ChinoValdez.com

On The Real

I can't even lie. I've been half-assing this thing for at least the last month. If not longer. It's not that I stopped caring. I've just been busy. Usually I can take a few minutes here and there and type something up...but time just hasn't been there for me. Work is out of control right now. I've been training four new interns. By the time I get home, I just want to get my Big Brother on. Any free time is dedicated to going on walks or getting on the treadmill. But, in case you're wondering, I'm in a good place right now, my friends.

Every day I continue to learn something about myself. Learning that just because things have always been one way, they're not always going to stay that way. I know now (and maybe for good) that a cheeseburger is not going to make me happier than continuing to fit into my "smaller" clothes. I know now that I have much power in the things I say. I don't have to agree with someone just to agree with them. I get that I'm willing to defend a friend, if I think they deserve it. And I know it's okay to not respect everything about another. I've realized how truly important I am to some of my friends. And that's pretty sweet.

Just when you think you can't teach a dog new tricks, you get a message from your brother telling you he's been alcohol and cigarette free for a month. And you feel proud. Sometimes you get a text from someone telling you that God told them to tell you that everything you're going through is taken care of. And you know it's okay to laugh...cause even God doesn't believe that bullshit. Sometimes in life, the stars align just right and you feel like everything is going to be alright. And you look back and shake your head at yourself because you knew all along you had the strength in you. You just had to be reminded. And the ego is back.

Celebrating The Female Bestie

Saturday night we all went out to finally celebrate The Female Bestie's 30th  birthday. After her month-long whirlwind celebration, she finally decided to spend some time with her friends. No, but for real, way to celebrate Amiguita. Anyway, we headed out to Downtwn LA and had dinner at some joint called Yang Chow's. I hate to say it, but I didn't leave as enthusiastic about the place as everybody else. Then after a week of research we decided on The Mayan for the dancing portion of the night. All in all, we had a fantastic night. I realized how much I actually belong in L.A. I kinda feel like Orange County has so little to offer. I'm going to try hard and spend as much time out there as I possibly can. Here are some pix from the night...

The Female Bestie blowing out her candle...

Chino y Shy Girl...

The Gang...

And, of course, the cougars...

A Little Nicaraguan Pride (Just A Little)

I Did It Again

Sometimes it takes a complete stranger to to call you out in order to finally put some things in perspective. In case you don't already know me or this is the first post you ever read on here, I should tell you that I've got this insatiable need to help others. I hear someone tell me a sob story and I immediately want to jump into action and "save" them. It is something I've come to actually really dislike about myself. I can't seem to separate what I think is good for someone and what they want for themselves. This causes quite a bit of extra annoyance in my life.

Anway, here's my story: We've had a homeless young man hanging out at my job lately. I've gone out to talk to him and offer him different resources and services...some of which he has gladly taken and some he has flat out denied. I look at the kid and I see an 18-year-old with so much potential...if he'd only get the right type of help. So I've offered him showers, shelters, food and other shit. The kid is in his own world, though, believing that his spiritual powers will take care of him. During one of our very interesting conversations I asked him, "You can't possibly want this life at such a young age, right?" And his response was "You have your path and I have mine." And then I backed off. And I realized he was right. Because I think he would be better off sleeping in a bed with clean clothes, it doesn't mean it's what he wants. Shit...for all I know, maybe the kid CAN fly off a fucking building.

I Had To Think About This One

I was asked a pretty interesting question the other day...one that I'm actually still trying to answer for myself. "How do you think you're better than each of your parents?" I think at first I thought it was rude for me to even try to answer it, but then I thought, well parents are supposed to try and raise their kids to be better than them, right? But what kind of self-righteous asshole actually considers themselves better? So here's what I came up with...

As far as my dad goes...I wouldn't say I'm "better" in any way. I think I'm simply more open-minded. As I've gotten older, I can see that my dad was who he was because of circumstance. When you're not raised with praise or even love, it's hard to then turn around and give it to someone else. When you're not exposed to different life styles, it's easy to think everyone is wrong but you. All you know is what you know. And so, I don't think it makes me better. I think my possibilities are just a little more endless than his.

And then there's The Mom's. There is still so much for me to learn from this woman, that I would be a fool to even try and find something I'm better at. The Mom's is the prototype of the human being I want to be one day. I think the what makes us different is that I tend to be way more selfish. For my entire life, she has always put others before her...I don't work that way.

It's My Best Friend's Birthday!

Friends are like melons; shall I tell you why? To find one good you must one hundred try. -- Claude Mermet

And I've found the best. Happy 30th Birthday Amiguita...may this year be as good as the freakin' stellar month you've had. Thank you for being one of the very few constants in my life. Your friendship means more to me than you'll ever know. It's a beautiful thing to have grown up with you...you remain the essence of confidence self-assurance. I love you very much, Amiguita.

