try and think about whats next rather than thinking if this was a good idea or not. Act as if it were impossible to fail.

I reiterate, never give up and always keep going no matter what. All your dreams can come true if you have the perseverance to pursue them. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes and the one I live my life by.

"I have failed over and over in my life, and that is why I succeed."

 - Michael Jordan

Happy Birthday Kobe Bryant

happy birthday to the greatest basketball player in the game today. he has inspired me to never give up on my goals and how to persevere under pressure. he has set a new standard and is a walking hall of famer. the crazy part is ... he's not done yet.

Happy Birthday Kobe Bryant

The Time I Ran From The Police

When I was 18 years old, I ran from the police. Now before you start assuming things let me just say that I was not "on the run" from the police, they literally chased me and searched for me for about 2 hours. It's an interesting story I've only shared with close friends. But now I share it with all of you guys, my blog readers. 


Five years ago I worked at the Pizza Hut on Ironwood. I really liked working there because the people there were super easy to get along with. I remember it was a Friday night and my coworker Spencer (let's just say that was his name to protect his identity) came up to me and invited me to a party at his house. Spencer was 16 years old and was more open with me because I was the closest to his age of all our other co workers. He was telling me that his parents were gone for the weekend and that he was going to have drinks and a few friends over and wanted me to come. So I accepted the invite and told him that I would need to go home and change but I'd be there. Since I was a cook, showering immediately after work was mandatory. I don't like cheese and that's all I smelled like after work. After work I went home and showered and put on some clean clothes and headed to his house. It was about 1am.


As soon as I got to his house (he lived on Climbing Rose) I could see a few cars parked out front so I decided to park a few houses down. Walking up to his house I saw Spencer sitting on the curb smoking a cigarette. He finished his cigarette and welcomed me into his house. The second we were about to walk inside everybody was coming out of the house and saying their goodbyes to him. I even saw a few people being dragged out or carried. That's when I started to think "Wow, they've only been drinking for an hour or two and they're already shitfaced. Damn 16 year olds are lightweights." After he said goodbye to all his guests we went inside his house to see if there were any survivors and any sort of alcohol left. Once inside we saw that his friend "Rudy" (lets just say that was his name) was still there. At this point I decided that I wasn't going to drink because it was late anyway and I had to drive home. As soon as we sat down the house phone rang. Spencer picked it up. As soon as he said "hello" the expression on his face COMPLETELY changed. He just answered every question with "ok." Once he hung up the phone Rudy asked him "Your parents are coming back right now aren't they?" Spencer just shook his head. We started to clean up a little bit to try and make it look like nothing ever happened. As soon as we cleaned up Spencer decided that we needed to leave the house so his parents wouldn't see him drunk. He suggested we go to the mountain behind his house and just hang there and converse or something. We all agreed and made our way out the door.


If you know where Climbing Rose Ave is in Moreno Valley then you know that it runs along the base of Box Springs Mountain. There is also this little section of the street where there are no houses and the mountain is exposed. We followed a small trail that led behind his neighbor's houses  and eventually up the mountain. As we were climbing we noticed that Rudy was getting more and more drunk. The alcohol really began to take a hold of this poor guy, so we helped him the rest of the way up. We walked for about ten minutes when we finally passed everybody's backyards and got to a view point where we could see the city. As soon as we got there Rudy said excitedly "Look what I brought!" He pulled out a bottle of vodka that he had hidden in his pant leg. He wore really baggy jeans so we didn't notice it at all. We were all so captivated by the view that we didn't really pay attention to what Rudy was doing. I had gotten a text from my friend Taco (that's his nickname but YES that's what we call him) who was at a Kansas concert at Casino Morongo. Once I text him back and put my phone away I looked for Rudy because he had stumbled away for a bit. I found him a few feet away trying to spark his lighter. Once he got his lighter to spark, a giant circle of flames surrounded him. I didn't realize that he poured out the remaining vodka around him to make a perfect circle then he LIT IT ON FIRE. As soon as the circle of flames was on fire he stood up and started to dance! He did the Beavis and Butthead laugh and said "look guys, I'm dancing in a ring of fire!" 


I know what you're thinking... this guy is crazy. Trust me, I thought the EXACT same thing. Alcohol makes you do crazy things. 


