A little change to my blog

I've decided to only allow comments from other Google accounts. I don't mind anonymous comments but if you're gonna dish it you gotta be able to take it back. Insulting and hiding is a punk ass move. Don't be a little bitch.

Feliz Navidad

Of course I had to shoot the photo everyone has shot before. I was gonna try to put a cigar in his mouth but he chewed through 3 and I decided to go traditional.

Anyways, Feliz Navidad to all.

Federico rules

We got Federico a couple of months ago from a friend who had purchased him from a puppy mill. Her children got tired of the dog and he was relegated to a bathroom. I convinced Isaida that we needed to adopt him and although our friend had plans to sell him we got him for free. His name was quickly changed from Coqui to Federico in honor of the fine men and women who law enforce in the Federal government.

I had only met the little devil once on my last trip to Miami. Now that I am an independent contractor ;), I have taken over the training and disciplining of the dog. Hopefully this will be easier than my last job.

Federico is a funny dog, smart and full of hormones. He will have his little marbles removed soon. Gonna wait until he turns 1 and then, snip snip.

Anyway, here's a pic of the dog and Isaida shot w/the iPhone.

Online arguments are stupid

'nuff said.

Real men (boricua men) collect unemployment

Well, I'm about to become a real certified BORICUA, I will start the process of collection of unemployment benefits. I keep thinking about that old song by El Gran Combo; "que bueno es vivir asi, comiendo y sin trabajar". I wish it was easy but it ain't; after 18 years getting paid by newspapers, not having a routine kinda sucks.

Since my dismissal I've been walking to the beach everyday and drinking gallons of Medalla. Now I'm starting to get a lil' nervous. Yesterday I spent well over 4 hours trying to decide which Apple laptop to buy. My current powerbook is not sturdy enuff to depend on. It's basically an internet surfing machine. I only had a lil' bit of cash in my checking acct to get by until the next paycheck. I spent $900 on a used MacBook. I really wanted a brand new MacBookPro but no way I could afford that. Today I'm posting my Hasselblad gear, a rarely used iPod mini and some Canon accesories on eBay to make up for that money I spent on the laptop. I may even sell my Ellsworth mntn bike, I can fetch 1k for it @ least. I have a few other things I can sell. That's one of the only good things about buying a lot of crap. I'm lucky I decided to buy a 5D before moving here. At least I have one body and the glass I need to work. I have to get a 2nd used body but I'll get by with a loaner from a good friend from here.

I found a cheap one way tix to Miami and I'm flying up next week for I dunno how long. I wanna be with Isaida, being alone and not working is not good. There I will sell my iMac which doesn't get used much and I'll leave the old PowerBook for Isaida to use in the meantime. My parents agreed to take care of Mija for me while I'm gone. I had never asked anyone to care for my dogs but now I can't afford to lodge her in the $20/day clinic. There's also the issue of my convertible bug to deal with. On my last trip to Miami I had it towed to a shop where they are finishing the restoration work on it. I think that will cost me an additional 2k. I left a 1k deposit when I took it there. I HAVE to finish that job and then I'll decide if I sell it or ship it to PR. Isaida will need a car and I can give her my Subaru and I can drive el volky. Not sure what I'll do.

Now to the positive, my biz partner and I are getting together today to iron out some final details on our freelance biz we're putting together. I wanna launch soon, maybe January. From MIA I will fly to NYC to see agency and magazine folks and introduce myself and show my work. I think I have a good chance of doing some corporate and travel gigs from here as well as some entertainment stuff. I've met some folks over the years and now I'm gonna knock on their doors. I think w/a lil bit of this and some of the freelance stuff we'll do here I'm gonna be fine. I have my fingers crossed that Isaida will land a gig here, we need her benefits to make it without tapping into some accounts we don't wanna raid. Of course, this is not the best time to be starting a business but I have no choice. If we had children I'd probly be working in Wal-Mart right now...

Wish me luck.

You're fired !

