Author: anele25

A venture that just kinda came outta nowhere…

Posted on by anele25

It’s about 9:24PM on a Sunday night and I’m getting ready for the week but thought I would write a post about something that happened almost a year and a half ago. In September of 2019, I decided to head back to Target. I’ve documented some things about Target on this blog but nothing out of the ordinary for someone who was young and looking to earn some money in his college youth. I was gone for approximately 1631 days from Target but I learned the value of being courteous and respectful towards people who could do nothing for you but in the end, they ended up having a better impression of who it was you were and what Target could do for them. I remember most of the time they were the simplest of questions like where is the toilet paper or where is laundry detergent but that impression of getting something for the guest really helped me get over my shyness and my social awkwardness towards people. I came back with the idea of doing Target as a part time job because it would be a nice supplement to my job at the time which was research coordinator at Sutter Health.

The research coordinator position was in oncology and I saw there was some opportunities for growth. I also was told at the beginning of this assignment that the role would be temporary with no real timeline for when my assignment would end. I had a feeling that because it was to cover someone who was going on maternity leave, it would be a few months after their child was born. I realized that it wouldn’t be easy balancing two jobs but for what it was at the time, its kind of helped me see that not everything can be easy unless there are challenges along the way. That first week proved to be one of the hardest sets of shifts I had worked because I worked 8-4AM that first set of days but eventually I settled into a schedule working 7-11:45PM. I slowly would work my way into getting a set schedule and realized if this was going to work, I would need one day of rest off which would end up being Sunday. At the end of October of 2019. I got the word that my assignment was over with Sutter Health and my last day would be November 6th 2019. I left with my head held up high and full of enthusiasm for what was next. I spent the next several months applying to more than 100 jobs I would say and it was tough to say the least. I got an interview here and I even got the word that the places where I interviewed were considering me for a position but after following up on several of these, I never got anything back.

However, target did me a big favor around this time because it allowed me to continue working at a time when I had little to nothing of income. Target also gave me something I was missing before and that was the ability to work with a new generation of workers. Gone were the times when after work, we would go out to eat at a local restaurant or going to work out after work because simply put most days we have to work the next day unless it’s a weekend. Now, I was and am still focused on “putting over” the new crop of workers. It also helps that I’m not as nervous or have trouble staring people in the eye. I can mix the idea of having fun and being serious because that’s what life is. But then, something funny happened in March of 2020. California and the rest of the world started experiencing a pandemic and all of a sudden, I was now a part of the front line. Those first few days everyone shopping for toilet paper, detergent, hand sanitizer, and wipes was quite overwhelming. As the days passed, we would get products but those products were gone in an instant. I also had the looming idea that I was still only working at target and just that alone was not a steady income but I was grateful for that alone. A month or so passed after the shutdown happened and I started again applying to places again in April. The weeks passed and after several interviews got an opportunity to work at a regenerative medicine company and have been there ever since June of 2020. With target and my current job at this company, I realized it’s okay to see that one job sometimes may not be enough.

I felt that if I worked two jobs, I would be seen as less but in fact I’m grateful and blessed to be able to still work at both jobs during the current pandemic, Even during the holiday season, I realized how lucky I was because most people around the world would not be able to have the same luxury of celebrating with loved ones who may have passed away. I survived working two jobs during the pandemic and during a holiday season that felt different than most. I got a kick out of people that everyday were looking for the PlayStation 5 because of how hot of a commodity it was. I also felt happy to do my main job at the regenerative medicine company without having to call out sick to target. Just overall, 2020 may have had a crap beginning with the pandemic and shutdowns but in my opinion, it ended with a bang. 2021 is off to a good start because I’m still learning and crafting my skill set in life, at work, at home, and in other endeavors. You don’t have to be the world’s best cook or best anything you just have to be able to say I can do this if I have the support and backing of family, friends, and acquaintances because no one does it on their own. The cream always rises to the top and with that comes great sacrifice and great time learning things. I hope I can continue down this path without any major interruptions. But mostly, I would like to thank Target for giving some confidence back on assisting people shopping and just with people in general. I mentioned earlier this idea of “putting over” team members is one reason I enjoy this the 2nd time around and I really do enjoy it even more so that I think about it. I hope one day this idea of having two jobs pays off.

Sports during the Pandemic, an overview from my Point of View

Posted on by anele25

 

Today is August 9th 2020 and it has almost been 5 months since the Pandemic known as COVID-19 started around the world. It’s also been a few weeks since sports started back up with professional sports in 3 of the big 4 starting back up again. I wanted to cover just how different and even unique sports has been since it returned. At first, I was unsure on how to feel on sports making a return with families, players, owners, coaches, umpires, referees, and even announcers effected in each way. I was impressed at first by each sports’ respective response to players if they contacted COVID and how they handled those manners. I saw how different each league’s bubbles were and some have had some immediate impact. For example, in the NHL they have decided to go about in playing in hub cities which give or take has improved the quantity of players infected (to date no positive cases since the round robin and play-in rounds have started). In the NBA, they decided to move the rest of their season to Orlando where teams would play for seeding and even though some players there ended up contacting COVID early on, have done an excellent job in keeping the cases low and have gone 3 weeks without a reported case.

 

MLB on the other hand has had some bad luck with a number of cases affecting teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins. If MLB wants to do a better job of keeping this virus under control, I think what would be best would be monitor certain protocols and if players are truly following them. I think this can be done with the help of a quality officer who deals in the public health field and keeps track of who is following these rules and who is not. This would security and safety to players and their families and would ensure a smoother transition to the playing field itself. This would be an added plus and would a better integrity on how the game is played. In my opinion, I hope this doesn’t lead to a major outbreak throughout the entire league and thus gives the green light for the season to be suspended. But what about the other factors for these teams and players?

