Just doing my thing.
It has been a typical last few days. My car was at SpeedWise getting work done, and something went wrong; meaning I need to cough up more money, that I don't have, so comprises had to be made. So I am still riding on my cheap coils, and will have to wait until spring to get the money to buy the parts I need to install the better springs I bought. I hate spending money on a part, and then not being able to afford to get it put in properly. But the Nissan is drivable, looking good (despite the back bumper), and bringing me joy.

Last night the Betas and Gammas had a great program. They brought the independent film Urban Poet. It was great, based in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Chicago (Humbolt Park), it spoke to the issues of stereotypes and methods of expression for Latin communities. We had a packed house, and the students who came loved the event and many stayed to talk afterwards with the director. I want to tell Ramiro, Lydia, Santiago and Melva that they did a great job! For information on the film visit: New Film Productions

Tomorrow, my younger Brother Andres is coming from Michigan State to visit. I think we are going to San Chez, this great Tapas place, and then hangout downtown. Awesome Spanish food, the best. It is just like Cafe Iberico the place I like to eat in Chicago.

This weekend will be nice and relaxing. I will get to chill and catch up on some things I have been putting off. Like putting away my laundry and cleaning my room.

Rear ended, fighting in the homeland, and "When Santi met Stupid."
It has been an interesting last few days. Some drama (my car got dented), some funny times with the brothers, and suspense over the Bolivian political situation. So here is a quick recap.

The NX is injured, call 911!
Yes folks, the NX, which I love so much, has been dented. On Monday I was driving back from CompuCraft when I was rear-ended! This dumb guy in a Ford Explorer decided that watching my brake lights was not that important, so BAM! He hit me. I hate Lake Michigan Drive, it is the worst road and there was no turn lane. We pulled over and there was very little damage to my car, and none to his truck. My insurance rates are high enough, and no matter whose fault the accident is my rates would go up, so I did not call the police. The damage is not bad, just some paint rubbed off and a small dent in my rear panel. Hopefully I can get a warm day to buff it out and pull that dent out a little. Just when she was finally getting all done, she gets hurt. Just my luck. But I still love my baby, even dented.


The NX is in the shop right now as well. Getting new shocks put on her. She was riding really rough with the coils I put on, I was going to switch the coils for springs but not anymore. When I got the coils put in, they removed the spring mounting brackets, and now when I want to put springs back in I do not have the mounting brackets cause they got tossed out. Ah! I can not afford to spend much more money on the car right now, so I am just leaving the coils in there and just putting the new shocks on her. Will I ever start having good luck? I also am getting all my logos made right now for the car, and getting her ready for the winter. I painted my original rims and once snow starts to fall put those winter tires on. I hope my baby makes it through the winter without getting hit, or hitting anything! No more dents on the NX!



Bolivia, Mi Patria!
My homeland is in turmoil, and my brother Miguel is right in the middle of it all. He is there on a Fullbright Fellowship working on his dissertation. The country was and kinda still is being threatened to fall into civil war. I got some pictures from the BBC and Miguel's blog. American media sources still have not covered the stories very well, surprise surprise... CNN posted one or two articles, but not much. Miguel is having a hard time getting food and bread right now, but at least he still is able to find a 56k internet connection. Us Centellas boys know what the essentials in life are for survival. "Who needs bread? Give me internet, or give me death." Well maybe it is not that important... Living in the USA we can not understand what it can be like to be in such a situation, I hope things get better for the country's sake, my brother and family down there, and so I can travel down there this December.




Stupid and Stupider
This morning I felt like I was watching some movie, or comedy routine. Santiago came over early to pick up Ramiro and finish off the paperwork for Sigma Lambda Beta. Maybe cause we all got up before 7am, or maybe cause they waited until today to do it (paperwork must be postmarked the 15th), or maybe just cause they are still Neos. I don't know. But it was funny. They have to send 4 copies of tons of papers, they did not have a big envelop. So Santi said they could just put it in multiple small envelops and mail it all separately. What? I had an envelop so I saved them from that brilliant idea. Then Ramiro got mad and threatened to mess up all the papers (they were in neat stacks of four), but then he realized that it was his job to send the paperwork so he would be the one to reorganize them. Kinda like getting mad and kicking your own car, mess up someone else's stuff, not yours. Finally Ramiro forget the Dues Check (dune buggy?), he needs to get his hearing and vision checked. It was a funny thing to wake up; Ramiro tripping down the steps, Santi looking homeless, Hermen complaining about all the ink on his printer they were using, my sitting there feeling like I was watching the three stoogies in action. Good times. These guys crack me up.

Novalí
Sunday I spent with Novalí. I got up early and drove to Chicago. The drive has become so comfortable to me now. This year alone I must have driven to Chicago close to 20 times. Wow. Every trip is worth it.

When I got there she was eating. Well, mostly playing with her food and feeding it to her baby and minnie mouse. Once she was done we played with her blocks. I was amazed at how she is able to stack them now. It was just a few weeks before that I showed her how to stack them. She made a stack nearly her height, and then it fell. She also is learning her numbers visually now. When I showed her the block with the #1 on it, she held up one finger. She did that for 2 and 3, but no more. I was still impressed.

We played all afternoon, which meant I tossed her around cause she always wants to fly and I pretended to eat with her and the baby. We watched the Cubs game, her Tio Angel got her to say "Go Cubs". She slept through most of the game, and so did I.



When we woke up, we had some Chinese food I ordered, and played some more. Once her mom and abuela got home she took a bath and got ready for bed. And then her papi (thats me) had to drive back to Michigan. Long day. Fun day.

Check out her pictures on her website. Novalí.