Highs and Lows from Habana

Feb 1st (2 months till April Fools Day)
New pen! WooHoo! It was broken, but w/ a little medical tape and some hard work… it is now my tool of choice.
The new casa will be a good change of pace. The 1st spot was great, but I always felt crazy lonely and the place reminded me of being broke and new to the country. Now my spirits have changed. I've started picking up the bible, I've really felt like I can relate to Paul in Acts and David in the Psalms...it might sound pathetic and extreme to go that far, but I actually can grasp alot of their emotions at this point. Oh and then even being able to feed my internet addiction & contact familia. That was mucho bueno!
Miguel isn’t around today… kinda bitter sweet. Great tour guide & friend, but things get awkward when he asks for deniro I don’t have and sometimes I feel like he's pocketing some of it just because he can… Anyways, its good to have a day to relax, to break from walking 20 miles. My inner thighs are chaffed and these vans don’t prevent blisters. On that note: I’ve been enjoying the following… (keep in mind this is all copied text from a beat up little journal I woul dwhip out and jot down random notes and thoughts...I'm not crazy and I don't type with a pen)

1. More Language Confidence (I still can’t conversate, but I can comprehend much more)
2.El Sol (Sun) (Not too caliente, just perfecto(haha, thanx Rita:)
3. I’m only using 6 pesos a day. (3 for bread, 1 for vegetables and 2 for a good mojito)
4. Meeting cool people (everywhere!) Most people are extremly friendly if you can communicate with them.
5. Rationing. I’ve actually come to enjoy the challenge of not waisting anything!
6. Immunity to the tap water. This will save me at least a dollar 50 a day!
7. A break from photo taking. I left the 50 @ mi casa for my leica. Which is really only good in the day. Horrible w/o flash…
8. Free breakfast! El casa madre heard I’m broke & offered it for free! I now see where my So-Cal madres get it. They can’t see a nino go hungry. I told her my moms would be very greateful. But not as much as I am.
9. my new pen. The tip is being pushed further and further into the bac of it. So I may need to do surgery on it soon.
10. spending thime w/ Jesus. Has given me patience, endurance & wisedom.
11. Safety. It feels really safe here. Not sure why though…

Not Enjoying…

1. Showers… if these are hot! I would HATE to try a cold one.
2. The food. (although I did find a cheap pizza spot. Nasty… but cheap!)
3. Blisters on my feet from walking oh and chaffing hurts!
4. Being alone. No conversations except to my camera (video)
5. The litter… people here toss trash everywhere! It must be legal and maybe even a sport?
6. Exhaust: A lot of vehicles are from the 30's, 40’s & 50’s. That was back when emission standards weren’t a concern. Nor was air quality. Lucky for all living things, we are on the ocean & the air gets pushed around more frequently.
7. This pen. (every page I need to repare it!)


I didn't bring my Canon 5D today, since I wanted to blend in and look like a local...not that locals look like this...see video I took with my Leica D-Lux 3. (I'll post the video when i have time to get it up...iMovie is making me feel retarded)

"Samuel's Daily Candy"

Ya'll have heard about www.dailycandy.com right?
Well, heres the news, happenings and whats going down in my "Daily Candy"


I'm sipping an original size 24oz of Pomagrante Jamba Juice (all fruit, nothing else!)... lemme tell you something about Jamba Juice... can I? Thanks. Alright, if your nice to the employee's at Jamba, they'll give you free drinks...Which is good, cuz the drinks are expensive! (That should be a tip people pay for)

I spent a full-on hour hunting and trying to find a camera that I'm wanting to buy (See this beautiful camera...its a point&shoot... perfect for my photo work w/o feeling like its work)

I finally found my friend Audrey from "The Magic Lamp" on myspace... I had her email wrong, didn't see the "OT" (that doesn't make since to you...thats why its "MY" daily candy... ha!) Cool girl! Gives me free drinks (I'm telling you, its all about getting free stuff and tipping good!(see above,way above)

OH! Really quickly, anybody wanna assist me w/a fashion shoot Monday nite? I need 2 assistants... I'll teach you all I know... I don't have a budget to pay you in american dollars(maybe yen, which would be better for you anyways...its worth more.) ... but it'll be worth your time...plus it'll be the most fun you've ever had...with your clothes on...

ummmm.... Have a told you that I think this movie (HOT ROD, comes out AUG. 3rd) was created just for me?
LOVE IT, just the thought of it makes my heart smile.

(CLICK IMAGE)

Go find "The Presets" their music is the fav of the week. (http://www.thepresets.com/deterioration_content.html)

I'm editing Lori and Haw's wedding tonight, I'm halfway done and this wedding shoulda been done a week ago...but I have 5 other weddings that have been stealing my energy.... if you know Lori or Haws, tell them you've seen all their pictures and they are amazing! They'll be mad and happy at the same exact time...its a weird sensation to feel like that.

almost done w/my jamba juice... so good... things are tastier when their free... I wish I was a celeb... they get it ALL for free!!!

I put my watch on eBay last nite...yeah, I couldn't sleep at 3am.

(CLICK IMAGE)

The bid is still at $1... if you want it, go for it...its kind of an auction, so may the highest bidder bid highest and win!

Oh what the heck!!! I almost forgot something amazing!
Sunday July 22nd... FEED THE HOMELESS OF LBC!!! Wanna help? Yeah? you should, I NEED YOU!

I'll post more stuff tomorrow when I have a minute of freeness...

Thanks for ready all of my random candy... this blog shoulda been called "Daily Candy: Candy corn version" cuz its really layered...like a bundt cake.
Stay tuned for another Daily Candy!

-Samuel™





P.S. "Lean like a Cholo" is over played in my studio... I barely like it, but I play it...what does that mean? Its some sort of psycology issue... maybe I'm really a cholo... wish I could collect a brown tan like one.
P.S.S Whats with Myspace SPAM these days? Are you all doing your part and clicking the "SPAM" button when you get them? Someone isn't reporting these cats and they're getting all up and on my inbox...lets end this people!