Discoveries

Dear unread blog posts, today I'm going to chronicle some things I've picked up by living this crazy little thing called life. The first and most obvious little item of this short list is the most important. IF ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG, IT WILL, SO PREPARE FOR THAT SHIT. The next little tasty tidbit of advice I can give anyone my age is that if you want something, don't let the haters know. Just do it. The worst case scenario is that you have an outcome you didn't want in a situation where you had everything to win and nothing to lose.

And this brings me to my next little juicy item on the list. The world is out there for those who live in  reality. If your out there hoping for half assed truths that'll make you feel better about your shortcomings, you'll never grow as a person. Sure sometimes after a severe ass kicking by life it's good to get some words of comfort, some acknowledgement of your willingness to act, even if you suck.

 But that's it. The only way to sure fire keep sucking is to never challenge yourself. Face the music, be in the shitstorm and just fuck up. Without that, you won't have the backbone for the world. Your resumè will be missing the oh so sought after pair of balls. I'm in the business of earning my stripes, my back bone, even if it is one teeny baby step at a time. I suggest that whoever reads this heeds my observations.

 Go out there and do. Even if you suck, even if they FIRE you, or the girl REJECTS you, you have to live in reality and shoot for what you want. Get bothered. Chances are, if you stick it out and live outside your comfort zone for long enough, you'll be able to wear the big boy/girl pants no problem.

Thoughts

My own personal and moderate views on the different styles and types of relationships between people of different ages, social classes, race and gender tends to boil down to one simple fact. Who your out to impress. We vain human creatures are always out to impress someone. Whether it be your family, a friend, that girl you've always liked, or even yourself, the way your goal of ultimatley impressing someone drastically affects your behaviour in the world. For example in the vast territory of work and business, I find myself being a reserved and polite work driven individual. No nonsense when it comes to me. But I only demonstrate this facade, this distorted truth in the eyes of my co workers so as to not show my true self in the workplace. Because I may be bound to fail. And who wants their personality and self judged by people.Becoming labeled as horribly inefficient. I certainly don't.

 By dettaching yourself from the outcome, by not comromising your personal beliefs and true thoughts, the probable sting of failure and rejection tends to not feel very personal. And why do I do this? becasue I'm so terrified of these people thinking me inefficient. Even if it is true, even if I am somehow painfully unsuited for the likes of blue collar work, I can't help but feel rejected. I dunno, maybe it's my own lack of confidence, or believeing I'm something I'm not. Either way, all humans carry around this unnecessary bullshit. It might not be in your professional life, it might be your insecure self when dealing with relationships. Or maybe your family life. Things get messy when one's esteem and loved ones tend to get dragged into the mix. Everyone has doubts. Doubts leads to the paralysis of action. Doubt is fear. And the fear arises from the unknown. The unknown, grey area of not knowing what people think of you, or worse yet, failing in the eyes of the person your trying to impress. But then the logical and simplistic question arises, one that just occured to me as I type these words: By trying to impress these different people, even trying to prove something to yourself, the biggest person your failing, is you.

Why should you care?

Is a political idea or view of the future of our people really important, in the common man? Does it really make a difference for us to have a say with what goes on, how we are governed, how we should go on to live? many of us want to just be left alone to our loved ones and live happily doing what we love. I was a man of this exact same belief a time ago, when I finally realized..When did we stop caring enough to want change this world? is the utopian view of youth always to be discarded and deemed impossible by the older but wiser men and women of past generations? It seems that the words change, and hope, future and truth, seem so tainted by cheap political campaign that all of us seem to believe that they are just ideals, and not truths that can come to pass. Our whole system of institutions and government are all, unfortunatley, corrupt. In a world where can build personal fortune and wealth at the cost of another´s well being, institutions will not care about the citizens, about the future of their people.

Economic systems are too complex for the average, blue collar citizen to comprehend, and we tend to pride ourselves in saying that democracy and free market have given information and knowledge to the common citizen. But when we also bombard the average citizen with garbage media from a young age, which appeals more to the  7 deadly sins, than the use of the mind, what can one expect? a populace which does not know what is happening. It is up to government to ensure the healthy well being of citizens from a young age. And that includes quality education from preschool to university. But how will we ensure education where it is most important? where will we teach morals, and values to our young, so they can go on to become positive active members of society? it is assumed that the people and citizens will engrave these values and ideals in their children, but how can we make sure the irresponsable parenting  that has plagued our societies as of late, doescome to pass? here we go to the root of the problem.

Why are criminals, criminals? generally it is because of their social class, their lack of contact with a better world, whose simplistic minds are manipulated by the appeal of materialism, and pathriarcal role models that show how illegal activity and no regard for others can get them ahead in life. And are they wrong? a system designed to privilege and glorify those who have gained and benefitted by an unregulated jungle of fierce capitalism, will ultimatley lead to the loss of other people (you win, your neighbour loses). Is that a basis to construct a healthy society? who cares about your neighbour when money talks? and ultimatley, this leads to bloody revolutions, or tyrannies, forgotten people and opressed youths. I don´t claim to have the answers to what´s wrong with this world, but however miniscule our societies problems, it always traces back to politics, the way we are governed, the way we are taught, and the way us citizens perceive these details in our day to day life. But it is important to know. It is important to form part of your people´s future. It´s the human thing to do, even if superficiality and media tell you different, you are your people. And everytime you wash your hand´s of serious issues and happenings in your society, you are fooling yourself. As they say, Evil flourishes when good men and women do nothing. So I encourage you to do something.