 

During these times, I have seen first the effect of no fans in the stands. This is surprisingly added some intrigue in all sports where we can hear the coaches, players, and the announcers discussing things that come up during a sporting event. During hockey, we can hear when a team is making a shift from one line to the next and we may see a scuffle for the puck in the neutral zone or offensive zone and try to back it out their way to get one in the net. In baseball and basketball, we may hear when a player gets frustrated and curses up and down on how he should have gotten the ball out of his hands on time or perhaps a player in baseball misses a ball down and in when that was clearly ball 4. Another unique thing that I have noticed is how much may players adjust to not seeing their families as much being in a hub city or if a player is on during baseball season how do they adjust to not seeing their families for an extended period of time when they are on the road. The families and friends that are within a sports team may also be used to each other’s company and may miss that connection of checking up on each other and enjoying that camaraderie. The other thing that I was thinking about is how much are the equipment that players play with and is it sanitized properly before and after. I would think that there is some protocol where the basketballs, the pucks, and the baseballs get sanitized or dehumidified after play so they can be ready for use for the next day. I’m also curious to see how the NFL and college football handles this issue of using different balls throughout the course of a game but we’ll cross that bridge once we get there (more on that in a future blog hopefully). I had something that has popped in my mind the last few days, and that has been how much testing has been throughout the leagues in play. I myself have been tested 3 times in the past few months for COVID-19 and thankfully have been negative each time.

 

The one factor that comes into play is something as simple as catering or delivering food to a team. The person bringing the food has been in contact with so many people or someone who has a preexisting condition may come in contact and get even sicker so that in itself adds some fear. That person can be sick and in turn get a whole team sick. I also think sports though have brought some good for all of us who are fans. This also adds to the uniqueness of all these sports returning. For example, in the NHL four teams ended up making the playoffs themselves based on the play-in rounds and these teams were dead in the water at season’s end (although one can argue that the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks still had a shot at a wildcard at least). The teams that ended up floundering were the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. I think this gives the image that nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs and you better be on your best game whenever a best of 5 or 7 comes up. The major stars have been struck aside such as John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, Conor McDavid, Roman Josi, and Matt Murray all sit home and watch some other team take their glory.

 

I also have seen how the NBA has handled their seeding with some play in games as well and their scoring has been up like nobody’s business and I would imagine this would add some intrigue as well. MLB recently announced a few weeks ago that they would be expanding the playoffs to 8 teams per league and this gives the chance to below .500 teams to make the playoffs. I do enjoy this idea because it adds more viewership per market and gives the MLB a chance to expand to the casual fan. I have also seen that some players in baseball may have to get their bodies adjusted to a 60 game season. Some major names such as Mike Soroka, Corey Kluber, Giancarlo Stanton, and Tim Anderson have already gone down with injuries. This goes to show you that maybe having a 60 game season will not result in complete success. Players have to also adjust to staying firm and consistent with their approach at the plate as evidenced by some players getting off to slower than usual starts at the plate. These names include Christian Yelich, Anthony Rendon, Khris Davis, Jose Altuve, Francisco Lindor, and Pete Alonso. My friends and I have an increased awareness of how tickets, merchandise, and hardworking people have also been affected. I remember I usually attend anywhere between 7-10 sporting events per year but now that is all gone. The vendors that were there and the men and women at the merchandise stand working, it pains me to think that they too have had to go through hardships during the pandemic. We as people do end up missing the men and women there because to us, they may be complete strangers but they almost become a part of the team. I remember every time I go to a food stand how friendly and welcoming the people behind the register are. The identity of what the team is and their makeup. When I think of an Oakland A’s game, a Tampa Bay Lightning game, or a Las Vegas Raider game you think of all the merchandise stands and the food stands. You can also say that at sporting events you can end up tailgating with friends and family. The last tailgate I had was with my girlfriend’s family and little did I know it would be the last for a while. I remember also having a nacho helmet at an A’s game and some chicken tenders with fries at the Lightning game and this gives that resonance of being at a game and cheering on your team.

 

I didn’t touch on the Raiders because their case is unique in that the city of Las Vegas has embraced them but unfortunately, they won’t have a chance to have that same experience. I can only imagine that once sports with fans return we’ll have a chance to see that again. I want to end this blog by touching on one last thing. With sports back, I think this has brought me to appreciate these players more because yes they do this for a living but they are putting more than just their bodies on the line. I learned an important lesson from a friend this past February when I went to Fanfest for the Oakland Athletics. These players are human and they have families too that they feed. Now, add COVID-19 on top of that and they give us more than they should. I’m thankful that they are also doing their part by not giving high fives and instead elbow bumping. We see these men and women as superhuman but they are doing this for our entertainment and so far so good with some teams playing well and some teams playing not so well.

 

Either way, it’s fantastic to have sports back and it is going to be exciting to see how the rest of these seasons will be in every sport. I hope to come back and write a mini piece on football is when and if it returns. For now, I’m intrigued to see how my boys from the Tampa Bay Lightning do against the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2nd year in a row and looking to avenge last year’s playoff upset. As for the Oakland A’s, it’s great to see that we have now won 9 in a row and maybe just maybe that speaks hope for what is ahead for not just the A’s but for everyone around the world that has been affected by COVID-19.

My experience as a Baseball Fan and ultimately an A’s Fan (one thing I want people to remember about me)….

Posted on by anele25

Just a tiny insight into how this NorCal boy became a baseball fan for life:

We are one day away from the official season beginning in this baseball season 2019 for the Oakland A’s.  I couldn’t be prouder that once again another baseball season beginning. From what I can recall, I have been privileged to go to over close to 60 to 70 games in my time as an Oakland A’s and baseball fan. Growing up, baseball or sports for that matter were never interesting for me to watch. I would occasionally watch or hear about the ball players in the bay area. I even remember us coming back from Mexico one year and my dad asking me if Jose Canseco was still playing in the majors (much to my naïve personality, Jose Canseco by this point was close to calling it a career). I remember the first game I attended as a kid was at the young age of 14 years old. This A’s team had Eric Chavez, Miguel Tejada, Scott Hatterberg, and the big Three of Mulder Zito and Hudson. That night it was Cory Lidle’s turn to pitch and I remember during the game in the left field bleachers there were chants for Miguel Tejada and for other players that night. Looking back at some of the stats from that game on July 19th 2002, I’m amazed that back in the Moneyball era players like John Mabry, Mark Ellis, and David Justice were around for some of the best moments in team history. The score that night ended up being 10-0 A’s due to Lidle pitching a one hit shutout against the Texas Rangers. Little did I know, the Rangers had some stars of their own in Alex Rodriguez, Michael Young, and Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez and yet here I was. I was surprised on how welcoming the fans were that night to the home team and even though it wasn’t the beginning of my fandom for the Oakland A’s I noticed that as I was a teenager my vanity for sports needed to be in something. For one, it gave me something to talk about with other people at school and my brother liked it so why the hell not. Also, my dad was a fan of the game and even though my parents had immigrated from the state of Zacatecas in Mexico in the late 1980’s they cheered on the Oakland A’s in those years when players such as Henderson, Steinbach, Canseco, Lansford, Eckersley, and Welch held the helm. The next season 2003 around when the ALDS started was when I got into the A’s. I stayed up a little bit later than usual and I was not able to catch the end of the game because I had school the next day but I saw the headlines the next morning that Ramon Hernandez the catcher had won on a walk off bunt. We ended up losing the series 3 games to 2 but I knew there was something about this game that I wanted to know more about. The next season in 2004 was when I became a full-fledged Oakland Athletics fan. I ended up attending one game that season but it was because I was still in school and I knew as my years wore on for college there was no excuse to miss A’s games. I have been there for some of the most unforgettable moments as an A’s fan.

