People who Wear Glasses Are Sexy. End of Story.

Let me start off with a sort of apology for being absent for, what, three days? I've been super busy these past days--mostly with work.

 Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and be sure to work all that turkey out! Hope you all had a (safe) Black Friday frenzy! Seriously though, how do people have the time to stand in line all night outside of a Best Buy? I barely have enough time to sit back and write, let alone camp out in a parking lot. Anyway, my Thanksgiving consisted of the slowest, dead-est, 6 hour shift at work, yet it was still a hell of a great night. Hanging out with a handful of fellow coworkers, having a good time, talking, especially since I spent most of my time with that one special friend I mentioned a while back that I should probably write more about in the future. Long story short, I may have missed out on a plump dinner with my family, but the night was still fun with my second family at work. Oh, and before I delve into the conversation, I recommend all of you reading this to start listening to the band Sick Puppies. If rock isn't your thing, just give this band a chance and I promise you won't be disappointed. Unfortunately the band has been going through some drama recently--apparently their lead singer, Shimon Moore (yes, that's his real name), has left and has resorted to antagonizing his other two ex-fellow band members, Emma and Mark (yay!), sparking some instability between the trio. But all that aside, ya'll should give this band a check-out. And if you don't like them, sue me. Now, let's get this thing started. Oh and just a heads up, for the first half of the post I will embrace my nerdy side, so if you're allergic to us, you can just skip to the third section.

John Boyega in a Trooper Outfit? Hells Yes!
First of all...OMG the trailer for the new Star Wars film has got me even more pumped up and excited for 2015! First Jurassic World now SW? Oh hell to the yes. Mark my words, Universal and LucasArts are working together...they are working behind the scenes to deliver the most amazing movie experience ever for 2015 that will put all other upcoming films to shame!

Now, I'm not gonna jump on the bandwagon and act like I've been a HUGE fan of the saga from Day 1. Indeed, I've only gotten into it towards the end of last year. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the movies the first time I watched them, 'cause I enjoyed the hell out of them. Yes, even the prequels. To Hell with those who complain that they "suck." I see where your arguments come from, and I acknowledge them, but still the prequels were good. End of story. Anyway, I'm sure we're all glad to see the return of practical effects instead of the CG overload that the prequels admittedly abused of. A combination of both CG and practical effects never did the originals any harm, so the upcoming sequels better rock that. And dear God, if Disney makes the characters sing and dance, I have no faith left in humanity, period. And HO-LY CRAP I am desperate to find out more about this guy here:

A lightsaber with a laser hilt? Oh heeelllllsss to the YES! This definitely shows promise. But perhaps the best move LucasArts will make is getting rid of Jar-Jar Binks. Like forever. As a show of affection to their long-time loyal fans, I say they should kill him off in the sequels. Like have the mystery dark sider here murderlize him and his annoying race. Erase them off the face of the far far away galaxy. 

Gods be Praised this Black Friday!

So as very few people know, I am a HUGE fan of TES V: Skyrim. I wasn't always a fan of The Elder Scrolls myself, but the 2011 Bethesda masterpiece reeled me in like Kate Upton reels in a horny twelve year old kid. Anyway, I probably should've waited till Cyber Monday, but I couldn't. I did all my Black Friday shopping online, and I gotta say I was not disappointed in what I bagged up for myself. I ordered myself a really sexy Skyrim-themed wallet with a chain, and a Daedric Sword letter opener to make opening my checks a lot more EPIC and fun. Take a look-see, fellow nerdists, and revel in the glorious sexiness the Divines have blessed me with.

                                              

I can't decide which one I'm more stoked for! The wallet is damn sexy and awesome, and the collectible will make me look more forward to getting my checks, as opening them will be a lot funner now. This is actually the first time I order any sort of gamer merch online, as I never had the cash to do so in the past. But boy am I enjoying it. So there you have it, my first ever Skyrim merch that I want to share with you all.

The Birth of An Anarchy??