I got fired yesterday. So much for the triumphant homecoming. I now have to make a t-shirt that sez El ex-jefe. I can't say I'm really pissed about this. I hated that job and I hated not having a life, living in PR but not seeing PR. Driving home every night exhausted knowing I'd have to do it all over again the next day and the day after that. Knowing that every day off I had I'd still be working the phone or the laptop reassigning people and fielding calls from motherfuckers who didn't read my email telling them I was OFF. I won't miss none of that shit.

I saw that train coming. I had been given an ultimatum over a month ago so after that initial shock, I knew I was fired. I put together a freelance biz plan which I think will be awsome. I'm now looking around for some gear I still need and we'll get this baby off the ground soon. In the meantime, I'm gonna fly to Miami to hang w/Isaida who's been so incredibly supportive of me.

What next ? well, since I knew this was gonna happen I started talking to a good friend photog here. We decided to start a freelance biz together offering 3 photo products that are somewhat inter-related. We're in the process of printing the different photo books to promote this thing. We both think it's gonna be great. My partner is a great shooter and friend.

But first I'm gonna enjoy some time off, lose some weight and get a darker shade of brown on my skin.

Wish me luck.

Salinas

My parents just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. My brother Angel flew down from PR to be here with us, my sister didn't bother to call, she must be busy you know, working part time and all... I'll post the wedding vows pics later, right now I just wanna show the big ass chillo I ate in Salinas with my folks and brother !

Adios

I can vote !

Yesterday I decided that I was NOT gonna let the upcoming gubernatorial elections pass by without me having my say. For months my mother has been subersively telling me I can't register 'cus I haven't lived here long enough. I knew she was full of shit, I mean, I work in a damn newspaper I ask people who know about these things. The reason she's been trying to get me NOT to vote is that she and all her siblings and relatives are hardline statehooders. Most of my aunts are Rossellistas who will write in the hijoeputa. Mami knows I will probly vote green or orange. But, I'll let you in on a secret; I will cast a vote for Tomas Rivera Shatz. This is one of the most hated statehooders in PR. He's really special. He makes enemies really fast. He was a Rossello's enforcer. Very abusive with his rethoric and demagoguery. After Rossello's fall from grace, he joined forces with the pussy who defeated his jefe in the primaries, Luis "el bisco" Fortuño. The same guy he had demolished verbally when Rossello was his man. Anyway, why would I vote for a statehooding fascist ? Well, back in 1984, I was struggling to pass the 12th grade in el Colegio Santa Cruz in Trujillo Alto. No matter what I tried I couldn't get a passing grade in the accounting class. One F and I would not graduate with my classmates. Here is when my loyalty to Tomas Rivera Shatz was born. You see, back in '84 we knew Tomas as Tomito, Colegio Santa Cruz '84 class president. Tomito's dad was the mayor of Trujillo Alto. The motherfucker always won the ever present political debates in our classes, especially the history class where our former teacher Mr. Toraño, would always instigate a political debate between the pro-independence faction of the class and the statehooders headed by Tommy. Anyway, thanks to his debating prowess and "patea's en el culo" style, he actually talked the accounting teacher, who hated me like poison, into giving me a passing grade. I actually found out about this several years later. So, Tomito, has my vote, and some orange or green party will get the rest of my X's.

Oh yeah, I forgot, it took me all of 4 hours to get my g-damn voting card. My neighbor got to the registration place early, got me a number. I arrived half an hour later. and was ready to wait up to 5 hours. A lucky break came when someone left and dropped his/her number. It was 187. I got it from the lady who picked it up and got out about 1 1/2 hours ahead of time.

I'm voting bitch !

