The Flaneur

Dear Reader,

Flaneur is a word that I first came across my freshman year in my intro to college writing class. Our teacher said the flaneur is simply an observer who takes no part in the environment around him, an"idle man-about-time" according to Webster. For an assignment we were required to take a walk in which there was no purpose other than to look at everything around us and then write about what we saw. 

There is something very refreshing about going on a walk just for the heck of it. Wandering around,  aimlessly exploring, discovering the little things we pass up each day.  This is one of the reasons that photography appeals to me so much and why this project has been so interesting. I have found that I have become so attuned to what is going on around me, as if my senses are heightened. I have my camera on hand at almost any given moment and I've found that almost any given moment is photographable. Even in the most mundane settings there can be some sort of magic, but usually only for a second. It is hard to put into words the feeling I get when I am able to capture this, nor the frustration when this moment is lost either due to a technical error or the fact that I left my camera at home. I look at everyday as a challenge to capture these moments for each is temporary, no record of it ever happening unless I can manage to somehow contain it within my camera.

I went for a walk in Chinatown today and in order to not be too distracted, I allowed one of my favorite composers Joe Hisaishi to guide me. Each time I walk around the neighborhood I seem to discover something new. While I usually spend most of my time in the residential areas, this time I went through many of the shops. Most of the souvenir stores carried pretty much the same merchandise (as expected), but still there was something interesting about walking the layout of each shop. Some felt like mazes as you tried to maneuver through narrow walkways, merchandise to the ceiling on each side of you. I also like looking at all of the different items in the Chinese grocery stores; one was mainly just shelves of glass jars which contained things like "dried shark fins" that went for hundreds a pound. I wonder how much dried shark fin you would really use in a dish? I wonder why you would use dried shark fin in a dish? My favorite store was the candy one; so much candy, so little money. I somehow managed to escape without buying a single piece despite my huge sweet tooth. I ended my trip with a quick stop at a bakery for some red bean paste cake and a moment of reflection at my favorite spot, the park (which I still don't know the name of) by the river.

Have I convinced you to be a flaneur?

lol

How about just for an hour?  

- Gonzalo

Next Window Please :D

Someone just left it on a bench...

 

My Chinese Zodiac Sign: The Ram

Red bean paste, surprisingly sweet

Umm...yeah

Ate at a British Bakery for Dinner

Chicken Batsi and Stake & Ale Pie... I was too hungry to actually care about taking a decent picture. They tasted a lot better than they look too lol

Routine

Dear Reader,

Yesterday I woke up at 9:35 AM. I went back to my first kung fu class in about 4 or 5 months and almost threw up since I was the only one there for the first thirty minutes which is all cardio. After I got home I showered, ate some ramen, and watched TV. Later I ran to target to pick-up some new curtains for my room. I was home alone most of the day till about dinner time when my grandfather showed up. I made us mamwiches for dinner.

Today I woke up at 9:20 AM. I went back to my second kung fu class in about 4 or 5 months and was glad to see 4 other students there when I arrived. After I got home I showered, ate leftover mamwiches, and watched TV. Later I ran to the grocery store to pick up a bottle of green tea and stopped at a bakery for some afternoon treats. I was home alone most of the day till my grandfather came home in the afternoon only to leave again for a dinner date with some friends. I made myself a pizza for dinner.

There is something that is very comforting about routine, you know what to expect and everything is somewhat planned out. To be honest, my anxiety has been very low these past few days and I feel like I have been at least somewhat productive. Still there is something weird about being alone most of the time, especially when you have a whole house to yourself. I'm still looking for a job and till I get one my declining bank account, along with the 90 degree weather this weekend, makes me a little hesitant to do anything outside the house for a bit.

It makes for a somewhat boring blog post as well...

- Gonzalo

I hate afternoon naps :P

What to Wear

Dear Reader,

Since I have been in Chicago, my relationship to clothes has changed immensely. I have found that I pay a lot more attention to what I choose to wear and  it seems that buying or wearing a new outfit seems to just make me feel better. I don't think this classifies me as a shopaholic nor do I believe that I have begun to put more of an importance on material things, but there is something about clothes that just makes you feel good.