So if you decided to skip my geeky display, you will find safe haven from here on out for this post. So I'm sure you're all very well aware of the controversy surrounding the court's decision in the Ferguson case that sparked violent outrage in the area. Yes, it should be quite obvious that black lives do not matter in this country. First Treyvon, now Michael. Both cases ended in the same way: the murderer gets off scott-free, leaving the suffering families in unspeakable anguish. Yes, it should be quite obvious that the pigs we call our "protectors" can get away with murder. I don't want to sound like all those close-minded, self-appointed, supposed "anarchists" that think they'll change the country just by complaining, but this country really does need a revolution. We need a major change in this corrupt government. The citizens of Ferguson have already risen up in arms and fighting for their rights, and it won't be long before this spreads to other disenfranchised areas. But then again, this is where I also have to draw the line. I get that the people are angry and want to express their disappointment with their government, but the way the Ferguson-ers have gone about doing so is not the way to do it. Is this what MLK Jr's dream has become? Is this the vision he protested and died for? No, it's not. These people want to "honor" Michael Brown's memory and civil rights by lighting shit on fire and breaking windows. I would be completely on board with this if they were merely fighting back at the government, but this is their way of honoring their rights and their fallen brother? This is a big slap and an even bigger "fuck you" to MLK. These people are rendering his death vain and pointless. Think about it, he brought major change in civil rights without lifting a finger, yet he was murdered in cold blood, and by reaping chaos in their home, the people of Ferguson night as well have been the murderers. If ya'll wanna fight the government, have at it I'm all for it, but if you want to honor a slain teen and fight for your rights, put down your Molotov cocktails and turn to Jesus! Just kidding (not a bad idea though), put down your bats and crowbars and raise your voices instead. It worked before, it might work again. Might. As Russell Brand, one of my idols, once flawlessly stated, "The people who say the system works, work for the system."

Closing Tiiiime...

I apologize again for posting this late. You know how it is. Work work work. School school school. Friends and family. I'm lucky I had the day off today to put this thing up. Shout out to my fellow gamers reading this and anyone else who is disappointed with how things work in this broken system. As always thanks to those who took time out of their day to read this, share, comment, etc. Stay safe this holiday, stay up to date, and have a good one everyone. I leave you all with this song, another one of my favorites from Sick Puppies.

Media Monday: Prehistoric Nostalgia!

NOTE: This post is (one day) late due to previous engagements, sorry!

ORIGINAL POST: So a teaser video was released Sunday night promoting the very near premiere of the trailer for the new Jurassic Park, titled, appropriately, Jurassic World. Them nostalgia feels were maxed out just from the slow, familiar music in the video that should ring a couple bells. I mean we all grew up watching these things, and now that we're older, Universal wants to pull of a Disney and give us a modernized, matured version of our childhood faves! Anyway, I was super stoked to see this and am now counting down every second until the official trailer's release...

UPDATE: IT'S HERE! The guys at Universal could not hold their surprise for much longer and have released the full trailer two days earlier than expected! Go ahead, watch for yourself, and hold on to your butts... What are you waiting for? Do it! Click the link!

And now, the review. Throughout the awesome-sauce trailer, there were quite a lot of familiar sights--the ominous gate into the park and the field with the frolicking herd of Gallimimus--err, Gallimimuses, Gallimimi? You get the point. There were a few new wonders as well--like the incredibly beautiful, fern-filled river of Brontasaurus. And who can forget that unbelievable jump by the new aquatic addition to the family?! I'm not good with dino names, so don't ask me for this one. BUT, the most noteworthy development was the innovative addition of a hybrid dinosaur created by the park's ever-intelligent, ever-curious bio-engineers. No idea what they mixed into this baby, but the chills down my spine were telling me, it's not the typical Spinosaurus from JP 3... What I loved the most about the trailer was not only the content itself, but how it was presented to us. For once, a trailer actually leaves plenty to the imagination and skips the story telling we buy the movie ticket for. Unless, of course, the dinos that appeared in the trailer are the only ones that appear, and they done spoiled it for us already. Or, that hybrid could be nothing more than a mutated T-Rex that only appears for a brief ten minutes, and Universal pulls off a Godzilla on us. Or not...? Anyway, I also absolutely LOVED the nostalgic piano tune that softly played during the split-second sequences of chaos and terror in the park. Them feels.

One thing I question, however...super raptors??! You all saw that sequence that had Chris Pratt and his legion of raptor buddies running side by side right? Pretty cool, I must admit, but...super raptors??! In my honest opinion, they should've kept the two-front war setting from the previous movies. This not only added a feeling of desperate tension as we watch the humans fight the BIG dino and their much smaller cousins, but it also established a sort of lonely mood. A group of humans must fight their way out on their own. Whoever wins on the dino's side, the humans lose. That's a notion I feel they should continue in JW. But besides that, this trailer ensured that I will for sure watch it and write a review on it! So stoked!
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On another note, I have experienced one of the worst let-downs one person can handle. Imagine a band that no one knows, slowly rising up the musical social ladder. Imagine this band released a pretty crappy EP album earlier this year, but you still saw opportunity where others saw hopelessness. Imagine this band later released an album so badass, so improved that it overshadowed all crappiness and it still pleasures your ear canals when you blast that shit. Then imagine this band loses almost all of its members, leaving only the lead singer, who then forms a new line-up, just ripe with potential originality and freshness for the band. Now imagine this new line-up promotes a deluxe reissue of the before-mentioned insanely awesome-sauce album with five new tracks...only to release it a few days later, and it turns out to be nothing more than the shitty EP released months ago under the original line-up integrated into the album and sold to the world AS AN ENTIRELY NEW ALBUM ALTOGETHER.