El mardito marbete

I had to renew the inspection sticker known as el marbete for my car last month. My license has to be renewed each year. YOu also have to get a compulsory insurance for your car @ a cost of $99. I got a full cover for my Subaru so that is covered but because I got the old license from the dealer I had to get a new one and pay for the insurance and marbete and then get reimbursed. Got it ? I didn't either. Lemme just list all the things I had to do to get my marbete:
1-Inspect the car (about 45 mins, $11)
2-Go to the insurance company to get a document so I wouldn't have to pay the $99 insurance. Couldn't get the document 'cus I have an xpired license from the dealer.
3-Go to Banco Popular to try to get the marbete. Couldn't get the marbete there.
4-Go to a Texaco to get the marbete 'cus the Banco Popular folks told me I could get it there. Couldn't get it there. Was told to go to the place I had the car inspected.
5-Went to the original garage. Couldn't get it there and the inspector dude told me he didn't keep copies of my license which is BULLSHIT ! I know he did 'cus I gave him the 4 original copies.
6-Go to the Colecturia in Fajardo to get the marbete. Couldn't get it 'cus I had to get the new license i the Obras Publicas office.
7-Go to the casita amarilla to get a photo copy of my driver's license.
8-Back to Obras Publicas, GOT A NEW LICENSE FOR FREE !!!
9-Back to the Colecturia to pay for the marbete, pay $185 and GOT MY MARBETE !!!

All this took one week.

I drove without the thing for 9 days. The fine is pretty nasty; $500, the cop takes your tag and the car is towed away @ your expense.

Bottom line, if they had automated systems in PR one wouldn't have to do all these hoop jumping. This of course would mean efficiency and a smaller government payroll. This of course is a problem in a colony where @ least 60% of the labor force works for the government. Most of those jobs are political appointments which translate into votes for the same politicians who appoint them. Understand now ? That's why it takes almost 2 weeks to get a stupid sticker for your car.

Push this bitch...

So it's been pointed out to me that the door sign picture is not mine ! Holy shit, I stole a picture and didn't even know. For the record, I've seen something like that, but now I'm thinking I saw it in my damn computer. Sorry David, however I think it's a compliment that I thought one of your pics was so good that I shot it...

Fidel se murió

This was the last Fidel se murió crazy Miami Cuban reactionary party in front of Versailles en la calle 8. I've no idea how many times I've covered Fidel's death in So/Fla. The worst time the SS was trying to get me and a reporter to Cuba based solely on a rumor. I had a visa that had just expired a couple of days before. That's my friend Alan Diaz from the A.P. who although he looks like he's getting a closer view of the nice Cuban Chonga Q-lo, is actually trying to avoid walking in the mamacita's stand up shot.

Hay razones para el optimismo

My favorite road sign in all of Cuba. I've shot this one a ton of times, every time I drive past it I get out and shoot it. I'm with Sun-Sentinel former Cuba correspondent Vanessa Bauzá.

Camp Elian

I have this old pic from the Elian Gonzalez media camp. I started out with a 3 foot ladder and gradually moved up to a 5 footer, then a 6 and finally a 12 footer.

GhettoRicanWrestling

I was on my way to my regular waste of time in Kiosko #6 in Luquillo when I spotted a crew putting up a ring in the parking lot of this colmado/liquor store in the Fortuna section of Luquillo. For some reason I thought they'd have the local borrachos duke it out after a few canecas de Palo Viejo. So I went home took a bath and drove back @ night to find over 100 locals, women, children and viejitos watching a full wrestling show. The likes of El Convicto, Llurin el Tramposo and Surfer Boy were entertaining the audience. The evening couldn't go on without the obligatory alambre de pua tag team battle. That was great ! Blood and a bunch of cabron, maricón and hijo 'e putas for the entire family and the lil' children to enjoy. I've no idea what HSW stands for, maybe Hoy Soy Wei, but the wrestlers are basically your loser next door types.

Anyway, I wasn't really planning on shooting but after a few pinchos with too hot hot sauce and about 3 Heinekens I decided to whip out the 5D and snapt a few frames w/a cold beer in my back pocket.

I loved shooting something fun again.

Haiti and stuff

I'm looking @ all the great pics coming in from Haiti and Cuba from this year's hurricanes and I'm thinking, hummmmm, shooting would be nice...