 

Some of the unforgettable moments I have seen on TV while nowadays we have the comfort of a screen, we can hold in our hands I remember being there in 2005 when the A’s and Angels were battling for the division after earlier in the season most considered our guys to be out of the race for the division. Barry Zito ended up pitching his heart out and ultimately the bottom of the 7th when Jay Payton legged out a triple was when I just about lost it as the A’s rallied for 3 runs in that inning. The two games that stand out for myself as I was becoming a student at De Anza College in Cupertino were when Justin Duchscherer pitched a two hitter against the Seattle Mariners in 2 hours or so. I also remember in 2007 Mark Ellis hitting for the cycle against the Red Sox even though it took a few extra innings with a test that was looming that next day for my government class.

 

Between 2008-2011 there were A’s games that I attended and in 2010 I wasn’t able to go to any games because my schedule was pretty hectic at that time with school and work. In 2011 things started turning around as management relieved Bob Geren of his duties as manager in May of 2011 and a new era began with Bob Melvin better known to A’s fans as ‘Bo-Mel’ as manager. This season of 2012 started off quite dreadfully with a roster of unknown and I predicted that year that we would end up losing 100 games. I saw a roster with a guy named Josh Reddick and some other guy named Yoenis Cespedes. My brother and myself went to a game around the time of Memorial Day in 2012 with the hometown A’s getting 1 hit against the Angels and with a lineup consisting of Cliff Pennington and Jonny Gomes I thought maybe we could have gotten something better off of the ground as the score that game ended 5-0. That same week, I sat up in the plaza reserved and saw us get shut out twice that same week as this time the damage was done by Joe Girardi and the Yankees as they shut us out 2-0. But then something strange happened as we started winning games left and right with a July record of 19-5 as wins against high powered clubs the Dodgers, Yankees, and the Red Sox had me paying attention even more.  2012 forever holds a special place in my heart. I think my most satisfying experience as an A’s fan has to be when game 162 in 2012 rolled around on October 3rd 2012 that pitted the Rangers against the A’s. I remember walking in and just seeing the sea of A’s fans was like ‘whoa this place is jam packed’. Before this game, there were the rumblings that if we won at least one of the games we would at least take over a playoff spot which in this age was a wildcard game against the other wild card in the American League which is classified as a play in game against one of the division winners. Lo and behold, the A’s pulled off a miraculous comeback to have the division tied up on the last day of the season. That season, I hadn’t won a single game that I gone to that season and I kept telling my friend that I had predicted to that we would lose 100 games ‘dude I think I’m bad luck’. The Rangers scored 5 runs in the first 2 innings and then I just felt that feeling of ‘here we go again with this losing’. But as the innings started piling up for started Ryan Dempster of the Rangers the lineup of Reddick, Donaldson, Moss, Cespedes, Drew, and Crisp brought it against the Rangers and ended up scoring an unanswered 12 runs against the Rangers. I remember after Josh Hamilton dropped the flyball against the Oakland team that Cespedes hit towards him that was probably the turning point in the game.

 

The ball could have been caught and the inning would have been over but who knows what came was a barrage of celebration towards the team and everyone who was a part of it. The game ended 12-5 A’s and I couldn’t have been prouder as my friend had asked me one day before if we should go still as tickets would be pricey but that was probably the best 50 dollars I ever spent on a ticket. This is my story as an A’s fan and this season I will be celebrating my 15th year as an A’s and as a baseball fan. Last year’s 2018 season was unforgettable and I have no doubt with players such as Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Stephen Piscotty, Jurickson Profar, Khris Davis, Mike Fiers, Frankie Montas, and Blake Treinen we’ll see something special for years to come. My one wish is to see my baseball team or any of the other two teams I root for (The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Oakland Raiders) to win at least one championship before I die. I like to think baseball is an everyday man’s game with flyballs, grounders, doubles, walk off homeruns, and pitching duels. I like to see it as a numbers game with psychological mindgames amongst players along with what was previously mentioned.  You just never know what you will see at a ball game whether it’s the game or otherwise. In closing this out, I want to post a special picture we have of that game 162 that I went to in 2012 where we ended up winning in game 162 where victory was finally hitting me like it had not before, cheers to a great team in the East Bay your Oakland Athletics

2012

Writing Prompts #19: What is one thing you are a complete snob about?

Posted on by anele25

Today I was digging through my book of writing prompts and stumbled onto is there anything you are a snob about? I look at things that folks are picky about and some of them are puzzling to me. There are folks who are picky about wait times at restaurants while there are others who wish that having a certain amount of time in between classes in school would be a little more spread out. For myself, I automatically thought about salsa stations and the delicious flavor they add to a taco. My girlfriend and I are big taco fans and we find some taco trucks throughout the area and sometimes some taquerias. There is one nearby where we have gone and the salsa has made our asada, chicken, al pastor, or buche tacos taste better. The salsa also makes you spice your flavor up and it makes you look forward towards tasting the next bite. When we have had our tacos I usually go for the green salsa which has some form of tomatillo with jalapeno peppers. The reason I am a snob about this is because it makes the experience of eating the taco exhilarating and thrilling. I would almost say that the salsa experience is taking a risk because you do not know how spicy or non-spicy the salsa may be. I would compare this to going to a ramen location and when they ask you about the spicy level on your ramen. I am not the best when it comes to eating spicy food but when you use the right amount of salsa on a taco it brings the tenderness and the juiciness out of the meat.

