Monday Afternoon

Wow! I had big cleansing conversations last night. It felt so amazing. First, Mon heard me rant about differnt thoughts I had been having, being very calm and wonderful and listening and feedbacking and just being all around awesome. Then Juan came on by to talk about his experience, stopping a relationship that he wasn't ready to get into, stopping at the friendship zone where they both can be comfortable. It's a pretty great feeling when you feel you did the right things. When you communicated with the ones you love so they can know where you're at, so they can share more in the experiences that you feel. Life is good when that happens.

On another note, Christmas (and other, less Christian holidays, though they rock too...except we have a better soundtrack) is quickly approaching. Don't forget about those that aren't close to you physically but were, at least once, part of your circle of friends. Yes, I am talking about Orlando Castillo. Send him a post card. The address? You don't have it? Well, here it is:

Orlando Castill aka Hermano Jose Maria (either and/or both)
Urb. Los Girasoles de Huampani
Av. Circunvalacion/Esquina Las Orquideas
CIB LOTE 8
Chaclacayo, Lima 8
PERU

There is no excuse. It cost 70cents to send a postcard. Don't slack. He's a good kid. He wouldn't slack on you.

And no, the token picture of the message:

Here's to Procrastination

There's the picture of the day. And now, for more procrastination...

(c/o katy murphy-lubowicz)
Ever:
1. smoked a cigar – no
2. crashed a friend's car – mom's
3. stolen a car – no
4. been in love - yes
5. been dumped – 8th grade
6. dumped someone - yes
7. taken shots of alcohol- yes
8. been fired - no
9. been in a fist fight – no, but i shoved a kid into a shed once
10. snuck out of a/your house – no-ish. more like snuck in
11. had feelings for someone who didn't have them back- yes
12. been arrested – no
13. made out with a stranger - not really. did something else, though
14. gone on a blind date – no
15. lied to a friend – yes :(
16. had a crush on a teacher- no
18. seen someone die – no
19. been on a plane – yes
20. thrown up in a bar - no
22. miss someone right now - yes
23. laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by - yes
24. made a snow angel – yes
25. played dress up – no
26. cheated while playing a game – yes, but not recently, except when i play putt-putt
27. been lonely – yes
28. fallen asleep at work/school – all the time
29. used a fake id - no
30. felt an earthquake – no
31. touched a snake – yes
32. ran a red light - yep
33. had detention – yep
34. been in a car accident - yes
35. hated the way you look – yes
37. been lost – men are never lost
38. been to the opposite side of the country – yes
39. felt like dying – no
40. cried yourself to sleep – no
41. played cops and robbers - yes
42. karaoke – absolutely
43. done something you told yourself you wouldn't – yes
44. laughed till some kind of beverage came out of your nose- i accidentally drunk from a straw up my nose
45. caught a snowflake on your tongue - yep
46. kissed in the rain - yes...only good in warm rain
47. sang in the shower - when do i not?
48. made love in a park - not yet
49. had a dream that you married someone - i don't remember. i don't think so
50. glued your hand to something – to my other hand
51. got your tongue stuck to a flag pole - no
52. worn the opposite sex's clothes – yes
53. Been a cheerleader – spirit club count?
54. sat on a roof top - yes
55. talked on the phone all night - not strictly speaking, but yes enough
56. ever too scared to watch scary movies alone - yes. Exorcist iii
57. played chicken fight – always
58. been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on - yes
59. been told you're hot by a complete stranger – yes
60. broken a bone – no (knock on wood)
61. had a 3-some? - nope. but i have been licked by many dogs and puppies all at once

Thanksgiving Time

So we approach the time to go home and appreciate our gifts, our families, our homes, etc. I'm going home to just my folks, which is kinda sad considering that at one time my house was filled with 9 people living there permenantly, not to mention guests we'd have. Yet, I might be making it down to Miami for thanksgiving, to spend time with the family there. Sounds good, but it will be weird not being home. This Thanksgiving will be different. My birthday is November 24. My grandmother's was November 22. She passed away a month ago. I'm over the loss; she was 87 and not enjoying the state she was in. Yet, we always threw a party at our place and invited the usual Nicaraguans. Maybe not this year. It's a shame to end such a great tradition, but so it goes. I guess it's time to start a new tradition.

