Video blog!

Ok, video blog time!

I've been selling some stuff on craiglist. So, where does Luis get stuff to sell when he is broke?

Answer: Urban Foraging.... a.k.a. Dumpster Diving. It sounds bad, unless you get a Sean John Watch, a Logitech USB Headset, Books, Ray Ban Sunglasses, Video Games, Clothing, Photo Frames, 2008 Calendars, etc. All either in mint or good shape to use or sell.

I check Marshalls, Leohmans, Walgreens and other stores dumpsters. I don't jump into nasty smelly ones, these big stores keep their garbage pretty well bagged and you can tell which are garbage bin bags and which are "store garbage" which can be unsold or slightly defective stuff. It's a long shot, maybe once a week I hit jackpot with useful things. And that is how I've been making a few bucks while I wasn't working for almost 4 weeks.

It's sorta funny that when I was homeless I never did that, but when I found a place to live I sorta got into it by accident. I saw something near a dumpster which looked good a few weeks ago, and have been doing it ever since.

Ok, let's move on to the movie reviews. Oh yes, about the Madonna video I posted earlier today, I just liked it after watching it on MTV so I figured to share it.

Elizabethtown is a 2005 Drama/Comedy/Romance that starts with a very weak story about a sneaker designer who fails miserably and delays his end by dealing with his father's death. Things were pretty boring until... Kristen Dunst's character appeared. From that point on the move slowly picks up and goes from bring a bad film, to being an ok film. I can't recommend it since it's not worth watching until about 1/3 into the movie, however if you got time to kill with a female and want to watch the comedy/romance part of it (which succeeds in the end) then consider renting it.

The Forbidden Kingdom is a 2008 action/fantasy film with two of my favorite action stars: Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Based on a classic Chinese novel ("Journey to the West") the movie starts in Boston with a teen (Jason) who loves kung-fu movies that is bullied by other kids. This reminds me of the old Karate Kid movie which was good by the way (I'm not counting the sequels to it). Back on track... the kid buys martial arts dvd's from a store run by an old Chinese man (Chan) who has a mysterious ancient golden staff in the back of his place. It all goes wrong when the group of bullies forces Jason to help them break into the store at night. The kid ends up being transported back to ancient china where others recognize him as "The Seeker", part of an old prophecy. Usually I don't go into this much detail about the start of a movie... but I want you to get a good idea of the beginning because this is a great family movie. I highly recommend it, if you want to know more about the film... go see it!

That is all for today guys.

Ok, who doesn't like Madonna?

No work, Pool Party and Travian?

Well there are a lot of things going on, and mostly bad, for me.

John didn't come back last Monday and stayed another week with his daughter. Which meant, no money. I can't stand by Home Depot holding a sign, because if Ray or Maritza see me doing it, they may freak out and ask me to leave. Sure the chances of that is low, but would you rent a room to someone holding a "Looking for Work" sign? I ain't taking that chance.

Today I sent him a text message, no answer. He owes me pay for 2 days work. I'm a bit worried.

Der seems to be staying in Florida, but he tells me that once I get my driver's license I can work for him again... uh, I can't and he knows it. So that door seems to be closing, yet I call him on occasion to keep in touch so he knows I really want to work for him again.

With all these things not working out currently, my bank account is going down like a hooker that spots a $100 bill on the street.

I switched to Metro PCS, no more worries about minutes or people hearing me say "yeahoktalktoyoulater" to save minutes.

Meanwhile I'm trying to help Ray and Martiza sell stuff on craigslist (and sell some stuff myself). Little luck.

So my plan which I can't reveal fully in this blog because it may incriminate me, is to get a regular job on the books. Yes, technically it shouldn't be possible, however, it's a matter of numbers if you know what I mean.

Coincidentally, I will be buying a printer/scanner. All I need is to get a stable job for a few months so I can get a divorce and then try to rebuild myself legally (somehow) so I can stay in the country I now call home. Hell I've been here 20 years, there has to be a way for me to be here legitimately after all this time.

Ok, so Ray and Maritza had another Pool party last Sunday. I socialized a bit, but I got to say that it was extremely difficult to relate to the people who were there. All Latinos, speaking Spanish and I just could not fit in. Spanish music, no problem. But the conversation were just about things which I could not understand. I tried to get it, and couldn't. Most of the time I've been in the states I rarely dealt with Latinos.

