Back Home For the Holidays

In the past, I usually distanced myself from as much of the holiday hoopla as possible. I watched the boat parade, wrote the family holiday letter, did my gift shopping, and helped with the clean-up, but the rest of it wasn't my cup of egg nog. But coming home for the holidays has made the experience a bit different. Spending as much time as possible with family and loved ones is the goal, so the holiday routine has changed a bit: helping with decorations, (still) gift shopping (though on a budget), making baked goods (see photo above), gift exchanges, helping dad find gifts for mom, watching holiday movies ("Christmas Vacation" is gold), making more baked goods and passing out gifts to the neighbors. It's really been a different type of holiday season for me. Christmas in New York is fantastic and all, but home really is where the heart is (aaaaaaaaw!). Now, if I could just come to my senses and learn the value of gift shopping early.

Let There Be Waves

Dear Neptune,

I've been stuck in a concrete cavern for the past 4 months. I've seen glimpses of your magnificent blue (actually, it was a bit more greenish-brown) abyss, but have yet to partake in sliding along your moving mounds of water. Come Friday I'm going to be in California for a tad longer than two weeks, and it'd be greatly appreciated if you can poke and prod whomever has control over Senor El Nino and have him put the Pacific into action. All I ask are a handful of fun mornings and early evenings (I've included examples below) before I board a plane back to the barbarically cold climate they have going along the Right Coast. We'll call it an even trade: you give me waves, I continue to scold litterers and plastic bottle users to help keep you semi-healthy. Get on it.

Hugs & High-fives,

CM

Gay Talese

I'll admit, prior to J-School (super hip journo lingo for Graduate School of Journalism), I didn't know his work, or even his name. Being a writer, that's sad, I know. But during my time here I've had a number of his works assigned as readings, and I've tracked down some of his other work on my own as well. The guy is the master of long-form features. He sees and notices things most wouldn't pinpoint. Minute details that seem irrelevant, but that add so much to his work. He's written about some of the premiere celebrities of his day, people who had been under the spotlight for years, and yet, he writes his stories in a way that conveys a different side of them. A side no one knew or had taken notice of. He had an eye for what mattered in a scene and a sense of how to effectively select the necessary pieces to convey the most accurate account of those he wrote on.

I've got a ways to go before I'm a quarter of the writer Mr. Talese was, but it's certainly something to strive for. I could start by increasing the artistic merit of my outlines. Below is Telese's outline for one of his greatest pieces, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold." He wrote it in 1966 for Esquire, and just recently the magazine named it the finest piece that had ever run in its pages. That's saying quite a lot considering the who's-who list of writers who've had their bylines appear in the editorial well.

Tripe: Could I Stomach It?

Wouldn't have figured, but goat and pig tripe (or stomach lining) is delicious! Especially when seasoned, mixed with onions and cilantro, doused with Cholula and wrapped in a flour tortilla! Had to write a brief "weird food" piece for my Reporting & Writing class and opted for tripe. I figured I'm a willing carnivore, so trying a new bit of an animal couldn't be all that bad.

A simple Google search led me to Tehuitzingo Deli & Grocery in Hell's Kitchen. From the sidewalk it's not much to look at. In fact, were I walking down the street I probably wouldn't even give it a second thought. But I read the reviews and supposedly this place was a hidden gem for authentic Mexican food in NYC. Along with being a carnivore, I consider myself a Mexican food aficionado of sorts. Between jaunts south of the border and the occasional meal in Santa Ana or San Juan Capistrano, Calif., I've had exposure to some fine Mexican cuisine. Over nearly four months in New York, I'd been greatly disappointed in the so-called Mexican offerings. I mean, come on, in a city that boasts of being a cultural melting pot, how is it that Chipotle offers the best burrito in town?

So, to Tehuitzingo and the small window in the back of the grocery slash restaurant. The small dark-skinned woman taking my order from the kitchen didn't seem to understand a word of English. In the world of Mexican food, that's usually a damn good sign. And it was. I ordered a Tripa (pork tripe) and Sangre (goat tripe) taco, popped a Negro Modelo and grabbed a stool. If not for Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" music video on the TV, I would have declared it to be among the anticipatory high points of my time in NYC. Ricky ruins everything.

A matter of minutes later my order was ready. From afar, the twin tacos looked and smelled amazing. Upon closer inspection the meats were glaringly different in appearance: the goat tripe looked like charred ground beef and the pork tripe resembled half-cooked calamari. Before the first bite my stomach did give me a smidgen of second-thought, but I opted to continue in my taste-testing. And I was well-rewarded. Both were a tad on the salty side, but quite good. During my post meal reflection, I had to admit that, surprisingly, I preferred the goat tripe.