I'll fucking move to Panamá ! (shit, I gotta tell Isaida)

So two fucking gringos who've lived in our possesed Banana Republic for over 10 years decided they needed a bilingual ballot so they can vote in our comedic elections and they sued and their whining made it all the way to the circuit federal court in Boston and guess what ? the motherfuckers won. So now, because two FUCKING yankis bitched, we'll have bi-lingual ballots forever. One of these days, we'll wake up and this fucking island will be a damn state and you know what my people will do, they'll just ask for another Medalla and when asked how things are, they'll say, "todo bien, gracias a Dios". I'm tired of submissive pussies who just take it over and over. Since 1952 two parties have been screwing us and for some reason my people seem incapable of realizing that the problem is those two parties. This is like changing the spark plugs in your car and the stupid thing just wont start. Hey asshole, maybe the car needs gas. Stop trying the same damn thing over and over. That's not the problem. I don't understand how people with access to information and with the freedom to complain just keep taking it in the national ass !
Fuck it, give me a cold Medalla and tomorrow I'll move my colonized hairy ass to Panamá.

Federico looks like a Poodle now

After a nice grooming session Federico looks finally like a real min-poodle. Isaida took the little bastard to a local groomer and voilá.

Meet Federico

Isaida and I adopted last night a new member to our family. His name is Federico and he's a 7 month old miniature poodle, or something along those lines. I'd told Isaida my next dog would be a smaller breed. I love boxers but I realize it's kind of a pain in the ass.

When I was a kid I worked in a small zoo that was @ the entrance of Piñones in Loiza (that was a long time ago). There they had 3 min-poodles that were trained and were part of the act. I got in trouble several times for making the dogs do tricks that I saw the trainers rehearse. I found out later those little fuckers are smart as hell.

We got Federico from a friend who is a Fed. She'd gotten him for her kids but after a few months they'd lost interest in him and he'd been relegated to a bathroom. They had named him Coqui which is a totally gay name for a small gay looking dog. Smart dogs like those can get really destructive if their intelligence and energy is not challenged and they are properly treated and made part of the family.

I was planning on flying to Miami to bring him to P.R. with me but Isaida wants to keep him and train him. This will be good. I'll play training consultant. Our neighbor Lucero has been hired to walk Federico every afternoon until Isaida gets home.

Anyway, here's a coupla of pics of FEDERICO.

Hottie @ Wal-Mart

Saw a really hot girl @, ahhh fuck it I can't write this one. I'll keep it a secret...

Not all NewYoricans are assholes, but this one is.

So I went to my new "for now" after hours fave bar, Kiosko #20 called the Lighthouse or Lightpoint in Luquillo. For those of you who don't know, the Kioskos are basically a row of kiosks that for decades (i'm no damn historian ok) have been open and where you can find most of the good/bad for your health shit ricans like to eat and like crack pushers like to force foreigners to try. I'm talking greasy bacalaos (like some cod fish and flour deep fried wafer), alcapurrias (more fried yuca and crab or meat shit) and a ton of other stuff. Anyway, I go to this Kiosko @ night 'cus it'one of a handful that stays open late. The place doesn't get crowded, has 2 pool tables and the beer (Medalla) only costs $1.25. Most of the clientelle when I get there around 11PM or later is the staff of another kiosk further down and a few locals. There really isn't a whole lot going on in that area, between Rio Grande and Fajardo. The jukebox has a ton of Reggeton, Salsa, Merengue and of course fucking B A C H A T A...

Enough history, back to the Newyorican in question.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Newyoricans, especially the women. Man, talk about, how should I say this ? Friendly ? I have some very fond memories of some leideezzz. Ok, back to the #20, I went there last night around 11PM sat and had a few beers and this dude w/tats on his neck and baggy shorts sits next to me and starts talking shit to Joshua, the brand new (it was his 1st day) chef/cook, motherfucker's good ! Rican-Eminem starts, without anyone asking, to talk about how his company sent him to PR to do some work. How he has a nice hotel room in Isla Verde, how he will have a huge FREE breakfast in the morning @ his hotel and he will go to the bar and get free drinks. He couldn't stay with his relatives in I dunno where 'cus their place was too small and he needed his big hotel room that his company was paying for. He went on to tell me about his 14 PitBulls in NY, how he only sells them cheap to his Newyoricans friends but not to his white customers, they have to pay a lot more. Man there's a lot of crime on PR! he said, that's why I don't carry a lot of cash. My company puts all the money in my bank account and I use my ATM card, I gots crazy money bro ! He kept drinking Medallas and shots of Felipe II. Dude was fuct up ! I wasked him if he was driving like that, he sez, loco, yo voy suavecito por la orilla y ya. No me pasa na'. Si los policias me paran me hago el que no hablo español y me dejan ir porque esos cabrones no hablan ingles...So he decides he's hungry but doesn't have any cash and then remembers his ATM. Goes to the car, which btw, was an old Suzuki jeep. He xplained that his company woulda paid for any car he wanted but his Tio insisted he use his Suzuki. Comes back w/the ATM and orders some tostones rellenos con mariscos and wanted me to order some shit too, I politely said no thanks. A few minutes later dude goes back to his car and never came back. I had a free toston thanks to his sorry ass and I hope he got arrested for DUI.