This is frustrating and embarrassing for me on a personal level, that I, a Peruvian can't fit in with a group of southamericans!

My plan to eventually hook up with a Latina seems to be out the window.

All that aside. I'm still playing Travian and now I play PKR more often which is a virtual 3D multiplayer poker game that I played for free before I left my wife. Playing Poker Texas Hold 'em. Those who want to join me in Travian, sorry but Server 6 is full and that is the one I play in, you can catch me in PKR as "Windguaerd".

I'm trying to stay positive and get my new plan in effect, if all goes well within a week I should be filling applications at a few places.

If anyone has any decent spare parts to build a PC so I can rejoin my friends in LOTRO, let me know.

That's all for today.

Helping friends, home made food and... swimming? oh noes!

I helped Ray and Maritza by running their garage sale, thanks to the signs which Duayne bought we got people to notice us more and made them a bit over $50. They really need the money, and I was happy to help. What else was I doing between 9AM-2PM? I would've been watching tv or online doing nothing anyways, may as well help those in need.

The surprise was that they grilled and me and Duayne got home made food again! You'll see in the video.

Ok, as some of you know I don't know how to swim. Yes, I was brought up in the peruvian coast, and I've been in Florida for 8 years. However I only been to the beach twice in the years I'm here so I didn't see a need for it. Now with a pool in the backyard, today I decided to face my fear of drowning and learn how to swim. With some tips from Ray and Duayne (and Maritza laughing her ass off when she found out I didn't know how to swim) I've begun my self-taught lessons.

Good thing Ray had a spare set of goggles, 'cause me having my eyes open underwater is not the first thing I want to experience.

Here are the videos, no movie reviews today guys, I've been busy selling junk, eating good food and trying not to drown.

That's all for today.

Busy Week

Well, it's been a busy week. Even though John is away out of state and I didn't work this week, a lot has happened.

Ok, the big news first...may as well show you.

Dar sold me his scooter as he promised. I got registration and tag all done this week, its legally mine. It cost me half my savings altogether with expenses but it's worth it. The helmet was a bit messed up (visor was loose) but I went to home depot and got a piece to fix it. $8 for a full tank of gas, not bad. It's a 2003 Malaguti (Italian) Phantom, not sure how many cc but I registered as a Moped since the original registration showed it as such, and also because if it was registered as a scooter I'd need a Motorcycle License and right now I can't get one. I'll be investing in a tune up next week to make sure I keep it in good shape.

Now the bad news is that Dar is getting a divorce, and his wife is a legal partner in the limo business. He wants her to be a silent partner and keep the business going, but if she doesn't agree (which she is likely to do) then he will dissolve the company and move to New York. That would pretty much mean the end of my employment with him.

It's sad because Dar is a very level headed man, and his wife screamed at him and their kids a lot. Reminded me of Nina. So far all evidence I've seen and experienced shows that Jewish women may not be suitable for a normal loving marriage.

Ok, with that aside. I helped Ray and Maritza set up their garage sale early sat (I was up at 7AM and ran it until 2PM). It wasn't a success mainly because they didn't buy Garage Sale signs to put out on the streets to guide cars in. Later today (Sunday) we'll make another run at it and hopefully things will pick up.

Monday and Friday I met Bill & Joan for the free food they gave out. I gave them some clothes Monday and about 40 bags of potato chips Friday since Duayne found them as he was looking for empty boxes for the garage sale.

Here are some photos of them, they are the nicest couple. They used to be homeless themselves a few years ago, which is why they now help those who live on the streets. They know me and Duayne are trying to get back on our feet so they give us a hand still.

I was planning on going with them to church Sunday, but the garage sale got in the way and I had promised Maritza to help them out.

My laptop now can play Anarchy Online, problem is that it doesn't have the numeric pad on the right side of course and that is what I used to play AO for years moving my characters. A wireless keyboard would fix that problem, but not a priority. I can now play with my AO friends again.

Acheron from TDH (The Dark Hunters, my LOTRO guild) got me hooked on Travian, a web based strategy game. I curse the day he told me about it, I'm hooked!

I tried everything to try and get LOTRO to run on the laptop, but it's not possible, it doesn't work. Solution: buy a used desktop, low on my priorities list right now as well.