Everyone puts some consideration into what they will wear each day and thus everyone has some sort of style. Clothes are such a reflection of who we are and sometimes the first impression we give to others. Yes, it is a bit superficial to judge someone based on what they are wearing, but it is almost inevitable. When see a rough looking man sitting on the street with torn up or stained clothes you most likely think dirty, poor, homeless, maybe you even become sympathetic toward the guy. On the flip side, when you see someone who is in clothes or jewelery that is very expensive you may think rich, successful, stuffy, or even conceited. These judgements are second nature to most people and while we may want to break away from them ourselves, it is still important to consider that the majority of people still have these thoughts. Thus the way we present ourselves is very important.

Perception has played a role in my recent obsession with clothes, but it is due to both an outside and self-perception. While many of my friends know me to be very fun-loving and humble, I am often told that people's first impression of me is that I am very cold or stuck-up. Part of me coming to Chicago was to get away from all the people that I knew and kind of be able to start over. I was not re-inventing myself, it was more like I was finally beginning to be myself, completely and in all situations. One the first things I wanted to change was the horrible first impression that I gave. It is hard to change the way you think or your basic habits or mannerisms, but it is easy to just throw on a different pair of pants or shoes. The arrogant vibe that I give off sometimes is due to shyness and fear of rejection. I used to get made fun of a lot in grade school, so the only way to battle that was to have no reaction, to have no emotion. This is what makes me seem aloof at times. To battle this, I have changed up my wardrobe to include brighter colors and to be honest I just try to have more fun with it all everyday. I think this makes me seem brighter visually and just overall more approachable, but there is something about it that also just makes me feel different. Anytime I am giving any type of presentation, I make sure to wear something that makes me feel comfortable, but more importantly confident. I want to feel like I am the best looking thing walking down the street that day cause it makes me feel like I can take on anything that may come my way. Generally anytime I do just throw on whatever, I feel uncomfortable and off the whole day. It may be that the colors seem very contrary to my mood or that something is just does not seem to fit right that day, almost in an awkward way. I know this may sound silly, but being able to change the way I dress has helped me to slowly change the way I act. And I mean this in a better way. Everyday I try to wear something that makes me feel good about myself, because this makes it easier for me to be myself. This last semester I began to get compliments on the way that I look, sometimes from students not even in my class, and you know what, that makes feel good regardless of how superficial it is.

 I hope that one day I can feel as confident on the inside as I am beginning to appear on the outside.

- Gonzalo

ps. Is it just me or does it seem like the days where you put a lot of effort into what you wear you don't see anyone, but the days you dress like a slob to do a quick grocery run, you run into like half of your graduating class? Just wondering....

Today I did a mini-photo study of the different clothes we wear 

Odd Pair

Something about her clothes just seemed comfortable

Flattery goes a long way, so do the right accessories

Row

Today some people were in coats while others were in flip-flops

Monotone

Photographers are the most awkward people to shoot, I liked his hat though lol

In case you were wondering (ps. I am also very awkward) 

Play-by-Play

Dear Reader,

Here is today's play-by-play:

- Alarm goes off, hit snooze...5 times
- Talk to mom
- Pull self out of bed
- Eat a waffle
- Decide to go for a three mile run
- Regret running
- Finish run
-  Stretch
- Attempt to mow lawn
- Mow 1/4 of Lawn
- Attempt to fix now broken lawn mower
- Put broken lawn mower in basement
- Waste time on the internet
- Use the bathroom
- Turn on shower
- Sing into hairbrush while dancing in mirror
- Take shower
- Spend time picking out an outfit that will probably only be worn for 2 hours
- Wash dishes
- Make ramen 
- Watch old cartoons
- Eat ramen
- Watch new cartoons
- Come to realization that old cartoons are still way better than the crap on TV now
- Start walking to grocery store
- Daydream
- Stop in linen store, consider redecorating room
- Grocery shop
- Pay $15 for $27 worth of groceries thanks to shopping on sale and coupons
- Walk home, more day dreaming
- Stop in antique store....boring
- Finish walking home
- Put away groceries
- Take-out trash
- Work on blog and save
- Wash clothes
- Clean up room
- Shred months and months worth of receipts and other paper work
- Jam shredder
- Fix shredder after almost taking off finger
- Finish shredding
- Figure out that Grandpa is probably not coming home for dinner tonight
- Cook dinner
- Eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
- Skype with friend about studying abroad in China
- Attempt to teach friend how to use chopsticks
- End Skype
- Finish Laundry
- Walk around house singing to self while listening to more k-pop
              - "Naega jeil jal naga"
- Watch live stream of big K-pop concert in California on Youtube
- Bake Muffins
- Finish Blog
- Still anxious

While I am still feeling kind of off, I find I am able to have a sense of humor about it all today. NATO is pretty much over now so hopefully I can get out of the house tomorrow.

