Hispanic Causing Panic

And the craziest and most exciting week award goes to __________.

Yes, this past week. Actually these past few weeks have been critical, and I’m not sure how I made it through. I wanted to do something crazy, as always, something that was going to get the youth’s attention, but at the same time not degrade what I represented. Also, I wanted to promote an exciting time of year for me, the 2012 NBA Playoffs. So I decided to contact the best in the local business that can do a design similar to what Metta World Peace had two years ago.

I knew I was going to hear a lot of criticism towards it, but I was willing to take the hits because I knew what that meant. It was worth the sacrifice and adds excitement because it’s fun to live on the edge. I wanted to be the first teacher/coach that can reach out to these kids in style. That’s what I’m about, I love fashion, I love what is new, and I love to be up to date in order to keep up with the kids that I deal with day in and day out. I’m like a cell phone constantly updating to the latest and greatest. My intentions always point back to the reason I got into teaching to inspire and influence kids in a positive way by the way I live. That’s my way of evangelizing. I’ve been doing this long before I became a teacher, but recently I’ve gone more public than ever before. Kids are easily influenced by negative lifestyles because that is all that gets promoted, so why not turn it around and show them an alternative. I do things like this to win them over. Once I have their attention then they really listen. Yes, teenagers do listen. It’s like magic.

The person responsible for the design above is a true artist. He is a Hispanic that is well known in town, my own students referred him to me, so I decided to contact him. It wasn’t easy, and when I got to his shop which was his garage at his own “pad” it was like I was in Los Angeles, my home. In L.A., it is easy to smell the smoke in the air, even more so since the legalization of marijuana, while viewing the graffiti on the walls and feeding off of the energy of the Hispanic culture that is very alive. These lively people literally put everything on the line for a better tomorrow. That’s what I admire most about being Chicano. I don’t want to send any wrong messages here because I’m 100% against smoking, alcohol, and drugs as I mentioned before in a previous blog. Personally, I don’t want any tattoos because 1. It marks God’s temple. 2. It’s permanent. 3. My body is already beautiful and if I want to make it better I can do it by adding muscle not ink. Tattoos look cool, but not for me. My older brother, Desert Storm veteran, received the following tattoo in 1992 that will forever change the way I feel about segregation:

I’m not a gangster, but the color of my skin and being American stereotypes me. When I was in 8th grade, at San Jacinto Junior High, where I currently teach, I was either a gangster or a kicker. Since I was American and spoke English, I was gangster, but because I spoke Spanish well, I was a kicker or “wet back”. I didn’t understand those stereotypes then like I do now. Everything is much clearer now. I see the world with different set of eyes then the youth because of my education and upbringing. I can relate to every single one of them. After all, not only was I once sitting in their seats, but I am one of the closest adult to their age. It’s all about youth. We must be like children and their innocence to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Even though every year I’m one year older, I feel one year younger. I’m never going to “grow up”. I understand! I understand all ethnicities. Without labeling by race, I understand all kids. The bad boys who think they are too cool for school, the ones that don’t speak English, the straight A students, the goodie-goods, the economically disadvantage, the wealthy, the preps, the jocks, the nerds. I understand because I represent every one of those groups. I like to call myself a new breed or shoud I say the last of a dying breed, who had to privilege to live all these lifestyles. I chose education as a career for a reason. I felt the call to serve the next generation or should I say my generation, not because I’m young also, but because it’s about having ownership. We are in this together if the kids fail, then we fail, that means I failed and I’m not talking about a state mandated standardized test. I'm not talking about TAKS, STAAR, THEA, SAT, CRE, etc. I’m talking about life.

As the week went by I had to remind myself, based on the movie Zombieland, rule #32 to survive in a zombie infested world: Enjoy the little things. Semester finals were hectic. Everything was due at the last minute. Plays, presentations, research paper, comprensivo, presentation, take home final, presentation, research paper, and research paper. It was worth it, and I should finish with straight A’s in the toughest semester, first time full time student as a graduate student. 2 more classes left for my Masters of Arts in Spanish. One class in Summer I Session and the last and final one in the Fall with the comprensivo attached to it. Life goes by so fast. We often forget the little things in life that make everything worthwhile. Live a little, dance like no one is watching and live like it’s heaven on earth. May 10th was Mother’s Day in Mexico, so I wanted to say happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers before this Sunday on Mother’s Day. May 10th was my father’s 75th birthday. He has walked this earth for three fourths of a century. I love my father the only father I have on this earth. I started teaching at Midland College again part-time in the evenings. I’m about to rock my student’s world. They are going to get a full dose of my enthusiasm and passion. My goal in the next few weeks is to blow them away while I’m teaching them remedial algebra. It’s going to be wild and crazy.

I’ve been under attack. It’s like I’m at war right now and I love it. Nothing new, I’ve been in this situation before. I’ve been tested numerous times since my childhood days in the West Coast, and I love it because it what makes me this strong. I love the 12th round, I love the 4th quarter, I love the 9th inning, and I love Game 7. I love “haters”. Haters = parasites who panic.