 

It gives credence to how a taco and each bite brings about the seasoning in the meat as well. I also have a weird habit when I go to a taco place that I get one of each meat so that each meat that I eat is not over saturated on my plate. Going back to a few years, I was not the biggest taco fan because I would regularly get tacos from a taqueria but once I was introduced to taco trucks, I started to see how much better the taco truck was compared to a regular taco at a restaurant. Now that my perspective has changed, I have gone around to some other food trucks with my girlfriend IB and we see the different meats and how much of a difference a salsa station does make. As I alluded to earlier, this can be at other locations as well as to how spicy folks may want their chicken wings, their curry, or even their Thai dish. That is what is fascinating about food, it can be made on spice level or it can be broken down a notch because of the spice level (credit to IB on this one for pointing this out). Which brings me to one more topic about food that I am a snob about.

 

The next thing I am a snob about is having my milkshakes and my fruit smoothies down to a point. I remember a while ago I went to a local Jamba Juice and some of the fruit at the bottom of the cup was not crushed down the whole way. I found this discouraging because I would want the fruit crushed down to enjoy the fruit a little more. I also feel when it does not get crushed down that it makes the smoothie feel a little bit harder and makes it more difficult to sip through a straw. Another example I can think of lately was when myself and my girlfriend went to a local McDonald’s as well and her mocha chocolate beans were not mixed in very well and if that were me, I would not be satisfied with the service either. The main reason I am a snob about this in particular is because if I can make something like this in my own time, I expect something like a smoothie or a milkshake to be made in the same manner. I know people may say this is overdoing it but the flavor and ingredients matter in this case. Lastly, I want to point out something that I am snob about that may surprise some people.

 

When I was younger, my brother would take us out to movies that were thrillers/mystery/scary movies. I would sometimes be thrilled about going to these movies but for some weird reason as I got older, I started resisting going to these movies. I think the reason I started resisting these movies was because I realized how dumbed down and illogical the movies may be. I also saw that the movie uses these scary moments (which for the most part are scary and are very good tactics at getting me scared). As I saw these movies and seeing them growing up, I think at some point in my 20’s is when I pulled away from watching these movies. I saw how unrealistic as well these movies had become. For example, when a couple of friends would split up and they would end up going the wrong way or they end up going somewhere only to be thwarted by the villain. These plot points seemed very far-fetched to me and I found myself liking comedy and action movies more. The action and comedy I know can be over the top as well but at least I can get into these movies and see the logic that is brought into these movies. I told my friends and family a while back that I wouldn’t pay for horror movies because there drawing is just monsters and myths. Yes, we may think of them in real life and what they may bring but in the long run but to see them on a Hollywood screen brings about too much for myself.

 

Now, everyone knows a little more about what I am snobby about. When it comes to food, I do the best I can with it but adding a certain spicy level or knowing what comes along with the shakes as well. I’m also picky and snobby when it comes to horror movies when they come out because of the amount of over the top effects and detail it brings to other world elements.

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Some of the Best Tacos in San Jose California

Writing Prompt #18: What Date do you have circled on your calendar? That is, what upcoming date or event are you looking forward to?

Posted on by anele25

As the day of Sunday February 3rd marches on, it is a rainy day here in Northern California and people (including myself) are getting to watch the national holiday that is known as Super bowl Sunday. Yes, it should be a good game and people all around the country will be intrigued by what happens with the Patriots Vs. Rams. We have Brady Vs. Goff, Belichick Vs. McVay, and Gurley and Anderson Vs. a whole Patriots front that is unspectacular in a sense but will get the job done in some way. Just to get this out of the way, my prediction is 34-31 Rams in a close matchup that will feature twists and turns throughout and any super bowl that involves a super team vs. super team matchup will involve plenty of drama. I love football and that is one thing that I enjoy watching in my down time. However, after Football is over, we get a little down time for the major sports (not for myself because Hockey is also one of my favorite sports and is always intriguing especially down the stretch). Two things that I have circled on my calendar during this time of February is I have a baile coming up with my girlfriend IB on the 9th of this month and another with my mom on the 16th of this month.

 

I do have to say for both of these bailes I’m excited because I get to see several of my favorite artists over a period of two weeks and with two of my favorite people in this world. At the first one on the 9th, myself and IB enjoy dancing and at this baile we have the following artists performing: El Fantasma, Voz de Mando, Banda Los Sebastianes, El Potro de Sinaloa, Virlan Garcia, and Kanales. This baile will be taking place at the San Jose Convention which has been host to a number of events over the years. This one I think has the chance to be fun because some of these artists I’m more familiar with than others and others I have heard are amazing in person. El Fantasma is an artist who sings songs about love and tragic ballads that gets our culture going at these bailes and it certainly makes for a good atmosphere. In fact, my aunt has told me in the past that he puts on a good show whenever he visits Texas. I also have seen Voz de Mando two times previously and they also put on good music for the crowd to dance to. As does El Fantasma, they also put on some good music about love and tragic ballads about life. As for the other artists on this list, I have heard one or two songs from each artist and I will be watching videos from them over the next week to get a feel for them and their style. I am writing this down here because I know we (referring to myself and IB) want to commit to this and that is we want to dance the whole night to the music. It will be our first baile of the year as we have not seen a show since we saw Pepe Aguilar in November and we have a plan to make this one unforgettable. Just to add a side note, before I met IB I wasn’t good at dancing and I feel I have improved with her during the time we have been together. I would bumble around and not know which way to go during some steps. But now that we have been together, I have learned a lot more and I hope to get some more dancing down in the coming years. At the second baile we have four more artists performing and that is Bronco, Cuisillos, Conjunto Primavera, and Raza Obrera. This second baile will be taking place at the San Jose Fairgrounds which is somewhere I haven’t been to for years.

 

These artists are rather the older guard of Mexicano Regional Music. I enjoy their music and this one my mom jumped on this opportunity because she is a big fan of Bronco (as am I) and my favorite Banda is Cuisillos so it is a win-win for both of us. I think for myself this will be a different experience because I’ll see what will happen when two different generations of music together. This second baile I feel has more a nostalgia feel with the bands playing with a sense of their biggest hits behind them but they have a huge following with their fans. I like Cuisillos and Bronco in particular because there styles are unique and innovative to their genre of music. When I first heard Bronco, it was music that we refer to as Grupera with a. mix of Norteno and growing up with I got to see the kind of atmosphere it would create at parties or get togethers. I would see people dancing to their music and even having a great time just talking amongst themselves with the music in the background. As opposed to Cuisillos, I first heard them in 2008 and immediately took a following to their music because they sang ballads but also cumbias which could fuel me up for the day that I had ahead. I’ve heard some of Conjunto Primavera’s songs but they are a little past their time and they have not had as much success as the other bands that are part of this spectacle.

