Disconnected

The last several days have been torturous for me. Several days ago, or what seems like eight blue moons ago, I inexplicably lost my 'smart phone'. Apparently, while my phone is "smart", I still remain the same-ol' clumsy and forgetful person of always.

I did not know just how much I depended on my phone, how addicted I am to it, or how my life is intertwined to it to such a degree, that I feel lost without it.

Since I misplaced my phone last Friday, I have been "out of touch" with the "outside world". I have missed texts, forwards, tweets and Facebook updates. I'm always on it checking scores and highlights, especially during boring dinner conversations. Heck, I have even missed several important phone calls and have needed to resort to making calls from a dreaded payphone outside seedy convenient stores, like some third rate pimp circa 1991.

Not only do I have to make calls from a payphone, but I have to be fumbling around, looking everywhere for phone numbers of my contacts. Since all my contacts' phone numbers are stored on my cellphone, I don't have to dial anymore, hence I don't have anyone's phone number memorized, except for my mother's house because she's had the same number since the dbc*.

I've been feeling disconnected without my cellphone. I haven't even been able to take pictures of silly things around town to post up on this blog.  I use my cell phone camera for that. What's worse, I been forced to listen to local radio instead of my TuneIn Radio App on my webOS phone. That is just cruel punishment.

For now, I still don't have a cell and can't really get one until about a week from now.  Until then, I will remain disconnected from reality and might even have to resign myself to actually make pleasant conversation during dinner.


*dbc = days before cellphones

Imposter hands

Imposter hand does alambritos

 
I had me a carne asada recently with a compadre. We blazed some alambritos over a scorching hot fire and heard sad Cornelio Reyna songs. Good times in the bordertown. BTW, that is his hand over the fire. He wanted to be an imposter and I was afraid I'd burn my hand.

Mr. Sushi

Mr. Sushi, are they primos of Mr. Corn?

Mr. Sushi (on North Arkansas Av.) is the latest sushi place to be opening up in our smelly city. As we all know, sushi is long considered a food staple in this border city, so adding another sushi restaurant, to an already crowded field, was considered a no-brainer. (sushi breakfast tacos anyone?)

So now with Mr. Sushi opening its doors soon, Sushi Madre better watch its back!

Cindylu and fiance drop by my blog

 

I felt honored recently, when my blog crush, CindyLu from Loteria Chicana, dropped by and left some comments on my blog. It was a total OMG-like moment for me. 

I had written a short entry, some time back, on her impending marriage, and I guess it carried across the internets. It was a too cool moment for me. At least now she knows I exist. Yeay. 

BTW, congrats to her and her fiance again. Weddings make me cry.

  (read their comments below)

 

cindylu said...

Thanks for the well wishes! *blushes*

May 27, 2011 6:07 PM

Seanathan (a.k.a. Cindylu's fiancèe) said...

May that be a lesson to you: pursue your Internet (and physical) crushes no matter how far away they are.

Raspa Time

Con tanto calor, se antoja una raspa de fresa. Los invito.

Don't worry about the spelling. The raspas are still good.

The Revolution will not be Televised

A personal hero of mine, Gil-Scott Heron, passed away yesterday. His lyrics to his
spoken word poem/song are on my Zune favorite playlist since forever. Read the lyrics
here.

You will not be able to stay home, brother.
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and skip,
Skip out for beer during commercials,
Because the revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised.
The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox
In 4 parts without commercial interruptions.
The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon
blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John
Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat
hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary.
The revolution will not be televised.


(update. I also recommend the song, "Home is Where the Hatred Is". Careful with the needle marks, though.)

Mr. Tweety's Snack Bar

 

Tweety's Snack Shack on the southside

Obviously,  this fine local snack shack was able to receive special written permission from the WB corporation in order to be able to use the image and likeness of the trademark Tweety character. As we know, copyright infringement is not a cool thing. Worse than that however, is having a spelling brain freeze when making your business signs. Check out the sign below.

Tweey's? Is it misspelled on purpose?