Life in Santiago de Chile

Santiago de Chile. A bustling capital of one of Latin America´s most prosperous nations. Its diversity and economic stability has brought interest from foreign tourists, becoming a favorite destination for the traveler eager to make their way through South America. Its Spanish is distinct beyond any other variation of the dialect, and its history and architecture are full of surprises and are truly gorgeous to admire. If Buenos Aires is the Paris of Latin America, I would say that Santiago, would be the Latin American New York. But not all is prosperity and growth in my city.

There is a tendency for neglecting the rest of the country when it comes to us, the Chileans, in terms of development of other cities. All the work and major industry is focused in Santiago. From there, the slightly obnoxious but nevertheless true saying, ´Santiago is Chile´comes to mind. And the classism existent is nothing short of racism, the lower classes looked down upon for their social status, are mostly all of indigenous features, all of whom are usually forgotten and  discriminated by society. My people praise the growth we have had since the Pinochet days, students today cannot even believe the extreme conditions their parents had to live through when they were their age, myself included. Though there are many things that are wrong and unjust about the great metropolitan area of ´El gran Santiago´ none other has had social relevance in the recent years than the educational crisis. 

The federation of students of Chile, led by optimistic young leaders, inspired generations upon generations of Chileans for a change in the educational system. Reform. A time of social and cultural revolution ocurred, where the government knew nothing more but to opress, beat, incarcerate and tear gas any young student that fell in their way. Needless to say,the same men and women who have controlled the wealth and industry of my people, the same who own the news channels, decided it was more convenient to film the handful of criminals who would rather begin violence then film the tens of thousands of Chileans protesting through song, dance, and music.

 And the federation of students of Chile, now led by the young Gabriel Boric, promise the same strength, perseverance and endurance for the protests this year. Santiago is a place where you can find anything, from far right fascists   without a penny to their names, to rich lefties who´s hippie mentality borders on communism, it truly is a colorful place. With the tallest tower of South America being built here, the rising tensions due to the recent earthquakes and armed conflicts in the far south of Chile, my country has become stage for some of the most tense situations and events in the recent years. Santiago de Chile, a city of growth, a city of bounty, a city of diverse cultures and political ideologies. A city that struggles to forget the past, and find its future. My city. My home.

Part of a short story. Its called: WORKING TITLE

Rick woke up in the hotel room. He looked around. It seemed like a stampede of raging bulls had ravaged the living room, stopping to drink whiskey and leave bongs along their wake. The number of naked women lying around with the rest of the junk was what surprised him the most. How was this possible?It was as if he had awoken in one of Charlie Sheens orgies, or accidently wound up in a dirty teen comedy. The black leather couches were clad in vomit stains and cigarette burns. The transparent silk drapes were torn to the ground revealing a painful wake up call. Ricks hang over was like any he ever faced before. He looked at himself. He was shirtless, wearing nothing but his lucky boxers and used cigarettes.

On the couch opposite himself, was a man, a man he recognized as his firend and companion, Jim. Jim was also in boxers, wearing a dark pair of socks, and on top of him, lying in an obviously alcohol induced blackout, was a big breasted dark skinned black woman, almost nude, save for her puny G- string. The only thing In Ricks mind was, what the hell happened? This shit is out of control. He stood up, spotted his pants in the bathroom, next to a passed out naked woman and put them on. He took a step out of the bathroom and back into the living room, when he was surprised by two men in dark suits.

Their greasy hair and noses made him immediately suppose that they were wiseguys. ´Wheres Frankie?we told you kid, you could do what you want as long as Frankie was safe for work in the morning. So don’t go bustin my buolls and tell me where he is´. Rick had a bad feeling about this new situation. He was already in a huge load of trouble as it was, but now a couple of armed wiseguys asking about a man he never met was at the top of his list. ´Frankie is, um, well Frankie…he uh…Hes gone out to a…get some more beer´. Rick realized the stupidness of his obvious lie. The wiseguys expression didn’t change. ´Alright kid, quit foolin around. No one jerks me off ya understand?now just tell me where franky is an none of youse will get hurt´. Crap. For Rick Thompson, this sure as shit seemed like the end.

Terra Nova

I began writing this blog because, as athletes must stretch in order to perform optimally in their discipline, a writer must continually write to keep himself in tune with his inspiration. Also because its something productive. I have always found blogs a tad pretentious, an area where self absorbed people have found an area to be continually self absorbed, except now they can do it towards a global audience. But here I am, as stated by Henry Rolin in an episode of californication, ´bloggin with the best of them´. The best part of blogs are I guess, an excellent place to post collective information about your thoughts, wisdom or opinions, a place where many can learn from the things youve lived or can at least have a subtle laugh of what your going through.

Anywho, I plan to join the ranks of the annoying self absorbed people who blog about their lives, as an exercisse to keep me concentrated on writing and my short stories. I am also going to express some of my general opinions of the world, something that every great man or woman has done in order to comprehend and analyze the world around them. And there goes the pretentiousness again.Oh well. I guess this is as good a introduction as any, into the mind of a cynical young, man with an aspiration for greatness but no idea on which path to take to get there. Enjoy!