I helped my friend Eric move to his new place, he is so thin and weak that he could barely pick up an empty short file cabinet, I ain't kidding. I practically did the entire move for him. I even got him a free handtruck so we could move his furniture (borrowed from Maritza).

Earlier in the week he surprised me and gave me a 20" TV, which I now enjoy in my room, and after the move he gave me a nice wall mirror and a wooden wall clock.

I'm decorating my room with stuff I'm getting for free from friends or that I find. It's funny that I have a better looking room now than when I was with my wife, heh.

Ok, on to the movie reviews!

Let's start with a romantic, erotic comedy. Virgin Territory is a 2007 movie in which the main character played by Hayden Christensen (a.k.a. Anakin Skywalker) is an Italian Casanova who upsets a very rich and powerful noble which forces him to flee to avoid certain death. Through plain luck (and the unfortunate death of a grounds keeper) he finds refuge in a convent while pretending to be deaf and dumb. This leads to... interesting times. Ok, I will stop there. The movie is fun to watch, it's no great romance by any means, but it's very entertaining for sure. I recommend this movie.

Next is 2006's The Prestige which I thought it would be similar to The Illusionist which I previously reviewed since both films are about magicians. I was very much mistaken. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are great as rivals and the extremes to which each take to surpass each other may surprise you. It all starts with an accident in which Robert (Jackman) loses his wife and suspects it's Alfred's fault (Bale). The story spans years in the careers of the magicians, with a great ending. I highly recommend this film.

One Missed Call is a 2008 horror/thriller based on the original Japanese film. The premise is simple, yet creepy. People are starting to get phone calls of themselves from the future right before they die. Imagine you get a call, and hear yourself die with the phone displaying the date and time. Scary, yeah. That alone may get you to check it out, I usualy avoid horror movies, but this was a pleasant surprise. It was enjoyable and it gave me chills more than once. I recommend this movie.

That's all for today.

What a weekend!

Ok, here we go. Saturday morning Eric calls me to give me a free 20" TV which actually works. I had promised to help him move and he was going to do that today.

Back to Saturday. I stayed home and decided to take a nap by the pool. Bad idea, it was so hot I had no choice but go into the pool. I went in up to my shoulders and practiced kicking as Duayne had advised me to do so I could learn how to swim. I actually recorded this but not sure how it came out. Expect a video in this post.

I will be making a special video with a message to all my TDH and AO peeps soon =D

I'm a Marvel fan, so Iron Man was a must. I didn't go to the theater but I saw it, you can guess how I saw it. I will write a review for the movie tomorrow.

I helped Ray set up the tents for the Mother's Day pool party that is taking place right now.. which is very loud and I'm invited so I will go and try to mingle a little. It's been years since I've been at a party, I feel a bit insecure about socializing this way, but I know once Ray introduces me I will bring out my charming smile out and see if I can make a good impression on his friends and family.

Well, that's all for today.

OMG I look nice!

Well today my plan was to try and think of ways to make money through Ebay somehow. But then Dar calls me in the morning to work in the afternoon. Yes, limo time!

Thanks to thrift shops and some free clothes from Bill & Joan I have a half decent wardrobe for work.

Here are some pics and a video of me working today. We picked up 3 nice Germans guys from the Miami Airport. The last few are of the Hooters Der took me to after work. It's good to be me today, yup.

Der tells me I'll be working Saturday and Sunday. He's pretty much agreed to sell me his scooter for whatever it cost him to ship it from NY to FL when he moved down here. With it I can be more mobile and do more things to earn money I think. It will cost me a few hundred bucks and a nice hit to my savings but worth the investment.

Ok, on to a movie review!

L' Enfant is a 2006 French drama that may shock you a bit. Bruno is a small time thief who has just become a father and has no aspirations to get a real job. Sonia, his young girlfriend is deeply in love with him and ignores his shortcomings, until Bruno sells their son (Jimmy) for cash. Sonia faints and ends up in the hospital while Bruno slowly realizes the great mistake he's made. He'll have to face tough guys and end up in great debt to recover little Jimmy. His struggle to get money to get out of debt leads him to a robbery that puts a young accomplice in cold water. The actors playing Bruno and Sonia are excellent and so believable combined with the way the way the film is shot makes this a movie that I can highly recommend to anyone.

That's all for today.