With that being said, we are living it up. These are the days that we will remember forever. We need to cheer up. Wake up and smell the coffee or the whey protein shakes. It’s not thugs and violence that people fear it’s something far greater. I’m starting a revolution, with the Martin Luther King and Cesar Chávez approach of non-violent acts to greatness. When will they stop hating? When will they start appreciating?

Metta World Peace

So all week I've been hearing a lot of criticism from a handful of people about the elbow shot from Metta World Peace (MWP). By the way, to me MWP stands for "man with power."

-"What a disgrace, what are we teaching our kids?" -Anonymous

-"¡Más put*!" -Erik Núñez (in a George López voice)

The world is not all sunshine and rainbows, life is good most of the time, but in reality we are living in a cruel place full of sinners. We are teaching our kids to be tough. In the transition from boy to man a boy needs to learn to stand up when knocked down. The boy needs to learn how to deliver hits, but most importantly how to receive them. We should not sugar coat the game and say that people won’t push and shove because they do, it’s a natural instinct. It happens when hustling and sometimes intentionally, kids are not stupid they start to figure that out real early. During a grudge match the aggressors usually win the battle leaving the softies intimidated and/or crying to their mommies wanting to be breast fed.

"The Lakers are thugs!" -Anonymous

-"¡Más put*!" -Erik Núñez (in a George López voice)

That’s a tremendous complement, considering that 4 years ago they were a bunch of “softies” and got their butts handed to them in the 2008 NBA Finals by a TOUGHER team. Needless to say, we bounced back healthy and won the championship the next year in 2009 and reloaded with Ron Artest a.k.a. Metta World Peace to avenge the Boston Celtics in Game 7 in 2010. "Thugs" that's just music to my ears. They are like gansters now taking over territories. Fear! Fear Andrew Bynum who was suspended earlier this season for a similar action at the end of last season. Fear Paul Gasoft, I mean the Spaniard Paul Gasol. Fear the Black Mamba, fear World Peace (I kinda like the ring of that) and Matt Barnes, and don't forget to fear Sessions. So we are now tough. Toughness wins championships. It’s been proven already, they might just have to prove it again. The Lakers were once bullied, but cannot be bullied anymore. You either hunt or become the hunted.

Hypocrisy? Maybe these critics never fought anybody before, maybe they never got mad a day in their life, maybe they never yelled and showed any anger. I doubt it. It’s hypocritical to criticize a man for similar actions. These critics want him crucified. If they are without sin, then I want to see one of them be the first to throw the stone. Enough with the hate, enough said.

The NBA does not want World Peace. At least for 7 games which is the number of games he is suspended for. 7 games? Oh, I get it 1 game left in the season and the Lakers will win the 1st Round of the Playoffs in 6 only to play the Thunder in the 2nd Round with Metta ready to go. They like it, I like it, and you like it because ratings are going to be off the charts when World Peace is back in action. Even these critics are going to be watching, that’s how interesting physical play can be. We can relate to this ordeal. The problem is that they are scared and do not want the Lakers to win another championship again. Especially after that double overtime game victory against a potential championship contender. They are scared that Kobe is going to get his 6th ring and be better than Michael Jordan. They must be the same consumers of the Lebron James IPhone, the Lephone, which only vibrates and doesn’t have a ring.

Truth be told, the media loves to focus on the negative and these jabronies fall for it. Let me tell you the positive side of Metta World Peace. He donated his 2010 championship ring to charity, auctioned it off, and the proceeds went to help Mental Institutes for children. He donated his entire salary this year to charity, which means he’s not making a dime at all for a great cause. Metta World Peace is insane and that’s a good thing. There’s a little Metta World Peace in all of us who’s genuine, caring, and giving, and at the same time that will knock the living crap out of anybody who tries to mess with us. Last time I checked this was a man’s game. The NBA is not for little girls in elementary.

Shut up already!

Unfortunately, we will never see the end of this in terms of the human toll on the guy.