On another note, Monica is the gal I love. She's not doing so well b/c school is frustrating her into apathy which frustrates her cause she's not an apathetic person. She is overworked, underappreciated, and feels like she's drowning. There are great things in her life, like her friends, her situation, (eh hem) her boyfriend. But it is so hard to appreciate those things when times spent with them are cancelled or retarded due to work, meetings, rehearsals, etc. I hope Thanksgiving break is good to her. She, as far as I know, is staying her because it's prohibitively expensive to go home. It sucks to be away from her family in such a time, and it sucks that a lot of friends won't be here either. Hopefully she'll make it to Decatur and hang out with her illini family, the Koniches, or with her STL family, the Garcia-Maciases. She's loved no matter where she is. I love her a lot. Isn't she purrrty:)




She's gonna kick my ass for including this picture!

Late night

This is a short message, written at quarter to 3 in the morning. Just writing to say update some things in my world. Sunday was the first night of the rest of the semester and I'm living it that way. Chi-town is a pretty sweet place, which is where I spent the weekend. I came back renewed, refreshed, and rejuvinated, all actually meaning the same thing. Tomorrow, though, I'll be tired. No food to help celebrate Ramadan and not a lot of sleep to celebrate 8:30am classes. Goodnight.

This day and age

Does anyone ever wonder that they may not really be saying sayings correctly? I almost wrote 'this day in age'. That's what I say, but no one notices my mess-up. Oh well, I digress before I even begin.

School is tough stuff. Senior year isn't as easy as it was in my fantasies. The time is quickly approaching where all decisions for the next 5 years of my life must be made. And before I can make those dicissions, I have to survive the semester. I am not too sad about how things have gone so far, but I am trying desperately not too get too much more behind than I am. I have learned a lot this year. I have learned that you cannot feel comfortable with anyone until you settle down in the literal sense. Let me clear that up with the instance that I learned it. When I came to the STL in August I got a kind of uneasy feeling about how Monica and I were doing because there didn't seem to be too many happy times in the first few days. Turns out it had nothing to do with Monica or me, but rather it was that I was only in town for less that 18 hours at a time for those days and when I was finally here for good and could take a breath and Monica could actually spend quality time with me, things got great again. Again, the lesson is that I have to be able to be in the moment to enjoy the moment. I also learned that most everything people can say has a logical problem in it (thanks LSAT). I learned that retarded people and kids cannot be executed. I learned that Kant was a really boring man for most of his life, and then he became a beast philosopher. I learned that the city of St Louis has a very very sketchy political system. I learned that even if you don't talk to someone most of the time, the times you do talk can be wonderful. I learned that hip hop dancing is hard and really fast. I learned that I can never do the worm. Working out is good. Columbia will never match up to Colombia. Halloween is for whores. I'm whore-hay.

The list goes one. I'm going to include a picture now cause I want to. Pictures are nice. We are great. God is great. We are done.

Too Long

Sorry, kids, that it's been so long since I wrote. I bet most of you don't even come up to visit the site even now and again. Well, I promise, at least for this coming year, though the site might be neglected, it won't be forgotten, so keep looking up now and again. Once in a while will do since I'm inconsistant. School is kicking my ass right now. LSATs and this and thats and 2 tests coming up, each of which I haven't started studying for so I could keep up with one class that kills and the LSAT which also is killing me. Lots of work to do tomorrow.



The above is a picture I took at the beginning of last year. I hope to make a visit to the confluence here in the STL again this fall. Its too perfect. Now I'm off to a meeting. Peace.

Sunday

This is my brother. He's in my thoughts today. His 23rd birthday is coming up the 14th of August. This is a picture of him and my folks in Peru on the day he became a novice in the Family of Jesus Healer. I miss him a lot. The girl in his arms is his inspiration, he says. If you've recently heard me talk about him, I probably mentioned her. She's a four year old bundle of God's love, apperently. A man needs inspiration. I'm off. Just a Sunday message on Tito. Br. Joseph Mary. Brother.

Life

There are so many arguments for all kinds of things. Reasons to do things quickly, for taking your time, for attention, for neglect. They say hindsight is 20/20, but is it really? Does every see the past with the same clarity? Is that even a fair question, because everyone has a different lense in which they see the world. There must be some sort of universal truths that bring things into a certain light. But even with that, the rest of what we look at is tainted with ourselves. Even if the there is a univeral lense, there is a personal tint. Universal truths...(sigh), you got to have faith in something. I'm not sad, by the way. Only introspective.