I'm hoping to make another trip down to Tehuitzingo again soon for my weekly Mexican fix. Maybe next time I'll go for the Oreja and Lengua (pork ear and beef tongue).

Spineless NY Senators Vote Down Same-Sex Marriage Bill

The NY Senate has spoken. And it did so in disappointing fashion. It's not so much the decision. If California won't legalize gay marriage, it doesn't surprise me when any other state follows suit. The disappointment is in the shameless behavior of the Democratic senators who voted 'No' after leaning 'Yes'.

A change of mind happens. Disagreement happens. But voting one way to save one's political hide because he or she didn't have the fortitude to face his or her constituents is downright vomitous.

The final vote was 38 to 24. It was expected by proponents of the bill and lobbyists to be much closer. But once it became apparent that the bill wasn't going to pass – which there was a good chance it wouldn't since the 30 Republicans took a unified anti approach – supposed Democratic supporters of the bill opted to change their vote. Talk about cheapening the power of politics.

If you're going to be a talking head and a coward, get your ass out of political power. While a loss is one thing, the manner of the loss is another. A close vote signals growing support for a long overdue change to government policy. Instead, a step has been taken in the wrong direction for the wrong reasons. What I learned from this vote: there are a handful of spineless Senators sitting in Albany who don't stand for shit and are an embarrassment to the democratic process.

The Fight for Marriage Equality

Time and time again, we prove that as a society we have a long way to go.

Just this week the New York State Senate delayed the vote on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. A week prior, residents of Maine voted in favor of Prop 1 to overturn a law legalizing gay marriage, a law that was passed just six months prior. And in California, on the same day Sen. Barack Obama was voted into presidential office, Prop 8 was passed, which returned same-sex marriage to its outcast status.

In the Declaration of Independence our forefathers included the idea “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In the land of the free and home of the brave this would seem to be a fitting idea.

Apparently not. In what appears an obvious objection to the separation of church and state, the “Creator” segment of the statement appears to be the prevailing power. In some religious circles the “Creator” identifies “men” with an asterisk. The “men” granted the inalienable rights are the men who love women. Or the women who love men. No men loving men, or women loving women. If you want the unalienable rights, you’d better play by the rules – God’s rules.

The problem is that at its core, same-sex marriage isn’t and shouldn’t be about religion – it’s about people of varying ages, race, sex and ideologies. It’s a matter of all humans receiving equal treatment.

So, a portion of the population is being oppressed by a belief system. A belief system that defies the laws of science. A belief system that speaks of a man walking on water. A belief system based on a book that condones the beating of wives and endorses slavery. It’s also a belief system that aims to protect the sanctity of marriage. And yet, in the last census half of first marriages ended in divorce.

There was a reason for adopting John Locke’s idea of separation of church and state. The idea, which was later repeated by Thomas Jefferson, aimed to insure that in matters of government, the doctrine of man and that of God, would remain separate in determining matters of the people. Instead, the church has used its influence over its respective congregations to become a force in deciding issues in government. Where people are supposed to be using reason and objectivity, they instead rely on religion teachings to make their decisions.

In his inauguration speech on January 21, 2008, President Obama referred to the fateful passage from the Declaration of Independence. On a day when the people of this country were embracing or preparing for change, the passage was cited as a tenet of future prosperity. He spoke of unifying the country behind the premise of moving forward beyond war, terror, debt, a failing education system and a failing healthcare system. But what about ignorance?

As a country, we’ve encountered similar obstacles before. Following years of abuse, slavery of humans was abolished. After years of fighting, women were granted the right to vote. And despite years of upheaval in the fight for gay rights, things are getting better. Support is growing. It’s only a matter of time before a national law passes, legalizing same-sex marriage once and for all.

Until that point, the fight will rage on. Religious institutions will dump funding into defamation campaigns, hoping to gather votes by misleading or scaring uninformed voters with misinformation. The gay community will refuse to give in, and more people will rise from the cloud of ignorance and realize that being gay isn’t a sin or a curable disease, it’s a part of the human fabric.

At a candlelight vigil held in Union Square in Manhattan the evening before the New York State Senate was to decide whether to vote on the bill, two men stood amongst the crowd with solemn looks on their faces. Both had a child in a carrier dangling from their chest. These was a perfectly respectable, loving couple that was on the brink of having a government institution tell them they’re second rate. That they can pay taxes, vote, hold jobs, use state parks, speak with their government representative, but ultimately, they would not have the freedom to engage in a simple foundation of the human experience. They could pursue life, liberty and happiness, but only in a manner the people deemed appropriate.

Why not begin living up to the reputation this country was founded upon? If we’re going to boast of freedom, it needs to be available to all or none.

Written for Personal & Professional Style at Columbia University.