This is the painful disappointment I have survived with the "deluxe reissue" of Reign of Terror, the newest album by Capture the Crown, a band I'm sure you've never even heard of until now, as well as one of my favorite underground metalcore bands. And if you've looked them up and are covering your ears and already hating on my musical tastes, be my guest. Call me an emo, tasteless fanboy who loves Black Veil Bitches and cuts himself for attention. Nothing could be further from the truth. Something else you should know is that I am open-minded with music. Shitty music is still music. Good music is a God-send. Yes, I do like all the good stuff everyone else likes, but why should that prevent me from listening to what others look down upon? Anyway, one can imagine how hyped up I was when I heard that the deluxe edition was on its way soon. I mean, a new line-up equals fresh new songs, right? Not in this case. As soon as I caught wind of its release, I immediately hopped onto iTunes to check out the new track list. One can only imagine my extreme bewilderment when I witnessed the titles of the horrifically bad EP songs on the list. I thought, No way, there must be something off here. Surely this is a mistake. I decided not to jump to conclusions and listened to the samples of each of the five songs, expecting maybe a badass remake of each one under the new, fresh-faced lineup.

It was exactly what I dreaded. A copy/paste tactic falsely advertised as originality. Ya'll have no idea how disappointed, how let down, how crushed I was by this atrocity. I was finally starting to believe in this band and hoping it would finally step out of the shadows and really make an impact in the underground musical community. But nope. Apparently the band had no plans of the sort and decided to return to their days of utter shittiness and lack of musical talent that truly lives up to their new album's name. Reign. Of. Terror. Utter. Hopeless. Terror.

Everyone following the band was as upset as I was, apparently so much so that the band released a statement that, admittedly, makes sense. Basically they said that buyers get more songs for the same amount as their new album by itself, which is true. I mean we're getting their EP and the new album for the price of one. That I don't argue with. What I do bash heads with is their statement that they "never said they would be new songs," nor that they "don't force you to buy it." My response: Dude, okay so it is true that you never said 5 "new" additional tracks, but if you've got a new line-up, and a golden version of your album artwork, of course people are gonna expect new songs! You could've at least added some more detailed info. I don't know, maybe "Featuring our shitty EP that got us kicked out from our original label because we sucked so much"? Just saying. Okay to be fair, people are complaining a lot, but the band played a major role in it, too. No wonder these generic "metal" bands never make it. 

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So that's my Media Monday post, guys. Sorry it's late. Again I had other things to take care of, as I still do, but I decided to take time out of my day to do what I love the most. Hope you enjoyed my nerd-out sequences, and be sure to watch Jurassic World, which is out on June 12, 2015! As always, share and stay up to date peeps! Have a good one :)

To Pay or Not to Pay. That is The Question.

Take a good look at this video here. Heads up, this may be a little disturbing to some of you. But this is something I think everyone should really examine and just reflect upon how disgusting this is. I'll give you a moment to watch it. If you choose not to watch it, just skip to the next paragraph. If you do, skip the following paragraph (or not, it's your choice).

Decided not to watch it eh? That's understandable, I had a hard time watching it myself, and I can stomach anything. Basically it's a video taken by a student of a Stockton teacher "disciplining" a 14-year-old female student in his class for not wanting to get in the pool. So what did the teacher do? Did he cuss her out in front of the whole class? Did he maybe shame her by making her do other exercises in front of her friends? Did he make her dance? None of the above. Instead, this monster decided to take matters into his own hands--literally--and tried to drag the resistant girl into the pool. No, not gently. This guy was straight-up pulling the poor girl while her friends desperately tried to pull her way from his clutches. Even as she begged him to stop because her bikini top was falling off, this bastard not only kept going, but he also had the gall to say, "That's alright." That. Is. Alright. Really, guy? That. Is. Alright? A young lady's top is falling off, and you have absolutely no problem with that? How are you not rotting in jail yet? How do you do something like that? Anyway, the video sparked outrage everywhere, obviously. I'll get into further details later. For now, just skip to my reaction (rant) that follows.

Done? Disgusted as I am? The rant starts in 3...2...1...

Seriously? SERIOUSLY? How dare you lay your filthy, trashy hands on such a fragile creature, you fat piece of shit. I can't even begin to find the right words to describe such shameless, wrong, disgusting, immature, perverted, just plain ridiculous behavior on the teacher's part. Was it right of the girl to be defiant as she was just because of her hair? Probably not. But was it right of the teacher to react in the way that he did and punish her the way that he did?