Hawaii

Here are a few pics from the trip to Hawaii.


The weather in the islands is perfect. Highs in the mid 80s, always a good sea breeze. It tends to rain only where the mountains are, so by the water is generally dry...well, except for the water. This view is from a restaurant balcony where we ate. Its the clubhouse of the Mercedes Championship, where Tiger, Vijay, Sergio, and the rest of the gang plays.


Of course I tried to surf. The waves are bigger in the winter, but I held my own on the rink-a-dink waves. I stood up. That's more than some can say. I think tight shirts are my style.


This picture above is when the fam and I went to a luau. Hula girls are pretty. Maybe its just that they'r half naked. The girl on the right came out for one of the dances without a shirt, though her hair and a lei were covering her unmentionables...or funbags (tomAto/tomato).


This is the view from the room. In front was a nice looking golf course and off in the distance you can see the ocean. The place is amazing. That's if for now, boys and girls. I have to get ready for MDA camp. Peace out.

Who am I

Stealing from the wonderful Isabel Cristina Acevedo, here I am:

Get to know me..

((ME))
1. Full Name: Jorge Martin Castillo Castellon Herdocia Garcia Garcia Silba Rivera Manning Arguello
2. Nicknames: Nica, Whore, Jorgito
3. City / State: Tampa, FL or St Louis, MO
4. Birthday: Nov 24, 1983
5. Age: 21
6. Zodiac Sign: Saggitarius
7. Schoo: Jesuit High School(high), Washington University in St. Louis
8. Sports: all
9. Hobbies: driving, random 10sec dance sessions, all things beachy
10. Righty or Lefty: Righty

(( FAMILY ))
1. Parents Names: Orlando Jose and Cecilia
2. Siblings / Ages: Orlando 22
3. Do you get along with your parents?: yes
4. Do you get along with your siblings?: Yes
5. Do you all live together?: Orlando is in Peru

(( FAVORITES ))
1. Day of the week: Friday
2. Month: all?
3. Season: spring
4. Holiday: Thanksgiving
5. Movies: three amigos, only the strong, gone ins 60 secs, batman begins
6. Actors: chevy chase, sean connory, cedric the entertainer
7. Actresses: catherine zeta jones, chick from king of queens, jada pinkette smith
8. TV Shows: Family Guy, Simpsons, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Mystery Science Theater 3000
9. Songs: La Bamba, El Aventurero, This DJ, Steal My Kisses
10. Music Groups: DLG, The Allman Bros, ZZ Top, Orisheas, Los Lobos
11. Music Singers: Van Morrison, Bob Seger, Etta James, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton
12. Quote: "[St Ignatius] had lived and traveled, studied and taught in a tumultuous world, and his religious exprience, as profound or even as mystical as it was, occurred in the context of history."
13. Colors: Yellow
14. Animals: Mandy
15. Flowers: Tulips
16. Books: A Short History of Nearly Everything, Animal Farm, The Bible
17. School Subject: Recess
18. Foods: Rice & Beans (Gallopinto)
19. Drinks: OJ
20. Ice Cream: Brownie A La Mode
21. Pizza Toppings: Bacon

(( FRIENDS ))
1. Best Friends: Ryan, Atom, Mon, Langer
2. Funniest: Silvio
3. Most Trustworthy: Mon
4. Most Loyal: not Mandy
5. Most Honest: Atom
6. Gives you Advice: Orlando
7. Shyest: Marla
8. Most Boycrazy: Kevin
9. Most Trendy: Those Indian gals (India is so in fashion)
10. Lives closest to you: Criollo
11. Lives farthest away from you: Maria Cristina Capello
12. Are you most like: Atom
13. Most talented: Mon
14. Best Singer: O'Malley Sisters in the car
15. Best Dancer: the Guidies
16. Most memories: Pat Burley and I were friends since pre-K

(( RELATIONSHIPS ))
1.Boyfriend/Girlfriend: Mon
2. Crush: you
3. Qualities you look for: latina, curves, dances, social, shorter than me
4. First Kiss: Lauren in tour of N. France, summer before 8th grade
5. First Relationship: Leigh Montejo, for 5 periods of one eighth grade day
6. Most Romantic Moment: kiss at the eiffel tower
7. Personality or Looks: both