Trying to be Heard

The fight for gay rights lingers on. After California and Maine have both been unsuccessful in protecting the rights of its gay citizens, New York is now engaged in a battle of its own. Several hundred people gathered in Union Square for a candlelight vigil the evening before the State Senate was scheduled to discuss the issue in its chambers. While the message was strong, the energy was a bit lacking, and they could have used a few more candles. Unfortunately, the Senate voted to postpone its discussion. The issue will wait until another day – hopefully before the end of the year.

Mayhem in the Bronx

I'm an Angels fan, let me lay that out there before anything else is said. When the Angels and Yanks met in the ALCS, I wore my Angel hat with pride, dealing with the dirty looks and pissy comments. Once the Yanks took the series, my interest in the playoffs waned. I tuned into a few games because it's the World Series, but since I was no longer emotionally invested, it didn't matter much.

But when the Phillies took Game 5, and the Yankees had the chance to close it out at home (come on, we all knew they weren't losing Game 6), I figured I should consider going up to the scene to take it all in. I was at my apartment working on some reading, debating whether I wanted to venture out, in the case that they lost. But Matsui hit the second-inning bomb and I knew it was over. So I jumped on the subway and ventured up to the new, over-priced, cracked-concreted House that The Boss (or Jeter or Rivera or Matsui) built. And I'm glad I did, because it was madness.

And I'm glad I left the Angel hat at home, because the fans were rowdy.

The bars across the street were jammed, with crowds peering through the windows just to keep track of the score. A bigger crowd was gathered outside Gate 6 of the stadium, watching the jumbo screen inside through the splits in the stadium exterior. Signs were present, flags were waving and chanting was non-stop ("Who's your da-ddy?" "De-rek Je-ter!" "Hip, Hip, Jor-ge!" "Phil-lies Su-uck!").

Once Mariano Rivera got Shane Victorino to ground out to Robinson Cano at second base, chaos ensued. I was outside Billy's and the plate-glass windows were immediately streaked with beer and cocktails as drinks flew. The gathering outside roared. I made my way back to the stadium and the crowds were pouring out, spilling into the blocked streets to start the celebration. No fires. No flipped cars. No fights. Just a ton of screaming, photos, chanting, dancing, congo drums, pots and pans clanging, light post climbing, hand slapping, hugs and bootleg merchandise.

It was a good time. Glad I went. Here's the photographic evidence:

GO ANGELS!

So Fresh and So Clean!

After being plagued by an active Pacific storm system that kept our suits stinky but our wits intact and the elves working too slow to reproduce copies, the third edition of morSURF Magazine is finally available to its legions (yes, legions!) of followers! Once again, readers can find comfort in the well-versed prose, carefully selected images and an interview with the coolest cat on the scene, Mr. Christian Wach. And there's beer. And iconic shapers. Some high-performance sliders. Super SUPer Candice Appleby. And understanding how surfing keeps thriving in the recession.

Pick up a copy. Read it. Stroke it. Love it. And maybe pass it on to a friend.

You can also find it here. (Hopefully. Be patient.)

The Debate Continues

From ffffound.com.

Tolk(ien) on This

"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might be swept off to."

–J.R.R. Tolkien

This spoke to me. It's kind of the story of my life these days. Day to day, week to week, I never know where the road (or the subway) will take me.

Bouncing Back From the Steroid Era – Already?

If history is in fact written by the victors, it’s safe to assume baseball’s Steroid Era will endure a fair bit of revisionist history. Why? The guilty keep winning and the powers-that-be in Major League Baseball don’t seem to care to take any drastic action.

Then again, why would they? They’ve got a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Besides, they’re a business, not a platform for higher moral standards.

The next generation of baseball fans be damned.

With a new World Series champion to be crowned in a months’ time, four teams remain in contention. In listening to and reading the critics, there’s one match-up that many are hoping for: New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers.

And why wouldn’t they? From a media standpoint, the story lines abound:

• Tradition – They’re two iconic clubs, among the oldest and most storied in the game, and also have two of the largest fan bases.

• History – The teams once shared city borders when the Dodgers were based in Brooklyn. The team relocated across the country in 1958.

• The Torre Factor – Estranged Yankees manager Joe Torre traded pinstripes for Dodger blue after not being resigned by the club he led for 12 seasons. Despite four World Series titles, six American League pennants and a playoff appearance each season, he was allowed to walk.

Then there’s that other issue that somehow seems to get swept aside when ratings and ad dollars are at stake: Performance Enhancing Drugs. Along with the host of story lines, the two teams also have two of the most recognizable known performance enhancement users on their rosters: the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez and the Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez.