Am I missing something? Maybe it's just genius advertising? It did catch my attention, right?

 These guys are brilliant.

 

Nada que Ver (NQV) video of the week

Our first installment of the NQV video of the week:

If you are ever having a dilemma as to what to get me for my B-day, then break your head no more. I'm itching to get my hands on a vintage cassette tape Walkman, similar to the one in the video.

The video is my favorite scene from one of coolest movies I've seen in the past two years. Check out the video and the dancing babysitter in peril. Reminds me of my sister actually.

Vamos a Laredo

Back in the days when visiting Nuevo Laredo was a care-free activity, I had an older brother that would take me along with him cruising every section of that city. I had just moved to Laredo, TX and I was already an ardent fan of the scorching Laredo sun. In those days, we drove around Nvo. Laredo, especially on Saturday and Sunday nights, bumping his music over his loud speakers and proclaiming our youthful exuberance with the tackiest music my ears had ever had to withstand.

One such song we always heard, for whatever ungodly reason, was a pissy little cumbia tune by a crappy local Nuevo Laredo grupo, "Vamos a Laredo". I'm not sure I understand what would ever possess my older brother to blast this song endlessly over his stereo.

This was sometime in late 1992. Maybe it was all the dirty Nuevo Laredo tap water we had drank that entire summer or maybe it was our lack of music appreciation. Whatever the case, we heard that song so much, I cringe to recall those days of destruction.

Coming back from a very quick trip to downtown Nuevo Laredo this past week (against my better judgement), and while waiting in the long line at bridge, a good cousin of mine popped in a CD that contained that vile song my brother used to play so loud and proud that it would scare the dead six feet deeper underground. I immediately recognized the wacky keyboard and jingly guitar. My feet began tapping and my hands started clapping and I could barely resist the overpowering urge to get off his truck and dance with whoever had the courage to stand with me.

I blame the scorching Laredo sun on this. Damn it's hot out there!

Still Standing

I have been seriously neglecting my blog for the past two weeks and I don't have a good excuse for it, other than to say I did believe the world was coming to a screeching end this past Saturday. Nonetheless, since humanity did not bite the dust as expected, I am here once again bringing you the latest news of my sad little corner of Laredo (shout out to all my Calton Rd. peeps!).

Things are coming and going and Laredo is whizzing by me in every twisted direction. I'm having some trouble finding my boots. No, JK I don't wear boots, only when I dream of my myself at the annual Rattlesnake Roundup. In my dream I'm battling snakes with my bare hands and then I run them over with my Ford 350 4 x 4. After, I make belts for all the neighborhood children (What up Santo Nino neighborhood). I always wanted a large brass belt buckle. They'd go great with my British Knight shoes.

Don't hate on my BK's

Bee back Sooon

I'm on vacation, but I will return like Haley's Comet, very soon.

A cold one

Sometimes there is a perfectly good reason to just drink a cold one. Sadness comes and goes, but bad hangovers last forever. Cheers. I'll take a cold glass of milk though.

Friends and Lovers

There are some people that come and go in one's life. At one point, my friend M*** meant the world to me. She saved me from so many mistakes and bad decisions. In fact, at one point she saved my life. I will always be grateful for her friendship, her attention and all the good things she gave me. I however, was not the one for her. Goodbyes are always sad and even more when they are permanent. Nonetheless, I'm going to truly miss M**a.  Her wedding and her new life await her in the near future. I wish her the best at everything.

I dedicate her this song, Cada Vez que digo Adios by Enanitos Verdes.

Sometimes life has a funny way of working things out. Everyone around me is getting married and having happy lives. Look for me in my dark corner of my bedroom if you need me.

Easter Pix

I'm a liar and a jerk. Or so women tell me. Forgive me.

I promised you Easter pics and I meant to take a ton of them and upload them up on here. However, this Easter was so ho-hum. I did not want to let you down. No really, I didn't want to be like that boyfriend you had sophomore year that had his hands up your skirt one day and promised that he loved you, but then by the following week he was going out with Judy Galvan and everyone saw them making out behind the bleachers and it made you cry so much you vowed never to drink another Pepsi again. No, see, I'm not that guy. I let you down for my own selfish reasons of which I am not at liberty to discuss, due to certain contractual obligations.

