Ripe Buffoon

At times, I've been known to be the backside of a mule. A prime example of which happened this past Monday, which so happened to be my first day with USC. Yes, I equivacadoed with USC. Without further ado, here's what happened, When I was looking into getting books for each of my three classes, I made sure to jot down the time for each class. A relativily simple job....one would think. I'm proud to announced that I struggled with that task! According to my calculations, my first class started at 6 PM on Monday. I made sure that I wasn't scheduled to coach at that time and I after finishing work that night I rushed home to start my MAT@USC experiences. I logged onto the USC site and try to join my class...but it wasn't there...upon further poking around, I found out that class started at 5...My first thought was fiddlesticks, then I got hungry, but then! Ha, then I started freaking out. I emailed any and everyone who has ever worked at USC. I was assured by a few thousand of them that they had never heard of me, or the MAT@USC program. Finally, someone who currently works for SC called...that's right, called. Though I emailed them I got a call in return...OMG gotta love it. I was told that I was fine and I just had to go to that class 1 time this semester, making sure I do my work.

This brings me to my next point: Self sufficient. Unlike School A, USC assumes I'm intelligent and they expect me to work hard. That means I have to do my readings and come ready to discuss, post forums, and most importantly self manage. Since I go to class in my room, I have to stay on top of my work. There are entire aspects of class that requires me to read through slides...if I want to. Not to say that they're not required for class, just that I can so easily just not go to that website if I don't want to. I want to do well, so I will go to the website and I will give my all, but this is so new.

I want some USC stickers

Random Factoid: Go Clippers!

La Cultura Cura

Soft White

I fly back into CA last Friday, in the night time. It was quiet a sight. The lights from above are amazing. There are many different kinds of lights, two white lights that are moving, many red, yellow and green stationary lights and then, because of the time of the year, color outlines of people's houses. As I watched the lights from my cramped airplane seat I began thinking of what all of the lights symbolize. Geroge Carlin once said, "I like to leave the symbols to the symbol minded." Luckily, I'm not as cynical as he, I was touched by what all of the lights represented. Each pair of headlights represents any number of people driving to dinner, driving to watch the Clippers lose (while B. Griffin plays epically), a single father going to pick up his kid for the weekend or just a bunch of silly teenagers driving around to impress their friends. Each one of them oblivious to the car next of them and even more oblivious to me in the plane 30,000 feet above their heads. I like that. Each house, outlined with xmas lights, represents a group of people getting ready for new years, kids beggin their rents to let them stay up to 1203 to watch the ball drop, or possibly a group of 21 and olders tapping a keg and preparing for a night of good decisions.

Speaking of good decisions, my trip to Boise was awesome. The 208 always just seems to treat me great, that tiene rima if you didn't catch on. I got to see Hailey, Sarah and Wick for the first time in years. Plus, I finally got to meet Sarah's little Oliver...who is quiet the cool kid for not yet being 2. I caught up with many a person from Peru and, being as that Boise is tiny ( having a smaller population than Salinas) I ran into many other from CofI, without even trying.

Now I'm back in town...which means? Who knows. I'm glad to be coaching, otherwise I would be sooooo bored. I have started looking into getting a more morningy job to occupy my time more and bring in the benjimans. I start USC next week and am pretty excited. I got the latest loss from the Clippers on Sunday and walked around SC for a bit...to be inspired....it worked. But until I'm more monied and more jobbed my main focus is un perro. Mostly because I like words with two Rs. I have no girl friend and plenty of time on my hands and I want a dog. Possibly to be named tirebiter...too much?

I haven't wanted a dog for years. Boris, my first dog, was awesome. I was in fifth grade when we got him, I hadn't ever had a dog and I was so excited. I was finally going to be a member of the dog owners club of the world, California chapter. (that chapter starts on page 54 if you're wondering) Boris was a basset, short, long, and ears for days. We had Boris for a good 9 years. However, his last 3 or 4 years were spent with his legs in a sling, or wheelchairy sort of thing. He had slipped a disk and after surgery was never able to walk again. When he was adentro he would drag himself along and then cuanda estaba afuera he would be put in his sling. This made him somewhat of a legand around town, loved but disfunctional...ala Gilbert Grape. His final year or so were the hardest. He got old and things (inside his body) started to loosen up. When he had basically lost control it got really hard to watch. It was really hard for me to watch my beloved dog fall apart, so I distanced myself from him. I was still in college, so I was able to just detached myself from him so I wouldn't have to feel so bad...selfish, but what can I say? Following Boris, came the a bat out of hell...Pixie. She came to us after my abuelo passed on and we got to take care of him. She was just about the most ridiculous thing on the planet. Always confused, blind, deaf, and she'd hit her face on the floor when she sneezed. She wasn't the most loved by us, I'll admit. But after watching Boris age and having to deal with Pixie, I was quiet jaded by the idea of canine ownership....Until recently! I'm currently obessed with getting a new dog. I have so much time on my hands to help the dog adjust to his/her new life with the Mosses. I want a dog I can take on long walks, that way we can both not only sit around inside but also be buddies outside. This would be my dog, he or she would have a bed in my room and I'd be responsible for the whole thing...VERY EXCITING! I'd like a young dog, but not a puppy, who is good with cats because I still have my BA gato, Felicity.