Getting a bit stir crazy.

- Gonzalo

Me attempting to teach Kirsty how to use chopsticks over skype. Good luck in China, I know you will have a lot of fun :D

Can't Sleep

Dear Reader,

After typing the title I realized it might be a little exaggerated since I was only been in bed 15 minutes before I ran to grab my laptop. I'm not sure what it is, but I am super anxious. I tried several times to write this blog today, yet no thoughts could come to mind about what to write nor could I even find myself able to concentrate long enough. I tried keep busy to help me relax; I ran some errands, practiced Kung Fu, indulged in my odd k-pop obsession, talked to relatives, and watched television. While everything worked temporarily, the minute I found myself alone with my thoughts I began to feel almost nauseous.

I just came home from vacation yesterday. "Came home" even sounds odd to me right now. Ya sure I have a room, a bed, family here in Chicago, but something just feels off.

I almost feel like I am expecting something to happen..

Maybe I am just waiting for something to happen.

Tomorrow I am going to make something happen.


- Gonzalo

Ran into my Aunt at Target today. It was 90 degrees outside and neither of us have air conditioning, so we both decided to hang out in the wicker furniture section for a bit reading tabloids. Enjoying nature the way God intended :D

Ella, one of my Aunt's Boston Terriers and her favorite frog toy. Cute dog pictures don't even seem to help right now though. Well maybe a little lol

You are Extraordinary

Dear Reader,

The other day I had my first vegan meal at a place called Cafe Gratitude, a small food chain based in California. We got the recommendation to check out their first Non-Californian restaurant from my cousin's boyfriend who just started working there. Before I even get into the food, I have to mention how it seems to be a very....different place to begin with. Apparently the job application there focuses less on past work history or qualifications and more on in-depth philosophical questions that require a long answers. A few examples were "What do you believe is your greatest accomplishment in life?" and "What is your greatest regret?". Furthermore, there is a question of the day that you must discuss with both your co-workers in depth and also possibly with your customers. The day I went the discussion question was "What have you given up today?" My answer was apprehension, since I was letting go of any inhibitions and trying something new.

All menu items are 100% organic and vegan from the juices and tonics to all of the main courses. Each item was also called "I am...." and fill in the blank which was then repeated to you when you got your food served. It was nice to hear someone say "You are Extraordinary" right before you eat. I got "I am fortified" which was a mixture of seasonal vegetables with a sesame-ginger sauce over quinoa which I washed down with "I am...." well I don't really remember but it was some mixture of different teas.  Overall the food was very good, but I think my body has become to accustomed to having salad before my main meal because I was extremely hungry after leaving the place. I wrote in a past blog that I wold like to try going vegetarian for a week, but I 'm starting to worry I'm not make it alive lol.

The one thing that I particularly liked about the restaurant was this one dish they had called "I am grateful" which is referred to as their "community grain bowl." It is paid for entirely by donation so you can go in with only a dollar and still receive this dish which is equal to any other item on the menu. There is a suggested donation of $7 for yourself and $14 to support the meal of someone else. It's a really nice idea that I wish was implemented in more places in the US.

Anyways, I better start searching the web for some filling vegetarian recipes. Any suggestions?

- Gonzalo  

Cafe Gratitude

I AM FORTIFIED!

Yum :D

OK.....now what?

Ella, I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore

Dear Reader,

Hope you didn't get too worried since it has been a few days since my last post, but I have been spending time visiting family and exploring Kansas City. Today is more of a laid back day; my Aunt is at work while my mom and I are dog-sitting her two boston terriers, Ella and Billie. Ella and I have bonded over the last couple days and she follows me around the house, particularly when I go to the kitchen (probably because I give her too many treats). Right now the two pups are taking a nap on the couch while my mom finishes reading her second book this week.

I wouldn't say Kansas City is unlike any other city I have visited, but it has not been exactly what I expected. When I think Kansas City, the only thing that really comes to mind is tornadoes and the Wizard of Oz. Luckily I have not experienced the former, yet I have been surprised at what I have found so far. 