Nonetheless, my fellow blogger, Furniture in Life, has posted a pretty neat entry about her eggs-ellent Easter. So hop on over there and read it. Just don't tell her I sent you.

The 80's are over

Some of you might have noticed that our sister blog, the Rad 80's, has been deleted. Unfortunetly, I was unable to provide constant updates and I simply fell behind schedule, so I did away with it. Also, it lets me focus on more pressing projects that I have scheduled for later on this month. I'll keep you posted.

I did not want to let go of my 80's blog, but it had to be done. So sad. Don't worry though, Theo Huxtable still loves you. : )

Alli en Laredo (Rene y Rene)

Recently, I spent the better half of an afternoon going over my father's LP records. His eclectic tastes range from your standard Tin Tan and Pedro Infante material to The Platters, Los Hooligans and Ray Coniff.

When I was a child, I always knew when he had drank one too many cold Shlitz's because he would get home and slam his vintage records on our Sears brand turntable and crank the volume up loud enough to scare away his buzz. On nights when he was really loaded, "Smoke gets in your Eyes" by the Platters, was his song of choice.

On other nights, especially on payday Fridays, he would spin  Los Apson Records and drink Miller HighLife, leaving behind Schltiz for days of despair. My dad was an elitist. I especially liked Los Apson because they played some sweet rock and roll covers, my favorite being their take of "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones.

But it was on mellow nights, after coming home from a Texas Ranger's win, that he would play Rene y Rene. He spoke endlessly about them so much, that I used to think he was traveling with them as a groupie or something.  That was sometime in the late 80s, in days so far and long ago that my mother still made flour tortillas by hand (damn you Sandy's!).

So it was, several days ago that I came across an old LP of Rene y Rene and spun it on my Technics turntable and heard that music from long ago, that music from cold,rainy Dallas winters, when my childhood home smelled of freshly made flour tortillas and my half-finished homework was spread across the table.

It's strange how a simple song can take you traveling through time, like a musical Marty McFly DeLorean, complete with enough nostalgic images to fulfill a Ken Burns documentary.

So I leave you with this song off a classic Rene y Rene record. I transferred it from LP to Mp3 myself, so pardon me for the bad quality. I dedicate this one for the good times, the un-finished homework from my 5th grade year, the sweetness of 1989 and my father's  warm, un-drank Schlitz beer still sitting upon that old Sears turntable lost somewhere in time.

Easter

Bring out the cascarones, hide your chocalate bunnies, and indulge yourself with carne asada.

I'll try to bring you Easter pics tonite. TTYL I'm being dragged to Mass

Free Ricky Martin Tickets

 

Run. Run. Pronto pronto for free Ricky Martin tickets.

If you go, me la platicas despues.

Tony's Restaurant

Sign found at Tony's Restaurant in the Southside.

I'm so almost

time and the universe have been conspiraring against me lately. Everything has been out of whack. However, don't fret I will be back in the Milky Way soon.

The hand goes to Arlington

This past weekend, the hand was fortunate enough to go to Arlington and watch the Texas Rangers sweep
the BoSox. The hand had a great time!

Today, an early game at 1pm almost caused me to play hooky from work. I had my hand on the dial ready to call in sick...its only April though.

The hand outside Ranger's Ballpark

The hand an hour before the game

Ranger's Opening Day

Texas Rangers came so close last year to winning it all, but it was just beyond our grasp. Nonetheless it was a fun ride and they won their first ever AL Pennant and reached the World Series.

On Friday April 1st, we open the season against Adrian Gonzalez and the Boston RedSox. Even though I was unable to score opening day tickets, I have front row seats in my living room. Come over if you want to watch with me, just bring a six pack of Pepsi (The choice of a new generation).

Go Rangers!