(( THIS OR THAT ))
1. Baseball or Football: Buccaneers
2. Ben Stiller or Ben Affleck: Affleck in non-romantic comedies
3. Cat or Dog: Mandy
4. Truck or Car: Supra
5. Rain or Sun: Sun
6. Winter or Summer: Summer
7. Love or Lust: Love
8. Aladdin or Beauty and the Beast: Princess Jasmine (oh yeah)
9. Movies or Broadway: hmmm, tough
10. CD or Tape: CD
11. DVD or VHS: DVD
12. Ham or Turkey: Turkey
13. Feet or Hands: Hands
14. Legs or Arms: Legs
15. Dance or Singing: Dance
16. Cell or Housephone: cellie
17. Friends or BF/GF: they're down with each other

18. Flying or Driving: Driving, with a stick shift
19. Running or Jogging: Jogging
20. Christmas or Birthday: Birthday
21. Pink or Blue: Blue
22. White or Black: White linen
23. Britney or Christina: Christina
24. iPod or MP3: anything pirated

Today is a day

Today is a day that I write a bit. I started the summer all bored and with nothing to do. I did a lot of cleaning of the room, which I left incomplete, but still I was bored. The trip to NYC mentioned below fixed that for a week, but still I was bored when I came back. Now my days start at 8:15am and go nonstop to 4:30. Now that's not a full days' work, but I do get a lot in. A work out in the morning and working at a camp in the afternoon. Kids wear you out. Now I come home satisfied. My nights are tired, though. And I miss my friends. There are some here in town, but there are many who are not. So here's a bit of an ode to those kiddies.



Atom is his name. Great nephew of the great Einstein, this man with the weird name is one of my best friends of all time. Today he went to Brasil for a month and a week, and he goes back to school earlier than anyone else. Why? I don't know, but I do know it's not cause of school. I guess he just likes to get out of Tampa. Despite his tendency to exaggerate any situation, he's the most loyal friend I've ever had. If he can possibly be there for anything, a good time or an emergency or everything in between, he's good to go.



Irish kids are awesome, and none more amazing than Archway Court. Nights out, parties in, movie nights, Desperate Housewives club...It was all great. So thanks for the times with these kids and the memories. I miss you.



Tyler Survant is a guy that doesn't get much press. He's kinda on the quiet side, but by no means does this take from his character. He's a strong, very cool-ly dressed dude that I met a year ago and got to know last fall. I don't think he know's how much I appreciate his friendship. Visiting for one night in Italy was one of my major European highlights. Good guys.

So this concludes my friendly rant. Appreciate those around you. And don't neglect to call those that aren't. Peace.

Mandy

Mandy
Originally uploaded by skinica.

Its been too long since I've graced y'all with my words (i'm special). So, here's a quick rundown of why I've been busy. When I got to the States June 5 I started a shake-down in my room. All crap must go. Little did I know I'd find more crap that my parents thought was mine in there. It took a while. A random good thing that my parents put in the room while I was gone is a hammock. Awesome to rock yourself in your own room while watching TV.

Then I went to NYC and NJ for a week, to see the cousins, celebrate graduations, and see Monica and the fam. Good times were had by all. I suprsed people at the graduation party, which was awesome to do. I also had din din at my friend Basta's house. Great family. He's got a 97 year old home in Brooklyn that is gorgious. I also had my first trip to Coney Island and had Nathan's hotdogs with Monica and Chris Sullivan. Good times.

In NJ I saw Philadelphia (I know its not in NJ), went to the Jersey Shore, which is pretty impressive despite the freezing water, and went to a young Kathleen O'Malley's graduation. Thanks for the good times.

Now it's Father's Day stuff, so adios. Enjoy life!

ps-that's a picture of the beautiful mandy above. she's my true love.

The Three Amigos

IMG_1102
Originally uploaded by skinica.

Do do justice to my boy, Steve, from London, I include this photo of London in March where he was great enough to spend an evening with us and take us around the stupid touristy parts of town. He also was the hook up in London this time, despite the fact that he was over and under and all kinds of whelmed with his final paper. Steve, you are the man!

Temple in the sky

Temple in the sky
Originally uploaded by skinica.

The ruins in Pompei. Pretty impressive. Its a huge place.

Skylights

Skylights
Originally uploaded by skinica.

My dinner view. There is nothing wrong in Capri. Except, I guess, moving around sucks unless you got a Vespa