Couldn't have said it better myself, Leo. NO. HELL TO THE NO. The only form of any physical contact this pig should've had with the girl, if any at all, was...nada. Zero. NOTHING. A full-grown, adult male should never lay his hands on a 14 year old girl unless that man is her father or if she's trying to kill him or something. But for something as trivial as refusing to get in the pool? Why don't you go jump in a lake you godless swine. 

So why was this girl giving the teacher a drive up the wall? She apparently had her hair done for an event later that night, could be a party, date, anything, and she didn't want to ruin her perfect weave in the water. Okay, so that's pretty reasonable, I mean I wouldn't want to jump in the swimmer if I had my do done--but then again that's an easy fix for us guys. The point is, something like that deserves, at the very worse, school punishment like a ten minute detention or something. Technically it shouldn't be reprimanded in my book, but I guess they have to humor Stockton Unified School District, eh? 

That's not the only thing that pisses me off. What's also got my gears grinding is the "punishment" they gave to this guy. Did they fire his ass? Did they perhaps take his check? Was he thrown in jail? NO. None of the above. He was only temporarily suspended from the school on PAID administrative leave! PAID. Administrative. Leave. Did I mention he is being PAID while suspended? Not only that, but when he got bored of being on PAID administrative leave, he transferred to another school, where once they found out about his actions, they removed him on PAID administrative leave. PAID. ADMINISTRATIVE. LEAVE. This swine is still receiving money as if he was still working there! Are you kidding me? The very least they should've done to this guy is fire him and toss him in the can! Luckily the girl's parents are planning to file a lawsuit against him, so there is yet hope. But then again this system is so broken and corrupted he'll probably end up getting a few days suspension and then allow him to go back to work like nothing ever happened. 

I know there's some of you reading this and saying, "Dude, calm your ass down. This guy didn't rape her or make her eat cookies lined with body fluids." Say what you will, this is sexual harassment. He is putting his filthy hands on a female without her consent and being a persistent jerk about it too. He is perfectly okay with her top falling off as long as he "sends a message." He is a sick perv and he needs to be punished before he turns into another one of those rapist teachers we see on the evening news. 

Onto the next story. Apparently a boy was shot by police in Cleveland after the boy brandished a BB gun against them. Here we go again, yet another screw-up by the people hired to "protect" us, but honestly, I'm batting for both teams here. Yes, the popo did what they do best and followed their shoot first, ask questions later policy, but the boy in question is also to blame. I mean yeah, who wouldn't want to have their shot at angering the police right? But then again, you don't wanna poke at the bull for too long, else it gets really angry. That's exactly what the boy did. Yes, he's just a kid and didn't know any better, but it's pretty universally known that you don't point a gun at another person, fake or not. It's another case of Where were the parents? 

I will say, however, that the copper should've at least waited before pulling the trigger, I mean it was just a kid. Yes, a kid with a gun can cause as much damage as a mentally unstable person with an AK-47, but THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A BATON AND A TAZER. Why do you always reach for the holster before anything else? Again, it's just company policy right? "Shoot first, ask questions later. We'll be greeted as heroes! Hurrah!" It seems like there are hardly any good policemen are there. Policemen who actually do their job and protect their communities instead of haunting them. Where art thou, once-great protector? Come back to us! In truth, honorable policemen are as rare as Kim Kardashian's dignity, and that says a lot. 

So that's my rant guys. Forgive me if some of my comments are inappropriate, but I had to get all this down while it was fresh in my mind. As always share with your friends, comment, and stay up to date. Have a good day everyone and stay safe.     

EPIC JUSTICE!! Relief. Utah. Oh, and Alex Trebek.

I will start things off with a little blog update. Starting next week, I will impose more organization into my posts by posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (mark your calendars!), each day focusing on a certain set of topics (Media Mondays for example). I will post on the other four days if I absolutely can't hold it in, like if I read/experience/see something I just have to let out (or write out, excuse me), though daily mini-blogs will probably only be posted on my Tumblr (once I get that set up). Everything is still in the brainstorming stage, but so far it's working out as I hoped. Hope you are all as stoked as I am to watch this baby grow! Now, onto the subject at hand. Part One of a two-part, heart-felt post concerning some interesting changes in this country...(me likey!)...

So I'm sure many of you watched Obama's historical speech last night--I know I did. I'm also sure that many of you reading this, my fellow classmates, are very much pleased with the news that our immigrant parents and friends may breathe a little easier, right? Take a moment to let out a long sigh of relief, don't worry, Alex and I will wait...

