What A Trip!

Monday I woke up and was not planning on a completely random road trip, but I really wanted to see The Alamo in San Antonio. Well, I ended up in Dallas and stayed with my friend at his new place and just hung out and shopped yesterday and left last night. It was my little graduation gift to myself. . . it was good. I didn't send that much money either. Yesterday I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at all good places. I found Mockingbird Station by myself and bought a pair of sunglasses for $10 on sale at Urban Outfitters. I found the North Park Mall by myself and its a nice sophisticated mall, that will be even more this next Fall. I bought a pair of shoes at Sketchers, they all casual and go with jeans. This is all I bought, which is amazing for me! So I left last night at about 7:45ish maybe and that is when the adventure really starts.

My friend suggested a faster different way for me to get back here to Lawrence going through Tulsa. Well, Oklahoma turned out to be rather confusing. . . I ended up taking a back scenic route on state highway 75 instead of the interstate 75 somehow. I was on some two lane road in the middle of central Oklahoma, which took some time before I got to I-40 and then could take that to I-75. I missed the Indian Nations Turnpike, well after all this I still managed to go a little bit too far east on I-40. Yeah, I missed the exit to 75 and had to turn around like 15 miles later, yuck! I filled up on gas a little south of Tulsa because it was the cheapest I saw the whole trip. Then I got to Tulsa and I-44 and was craving tacos from Taco Bell. I ended up getting off of an exit and not finding anything and then going down the side road a couple of miles around midnight along I-44 before I could get back on because of construction. Finally, I got a bit past Tulsa and found a Taco Bell and ordered three tacos. I tried to eat one while driving did not work out too well and I was making a mess. A few more exits and I got off and I pulled into a church parking lot and ate my tacos on a country road. Then I drove and finally got into Kansas at maybe 2 o'clocksh? Exact time is a bit blurry.

Well, I was pretty tired driving on 169 North in Kansas. I was like on the verge of falling asleep many times. I got out of Coffeville and about 26 miles south of Chanute I pulled over on some County Road. I sat there for a minute and figured I could take a short nap. I got out of the car and stretched and peed on the side of the road. Well, got back in the car and figured after that I could drive again. I was driving, driving doing somewhat okay and I think I went through some town that if you blinked you would miss. Well, next thing I know there is a car doing a U turn on the road to come and pull me over. Okay, I was speeding I don't really know how fast and the speed limit was like 35 though this town. Well, the police officer took my license and insurance card and asked me some basic questions. I was like "I can't get a ticket! I can't get a ticket, etc.!" After like at least five minutes of waiting in my car the police officer gets out of the car after discussing with the other officer I guess hands me my stuff and is like, "Slow down, watch the signs, and be careful!" Thanks officer - - - no ticket!

Started driving again and was really tired almost falling asleep and all of that etc. I am not sure where I pulled over again on some side road but I did and sat there, got out and peed, blah blah. I thought I was ready to go again after 10 minutes or so and drove. I was so tired! At one point I saw some green flash shoot across the sky. . . that was weird I thought its a UFO. . . I didn't imagine that! I didn't see anything after that though. Finally got to the last stretch and that was horrible. . . praise God I didn't completely fall asleep! I made it back here and was in my bedroom at 5:10 AM. I might have slept about a half an hour and then watched the Today Show. It was the last one Katie Courik co-anchored and I had to watch, The Today Show was a big part of growing up. I always remember watching it especially before school, but anyway I watched it.

And I have slept a lot of the day away after that. . . .I have another job interview on Friday.

I am a Graduate!