OMG Loteria Chicana is getting married

Sometime in 2003 I stumbled upon the blog of CindyLu over at Loteria Chicana and I fell in love with her charms and writing style. Over time, I developed a mini-internet crush on her. Today I read she is engaged and I was like-OMG-it cant be.It's not like I know her in person or anything, I'm just a casual reader with a crush for her wits. We wish her the best and a sincere congrats to her and her beloved. I'm going to go cry in a dark corner now...

Giving up Lent

Giving up Lent

by BG

The season of Lent has returned and Laredo is once again flooded with capirotada, seafood and the silly practice of denying one-self Cheetos.

Inexplicably, for Lent, some people actually “give up” Cheetos. I’m not trying to mock someone else’s spirituality, but I have always failed to see how sacrificing such a trivial thing such as “Cheetos” could be interpreted as an act of self-denial. For the past several weeks, I have heard from friends and relatives how they have “given-up” one thing or another. Some have vowed to abstain from all sorts of things such as bread to soda pop, to red meat, and even chocolate bars.

(I’ve never fully understood why red meat is such a big no-no during Lent, while fish is seen as acceptable. Giving up red-meat, like dieting, is a luxury that not everyone can partake. But I guess it gives an economic boost to fish and seafood eateries so I will get off the topic before the good people over at El Pescador Restaurant send their goons to silence me.)

Maybe it’s just me, and maybe I’m totally wrong but is that what Christianity has come down to now? Has Lent been reduced to something as nonsensical as refusing to eat Cheetos in the vain hopes of becoming a better person?

I’m certain that quitting high sugary drinks like soda pop has its health benefits, and eating less red meat during Lent might be easier on your cholesterol, but some of us seem to have taken it to an absurd level.

My point is not to sound too pompous (too late) or self-righteous, especially since I’m not a dedicated believer and I don’t sacrifice a thing for the Lent season. However, the past several weeks I have heard from decent people that they are practicing repentance and self-denial by abstaining from a plethora of non-important foods and practices. If that makes them a better person, then great who am I to judge, right? But maybe we are going about this all wrong. There are many ways to becoming a better person and being an asset to society. However, abstaining from junk foods doesn't seem like one of 'em.

The Reen "Disposable Boyfriend"

Video of local artist, the Reen. We recorded this sometime back in 2007. I like the acoustic song; I can sing along to it. Check it out and leave some positive comments.



Yes I'm re-posting this again, so deal with it.

Viernes Social

Es Viernes asi que todos a pasear y bailar! Here is a video to put you in the
dancing boots mood.

Backyardigans play Norteno

Lyrics of the week

We going old school with this one. Let's see can get it out there. No googling either!

"Are they still getting down where we used to go and dance

will our ballclub win the pennant,

do you think they have a chance?

And tell me friend, how in the world, have you been?"

Worship Time

Some corporations seem to have a soul

Furniture in Life

Maria, over at furniture in life, has been having some really neat posts lately, that it's making me a wee-bit jealous. Stop by her blog and and check it out.

The West Side in better days

Slow

Things are slow around here the last couple of days. Just give me time; it's going to be a rough week for me.

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines."

New Technology

Over at LCC, it seems that they have the newest technology for student use. Case in point:

Budget cuts suck!

BadFinger (live in Laredo, TX, 1979)

Great song by a neat band. Too bad Mariah Carey ruined this one.

This video might have been posted in another blog already, but I want to know if anyone
can tell me what venue this band is playing in the video. It is supposed to be in 1979. Maybe some of
the old-timers can tell us!

Waiting on love and waiting on my tacos

Love is difficult thing to find in Laredo. Also, Cheers is not the best place to find it.  The last time I found love in that place, I had to go to the doctor and get three vaccines weekly for several months. But, anyways....

 I was going out with someone (let's call her Sandy) several months ago and things were going well, but we did have several differences that finally put an abrupt end to what we had. She did not like chocolate ice cream, hated horror movies, was a root beer drinker, had not clue who Bob Dylan is, and insisted on wearing her Jeff Bagwell Astros jersey in my presence. But I was able to overcome all that due to her warm smile, soft hands and hair that I loved to caress.