Done? It's a great feeling, isn't it? To be able to finally step out of the shadows as our Papa Bear so flawlessly stated in his speech is some of the best news ever to reach my family's ears, so much so it literally had me and my mother applauding (and, admittedly, tearing up) from our seats. I, like some of my friends and relatives, was born in this great country, making me, of course, an American citizen, thus making my mother, an immigrant from Guerrero, a parent to an American-born citizen, which means that she is eligible for whatever other plans Papa Bear has for her and millions of other immigrants. But all of this information is pretty much clear to all of you who watched it. What I'm here to discuss is the reaction to the landmark executive order, and my own personal reactions to the reaction (react-ception!). So without further ado, let's get into this thing. Oh, and just a heads up, some of my own reactions may surpass diplomacy and delve into the territory of straight-up ranting, so forgive any future Wall of Texts. Here goes...

THE GOOD...

About 90% of comments on Facebook and other news sources were all for this action, mainly because Papa Bear batted for both teams on this one. Yes, he granted more rights to a certain set of immigrants while still staying true to American law and "playing by the rules," as he said. Here are a few screenshots I took as examples.

Kudos to all of you! (BTW that "Mark" is not me, peeps, honest!) Of course, in the interest of privacy I blocked their faces and last names out, but as you can see, these peeps know what they speak.  First of all, let's all remember that NO ONE in this country is NOT an immigrant, except for the Native Americans. Either way, everyone would still complain if the immigrants weren't around to keep the country going. They would be begging us to come back. Likewise, what most people don't realize or refuse to accept is that immigrants--Latinos, Asians, Indians, etc--are the hardest working people in this country. We keep the country running by doing the dirty work so that the "pure" citizens can keep their super-duper-uber big ticket jobs. I should know, I work at a McDonald's! If we are kicked out of the U.S., who's gonna make ya'll Big Macs?? Who's gonna clean your dirty hotel rooms? Who's gonna practically raise your child? Just food for thought...pun intended ;) 

...THE BAD...

About 9% of community reaction was against the Presi, but for credible, respectable reasons (we'll get to the 1% later). Such reasoning included that Obama's actions are a slap to the face to those who emigrated to this country legally by basically rendering their efforts pointless. I don't place them under "Bad" because they're arguments are invalid. It's just for creative/organization purposes, and because of the negativity. Here are a few examples...

To the three peeps above, I respect your opinions and I see where ya'll coming from. But first of all, let's keep in mind that the country's immigration system (up until last night's speech) was broken and utterly ineffective. There was no way for my people and any other illegal immigrant to come here legally. Though it's somewhat outdated by a few years, this online page gives a little insight into why it is almost impossible to emigrate to the U.S. legally. 

...THE UGLY!

The other 1% are basically the trash-mouthed haters who don't even back up their stupidity with the least bit of credible evidence. Here is where I am compelled to just let out all my anger--"write" out, I mean--and basically rant. But let's not forget that these lowlives exist to highlight the importance of smart, educated people like you and me. Take a look-see...

Yes, I left their profile pictures exposed so their crap-lousy faces can be seen by my readers. Well first off, screw you guys above and everyone else who "thinks" this way. Seriously? "Throw them back over the fence"?? You could not sound any stupider. How bout we toss you back over the Atlantic? Seriously? Immigrants are ruining the country? We keep the country running, homeboy! Without us you wouldn't have a nice, clean backyard or a crisp hotel when you're on vacation! That's assuming you ever leave your basement, of course. And seriously? We "can all stay together in Mexico"? Mexicans aren't the only immigrants here, vata! I really have no words for such ignorant stupidity. I really don't. This pretty much speaks for itself.

Okaayy well that first dude has no idea what he's saying calling Papa Bear a traitor. Tell me, did he commit some sort of act of treason like Nixon did with Watergate? And as for the chick, Obama is helping Americans...by allowing the country's top work force to stay in operation! And secondly, Americans have it easy here! We are forced to salvage whatever resources we can just to pay rent and have food on the table. And besides, I don't think you, Veronica, are one to talk about who is allowed to be here or not...

Then of course there's the other extreme. From a fellow Latino, this is not the way to go about celebrating our victory. As I said before, Latinos aren't the only immigrants here. We are the majority of immigrants, yes. We are (soon-to-be) the majority of the U.S. population, yes. But I mean c'mon, is this really necessary? Just rejoice and keep your trashy comments to yourself, vata.

EPIC JUSTICE...Part Deux

In this second portion of my two-part post focusing on some very promising changes on the horizon, I will emphasize on a topic that will undoubtedly stir controversy left and right. Utah, (you tah-ired? no? okay) is seriously, and I mean seriously, considering bringing back "execution by firing squad" as a method of execution for condemned baddies. Yes, I BS you not, this is a legit proposition.

