Sunday, July 29, 2012

So, I was in Cincinnati for a few days


And I had a blast. What follows is a 'look what I did on my vacation' style photo blog post. You have been warned. And yes, I consider going to Ohio a vacation because I didn't have to pay for airfare or a hotel room the entire time I was there and I got to get away from LA and work for a week.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Reflections on Birth



It's that time of year again, when you realize you have survived another year around the sun and things you never paid attention to suddenly become big deals. It's my dethday this Sunday and the obligatory blog post in which I reflect on the last year must be done. [I'm turning 28] So what have I realized in the last year? Well, a lot actually. And while I can rant on endlessly on said realizations, I won't. In fact, I'ma try and keep it as simple as possible by saying thanks to all the folks that I have in my life.

For as long as I can remember, I've always seen my born day as as a day of damn nation. The day in which I was brought to this earth without my consent. The day in which I question the life I live and ask why me? I don't do that anymore, as much anyway. I've gotten some of that existential, bleeding heart, poor little me my life is so horrible thinking outta my mind. Took me a while there, but better late than never I always say.

While I can't point to a single moment in which I stopped feeling sorry about myself and decided to turn things around, but rather more of a culmination and realization of the people around me that made me change my thinking. I'm truly lucky and blessed to have the people that I have around me. Through them I continue to grow as an individual and as a person in this world.

I've learned to invest my time and energy in the folks that I know are making that same kind of investment in me. I realized that I don't need to be friends with everyone, sometimes just not hating or disliking someone is as good as it'll get. And then there are those folks who I would bend over backwards to help no matter what. If I've learned anything within the last year, it's that I am blessed to have friends that are family. To them I say, thank you :) 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

500 post later


I'm still here typing things away, and to think that all of this started on myspace back in October of 2004. It'll be 8 years now that I have been blogging about my life and sharing thoughts on things. What started out as a venture to put my face out there, as an undocumented immigrant living in the US, turned into something completely different once I became involved in the dream act movement in the fall of 2007.

I've come a long way in many aspects, some still need more maturing, but for the better part I can say that while I'm not where I'd like to be, at least I'm not where I use to be. And even I don't where the hell I'm going to end up, but it's all good in the neighborhood. I'm getting older and I love it. While my relationship with my family isn't at its best, working on that, the relationships I do have with friends has become stronger than ever.

Chances are I'll still be typing away here for another 500 blog post and as per usual, I'll be talking about whatever it is that I'm going through or thinking about. This is my space to share and reflect on what I choose to share and as such, being public a bout such things does lend itself to public scrutiny, but that's a given in this digital age.

Chances are I'll still be throwing rocks that I shouldn't, like that Jose Vargas thing, but I'm also working on not drinking so much hater'aid as well, but we're all a work in progress. So, whether you've been following me since day one or have just found my blog, know that I won't ever let this space die or fade away. I've seen too many other blogs just fade away into nothingness. So, here's to another 500 blog post about whatever it is I'm going through in life.

Cheers,

Erick Huerta

Thursday, July 05, 2012

I don't like Jose Antonio Vargas

Why? I've actually been trying to figure that out myself the more I talk to folks about it. Fact of the matter is that I've had numerous conversations amongst friends in the social justice circles about why I don't like Jose Antonio Vargas. As someone who is also undocumented, most folks assume that I have nothing but praise and adornment for him because he came out publicly about his status for the first time in the New York Times.

On the contrary, when I read that article, the last things that were on my mind were thoughts of him being a hero to the undoc movement and/or brave for deciding to come out so publicly, but there in lies the root of his multifaceted announcement to the world and my own roots in why I don't like him.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Lying to protect truth

It would seem so now, more than ever, that lying to protect certain truths, ideals and movements has become the norm. Rather, I'm become aware of this more so, I'm pretty sure folks have been lying long before I came around. But it has to be done, right? This is something that I've been chewing on in my mind since the Obama deferred action announcement. But really, this has been something that I have been coming to terms with for quite sometime now.

And while I still don't have a complete or definite understanding of the why's and how's of things, I do understand that I have to keep my mouth shut. That is a path that I've needed to master in order to do what I do and know what I know. Nothing 007, rather petty stuff actually, but important enough for me to know because of the waters I traverse, which will determine which paths are available to me in the future.

Sunday, July 01, 2012

On fears of being an alcoholic

I started drinking about 3 years ago. The fear of being a wife beating alcoholic like my father put me off on drinking beer that tasted like yellow water or liquor that burned my throat. But eventually I came around and I rather enjoy a good drink once in a while. While I still hate all the name brand beers, I know what I like and how much I can drink.

I've puked a couple of times, had 'do you know what you did last night' moments and amassed quite a beer belly, but alcoholic I am not. I figured that I made a big deal outta what I saw booze do to my dad, specially after I went through my own experiences with booze.

Ironically, I'm a happy kind of drunk. I love to dance, tell stupid jokes and just act a fool all around, but never to the point of crossing a line. At the same time, the folks I surround myself only compliment said dancing and happiness because they're the same way. We don't drink to get sad and cry, we do it to have fun responsibly, enjoy each others company or just have real conversations about what's going on in our lives.

I'm conscious of how and when I drink because I know what can happen. I've never used booze an excuse to try to sleep with a girl, do/say something stupid or anything of the sorts. If anything, I hold myself more responsible because I know others do use that as an excuse. Besides, I'm not one for going out every weekend. I'd much rather have some scotch or a nice dark beer after a good days work to just chill and kick back with friends. It all comes down to the individual and whether they can handle their booze or not.