 One day we spent shopping at "The Plaza" in the downtown area; It is about fifteen blocks of different stores and restaurants. While I feel Chicago's magnificent mile still wins the prize for best shops, the Plaza is definitely a lot prettier to look at. The walkways are all done in brick, there are fountains and statues scattered all over, and most of the architecture seems to have a Spanish influence. At times I felt like I was at a theme park since you would see all these buildings that look like they are out of a movie and then all of sudden there is a McDonald's in the middle of it all.

 Later in the day as I was exiting a store, I heard some chanting accompanied with what I later discovered to be an accordion.  Looking around, I found the source to be three men dressed in orange and white. They kind of reminded me of the Buddhists monks that are down the street from my house, except none of them were Chinese. After I took a few shots of them, one of the men handed me a card for the Rupanuga Vedic College in Kansas City. The Vedic religion is a predecessor to Hinduism, but that's the end of my knowledge on that subject. I checked out the website though and if you are interested you could take classes like " Elementary Sanskrit" or "Elevation to Krsna Consciousness/Perfection of Yoga." Just be warned that there is a strict dress code and you will have to participate in a two-hour meditation each morning.

Hmmm.....

- Gonzalo

The Plaza

 

Walkway

There you are

Well orange is in this season...

An Evening with an Escort

Dear Reader,

As foreshadowed in my previous post, I am heading out of town for a little bit. While the title may lead you to believe the final destination is Vegas, I'm actually in Kansas City now visiting some family.

I hate traveling by myself; for some reason I get really anxious having to sit for so long and don''t like sleeping because I get paranoid someone will take my stuff. Ya, I'm kind of neurotic if you haven't figured it out by now. So a decision was made to put me on a train so I could at least move around the cart anytime I got antsy. This is the first time I have ever been on a real train before (not public transit) and to be honest, I prefer it to flying or driving. The seats are super spacious, you can get up and move around anytime you want, and the train I was on even had a lounge, dining, and snack cart. The lounge cart was my favorite because it had huge windows where you could watch all the scenery pass by, although it was thirty degrees colder than all of the other carts for some reason. If you were going on a really long trip you could even rent sleeper carts that were separate rooms with seats that turned into beds. I may go on a trip just as an excuse to rent one of these rooms

On this particular day all of the seats on the train were taken so everyone had a train buddy. Here is how the first five minutes of my ride went.


Our scene opens on the upper floor of a super liner train. Only a little light shines through the window and the fixtures on the roof. Our hero enters and takes his place in a very spacious, cushiony (if that's a word) seat. Looking around he begins to anticipate what adventure lies ahead. Cue entrance of middle-aged red haired woman. She takes the seat in front of our hero. Making her self comfortable she throws her bags across the aisle, reclines her seat as far back as it will go and props her feet up. Another two girls enter claiming they have the seat the woman is in, disgruntled she gets up and takes a seat next to our hero. 

Woman: Well I didn't really want to sit next to them anyways.

The woman begins to eat some half-melted chocolate with her finger. She picks up a big blob of chocolate and points her finger at our hero. 

Woman: Want any?

Hero: No thank you.

Woman: Your loss, its damn good chocolate. 

The woman begins to sift through her large bag, applying a variety of cosmetic products while continuing to eat the chocolate. 

Woman: So where you headed?

Hero: Kansas City

Woman: You got family there?

Hero: Ya, I'm going to visit my Aunt. What about you?

Woman: Ah that's sweet. I live there; I can't wait to see my boyfriend. I haven't seen him in a week. So you live here?

Hero: I'm from North Carolina, but I moved here for school.

Woman: Oh, where do you go?

Hero: I go to Columbia College.

The woman perks up. 

Woman: Oohh, so you're really smart huh?

Our hero laughs

Hero: It's actually the art school, its been a lot of fun. I really love the city though.

Woman: Me too, I make a lot of money here. I'm an escort.

Hero: Oh...ok.

The train begins to pull out of the station and light finally begins to enter the train cart. End Scene. 

To be honest I was not really sure how to respond to that. It is not exactly the most common profession to come across and I was surprised how she mentioned it so casually. For a second I was expecting her to be like "Just Kidding." We continued to make the obligatory small talk, but her job never came up again.



