I finished the translation of my Paparazzi Book. It will be in Spanish coming soon! Hopefully, by the end of March. When Karlha finishes the edit.
You can buy the English version on Amazon, here!
It took me the month of February to translate it. Me tomó el mes de febrero acabar la traducción.
You don’t capitalize the first letter of months in Spanish and I find that weird. I rarely write in Spanish. I find it harder. Accents and such. Though I speak it perfectly, writing it is another beast. I’m still better than most. For the most part, people in Mexico suck at basic grammar. And those who are good at it, are obnoxiously good. Using words that I’ve never seen. Or just my vocabulary in Spanish is shitty because I rarely read in Spanish.
I read one book in Spanish on the flight to Houston. The book was Tijuanenses by Federico Campbell, four shorts stories and a long one. I enjoyed it but I didn’t love it. There were many words that I needed to google but couldn’t because I was on the plane. I should download a Spanish dictionary. Even with a dictionary, it was a trippy and confusing book about Tijuana in a different era. An era that Campbell lived.
I’m reading another book in Spanish this month. Estoy leyendo otro libro en español este mes. You also don’t capitalize languages or countries and other shit that I normally capitalize…
It’s “Tijuana en La Historia” by David Piñera. It’s not available online… Weird… I have some sort of gem of a book. I’m halfway there and I’m loving it because I’m obsessed with the history of this city and it because it proved something I wanted to prove. Tijuana does not come from Tía Juana. Well it does. But it doesn’t. Juana never existed. More on that later. More on that on my TikTok.
Fucking TikTok. Follow me there.
I’m trending towards TikTok fame and I know it. I said that last year. I thought by now I would have over 100k followers. But I got stuck at 10k. My mistake is I didn’t stay consistent. I stopped talking about paparazzi bullshit and started doing other shit.
I’m still not consistent. But I’m getting more recognized and getting a hang of it. I don’t do paparazzi stories anymore except on my fucking TikTok live… and those… those are going. People stay and chat with me. And I try to sell books and it works. And I act as a NPC when they send gifts that net me a half a penny per gift. I’ve totaled around $13.16 USD for going on TikTok live! FOR FUCKING HOURS! I guess that’s something.
I’ve been doing TikTok lives constantly at around 8 pm. I have some fans now. But I need way more if I want to make an online living.
YouTube stopped paying me the little cents they were paying me. The algorithm for YouTube shorts changed and now they want long format. You can subscribe to my YouTube and help me grow.
Soon I’ll be making more money online and I won’t have to work. Maybe. Perhaps.
Work?
I’m not sure how I survived February, but I did. Translating the book netted me no money, but hopefully it will soon.
I did a couple of tours. I did a couple of photoshoots. I didn’t write for a magazine or anything. San Diego Magazine still owes me money, hope they pay me soon. They haven’t replied to any other of my pitches. Let’s see if they work with me again.
I have three stories ready for the Reader. I should finish one or two this week. I said I was going to finish them weeks ago, but I got busy translating the book.
I also created a photography crash course. I made some money in advance that way. I have 4 students and I’m only taking 10 total. It’s happening March 16th. I don’t really like to give classes, but people have asked me for it. So I created a crash course that I hope people enjoy. For four hours we will have fun with cameras while talking about how photography works. I’ve seen people with way less experience than me doing these type of courses, so why shouldn’t I? I’m getting old. Teacher old. It’s easier to be more convincing when you have 17 years experience and you started as a fucking paparazzo.
Here’s what the crash course poster looks like. If this is successful, the students like it, and I enjoy myself, I’ll do it again.
That’s one date in March where I’m already booked.
I have two tours in March, one in the beginning, one towards the end. I have three photoshoots. The rest of the days will be filled with writing and more work. And cleaning my apartment.
My apartment?
After 11 years in this place… it is time to move. Not because I want to. Because they are kicking me out.
I got a new landlord. This apartment is complex and one big family owns the building and different apartments are owned by different people in the family. My apartment happens to always switch hands and after all this time it belongs to someone who I never met. She’s a writer. She’s cool. But she is kicking me out of the apartment.
I wrote about Tijuana gentrification (I don’t like that word) and high rents. Here’s my cover story. It’s now happening to me.
At first it was scary. Then it was liberating. Then confusing. Then scary again. And back to liberating. I’ve said I was moving out of here many times. Now I’m getting pushed out.
It’s been… way too long in this apartment. I wrote and translated my two books here. I became a writer here. I have so many photoshoots here. More than a decade in this piece of shit apartment that I love.
There was a gross pipe leaking sewage in my laundry room. That finally got fixed. The stench was horrendous. I don’t know how the plumbers dealt with it.
Tiny fix in this shit apartment.
They want to fix and renovate it all and charge double the rent. They could charge 10-20% more as it is. They could charge double if they fix it all (but good luck with that). They could charge triple if they make it into an Airbnb (but good luck with that). Finding good tenants it’s fucking tough. And I’m a good tenant. I could probably re-negotiate my contract, but the more I think about it… It’s time I should leave. I don’t want to leave… but I should. For my own sake.
And perhaps leave Tijuana.
Decisions to be made. Tough decisions to be made.
Ensenada is tempting. I already found a tiny spot that belongs to a friend where I could live for cheap for a bit. But it’s WAY too tiny. I already found a nice place that I like that I could afford. I could find more things.
I’m not sure if Ensenada is the answer.
I’ve considered Mexicali… that’s out of the question for now. I love that city, but it would be too radical for me to move to the desert.
Houston would be my last resort and strong reset button. Escape the Matingas that I am and become a Houston transplant working in the beer scene. It wouldn’t take me long to find a job at a brewery. As a bartender or brewer assistant. I don’t care. I’m old and I understand what work is.
As of now… I lean towards Tijuana. To continue my love and hate relationship with this city. But hopefully, travel more. Though it seems more complicated now.
Everything is getting complicated.
And on top of all that, I should get a real job. Freelancing barely covers the bills.
If I don’t find something satisfactory in Tijuana within my budget… It’s bye bye city. Give up everything I built and become something. Sell everything to my bare minimum.
UPDATE TO MOVING: I planned on messaging the landlord later in the month when I had rent ready to see if she would let me stay for just the 10% increase. She messaged me before I did saying that. So it looks like I’m staying here… perhaps… one… last… year.
I was on a new podcast talking about Tijuana and my paparazzi life. If you listen to it, let me know what you think. New podcast. I was their first guest.
I’ve done a lot of podcasts. Let’s see how that helps my life.
New designs are coming in my Tijuana Adventure brand. More tours this month. More photoshoots this month. Spring is usually way busier. On top of all that, I need to move.
Will it be in Tijuana? Will it be to Ensenada or somewhere else?
I’m not sure where the future will take me.
It’s been six full moons with my girlfriend. I don’t write about her, but you guys have no idea what pilar of trust and comfort she has been to me. And though we fight and things aren’t perfect, I still continue on the path of loving her and appreciating her everyday more and more.
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Buy my stuff. Subscribe to all my social media if you haven’t.
Buy my books on Amazon. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.
Subscribe to my YouTube. The more subscribers, the more money, the more time I have to upload cool shit.
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Follow me on Instagram and book me for a photoshoot!
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Read all my articles on the Reader. New article coming soon! And now also on the San Diego Magazine!
Matingas 
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