As soon as he said that we started to kick dirt on the flames to put the fire out. Right as we finished putting the flames out, the ghettobird (police helicopter) shined its lights on us. A voice came out of the speaker and said "Freeze! Do not move from where you are!"


Spencer then yelled "RUN!" I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't think it twice and started running. I don't think I've ever ran so fast in my life. During the period when this happened I was in my high school's cross country team, and I was in peak running form. I remember looking back and leaving Spencer and Rudy way behind me. The trail that took about 10 minutes to walk felt like it took 5 second to run back, and as soon as we got back to the street, there were two cop cars parked there waiting for us. I remember seeing them from far away and thinking "This is so crazy, I was never so scared before in my life. The police are going to think we are arsonists. They are going to smell the alcohol on Spencer and Rudy's breath and blame me for it because I was older." So many thoughts ran through my head as I approached the waiting officers. As soon as I got close to them I remember I started to run even faster and ran right between the two officers. I could almost swear that they grabbed my shirt but couldn't get a grip on it. I didn't care, I just ran because it felt like my life depended on it.


As soon as I passed the officers, they started to chase me. At first I could hear their footsteps and then they started going in the opposite direction. I looked back only to see Rudy stumbling down the trail and falling down right in front of the officers. I didn't see Spencer so I assumed he found a good spot and stayed hidden in the mountain. I kept running and right when I thought I was in the clear the ghettobird focused its lights back on me. I stopped in the middle of the street and started running a different direction. the lights lost their focus on me so I took full advantage of that and hid the only place I thought I could, under someone's truck in their driveway. I saw a small Tacoma parked in a driveway and ran and laid under it. From under there I could see all the officers running by trying to find me. I could hear the ghettobird's propeller and the speaker telling the police that they lost the visual. I hid under that truck for about 30 minutes when I saw the officers  walking back from the direction they were running. I could overhear them talking "Damn that kid was fast. It's alright though, we got the other one." 


As a precaution I laid under that truck for about 3 hours after I heard all the commotion stop. During that time I called my friend Taco to see where he was and then my friend Justin who I worked with at my prior Pizza Hut. Taco was still at the concert but Justin said he was in town and on his way over. I told him where exactly I was at and came and got me. As soon as he pulled up, he parked in the driveway and I got out from under the truck and jumped in his van and we drove to Starbucks on Day St to let a little bit of time slide and so he could drive me back to my van so I could go home, finally. At Starbucks i explained everything that happened and we both just laughed. I felt good that I could finally laugh about it all. Eventually we drove back to my van and I drove home.


A few days later I saw Spencer at work and the first thing he told me was "Dude! I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY RUN SO FAST IN MY LIFE" and we both just laughed about it. he told me that he saw a hiding spot and hid there. he ended up falling asleep in the hiding spot and got woken up when the sun came out the next morning. I asked him what happened to Rudy and he said the police took him home and talked to his parents. That was it.


In conclusion, it was a crazy night. Everybody was safe and home at the end of the night. But it's definitely a story I will remember for the rest of my life.

First Day as a Millionaire

At one point in time in our lives we all have wondered what it would be like to be rich. We all imagine the crazy things we could do and, for some, all the people we would be able to help. I have gone as far as to make a list of the things I want to do with the money and write down the ways I would distribute it amongst myself and loved ones. Let’s say you have just won the lottery or struck oil. Now imagine that you have just confirmed with your bank that a large amount of money is being wired to your account and it will be available in the morning. Just imagine that for a second. Now imagine that when you wake up tomorrow morning and there are millions in your bank account. The question I propose to you: What would you do the very first day you were rich? Here’s what I would do.

8:00 a.m – The first thing I would do after waking up is call the bank’s automated system and assure that the money is in the account. I think this is more to reassure myself that I am not dreaming. After getting out of bed, I would put on Kanye’s “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” while I brush my teeth and get ready for the day.

8:30 a.m – While eating breakfast, I would open up my check book and begin writing out checks to my friends, family members and a few organizations I’ve always wanted to contribute too. To be completely honest, when it comes to giving money to my family, I would give way more to the uncles that have always been there for me and supported me my entire life. As far as organizations go, I’ve always wanted to give to the LIVESTRONG foundation, and maybe sponsor a local sports team. After breakfast I would get on my computer and look up local real estate offices and a few financial advisors in the area. I want to make sure that my finances are being used properly and that I won’t make a bad decision. Once I obtain all the addresses and all the checks are ready, I’m out the door.

