That’s Bisho at 7:14 am.
This is a weird word vomit.
I started with a picture. Because why not.
It’s also 10:23 pm as I start this, not the usual 10:23 am.
I don’t have coffee. I have sweet and salty trail mix from Trader Joe’s and water.
I wished I had coffee. But it’s late at night and I shouldn’t.
It was an early morning because I had some adulting to do. It felt like day 2 of adulting, though in reality, it was my first mission in this new gig. But it was crossing the border and driving.
I didn’t even ask my brother for his car. I thought I was going to do it with public transit, and at the end, I ended up calling him in the morning. He is letting me borrow his car.
And all I do is fuck it up.
I got a parking ticket. But let me get there first.
Like I mentioned in the previous blog, I was going to be in UCSD all day. I thought I was going to get there in public transit, and last minute decision, I accompanied my brother to his work and then he let me borrow his car.
I got to UCSD earlier than my actual appointment. I couldn’t find any parking. I saw what seemed like a visitors parking near the theater. It had a pay machine and everything and I tried to pay for a couple hours or the whole day. The machine wouldn’t let me. Then I read a sign that said payments occur M-F 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm and I thought to myself “well shit! I don’t have to pay! Cool!”
So I left the car happily on spot 417 and off to class I go.
First mission was to get a picture of a renown Lit professor. I arrived at a full class with around 100 students. The professor was thoroughly entertaining and gave a great lecture. He was carrying a stick and being dramatic. Calling students who were shy. Entertaining the class.
It was an amazing class.
Made me miss college.
It also made me feel like a fucking old man.
Shit.
Everyone seemed like they were 18.
So much youth!
SOOOOO MUCH YOUTH!
And here I am, almost 31. Amongst a flock of kids. Many (oh so many) Asians at UCSD.
Anyway, I got to the class and I started taking pics immediately. The prof was really entertaining and I wanted to get those action shots. The first thing he says when I took a picture was “AND NOW they are taking my picture!” And pointed in my direction.
The whole class turned to me.
“You got the picture with me and the stick!” The professor yelled towards my direction again.
I’m not sure what my reaction was. I think I just blushed and gave him a thumbs up.
Too late now. I didn’t just dip my toes in the water, I jumped in the fucking pool. Fuck it. It’s just a bunch of UCSD kids.
I sat through the whole class. Snapping pics here and there. It was fun.
And at the end of the class, I met with the professor, talked to him briefly and took more shots.
I walked around and took other pictures of the campus.
I stupidly posted this on Instagram without realizing it sounded like I was on a murdering rampage. Shit. Could have been arrested!
I took that with the iPhone and edited on Snapseed (like it’s customary now). The text I wrote while sitting inside the building.
I fucking swear that I didn’t try to do a joke or that I realized I was writing something that could get me arrested because of stupid shit.
I am just so used to say “shooting someone” and it means take their pictures.
I kicked it around campus a while until I had to go photograph the other professor. I grabbed some lunch at some Indian place called Bombay Express or some shit like that. It was meh (I also had a headache).
The photoshoot with the professor was a bit awkward but simple. It took like 3 minutes.
“Hi. I’m so and so.”
Picture.
“I guess that’s all I need. K thanks! Bye!”
I feel bad doing it like that. I felt the need to talk to them. To know way more. To interview them. But all that shit is already done. I just get to take pictures.
Pretend to be Andy.
Just be nice. Take their picture. Go.
Next subject. A student. 19-year-old student.
That was a bit simpler. I met her outside some dining hall. I took her picture outside but I wasn’t convinced. So we had a semi-awkward photoshoot in the library and bookstore. She’s pretty. But my pictures weren’t that good. I should have just kept it simple. But oh well. Let’s see what the editor says. Pics should be good enough. I hope she’s happy with them.
And then we were chatting. I had so much time to kill till my next photo shoot. I didn’t know how to say goodbye. On the way to the library, we talked a little bit and I got to know her. Man. 19 years old feels like forever ago. A child.