Moral of this story, if you happen to somehow turn into a Newyrican, don't be an asshole.

Peace

Ricans can be Pen%$jos sometines...

So it seems there are a lot of pendejos in Luquillo. I'ts just a thought that came to me while I walked to the town's plaza to check out the scenery during some kinda festival called "El Yunquetazo".
Oh yeah, I have some photo evidence to back up my theory.

I mountain bike.

I got me a really nice mountain bike (Ellsworth Sub-22) a couple of months ago. I only really get to ride the thing once/week. There's a kick ass trail by my apartment, El Corredor del Este, between Luquillo and Fajardo. My first time there I rode for 40 mins and gave up. My lungs were begging for oxygen. This last weekend I rode for an hour and was feeling fine, although I hitched a ride in a pickup truck to get back to the top of a hill I flew down on. I only crashed once. The only really bad thing about El Corredor is that on my way back home I have to drive past the kioskos in Luquillo and of course I HAVE to stop and eat a few alcapurrias and piononos. This I think negates the excercise...

Why Miami is better than Puerto Rico (part 2):

Isaida is in Miami.


Mike's Cigars.


Olguita lives in Miami.


Even the mannequins are hot in Miami.

Why Miami is better than Puerto Rico:

I love P.R. ! So much so that after 21 GREAT years I left Miami for P.R. I love PR so much that I see myself spending the rest of my life here. This is where I was born and grew up, it's where my parents and family live and where I met my wonderful wife Isaida. BUT, there's one thing Miami has that Puerto Rico doesn't have: APPLE STORE (S). Several of them actually.
Here's the one on Lincoln Road on my last visit to Miami. Funny thing is I never really missed the Apple Stores because I had them so close.
What a geek !

Mija and the river

Every once in a while I walk from my apartment past the Westin Rio Mar Hotel to the river Espiritu Santo (I think) which is about 1 or 2 miles away. I'd walk on the beach ever morning but since I take Mija with me on I don't. Direct sun would really drain her so I choose the main road which is cooler with all the tree shades. Anyway, Mija hasn't done any swimming, when we cross the river it's always shallow enough for her to just walk it. THis last time though, the water was waist deep so I decided to make her cross it swimming. She hesitated a bit @ first but eventually went for it and swam across several times. She wasn't all happy about it but she did it nonetheless.
I'm adding a snap of her chilling in a freshly dug hole behind my beach chair.

Adios

So, are you a model ?

For those who dunno, I met my beautiful wife Isaida in a public AMA bus in P.R. Many years ago. When she sat next to me she was carrying one of those pretty girl mags Mademoiselle or something. I was a photo student then so I HAD to ask her; "are you a model". She snapped back @ me that she wasn't and went mute. Long story short; a few minutes later we exchanged numbers and I used my mojo on her and voilá. Truth is though, it wasn't a line. I really thought she was model pretty. I still do. I have no game, never really have had any game. The mojo line, that's talk. Sometimes I'd run into a girl who thought I was ok looking, but that was about 40 lbs, 20 years and a full head of hair ago...
Why do I share this ? Because the other night, I was ordering pizza in a small pizza joint in front of the beach in Luquillo. I was using the window on the side of the place and there was this girl working. She was nothing special, just a run of the mill "newsroom cute" girl. Of course, "newsroom cute" is not normal cute, it's just cute enough for the newsroom. She looked better than she really was 'cus the other 2 girls working were, how can I say this in a nice way, I can't so I'll just say they were NOT cute. So this dude comes up, he was about my age. So after a few minutes dude asks the not so ugly girl; ARE YOU A MODEL ? Guess what ? She actually blushed ! She even covered her face with her hands she was so embarassed. Dude made her blush with the world's oldest line ! I mean, the other line older than that is HAVE WE MET BEFORE ? Unreal.
So what's the point of this post ? None really, just me hablando mierda.