No luck today

Finding Neverland is a 2004 movie about the author (James M. Barrie) of the popular play Peter Pan. I got to say that this is one of the finest and most touching performances by Johnny Depp and some of the younger actors. It's funny that Dustin Hoffman is in the movie since he once was in the role of Hook back in the 1991 movie of the same name. To say the story is well done and acted is an understatement. I highly recommend this movie.

I told Dar about what happened at the DMV, he wasn't happy but now wants to help me get a driver's license but also wants me to move into a warehouse to watch his property/cars and Im not sure I want to do that after moving into a nice place.

That is all for today.

Super-sized Recap!

I got my camera back so let's start with pictures from the apartment me and John worked and a video tour of our work.

Last Saturday I went to a few garage sales, with no luck but... there was some nice scenery I could not ignore. So more pics and videos!

Sunday I spent the morning helping Duane find a TV on sale (videos explains further) and part of the day hanging out by the pool. Duane cleaned the pool since he used to have a pool cleaning business and knew how to do it properly. Later in the afternoon my friend Eric came by to visit and did him a favor regarding a sign he made to win a Kelly Clarkson contest (which he lost 'cause he got there late, yet still got concert tickets). By the way, Eric is camera shy.

Ok that's all for now. Tomorrow I'll put up with some new movie reviews.

Movies and Recap

I haven't worked since Monday, John said we wouldn't start working again until next Monday. He was supposed to call me today so we could meet and drop off my camera and the pay for the day I worked this week. I hope hes alright.

Meanwhile, I've been hustling a bit. Call me cheap, but why pay for hangers at Target when I can go and get a ton of hangers from free behind Marshall's and other clothing stores. They throw them away, so I went and got a ton for myself and Duane, who moved in Thursday. He's my new roommate. Working 7 days a week making deliveries for the local Chinese restaurant and staying sober is helping him a great deal. When I needed a hand, he gave it to me, so when I had a chance, I helped him.

Sure there is a risk, he could go back to drinking and screw me since I recommended him for the room to my landlady. But I got faith in the goodness of people and I have faith that he will be able to continue on the good path he's on as I am. We're both rebuilding our lives.

Ok on with the movies that I've seen this week.

All About My Mother is a 1999 Spanish drama. This is one of the best foreign dramas I've seen. The touching story of a mother and her love for her son. Tragedy strikes which leads her to seek her past; including her former husband. An old friend who is a whore and a transsexual helps her find a new path. This is a very adult film, if you are sensitive about sexuality avoid it. There almost no nudity but it does have topics which most societies consider taboo. The acting is superb and the story is great, I highly recommend this movie.

Paradise Now is a 2005 thriller about two Palestinian childhood friends who decide to become martyrs by blowing themselves up in Tel Aviv. There is a political message in the movie from the Palestinian point of view as the story develops. Leaving family behind, even a possible romance. Both men must decide what best course of action to take to help their people. The mission goes wrong as they attempt to cross the Israeli border which leads to a tragic end. I usually wouldn't see this kind of film since I dislike politics and to be honest aren't too fond of religious extremists, but the story was so well done that I have to recommend this movie. If you're jewish, you probably won't want to watch it, I think. Note: Film is in Arabic with english subtitles.

Bride & Prejudice is a 2005 modernization of the classic tale of Pride & Prejudice (I did also somewhat review the movie version not too long ago). Ok, so exchange England for India (yeah that makes it interesting already doesn't it?) and then add an young American businessman along with a few unique characters and you have a great film. It's funny, touching, romantic, dramatic and intelligent. Oh yes, almost forgot... it's also a musical, partially. You are likely to enjoy the music, the dancing and the occasional silliness of certain situations. I highly recommend this movie. Note: watch the ending, it has funny outtakes.

Tomorrow I'm going again to hunt for garage sales (I did that last Saturday too) and find some more decent clothes and some cheap t-shirts for work. I'll try to find Duane something too, he works from morning to night so he has limited time and we both are trying to save everything we can.

I still have 2 movies from the library, then I won't get any for a while since I got my DVD Movie Collection with me and I can also finally catch up on some of the Anime I've missed.

I'm trying to think of ways to make money online, ebay, craigslist, you name it, I need to raise cash as fast as possible so I can buy a scooter to be mobile. I have a plan, and I'm set on succeeding.

That's all for today.