 

As outlined above, these are two events I will be looking forward to because it is my first time looking ahead and getting to spend time with my girlfriend and my mom. Music, I believe has the ability to give folks a different vibe and even gives you the opportunity to gain a different outlook on life. I remember growing up with this music and it provides for good moments in my life. I’ll be looking forward to what comes next after these events as I’ll be putting together a video of these events over the next few weeks after the fact. Until then, take care everyone and always remember to stay positive! Oh and I’ve attached some flyers for the upcoming dates I have circled on my calendar.

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The Baile on February 16th 2019

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The Baile on February 9th 2019

 

Adventure Universal…

Posted on by anele25

The world is full of adventures and great people. I just happened to have a girlfriend that is as crazy as I am and adventurous as well. The day after Christmas on 12/26/18 myself and my girlfriend IB decided to head out to Universal Studios. Just to give a little background, we had gone out of our way to begin planning this back in August of this year. We gathered a little bit of money and eventually we had enough money for two plane tickets, two universal studios tickets, and for food as well. Once we gathered all of those items we counted down to the day that we could finally go. The morning after Christmas we were of course tired after opening presents and eating some good food at my house. I had all of my gear ready and packed from the night before and I woke up at 3:30AM. Once I brushed and said goodbye to everyone I headed out to my nearest street corner to get my uber, I talked to the nice gentleman for a little bit about how the job was going and he had his started by saying how he drives usually till 11AM or sometimes 12PM. I also was surprised by how many drivers were outside at that time. We picked up another passenger and we headed on our way to go by IB’s house to get ready for the day. I stopped by and started thinking because I didn’t want to lose our flight and I also thought that people might be at the airport because they were only there for the Holiday. I saw IB and she was not ready yet but once she was ready I saw that it was gonna be close to 5:35AM for the time we would arrive to the airport for our flight (our flight was at 6:10). We caught another Uber to get to the airport and I felt a little more relaxed now but once I saw how long the line was I panicked. Our flight, the line for security, plus all the hassle of being able to make it inside the plane had me worried all at once. The line was backed up and we were lucky enough to have someone else say that their flight was about to leave. Myself and IB followed this person out to the front of the line and we were able to get closer once we went through the hassles.

We got to our gate and thankfully our flight was delayed another few minutes until we could leave. We were also on Alaska which thankfully has assigned seating. Once I sat was when I felt way more relaxed and just thought about the fun times that lay ahead. I sat on the plane and just joked with IB the whole time about how crazy and adventurous we were. I also saw IB taking pictures and videos of our flight which made the flight enjoyable. Once we landed we planned out first by finding a Lyft to get to the park and we waited for the ride. We knew the trip was off to a great start once we saw our driver pass us by twice and it wasn’t until he reached us that we got to know how funny he was. We got inside and he said he had never been there and he also passed by an extra passenger that had requested him as a driver. He also started going 60 on a 35 and someone also called him on the phone asking him different questions. This I said is how you get a day started. We looked around and I was amazed because we had finally made it to Universal. We took a few pictures and headed off to our first ride Kung Fu Panda which for me was just fun and full of excitement. I won’t spoil many of the rides but having the ability to be there and feel the water under my feet got me going.  It was also a little different from the movie itself which was also quite the surprise. After this ride we headed off to see the Simpsons Ride which was also cool because we got to see the Simpsons characters up close and personal the premise was that one of the characters from the show had escaped from jail and now we were on the run from him. Oh my gosh it was so fun!

Afterwards we said we had the opportunity to take a picture with Marge and Homer which is one of the pictures I am glad we were able to get as well. I want to highlight a Youtube video IB was able to put together as well at the end of this post and there are many stories coming up in this blog. We said we also had some time to go ahead and head to the lower part where we headed to go see the studio tour, the Transformers ride and the Mummy Ride. We first went on the studio tour which I had been on before but this time I did it in Spanish. I liked it because it gave me a different perspective on how things would be during the time that we would be going on it. I saw how different the attraction was because from a culture perspective I’m amazed how the host of the ride was able to explain certain things and how the effects came to life once she was explaining it. My favorite parts of this was being able to go through Fast and Furious once again, the King Kong part, and of course I always enjoy the These three attractions combined gave myself and IB the opportunity to talk about the upcoming year and what was to come. For myself and IB, we have birthdays that are a little less than a month apart hers being May 11 and mine is June 3.

We talked about what we wanted to do for our birthdays as well as how cool it would be to have certain things happen for us in the coming year. Second, hit the Mummy Ride which is pretty cool because we go backwards and we pass by a bunch of dead posts during the process. Lastly on the lower lot, we hit the Transformers ride and we were able to get all the different elements of air and speed on our side during this fun ride. Before we knew it, it was already close to 2PM and we were getting a little hungry during this time. We ended up getting some tacos near the taco truck that is by the Simpsons which resembles something for the Bumblbee Man. The Tacos were actually pretty darn tasty and afterwards we caught one of the delicious donuts near the Simpsons ride. We next hit the three shows of Waterworld, the Special Effects shows, and the animal show. In between this time however, we decided to go to the Harry Potter ride which is actually the only ride we ended up going on for Harry Potter. It turns out that this was probably my least favorite ride because I went to grab my hat and it somehow fell through the ride itself and I had to go report it at the local lost and found department. It also was funny because just yesterday when I got home from a trip for work my mom had said that they sent something back but it was just a different hat that was adjustable. I was so happy when IB told me this morning that she would buy me a hat sometime soon. These three shows combined really got me excited because for one I saw how much of an effort they put forth in making their shows look real. I saw in the Waterworld show on how they would put movements on the show that made it seem very real. I also mentioned to IB on how one of the villians from the show also resembled someone from wrestling. It turns out that I was correct and it was Ring of Honor star Christopher Daniels.