Peace.

My motherf&#@king neighbor in Miami Shores...

When Isaida was visiting me in P.R. This is a long story and I won't really get into it yet cus' the matter's still fluid. Apparently the perp was the dude from across the street. Isaida notified the cops, the guy got arrested and spent 3 days in jail. Now he's back in the house. There's a case pending. I'm flying to Miami next week.
I just got Isaida a C2 Personal Taser. I doubt she'll have to use it.
To be continued...

cabron, mamabicho !

So I was heading home after a day of shooting a mntn bike race, riding the trail and eating about 5 pinchos in the town of FLORIDA in the North/Center of the island. Really, fucking town is called Florida, lots of loud motherfuckers in bikes and cars with sirens. I've no clue why these assholes are so loud...
ANyway, on my way home I get on this road, two lanes turn into one. Some asshole in a BMW tried to get in front of me, even if I stopped the fucker wouldnt have been able to make it. SOB drove around me, stopped his car and got out and said "mambicho, cabron me blokeaste" ! I put my hads up as if saying, calm down asshole. I'm trying to think of how I can get out of this if the prick pulls out a glock or something. Only way out was to ram his car and hit him...Anyway, bitch behinds me jumps out of her car and yells back "tu eres el animal cabron, que lindo conn una cerveza en la mano". other chick behind her did the same. dude got in his car and left in a hurry.
So did I. Ive been told I'm ungrateful for not thanking those fine ladies.

I dont think so....

Ricans !

A

Plena pa ti, plena pa mi.

I've been going to a few local spots to enjoy some kick ass plena music. Growing up in P.R. I was never into plena, bomba, salsa, merengue and definitely NOT into bachata. I'm still not into bachata and that's gonna hold no matter what. Tito Matos, musical director of Viento de Agua kicks major ass, funny, smart and a pretty awsome plenero. Here's a snap from last night on la calle Tanca en el Viejo San Juan. Isaida is blurred on the right wearing shorts.

Angels and short Ricans everywhere !

I've been meaning to write this for a while but I kept forgetting. It turns out I'm no longer the only Angel in the photo department or the shortest guy in the newsroom. There is a shooter who is shorter than me. AND two other shooters share my 1st name and a freelancer my last name. There are also a couple other Angels in the newspaper and companywide there are several more.
I'll try to make a pic w/those short fuckers.
Peace, a not so short anymore Angel

Cabron salsero

Man, I just got up from a nap. I'm dragging my feet. I now have Sundays and Mondays off. I actually picked those days myself. My new boss is really cool.

A few weeks ago I went to the Dia Nacional de la Salsa/National Salsa (music) Day. I'm not much of a salsero but I go anywhere there's good music, and fine jevitas. The show was in the Hiram Bithorn stadium. I think Hiram Bithorn was the first PRican major league ball player. Anyway, the HB is an old musty park. I sat in the sun drenched seats, lit up a cigar and just as I thought "all I need is a beer now" some dude selling beers walked by. I had about a 6 pack and had to take a leak when I ran into this dude w/his horns. I love self deprecating humor. This crazy cabron was funny. Called himself "el mas cabron". Good for you cabron.

Adios

El Yunque

I live about 5 minutes from El Yunque rain forest but I hadn't had time to visit. The forestry dept (which runs the park) actually changed the name of the forest to some shit I don't even know. Doesn't matter to me, I don't really follow colonial rule here. When I was little my folks used to take the entire family to a little stream in the forest. I have to find that place. I remember it as an incredibly beautiful spot.
Anyway, I took a little drive to a trail near the top of the road and walked a few miles. I'll go back with a real camera later on and maybe a nekked model.

Car fires

I've seen a couple of car fires on my way to and from work. I find that amusing since I hardly ever saw many of these during my years as a shooter in So/Fla.
Here are a couple of snaps I've made.

