Category: Cal State LA

Hunger Games

In an underground cave resting on the south building of the John F Kennedy library at Cal State LA there used to be a Computer Lab. On most evenings I would come up from that underground lair. I was 18 years old, I did not want to go home but had to, I still had a paltry allowance, I had eaten my mom’s egg sandwich first thing in the morning and now I had some choices to make. With my stomach badly grumbling I search about myself and in my pocket I found a few dollars that could either cover the two and a half mile RTD bus ride to Eastman Ave or they could buy me some nachos from the King Taco on campus. 

Not feeling sorry for myself and with the cover of night as an asset I knew there was another option. Sometimes, packaged and wrapped food that wasn’t consumed was gently tossed in bins behind the cafeteria, or the lunch truck on the north side of campus. Sometimes, kids left half eaten tacos in the courtyard at Salazar Hall. 

Foraging was hard the first time I did it but it got easier with time and usually I had enough to cover me until I got home to worrying my worrying parents. 

Never once did I get food poisoning.


The Long and Short of It

The first time I ever heard of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) was in college and over the years some have wondered if A..ADD (Adult ADD) runs in my blood.
After all, I am the type of guy who on any given hour can have two lap tops going, take phone calls, send a text and still have enough brain power to crack a silly joke.
So I suppose that is why I often write very brief blog posts that are structured with short paragraphs of a sentence or two.
I do this in part because of my old college newspaper editor who constantly harangued me for having long over descriptive paragraphs in the style of Melville. Most of my old stories were covered in red ink as she tried to reign in my liberal use of adjectives and dramaticism.
As I’ve become older and I read more blogs and news on-line I’ve noticed that I tend to skip postings whose paragraphs are like my old college stories. Long paragraphs don’t work on someone like me who wants smart, concise and short points to ponder.
So, for all my fellow bloggers out there, how do you structure your postings? Are you the wordy type who craves description?

I’d like to know.

Cheat Guys Guide to Dating

From the archives (Circa 1998):
When in the course of cheap people’s events it becomes necessary to indulge in the social bonds creating by the dating arena, it must be understood that a healthy mountain of resources must be attained.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, a dating person will need cash, a car and a knowledge of good dining establishments. Nevertheless, if some of these resources are not available then it might be wise to have some alternative venues to fall back upon.
Therefore, this week’s dating tip will focus on one of the many colorful suggestions that readers have submitted during the last few weeks. Second touched upon will be an inexpensive outing which could be undertaken over the course of an average day at the Cal State LA campus.
In the tradition of the many “cheap” men and women, this week the President of the Associated Students Inc. of CSLA will promote one of the most innovative ideas brought fourth to this series. Hector Barajas explained that on Wednesdays and Sundays, the McDonald’s chain of restaurants offers great deals on hamburgers. On days like these, a person can buy up to 20 delicious burgers for 29 or 30 cents.
What Barajas further suggests is that one these certain days, it would be wise to buy quantities of hamburgers and then freeze them. Therefore, as the week goes by and the need for sustenance becomes unbearable, a person could indulge in a succulent feast by simply taking out his or her frozen burger and popping it into the microwave.
Also, if push comes to shove, and you were not to have enough to take an intended lover to an expensive restaurant then you can always fall back on your stack of hamburgers.

Just remember that presentation is a key part in any date, so dress up your burger. Instead of keeping it in the old McDonalds’ box, place it on a plate, and instead of serving a can of soda, wash a glass and pour the soda into it. A little detail can go a long way in disguising a cheap date…..

The UT Job – Deep Archives

I haven’t written in ages. I miss it.

Sometimes it seems that I forget about it due to laziness. Or sometimes I’m so involved in making the aspects of my life coexist in merriment that taking the time to jot down a few words seems trivial. But now I sit here waiting to know how my financial future will play out and in order to get my mind away from it I come back to my little journal to carp, cry and ponder.

It’s windy on this Wednesday April 15th. I’ve been officially out of a job for 4 days and in the hunt for a Staff Writer position at the University Times. It seems that my party days are threatening to hurt me here.

I am perfect for this position. I write well, I love the spotlight, I know the campus and I like the people. But my past is the Achilles heel for me. I’m vulnerable in that area….

LOST the Transcript