Current World View

This is my view of this world. I’m climbing the biggest mountain there is, the one that nobody has ever lived to talk about. I get closer and closer to the top. I hear the cheers, I hear the jeers. They are pulling me down. They are grabbing everything they can get a hold of, my leg, my pants, my Kobe Zoom shoes. They already tore my shirt off, but I’m still climbing. I don’t want to look down but the crowd is getting bigger. I’ve fallen off the mountain before and I these pests, blood sucking leaches, man eating carnivores did not want to let me climb back up again. I kept climbing, I got even further to the top, but I have voluntarily stepped down to help a love one that was crying for help. I can climb again, no big deal, I’m strong enough, conditioned enough to get back to the point where I was and I know that eventually I will reach my goal. Everybody wants a piece of me. They want to use me, or be used by me. “Sweet dreams are made of these, who had a mind to disagree, travel the world and the seven seas, everybody is looking for something.” The zombie apocalypse has begun. They do not let me climb. I’m taking them out one by one. I took a huge stride today. I’m not looking down, I’m looking up. My glass is half full. Metta World Peace just clobbered a guy in the head. Somebody had to do it, if not I was going to. Get the freak out of my way people, I’m on a natural high pumping my chest, if you’re in my way and begin to shove you will be next. I want to fly and never come down. I want to go to the moon, if I only knew how. Wait! This world doesn’t want to see me. These jabronies don’t want to see me. They don’t know who I am, if they knew they’ll back away. I’m starting a revolution with a new generation of laborers, good ol’ hardworking individuals with the capacity to take over the entire world. Blame it on my ADD. Sail! I love that song. Meanwhile, I’m hanging on my fingertips holding onto a rock, somebody just said to keep going. I actually have a few fans that are trustworthy. Deng these parasites! Look there’s a bird, a plane, wait it’s me starting at this broken mirror. I fell in love once again. I have my second wind.

Now back to working on my research paper for school.

“Ladies and gentlemen what you are about to see is real. No smoke, no mirrors, just two men and a ball. His opponent thinks he’s seen this one before, but how will he finish this time? Which sleeve conceals the card? A good magician keeps em’ guessing, every night something different, every night something big.”

Read Books!

Reading is fundamental! According to the National Basketball Association.

Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson

If you speak and act with a polluted mind, suffering will follow you, as the wheels of the oxcart follow the footsteps of the ox. If you speak and act with a pure mind, happiness will follow you, as a shadow clings to a form.

I read this book my freshman year in college and I could not put it down. The author was the former coach of the Chicago Bulls and at the time current coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course I had to listen to what led to championships, since one of my own was in progress. I took it to heart and it was life changing for me, the rest was history.

Catholic Warrior by Robert Abel

With the power and authority that God has given me to keep my spiritual sanctuary clean, I say to the demons, “This is my circle of influence. There are no trespassers allowed. I have given you a command; because you have not obeyed my orders, I judge you as disobedient, and sentence you to be destroyed in the lake of fire.”

When I pray to have the demons destroyed it’s like cleaning house. It wouldn’t be right to take my trash and throw it in my neighbor’s yard. Trash needs to be properly disposed of in the landfill, or in this case the lake of fire.

Once a warrior learns how to take authority over his own inner sanctuary, he is ready to use the same principles to increase his circle-of-influence. In the same way the Israelites were sent to take authority over every place the soles of their feet tread.

A priest is a man who calls forth the power of God…A prophet is a man who speaks the Word of God and delivers God’s message…A king is a man who rules over his kingdom…He has called every Catholic to be priest, prophet, and king. He wants his children to push back enemy lines, utilize the power of the angelic army, strike down anything demonic, and purge all evil from his kingdom. He has called every warrior into battle! (Abel 83-90).

Abel, Robert. Catholic Warrior. Denver: Valentine Publishing House, 2004.

I read this book after graduating from college. A friend of mine, a brother in Christ, one whom I have deepest respect for, let me borrow this book and it put things more in perspective. I still find myself applying this principle. It’s about having authority over you own life, your circle of influence, it’s about controlling what’s around you and protecting your happiness. I’ve been doing this for years it’s not something that I started last night. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, this world is a mean and nasty place and I don’t care who you are, it will try to take everything you have and throw you to the ground and keep you there permanently if you let it.

“The Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail.” -Jeremiah 20:11

In a night of defeat, with authority that I've been granted, I’m claiming victory.

Huge weight has lifted off my shoulders. Life is great!!!!! Isn't it? :)

Fun Pics

Wanted to share a small collection of photos, hope you all enjoy.

Lakers = amor, familia y respeto

“There are certain kinds of people that are purely driven. I can tell who they are simply by looking at them. I have faced so much criticism for my drive that at times it has alienated me from the majority: the people who are comfortable with second place, the people who hate against me because I am not. You know these kinds of people; they are the ones who fear winning, the jealous ones who envy...” -KB24

I remember I always wanted a tattoo growing up. I think I was influenced by my older brothers who were crazy about them. Every adult who grew up in Los Angeles had a tattoo, so I thought it was the thing to do. Tbch (Facebook game), I always wanted to get a spalding basketball tattoo on my arm with fire and my initials to symbolize my passion for the game, but I never did. My twin brother told me in 2008, "If the Lakers win the championship let's get the Larry O'Brien NBA Trophy tattoo together." I once again refused for my own reasons. Nevertheless, he ended up following through and getting a tattoo the next year when the Lakers finally won the championship, their first of two in a row. This blog was not meant to talk about tattoos, but to hopefully show how personal the Lakers are to me and my family by using the examples of other fans and what this team means to them.

See, I’m not the only crazy one!