Isaida the poet: Candy for your eyes and ears...

Go check her out Saturday April 5. She's a freaking superstar !
http://www.myspace.com/spokensoulshowcase

Stormy weather.

The last few days the weather has been pretty stormy here. This is a pic this morning of the beach behind our condo. The water made it all the way up to the basketball court, that's @ least 125 feet inland. Our unit is a few hundred feet away, closer to the gate and the hill we'd have to get to in order to survive if things got crazy.

Iguanas everywhere.

So there are so many freaking iguanas in PR. Driving on the streets here is like going to a fucking African safari. I know I'm gonna kill one of these fuckers soon. Here's one I did NOT kill. This is the road just outside our condo.

Jesus !

I saw Jesus in Isaida's folks house the other day...

Anonymous wimps

Ok, leave comments but show your faces !!!

One week and counting

So I survived my 1st week as el Jefe de Fotografía in the paper in PR. I have to admit that I wasn't ready for the amount of work I've had to do. I have a good idea of what needs to be done. Changes are coming very fast.

Success today !

I was able to get 3 required documents today, SATURDAY !
Got a certificate of good conduct from the police dept. An updated birth certificate and a marriage certificate from a fast and efficient government agency. I was in and out in less than 20 minutes.
I'm starting to like this.

Reciprocidad Total=Respeto AND Dignidad

Today I got my PR driver's license. I had to make use of some smooth talk to convince the clerk that I was grateful for the great nation of PR's respectful treatment of a fellow driver from another country. Thanks to PR's "Reciprocidad Total" program, I was reminded of the great things that can happen when countries treat each other with honor and dignity. Thanks to the International treaty between the nations of Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida, I was able to obtain my license after only producing a birth certificate, passport, SS card, a printed copy of my Fla driving record, my old Fla driver's license, two bills showing my stated address, a letter handwritten by my wife confirming that those are OUR bills and a form w/a medical report, 3 passport photos, some rubber stamps and shit that I was charged $38 for. BUT, I was treated nicely.
Thanks.

Reciprocidad Total my ASS

So this morning I went to get my P.R. driver's license, reciprocidad total and all. I went to the right bldg., paid for my MEDICAL, photos and stamps. $38. I wait in line only to be told I have to come back w/a couple of official bills w/the address of the place I'm gonna live in. Also, birth certificate, s-s card, passport and a printed copy of my Fla Driving record. WTF ? I'll try again tomorrow.

Reciprocidad Parcial y Total

So the gov. agency that regulates driver's licenses has a system in place that grants full driving rights to people from SOME states and GERMANY ? The rest of the States drivers are screwed or @ least have to take the written test. But if your DL is from one of 4 these states; Hawaii, Rhode Island, Washington and Oklahoma, you have to take the written AND driving test. Fortunately, I have a Fla DL and I qualify for the FULL RECIPROCITY program. This makes no sense. I mean, I understand Oklahoma, but Tennessee and South Dakota also qualify for full reciprocity.
I love red tape.

A coupla things

So I bought a car, a very vanilla Subaru Forester. I confess I blew this one. I probably coulda haggled a bit more. On top of that, I didn't realize the spare tire was bad and there was a broken fog light AND the digital compass/watch thing didn't work. I shoulda negotiated a better deal. Still, the car is sweet. Blue Book value was about 2k more than I paid. I get about 300 miles per tank of gas. My old Element used to give me 240. This is my 1st ever automatic car. I always wanted a Subaru.

Mija is a hit with everyone she meets. Her good manners and friendliness are winning everyone over. I get stared @ when I scoop her dumps. I'm so freaking civilized.

I got laughed @ the other day in the local supermarket. I brought an earth friendly bad for my groceries. The cashier mas mocking me for doing that even though I xplained the benefits to the environment. Nada, the bitch still laughed @ me. It's all good. I don't care.

I miss my Sunpass. PR's version, the AutoExpress system is fine but you only save .05 each time you roll through the booth. You do save time.

Traffic in PR SUCKS !

For $99 you can get the mandatory $3k insurance coverage. Full cover for one year is about $600. Not bad.

Living on the beach is awsome btw !