Random Factoid: The West Wing is an awesome show!

La Cultura Cura

The Cat Sleeps In Clock

Being as that I’m not writing this from beyond the six feet pushing daisies, I survived Vegas! It was a blast of a weekend, it was such circus, so crazy it was Circus Circus (nudge nudge, wink wink, knowwhatImean?). On our first night we decided to start off at a buffet, because being a gluttonous American has its charms. The buffet was at the Paris hotel, however, as hard as it tired, I somehow knew I wasn’t in France. The idea of paiting the low ceilings like blue skies and clouds is insulting. For the designer to think that I’ll fall for that is just plane rude. (plane because I’m writing this from an airport) If anything, the horrendous ceilings make the space feel far more cramped. The line for the buffet was about 20 minutes, which wasn’t bad considering that we waited 45 for the lunch buffet at the Wynn two days later. I ate enough to make a saber-toothed tiger blush, and I don’t know if you’ve ever seen one of dem STT eat, but it’s a sight that would make a wooly mammoth blush, speaking of mammoth, I don’t care what the ski and snowboarding conditions are…so don’t tell me…hugs! After hemos comido, we made our way grabbing free drinks and picking up free players cards (with free money to gamble away). At the Mirage I made about $70 off of a free tener, which was fun. Nothing too excited else happened that night, we made our way around the strip.

The next day, we started out with the breaky buffet, because waist bands should be in the triple digits. Then on to some thrift stores, of which there are many, and many of quality. We had been put on a guest list for Blush, a club at the Wynn, but I lacked the appropriate clothes to be let in and then become the light that all the beautiful moths are drawn to. I got a chance to go to the Circus Circus gym and we got delicious pizza for dinner. We spent the first part of the evening losing money…wait check that…winning money. We had put money on the Clippers both Friday and Saturday, and they won, because they’re great, both nights. After we left the bookie (I feel so grown up saying that…and a little scared that I might get my legs broken) we just sat at a couple machines getting money and drinks before the club. By the time we got to the club I was up $200!! Thank you Vegas. To read about what happened in the club you must be 18 years of age or older, have proof of citizen (anywhere, location isn’t important) and have a valid credit card.

In my winning of $200 the night before, I had also earned enough points for free lunch buffet on Sunday. This one was at the Wynn and was by far the best food, in the best casino. Even though it was only about noon I still had pizza, sushi and plenty of deserts. Friday had rained, but Nevada gave us a beautiful Saturday, but come Sunday, Neveda had changed its mind and decided to rain on us, even harder. It rained all the way through the entire drive. We even had to stop in Barstow to buy new wipers because Beau’s old ones weren’t doing a very good job.

Now though, I find myself on my next advantage…BOISE!! Whamp whamp, what it do? what it do? I’m super excited, my last trip to Boise was only 2 nights and 3 days but this trip is 4 nights, 5 days. That’s casi twice as long. I had to stop in Pheonix for a couple of hours, and just like what I remember of Arizona, it was hot and brownish red…ergo, not my favorite.

This Boise trip is especially meaningful because I get to see Hailey, since March 2009 when she left for the peacecorps, and Sarah, now childed, since graduation. Since I’m sure we’re all a tinsy bit growed up, I know that I’ve grown up a least one Kelvin, it’ll be great to meet the new us.

Random Factoid: I haven’t wanted a dog in a long time, but now I really want one.

La Cultura Cura

We Are The Initiators

Being as it's a day, I'm drinking coffee. My mug? Well, she's a beaut! Averagely crafted with a kitten sitting amongst some flowers watching a butterfly, a butterfly that happens to be on the inside of the mug. Can you imagine, a picture in stead a mug? Merica!

We are the initiators, a quote taken from the rally call of Sendero Luminoso, who terrorized the Peruvian Andes for almost 15 years. The speech was delivered by Abimael Guzman. I've been reading, Death In The Andes, By Mario Vargas LLosa. The story talkes much of average Peruvians living in remotes areas of the Andes struggling with SL's (Sendero Luminoso) violent reign. This sparked my interest in learning more about the SL. In reading Guzman's speech, I found myself to be conflicted from sentence to sentence. I would read a sentence that contained, words, phrases, and meanings with which I identified. He calls for positive action, a time to make voices heard. But then I am in strong opposition of what he is saying, a call to action, for bullets, for blood. A communist society in Peru. Guzman spent time in Mao's China, and he had, much to my imagination, the same reaction that I had in Cusco. He feel in love, everything over there just made sense to him. So, on that front, the xenaphoria, that would be the opposite of xenaphobia, Guzman and I are like brothers, we both saw a need for change, and a desire to institute that change...but his route is different that the one I am taking. Guzman: Massacres, Jason Moss: Education....I know mines better because it has more syllables.

