Day 32 (Sun., Oct. 2)

My parents would have want to be me today!

That's really a cool feeling. When you are young, you look up to your parents and wish you had the courage and their strength. You want to be like them, you want to lead a family the way they do. Well, at least in my family, that's how it was. I have always wanted to be as strong and dedicated like my dad. I would love to have the stamina to work the grave-yard shifts that my mom did and still does. Their courage has been really what I have been wanting to copy.

I think if they would want to be like me (for any reason), it would be to have my luck. Today I shot photos of two performers they like. Olga Tanon and Ricardo Montaner. My parents love this type of music and I think they would have enjoyed being right in front of these performers. Over the course of the last 16 months, I have shot many of their favorites like Temerarios and Vicente Fernandez. They would really love to have the chance to do so. I am living my parents' dreams for them. Cool.

Later this week, I will be making photos of one of my favorite artists: Daddy Yankee. I think that day, my friends would want to be me. But it's funny thinking about all the stuff and people that I have shot. I don't get star-struck. Not even when I met and shook the hand of my all-time favorite athlete: Fernando Valenzuela. Or when I was told by a photographer for a competing newspaper that Jaime Jarrin, the Hall of Fame voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers Spanish radio broadcasts, wanted to meet me for an article I wrote. I really do not get star-struck. Is that a bad thing? I hope not. I just concentrate on my work. After all, seeing these great people is only worth it when I come back w/ a real nice image of them. That's when I get the satisfaction of my job.

Today was cool but it started kind of rocky. This morning I knew I wasn't going to be able to go to mass in downtown at 5:30 like I usually do. So, I went to a church just down the street. I was very disappointed going there. As I sat there listening to the sermon, I shook my head. I was very disturbed by what I was hearing. The priest was telling everyone in the congregation to make sure to come by next week. "We will be signing petitions," he said.

"WHATTTT???!!!!" I thought.

The priest went on to explain stem cell-research. Now, I am not an expert on the topic, but I felt even more dumb in that department after hearing the incoherent explanation by the father. Oh My God!!! That was the worst explanation I have ever heard. First of all, It did not explain what the scientists are trying to do. He did mention that it's a very bad thing. But I am still wondering what is the thing that makes it bad. He failed to explain that. So, after shaking my head for a few minutes and tuning out of the lackluster speech, I was annoyed. I didn't want to be there. I almost walked right out, but I didn't want to get beat down by all those who were buying all the crap the priest was saying. Talk about separation of church and state.

Jesus!!! What's the matter w/ this world. Politicians fight for the government to take "Under God" out of the pledge of allegiance. The religious folk try to give some un-explainable reason as to why science should be "more moral".

It's your typical Darwin vs. Jesus fight.

I am just frustrated that the fact that all those people in church sat there and listened w/o saying anything back (me included). It was seriously a waste of precious 10 minutes. The worst is that the church is taking advantage of people when they are most vulnerable. I mean, when you are listening to a sermon, you have your total trust on the guy who stands on those steps of the altar. People tend to believe and follow what these priests say. So, next week, everyone will be signing those petitions and they won't really know what the hell it all means. Instead, they will be helping the church in their attempt at slowing science down.

I guess I am a bad Catholic for typing all these things. But I am also an educated individual, who wants "reasoning" behind people's words. I guess that's why the church hates science and schooling, because the product of that is someone like me. Someone that asks questions and wants reasoning.

If you agree w/ me, then I'll see you in hell.

... Now that I think about it, my parents probably wouldn't want to be like me today, after all.

I'm going to hell.

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