“There are certain kinds of people that are purely loyal. I can tell who they are simply by looking at them. I have faced so much criticism for my loyalty that at times it has alienated me from the majority here in town: the people who are comfortable with bandwagons, the people who hate against me because I am not. You know these kinds of people; they are the ones who fear losing, the jealous ones who envy championships...” -KB24 (modified)

I’m not a Cowboys fan or necessarily a football fan, but I hope that the Cowboys will soon reach the top of the NFL once again so my fellow Texan comrades, who can probably relate, can experience the joy and glory that loyalty has to offer. Lesson of the day, lesson that I try to literally teach every day of my life: Respect the game! Respect the game, sport, team and even player please, and we won’t have any problems :)

Oh! [in a whispering voice] there’s plenty of room in the Lakers bandwagon, hurry before it gets full in June.

Peaceful Songs

Happy Easter 2012!

In 2004 I decided to write a few songs. I was inspired by Frankie J and the Kumbia Kings that I wanted to develop the same artistic skill and create that same effect on the world. I was fascinated by their music (Spanish and English) and their ability to entertain crowds during shows. Everyone who witnessed them at a live event was never the same. My brother, friends and I decided to form a "boy band" and hence the Supa Kingz emerged and took America by storm. Scratch the last part, we didn't become famous, in fact nobody really heard about us, only a selected few, but it was cool and we had lots of fun being a part of a group that we were able to call our own.

Bonus:


Our so called first single was Supa World written by yours truly:

Supa World
Once upon a time in a supa world far far away
I met this shorty girl, oh baby just come by way
Let’s get together there’s so many things I got to say
Life is beautiful, especially when I see your face
Tell me everything about you babe
Tell me everything I need to know
Let’s go, hop on in, this ride’s getting exciting

We need to be living in a supa world heaven on earth
Cause everyday should be a great day, happiness is the best way
Together we can save the world
This not dream, we won’t be ignored
I know you and me are meant to be, supa kingz and supa queenz for eternity.

Come into my supa world baby because the door’s wide open
You don’t have to knock baby, just don’t keep me waiting.

Frankie J has recently recorded a new album and this one unreleased hit has brought back memories from those Supa Kingz days. This is my current favorite song that I discovered, I can't find it anywhere, but I won't stop playing it on my phone.

So Incredible.
There are days I feel like rain drops could fall on my face
Even when things don’t go my way it’ll be okay
Everyone knows we aint perfect, but it’s still worth a try
We will be happy, anyhow anyway
Cause you’re there just when I call, you’re there to break my fall
You are my vision of love.

You make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniably, unconditionally, yeah we have it all.
You make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniable, you’re so incredible.
So incredible, so incredible, so incredible, so incredible, so incredible

Every day most people live by, just trying to survive
But you make it easy for me to feel so alive
People wish they had what we have
The way we kiss, the way we miss each other when we have to say goodnight.
Cause you’re there just when I call, you’re there to break my fall
You are my vision of love.

Cause you make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniably, unconditionally, yeah we have it all
You make me feel unbelievably real
Unmistakably, undeniable, you’re so incredible.

Cause you’ve shown me, and you know me, you are like a melody together we in harmony.
Consuming me softly, come hold me yeah, and never let me go.

You make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniable, you’re so incredible.
You make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniably, unconditionally, yeah we have it all.
You make me feel unbelievably real,
Unmistakably, undeniable, you’re so incredible.
You have it all you have it
You have it all you have it
You have it all you have it.
You’re so incredible.

A thing of beauty!

Deserve Victory!!!!!

I have come to realize, once again, that in order for us to succeed we have to deserve it first. If we have done all the work and proven ourselves despite setbacks, we will prevail. We always hear:

“You can be anything and everything you want to be, all your dreams can come true,”

But do you deserve it? What you don’t hear, because it is not a pleasant thing, is the side effects as a result which is the pain and punishment that we have to endure. For every high there’s a low, but the torment is part of the process in order for your life to blossom. This is where many people quit because they fear the pain, not knowing the end result. It becomes unfamiliar territory, but it is important to win the small battles first to be prepared for the big ones. You may not deserve or earn anything at this point, but that doesn’t mean that that cannot change in the future by yours works today. Be tough physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I’m going back to this concept, the key to living happily ever after. We live in a world where we all want everything and I’m not just talking about possessions, but do we deserve it? Do we deserve that raise? Do we deserve that championship? Do we deserve that A on our report card? Do we deserve that significant other? Do we deserve that new electronic device? Not unless we earn these things. We must deserve victory! In order to get what we desire, we must dig down deep in order to turn things in our favor. Research, analyze the situation, built allies, have a plan, be balanced, be flexible, manage your time, get organized, be optimistic, stay motivated, have faith, do the work, and so forth, the rest takes care of itself. The opportunities are endless, but do you deserve them? If you’re going to do something you might as well do it with all your heart. Pour your heart and soul into it so that people can see your passion to the point where it becomes so contagious and it starts spreading across your circle of influence.