We ended our thing and went our separate ways back in December. Today I saw her with her new beau. She greeted me and introduced me to her boyfriend...now fiance, and proudly flashed her shiny new engagement ring. My face was trying to hide my WTF look, but I'm sure I did a terrible job at it. How can someone get engaged in less than two months time? Well, I told her I was glad for her, and for the most part, I meant it, if only a small part of me felt a wee bit jealous. However, there is the great part of this stupid short entry. I felt jealous, actually jealous. I had not felt that way in a while. Yeay for me and having a heart again.

That's all I have to say about that... for my tacos just arrived.

The Hand goes for donuts

Every now and then, The Hand enjoys getting out of Laredo and touring far away and exotic locales to cities such as Vienna, Bangkok, Lisbon, Cuzco, Freer. All great places to visit and meet the locals.

This past weekend though, I had the chance to visit our neighbor city to the north, San Antonio. Lots of things to do and lots of things to see with many cultural and educational places to grow and learn. I did none of that however, for I went to the Dunkin Donuts, my own cathedral and place of worship.

 

 

Give me 7 dozen plis

Wish you were here. Next time, I think I'll do the Louvre...or maybe River City Donuts.

Why are there no cheerleaders in baseball?

Why are there no Cheerleaders in baseball?

And other 4am questions

Recently, I went about four months without premium TV; that is without cable or dish, and mostly I survived on Netflix and by reading my rarely used copies of my college textbooks.

With so much free time on my hands, I took a wild stab and reading, and more importantly understanding, Michael Foucault and Edward Said. However, I soon arrived at inevitable conclusion that I’m just a dumb American and a sorry excuse for a Chicano*.

As for Netflix, well, there is only so many times one can watch Return of the Zombie Hookers with Chainsaws before the brain begins to melt like Velveeta cheese.

It was then that I decided to return to the idiot box and overpay for awful programming from the likes of VH1 and their endless array of “reality TV” bullshit.

However, the main reason I decided to return to a basic dish package (other than the fact I didn’t understand a goddam thing Foucault was saying) was to be able to view the MLB Network and specifically my Texas Ranger’s games.

This is why, a few days ago, while channel surfing at 4am, like an insomniac on a bender, I began to ask myself why baseball did not employ the lovely services of “barely-clad” cheerleaders, strutting their goods, much to the delight of hot-dog eating spectators  The NBA, the NFL and even soccer leagues** employ cheerleaders. So then, why doesn’t baseball use them? How lame-o! Even worser, why hadn’t I ever noticed this glaring omission before? I’ve been watching TX Rangers baseball since 1986 and I had never noticed the lack of lovely ladies before now.

Call it an epiphany, an awakening or just your basic WTFB moment. Just imagine how much more exciting a foul ball would be, if only the 3^rd baseman had to maneuver passed the pom-pom girls in order to track down the ball by the dugout. I’m just saying. Traditionalists might say it would ruin the game, and it prolly would, but still…

On another note, Chum-Lee from Pawn Stars has quickly bolted to the top of my “favorite goofy people on TV” list. He and Delfino from Auction Kings should definitely go head to head in the quirky sidekicks category.

In the end, I’m back to the boob tube, at least till my brain finishes rotting. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* I had a friend in HS that insisted we be called Chicanos and reject the "latino" or "hispanic" label

** My brother refuses to call it soccer and demands I say "futbol". Screw that; its soccer!

*** Pawn Stars is a show on History Channel and Auction Kings is a show on Discovery Channel

Movie quote of the Week

Quote from one of my all-time favorite flicks (Can John Cusack ever fail?)

"What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?" 

Go ahead and try your luck and guess. No cheating by copying and pasting in Google!

Welfare Love

On Valentines, everyone can afford sweets

Found this at the HEB some time back. It just seems wrong.

Tax payers money going to buy overpriced chocolates. Really? Heck, then why can't I get my beer on Lone Star Card? Its just wrong. Everything is just so wrong.