I ended up taking a picture with him and that is something that will be shown in this slideshow at the end. I also enjoyed the special effects show because I saw how cool they can make the fights or fires seem real. The animals show also gave good insight on how some of the animals would pay actention to their trainers as well and some of the ages of the animals also made it fun. Towards the end we went to the walking dead walkthrough and IB was so scared and was behind me throughout the walkthrough but I had fun because it’s not supposed to scare you other than the fact that you may have  a few nightmares about it. We took a few more pictures until it was time to head home. We took one of the grinch, of the big Christmas tree and lastly of the lights that were around the area. It was indeed quite the day around Universal and I couldn’t have spent it with anyone other than my girlfriend IB. As we waited for the Uber I realized how tired I was and how tired IB was. We waited for the Uber and for our last meal of the day we had some delicious brisket tacos and some chicken wings to go along with it. Just to add to it, I ordered some nachos to put a good end to our trip at Universal. As we headed home on our flight and on our way through Uber, I saw what a wild day we had had and it was finally time to head home. We were both pretty tired and that night was probably some of the best sleep I had in a long time. I slept in my bed and realized that was some fun and exciting times. I am going to include a video down here to document more of the wild and crazy adventures that we had that day. I recommend to anyone if you’re ever looking to do this in one day to dream it and do it you will not regret it in the end. And lastly shoutout to IB, the uber drivers, and to everything that happened that day at Universal definitely a memory to remember.

 

NXT Takeover: Wargames II…

Posted on by anele25

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and one of the things I am thankful for is great wrestling. This past week I have had the opportunity to watch some of the NXT product and it gets me excited to watch wrestling. This year I have also attended two of New Japan’s show, one in Los Angeles and the other in San Francisco. Both shows also reignited something inside me to love wrestling on a different level. The wrestling I grew up with not only gave me characters, funny storylines, and action but they also gave me nostalgia. This product that I am watching now gives me a glimpse into how wrestling is now with storylines that build up to a crescendo with a payoff. The one thing that both the NXT and the New Japan product does is show me how much of a good feeling it gives you to see action in its purist form. The particular show I want to touch on is NXT Takeover: Wargames II. The particular show took place in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. I’ll have a few pictures down below to highlight some of the characters that I will be talking about.

The four matches on the card (well besides the surprise at the beginning of Matt Riddle vs Kassius Ohno which went 6 seconds) were as follows: Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’ Reilly) vs Rowe and Hanson (War Raiders) Ricochet and Pete Dunne in the classic War Games match. The match itself takes places inside a steel cage that surrounds two wrestling rings. The team with the man advantage (example would be there could be a 2 on 1 advantage or a 3 on 2 advantage) was the Undisputed Era who were the bad guys in the match in this dual until both teams were in the ring with the rules being that if anyone from either team left the steel cage that team would forfeit the match for their team. The only way to win the match would be to submit someone from the opposing team or pin them otherwise. I really liked the match with a devastation of moves from both sides with backbreakers, suplexes, backflips, and use of weapons. The match itself went 47 minutes with some of the highlights including a 650 splash from the top of the cage of sorts from Richochet onto 7 of the competitors in the match. I also enjoyed some of the aspects of the match with using the ‘smaller’ guys in Undisputed to be thrown around by the War Raiders from one ring to the other. I also enjoyed how O’Reilly and Strong worked together in the match to take down Ricochet and the War Raiders with some chops kicks, suplexes, and some backbreakers. This was the 2nd time that the WWE version did their version of the original NWA invention back in the 1980’s. The story was built in and it didn’t have to have too much complication to it. Something I did not mention before hand was that both teams started at one point or another had their team members inside these small cages so that they would not leave before it was there turn to enter the ring (a new member would enter every 3 minutes). One of the other highlights (related to the previous sentence) was waiting for Dunne from the War Raiders and Richochet team was held inside the cell before he would come out and he was locked inside by Bobby Fish of the Undisputed Era. Eventually, some refs came down to free Dunne from the cage with some boltcutters. Honestly, it delivered but probably my only gripe was that it went 12-13 minutes too long and it could have gone a little less time had it not been with the story being played that Dunne was locked inside the cage. The finishing sequence saw Dunne hit his finisher the Bitter End and afterwards Richochet hit Adam Cole with a splash from the top. I would watch this again for my own entertainment.

The second match that went on was Johnny Gargano vs Aleister Black. This to me was tied with the other match that I wanted to review which was Velveteen Dream vs Tomasso Ciampa both matches delivered in their own unique way. I felt the story in the Gargano/Black match was that Gargano had laid out Black a few months before and Black was now out for revenge. The reason he had attacked him was because for most of the year Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa had been fighting over the NXT Championship. Well, Black was inserted into their match at the previous NXT Takeover in New York and now Gargano felt that was rather unfair. He himself saw it as a heroic act but in reality it was selfish of him to do so. Now we were here and boy was it ever a classic. The one thing that may get overlooked in the match is how psychology plays into the match. Both wrestlers had a knack in the match to ask the other wrestler to come at them with their best shot until they realized that they were just messing with them and wanted to just play with their emotions.  They hit their signature dives, suplexes, and slams but what impressed me the most is how well the two gelled in the ring together. I enjoyed how Black kept up with Gargano’s cheap shots by coming back with a fiery comeback one after another. The match from what I can recollect was the first time that they had wrestled each other. We saw how well also Gargano has officially become “Johnny Takeover” by now participating in his 11th Takeover which is now an official record. The match itself did wonders for both because we saw the evil diabolical Gargano got what was coming to him after Black hit the Black Mass. Defintely a classic that I would watch again and who cares if they didn’t sell in the match.

The next match I wanted to talk about was Tomasso Ciampa vs Velveteen Dream and my gosh this match was just as awesome as the previous match. I enjoyed how the veteran Ciampa kept giving Dream everything he could in the match. Both men were trying to outdo each other by taunting each other with their poses and what not. Dream kept coming back and the crowd was right behind him every step of the way. He in fact used a figure four leg lock reminiscent of the Ric Flair and Bret Hart days of using a figure four leg lock. He even used a Hulk Hogan Leg Drop that got me jumping me out of my seat. The match itself ended because we saw how overanxious Dream got because he was so close to winning the match itself with his elbow drop and his finish. He worked so that his charisma could shine right through. I remember when the show Tough Enough was still airing and he got cut from the show and somehow I felt that he would become a superstar. Lo and Behold here he was in a prominent spot on one of the biggest shows of the year. I enjoyed how once Dream hit his finish and then his elbow off the top rope that he had it down to a second and he could have won. Once Dream missed his elbow drop again Ciampa got up and his finish the Fairytale Ending. What a Match!