9:00 a.m – As soon as the real estate office opens, which most are generally around 9, I will try and meet with a realtor. I will explain my situation to them and begin looking at available houses in the areas that I want and also look for houses for my mom, dad, and brother. Once we have a general idea of what I want to buy, I’ll set up a few dates to go and look at the houses to make sure I like them.

10:00 a.m – After the realtor, I would go visit a financial advisor and explain to them the current situation and try and hire them to help me monitor my expenses. I want to make sure to buy or start a business and invest in certain stocks to make sure that I’m not just spending money, but that I have money coming in also.

11:00 a.m – Once I get all the “business” matters out of the way, I would make my way over to the Audi dealership. After walking around the dealership for a few minutes I would immediately walk up to whichever sales person I see first and tell them, “I want to buy an S5.” Once I buy the car, I’d start driving to Los Angeles.

Noon – Driving to Los Angeles.

1:00 p.m – The very first place I would go to in LA would have to be STAPLES Center. I’d buy Lakers and Clippers season tickets for myself, my little brother, and my dad. After leaving STAPLES, I’d go to Philippe’s and have lunch.

2:00 p.m – After lunch, I’d look around downtown to try and find a jewelry store to buy my mom a gift. I’d probably buy myself a Rolex only because I have never been a jewelry person, but I have an obsession with watches. Once I buy my mom her gift, I would begin making my way to the beach.

4:00 p.m – After surviving beautiful Los Angeles traffic, I’d make it to my favorite beach, Corona Del Mar. I would start to think that being in traffic wasn’t even that bad considering I was in a really nice new car. It was almost, dare I say it, enjoyable. Once at the beach, I would take a nice long walk by myself to clear my head and make sure that everything I was doing was the right choice. I would also evaluate my situation before the money and see where I needed change and who has truly been there for me before this extravagant lifestyle. The beach would just be a good time for self reflection.

7:00 p.m – Once back in town I would invite my closest friends to dinner. I would take them to Corky’s in Rancho Cucamonga, one of my favorite restaurants. I would take this time to announce my new found success and thank them for always being there for me.

10:00 p.m – After hanging out with my friends, I would come home and watch TV and browse the internet. Maybe look up and buy a few things like a new bike, personal training, new computer, electronics, and little things like that.

Midnight – After such an eventful day, I lay my head down and reflect once more. As I’m falling asleep I say a prayer and drift away into dream land.

Thank you for reading. Now I’m curious, what would your day be like? Please leave me a brief or detailed description. I’d love to read it. Thank you again for reading!

Illustration

Illustration done by Kofa Boyah. Great friend of mine, please check out his work.

http://www.facebook.com/artist4saleLA

http://artist4sale.com/

Success (DEFINITION SERIES PART 2)

suc·cess

   [suhk-ses]

–noun

1.

the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts orendeavors.

2.

the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

3.

a successful  performance or achievement: The play was aninstant success.

Dictionary.com

How does this make you feel? Do you agree, disagree, or even somewhat agree?


My life is full of successes. My successes are big and small. Some of them took years of work and some of them happened in an instant. But above all, my successes are learning experiences.


During my early childhood and through most of my teenage years, I was an illegal immigrant. Through all the hardships, I gained an understanding of what exactly success meant to me. I have vivid memories of my father turning down higher paying jobs to stay where he was because it made him happier. 

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is: Try to please everybody.- Herbert Bayard Swope

My father always made it a priority to make sure I knew that true success comes from within. He always told me that regardless if I had a mansion or a one bedroom apartment, as long as I was truly happy with it then he would be proud of me. He kept referring to success not as a destination but as a map to guide you in the right direction. Through the years of my own maturation, I have come to realize that success encompasses happiness and happiness encompasses success; they go hand in hand. I know exactly where I want to be and I will do all the necessary steps to ensure i reach that goal.


Whether it be graduating from high school, attaining a good job, or keeping a good relationship with your partner, we have all been successful up to this point. We have to appreciate what we have right? Yes, we do. We all have our own definitions of success; what is success to you?