A quick Retrospective

I woke up this morning, thinking that I should take a few minutes to write here. Though I have no internet and I have to go to work soon, I decided to run over to a community college not far from here and pour what I can in a few minutes.


So much has changed since last year. Ever since I made it to San Diego, life has been hard. I've never had it as rough as I did last August (until February). I was doing school and work, losing money even though I was more efficient than most anyone I know. I was eating macaroni and cheese, and never sure what was in store for me.

It was almost as if the world was belittling me!

A sort of purgatory was in store for me when I finally let go of UCSD. I picked up my second job at Jack-in-the-Box, and worked my butt off (going from one job to another) just to make sure I had enough to survive.

That was a really scary time! I can't believe I made it through. I still wonder if I've been scathed by it, somehow...

By February 14th, the burn out left my body a dead husk. I hadn't experienced any play for over half a year. It was awful. Alisha sure did suffer -- she moved down in December, and was the only thing really keeping me going. She finally convinced me to quit the hospital job (we were doing well enough), and begin recovering.

I tried to recover, but I learned that creativity (which, to me, is the highest form of entertainment) does not come back easily. I learned that sleeplessness and stress can really fade some memories. I've forgotten so much -- it's like sand that has shifted. The form is kind of there, but it's not so distinguished.

Anyway, I was still living in a living room by then, but I had gotten enough stuff that a cramped quarters behind a shower curtain (with 2 free beds, free chest of drawers, a computer, and a rack full of clothes) just did not do. So, we moved.

But not before getting married.

We spent all of April and May looking for a studio. I pulled overtime in March. I also started doing night shifts at Jack-in-the-box. The rotation required me to.

One thing I learned during this time is that not very many people in my department eat Jack-in-the-Box! That was kind of relief. I know I haven't eaten there since December. I just don't think fast food is a healthy thing to eat.

Mainly, I notice that my job involves helping teenagers and latin american folks. It's really cool to do the job that I do, though I wish it were in a different industry...

anyway, I'm going on a tangent, and I'm almost out of time.

We finally found a place a few blocks from a community college. It's also close to san diego state, and a few miles from JIB. I convinced Alisha to pick up a job, and she does what she loves to do -- take care of child at a daycare. She's going to school full time, and working part time, and I'm working full time and doing school part time.

we are currently in transition towards sustainability. I'm getting my bike fixed up, and we're going to use the car only when we need to haul lots of groceries. Also, We have figured out how to get by with only two fans instead of air conditioning (a lot of people down here have their air conditioners cranked). In addition, I pack my lunches with lots of wonderful yummy fruits and vegetables from a local market that we found (not far from here)


I really have to go now, but I wanted to say what this all should lead up to: I haven't forgotten my mission. I am down here, in the bowels of hell, to graduate with a degree, and then get out.

And I will.


(one more thing: This place is a real eye-opener of what the real world is. This place, like many cities, shows the macroeconomical scale of how things are done. It is also very hot down here, like hell, and it's also denigrating to Mexicans. It's crazy how only a few miles away, some people are forced into impoverished conditions by a fence. Anyway...)