The last match I want to review is Kairi Sane vs Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s championship match which delivered again with some hard hitting moves and on both sides there was interference from Baszler’s side and also Sane’s side as well. The match was 2 out of 3 falls. The 1st fall was won by Baszler and the 2nd by Sane and then lastly by Baszler.  I liked how they kept putting on holds so that the other would not escape. These two whenever they wrestle we know something crazy is going to happen and this was no different. Sane I thought would end up winning but in fact I was wrong because she got help at the end from Io Shirai and Dakota Kai and Baszler was assisted by her friends Jessica M Duke and Marina Shafir which helped the match because the two had had 4 matches previously and we had already seen several matches between them before hand. The match itself was impressive for what it was and this match itself was the opener for the card.

For everything that happened during the card itself, the Takeovers deliver and give you a special feeling whenever they come on because they are built up so well for the audience that is watching. I would recommend this for anyone that is looking for something to watch this weekend. Have a safe and happy thanksgiving everyone take care of your loved ones and give them a tight hug on this very special day that is coming up. Just in general, remember that those few precious hours you have together are good enough just to laugh and take everything in little by little life is too short (p.s. I posted a few pictures below of the Takeover event)

Image result for kairi sane vs shayna baszler nxt takeover wargames

Image result for shayna baszler vs kairi sane takeover

Image result for nxt takeover wargames

Image result for nxt takeover wargames

Image result for nxt takeover wargames

Image result for nxt takeover wargames

Image result for nxt takeover wargames

Writing Prompt #17: When have you felt like the “new kid”?

Posted on by anele25

The idea of being the new kid has always intrigued me because you’re going into a new situation and you barely know what the process is like. I read quotes on my social media that talk about how going to school at a certain age should not matter. However, at the age of 25 I started going to San Jose State University where by some means could be considered older as you go and finish out school. I stepped into my first year after having been accepted not knowing what to expect. The admissions process was stressful because I wasn’t even sure if I was doing the steps correctly with financial aid, the writing test to be placed into a writing class, and the orientation itself. But somehow someway after having first done the writing test and then the orientation I successfully completed the first necessary steps. I went in and also finished up my financial aid paperwork which I thought would not be enough to pay for classes but I had plenty left over after to cover the rest of my expenses. Let’s fast forward to July and I wasn’t sure when my registration was supposed to be as well. I sat at a hotel in Las Vegas and I awaited a response from the person who was the contact to register for my classes. I was on a little mini vacation at the time and the prospects of not being able to sign up for classes was stressing me out. The classes were less than a month away and I was still waiting. Little did I know, I ended up resolving this issue the day before I was coming back to home. I saw the e-mail the contact person had sent me and I got on the website to see if I could register for classes yet. I got back from the park that day and I was wondering while at the park what the next steps would be. I got on and I realized there was a button that I hadn’t yet got through on there portal and I clicked on it and that advertisement was no longer there. I was super happy to discover that all my information for my classes was on the side. I went through that and I saw the few remaining classes that were left. I ended up taking Social Psychology, Human Factors, Nutrition, Psych of Prejudice, and my Writing class. I had 4 classes on Tuesday, 1 on Monday, and 3 on Thursday which gave me Wednesday off. My classes were finally set and I was ready to go although when I walked into my first day of classes I saw how much older I was than most of my classmates.

There I was walking into a class of 20 something year olds and I was a little ahead in age. But as the day went on I saw that yes I was completely on my own as the new kid on the block and that isn’t a bad thing. I saw chances to be learning and make friends with everyone in class that I could. I even saw some familiar faces as the day went on. Some folks were graduating already and other were just getting started. For myself, I kept telling myself that I was on my own now. I wasn’t sure if I’d be successful but I said I wanted to finish my degree and do it with some help of course. As the days went on, I started warming up to people and I could not let the idea that I was too old already to bring me down even more. The funny thing was that many times I doubted myself before this and just the idea of being in something new was the thing I feared.  I even saw a guy that was in one of the orientations I was in earlier that year and by chance we ended up being placed in the same team for a project. We still keep in touch today and I am glad we do because it gives me a chance to reconnect. The first semester was a chance for myself to see how I could do exactly and I must say I had a great first semester. At the end of the first semester, one of my professors sat me aside right before the final and said some nice words to me on how I always had some wonderful comments to add to the class and I don’t think many other professors had nice things to say like she did. I also had a conversation with one of my professors in the nutrition class who had some disputes on one of the papers I had written about obesity being a myth and she did not take too kindly to some of the articles that had been published. I ended up having to write the paper twice and the second time we had a lengthy discussion about it but at the second outset she had talked about her current job she saw different evidence and she gave me full credit on the paper which I found to be awesome. The “being the new kid on the block” isn’t always the worst thing in the world because you have to create your own opportunities. I went out there and saw what classes I needed and disciplined myself enough to get through my classes. You can be shy or the most outgoing person in the world but it helps to go out there and work with what you have. Throughout my 4 semesters there, I saw people come and go but I was able to build a bond with some of my classmates that was worth it till the very end. We had one goal and that was to graduate and find careers out there. I think this experience was one of the most grateful I’ve had because I was put into a new situation and I excelled at it. What made me most grateful was having people there willing to help even if they were strangers. The people you just sat next to who randomly started conversations with you and asked for help those were the ones who were there for those great times. Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing about this and I’d do it all over again.

An adventure to Santa Cruz and Writing Prompt #16: write about an item that is not worth much money but has great value to you…

Posted on by anele25

A few weeks ago me and my friend  (now girlfriend) headed out to Santa Cruz to see the cool sights of what nature has to offer. We started out at Target in San Jose and we did a drive up first to a trail in San Jose that was named the Sierra Azul Preserve and we thought it would be a little more beautiful. As soon as we got to the parking lot there was a note that said to take our valuables with us because they were not sure if that location would be able to guarantee the safety of our valuables. The journey itself was quite interesting. We saw some horses along the trail and we also saw a few people who were hiking the trail for the experience.  We started huffing and puffing a little as we started getting up the trail. What I enjoyed in the trail was that there was peace and quiet. There is nothing better than having the opportunity to see nature and what it has to offer. At one point we found two folks who had apparently found gold on the side of the road. I found this pretty cool as we started getting closer to the middle of the location. A few months ago we were fortunate enough to see some redwoods as well and those themselves were quite the site. A few other places I also felt were a little more impressive such as the Purrisma trail in Half Moon Bay. We hiked for a good two hours before we we decided to head out to Santa Cruz after a while. My friend and I started wondering what other areas we could go to so we decided to explore the option of visiting the Mystery Spot. The Mystery Spot is quite old and holds something to it because you can be standing there and there can be no gravity when you go inside. Our tour lasted a good 45 minutes before we came to a head with some of the mysteries of the spot. How did it get there and what do some of the truths that were there and how many of them hold true.