Who deserves it? YOU (You obviously understand). Why???? What have you done today to make tomorrow's dreams come true?

(continuation from MySpace Blog: Deserve Victory written in 2009)
http://www.myspace.com/enunez/blog/533374040

In order for you to become victorious you have to deserve it. One way to deserve victory is to suffer. Anything you seek can be achieved by suffering.

"They who endure conquer."
It always has been this way. I like to suffer a little bit just so I can be stronger in whatever I do. I fall and maybe even on purpose just so that I can train to pick myself up again. It may sound strange, but I love suffering. I love climbing the mountain top because the climbing part is always special. You meet the most interesting people, see the most beautiful places, and appreciate what you have. I don’t know about you, but I often take those things for granted. Nevertheless, I know that during a crisis situation, I’m always ready fully loaded because of the preparation that I have done. In times of war knowing how to endure helps you succeed. You’ve seen the terrible things, you’ve hit rock bottom, and you know that it cannot get any worse because even pain has its limits. What can this world do to you? You should not be scared of the world the world should be scared of you.

It’s back to square one my friends. It all started because I had a leak in my bathroom, so I had to shut off the water until I got my plumber to come fix it and to might as well remodel the entire bathroom while he was at it. This meant I could not shower at my house for a short time. After my regular weight lifting workout and my school I was to shower there since it was available.

During this unfortunate situation, I might as well learn from this ordeal and add some more to the list and suffer some more. At the end of the day, week, month, Lent season, I’m only going to benefit from these sacrifices and become stronger. What do I have to lose? I will lose comfort and convenience, however looking at the bright side, I have plenty to gain. Strength, honor, discipline, value, health, victory…
1. I can’t shower at my own house.
2. I can’t ride my car to work on certain days of the week.
(By riding a bike, I’m able to exercise and see beautiful sceneries)
3. I can’t use my cell phone on certain days, only incoming.
(I will take a break from the world, unless it needs me, then they can call)
4. I can’t watch TV, only Lakers games.
(Watching Lakers games allows me to spend time with my brothers)
5. I can’t fall in love. What? How dare you.
(I meet people everywhere I go, but love isn't the name of my current game, maybe?)
Coming Soon! (Future Blog)

Current Lent Promises:
1. I can’t log in on my Facebook account.
2. Attend mass and receive communion every day.

It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t, I do most of the list already and will probably continue after lent season. Other than that for the next 2 weeks or at least until my bathroom gets fixed, whichever comes first then some of these sacrifices will be FINISHED. Your list doesn’t have to be this overwhelming. Don’t overdue yourself. I’m talking to myself here. Relax, but those little things can become good habits for long lasting benefits. That’s why I love the concept of fasting and the 40 days and 40 night’s practices because God rewards you for good works, whether its acts of kindness or sacrifices that are offered up for someone else or even for yourself. It's not selfish, if you earned it. Don’t forget about the ultimate sacrifice in the history of mankind, when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we are still reaping those benefits. I’m going to conclude with a quote I learned in the 4th grade from a song that my twin brother and I sang/performed in my elementary auditorium.

“We reap what we sow, tomorrow is our own reward.”
http://www.rightchoicekids.com/sounds/Right%20Choice/Say%20No%20To%20Drugs.mp3

Spirtual Spring Break

This past weekend I attended my first ever ACTS (Adoration Community Theology and Service) retreat by St. Stephens Catholic Church which was held in Circle 6 Ranch in Stanton, TX. I’ve been to several retreats before which includes SEARCH and several CCW retreats. All of them have been empowering and have added something to the meaning of my faith. I am currently on Spring Break during Lent Season and I could not have asked for a better time to rejuvenate in a sense that will continue to help me grow in this journey. I’ve been praying for my family; my brothers and sisters; nieces and nephews; friends; students; and even co-workers. Lent Season is the time that the most temptation occurs. The evil one is out there seeking the destruction of souls, especially in a time where people are getting closer to God. I’ve been attending mass every day and receiving communion because it is the strongest weapon against the wickedness and traps of the devil.



The number one thing that I’ve learned is that I am not alone anymore. 30 men attended this past retreat and we all became part of a community that comes together as one and works as a support system to hold one another accountable. I have 30 new brothers that are men of God, people I can finally count on. Aside from my brothers and sisters, after my mother was called to Heaven, I never had anybody that was a reliable source to go to in this lonely world. I’ve fought on my own because, thank God, I feel very capable. Let’s be real. We’re going against evil forces, principalities in this unseen spiritual warfare. We need each other, we can’t do it alone. We are part of an army. If you consider yourself a Man or Woman of God, then you are part of this army. We are the Church Militant. God has called us. He didn’t call me when I was twelve, or nineteen, He’s been calling me and all of us all along, and to be more specific since our baptism. I think it’s time we answer His call. Thank you Great King! May Your will be done.