Don't believe me? Check this article out, and take a look at this here, AND this article for proof (because I would TOTALLY lie about something like that). I'll give you a moment, go.

Well now that you've taken a look-see at those pieces, here's my take on the whole thing. Yes, it is definitely an overkill, I won't lie, but what good is a little poke and painless poison gonna do to some lowlife who murdered innocents in cold blood? I personally am all for this execution law, proposition, thingy. Not only will future killers get what they deserve, how they deserve it, but the fear of this punishment could deter future acts of violence. This is definitely something that every state should agree on if we are to have the slightest chance at adequate justice. EPIC justice. Of course I could be wrong and there could be somebody reading this yelling at their computer screen, "SHUT UP AND GET A LIFE YOU FAT PIECE OF LARD! GET LAID ALREADY AND LEAVE THE INTERNET ALONE!"

Well, my response to you, kind sir, is simple. This is my life. And as for the get laid thing, let's just say my match.com profile looks a lot like my blogs, so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Anyway, yes I am pro-execution by firing squad peeps, and I feel that EPIC justice is the best justice. An eye for an eye. Reminds me a lot of my good ol' childhood. I screwed up? I got the chancla. I really screwed up? I got the Goddamn tree branch, yo. And this is why I'm not a cholo rotting behind bars at this moment. Point blank, rough punishments will not only teach a lesson and send a message, but it will also (I think) make them crooks think twice before pulling the trigger.

And that concludes my two-part opus. I'll wrap things up by saying that I hope you all enjoyed this project of mine, truly. I poured my heart into this thing so my readers can enjoy it, but also for my personal enjoyment. I know for some this might've been a mission to draaag oooon through my text walls, but as I've said many a time, I will work on every aspect of my posts so they could all be smooth and not so clunky. My Tumblr page is still not ready yet, but I will get around to it soon. As always, share, comment, troll, and I hope you enjoyed reading this. New and refreshed organization starting next week, promise! :)

Follow-Up 11/19/14

So yeah, there's my first "official" post, but of course there is tons of room for improvement. One thing I will for sure improve is my organization of my ideas so instead of having a Great Wall of Words every post, I could write multiple posts, each discussing a different topic so as to not make my posts so clunky. Let's all keep in mind I'm new to all this, so just give it some time and I'm sure my blog will improve as time progresses. I think my biggest mistake was that I somewhat rushed it just to get something out, but I had to get some practice, right? Anyway, hope you call can bear through my beginner's posts, I will probably take more time between each post, so expect a new, much more refreshed feel to them in the future. The rule of quality over quantity definitely applies here as well, so I will keep that in mind. As always, share with your friends, comment, constructively criticize me, and thanks for reading :)

Hey, Wanna Hear a Joke About Ebola? You Won't Get It

Before I delve into today's topics, I'll start off with what I like to call my "Daily Hassle." I guess my day off yesterday really served a purpose: I got a decent sleep, so I faced the day with energy levels higher than the state of Colorado on March 20. I'll let that pun sink in for a while....

So today was the same old routine--get up, eat a bowl of corn flakes (or as my family likes to say, con flays), shower, dress, survive the day, etcetera. And as if AP Stats wasn't already screwing me over enough, I failed yet another test which I have to make up tomorrow--along with some writing test I missed out on yesterday, which means I have to stay at least two hours tomorrow after school and still make it on time for work at 5 AND THEN GET TO MY HOMEWORK WHEN I GET HOME AT 10! Life's great isn't it?

A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO: MY FAMILY
But enough about that, time to get into this thing and get started on whatever homework I can. Something I want to start discussing today is my family and what they mean to me. Technically the only real family I have is my dear mother, whom I have had a rocky relationship with up until the past several months. She and I have been through hell together, but in the end, no matter how many fights we have, no matter how many clashes we encounter over disagreements, she's the only person--besides my few real friends, of course--who I can turn to when I need advice, help, or simply wanna have a conversation with. What of my father? There's none to speak of. Sure, I had a man I referred to as "dad" in my life (somewhat) for some time, but I never had an actual father figure to whom I could turn to when life got rough. "Son, I am proud of you, and I know you will go on to do great things." These are the words I never grew up hearing from the man I once called father, who jumped ship on my mother and I when I was just two. Truth be told, I still look up to the guy. Why?  He has done an amazing job in setting an example of what I don't want to be when I'm older. Every "example" he tries to set for me, I basically do the opposite of it, and look where it's gotten me--I have a stable relationship with the rest of my family, I have a job, I have a much better, more productive lifestyle than I could've ever hoped to have had while under his influence. My message to all of you without fathers in your life, yes it is hard. Yes, it's not easy being raised by a single parent working her ass off to provide for all of you, but take it from me, it will get better. In fact, listen to this song by one of my favorite bands, Sick Puppies. I hope it'll impact you the same way it has impacted me.