I found it cool that some of these theories were outlined by the tour guide including but not limited to that some of the o-zone layer is moving around the location. We also see that some of what is there is odd because the spot itself is tilted at a 30 degree angle. The fact that it is an illusion also gives credence to the idea that there was a meteor that hit there years ago before everything came into play. I started to see that some of what the tour guides suggest may or not be true. For one, having an electromagnetic field which dictates whether or not the field under dictates whether or not it moves can be helpful towards the theory. The drive up there was quite lovely and the sites themselves were awesome. I was telling my friend along the way that doing things like these are only done once in a lifetime. I, for one, attest to the theory that the spot itself is at a unique position and can hold together at a tilted position. My friend was also apart of some of these demonstrations that were shown to give away this illusion. For example, if you move one person from one end to the other end you’ll see that having some of these demonstrations available will give people a different opportunity to see how they can maneuver around and give the illusion of height and potentially envision something different. Our tour guide also made the journey lighthearted and fun throughout our time there which made it even funner. He would make jokes about marijuana and also about the place itself and how it was constructed along the way. He was also nice enough to want to take a picture with us as well. There will be pictures available as well. Afterwards, we headed out to a place called 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall which was also very good. We had popcorn shrimp, nachos, sweet potato fries, and some fish tacos. The entire time I was just thinking how appreciative I was of the whole experience. Not only was I able to do a nice walk with my friend but I was also able to explore the adventures of Santa Cruz with her as well. The food was delicious and afterwards we had some fun exploring some local spots around the area which included some jamba juice around the area. Next I wanted to talk a little about an item I’ve had for a while.

Back in 2005, my mom and I took a trip to the local flea market and I picked out what would be one of my favorite items that I have and that is my black beanie. The item itself has a value of about 10 dollars but to me it holds sentimental value because I have carried it pretty much anywhere. I remember a few months ago I was hanging out with a friend of mine and I thought I had lost the beanie, but there it was on the side of my seat. The reason I think it holds so much value is because I am able to fully hold an article of my past and present together with me for as long as I live. You can go through my articles of clothing and hats and beanies and that is one I will treasure because of how much I have seen events from high school all the way to my current life. I’ve seen births, deaths, new presidents, and even a move in my life with that beanie. Now, as I enter 30 I still carry the beanie with me and it still holds the same meaning as it did when I was 17. I hope that everyone has something out there that they treasure as much as this beanie. We’ll see if anything ever comes close to this item but to me it has held great value. I know it’s been a while since I’ve written on here but today I plan on doing two blogs. Oh and I wanted to leave some pictures of my adventure with my now girlfriend.

Writing Prompts #15: Write about an event going in your life right now, but try to write about it in the past tense

Posted on by anele25

The idea of having to leave Stanford scared me a little bit because I said to myself how would I be able to find any other work. I got my notice on August 31st of 2018 and it did not come to as a shock to me. Dating back to September of 2017, I was told that I would be getting my time cut. I started applying to jobs left and right in March of 2018 and I had little luck at the beginning. I would get inquiries about certain jobs but the more I saw how the jobs themselves would work I would get hesitant at some of the positions. There was one day in June of 2018 where I spent most of my time just applying to jobs and I couldn’t get any hits. At times, I felt discouraged just because I felt betrayed and let down by this place that had been so kind to me throughout the three years that I was there. I started realizing as the time started getting closer that no job is going to come find me, I have to go find the job. I had two interviews with a recruiter in July of 2018 and then another in June of 2018. I had hope for both of the positions but neither panned out in the long run. I had lost most of my hope when one week I got a few calls from a few different people asking for interviews and I jumped on some of these opportunities.

 

One in particular that I thought would work out was the job I had heard about in Foster City which is a city near here. I also heard about a great opportunity closer to home which was a job as a community engagement representative for Western Dental. As the time to let me go started getting closer, I jumped on the opportunity to interview for the Western Dental position. I knew it would be something new for me and something that I wasn’t used to. Essentially, without getting too technical, it was a sales position but on a lower scale level where we would have to make appointments for potential patients. I heard about it from a colleague of mine who had referred me to the position. I interviewed that next day and during the process of the interview, I was a bit nervous because I didn’t know what would be thrown at me. Little did I know, the interviewers themselves were probably in the same position as I was a few months beforehand. The department itself was new and it would be a while before I actually knew what I was doing. In essence, my biggest problem from transitioning from one position to another was knowing that I wouldn’t be there in my former position to oversee the whole process of the study after. There were reports, tables, flow charts, and modules that would have to be created in order for the numbers to look as good as they were. Little did I know that after accepting the position at Western Dental, that the problem of not knowing was out of my hands and into the hands of people that made more money than I did. I also didn’t think about the repercussions this would have for my social life. I wouldn’t see my friends that I had made there and I look back at that time and I’m very happy to know that once you leave a work place you really find out who the real friends are. They reach out to you or you reach out to them and they reciprocate right back. One of the few problems that I had towards the end was when I taking down my things and I cleaned up my cubicle and I started shedding some tears. Sometimes, I know that things are out of my control and when that happens I do tend to get emotional. I saw this opportunity and I started working and Stanford was in the back of my mind. As the days went on and the date for my exit interview approached, I started feeling a bit more relaxed and started realizing that eventually everything works itself out. I need not worry about some reports that wouldn’t have any real bearing on my career. Did I make those reports? Yes I did and I put some hard work into it.

 

A long time ago, a colleague of mine told me that if you try your hardest and you put effort into it, you will see the results of what hard work is. I had the backing of most of my friends and family and also my colleagues that supported through that part of my life and I saw how much they supported me. I was also able to realize that the job you do in this life is reflective of how much people will vouch for you. I said to myself also that the person that referred me to the position I would be grateful towards him and that is one thing 2018 taught me was how to be grateful for the little things in life. We in the Latino community don’t have the most nor do we claim to. But, what we do have is pride and the word of who we are. Looking back, that hasn’t changed and I am glad that things worked out the way they did. I took the opportunity to take what was out of my hands (in this case being laid off) and I made the best out of it. I continued my work at Western Dental and the story there is still to be told as I will detail it more with due time. I had my exit interview and I had the best experiences at Stanford. I realized I couldn’t have done anything other than what was asked of me. I went and I found my numbers and with much luck was able to see that the work that you do is a reflection of how much effort I was able to put in.