Kings of Leon

I have to admit that I had never even heard of the Kings of Leon until they blew up last year. I had no idea that they'd been at it for a while...so I'm one of those lame fans that jumped on the bandwagon once they actually made it. I've been obsessed with their album for a few months now and was pretty lucky to see them in concert over the weekend with The Player. All it took was him dumping one of his hot chicks so I could go instead...and I'm glad it happened. I've been to many rock shows before and not always do they sound anywhere near as good as they do on record. Hoobastank (remember them?) were horrible live when we saw them a few years ago. But I have to tell you, Kings of Leon sound just as good live...it was a pretty awesome show. The Player managed to buy some freakin' sweet seats. This Blackberry picture is pretty lame, but you can see how close we were...

Here are some other highlights:

1. I had to pee pretty bad right before the show and since I was already getting up I agreed to buy The Player a beer. So I do my business and then get in line to buy the beer. I reach into my pocket to get my cash. When I pull out my hand, I accidentally graze the ass of the girl in front of me. She turns around and gives me the dirtiest look. I say, "Sorry about that." And when she kept staring, I said, "No really, it was an accident. Sorry." Then, boyfriend turns around, gives me a shove and asks, "Did you just grab my girlfriend's ass?" I look at him and say, "My man, I mean no disrespect by this. I'm sure you think your lady is good looking and all but look at what I have at home." And I pulled out my phone to show off the lovely La Shy Girl. As I prepared to get punched and get kicked out before the concert even started, she grabs him and pulls him out of line. I got The Player's beer and enjoyed the concert. For the record, if I'd had backup I probably would've told him his girlfriend had a flat ass and it was a miracle my hand even found it. And I'd tell her she could suck it with her fucked up Octomom lips and Sharpie eyebrows. But I didn't.

2. The concert ended sometime around 11:30 and the parking lot was not emptying out as quickly as we would have liked. One of us wanted more beer, so I get the brilliant idea of walking around Inglewood by foot in search of an open liquor store. Nothing. So I approach a group of Inglewood residents and ask them if they knew where we could get a beer at such a time. Brotha-man comes back with, "I can get you beer. How much do you want to spend?" We kinda just stand there trying to come up with an answer. He then asks for a dollar. We give him a dollar. He goes into a laundromat and comes out with two cans of Blue Ribbon Beer. (WTF?)We thank them and walk back to the parking lot at The Forum.

My Man Date

I'm going to see the Kings Of Leon in concert tomorrow night with my buddy, The Player. It is very rare that I go anywhere without La Shy Girl, so this is kinda foreign to us. I'm pretty excited to go to the concert and to hang out with The Player...my enthusiasm ends there. La Shy Girl on the other hand cannot wait for my "man-date", as she calls it. I'm sure she's looking forward to spending a night by herself...it has been a very long time, but more than anything, I think she's just happy to see me try and socialize with someone who is not a usual. I tell you...she has allowed me a bigger budget than I've ever had when out without her and she came home last night having washed the car so that it's clean for tomorrow. Oh, and she filled up the gas tank. How freakin' cute is she?

One Strange Trip

So we're on our way to pick up The Besties from the airport, right? LSG and I start discussing how we should at least take a nice little weekend getaway while we're there. We decide on Japan. For some reason we each book a flight for our selves. And it's not until we go to board that we realize we are on two separate flights. We both decide that there is no way we want to be on a long ass flight to Japan without each other so we go and talk to airport personnel. They agree to let us go on a flight together on one condition; They want us to carry a bunch of mangos in our carry-on suitcases. We don't think twice about it and agree to the deal. When we get to "Japan", we quickly realize that we are actually in the Philippines in the middle of some street market. Some guy comes up to us and takes our suitcases and we're immediately transported to New York. Once in New York, I discover that several people have accompanied us on our trip. Some of my aunts, one of La Shy Girl's friends (not a real one) and other strangers. We go to Coney Island and LSG and I want to get on a rollercoaster. LSG's friend says she doens't want to wait for us and I tell her to fuck off. Somehow The Mom's joins us and I ask her where my dad is. She says he's still getting ready at the hotel, so I go and get him. He tells me The Mom's got mad at him after she said she felt heavy and he replied with, "well, duh." We walk back to the Coney Island together and I tell him how happy I am that he was able to join us. At this point, La Shy Girl came back into the bedroom and woke me up.

Kind of Love

You give me the kind of love that others can't quite comprehend. Where others can't understand how we could go to New York with just each other, we couldn't see it any other way. Where others feel the need to escape every once in a while, we're fine just where we are. You give me the kind of love that makes me think I did something good in my previous life. Every now and then it still feels so unreal to me. To know that you are who you are despite your early surroundings is beyond me. To think that only I get to see the real you truly makes me thank my lucky stars. If you were a song you'd be "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World". If you were a poem, surely you would have been written by Mr. Hughes. You give me the kind of love that could keep me writing day and night. One day I'll put together the right words that will say it just right. Because I love you will never, ever suffice. My Shy Girl...you drive me crazy. You make my life what it is. It's just that kind of love.