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.