According to some, one of the validating factors of a Yankees-Dodgers series is that it will signal the beginning phase of closure to the Steroid Era.

What?

The cloud of uncertainty surrounding the past 15 years of baseball is nowhere near dissipating as names continue to be leaked from the infamous 2003 survey testing list, and yet, there are already talks of closure? Both Rodriguez and Ramirez were outed in the past six months, and both continue to collect hefty salaries and play for postseason accolades. And yet, there are talks of progress?

The only certainly to date is that an entire generation of fans of this country’s national pastime has been exposed to a tainted slate of broken records, champions and high-profile stars. And it’s a period that is irrevocably lost to court proceedings and lies.

What does a dad say to a son who dreams of one day playing in the big leagues? To whom do they point as an example of what’s right with baseball? Most every big name that has had a period of success has been assigned the scarlet letter ‘C’, for cheater.

Stringent drug testing procedures are now in place, and seem to be having an effect, reflected in those players who’ve undergone a makeover in statistical matter. But what message does that send to the fans and their lingering feelings of being deceived?

Get over it.

The message sent to the future millionaires of MLB, on the other hand, is this: “Run and hide. Change your ways. We won’t ask, we won’t tell. Just don’t do it again or we’ll suspend you for a little while and you can go off and enjoy the millions of dollars that you’ve unethically earned to the dismay of millions of viewers.”

No doubt that the MLB playoffs bring a heightened sense of drama and enjoyment to sports fans across the country, but that shouldn’t be enough to hide what’s really going on. If enough people say steroids are a thing of the past, hopefully we’ll get over it, right?

Wrong.

A common happening in the ebb and flow of professional sports teams is rise and fall, success and failure, dominance and rebuilding. Following the height of the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa duel of 1998 in breaking Rogis Maris’ revered home run record – which resulted in returning baseball to national sports prominence – the mighty have since fallen.

And so baseball enters a collective era of rebuilding. Rebuilding legitimacy. Rebuilding a fanbase. Rebuilding faith in its product. Baseball has long stood as sacred ground in the annals of American sports, but the luster is long gone. Now it’s on the MLB to right its wrongs and do so in a way that treats its paying customers in a way they deserve.

Written for my Personal & Professional Style class at JSchool at Columbia University.

Change is in the Trees

Beautiful time of year for a walk in Central Park as the leaves begin their annual color shift. This'll be my first year of experiencing real seasons. Looking forward to it.

Extreme Fan-demonium

I'm all for supporting your team. The rivalries and passion that come out during the playoffs are part of what make it such a great time year. When the Angels met the Red Sox in the division series, the back and forth banter was almost as enjoyable as seeing the looks on Red Sox fans' faces following the 9th inning meltdown by their much-loved, baby-faced, previously invincible closer Jonathan Papelbon.

But now that the stakes are higher in the ALCS and I'm in the town of the opposition, it's quite a different situation. Yankee fans are everywhere. They gloat. They talk shit. They're bitter. And yet, I get the impression that they're just Yankee fans for the same reason there are USC fans across the country – it's trendy. I don't know how many of them endorse the boys in pinstripes by default; they live here or moved here, and therefore hop on the high-priced bandwagon. The Yanks are a great franchise mainly because their owner, Mr. George Steinbrenner has bottomless pockets ideal for poaching top talent from less spend-happy teams. There's barely a lick of farm-fed talent on that lineup, aside from Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. For the sake of balance, I will point out that the Angels also have one of the top payrolls in MLB, but a number of those guys were unknowns that were handpicked by scouts and allowed to grow in the Angels system.

So, when Yankee fans start boasting about the superiority of the Yankee franchise, it makes it clear that they don't know crap about what they're talking about. They buy success. They let other clubs turn potential into well-rounded veterans, then they outbid the rest of the field. From a purist's point of view, it's tasteless. In fact, I'd argue that the Yankees are one of the most underachieving franchises over the past several years – at least since their back-to-back-to-back stretch from 1998 to 2000. Zero World Series titles since (in two appearances).

With that in mind, when a non Yankee fan goes into a bar or to a game – and I did – and has to endure the brainless abuse by some illiterate a-hole who dumped $30 for a hat that he believes gives him allegiance, I have to look at that and laugh. It's just so absurd. Come on man, get a life, a job, an education ... or even just some teeth whiteners.

I know it's already a embedded in sports culture, but threats and insults have no place in being a fan. It's pathetic. It does nothing but reflect negatively on the team and the individual. So have a beer, exchange a few steroid jokes, make fun of the Disney-designed stadium and raise your hands in triumph if your team comes out on top. But leave it at that.

Paint & Free Space

Posted something similar by the same crew a while back. Absolutely nuts-o. Probably best not to be on drugs when you watch this. Enjoy.