King of the Jungle

I’m a vampire. I don’t sleep at night sometimes. I’ve been suffering from a small case of insomnia. Maybe it started in the year 2000 when the Lakers won their first championship and every championship year after that, I didn’t go to sleep due to the excitement and watching the post-game interviews and highlights over and over. Nevertheless, this repetitive cycle became a habit. I know that I can stay up when I need to. However, the reason for me staying up is not to party and celebrate as if it was a summer night, the real reason it’s because there is lots of work to do. Graduate work, professional work, body work, yes I said body work. “Girl look at that body, I work out.” I have weight lifting sessions at midnight. I know that’s unusual and a bit insane, but what other time can this be done, I’m busy all day. That’s what it takes to be the best. You have to find time for everything. Rome was not built in a day.

I’m a wolf. I’m fierce, I consider myself in pretty good shape. My weight has not changed in years. I am lifting more than I ever thought possible. I’m breaking records fitness wise and that’s making my head bigger. It’s not good to have a huge ego, but honestly it’s not my fault. I’m a blessed man. I thank the Lord for the abundance of blessings even though sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve it. Furthermore, I’m not your ordinary wolf, nor am I trying to compete with Jacob from Twilight, I’m not the Big Bad Wolf, but actually I will be for a Children’s Literature play in Spanish at UTPB on April 25, 2012. “¡Abran la puerta, cochinitos bastardos!”

I’m actually a lion. That means I’m the king of the jungle. I seriously think that in my previous life I was a king. The red carpet was laid out everywhere I went, that’s why sometimes I expect the best treatment. Truth is, in this life chances are not given you have to earn them, you pay the consequences of you actions, and you have to suffer unjustly sometimes. I’m living in a cruel world full of hate, evil, and man eating carnivores. I’m the lion that stands tall and rules my jungle, even though people try to impede and invade my territory. Maybe it’s because I’m a small lion. I didn’t develop to be a big thick boned animal, don’t know why that is, but I’m still a lion you hear. I'm not going to be eaten alive. I will strike first if I have to, watch out, consider this a warning. I'm deadly. Maybe if I say it enough times I might actually believe it myself.

I’m may be a different animal, but always the same beast. It doesn’t matter what I am. I can be an animal or a made believed character, whatever the case may be. Main thing is that I’m some type of specie that can hold its own ground. I’m the last of my kind. There’s not another living creature in today’s world doing what I do, and that’s the point I’m trying to make. I don’t want to be like the rest of the world. I want to be something unheard of. Who am I kidding? I'm not a Beast. The world wants to label me, they want to assign me to a group, they want to give me a name. I don't want to be like every else, I don't want to be labeled. I wanna to be different. I just want to be myself!

Here are my upcoming goals in the exact order from now until July:
1. Got to ACTS Retreat for a 4 day weekend in Staton, TX.
2. Get international passport.
3. Get my CDL license to drive a school bus.
4. Start P90X2.
5. Attend mass every day during lent season.
6. Pass my linguistic comprehension exam.
7. Type 3 research papers.
8. Perform in the Three Little Pigs play as the big bad wolf.
9. Read 10 books.
10. Remodel every room in my house and yards.
11. Work at Midland College in May-June.
12. Watch the NBA Finals in Los Angeles?
13. Finish 12 hours of graduate level classes.
14. Finish P90X2.
15. Run the mile in 5:00 - 5:30.
16. Pay off car debt.
17. Save an extra $2,500 for Spain.
18. Travel to Spain for 20 days.
19. Watch USA Basketball in London?
20. Travel to Florida/California.

Why am I the way I am?

Chapter 1 - Identity

Why am I the way I am?
I don’t even know that answer.

Since age 12 I’ve made a decision to become something that didn’t existed, something different, something that was going to shock the world.

I wanted attention, respect, and power. I was determined to do whatever it took to get it. It helped that I had the best mother in the world. As strong as she was I wanted to show her that I was worthy of doing the things that she required of all of my brothers and me. She suffered so much during her life here on earth, battling cancer and raising 7 children. I watched her suffer for all of us and I didn’t want to cause her any more pain. I wanted to be a good boy. That’s what she wanted us to be, in reality that’s what every parent wants for their children. She wanted us to be a Sunday school, goodie good, nerd, and almost perfect child. She also wanted us to be tough and not back down from anything because she had that kind of mentality. She was a fierce woman, probably the fiercest woman I have ever met. Maybe that’s why I have high expectations when it comes to women, someone that is at the level that my mother was, but that’s a different story.

She would point out about others she viewed in the streets or on TV: what a great kid, you see (ya vez)? He’s doing his homework; he’s helping his parents; he’s doing laundry; he’s being polite; he’s down on his knees praying. All those little simple things that make such a big difference, etc. etc. etc. Sounds easy right? It’s not.

“The richest things, the best things, the most beautiful things in life are challenging.” –Richardson.