She accompanied almost to my car. Then she told me that I probably will be having a ticket because of where I parked. I awkwardly said goodbye.
Fuck.
Got to my brother’s car.
Fuck.
I was supposed to be on campus until 4:30 pm to meet the other student on the story and then bounce.
Fuck.
Ticket pissed me off.
Fuck.
I had a headache since after the first class because I didn’t sleep much the previous night. The anxiety of going to a university to take pictures had me up all night.
Fuck it. Let’s leave this place and meet the other student at her workplace. She offered before. Let’s do that instead.
I emailed my next subject to tell her I was going to shoot her at her workplace (haha calling them subjects sounds murderous as well). She was cool with it.
I drove to Mira Mesa, almost to where I used to fucking live in Rancho Peñasquitos, to a small office where she worked. We met briefly outside and I snapped her pictures.
Again.
I felt like I wanted to talk to her more because just saying “hi! PICTURE, BYE!” Is a bit awkward. But I’m getting the hang of it.
I also hope she is happy with the pictures.
And lastly… I have to do all of this tomorrow again.
This time I’ll borrow the car from Tijuana and go.
One of the professors I have to shoot didn’t have class yesterday and I had already scheduled the rest. So that’s why I have to go again. It should be fine. I’m worried about parking tickets again.
And after that, I have to go to the police station to grab my press pass.
And I also have another photoshoot. A short one. Let’s see how that goes….
YAY!
Adulting.
My headache was fucking horrible and I had already finished working at around 3 pm.
I went to the Reader’s office for no real fucking reason except to see if there was maybe some camera gear for me and to use the restroom (and grabbed a Tylenol that didn’t help and I said hi to some office people). Again. I felt awkward as a mother fucker.
Adulting got me awkward.
I’ll get used to it. It’s just being in America for that long that feels awkward. I forget how to interact with Americans. It’s SOOOO MUCH different to interact in Tijuana than in San Diego.
So much fucking different.
I left my brother’s car at his workplace, gave him the keys, and trolleyed back to my girlfriend who was waiting for me.
I had a splitting headache the whole way back in the trolley. And some little kids were shouting their tiny shitty lungs off.
I made it back home around 5 pm and all I wanted was too nap.
“Honey! I’m home!”
It felt like some weird scene shit like that.
She was waiting for me wearing a lovely blue dress. She rarely wears dresses. I actually haven’t seen her wearing a dress outside my apartment.
I wanted to nap.
She was a bit tipsy.
So we went to bed in the early afternoon.
I woke up for Jeopardy and to edit the pictures. She woke up to cook dinner.
She made a huitlacoche burrito that was delish.
Then some rice with canned oysters and cheese. Some sort of Mediterranean risotto.
I liked it. But as a side. The flavor was too strong to just eat it as the main dish. Couldn’t finish it. I still feel bad about it.
I want to eat anything that she cooks for me. And she really is a good cook. I just need to buy her better ingredients.
We watched Netflix then.
After two failed stand-up comedians I showed her one that I really like and only seen once. I didn’t really remember much of it, just that I held it in high regards. Rewatching that was great.
Neal Brennan’s 3 Mics.
It’s pretty intense.
If you don’t know who he is, the only thing you should know to convince you to watch the special is that he wrote and directed Chapelle’s show (with Dave) and Half-Baked.
Writer turned comedian.
And someone I could relate.
My girlfriend also related.
It’s worth it. Check it out.
And with that, I end up a late night word vomit.
Tomorrow I have to wake up early again and I have a day of San Diego again.
Oh yeah. My girlfriend was waiting for me because apparently it’s Semana Santa and she got a couple days off. Today and tomorrow (and the weekend). If I only knew, I would have made my schedule somewhat different. But nope. Had no idea. So now there are no official plans for her days off. Except I go to work, and she cleans the house and more (because she wants to, not because I ask!)
Oh yeah. I didn’t play Zelda or drink a beer today at all.
Matingas 