Yes, I indeed graduated on Sunday walked down the hill and everything! My parents and grandparents came up for the weekend. It was a busy two days full of events that make you really tired, but that is what graduation is for. I felt very proud knowing that my whole family was very proud of me. From the social work graduation, to all the receptions, walking down the hill, and going to parties to meet my friends and their families, it was worth it! I now have an LBSW (Licensed Bachelors of Social Work), which I am proud of a lot. I got a lot of cool stuff for graduation too. My mom and dad bought me a really expensive watch. . . so now I have one from high school graduation and another for college. THey also got me a big new piece of luggage. My brother got me a brief case. I also got some money and cards. My friend that I went to Miami with for Spring Break made us all a collage of pictures from the trip that spells the word family. It is really cool! Another good friend got me a nice tea set, rock on! The weekend was very exhausting but it was worth it! And walking down the hill is a bit anti climatic, but at the same time it felt so good to do it!

So this week the job hunt continues. . . the hopeful job that I have talked about before well they offered it to someone else. Well, I had in my email about a job possibility here and that if you were interested email the lady a cover letter and resume. It is doing case management with people with HIV/AIDS. This is something I can do and would be interested in. So I sent my stuff in and about an hour later get an email back from the lady saying so can you come in for an interview on Friday. I was like "YES!" so I am going Friday at 1:00 for a job interview here. Praise God! But the search continues. . . keeping the options open. So right now I am looking like I want to stay here for at least another year or two. Then save my money and move to Peru or something like that.

One step at a time. . .

SO. . .

So how am I doing? Okay, nothing really new to report for me, but read on there are a few suprises probably - - -

First, The girl and I are not dating. Which is fine I am the one that took the step to clear that up this morning over breakfast at a restaurant (so there is no room to think something else there). Anyway, we started talking about past relationships we both have been in. I kind of felt like that was where the conversation going on. But for me past relationships that is a difficult question. I have not been in a lot of "actual" relationships, but have been in some relationships that I feel like I should count. I mean some of them have ended just like a real relationship I've had the good, bad, the ugly, and the real ugly! Anyway, so I just said at one point "we are just good friends right?" Yes, we were on the same page but do not feel like it would be healthy or needed to back off from the friendship. I agree, and we agreed to be completely honest if anything does come up or develop. Okay, so I am being pretty direct on this one with my readers, so everyone always remember NO names and keep things anonymous in your comments! But anyway as far as this issue is concerned I think I was just trying to hard to convince myself that I could like her like her as more than friends. It is not the time, the place, or the right person for me I do not think. We value each other's friendship a lot and that will not change. Enough on that subject.

I went home on Tuesday morning and came back on Wednesday night. Everyone was really busy, surprise surprise! My mom was finishing her research paper for her master's class and then had to drive to her work the next day early which is about two hours away. My dad took an exam for his real estate license the first night which took most of the time. I was content though reading Cien anos de soledad. It was home. . . I found out that my brother will not be coming up for graduation. My mom was like, "I didn't think it would be a big deal and its more convenient for him to stay with the car space and to watch the dog. Unless its a big deal to you." Come on - - my brother has came up here like three times maybe in four years and he is not even going to make it to graduation. I know we aren't that close, but what the hell is that all about?! Wednesday morning I had breakfast with dad and of course he attempted to stress me out. Then we went to visit my grandma in the hospital who is going through cheamo for stomach cancer, not working that well. She is sick and I don't know how much she was actually there in the conversation. The next and probably last option for her is a blood marrow transfusion. I don't know God can heal her, praying for a miracle, but at the same time she could be dying. Then I went to the grocery store with my dad who bought $170 worth of stuff at the grocery store!!! So, this pretty much concludes the highlights of my trip home. I will see my parents and grandparents when they come up on Saturday for graduation.