I asked myself, if I did all those things, would my mother love me more? Will I be her favorite of the 7? Will she stop crying? Will her pain go away? And will I obtain the attention, respect, and power? Everything pointed to yes. I figured if I lived a certain way, I was going to rule. I would literally be a Beast! Keep in mind this was a boy thinking ahead, rationalizing. Plus, I’m not going to lie, since I was an immature ignorant boy I was thinking of worldly things. I was thinking like Tony Montana from Scarface, because if I go to school, I will be making good money to buy all the fancy things that I wanted; If I had the money and good boy qualities more girls if not all girls were going to like me; If I got this far, with all this success, in Beast mode, I was going to have power, people will listen to me and I would have control and rule the world. I can’t go wrong.

“First you get the money, then you get the women, then you get the power.” -Scarface

I was determined to chase perfection. The first commitment that I made at an early age was that I was not going to drink, smoke, or do any type of drugs. No adult that I knew at the time was doing that, so I wanted to be the first to accomplish this impossible task at least in my family. I was going to be a great student, honor roll and all, you name it. I was going to do all my chores at home. I was going to have an abstinence card, when I get married it would be until death do us part. No more “thug life” meant no tattoos, piercings, or rebellion. I was going to be pure in an unpure world unmarked. I was going to say my prayers and go to church all the time, to be Jesus like, after all Jesus was the only perfect man to ever step foot on this earth, why not learn from the best. Perfection is tough and nobody will ever come close, but worth the try because those who died trying at the very least became Saints. Truth be told, all these Saints were probably some of the worst sinners on earth, but that’s how you learn, from mistakes and failure.

“Our greatest glory is not does not come from never falling, but from rising every time we fall.”

What if I could be strong physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually? What if I can have it all? The muscles, the diplomas, the courage, the faith… What if I can have approval from my peers, all the girls, my mom, and God? What if I can do it all? What if nothing was impossible? Who does these things? Might as well be me.

“It’s fun to do the impossible.” –Walt Disney

I want to meet these expectations. I want to promote this unique, lifestyle and the magic behind it. Nobody does these things or chooses this route because it’s the toughest. I want to prove to the entire world that it works and that it is worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears. What if I told you that somebody out there in the world that you never thought existed does exist? What if I told you that even though I’m a sinner, I’m chasing perfection (Saint Status)? What if I told you this was the only way to survive in a zombie infested world? What if I told you that I wasn’t human? What if I told you I was a superhero chosen by God? What if I told you that yeah at age 28 I’m still doing work that nobody else dares to do? What if I told you that you can also?

Why am I the way I am?

Like I said before, I don’t even know that answer.
All I know is that since age 12 I’ve made a decision to become something that didn’t existed, something different, something that was going to shock the world, something that was going to make jaws drop, something big, something that nobody would have ever thought possible, and I knew from the bottom of my little heart that in the end I was going to WIN!

If you want to go to war stay tuned for chapter 2.
Chapter 2 – Suffering

So, What’s a Man to do?

What’s a Man to do?
That's what I named my blog and journal that I've been writing since 2003. It's a simple question that I believe every man asks themselves when they face different situations. I took it from the title of Frankie J's first album as a solo artist.

In this blog I try to highlight current experiences or chapters in my life as if I'm writing my own autobiography. If I was to publish such book the synopsis on the back cover would read:

A story about a young man, stuck in a world of evil, inconvenience, and loneliness. Through the struggles, he is able to remain positive, perservere and become stronger. Finding no obstacle to be impossible and the road wide open, he lives his life improving in every aspect to gain an edge in order to accomplish his goals. Inspired by his mother and driven by his faith, he embarks on a road never before travelled filled with a myriad of adventures.

"This action packed story includes comedy, drama, and romance; something for every familiy member to enjoy."
-Los Angeles Times

"Touching story of a true underdog."
-Midland Reporter Telegram

Suicides have plagued Midland

So Midland, TX has a huge problem among teens…

What is the solution to this problem? How do we combat against this storm? We are having celebrities like Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Broncos as a guest speaker in our town, this will be good for our community. A local celebrity Baron Batch who is a Midland High School graduate and professional football player for the Pittsburg Steelers has published articles on this issue and plans to speak to our secondary schools. We have teachers, counselors, and principles tackling the subject in the classroom opening up the forum for kids to reach out to them. We cannot let this beat us, and yes we are all included in this. These are our children we are talking about and this cancer needs to stop before it spreads and affects us directly. God is greater than this and with His help we can defeat anything.

"We need a hero, courageous sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero, people line up for 'em, cheer for them, scream their names, and years later tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who told them to HOLD ON a second longer. I believe there’s a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, and makes us noble. And finally gets us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want most, even our dreams." –Aunt May Parker (Spider-Man 2, 2004)

As it turns out I have checked myself into the game. I will fight for my people. I’m not going to stand here and let it affect my community. I may just be one voice, one teacher, one coach, but my ripple will collide and impact others in some way. God gave us life and put us in this world for a reason. I believe that it is to come together as one community, state, nation, and world to protect one another against evil especially the ones we love. We will fight to the death for our love ones.