Oh yeah, reggaeton sucks too. Pero Tego rules.

I got another hammock to hang on some palm trees on the beach.

Mangu and drugs

I spent a good 5 hours today in a clinic where I was sent to take several medical tests. I thought it would be a quick pee in a cup drug screening thing. WRONG ! Turns out I was screened for everything. I thought the doctor was gonna put a latex glove and ask me to bend over. I was told by a nurse that if I was hungry I could go to the corner "cafetin". Turns out this was a Dominican joint that had the best freaking Mangú I've ever had. Just awsome ! Only cost $4. I'm gonna enjoy the holes in the wall places. The wait didn't seem that long after I had that meal.

Pain in the koolow...

I thought the toughest thing to do would be announcing my departure to my ex-boss @ the Sun-Sentinel. That wasn't it. Leaving my good friends and colleagues wasn't that hard either, mostly because I know we will always have them, they're not just our neighbors anymore, they're family to us. South Florida will forever be part of our lives. We own a house there and if we ever sell it we'll buy a condo. The toughest part of leaving was the logistical pain that is flying with a large dog. Basically, the airlines have restrictions on the temperature in the departing and destination airports. It depends on whether you have a snub nosed or regular nosed dog. Since the kennel goes in the cargo hold of the plane, and sometimes planes sit on the runway waiting for whatever, the temperature will affect your pet. If it's too hot it will die, if it's too cold, it will die too. Either way, you wouldn't wanna put your beloved pet through that. In my case, when we showed up @ MIA with Mija @ 8AM, the temperature in San Juan was 81 and climbing. Miami was also over 75 degrees (max for snob nosed dogs like our boxer). After a back and forth with the useless a-hole from American Airlines, I decided to try later on. We went back to MIA @ 6PM for a 9PM flight. We had to wait until the very last minute to check the weather in P.R. Still off by one degree, a supervisor approved it and we sent Mija off. We both cried like little punkasses when she was carted off. Murphy had to strike and I sat on the runway almost 2 hours as the crew waited for passengers from a Chicago flight.

I really hate being this angry but here goes it;
AA Flight 1555 2/25/08, 9PM (scheduled departure) 10:45 (actual departure):
I have to write a graph about the WORST FUCKING CREW I've had the displeasure of dealing with. After several "we'll push out of the gate in 20 mins" updates from the captain, some passengers clearly showed their frustration. These asshole WAITERS IN THE SKY, had the cojones to actually get beligerant and mouthy with whoever complained. They were saying things like "what do you think, that I wanna be here dealing w/people like you?", "if we tell you what's going on you're angry, if we don't you're angry too", "we already gave you water once". From the head "waiter" down, all of them are assholes and cunts ! I will single out the PUTA, Betty Boop/J-Ho PENDEJA who thought she was in charge. This CABRONA even said on the P.A."remember, your flight attendants are in charge in the cabin". I kept quiet while she went on verbally abusing the old guy sitting in front of me, bitching about "la negrita" old lady who needed assistance getting out of her seat and finally the businessman sitting next to me. I finally asked her name, I figured I'd write a letter to someone, like the PIO for AA in MIA. The tough/gangsta hoe from the block, suddenly decided she wasn't that much of a badass. "I don't have to give you my name". I told her she was a classless, disrepectfull, bitter individual. Bitch I hope someday someone kicks your sorry NEWYORICAN PUTA ASS back to whatever shithole you came from.

There, I fell better already.

We landed in SJU @ 2AM. Mija was freaked out, planting like a maniac. She must've drank about half a gallon of water when I finally got her out of the kennel in the car rental lot.

After waking my folks up when I realized my apt keys didn't work, I finally laid down @ 4:30AM.

Yesterday, Mija was a bit stressed out still. Took her to the beach, first time for her, and she seemed to enjoy it a lot. Ran around on the sand, skipped some waves on the shore and laid down under a palm tree to rest. Today we walked a couple of miles and will hit the beach in a few minutes. I have to head out to look @ used cars and later to El Dia to do some paperwork.

Here's a snap from yesterday with Mija on the beach.

Peace and Smiles :)

Angel y Mija