Forgive me if my wall of text bored some of you; I felt I had to get this off my chest and basically explain to you all how important it is to appreciate everything you receive in life, no matter what parent(s) you live with. Moving on.

SPIT IT OUT ALREADY, OBAMA!
So it's been looming for some time that our ever-take-charge, super-smart President, Mr. Obama (please tell me you picked up my sarcasm), will soon announce executive action that will potentially save millions of immigrants from deportation, including my family. I'll skip the juicy details and instead leave you to check it out for yourself, and I'll get right to my opinions on this circus act between Papa Bear and the rest of Congress. Of course, I am all for his plans, especially since they could save my mother--a hard-working, honest woman--from deportation, and I'm sure a lot my fellow classmates who have immigrant parents can say the same. However, there's one thing I (somewhat) take issue with. Obama is on the verge of tyranny, the way he goes about acting as a lone-wolf. BUT let's keep in mind that the devil--excuse me, the GOP (AKA the Republicans) would never agree with Papa Bear's propositions, so it's only natural he lone-wolf's it.

SURVIVOR OF EBOLA MUST NOW SURVIVE MARRIAGE
Admit it, you were just as scared as I was when you first heard the news about Ebola spreading to the US. Right, because obesity and heart disease don't kill more people right? So anyway, as the fear calmed down, I'm sure we all realized that there was so much fuss about nothing. I mean, more Americans have been married to Kim Kardashian than have died from Ebola. One particular survivor, Amber Vinson, a nurse from Dallas, was gifted with a free engagement ring, technically a replacement for the original ring she had, which was destroyed when her home was decontaminated. It's an honorable gesture, and what I take from this is that no matter what disease comes our way, there is always hope. Let's not forget the media magnifies Ebola just as much as a microscope does, so ya'll can safely change your pants now, everything's gonna be fine.

FINAL TOPIC: TURKEY DAY IS ALMOST HERE!
So another Thanksgiving yet approaches, and I'm sure everybody is getting their wallets ready for turkey shopping and Black Friday deals (I know I am!). And of course, all the hustle and bustle will for sure lead to stress and some fiascos, but let's not forget that no matter what happens, it could be worse. Don't believe me? Check out these awkward yet funny photos I found on Yahoo that show just how crazy things can get. But in my opinion, it's the moments that matter. Turkey blows up? Stuffing comes out bad? Cranberries too dry? Brush it off and laugh at it. Laugh and enjoy the precious time you are spending with your loved ones. There's a reason it's called Thanksgiving. You know what I'm having for Turkey Day? Tacos, tamales, and ponche. Oh yasss that sounds pretty good right now, actually.

So that's all for today guys, be sure to read my follow-up to this post where I give my closing thoughts and future plans. Forgive me if this all seems a little disorganized or too much to read, I will work on it. Cross my heart, hope to diet. Have a good one :)

One Wasn't Enough...

...I had to continue. Not to worry, I won't take too much of your time with this post (hopefully). This is basically a follow-up to my first post, just to clear some things up and "establish" myself into this whole blogging thing I'm completely new to.  Without further ado, here are my "closing thoughts" for tonight.

As I've stated before, my blog will focus mainly on two things: 1) An outlet on which to express my daily routine, one which hopefully a lot can relate to, and 2) My opinions on the latest news in politics, media (movies, music, games, etc.), food, and pretty much anything in hopes of attracting a large audience. Keep in mind, however, sports and fitness topics are my weakness points, as those topics do not interest me or catch my attention, so if you're looking for the latest news on Kobe Briant's uber, breathtaking touch down for the Dodgers, you've come to the wrong place my friend, wrong place. Sure, if my topics involve sports teams and such, I will include them, so just keep this heads up in mind. But besides that, my interests should satisfy pretty much anyone. Just give this noobie a chance, and I promise I'll do my best to deliver an enjoyable experience for everyone. If my hectic schedule allows for it, I will put out a post daily. If not, I will put one up at least every other day. And of course, as my blog progresses, I will reveal more about my life and the people in it and so forth. That's all for tonight guys, wish me luck, share with your friends, add me on Facebook (Mark Gonzalez, my profile pic is the same as my Blogger profile pic), Snapchat (omg-itsmark), and I plan to make a tumblr and twitter soon, so keep an eye out for that. Oh, and for all you gamers out there, be sure to add me on Steam (dovahgee) even though I only play one game, like ever (my all-time favorite, TES V: Skyrim). Good night all :)

If Only I Can Write a Personal Statement Like I do a Blog

Well, let me start off with a bit of a self-introduction. Yes I'm sure you've all been through the meet-and-greet process with other aspiring youngsters looking to make it on the internet, so I'm sure you all know how it goes. "Hi, my name is (blank), and I like (blank) and (blank)." Yadda, yadda, yadda. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to devalue these starters. Hell I'm sure this is how most, if not all, of the biggest online stars first cast their line into the shark-infested waters we know as the internet.