- Gonzalo

Lounge Cart 

Dining Cart

 

Snack Cart

Fun with windows

Dinner

Bathroom Mirror Pic, Train Style

The First Milestone

Dear Reader,

Can you believe it's already been a week? I have never done something like this before, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it. I have really opened up to you, probably because you are such a good listener lol.  I hope you are getting to know me better, but now I need to hear back from you. I want to know what posts/pictures you have either liked or disliked and please be specific as to why. Do you have any suggestions for things for me to try? A few things on my list for the summer so far are:
- Go vegetarian for a week
- Get back into martial arts classes
- Try a dance class 
- Get a job
- Spend the day with a stranger
- Learn how to cook
- Take an improv class at Second City
- Make some article of clothing (found a sowing machine in the basement)
- Learn how to play guitar
- Watch more foreign movies
- Meet new people
- And the list goes on...

 One of the purposes of this blog is to see if I can really reach people with my writing as well as my photos so if you could spread this blog around I would appreciate it. Please be honest with your comments too. Do you feel like you are starting to get an idea of who I am?

Thank you and please keep reading :D

- Gonzalo 

Hmmmm......

Diving Bell and Dim Sum

Dear Reader, 

One of the things that I have on my list for this summer is to start watching foreign films. The blockbuster by my house just went out of business a couple of months ago so I went and bought several foreign movies, mainly based off the cover and how many awards they claimed to have won. There is something about watching a movie that you don't really know anything about; you don't go in with any expectations nor do you have to worry about all of the good parts being ruined by the trailer. Today I watched a French film called The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I don't want to give away too much cause it is worth giving a watch if you get a chance, but the film follows a man who is paralyzed from the neck down due to a stroke. He has also lost his ability to speak and is only able to use one eye as a means of communication. I found the first part of the movie difficult to get through, not because it was boring or slow, but because it is all filmed from his point of view. I can't imagine feeling so helpless, trapped within your own body. I wonder if this was how my grandmother felt before she passed away. During her last week she was there physically, but the grandmother I knew growing up was already gone. She could no longer speak and was hooked up to an oxygen tank to breathe. Unfortunately the last memory of my grandmother is when I stayed up one night to help keep an eye on her. She could not sleep laying down, because it made it too hard to breathe so I held her for a couple hours just so she could get a little rest. The night before she died I asked God to let her finally have a peaceful night of sleep. In my heart, I think I knew that would be her last night. 

Dear Grandma, 

Every time I touch the chain around my neck I remember you, you will always be in my heart. I want you to know that I am doing well so please don't worry. Hopefully one day I will grow up into a man you can be proud to call your grandson.  

Love, 

Gonzie

While the movie could be a bit of a downer, the main character does keep somewhat optimistic. His mind is still completely active so he uses his imagination and memories to help keep himself sane. Our minds are so powerful, we can create whole worlds within a few seconds. I guess this is somewhat similar to what I do when I go running. I think it may be time to let go of this other world though. My general tactic to battle my depression is to put in my headphones and go for a long walk. Rather than confront what is upsetting me, I retreat to my alter ego and his world. Still, I don't really know if this is healthy. It feels hard to let that part of me go, but is it really me or just something I made up? If anything it is my security blanket....I think I may keep him around a little bit longer. 

On a happier note, I met an old photo friend in Chinatown for some late nite dim sum. For the last three years or so, it seems like it is a rare occasion when I meet anyone outside of school (not including family). This last year I have changed so much, I am relearning who I am which makes it difficult for me to really be myself and I come off as awkward sometimes. I guess a little awkwardness is part of me though lol. I hope these outings won't be so rare in the future. 

.......

- Gonzalo  

Mine and Bo's Photo Finals (photo credit: Bo Kim) 

Me with Bo's book :D (photo credit: Bo Kim)

Bo with my mini-book 

Spent an hour looking for the little USB adaptor for my camera....it was sitting on my laptop keyboard :P

Music of the Night

Dear Reader,

Today, or I guess yesterday by this point, has been a busier day. I managed to pull myself out of bed at 10 o'clock (Hey that is super early for the average college student) and decided to keep my run short; forty-five minutes seemed good enough. Post-run I realized that I have one of the most fragile bodies of any twenty-year old guy.I have already managed to develop six blisters on my feet from a mere three days of light exercise. One was huge and in-between two of my toes which I decided to pop since it was forcing me to walk around like a cripple. That is something any normal person would do. Second, due to my paranoid and germaphobic nature, I decided to cover the open sore with hydrogen peroxide. That is something any normal person would probably have enough sense not to do. The minute I started to pour the stuff I began to second guess myself, "I wonder how much this is going to hurt?". Upon contact I immediately started biting my lip to keep myself from yelling out "Gosh Darn It", "Holy Cow", "Sweet Baby Jesus", and other such profanities.