I borrowed some movies from home that I brought back here to watch. I will provide my opinions of the two I have watched so far. Last night I watched Elizabethtown
Today, however, I watched a movie that I don't know if I would reccomend to anyone really. Match Point a movie that I was excited about seeing and my mom was too I think that is why it was at my house. The movie was kind of boring, but it is highly disturbing. Like I guess it was provocative in some way, but calling it a sex thriller, well its not what I expected. Not that I was hoping just for sex, but anyway. The movie is about a guy that falls in love or lusts after his brother-in-law's ex-fiance and this is in London, rich people. Well, to cut it short the guy gets the girl he has having an affair with pregnant, but him and his wife can't get pregnant. The problem is that he does not love his wife, he is bored but does not want to give up his upscale life, his very upscale life because her dad is pretty much "the man" or his boss. Well, the wife does get pregnant and he ends up killing the other girl and one of her older neighbors in the building. The very scary part is that at the end of the movie he gets away with it! Like the last scene is everyone at their flat overlooking London and their new baby boy right out of the hospital. He is looking out the window and guilt pretty much and the wife comes over and kisses him and is like I bet you the next one is a girl! There were quit a few references and parallels to Dostoevsky in this movie that were pretty good and right on. But all in all afterwards I felt utterly sick after watching this movie! I am sorry if I ruined it for anyone, go ahead and watch it.

On a much lighter note I watched the series finale of Will and Grace tonight. I was generally happy with how it ended. But of course me being weird I always thought Will and Grace should've been together like completely. For some reason I always thought that somehow Will would end up being "straight" in love with Grace after everything. Oh well, it still ended nice though. I think that a lot of the show was way too far out there for me at times and all of that but it was in general entertaining. I think it did a good job of sometimes depicting real life and society to some degree for a comedy sit-com. Especially the arguments between Will and Grace. But anyway. . . Its over there isn't much to say about it.

I still don't have a job by the way just so everyone knows. The agency has not called me this week after I called them last week and they were still deciding. They said they would call this week I am guessing if they have not called yet, I don't have it. I'll call tomorrow though I guess.

I am having lunch with my friend from Costa Rica tomorrow - - after that I am not sure when I'll see her again especially if I don't stay around here. Things are starting to become more real at this point that I am graduating and a whole new chapter of life is going to start. Wow - that was deep!

Dating.

Okay, I have to admit that dating is probably going to describe a relationship that I am in at the current time. It is just casual, nothing serious just still getting to know each other better and hang out, but at the same time something is there or the potential for something to be there in the future and not just a random friendship. It is confusing, exciting, and added to everything else going on in my life still it has a lot of "what ifs." I cannot get away from the "what ifs" in anything! But this girl and I talk a lot and have been seeing more of each other. Last week we went to a Thai restuarant downtown that we both like and that was nice before the student ministry meeting on campus that night. Today we met at Target and hung out a little bit while I got some stuff that is needed, then we went downtown. We were going to meet a bunch of people at the Thai restaurant at 7 for a friend's birthday. We decided to go to the Tea House before that and just hang out before dinner. We talked for about an hour I guess; in the process she taught me some Mandarin Chinese and I taught her some Spanish. We ended up getting at the Thai restaurant at about 7:40sh. So anyway its fun!

Next weekend my family is coming up for graduation with my grandparents so that is exciting! I think I am going to have to tell my family, well at least my mom that hey I am kind of seeing this person that you are going to meet, but don't make it a big deal. My grandma though. . . will say anything under the sun, so try to maybe keep it on a downlow for her! haha! Anyway, but it will be nice to see my family up here and show them around and meet my friends, etc.

I am hoping sometime this week to be able to share some big news about a job possibility. Keep praying for me that God will put me will He wants me!

Oh by the way, I am Done DONE with college! (at least for a couple of years)

I am Done!!!

I have finished my last class of my undergrad degree this afternoon. I turned in my last two papers in my morning class this morning. One that was a 11 pages that I stayed up until about 2 AM proofreading. Which by the way is fun when you are really tired and having to do some major revisions because you realized that the first draft had some awkward and wordy sentences in it maybe due to the fact of drinking about a glass and a half of wine at the time. I finished it though and felt sad to be completing my last paper, but proud that after four years I am done and will be graduating! I really have not processed everything yet I do no think about being done and what this means. I have many mixed emotions now that it is finally here happy, proud, but sad and almost empty too. I have been trying to prepare myself for everything ending for a couple of months now, but now that it is finally here it is weird! Tomorrow is my last day of practicum and that is sad becasue that means I will have to really say good bye to my kids and everything I have worked on wih them there. I hope that they all figure out how to survive and stay out of trouble, which will be hard and go on to reach their dreams and live productive lives. WOW! I really do not know what else to really say at this point. . .

