“La Vida Pronto Se Acaba”: Some Blog Posts On La Vida


(Horse riders on the San Gabriel River. Photo by permission of myself.) If you want a soundtrack, click play on the video below.
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There’s nothing like a tragedy to remind us that we are all on borrowed time, and hopefully we’ll try to make the most of the remaining stretch. Here’s a few blogs and posts I’ve been reading that put things into context.

Moon over at French Benefits writes about missing the 111 Metrolink train yesterday, that same one that hit a freight train and is now a fatal wreck. She worries if some of the fellow passengers she’s come to recognize are okay.

Miguel of The Los Angeles Eastside Scene sent out an email announcing that “life has gotten in the way of my blogging” thus he will no longer be hosting the monthly Latino blogger meetups. I know his site recently slowed down but I hope he doesn’t stop posting for good.

Alice Bag is putting her autobiography in process online over at her Violence Girl blog, and she’s up to her Stevenson Jr. High days. Retracing your steps to see where you have been in this life must be a good way to estimate what it’s all about.

On a similar note, Evil Chavo (no relation to yours truly!) recounts his experiences about life in City Terrace, casting himself as a “Survivor from the streets of ELA“. It’s sad that surviving your childhood neighborhood is such a common thread when Eastsiders write about their life stories, but that’s just the way it is. Still, I’d like to see more Eastsiders jotting down some notes about life on the Eastside, it definitely helps to fill in the wide gaps in the missing history of our part of town.

Killer Dreamer Record Release

For those of you into good underground punk music check out San Pedro Based band “KIller Dreamer” this Sunday September 14, 2008 for their “1000 Years of Servitude” record release party.

Also check out the new copy of Razorcake, a non-profit magazine dedicated to supporting independent music culture.

This release is not rocking out in LA (which it should of been ) ha! but if you around the area peep it out.

Vinyl Solution Records and Tapes

18822 Beach Blvd Ste Blvd

Huntington Beach, Ca 92648

(714) 963-1919

6:30pm

FREE

The California Dream Act Online Petition

Higher Education is something that shouldn’t be limited only to those who can afford it, it should be available to those who seek it and want to improve their lives. As of Sunday August 31, The Governor has Senate Bill 1301, Institutional Financial Aid on his desk waiting to be signed or vetoed, again. Various organizations and groups have been working to get the medias and publics attention on the bill and its importance to undocumented college students. Now there is an online petition in support of the bill and getting the governor to sign it. There are students right now attending community colleges and universities paying in-state tuition fees. All this bill will do is help make life easier and help those students pay for their education. It doesn’t take away from the state budget or other college students either.

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whewww

So its been a while since I’ve ventured into bloglandia. A ton of stuff has happened.

First and foremost, like I mentioned before, I went on vacation to Puerto Rico.

It was beautiful but I know for sure I am not a tropics guy. Hot and humid is not for me.

I did try to catch as much Olympic volleyball as I possibly could on vacation and when I got home, LOVE ME SOME VOLLEY BALL!

If I were to go back it would be to kick it in Cuelbra a small island next to PR. (for extended vacation pics and story go to pachucoville)

As soon as I got back the new semester started at CSUN. They enrolled a record 4,000 something Freshmen. Usual numbers were 2,500, but since there is an average 60-65% drop out rate by Junior year, and because of the recession, gas prices and the overall sad state of things I think the university thought they should bring in more Frosh to make up for even higher drop out rates in the future.

I got all freshmen course this semester and they are too cool. They are open to putting down the iPod and learning about the historical era they are living in. I hope I can keep their interest and not scare them too much.

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The 2nd International Indigenous Hip Hop Gathering

The 2nd International Indigenous Hip Hop Gathering

September 14, 2008
The 2nd International Indigenous Hip Hop Gathering
Music, Vision, Unity, Tradition
Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90039
3pm workshops / 5pm to 11pm show
$25 General / $18 Youth
Tickets: www.fordtheatres.org
323.461.3673
Presented in collaboration with Los Angeles Indigenous Peoples Alliance & Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural

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Goodbye Frieden’s Department Store

Before the days of Target and Walmart, when residents of working class neighborhoods needed to shop for clothes, they had small family owned neighborhood department stores to turn to. Here in Lincoln Heights, we have one of the last remaining examples of this bygone era, Frieden’s Department Store. It was with dismay that I recently spotted a big sign outside the building proclaiming “Retirement Sale.” After 61 years in business, the 91 year old owner Leon Frieden has decided to take a long overdue retirement. Throughout the years, Mr Frieden who can usually be found keeping accounts in his small back office, has displayed respect and affection for his customers by offering quality merchandise and personal service in a time when these practices seem to matter little other businesses.

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16th of September Parade in Boyle Heights

I woke up this morning and see a horse tied up next to the stop sign at the end of my block, signifying el Dieciséis de Septiembre parade. Living in the hub of culture on the eastside is bitter (can’t get to the grocery store) and sweet (being instantly transported to Mexico with music, food and gente).

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