Update

It's 1:20 AM, Martha and the kids are knocked out sleeping, the kids have been playing with their cousins and aunts and uncles all day, Martha and I went to Manhattan (here they call it "the city") to walk around, we basically did a big round starting at 59th and 5th Avenue right by the Plaza Hotel, we walked down 5th Avenue until 33rd then we stopped a Moonstruck for dinner where we saw the Miami Heat manhandle the Fakers, I mean, Lakers. Then we walked back up 5th Ave, hooked a left on 42nd, up to Broadway, checked out the stores and what not, and then walked up 7th Ave until 57th where we took the train back to Queens.

Walking around stress free just talking and relaxing makes me want to live in the city. The cold weather though, gets a little bit old after a while, but it brings character to the place you know? Speaking of the weather, we are expecting a lot of snow tomorrow. I can't wait, it should be a nice trip to remember for the kids. This is the stuff happy childhood memories are made of.

I've also been doing some reading. I am halfway trough "Open Veins of Latin America" a somewhat controversial book that was made famous when Chavez gave it to Obama as a welcome gift.

This book is about the history of Latin America from a socio-economic point of view. It bitterly narrates all the injustices that have been done against every other country in the Americas, I am not done reading but I can say that it is essential for everyone to be aware of what was done to our lands, and our people, just as it is important for everyone to know about the Holocaust. Basically, Latin America got raped from the day it was born. Now, I don't believe that the answer to the situation over there is to go to communism/full socialism, I do think that Brasil and Chile are going the right path, I don't think Latinos should go around with a chip on their shoulder asking for reparations or something. But it is imperative to know our history, know why things are the way they are, and to know what mistakes were made so that we don't repeat them, again, and again.

From my awesome sister in law, I got a book about Buddhism for non-believers, which is something I've been thinking about, I think that there are a lot of good teachings and interesting ideas behind it, I just can't get past the supernatural stuff, but I think is great to seek wisdom and expand one's horizons by studying other world views.


I also came across this article in Slate Magazine about David F. Wallace, which led me to reading this essay about him taking a cruise. I was glued to it, I will never think of a freaking cruise the same way ever again thanks to him. I don't know how to describe it, but it takes a lot of writing talent to associate a seven night cruise to Cozumel with existential despair, but he accomplishes that, and more. Good reading.

Anyway, I am wide awake, but it's getting late, I should get some rest, but I am so tired, I can't sleep. I am going to read some more hopefully I'll fall sleep soon, don't want to be tired tomorrow.

J.V.

Christmas Day

Spending it with family. Doing well. No time for blogging.

Day 2

I think this vacation is getting better by the minute. If only because it has been so hectic since the beginning.

I mean, it has been good, the family here has done everything to make us feel welcome. I feel kind of bad taking over my host's main bedroom and all that. It's just that for the first time I can see why I couldn't live in NYC unless I had massive amounts of money, and even then I wouldn't stay here the whole time. I'd have to leave the city periodically to regain my sanity.

It's the little things, like, you have to move your car if you have it parked in the side of the road. That in itself it's not really bad, but I can see how that can get old.

Yesterday, at the subway, we were on our way to the the Museum of Natural History on a Bronx-bound train, and this kid gets on the train, and I honestly cannot say whether he had a mental ailment, or if he was just ghetto-stupid, but he's singing a rap song on top of his lungs all off-key and off-beat, looking like he's trying too hard to be tough. I looked at Martha and she didn't seem to mind but, I was like, really? my kids have to see this? Now, he could be a head case, someone who really needed medical attention, but in any case, the guy needed help. Later that day, at the subway again Martha was freaked out by a creepy guy staring at the kids, that didn't bother me so much because I was right there to protect them so nothing was going to happen.

So we spent a day out in Manhattan, we walked around a lot, I admit that I made a mistake deciding not to take the stroller, because Gaby does not want to walk anywhere, so yesterday I carried her in my shoulder most of the time and must have walked at least 5 miles like that.

I like the cold, Martha loves the cold, the kids, not so much, and I sort of feel bad that they are not enjoying it as much as we are. So today we stayed here with the family, technically I am an outsider, but they are treating so well, I have nothing to complain about.


Martha's sister is watching the kids tonight, so we are going to go out tonight, hopefully we can relax and what not. If there's one things Queeners? know how to do, is party hard. I am OK with that.

J.V.

Vacation Time, Day 1

So we are here in NY. Queens, right off Queens Blvd, this is a family get together mixed in with some sight-seeing.

I took a picture in the highway right before you pass the Brooklyn Bridge, at night, you see the whole city's skyline, I must say that's about the most impressive sight in the east coast. Massive buildings, bright lights, it's just, beautiful. It was the climax of our trip, after stopping in MD to see Kamran, this was the culmination of our trip! The GPS had us 5 miles from our destination, so we had practically arrived. Except that in NYC traffic 5 miles means about 1 more hour to go. To Go from Brooklyn to Queens took about an hour in the highway.



We are about to go out to the city. Going to see the Museum of Natural History, and then we are going to hang out with family.

Obligatory End of Semester Blog Post

I write a blog post in my head at least twice a day. It usually happens on my drive to work, or when I am taking a shower, or doing the dishes or something. I think of a witty title, and I go over the structure of the post in my head. The thing is, I never have time to sit down and blog without the guilty feeling that I should be studying or "doing something productive" so I wait, and leave it for later, but later never comes. When I do decide to write here, all the ideas seem stale and I just stall. That's the case now. I have a bunch of things I want to discuss, but my head is drawing a blank right now, and that's ok i guess, I'll do it later.

I am just glad that the fall semester is finally over. I am excited about our trip to NYC. I am super thankful for miAmor who puts up with me. I am grateful for my awesome friends and for my not-so-awesome ones too. ;) you know who you are. Most of importantly, I love the fact that I am alive. I don't want to take anything for granted. I aim to enjoy my family, enjoy the kids while they are still young and still think I am the most important person in the world. Savor everything.

I am reading a few books at once, today I just finished Being Geek. It turned out to be a career guide for software people, which is not what I expected, but it turned out to be useful info. Glad I read it. If you write software for a living, you should give it a look. It's nothing about how to write better software, rather is a book about managing your managers and how to deal with office politics. Things that they don't teach you about in Engineering School.


Not have much else to write. I have a few side projects I want to complete. If I ever finish any of them I'll post about it here.

Be Good.

J.V.