I am still waiting to hear back from a job possibility to see if they will offer it to me, which I want! I have a really good vibe about it though and pray that maybe it is in the cards for me! I'll let you know the details later if I get it.

On to the next part of my life I guess. . .

In response to my friend's link to my blog by saying "hombre versus mundo" this is her reply:

Porque me parece que estás en eterno conflicto con el mundo -con tus situaciones, con el trabajo, con el sexo opuesto... al menos es eso lo que me encanta de tí. Según Milton, nuestros conflictos son una parte necesaria y positiva del proceso de crecimiento, y a mí me parece increíble poder ser audiencia del crecimiento tuyo.
- - Used with permission by Valparaiso, 2006-

I will try to translate for her:

Because it seems to me that you are in an eternal conflict with the world - by your situations or events, your work or job (talking about the job hunt i guess), my relationship with the opposite sex (speaking of the girl that I have blogged about recently). . . at least this is what I love about you. Following Milton, our conflicts are a necessary and positve part of the growing process, and it is incredible to me that I can be a witness or part fo the audience to your growing process.

My friend please post corrections or clarifications where you see fit. Pero pienso que entender tu mensaje.

A couple of days ago I ordered on amazon.com the movie "Un dia sin mexicanos" or "A day without Mexicans" and tonight I watched it. I have to say I really liked it. . . I laughed, I was entertained, I thought seriously, and I almost cried a couple of times! That was a good movie. . . pretty much the plot being is that one day all of the Latinos disappear out of the state of California and the events and stories that follow. It is so relevant to today's topics around immigration and it made me think of the boycott movement on Monday and all of that. After watching the movie I was on the internet looking at my own blog and decided to click on my own link to the Jorge Ramos website. They finally posted his latest articles from last week and this week. Last week the article was about the upcoming boycott and Senor Ramos used the movie that I just watched "Un dia sin mexicanos" as a key part of the article. Once again. . . Jorge si lees mi blog, ya se que tu lo visitas cada dia "we are on the same page!" Obviously Jorge I know you have knowledge of English, but just anytime you want leave a comment just so I know you are with me, haha! We need to work together on some stuff!

Una amiga has a link to my blog from her blog. Great! The link states, "hombre versus mundo" or "hombre versus the world". I have posted a comment asking her what the reasoning is behind this. . . or let you know what she says. But if you would like, Amiga, you can state your case through my blog too! No problem. Myself and my millions of readers are interested to know the reason behind these words.

Okay, so I had dinner with my friend tonight "the girl" that I cannot decide how much I like. (Maybe that is a sign.) But at the same time even if we aren't dating, we have entered the ground I know best which I will officially name here "the dating but not really dating thing." I am going to copy right this or whatever so whenever anyone uses it I will be the first one with the credit of the phrase. Because I have mastered this whole messed up concept of relationships with the opposite sex, not dating but dating. I have mixed emotions, right now I am just kind of going with it and we both are. . . we don't have time to talk about it too seriously. She definitely likes me though. Not to get too personal or lay it all there or anything, but I can always tell when this happens especially if the girl is a touchy feely girl. If the girl is then you know because she definitely likes to be close to you and touches you by leaning into you walking down the sidewalk or something like that. Its the girls that aren't touchy feely that its harder to tell. Okay I just realized I kind of categorized girls by a certain characteristic. I also realize that not all girls fit into one or any of these categories and that different girls mean different things by what they do. I am just talking from one guy's experience. . . This is my disclaimer. So no suing!

A couple of Things. . .

1. Why do I not have the cool ability to change the font or the color or center things whenever I want anyway?

2. As far as everyone blogging now - GREAT! I do not care if people put a link to my blog on theirs or whoever decides to read it reads it. But I have not reached the point where I am going to put all my friends and everyone else's blog links to mine. I am trying to leave it as anonymous as possible. Keep blogging everyone - I love it!