Haters Gonna Hate!!!!!

What else is new? I have done research on this for years. People are always looking for opportunities to take shots at you. It’s been proven. It’s the nature of the beast. The good thing about it is that it drives me, and it keeps my motor running almost to the point where I’m begging for people to open their mouths.

I’m a football, basketball and track coach at a local junior high. I have competed and won multiple championships throughout my career. As a result I have drawn envy and hate from the people around me. They criticize and judge every chance they get it’s become part of the field. Little that these “haters” know is that I’ve been criticized and judged all my life for as long as I can remember. There I was three years old hearing these grown men talk trash to me. All my life I’ve been told that I was no good, that I’m not smart enough, strong enough, tall enough, etc. You name it. Of course I didn’t believe them because I knew that I was capable of winning, I knew I had a fighting chance. Plus, I was confident in my abilities. And growing up with two brothers made me a strong competitor.

I’m a diehard Los Angeles Lakers fan. I think it’s great that people cling on a team that they can call their own whether it be a home team or not. It’s a beautiful thing when families together. It allows to hold gatherings and create a bond for one cause. Everyone is on the same page sharing victories and defeat, but it’s those celebrations that make everything worth it because it adds great memories that will last a lifetime. It helps that my team has a history of being one of the most successful franchises and have the best player in the game today. My entire family cheers for the Lakers and enjoy attending live games, wearing, and promoting memorabilia publicly with pride. Hence, the hate and envy has tried to fire away in order to spoil our fun. Misery loves company. After all these years of studying why these type of haters hate, I have come to the conclusion that it is because they are fans of unsuccessful teams or no teams at all. They will try to intervene in a negative way with their ignorance, not having any prior knowledge as to why the team suffered a loss or any knowledge of the sport period, and will only use the final result as an opportunity to rub it in, even though in many cases they hadn’t even watch the game. Little did they know, that the champions were determined in a best out of seven games series and one loss did not predict the overall final outcome.

Friends of Foes?
I kid you not that my brother and I since 2007 will sit there with our phones it front of us waiting for people to call and talk trash after a loss.

Beep! Beep! My phone will ring.
“Who is it?” My brother would ask, and I would say “It is so and so a former colleague of mine that I haven’t heard from in 3 years talking smack.”

Beep! Beep! His phone would ring.
Who is it? I would ask. He would say, “It’s so and so a former classmate of mind talking mess again.”

Text after text, phone call after phone call and we realize it’s the same people over and over year after year that we have no choice but to add to our “haters” list. If that person is a true fan of the opposing team that beat us, then he or she does not make the list, but a true fan is a person that has been cheering for that team for years and actually watches the sport, but this is rarely the case.
Trash talking is not a bad thing. In a way, it’s what makes the competition fun. True fans, not of the game but of the sport know when to trash talk. I personally only trash talk when I’m being trash talked. At the end of the season I’m in Figueroa St. in downtown Los Angeles enjoying the parade, screaming my lungs out, seizing that special moment.

When the Lakers win my brother and I will sit there with our phones it front of us waiting for people to call and trash talk, but we don’t hear a dang thing as if our phones were on silent. Of course we double check and make sure they’re not. Moments later the texts and calls start coming in from nothing but friends and family congratulating and telling us how they plan to celebrate. It’s a beautiful thing :’( Tears of joy is what one of brothers said one year when I was in Downtown Disney in Anaheim after the Lakers won the championship in Orlando. You just don’t forget these things.

You win some you lose some and life goes on. Because this beautiful life goes on, sadly our enemies will continue to take shots at us, it comes with the territory. You can really test your so called friendships. We’ve lost several people who we thought were friends because of it. Really? Over a basketball game that they don’t know anything about? I guess that’s how you find out who your friends are. If I have respect for someone I’m not going to call or text or mention anything about any of their failures even if my team woop their team’s butt for one they may feel devastated why should we their friend who is supposed to make them feel better make them feel worse. Guard your comments, don’t say anything at all, after all it’s not going to be nice. If you must say something make complementary ones such as, “Your team played good, it was a great game that it could have gone either way.” Other than that hush because you never know what could happen, tables may turn.

“People are either with you or against you; one or the other no in between.”

Bottom line is that if anybody talks trash or questions anything you represent or anything that you are passionate about: your favorite team; school; university; employer; career; family; brand of clothes you wear; type of food you love; city you often visit; your statistics; skills; culture; etc. If they have the nerve to rub something in your face when any of the above mentioned falls short then you might have to question their friendship. That person deserves to be on the “haters list.”

You're Beautiful!

To all the people in Midland who are struggling or have struggled. Always remember the following:


Go Mustangs/Bulldogs!