Tag: Music

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

 

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.

Imagining you are with your old school friends….

Posted on by anele25

“Where do you see yourself in ten years?” is something I would hear often during my high school years and tonight I wanted to sit down and write about a topic that I have hardly thought about. I have had some changes in the past twelve years since High School and I want to reference high school because that was the time when we all transitioned from childhood to High School. A great friend of mine recently gave me a book for Christmas that has 300 writing prompts and I intend to write as many as I can before I die or perhaps before the one day comes that I will lose my passion to write anything (I highly doubt this). One of the topics in the book asks this “Imagine you are at your next high school reunion. How do you think your old school friends would react to the person you are today?” I don’t think anybody is the same person they were five or ten years ago. Experiences, goals, and relationships change us all. High school for me ended on June 8th 2006 and on that day I remember not really waving at anybody or seeming excited that high school was over.

I just looked it at as another phase of life that had ended for me and I was ready to move on with my life. I wasn’t the most popular person or most outgoing person. I wouldn’t go to parties or hang out with the in crowd. I would say if I were to meet my old school friends they would treat me exactly the same but we would be different in our lives. I remember hanging out with one of my friends from high school in 2015 and we did what guys usually do: go hang out and talk about life. One thing I remember noticing about my friend is how much he had changed from being super funny and outgoing to being a former shell of who he is. No longer was he the fun loving guy people would gravitate towards but he had become more serious in the way he acted, the way he thought, and the way he approached people. I felt that when we hung out we had almost reversed roles. I was now in a position where I had gone through certain experiences and was now in control of my emotions. Before I would be irritable, angry, and somewhat moody. Now, I saw my friend in this position and there was no way I could change him because you can’t change anybody’s perspective in life on where he was. However, going back to the original question I would say if my old school friends saw me they would ask how things changed, what do I think was the best way to do this, and would start asking me about my career and where I was. One other thing that has never been steady in my life as well would be my diet and exercise.

Recently, I have started watching my diet because of the surgery that I have undergone (more of this information available in an earlier blog post). I would say they would be shocked because my diet in high school wasn’t particularly great as I would eat like crazy in high school. I also remember I took a strength training class in college and this is when my life was in flux on whether I should continue to work out or not. One of my classmates commented on how good my stamina was because we would take weekly runs on stairs or outside on a track. This is something I would point out to my friends because of how much a statement I like to make with this. I would also say my friends would be surprised because I was never the most athletic in high school and I never played sports either. I also would dare say that people would start asking about the type of motivation I have behind this. I have believed that in the past few years that my motivation is to live as long as possible and the experiences and memories we make are based off of this. I can wake up tomorrow and not be motivated but one thing that gets me is the ability to know that every day is a new opportunity, a new challenge, a new hello, a new morning, a new something to look forward to.

Sure, we all sit in traffic on the way to and from work but this is a part of what life is. I would think if I were to tell this to my friends they would start laughing at me but I truly do believe that this does motivate me to achieve something greater every day. I also sometimes wonder if they would even recognize me because in High School you have your one or two friends that you stick close by with. I remember sitting in a row full of strangers that I had never met in my life. This is something I fear because of how diverse and far the field has gone in terms of how big of a class we were. But, I know I would have my friends that would be there to support me in how I am doing and how I have changed. I also have documented in how I think having a pet of some sorts has made me a nicer person. The dog I had before, Paloma, really made me appreciate life and the many intricacies of how to care for someone that is your own. Before, I didn’t have that somebody or something I could care for. Now, I have Zorro to care for and I also would say people would be surprised that I became a dog owner. Overall, I would say there would be some process for me to let it out because I don’t tell many people about my love for my dog. Once again, I think having a dog is like having a child because you have to make sure he or she is cared for and that he has his regular checkups at the vet or what have you. So there you have it, overall I would say that others would have kids, maybe other people have moved out of the area, and me I’m still the same person in mind but I have made a few adjustments. Change is good for all of us and time tells who will come out in front. To me, I would say I have been pretty successful with my life and where I am financially. I hope it is the same for everyone else and if it’s not hopefully I can have some profound impact on people.Till next time….

Day #8 9/26/12: The dude that is behind you…

Posted on by anele25

I remember this day talking with my buddy about the baseball playoffs and it was a very hot day as we had a lot to say. We talked about life, it’s up’s and it’s downs, and all in between. I also began studying for a very important math test that I had the next week as I was mentally prepared for this one. The most important thing of the day was seeing a family member that I hadn’t seen for a long time and this always welcome. (Author’s note: We saw this guy at Mondo Burrito that my friend had seen before and he just happened to be a little afraid of talking to him but those situations make life fun!).

Day #146 11/2/11: Major Kharma Points…

Posted on by anele25

I remember this day I spent driving around helping my family and I told my mom that I was going to go and pick her up from her sister’s house. Before that I had spent the day taking my dad and myself to sell some cans and we also ended up buying some much needed supply of food at Costco. I ended up taking my dog, Paloma, to go and buy her a harness as I don’t want her neck hurting from the leash that she wears. Then at the end of the night, I ended up buying my brother some Jack in the Box because being drunk he ends up getting an appetite which I find rather strange but a fun day nonetheless where I discussed music with a friend of mine and that was that

Day #136 10/23/11: Just win baby…

Posted on by anele25

Pretty crazy day at work and at home as the Raiders ended up losing to the K.C. Chiefs 28-0 and the way my fantasy football was getting there ass handed to them made me think…a little music is always the best therapy. At work, the business of the big red machine boomed as it was the first day of our ad and people bought crazy amounts of food. Nothing much to the day except I noticed that people in any job end up choosing sides one way or another.

Day #98 9/14/11: The adventures of JMD…

Posted on by anele25

I practically took a roundabout of adventures this day as I first went to take a quick 5 minute eye exam that had been scheduled because I wanted to get my left eye checked as it is weaker than my right eye and everything went smoothly. Afterwards, I went to the gym to work out and it was very different being there in the day as I got flashbacks of having very deep conversations at 2-3 in the morning almost right in that spot where I took this picture and not getting home till 4. I also went to buy a CD case for my large collection of CD’s and I checked by the Rasputin’s in Campbell to see if they had any good deals on any CD’s and there wasn’t much to be offered except an old Outkast CD that I can do without. I then went to Saratoga to pick up my mom as I was in the area so I stopped by to do that and afterwards we had some dinner. The night ended with me watching Machete which was an awesome movie that gory action fans should watch.

Day #93 9/9/11: Tired…

Posted on by anele25

This picture I took to show the craziness of the day as my friend at work welcomed me back from Mexico and we had a great time discussing my time there. I remember this day he mentioned if I wanted to go fishing or if I wanted to be the bait. I did quite a bit of work this day but I was proud of it nonetheless and I continued joking around with my friend about all the crazy situations at work and in life. After work, I talked with my good old friend Walt and it was just like old times as me, him, and his girlfriend hung outside of work as a manager came outside to suggest we were doing it like the good ol’ days as we talked about instruments, music, life, and other subjects as well.