Our country has come to this? (someone cue the Fox News music)

Manifiestos Molestosos

Sorry Monterrey Shoppers

  Someone explain to me again why the Monterrey shoppers don't have to pay sales tax! Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard it before. Still, I say, let's tax em! Then maybe we can have our stores back. *

No parade

I tried my best to wake up early enough to attend the parade, however, I overslept. Oh well.

Big Saturday

The biggest day in Laredo is finally here. The big, big Saturday. I'll try to make it and post some pics from all the happenings.

The Parade

by Maria C.

Parades and me go a loooooong way back. I remember in Head-Start I was asked to dress up as Aunt Jemima and walk in the youth parade. I dunno what the purpose of the character was, but they wanted me to dance around and be ‘lively’. If you know me well enough, you know lively is not a word used to describe me. So suffice it to say I did not participate. That was the beginning and the end of my career in the parade-walking business. 

But I was an avid spectator. My mother would wake us up early Saturday morning; we’d drag our chairs, coolers, and blankets over to some empty space next to Martin High and we’d wait. Dad and Mom would sit on their chairs, while my brothers and I would sit on the curb eating our warm tacos and grumbling about how early and how freakin’ cold it was. It didn’t help that we didn’t care who the business people on the first couple of cars were. But when the floats would start coming out in full force, that’s when we’d wake up and start trying to catch the candy, beads, and toys that were being tossed at us. 

 It was our yearly tradition to be present for Laredo’s Grand Parade. Until recently, that tradition had faded away but I want my daughter to enjoy the same kinda childhood I had. So for the past three years, it’s been my mission to make sure to attend the parade. I make tacos like my mami used to. I bundle up mija in warm layers and nag my brothers until they have no choice but to join us. We’ve gotten a bit wiser since our younger years and we set up our chairs right after work Friday afternoon.

El desfile is always an awesome time to share with family and friends and this year is looking to be no exception. So go out and have some fun. Just be careful with those flying trinkets; they kinda hurt if they knock you on the head (yes, I talk from firsthand experience).

LCC Fun Fest

Here are several pics from the Fun Fest. Sorry for the poor quality. I was trying not to get noticed.

JalaPeno Festival

 Here is a little secret that I will share with you faithful reader, but only you. I am a "Jalapeno Festival" virgin. I've never been to one. I hang my head in shame and disgust. Pity me please.

Maybe this is my year. Maybe this year I will go and be counted as a true Laredoan.
 
Changuitos.

Moving my Kool-Aid

You Don't have to drink my Kool-Aid, but don't move it from place either. I hate it when HEB moves the groceries around. Me pierdo.

Suicide at the Carnival

Suicide Nite

by Maria C

The carnival's in town. The first night it's open is usually known as 'suicide night'. I remember I used to beg my parents to let me go. I so wanted to be there to test drive the rides. There was something so mystical about signing a waiver releasing the carnival from any responsibility for the loss of my life. The darned bracelet was only $15 for all the rides I could handle. It was awesome! Unfortunately, I was never allowed to go. I guess I should be thanking my parents but I wish I had been there at least once on the opening night. I could've said I 'survived' the carnival. Pero nada.

I would get on some pretty big rides as a youngster. My tia would make us a ginger root tea to drink before we'd head out to tackle the rides. The tea was really nasty but it would supposedly help settle our stomaches. I guess it did because after some six rides, we were still going strong. We were some troopers. But I can't say the same for my poor mother. During one particular year, my cousins weren't in town to accompany me on the rides and my brothers are big wimps. My mom took on the role of 'partner-in-crime' for the night. I ended the night fine but she didn't get the memo on the ginger root. She did not have a good night. Some random street curb also ended up having a bad night.

I always look forward to the carnival, even though it ain't the same. I don't get on the rides anymore cuz my equilibrium is not what it used to be. Still, the whole atmosphere is so electric. It's so nice to see the kids get on rides and have them think that these are the only roller-coasters life will offer them. Ha. But go out and enjoy the event. Bring me back a candy apple on the way out. They're the best.