After my post-run recovery I decided to go get something to eat. The original restaurant I  had planned on going to ended up being closed so I stopped at this place called Simone's Bar. All the decor in the place is made of recycled parts from about anything you can imagine. The backing of the booth I sat at consisted of old car seat belts and the table was lit-up with the board of an old pinball machine. The food was decent, but I mean it is a bar after all so what did you expect. Still the atmosphere is worth giving the place a visit alone.

Finally decided to head home since my grandpa and I were going to my cousin's band concert that evening. Rush hour traffic turned a thirty minute drive into an hour nap for myself, but we finally made it in one piece. While my 6th grade cousin prepared for his concert, I found myself entertaining his younger twin brothers. I went from playing "lego death match" with one twin to discussing the meaning of life with the other. Sure this is an exaggeration, but I still can't help but laugh at how different they are. Anyways, the concert ended up being decent, but I mean it is a 6th grade band concert so what did you expect. Everyone is still learning their instruments and how to play as a group. It's always fun to see the progression that everyone makes though, so I hope that he sticks with it. After dinner we all headed to my Uncle's house where we all decided to hang out till about 12:30 in the morning despite the fact that everyone was exhausted. We were in that weird guest/host limbo where the hosts don't want to tell you to leave, while the guests don't really know how to leave. After a symphony of yawns and a few forced random conversations, I looked at my grandpa and said "Well I guess we better get going." Now I am finally home and ready to hit the sack.

Nite,
Gonzalo    

On the way to lunch

Simone's Bar

Bite

Pinball

                                             

A discovery on the walk home

My cuz is in there, somewhere...

Jazz Band had a song with vocals, actually not too bad

In Retrospect...

Dear Reader,

Yet again I have slept in till about noon, though I may be the only male college student who actually sees this as a problem. Anyways, went for a ninety minute run today (was able to complete about 8.5 miles) and decided to add the teen angst band of my childhood, Linkin Park, to my K-pop playlist which resulted in one of the most conflicting runs I have ever attempted in my life. I went from going platinum on my new single to being dropped by my label for the fourth time all within the first thirty minutes (refer back to "Alter Ego" post if you are confused). It was overwhelming to say the least. Due to the emotional roller coaster  my other self seemed to be experiencing, I spent most of my run in the real world.

 *Cue Introspective/Flashback Sequence*

Linkin Park used to be my go-to-band for workout music during my Taekwondo years. The songs were mainly based off feelings of loneliness, depression, confusion, or anger. I felt like all these songs spoke to my soul. It is crazy how much power any album or even song for that matter can have on you. I haven't listened to Linkin Park in years, but the minute the first song came on today I was flooded with a sea of unwanted emotions. All those feelings of pain and anger came back, things I had used as fuel to push myself past my limits and achieve my goals. During high school I had the worst self-confidence, I always felt like people didn't think much of me or expected me to fail. Anytime I would get tired during a Taekwondo practice I would play the album in my head to push myself, I saw my accomplishments as an "F*** You!" to all those people against me. It was true that I was the underdog when I first joined the competitive sparring team, but looking back now I can see the only person that really expected me to fail was myself. Unfortunately I let these thoughts consume me at the time till I became obsessed with being the best and drove myself practically insane. I remember running miles barefoot in the winter to "toughen myself up", having sleepless nights anytime I lost a fight, and crying in the bathroom after practices I felt that I did not perform well in. Listening to Linkin Park only brings back all these memories.

While it is painful to relive all of this, it is something that I have not really dealt with. I still catch myself believing that people don't think anything of me or feeling that I am not good enough in whatever I do. It's impossible to completely change the way you think overnight, but after today's run I have become more aware and can hopefully begin to change. While I hope to never lose my ambition to succeed, I can no longer fuel it with anger or the need to prove anything to anyone other than myself.  

*End Sequence*

While I had a very insightful run today, I don't think I stretched enough afterwards. I am currently sitting in a cafe by my house, but my legs have locked up and I may be here a while. Say hi if you happen be in the neighborhood.

Till next time,
Gonzalo 

Adjusting camera. That is the face of concentration, or confusion as the shutter accidentally went off....

View from my run

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Perfect running weather; 70 degrees with a nice breeze. Also good for kite flying.

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Cafe shot