Oh but where are my manners? Hi, my name is Mark, and I like tacos, music, movies, video games, and other geeky stuff. Oh and I write, too. I hope to leave my digital handprint through my posts, and if, in the process, you are well enlightened and entertained by my crazy ideas, then I would've done a damn good job at it. So let's get started.

One thing everyone should know about me right off the bat is that I am a proud Mexican-American Chicano (quite redundant, don't you think?). I am proud of my culture and will not hesitate to (respectfully) defend it should it be insulted in any way. On the other hand, I am an open-minded, easy-going seventeen year old kid who loves to have a good time and joke around about anything--and I mean anything. Trust me, just hang out with me and my circle of best friends for one day, and you'll report us to the nearest mental hospital. Do not mistake my pride for sensitivity. I respect any and all opinions on all topics, even the most controversial ones keeping our country on its toes today. Weed. Homosexuality. Guns. Immigration. ISIS. Ebola. Kim Kardashian. I am open to any type of discussion. All I ask in return is that you all respect my personal opinions and simply enjoy and reflect upon my take on these topics and more.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. My ultimate aim is to create a blog anyone can have a good time reading. My topics will range from my hectic, stressful life as a senior in high school trying to balance work, school, family, and friends (and remain sane in the process), to my 100% honest opinions on the before-mentioned topics.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get down to business. I am currently at an all-time low in terms of mental stability. No, I am not going crazy. No, I am not on the verge of becoming another Charles Manson--who, just FYI, recently got a license to wed (oh, happy days!). Don't know who Charles Manson is? Um...just click the link and hopefully you can get at least an idea of who he is without getting to the..."juicy" details. For all of you who know this guy, yes I know that was a terrible joke and I (don't) apologize. I said I was gonna give my take, here it is. Okay, okay, to be fair that was a little inappropriate but hey, a little humor goes a long way, no? Back to the point, my mind is going in all crazy directions for two main reasons: 1) school, and 2)...school. Have you ever been in a situation where one of your teachers takes his/her job a tad bit too seriously and another doesn't take it seriously enough? This is the crossroads I am facing at the moment, and it's got my head spinning right round and round like a record. Paired with my busy work schedule, I was compelled to take a personal day off today from both school and work to not only have some "myself" time, but also to catch up on any homework due before Thanksgiving break that I won't have any extra time for because of work.

"You keep mentioning 'work.' Collecting bottles and cans does not count as a job!" I can imagine you saying that in a Gabriel Iglesias squeaky voice.  Well I'm glad you asked by the way. I work at a McDonald's. Yes, hate all you want. Go for it. I dare ya, I double dare ya like Sam L. Jackson! Yes I know McDonald's is not the dream job everyone wants, but keep in mind it's a great starting point for someone my age. I struck gold when I moved to my new apartment about two months ago, as the McDonald's I work at is literally right across the street from it. Moving from my house where I spent the first sixteen years of my life was no easy task, but it was one of the best changes ever to come into my life. I now have a steady job along with my high school career, and I've made some new friends along the way, including a very special friend who I will talk more about in a future post. Anyway, now that you know where I work, how about stopping by one day and leaving a compliment to my name, eh? I win two movie tickets, one for me, one for you ;)

Changing subject, the deadline for university application is approaching soon, which is adding more rush into my routine, as I still have not yet completed my personal statement for UC (because I'm spending my time writing blogs instead!). I'm just kidding guys. I love writing, and I don't mind spending my time sharing my life on the inter-webs, but I only wish I could write a personal statement like I do blogs. "Well you sure can write, Mark! This post alone proves it! Why not transfer this power of yours to the PS?" Thank you for your kind words, but it's not that simple. Try writing everything I just said in a condensed, 500 word essay that may or may not be chosen. Yeah. Thought so. I am making progress, and hopefully I can finish that baby up and share it with everyone before submitting it so maybe you guys can give me some ideas.

Well, that's all for now guys. If you managed to read this far without getting bored or annoyed at my random tangents, kudos to you, kind sir/lady. Pat yourself on the back because you just made my day brighter! I mean it. Thanks for those who have taken time out of your day to read this. There is still tons more to know about me which I will reveal in later posts. I hope to get the gears rolling on my blog and hopefully reach out to a broader audience. Hope you enjoyed this post and always keep in mind:

"Sometimes, you just gotta 'write' it out."

- Yours truly

A good day to you all! :)