I had the same conundrum while reading some of Ernesto Guevara's writings. I see myself as a good person who stills to see the best in people and help everyone, through education, to reach their full potential...to the moon!! When I read, and I believe and buy into what these communist revolutionaries are saying, I question my own beliefs. I've never been pretentious enough to claim that communism is "the way." For me the struggle I feel is the beauty of reading and the beauty of knowledge. Through reading, I am challenging my beliefs and growing a stronger more well rounded system of knowledge....makings mes alls smarts.

From the abstract to the pleasures of being 21. I will be making my first Las Vegas trip since I tenia 15 years. One week after that I will be going back to Boise. Both of these trips focus on night time activities that happen in buildings that look normal but play loud music, don't have waiters but do serve drinks, and require some form of age verification to enter. I haven't really had a good night on the town, painting the town yellow, I don't want to choose red and pick a side. Peace side!

10 days after I get back from Boise I will be starting my program at USC. Janurary 10th, I'm quick excited. Being as that the program is online, so was the orientation. And it's been a doosy. I've loved it. I've actually had assignments I need to complete before I have to start my first class. In fact, I'm still not done with them all. The 2 most interesting ones are, that I need to video tape a self interview and video tape me teaching a small lesson and then my thoughts about the lesson. My professors will not be in the classrooms with me so I will be video taping a lot of my work with students and uploading online. These 2 assignments were designed to get me used to that format. I'm glad they did too. It is strange to put myself in front of a camera. Like most people, I had the sound of my voice when it's been recorded, now I have to listen to myself...for school...gross. Luckily, I'm at my most confident when I'm teaching...so that should help. I bought a super awesome Sony Bloggie camera for my filming. It's just one button and shoots in HD...which is EPIC! I've loved all the work and time I've already put into the orientation at SC. I've gone a little bonkers and have bought 2 sweatshirts, 3 T-shirts, and 1 hat all with the SC logo. I really want some athletic shorts..but all in good time my readers. Good job Trojans on winning the crosstown showdown.

Random Factoid: Clipper nation unite!

La Cultura Cura

Mighty Morphin Mascots Marathon

As a lowly youth I was a leaf...from a mighty sycamore tree.
For a brief stint the leaf attempted a transformation to a shark but because of a lack of water that idea didn't float.
From the humble leaf, I grew into a panther. Might and bold, the panther reigned for 2 years.
One animal wasn't enough to contain the epic beast within. A magic spell and a couldren stiring sesh later and I was a whole wolfpack. For four years the wolfpack ran the I.E. with iron grips....but California wasn't big enough to handle the rambunctious animal within. A lone wolf emerged from the pack, but wasn't discovered, upon entering the state of Idaho that he was in fact a coyote in wolf's clothing. The yote enjoyed a fun and prosperous life span of 4 years, making many friends and experiencing so much. However, for 2 years after that my spirit was only a witness to the rider and the roadrunners. In the fall of 2010, I emerged, without any really difficultly, as a leopard...but the leopard wasn't the right mascot, but the leopard didn't exist too long before it reached it's full potential was a might man of troy, my trojan spirit is strong and is a dream manifestation for all I want in my education.

Random factoid: I don't get tired of reading or hearing people say, "Welcome to USC."

La Cultura Cura

Fight On!

De Colores

No invoco tu nombre en vano
"Soy y estoy en la luz que me produce,
Vivo en la sombra que me determina" (Neruda)

Para hacer un efuerzo a escribir los versos mas felices
recientemente solo escribo los versos mas gloomy

Puedo oir las voces de mis 2nd graders
De colores, de colores
Se visten los campos en la primavera.
De colores, de colores
Son los pajarillos que vienen de afuera.
De colores, de colores
Es el arco iris que vemos lucir.

Una cancion para los niños
Pero, para mi es un aviso para recordar los colores de mi vida

Mis ojos, verde y azul
Miran el amarillo del atardecer
El brillo de mi Ipod
blanco de cada sonrisa, es imposible a odiar una sonrisa
Azul, anaranjado, y amarillo de mis pulseras
Verde, de los arboles


Puedo escapar de vida hasta una tierra de colores
Tambien puedo tomar unas clases que puede enseñar me a escribir en español

Random factoid: Neruda described autumn as the "yellow dance"

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